A Touch of Feminism in the Works of Maya Angelou

Feminism has always been an important subject to bring to light. Author Maya Angelou was a crucial figure when it came to highlighting hardships among women. She addresses issues such as sexism, feminism, and racism. However, feminism is important to discuss because the acceptance and equality of all women is a basic right that these women should be granted. Maya Angelou displays feminism in her poems, "Phenomenal Woman" and "Woman Work".

Maya Angelou displays feminism in her poem, "Phenomenal Woman". In the first stanza, the speaker openly admits that, "I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size" (Angelou, line 2).

She claims that her secret to her confidence is in her stride, and in "the span of [her] hips" (Angelou, line 7). This portion of the poem speaks to a large variety of women because every woman personifies their own set of curves, hips, and lips. It is crucial to embrace every woman because "many people who call themselves feminists argue what other women should and should not be doing with their clothes, their bodies, their careers... and in those divisions, we lose the core sense of what feminism is fighting for" (Womensviewsonnews.org). A characterization of feminism is that it is "a movement that empowers women to recognize and challenge intersecting forms of social oppression by making connections to their everyday lives" (Carter).

In the first stanza, the speaker takes pride in herself and everything about her. She accepts herself, and the speaker identifies as a feminist because she "accepts women from all walks of life and all manner of backgrounds as equally human" (Womansviewsonnews.org). It is appropriate to end the first stanza with a tone of self-acceptance, "Phenomenal woman. That's me" (Angelou, lines 12-13). The word "me" can be universally translated to "everyone". Angelou is arguing that all women who embody every aspect of a woman, are indeed phenomenal.

The fourth stanza raises awareness among other women about self-acceptance, "When you see me passing. It ought to make you proud" (Angelou, lines 50-51). The speaker is clear that she takes pride in being a simple woman. The message is that, instead of belittling someone for their uniqueness, each woman should embrace themselves, regardless of how they look.

Another aspect of this poem worth bringing attention to is the shape of the poem. Angelou celebrates all that is women in "Phenomenal Woman", even down to its structure. All four stanzas are configured similar to an hourglass, which is universally recognized as a womanly figure. The words within the poem reflect the shape of the poem itself. It is simply and proudly written by a woman who has confidence in herself and encourages all women to do the same.

Maya Angelou's poem, "Woman Work", embodies the concept of feminism. The poem "Phenomenal Woman" presents an aspect of feminism that embraces women of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. The poem, "Woman Work", addresses sexism. It starts with the title. What is "woman work"? It is natural to assume that it means childcare, cooking, and cleaning.

The first stanza of the poem shows the "long, unending monotonous routine of a housewife" (Navqi, 2015). She is constantly reminding herself of the extensive list of chores that need to be completed by the end of the day. The speaker has a variety of tasks to accomplish as well as people to tend to: "I got company to feed, the garden to weed, I've got shirts to press, the tots to dress" (Angelou, lines 7-10). Throughout the poem, the lines starting with "I've" emphasize the fact that she is responsible for all of this. This domestic situation is obligatory for her (Navqi, 2015). The role of a housewife is often overlooked since "women are deprived of their basic rights and confined within the four walls...their unpaid services are exploited by their husbands" (Navqi, 2015). The protagonist in the poem, the housewife, finds no time for self-realization. She is not given the opportunity or the time to discover herself because "the housewife exhausts herself by marking time in the endless repetition of her work" (Johnson).

After an exhausting day of endless chores, the housewife turns to nature for comfort as no one else listens to her complaints: "Shine on me, sunshine. Rain on me, rain" (Angelou, lines 15-16). The speaker does not directly address sexism, but it is apparent. The wife, the woman, carries out what is traditionally called "woman’s work". All the cleaning, ironing, cooking is what is expected from wives. They are not expected to work or do anything considered as "man's work".

To conclude, Maya Angelou highlights the necessity for self-acceptance and recognition for all women, regardless of their background in "Phenomenal Woman". She encourages all women to not only accept, but also love every part of their body, from their lips to their hips. Her confidence is what had fellows "fall down on their knees" (Angelou, line 18). What a man thinks about a woman's body is unimportant; the woman's opinion is what matters. In "Woman Work", Angelou addresses the unfairness of the workload the housewife must bear, with neither pay nor break. The housewife is a domestic slave, entrapped in her own home, with nature as her only consolation. Angelou addresses feminism in both poems, as they represent the need for acceptance and equality.

Works Cited

• Angelou, Maya. "Phenomenal Woman." Feminist.com. n.d. Web. 30 March 2017.

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