“A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott

“A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott, published in 1962 as part of his poetry collection In a Green Night, explores the complexities of identity, colonialism, and violence. With its vivid imagery, stark contrasts, and unflinching examination of brutal conflict, “A Far Cry from Africa” showcases Walcott’s mastery of language and his profound understanding of the human condition in the face of historical and cultural clashes. The poem’s raw emotional power and its exploration of divided loyalties make it a poignant and unforgettable work.

Text: “A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott

A wind is ruffling the tawny pelt
Of Africa. Kikuyu, quick as flies,
Batten upon the bloodstreams of the veldt.
Corpses are scattered through a paradise.
Only the worm, colonel of carrion, cries:
“Waste no compassion on these separate dead!”
Statistics justify and scholars seize
The salients of colonial policy.
What is that to the white child hacked in bed?
To savages, expendable as Jews?

Threshed out by beaters, the long rushes break
In a white dust of ibises whose cries
Have wheeled since civilization’s dawn
From the parched river or beast-teeming plain.
The violence of beast on beast is read
As natural law, but upright man
Seeks his divinity by inflicting pain.
Delirious as these worried beasts, his wars
Dance to the tightened carcass of a drum,
While he calls courage still that native dread
Of the white peace contracted by the dead.

Again brutish necessity wipes its hands
Upon the napkin of a dirty cause, again
A waste of our compassion, as with Spain,
The gorilla wrestles with the superman.
I who am poisoned with the blood of both,
Where shall I turn, divided to the vein?
I who have cursed
The drunken officer of British rule, how choose
Between this Africa and the English tongue I love?
Betray them both, or give back what they give?
How can I face such slaughter and be cool?
How can I turn from Africa and live?

Annotations: “A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott

Stanza	Annotation
Stanza 1	* Opening with powerful imagery, Walcott portrays Africa as a restless, wounded animal. The Kikuyu, a native Kenyan tribe, are compared to flies feeding on blood, suggesting violence and the exploitation of the land. This contrast between natural beauty (“paradise”) and human-inflicted horror sets the stage for the poem’s themes of conflict and suffering.*
Stanza 2	The speaker condemns the detachment of those who justify violence. “Colonel of carrion” refers to the scavengers profiting off death. “Statistics” and “scholars” allude to the dehumanizing arguments used to justify colonial policies and the resulting atrocities.
Stanza 3	Walcott draws stark parallels between the brutal murder of a white child and the treatment of the colonized people, likened to the mass killings of Jews in the Holocaust. This shocking comparison underscores the shared humanity and suffering disregarded by those in power.
Stanza 4	The image of ibises, white birds, wheeling above the parched land evokes a cycle of violence and natural indifference that has existed since ancient times. The poem transitions to focus on the nature of human violence.
Stanza 5	* This stanza highlights the contrast between animalistic violence seen as “natural law” and the calculated, ideological cruelty of humans. The “worried beasts” refer to those driven to war, while the “tightened carcass of a drum” symbolizes the dehumanizing effect of war propaganda.*
Stanza 6	* The speaker emphasizes the hypocrisy of those who use “necessity” and “cause” to justify violence, drawing historical parallels with the Spanish Civil War and its brutality. The gorilla vs. superman imagery highlights the false notion of racial superiority driving colonialism.*
Stanza 7	* The final stanza turns personal; the speaker reveals his own divided heritage as someone of both African and European descent. This inner conflict and questioning of identity lie at the heart of the poem’s emotional core.*

Literary And Poetic Devices: “A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott

Literary/Poetic Device	Example from the Poem	Explanation
Metaphor	“tawny pelt of Africa”	Compares the landscape of Africa to the fur of an animal, emphasizing its vastness and wildness.
Simile	“Kikuyu, quick as flies”	Compares the movement of the Kikuyu people to the swiftness of flies, highlighting their opportunistic behavior in the conflict.
Imagery	“bloodstreams of the veldt”	Vividly depicts the bloodshed and violence occurring on the African plains.
Symbolism	“white child hacked in bed”	The white child represents innocence and vulnerability, the murder symbolizing the indiscriminate brutality of colonial violence.
Allusion	“expendable as Jews”	References the Holocaust, highlighting the dehumanization and mass killings inflicted upon marginalized groups.
Personification	“The violence of beast on beast”	Gives violence a life of its own, emphasizing its destructive, uncontrollable nature.
Juxtaposition	“threshed out by beaters…cries have wheeled since civilization’s dawn”	Contrasts the momentary human violence with the enduring, almost indifferent, presence of nature.
Oxymoron	“native dread of the white peace”	Highlights the false sense of security imposed by colonial rule, the true nature of which is oppressive.
Rhetorical Question	“How can I face such slaughter and be cool?”	Expresses the speaker’s moral anguish and the impossibility of neutrality.
Repetition	“Again…again”	Emphasizes the cyclical nature of violence and the repeated justifications for it.
Assonance	“wind is ruffling”	The repetition of the short ‘i’ sound creates a sense of unrest and agitation.
Consonance	“hacked in bed”	The harsh ‘k’ and ‘d’ sounds emphasize the brutality of the act.
Enjambment	Lines flow into one another without punctuation	Creates a sense of urgency and reflects the continuous nature of suffering.
Caesura	“Waste no compassion on these separate dead!”	Mid-line breaks create a disjointed effect, mimicking the fragmented worldview of those who dehumanize the victims.
Alliteration	“worried beasts… tightened carcass”	The repetition of ‘w’ and ‘t’ sounds creates a harsh, discordant effect.
Irony	“upright man seeks his divinity by inflicting pain”	Contrasts the ideals of humanity with the reality of brutal actions.
Tone	Varies from anger, anguish to despair	Reflects the speaker’s complex emotions and sense of moral outrage.
Diction	Words like “delirious,” “worried,” “dread”	Creates a sense of anxiety and unease.
Hyperbole	“gorilla wrestles with the superman”	Exaggerates the racialized conflict for dramatic effect.
Anaphora	“I who am poisoned… I who have cursed”	Repetition emphasizes the speaker’s internal conflict caused by their dual heritage.

Themes: “A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott

1. The Brutality of Colonialism: Walcott paints a harrowing picture of Africa ravaged by colonial violence. Images like “corpses…scattered through a paradise” and the “white child hacked in bed” juxtapose the natural beauty of the land with the horrific consequences of human cruelty inflicted in the name of power and control. The poet condemns the dehumanization (“expendable as Jews”) and hypocrisy (“brutish necessity wipes its hands upon a dirty cause”) inherent in colonial policies, exposing the devastating impact on both the colonized and the colonizers.
2. The Cycle of Violence: The poem explores the idea that violence begets violence. Walcott draws connections between the brutality of the natural world (“the violence of beast on beast”) and the wars waged by humans, suggesting a disturbing universality to suffering. The “tightened carcass of a drum” symbolizes the dehumanizing effect of war propaganda. While acknowledging the instinctual aggression in “worried beasts”, the poem argues that humanity has elevated cruelty to a perverse level, seeking justification through ideology and inflicting calculated pain.
3. The Complexities of Identity: Wrestling with his own dual heritage of African and European descent, the speaker grapples with questions of belonging and loyalty. He questions his place (“Where shall I turn, divided to the vein?”), challenges his connection to the English language (“the English tongue I love”), and grapples with conflicting emotions of both anger and allegiance. This internal conflict reflects the broader struggle of postcolonial identity, where the legacy of oppression and the ties to one’s culture create a constant state of turmoil.
4. Moral Anguish and Complicity: The poem is saturated with the speaker’s moral outrage in the face of the horrors he witnesses. Rhetorical questions like “How can I face such slaughter and be cool?” and “How can I turn from Africa and live?” underscore his inability to remain neutral. Moreover, he challenges the apathy of those who justify violence (“Statistics justify and scholars seize”) and questions his own complicity in oppressive systems. This theme highlights the ethical burden of witnessing injustice and the struggle to reconcile individual responsibility with the larger forces of history.

Literary Theories and “A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott

Literary Theory	Explanation	Examples from “A Far Cry from Africa”
Postcolonialism	Examines the effects of colonialism on cultures and societies, focusing on issues of power, identity, and representation.	* The poem critiques colonial violence (“brutish necessity wipes its hands / Upon the napkin of a dirty cause”) and its lasting impact. * The speaker’s own struggle with a divided identity (“I who am poisoned with the blood of both”) reflects the complexities of postcolonial experiences.
Marxism	Analyzes literature through the lens of class struggle, economic inequality, and social hierarchies.	* The poem hints at the exploitation of resources and labor underlying the colonial conflict (“Kikuyu, quick as flies, / Batten upon the bloodstreams of the veldt”). * References to “expendable” natives and “scholars” seizing “the salients of colonial policy” highlight power imbalances.
New Historicism	Considers literature within its historical context, examining how culture and power dynamics shape the text.	* The poem can be read in the context of African independence movements and the turbulent era of decolonization. * Allusions to the Holocaust and the Spanish Civil War draw parallels between historical atrocities and the poem’s setting.
Psychoanalytic	Explores the unconscious desires and motivations of characters, often through symbolism and dream-like imagery.	* The poem’s animalistic imagery (“tawny pelt,” “flies,” “worried beasts”) could suggest underlying instinctual urges driving the violence. * The speaker’s internal conflict and questioning of identity could be read as a psychological battleground.
Feminism	Focuses on gender roles, power structures, and the representation of women in literature.	* While not explicitly focused on women, the poem acknowledges the universal suffering wrought by violence, including the murder of a child, regardless of gender. * One could examine the poem for potential gendered dynamics of power and victimization, implicit in colonial systems.

Critical Questions about “A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott

• How does the poem subvert traditional portrayals of Africa?
• The poem challenges stereotypical depictions of Africa as solely a place of exotic beauty or savagery. It shows both the continent’s natural splendor (“paradise”) and the devastating violence inflicted upon it (“corpses are scattered”). This unflinching depiction highlights the complexity of the African experience and the destructive impact of colonialism.
• How does Walcott’s use of language contribute to the poem’s emotional impact?
• Walcott employs vivid imagery (“tawny pelt of Africa”), shocking contrasts (“white child hacked in bed”), and powerful metaphors (“gorilla wrestles with thesuperman”) This creates a visceral sense of horror and outrage. His use of rhetorical questions forces the reader to confront their own complicity within systems of oppression.
• In what ways does the speaker’s inner turmoil mirror the larger conflict of the poem?
• The speaker’s mixed heritage and conflicting loyalties (“How choose / Between this Africa and the English tongue I love?”) reflect the broader struggle of identity and belonging in a postcolonial context. This internal tension adds a layer of complexity to the poem’s exploration of violence, underscoring how colonialism damages both the colonizer and the colonized.
• How does the poem address the issue of moral responsibility in the face of violence?
• The poem challenges notions of neutrality or detachment (“Waste no compassion on these separate dead!”). It implies that those who witness suffering bear a responsibility to act or at least bear witness. The speaker’s own anguish (“How can I face such slaughter and be cool?”) highlights the ethical weight of inaction in the face of injustice.

Literary Works Similar to “A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott

• Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart:
• This foundational African novel explores the devastating impact of colonialism on traditional Igbo society in Nigeria. Like Walcott’s poem, Achebe’s work examines the complexities of identity, cultural destruction, and the clash between opposing worldviews.
• Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness: This controversial novella, while written from a European perspective, offers a critical glimpse into the brutality and hypocrisy at the core of colonialism in Africa. It shares with Walcott’s poem a focus on the moral ambiguity and corruption inherent in systems of oppression.
• W.B. Yeats’ “The Second Coming”: This modernist poem, written in the aftermath of World War I, captures a profound sense of societal breakdown and a loss of order. Similar to “A Far Cry from Africa,” Yeats uses vivid imagery, such as circling birds of prey, to convey a sense of violence, chaos, and the unraveling of established systems.
• Aimé Césaire’s Notebook of a Return to the Native Land: A vital work of the Négritude movement, Césaire’s long-form poem powerfully explores themes of colonial oppression, cultural identity, and resistance. It shares with Walcott’s work a profound sense of outrage against injustice, an exploration of the psychological impact of colonialism, and a fierce celebration of African heritage.

Reasons for Similarity: These works resonate with “A Far Cry from Africa” due to their shared focus on:

• The Impact of Colonialism: The profound and destructive effects of colonialism on individuals, societies, and cultures.
• Identity and Belonging: The complex questions of identity, cultural displacement, and divided loyalties experienced by those caught between conflicting worlds.
• Violence and Moral Responsibility: The brutal realities of violence, the loss of innocence, and the ethical dilemmas faced by those who witness or participate in systems of oppression.

Suggested Readings: “A Far Cry from Africa” by Derek Walcott

Scholarly Articles

• Terada, Rei. Derek Walcott’s Poetry: American Mimicry. Northeastern University Press, 1992.
• Breslin, Paul. “The Agon of Derek Walcott’s ‘A Far Cry from Africa.’” Twentieth Century Literature, vol. 52, no. 4, 2006, pp. 412-433. JSTOR , [invalid URL removed]

Critical Essays (within edited collections)

• Donnell, David. “A Credo in Isolation.” Derek Walcott, edited by Robert D. Hamner, Twayne Publishers, 1993, pp. 48-52.
• Baugh, Edward. “The Poet in His World: Derek Walcott’s Divided Loyalties.” Derek Walcott, edited by Robert D. Hamner, Twayne Publishers, 1993, pp. 30-47.

Websites (Reputable Sources)

• Poetry Foundation: Offers the poem’s text, brief biography of Walcott, and links to related resources. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/derek-walcott
• Encyclopedia.com: Provides a thorough critical analysis of the poem within the context of Walcott’s work and postcolonial literature. https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/far-cry-africa