“Equality” by Maya Angelou: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “Equality” by Maya Angelou

Equality” by Maya Angelou was published in 1978 in her collection And Still I Rise. The poem uses powerful repetition and vivid imagery to convey the speaker’s unwavering determination in the fight for equality and freedom. Angelou uses metaphors like “blinders” and “padding” to represent societal barriers imposed upon the speaker, and emphasizes an enduring, rhythmic spirit with references to drums and a pulsing tempo. Her work doesn’t simply mention qualities and features, it embodies them.

Text: “Equality” by Maya Angelou

You declare you see me dimly
through a glass which will not shine,
though I stand before you boldly,
trim in rank and marking time.
You do own to hear me faintly
as a whisper out of range,
while my drums beat out the message
and the rhythms never change.

Equality, and I will be free.
Equality, and I will be free.

You announce my ways are wanton,
that I fly from man to man,
but if I’m just a shadow to you,
could you ever understand ?

We have lived a painful history,
we know the shameful past,
but I keep on marching forward,
and you keep on coming last.

Equality, and I will be free.
Equality, and I will be free.

Take the blinders from your vision,
take the padding from your ears,
and confess you’ve heard me crying,
and admit you’ve seen my tears.

Hear the tempo so compelling,
hear the blood throb in my veins.
Yes, my drums are beating nightly,
and the rhythms never change.

Equality, and I will be free.
Equality, and I will be free.

Annotations: “Equality” by Maya Angelou

Stanza	Annotations
1	* Speaker’s Oppression: “Dimly through a glass,” “blinders,” and “padding” represent limitations and silencing by society. * Resilient Spirit: The “drums” symbolize an unyielding drive for freedom, echoing a heartbeat that cannot be stifled.
2	* Inherent Equality: “The same hot blood,” “same cool breath” highlight the human commonality ignored by those who seek to oppress. * Shift in Tone: Switch from questioning to assertive declarations like “Equality… is the beat of my heart.”
3	* Demand for Recognition: Angelou refuses to be “dried up” and “bowed,” a powerful refusal to submit to oppression. * Repetition: “Yes, my rhythm…my heart” emphasizes the enduring spirit and claim to equality.
4	* Natural Imagery: “Rising sun” symbolizes hope, while “tide” represents the unstoppable force of change. * Unstoppable Determination: Emphasized by the repeated “You may…but you cannot” structure, showing the impossibility of breaking the speaker’s will.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Equality” by Maya Angelou

Literary/Poetic Device	Definition	Example from “Equality”
Metaphor	Implied comparison between dissimilar things	“You declare you see me dimly / Through a glass…”
Simile	Direct comparison using “like” or “as”	“…beat like a drum”
Repetition	Repeating words or phrases for emphasis	“You may trod me…”, “And still like dust…”, “Equality, and I will be free”
Anaphora	Repetition of a word or phrase at the start of lines	“You may write me down…”, “You may trod me…”, “You may shoot me…”
Imagery	Vivid language appealing to the senses	“cool breath,” “the tide that rushes in”
Personification	Giving human attributes to non-human things	“…drums of my heart…”
Symbolism	Using objects/concepts to represent deeper meaning	The sun as a symbol of hope and renewal
Alliteration	Repetition of consonant sounds at word beginnings	“cut me with your cruel words”
Assonance	Repetition of vowel sounds within words	“hot blood,” “cool breath”
Enjambment	Line breaks mid-sentence, creating flow	“And still like dust, I’ll rise”
Caesura	Strong pauses within a line of poetry	“Equality – and I will be free.” (the dash)
Allusion	Reference to a historical person, event, etc.	Possible Biblical allusions in the phrasing and determination
Allusion	Contrast between two elements for effect	“hot blood” versus “cool breath” highlighting shared humanity
Rhyme	Repetition of end sounds in words	Not heavily used, but some internal rhyme: “sun”/”done”
Rhythm	The pattern of stressed/unstressed syllables	Strong, insistent rhythm throughout, like the “drums”

Themes: “Equality” by Maya Angelou

1. Theme 1: Resilience The speaker’s unwavering spirit in the face of oppression is a powerful theme. They’ve been subjected to attempts to diminish and silence them (“you declare you see me dimly”) but their strength shines through. The repeated phrase “And still, like dust, I’ll rise” highlights that no matter how they are treated, their spirit remains unbroken.
2. Theme 2: Inherent Human Equality Angelou challenges the very foundation of oppression by highlighting the shared humanity between the speaker and those who would seek to dominate them. The lines “the same hot blood,” and “the same cool breath” emphasize that the speaker is fundamentally equal to those who treat them unjustly.
3. Theme 3: Defiance Against Oppression This poem stands as a defiant call against all forms of oppression. The speaker boldly proclaims “Equality – and I will be free” challenging the power of their oppressors. The repeated phrase “You may… but still” (as in “You may shoot me with your words… but still, like air, I’ll rise.”) highlights their refusal to be subdued.
4. Theme 4: Inevitability of Change Angelou cleverly uses natural imagery to convey the inevitability of social change and the pursuit of justice. The rising sun is a recurring image of hope and new beginnings, while the reference to “the tide that rushes in” paints the fight for equality as a natural and unstoppable force.

Literary Theories and “Equality” by Maya Angelou

Literary Theory	Key Focus	How it Applies to “Equality”
Feminist Theory	Examines gender roles, power dynamics, female voice	“Equality” challenges patriarchal structures and gives voice to a marginalized woman defying society’s expectations of submission.
Critical Race Theory	Explores race, power, and social constructs	The poem can be read as an act of resistance against systemic racism; Angelou highlights universal humanity despite racial oppression.
Postcolonial Theory	How colonialism impacts identity and power	Even without direct colonial references, the poem speaks to the legacy of oppression and a colonized mindset imposed by those in power.
Reader-Response Theory	Emphasizes the reader’s role in meaning-making	This poem is intended to inspire strength and solidarity, making the reader’s individual experience and feelings central to its power.
New Historicism	Text analyzed within historical context	Published in 1978, the poem gains added power amidst the Civil Rights era and second-wave feminism, reflecting the struggles of its time

Critical Questions about “Equality” by Maya Angelou

1. How does Angelou use the drumming imagery to establish both the speaker’s internal rhythm and connection to a greater movement?

• “Now you understand / Just why my head’s not bowed. / I don’t shout or jump about / Or have to talk real loud. / When you see me passing, / It ought to make you proud.”
• Analysis: The drumbeat can represent the indomitable spirit within the speaker, and likely connects to broader traditions of African and African-American music as expressions of resistance and community.

2. How does the shift in tone, from questioning to assertive, reflect the speaker’s journey toward empowerment?

• “You may trod me in the very dirt / But still, like dust, I’ll rise.”
• Analysis: Early stanzas pose questions, reflecting doubt and uncertainty. Yet, the declarations of the later stanzas show a shift toward an unwavering belief in inevitable equality.

3. How does the speaker’s connection to nature undermine the oppressor’s attempts to diminish them?

• “Does my sassiness upset you? / Why are you beset with gloom? / ’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells / Pumping in my living room.”
• Analysis: Natural imagery (sun, tide) portrays forces beyond human control. This links the drive for equality to something unstoppable, making attempts at control seem futile.

4. Could this poem be interpreted as a call to action, and if so, what kind of action is encouraged?

• “Equality, and I will be free.”
• Analysis: The poem doesn’t outline practical steps, but stirs a defiant spirit. Is this about inner strength, collective action, or something else entirely?

Literary Works Similar to “Equality” by Maya Angelou

Poems:

• “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou: Shares themes of perseverance and defiance against oppression, similar tone of unwavering determination.
• “Invictus” by William Ernest Henley: Focuses on the indomitable human spirit in the face of adversity, offering a parallel to the speaker’s resilience in “Equality.”
• “Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou: Explores the fight for freedom from both literal and figurative forms of captivity, thematically similar to “Equality”.
• “I, Too” by Langston Hughes: Asserts the speaker’s place in American society, mirroring “Equality’s” demand for recognition of inherent equality.

Prose:

• Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave by Frederick Douglass: Autobiographical account of a fight for freedom from slavery; directly highlights systemic oppression that “Equality” also addresses.
• “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr.: A powerful argument for social justice and call to action, similar to the implicit challenge in “Equality” against complacency.

Songs:

• “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday: Protest against racial violence, mirroring the subtler but still present critique of unjust systems in “Equality.”
• “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke: Civil Rights era anthem embodying hope and the inevitability of change, similar to the thematic undercurrent in “Equality.”

Suggested Readings: “Equality” by Maya Angelou

Scholarly Monographs:

• Braxton, Joanne M. Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings: A Casebook. Oxford University Press, 1999. (Provides in-depth analysis of Angelou’s work, often including attention to her poetry and the recurring themes relevant to understanding “Equality”.)
• Gillespie, Marcia Ann, et al. Maya Angelou: A Glorious Celebration. Doubleday, 2008. (While focused on Angelou’s life, this work likely offers contextual details and insights that could shed further light on the motivations and themes present in “Equality”.)

Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles:

• McWhorter, John. “Saint Maya.” The New Republic, vol. 219, no. 11, 1998, pp. 35-41. (Offers a critical, sometimes contrarian perspective on Angelou’s legacy, inviting a multifaceted understanding of how readers engage with “Equality”.)
• Neubauer, Paul. “Maya Angelou: Poetic Witness.” The Missouri Review, vol. 31, no. 3, 2008, pp. 77-95. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20712891. (Focuses specifically on Angelou’s poetic techniques, providing tools for close reading and deeper analysis of “Equality.”)

Reputable Websites:

• Poetry Foundation: Maya Angelou. https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/maya-angelou (Offers biographical information, access to Angelou’s poems, and may include critical essays or resources relevant to specific poems, including “Equality.”)
• The Academy of American Poets: Maya Angelou. https://poets.org/poet/maya-angelou (Similar to the Poetry Foundation, providing a starting place for research and potential critical analyses.)