The Grieved Lands by Agostinho Neto
Poet's Background
Agostinho Neto was born on 17th September, 1922. He was the first President of Angola between 1975 and 1979 under the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). His bitter experience with Portuguese colonial policy in Angola hardened his hatred for European colonialism. All his works focused on human rights, self-survival and celebration of mother Africa. He died on 10th September, 1979.
SUBJECT MATTER /PLOT ACCOUNT:
This poem is based on the colonialization of Angola by the Portuguese. The grieved lands of Africa means the entire population of African people who were in pain as a result of ancient and modern slave. The common men that claimed their right were brutalized in Angola. Angolans and other Africans were physically and psychologically depressed with the use of iron and fire which means gun to silent Africans. Africans were denied freedom of speech and human rights were violated during colonial period in Angola. The colonial masters made life difficult for Africans while they enjoyed themselves. Slaves were seriously punished. The poet condemned the violent death of slaves ;’’even the corpses thrown up by the Atlantic.’’ ‘’In putrid offering of incoherence and death.’’ Despite the intimidation, Africans maintain their culture, values and traditions. ‘’The honest blood of men,’’‘’ the strong desire of men,’ ‘’the sincerity’’ this means to sustain their dreams. Finally, the poet stated that Africans will win their lands back from unwanted visitors. ‘’Because we are living,’’ And are imperishable particles.’’ It is a sign of hope of freedom for Angola and the entire African continent.
THEMES FROM THE POEM:
Slavery : The poet listed the suffering s, agonies, dilemmas and hostilities that the African slaves were subjected to. The poet expresses sorrow about slave trade. ‘’In the tearful woes of ancient and modern slave’’. It is a reflection of the colonial era in the past.
Hope: the poet passed a message of hope to the Africans. He believes that Africans will come out of all odds and survive. ‘’Because we are living,’’ ‘’And are imperishable particle.’’
Exploitation: The whites came to African continent to deprive us of our personal belongings. The colonial master stole what belong to Africans to develop themselves and live a better life while African continent is backward till date.
Death: Africans were badly treated. They went through pains and died in the process. Those who died were not properly buried during transit to Europe. Some were thrown into the open sea.
LITERARY/POETIC DEVICES:
Repetition: It is when a word, phrase or sentence is used more than once in a poem. The poet repeated the expression ‘’The grieved lands of Africa several times. Lines 1,6,12, 16, 29, 38 and 39. ‘’They live’’ is repeated twice while ‘’dream/dreams’’ were repeated twice respectively-lines 28 and 35, 12 and 18. The purpose is to emphasize the Africa woes due to sufferings by colonialism and slavery.
Imagery: This is the creation of mental picture or auditory in both the mind and ear of the listeners. The auditory imagery in ‘’jingling of gaolers keys’’ is metallic sound of the jailers’ keys. ‘’Flower,’’ ‘’crushed in the forest is an example of mental picture. The flower is the Africans that are destroyed or crushed in the continent.
Personification: This is the transfer of the quality of animate object into inanimate object. The title of the poem is personified ‘’The Grieved Lands.’’ This means the social condition of the masses. The land cannot be in sorrow like human beings. It is the African people that are in deep sorrow due to the evil of slavery and colonialism, not the lands.
Metaphor: It is the comparison of two unlike things without the use of ‘’as’’ and ‘’like.’’ The ‘’flower’’ is the poor African masses while ‘’crushed’’ means to destroy and the ‘’forest’’ also depicts African continent. The ‘’imperishable particles’’ is a metaphor for Africans who believe in a brighter future for the continent.
Oxymoron: This is when two contrasting terms are used in a brief phrase. The poet use the phrase ‘’victorious voice of laments’’. In fact, there is victory in lamentation or sorrow. The celebration becomes sorrowful because the colonial power frustrated their plans to get self-government.
Language: The poet’s choice of words. The poet use simple expressions and words to express his mind towards colonial administration. The poet uses words and phrases like ‘’tearful woes,’’ ‘’degrading sweet,’’ ‘’impure dance,’’ ‘’crushed in the forest.’’ All these were used to show the negative influence of slavery and colonialism in Africa.
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