Some poetic devices used include: Consonance: "Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot," (McKay 2). In the opening lines of the writing, it says “If we must die, let it not be like hogs”. MsPacheco21; Subjects. If we must die, let it not be like hogs. (McKay 4). Note the orientation of the extended metaphor: it is only in the eyes of "the monster," aka white society, that the constrained blacks are "like hogs." This entry is about the literary devices that were used in the poem, "If We Must Die" by Cluade Mckay. What is the effect of the language and the central message of "If We Must Die" by Claude Mckay? Poetic Devices - Sounds 6 Terms. If we must die McKay  Claude McKay is a man who spans national boundaries, literary genres,political identities, and even his own time Born in the country of Jamaica in 1890, McKay was a talented young man. In this context, he is talking about fighting against those who lack the humanity to treat others fairly. McKay makes use of several poetic techniques in If We Must Die. Instant PDF downloads. If we must die—let it not be like hogs. This formal style suggests that McKay was not only writing to his fellow black Americans to fight back, but that he was perhaps sending a message to whites that the time of submission is over. The title and the repeated clauses drive home the desperation of the situation. Supplement your lesson with one or more of these options and challenge students to compare and contrast the texts. Couplet. The journal is intended to glorify the government and convince … We Literary Elements. Analyze the form and poetic elements used in "If We Must Die." The author uses a variety of poetic devices to bring the theme that shows the qualities that make a man that defending his right to be treat as noble as a hero then an animal. In lines 1, 5 and 11 he states, “If we must die,” (1) “O let us nobly die,” (5) “And for their thousand blows deal one death blow!” (11). It’s important to note that this poem is written in sonnet form with 14 lines, a very formal style of writing. Many artworks, music, and poetry during this time period push for racial equality, and the black community attempts to further … B.A. Analyze the form and poetic elements used in "If We Must Die. If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursèd lot. The speaker's description of his enemy as a great mass of "monsters" dealing "their thousand blows" may be read as an exaggerated depiction used for purposes of characterization. Repetition: "If we must die...If we must die..." (McKay 1,5). Name the literary device: "If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Extended metaphor. Shall be constrained to honor us … The summaery of this poem is that poepl are going to die and they don't want to die like hogs. In Christian theology, Jesus Christ is a prime example of death made meaningful – though he was killed by his enemies, his death is seen as a noble sacrifice through which all Christians are redeemed … It can be seen in phrases likes “If we must die, O let us nobly die,” in … The first and most powerful is the simile he uses in the very first line of the poem. McKay makes the point that even “if we must die”, at least die fighting back. Pair “If We Must Die” with “An Obstacle” to spark a discussion about life, death, and resilience. Like other Shakespearean sonnets, “If We Must Die” can be split into four units: three quatrains, each... Enjambment. GradeSaver "If We Must Die Literary Elements". Dystopian Novel. Tracing the poetic work of this crucial cultural and artistic movement. Quizlet … In this poem, McKay discusses facing death and other obstacles with courage and dignity, and reflects upon his perspective on the black experience during early 20th century America. Part of the conflict also involves the speaker's need to rally his allies against their foe, and to encourage them in the belief that fighting this fight is worthwhile. Already a member? ". Segregation in particular struck him as bizarre and dehumanizing, and this drove him to write a number of rallying poems aimed at black Americans, urging them to fight against what he saw as animalistic treatment of their society. Teacher Editions with classroom activities for all 1411 titles we cover. So they are going to fight the enemy and fight until they die,die … Harlem Renaissance or the “New Negro Movement”, was an explosion of African American culture in Harlem, New York, during the 1920’s. This poetry lesson will lead students through a summary and analysis of the Claude McKay poem If We Must Die. Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursed lot. "If We Must Die" is an example of this kind of poem. 37 Terms. Though not as rich in poetic symbolism as the poems by Emily Dickinson and George Herbert, McKay's poem evokes a stronger and more … Which term names lines 13-14 of "If We Must Die". Can I please have a line-by-line analysis of the poem "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay? Figurative Language 8 Terms. YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE... Simile, Metaphor, Alliteration,hyperbole, imagery, etc. Features. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. The first and most powerful is the simile he uses in the very first line of the poem. The poem is about the torture, humiliation and oppression the people of African origin were suffering in America and their determination to fight back. If we must die, O let us nobly die So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! If We Must Die study guide contains a biography of Claude McKay, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. OneState, a future totalitarian dictatorship. Refine any search. Which description correctly states the structure of "If we must die". The poem “If We Must Die” is written by American author, Claude McKay. GradeSaver. Are you a teacher? The imagery used McKay does not directly improve his idea of racial equality; it does indirectly through his metaphors.In the poem "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay, figurative language, repetition, allusions, and imagery are all used to exhibit his devotion to racial equality. If we must die, O let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we Literary Devices In If We Must Die. Personification. O kinsmen! Here McKay is comparing whites to monsters (a metaphor) that have outnumbered the blacks causing years of brutality and death. In light of the previous characterizations of "dogs" and "monsters," the reference to "the common foe" in line 9 understates the danger and savagery of their enemy, perhaps in order to depict a more manageable opponent as the speaker begins to rally his "kinsmen.". Genre. ©2021 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "bark" replicates the short and hard noise that a dog makes. This poem, which depicts blacks as "hunted and penned in some inglorious spot," highlights McKay's particular horror of segregation, which "penned" the blacks as if they were, to the aggressors, "hogs.". CommonLit has identified one or more texts from our collection to pair with If We Must Die, based on similar themes, literary devices, topic, or writing style. 837 Words 4 Pages. If we must die, let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in an inglorious spot, While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursed lot. Detailed and full of vengeance, this poem is demanding action, … Your thesis should focus on the poetic devices you will analyze in the poems. Find related themes, quotes, symbols, … Each of these sentences has the common theme of death as the driving force, however McKay utilizes repetition as a tool for emphasizing the importance of not backing down … MsPacheco21. The Poem “If We Must Die”, by Claude Mckay portrays the deep feelings felt during the conflict between blacks and whites in America in the early 20th century. Show More. If we must die—oh, let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain; then even the monsters we defy Shall be constrained to honor us though dead! They want to fight for there freedom and they will not die in vain. MsPacheco21. The speaker's simile "like hogs" invokes animals trapped and led to the slaughter, and the comparison to pigs invokes all the connotations of pigs as dirty, fat, and dull to suggest a kind of degraded state. Sign up now, Latest answer posted April 11, 2013 at 1:32:12 PM, Latest answer posted June 13, 2019 at 5:33:29 PM, Latest answer posted April 04, 2020 at 12:06:00 PM, Latest answer posted April 04, 2020 at 1:51:32 PM. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. There are several literary devices in the poem, “ If We Must Die ” by Claude McKay. Lyrical poems typically does not have to rhyme but in this case it does. The major conflict of the poem is the Manichean conflict of the speaker and his kinsmen versus their common enemy. In the poem "If We Must Die" by Claude McKay, the author cries out to his audience -to his men at arms- to fight back against those that oppress them and are intent to kill them. Since "If We Must Die" is about dying a noble, meaningful death, it's not surprising that a bit of Christian imagery pops up. What was Claude McKay's purpose for writing the poem "If We Must Die"? Oh, Kinsmen! Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Foreshadowing. Line-by-line modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. What symbols did Claude Mckay use in the poem? A poem stirred by extreme race riots, it serves as an appealing anthem characteristic of an entire culture. Iambic pentameter (five beats or stressed syllables per line, usually ten or eleven syllables), with a "Shakespearean" rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG, "like hogs / Hunted and penned" - Simile comparing the speaker and his allies to pigs if they yield to their enemy, "the mad and hungry dogs," "the monsters," "the murderous, cowardly pack" - extended metaphor comparing the enemy to dogs and nonhuman creatures, Resolute and steadfast, with elevated and rousing language, The speaker denounces his antagonist: the "common foe.". In vain; then even the monsters we defy. The strength and persistence that racism was more of a hindrance toward the goal of equal rights and the need to fight for justice … He says that if we are going to die, let it be for a cause and not like an animal that didn’t defy or fight back against the monsters that hurt and kill them. Poetic devices are tools that a poet can use to create rhythm, enhance a poem's meaning, or intensify a mood or feeling. The author uses words to express his state of mind and his perceptions. We’ve discounted annual subscriptions by 50% for COVID-19 relief—Join Now! 1380 Words6 Pages. If We Must Die - Claude Mckay was born on September 15, 1889 in Sunnyville, Clarendon Parish, Jamaica and died on May 22, 1948 in Chicago, Illinois - He was a Jamaican-American poet - who is best known for his novels and poems even though he did write short stories D-503, the primary protagonist, narrates the novel, which is a journal documenting life under OneState. I am especially having trouble with the meaning of the line, "What though before us lies the open grave?". “If We Must Die” erupts thoughtful and persuasive moods in any who reads it. Alliteration. The introduction should focus on the poetic devices you will be analyzing in the poems, not necessarily the poets or history of the poems, although a little background on the authors can be helpful in the introduction. He is making a connection with blacks and hogs to advise us not to be like this. The clause "If we must die" is repeated twice in the poem, so it's a natural choice for a title. McKay constructs the poem as the speaker's address to his allies, and the many first person plural pronouns (us, we, our) create a sense of fellowship between the speaker and his allies. The poem "If We Must Die" was published in 1919 in response to a series of racially motivated attacks and riots. If We Must Die Literary Elements Irony. Setting and Context. ... Further, the poem, If We Must Die … Not affiliated with Harvard College. McKay pleads to his black readers to not give up and become imprisoned like hogs hunted by a pack of mad dogs. If we must die—oh, let us nobly die, So that our precious blood may not be shed. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. We must meet the common foe; Though far outnumbered, let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow! He further develops the idea of whites being animalistic like dogs when he calls them a “murderous, cowardly pack” connecting this metaphor to the original hungry dogs circling and entrapping the pig. What poetic devices are used in the poem? from University of Oxford Ph.D. from University of Leicester, Top subjects are Literature, History, and Law and Politics, Claude McKay, though a central figure in the Harlem Renaissance, was not African American, but Jamaican, and he was horrified by the levels of racism he encountered upon his arrival in the US at the age of 23. The Question and Answer section for If We Must Die is a great from University of Oxford M.A. In context, Mckay is alluding to the fact that bravery and tenacity will result in the respect of the enemy.... that the soldiers, referred to as kinsman or family, must band together against their shared enemy. Who are the experts?Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. It was during these years that riots related to race were experienced in the United States of America. An … "Precious blood" not "shed in vain" potentially alludes to Christ's death on the cross, depicting the speaker and his allies as Christ-like martyrs. True to the Shakespearean sonnet form, where the resolution comes in the sonnet's final couplet, the climax of the poem comes in its last two lines, where the speaker claims that he and his allies will face their enemy. The whites would attack the blacks and vice versa. Alliteration is the repetition of a sound or letter at the beginning of … "Making their mock at our accursed lot." Log in here. The speaker is an unidentified person, implied to be male, facing death from a savage foe. The latter, repetition, is the use and reuse of a specific technique, word, tone, or phrase within a poem. This resource would be great for substitute plans or if you are in need of a one-day activity to balance out a unit. Literary Analysis: If We Must Die By Claude Mckay; Literary Analysis: If We Must Die By Claude Mckay. (McKay, 11) The poem “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay, shows the transformation the racism of the black American from a weak and oppressed state to a strong and powerful state. If We Must Die is a poem by Claude McKay published in the July 1919 issue of The Liberator. ... Poetic Devices - Form/Structure 2 Terms. "precious blood may not be shed" refers not just to the loss of blood but to death. McKay’s powerful message is that you must fight back against those who oppress you. These include alliteration, enjambment, metaphor, and repetition. The major conflict of the poem is the Manichean conflict of the speaker and his kinsmen versus their common enemy. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. McKay wrote the poem as a response to mob attacks by white Americans upon African-American communities during Red Summer. Top subjects are Literature, History, and Arts. Narrator and Point of View. Buy Study Guide. I use it as part of a larger unit exploring race relations in the Unite As a Jamaican immigrant to the United States, Claude McKay's writing spanned many complex themes, both … The poet shows that it is noble to die fighting against your enemy than to die doing nothing because after all we are bound to die someday whether we fight … Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. What … “If We Must Die” Poetic Devices & Figurative Language End-Stopped Line. The poem uses fairly aureate and traditional diction ("accursed," repetition of "O," "making their mock," "kinsmen") to emphasize how incorrect this assumption is: though the whites may behave like "mad and hungry dogs," it is only because of their madness that they cannot see how "precious" is the blood of those they oppress. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel. There are several literary devices in the poem, “If We Must Die” by Claude McKay.
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