Symbolism of Freedom in Maya Angelou’s poem “The Caged Bird” from Context to Text

Abstract

Maya Angelou, an African-American woman with a long writing career as an author, poet and civil rights activist, rose to fame with her autobiography “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” published in 1969 and died at the age of 86 in 2014, only to be honoured by President Barack Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom four years before her death. Angelou’s poem “The Caged Bird” depicts the theme of freedom with a multifaceted symbolism, while the images of the caged bird and the free bird successfully reflect the complex dynamics of oppression and liberation. Angelou uses the contrasting lives of the caged bird and the free bird to symbolize the struggle of individuals marginalized by their individual characteristics against systemic constraints and their enduring hope for liberation. In this poem, Angelou explores the theme of freedom through two contrasting images, the caged bird and the free, using the caged bird to represent those who face socio-political and personal obstacles, and the free bird to embody the ideal of unrestricted self-expression and autonomy. This symbolic duality or contrast not only underscores the resilience of the human spirit, but also calls for a broader reflection on the social changes needed to achieve true freedom. This article aims to analyse the poem’s striking and remarkable metaphors, symbols, and thematic elements, with reference to the poet’s struggle for equality and civil rights. By placing Angelou’s poetry in historical and contemporary contexts, this article underscores its enduring significance as a powerful critique of inequality and a poignant affirmation of the quest for freedom.