The Regretful Historyof Africa in Poetryby………. 2003283074Prof. …………..January 2, 2012Index1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………31.1 Definition of Key Words…………………………………………………………………..31.1.1 Transatlantic Slave Trade………………………………………………………………..31.1.2 Slavery………………………………………………………………………...…………41.1.3 Liberation……………………………………………………………………..…………42. The beginning……………………………………………………………………...………..42.1 Slavery………………………………………………………..……………………………42.2 Numbers…………………………………………………………………………..……….53. Langston Hughes………………………………………………………………..…………..53.1 “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”……………………………………………….……………54. Maya Angelou……………………………………………………………….……………...64.1 “Africa”……………………………………………………………………….…………..65. Liberation……………………………………………………………………….………….75.1 “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”……………………………………………………………75.2 “Africa”……………………………………………………………..…………………….86. Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………..………86.1 Summary…………………………………………………………………...……..……….86.2 Conclusion…………………………………………………………………...…….………96.3 Works Cit key words.Definition of Key WordsThe following list is definitions of important terminologies in this research.Transatlantic Slave TradeTransatlantic Slave Trade refers to the trade in slaves that took place across the Atlantic Ocean from the sixteenth through to the nineteenth centuries. The vast majority of slaves involved in the Atlantic trade were Africans from the central and western parts of the continent, who were sold by Africans to European slave traders, who transported them across the ocean to the colonies in North and South America. There, the slaves were forced to labor on coffee, tobacco, cocoa, cotton and sugar plantations, toil in gold and silver mines, in rice fields, the construction industry, timber for ships, or in houses to work as servants(Alistair).SlaverySlavery is the system by which people are owned by other people as slaves (Essence 2106).LiberationTo liberate a place or the people in it means to free them from the political or military control of another coe 232).NumbersTransatlantic Slave Trade Export rates (qtd. In Iliffe 236).1450~1600 367,0001601~1700 1,868,0001701~1800 6,133,0001801~1900 3,330,000Langston HughesLangston Hughes was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form Hyperlink "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz_poetry" jazz poetry.Hughes is best known for his work during the Hyperlink "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlem_Renaissance" Harlem Renaissance(About Langston Hughes).“The Negro Speaks of Rivers”In “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”, words like “Euphrates”, “Congo”, “Nile” and “Mississippi” appear. These names all refer to geographical areas (rivers) in Africa, so it could be the proof of its history. The speaker is saying that he “bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young” (5), “built his hut near the Congo and it lulled [him] to sleep” (6), and that he “looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it” (7). The spea of every orientation span the lines of race. Angelou captivates audiences through the vigor and sheer beauty of her words and lyrics (Biography).“Africa”In “Africa”, Maya Angelou directly expresses certain forms of persecution that black people had to endure suffering from pain. The narrator is saying that Europeans “took her younger sons” (13), “churched her with Jesus” (14), and “bled her with guns” (15). Taking “her young sons” (13) means that Europeans took young boys and girls and made them suffer as slaves. “Churched her with Jesus” (14) suggests religious enslavement. They wanted slaves to believe in God forcibly. Finally, “bled her with guns” (15) means persecution came out as the form of killing or death penalty. Therefore, “Africa” shows the tragic history of African slavery.LiberationNobody wants to be a slave. Everyone has the right to be free. Nevertheless, Africans have suffered from slavery for more than six hundred years. Furthermore, they were colonized by many other e woman symbolizes black people suffer from slavery by Europeans. Because of the persecution, she could not do anything except obeying and feeling pain. The woman’s image which “had lain” (24) refers to the situation that she becomes diffident, and it is because that the Europeans force her to obey the policy made by them. However, “she is striding although she had lain” (23). “Striding” means “to walk with long steps”. This means that the woman is “walking” towards gaining freedom, not yielding under pressure of Europeans. As a result, “Africa” written by Maya Angelou is about the hopeful history of Africa fighting for freedom.ConclusionSummaryAfrica has a miserable history, because of slavery and colonial suffering.“The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “Africa” shows both regretful history of African slavery and liberation. The poets are suggesting that anyone who seeks freedom shall be free.ConclusionTo sum up, the key words; “Africa”, “slavery” and “liberation” shows the history of Afri
