literary analysis essay on phenomenal woman

Phenomenal Woman Summary & Analysis by Maya Angelou

• Line-by-Line Explanation & Analysis
• Poetic Devices
• Vocabulary & References
• Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme
• Line-by-Line Explanations

"Phenomenal Woman" is a poem by Maya Angelou, first published in 1978. The poem rejects narrow societal expectations of women and proposes an alternative perspective on what defines real beauty. Confidence and comfort in one's own skin, the speaker insists, are the markers of true beauty.

• Read the full text of “Phenomenal Woman”

The Full Text of “Phenomenal Woman”

“phenomenal woman” summary, “phenomenal woman” themes.

Beauty and Self-Acceptance

Line-by-line explanation & analysis of “phenomenal woman”.

Pretty women wonder ... ... I’m telling lies.

I say, ... ... of my lips.

Lines 10-13

I’m a woman ... ... That’s me.

Lines 14-20

I walk into ... ... of honey bees.

Lines 21-29

I say, ... ... That’s me.

Lines 30-36

Men themselves have ... ... still can’t see.

Lines 37-45

Lines 46-51.

Now you understand ... ... make you proud.

Lines 52-60

“phenomenal woman” poetic devices & figurative language, parallelism.

• Lines 5-13: “I say, / It’s in the reach of my arms, / The span of my hips, / The stride of my step, / The curl of my lips. / I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Lines 21-29: “I say, / It’s the fire in my eyes, / And the flash of my teeth, / The swing in my waist, / And the joy in my feet. / I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Lines 37-45: “I say, / It’s in the arch of my back, / The sun of my smile, / The ride of my breasts, / The grace of my style. / I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Lines 52-60: “I say, / It’s in the click of my heels, / The bend of my hair, / the palm of my hand, / The need for my care. / ’Cause I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Line 6: “It’s in the”
• Line 7: “The”
• Line 8: “The”
• Line 9: “The”
• Line 22: “It’s the”
• Line 23: “And the”
• Line 24: “The”
• Line 25: “And the”
• Line 38: “It’s in the”
• Line 39: “The”
• Line 40: “The”
• Line 41: “The”
• Line 53: “It’s in the”
• Line 54: “The”
• Line 55: “the”
• Line 56: “The”
• Lines 10-13: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Lines 26-29: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Lines 42-45: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Lines 57-60: “’Cause I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”
• Line 1: “lies”
• Line 2: “cute,” “suit,” “size”
• Line 4: “lies”
• Line 7: “hips”
• Line 9: “ lips”
• Line 11: “Phenomenally”
• Line 13: “me”
• Line 14: “room”
• Line 15: “cool,” “you,” “please”
• Line 16: “And,” “to,” “man”
• Line 17: “stand”
• Line 18: “knees”
• Line 19: “me”
• Line 20: “bees”
• Line 22: “fire,” “eyes”
• Line 23: “teeth”
• Line 25: “feet”
• Line 27: “Phenomenally”
• Line 29: “me”
• Line 30: “Men,” “themselves”
• Line 31: “see,” “me”
• Line 32: “much”
• Line 33: “touch”
• Line 34: “mystery”
• Line 36: “see”
• Line 38: “my”
• Line 39: “my,” “smile”
• Line 40: “ride,” “my”
• Line 41: “my,” “style”
• Line 43: “Phenomenally”
• Line 45: “me”
• Line 47: “bowed”
• Line 48: “shout,” “about”
• Line 49: “loud”
• Line 50: “see,” “me”
• Line 51: “proud”
• Line 54: “hair”
• Line 56: “care”
• Line 58: “Phenomenally”
• Line 60: “me”
• Lines 19-20: “Then they swarm around me, / A hive of honey bees.”
• Line 22: “It’s the fire in my eyes,”
• Line 39: “The sun of my smile,”
• Lines 6-9: “It’s in the reach of my arms, / The span of my hips, / The stride of my step, / The curl of my lips.”
• Lines 23-24: “And the flash of my teeth, / The swing in my waist,”
• Lines 38-41: “It’s in the arch of my back, / The sun of my smile, / The ride of my breasts, / The grace of my style.”
• Lines 53-56: “It’s in the click of my heels, / The bend of my hair, / the palm of my hand, / The need for my care.”
• Line 1: “women wonder where,” “secret”
• Line 2: “not cute,” “built to suit,” “size”
• Lines 3-4: “start to tell them, / They think”
• Line 4: “telling lies”
• Line 6: “reach,” “my arms”
• Line 7: “span,” “hips”
• Line 8: “stride,” “step”
• Line 9: “lips”
• Line 16: “And,” “man”
• Line 17: “fellows,” “stand”
• Line 18: “Fall,” “down on,” “their,” “knees”
• Line 19: “Then they swarm around me”
• Line 20: “hive,” “honey”
• Line 22: “fire”
• Line 23: “flash”
• Line 24: “swing,” “waist”
• Lines 30-31: “ wondered / What”
• Line 36: “say,” “still,” “see”
• Line 37: “say”
• Line 39: “sun,” “my smile”
• Line 40: “breasts”
• Line 41: “grace,” “style”
• Line 49: “to talk,” “real loud”
• Line 50: “see,” “passing”
• Line 53: “click,” “heels”
• Line 55: “hand”
• Line 57: “Cause”

“Phenomenal Woman” Vocabulary

Select any word below to get its definition in the context of the poem. The words are listed in the order in which they appear in the poem.

• (Location in poem: Line 7: “span”)

Form, Meter, & Rhyme Scheme of “Phenomenal Woman”

Rhyme scheme, “phenomenal woman” speaker, “phenomenal woman” setting, literary and historical context of “phenomenal woman”, more “phenomenal woman” resources, external resources.

Maya Angelou and Women's History — An overview of Maya Angelou's role in feminism as a writer and activist.

"Phenomenal Woman" Read Aloud — Maya Angelou recites her poem.

Maya Angelou in Her Own Words — More on Angelou's fascinating life story, including many quotes from the poet.

Biography of Maya Angelou — An overview of Maya Angelou's life and work.

Women's Idealized Bodies — An article covering the rise of the fashion industry and how it has promoted the "Thin Ideal.

LitCharts on Other Poems by Maya Angelou

Harlem Hopscotch

Life Doesn't Frighten Me

On the Pulse of Morning

Still I Rise

When Great Trees Fall

Everything you need for every book you read.

Phenomenal Woman

by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms, The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. I walk into a room Just as cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees. I say, It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. Men themselves have wondered What they see in me. They try so much But they can’t touch My inner mystery . When I try to show them, They say they still can’t see. I say, It’s in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile, The ride of my breasts, The grace of my style . I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me. 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. I say, It’s in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, The need for my care. ‘Cause I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.

Meanings of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

The poem “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou presents the main idea of social expectations of femininity and alternative views about real beauty . It shows that the difference in color and skin does not matter much when it comes to individual perspectives about beauty.

Meanings of Stanza -1

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies. I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size But when I start to tell them, They think I’m telling lies. I say, It’s in the reach of my arms, The span of my hips, The stride of my step, The curl of my lips. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.

Speaking in the first person, the poet states that beautiful women often wonder how the poet is beautiful but not white and that she is not a suitable person for being a model as she is not cute. However, she tells them that beauty does not lie in these things. The beauty is in the physical organs that demonstrate femininity, such as her arms, hips, walking style, and curls in her lips. In this connection, she excels at them. Therefore, she is a phenomenal woman who asserts her identity and femininity through the first-person assertion that “That’s me.” The stanza contributes to the main idea of the different perspectives on beauty.

Meanings of Stanza -2

I walk into a room Just as cool as you please, And to a man, The fellows stand or Fall down on their knees. Then they swarm around me, A hive of honey bees. I say, It’s the fire in my eyes, And the flash of my teeth, The swing in my waist, And the joy in my feet. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.

The poet again relates different features of the beauty of a woman from African American community as the poet herself belongs to it. She says that when she comes into a room, she is as cool and satisfied as others are and that the people swarm around her as friends swarm around their friends. The women also swarm around the poet like honey bees and she says that she has fire in her eyes and that her teeth are flashing white and that her waist is swinging. Also, her feet are about to dance in joy as she is a woman and has shown her femininity. In other words, the poet states that she is a phenomenal woman and that she asserts it using the first person “That’s me.” This stanza contributes to the main idea about the perspectives on beauty in that she has more appealing and more tempting physical features.

Meanings of Stanza -3

Men themselves have wondered What they see in me. They try so much But they can’t touch My inner mystery. When I try to show them, They say they still can’t see. I say, It’s in the arch of my back, The sun of my smile, The ride of my breasts, The grace of my style. I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.

The poet further discusses the features of her beauty despite her being from African American community. She states that even men are surprised when they see her. They do not know what is in her but they again see her and try to touch her. When she tries to show them the inner mystery of her physical features, they cannot see but they can feel the pull in her beauty. This pull lies in the arch of her body, her smile, her breasts, and her walking style. In fact, it is because she is a woman who is phenomenal in that she asserts her femininity using the first person “That’s me” and shows beauty through her body. This stanza contributes to the main idea of the poem about different perspectives on beauty in that sometimes people cannot describe or tell their perspective , but they can feel it.

Meanings of Stanza -4

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. I say, It’s in the click of my heels, The bend of my hair, the palm of my hand, The need for my care. Cause I’m a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, That’s me.

The poet expects that after describing so many of her physical features, she thinks that her interlocutors, who are possibly women, would have understood why she feels proud of her. She further adds that she has some other features that she does not show and does not speak loud about. She feels proud when she passes by other women. Then she states that her beauty lies in her heels, her hair, and her palms, and it is because she takes care of them. And also, it is because she is a woman and has the right to take care of her body. That is why she asserts herself through the first person by saying “That’s me” and feels pride in her being a phenomenal woman. This fact shows that African American women have another perspective about beauty and that it impacts equally well that of their white counterparts.

Summary of Phenomenal Woman

Popularity: “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou is one of the finest poems published in 1995.  Maya breaks the stereotypes associated with women and presents a new definition of a phenomenal woman, who is beautiful despite her skin color.  The poem was originally written to admire the beauty and self-confidence of a woman.  However, since the time of publication, it has become a popular literary piece on account of its superb description of an independent colored woman.

“Phenomenal Woman” as Stereotypical World: This poem is written to rejoice in the real beauty of women. Maya Angelou presents a critical message to the world of the stereotype that the empowerment of a colored woman lies in her confidence and not in her skin color. The expression of beauty marks the center of the poem. However, what stays in the mind of the reader is that women are self-conscious about the way they look and dress; the poem proposes women to embrace self-confidence.

Major Themes in “Phenomenal Woman”: The poem comprises of speaker ’s opinion on woman’s beauty. She refuses the idea that a woman should possess a beautiful physique.  She rejects the stereotype of beauty that emphasizes the looks instead of inner beauty. She believes that beauty lies within. The tone confirms that the speaker is confident about her looks and her personality, and she does not care what people think of her. She also details the qualities needed to be a phenomenal woman.

Analysis of Literary Devices in “Phenomenal Woman”

literary devices serve as a tool for writers to bring clarity and richness. With the help of literary devices , they not only give underlying meanings to their texts but also make their texts unique and appealing. Maya has also exercised this artistic skill in this poem using various literary devices. The analysis of some of the literary devices used in this poem is given below.

• Metaphor : There are two metaphors in the poem. The first is used in the second stanza, where it is stated, “Then they swarm around me, / A hive of honey bees.” Maya compares the admiring men with honey bees. The men surround her, as they are attracted to her. The second one is used in the eighth line of the second stanza, where it is stated, “it’s the fire in my eyes,” and here she compares her confidence and passion with fire.
• Hyperbole : Hyperbole is used to exaggerate a particular condition or situation. Maya has used hyperbole in the start of the second stanza, “I walk into a room just as cool as you please, / and to a man, / The fellows stand or fall down on their knees.” Through this hyperbole, she shows her superiority over men.
• Imagery : Imagery is used to make readers feel things through their five senses. Maya Angelou has skillfully created a visual description of a phenomenal woman who enjoys her beauty and loves being a woman. The images in this poem are plenty. Examples of images are: “The curl of my lips”, “The swing of my waist”, “The ride of my breast”, “The stride of my steps”, “The flash of my teeth”, “and The palm of my hand.” The poet has used powerful imagery to describe the body of a woman. These images help readers to visualize the personality of a strong woman.
• Irony : Irony is a figure of speech that states the opposite meanings of the situation being discussed. Similarly, the poet presents the image of a woman according to her perception in contrast with the opinion of the world. She beautifully mocks at the concept of beauty held by most people in society which is primarily concerned with external beauty. Hence, she emphasizes that real beauty comes with inner strength and poise.
• Personification : Maya has used personification which means to use emotions for inanimate objects . She has personified joy in the third stanza of the poem, where it is stated, “the joy in my feet” as if feet are human, and that they rejoice while dancing or walking.
• Alliteration : An alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sounds in the same lines of the poetry such as the use of /f/ in “fall”, “fire” and “flash.” This use has enhanced the musical quality of the lines.
• Assonance : An assonance is a repetition of the vowel sounds in the same line such as the sounds of /i/ in “its fire in my eyes”.

 Analysis of Poetic Devices in Phenomenal Woman

Although most of the poetic devices are the same as the literary devices, a few of them differ, for they highlight the structure of the poem. The analysis of some of the prominent poetic devices in the poem is given below.

• Stanza : A stanza is a poetic form of some lines. In this poem, there are four stanzas, with each stanza having a different number of verses.
• Rhyme Scheme : There is no specific rhyme scheme used in this poem. It is a free- verse poem. The meter of the poem is a combination of Trochee and Iamb which means a combination of stressed and unstressed syllables or alternately of unstressed and stressed syllables.
• Repetition: Repetition creates musical quality in the poem. The poem used repetition at various places such as “The Phenomenal Woman” and “that’s me.” These two phrases are repeated in each stanza.
• Refrain : The lines that are repeated at some distance in the poems are called refrain. The phrases “phenomenal woman” and “that’s me” has become refrain because of the repetition of the same words in each stanza of the poem.

Quotations for Usage from Phenomenal Woman

The verse given below can be used to teach young children about self-confidence, especially to young girls. You can also teach them how to respect themselves and be at their best behavior at all times.

“Just why my head’s not bowed. I don’t shout or jump about.”

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Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem)

By maya angelou, phenomenal woman (maya angelou poem) literary elements, speaker or narrator, and point of view.

We can take the speaker to be Maya Angelou, speaking in the first person and describing her experiences as an empowered woman. She also addresses an unspecified listener (presumably the reader), telling this person/these people that they should be proud of the phenomenal woman she is.

Form and Meter

The poem is free verse. It does not follow a consistent meter or rhyme scheme, but there are numerous uses of rhyme throughout the poem that establish a musical, rhythmic tone. The refrain follows an A-B-A-B rhyme scheme.

Metaphors and Similes

"The sun of my smile" (metaphor) - The speaker's smile is depicted as glowing and warm, like the sun. She radiates beauty and light, just as the sun does.

"Then they swarm around me, / A hive of honey bees" (metaphor) - The men who are attracted to the speaker surround her the way honey bees are drawn to honey. She is sweet like honey, and she is also powerful like a queen bee commanding the attention of the other bees.

"The fire in my eyes" (metaphor) - The speaker's eyes have a hypnotizing effect on men. There is an energy that radiates from her eyes that may be deemed sensual.

"The joy in my feet" (metaphor) - The speaker walks through life joyfully and in a carefree manner.

Alliteration and Assonance

“Pretty women wonder where” (alliteration) - The "w" consonant is repeated heavily, creating a musical and somewhat breathy sound that mimics a woman's allure.

“The stride of my step” (alliteration) - The "s" consonant creates a happy tone, reflecting the speaker's joy.

“A hive of honey bees” (alliteration) - The "h" consonant has a breathy sound that mimics the appeal of the speaker.

“The sun of my smile” (alliteration) - The "s" consonant once again creates a pleasant tone, as the words roll off the tongue.

“It’s the fire in my eyes” (assonance) - The words "fire," "my," and "eyes" all contain long "i" vowel sounds that give weight to the words. The line is very powerful as a result.

“smile” and “style” (assonance) - The long "i" vowel sound is very weighty here, giving power to the speaker.

“hips” and “lips” (assonance, alliteration, and rhyme) - These rhyming words suggest sassiness and allure with the the short "i" vowel sound and the "ps" consonant sound at the end that sound like a snake's hiss. The speaker is like a snake charmer, charming the men.

“lies” and “size” (assonance, alliteration, and rhyme) - The long "i" vowel sound in these two words as well as the "z" sound create a sassy tone.

“please,” “knees,” and “bees” (assonance, alliteration, and rhyme) - The long "e" vowel sound and the "z" consonant sound roll off the tongue and reflect the speaker's carefree nature.

The entire poem makes references to the fact that the speaker is a phenomenal woman despite lacking stereotypically beautiful qualities. Pretty women look at her and still cannot understand why they lack what she has, and the irony is that they are supposed to be prettier than her. Men also find themselves falling for her quickly, despite the fact that they cannot identify what it is that makes her so alluring. Both sexes are in awe of the speaker's unique beauty, despite the fact that she contradicts everything they have ever learned in society about beauty.

Autobiographical poetry, African-American poetry, feminist poetry.

There is no clearly specified setting. The speaker recalls her experiences with both men and women throughout her life.

Confident, in that the speaker is certain of her worth and beauty as a phenomenal woman. Sensual, in that the speaker also recognizes her appeal to men and knows the way they desire her. Jubilant, in that the speaker celebrates female empowerment and rejoices in the fact that she is a happy and dignified woman worthy of respect.

Protagonist and Antagonist

The protagonist is the speaker, describing her place in life as a phenomenal woman who is uninhibited by the jealousy of women or blindness of men. The antagonists are men and other women, as they judge her and leer at her as much as they revel in her beauty.

Major Conflict

The speaker cannot make other women and men understand why she is special. They fail to comprehend what makes her beautiful, as they have been schooled in traditional definitions of beauty and charm and listen to societal and cultural stereotypes. One might also argue that these people are also in awe of seeing a black woman who is so beautiful, suggesting underlying notes of racism.

The climax occurs in the final stanza when the speaker addresses the listener for the first time. The speaker reveals that all of her recollections have led up to the present moment when she declares that she can be a phenomenal woman without trying to draw attention to herself or fitting stereotypes.

Foreshadowing

Up until the final stanza, the speaker tells the story of her life without addressing anyone in particular. In the final stanza, she addresses the listener for the first time and suggests that she will always continue to be a phenomenal woman, as she is such a person "now" and therefore always will be.

Understatement

No examples of understatement.

The speaker alludes to society's definition of beauty by explaining how she does not fit the build of a "fashion model." This may also be a covert reference to racism, as the speaker (Angelou) is a black woman and people may be judging her through this lens.

Metonymy and Synecdoche

"My inner mystery" (metonymy) - The inner mystery stands for the inner qualities that are invisible to the eye and make up the speaker's personality. These traits may include her intelligence and wit as well as her hopes, dreams, and passions.

"Flash of my teeth" (metonymy) - This phrase refers to the speaker's bright smile.

"where my secret lies" (metonymy) - The secret refers to the source of the speaker's power as a phenomenal woman. Women want to know what she does to make herself so beautiful.

Personification

No examples of personification.

"Fall down on their knees" - When men see the speaker, they are so entranced by her that they practically fall to the ground. They become weak in the knees and want to be at her service.

"Fire in my eyes" - There is no literal fire in the speaker's eyes, but she has a passionate soul and a sensual spirit that manifests in her eyes.

"Joy in my feet" - There is no emotion in the feet; rather, the speaker is so light and joyous that she has a spring in her step.

"I'm a woman / Phenomenally" - The speaker believes that she is phenomenal in her ability to be all that a woman encompasses. She is extraordinary in every way, from her gestures to her features and her personality.

Onomatopoeia

"The click of my heels" - The speaker's walk is light and happy, and her heels (or shoes) make a happy clicking sound.

Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem) Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem) is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

Is jealousy prevalent among all women

Is this a general question or are you referring to the above poem?

How does the poet describe her body

The poet does not paint an exact picture of her body, but she does tell us what it's not............

I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size

From this, and what the poet does tell us, we can infer that she is a large woman, with wide...

Which of the following actions is appropriate when transporting a specimen for abg analysis

I'm sorry, this is a short-answer literature forum designed for text specific questions. We are unable to assist students with other subjects.

Study Guide for Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem)

Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem) study guide contains a biography of Maya Angelou, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem)
• Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem) Summary
• Character List

Essays for Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem)

Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem) essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Phenomenal Woman (Maya Angelou poem) by Maya Angelou.

• The Importance of ‘Phenomenal Woman’ to Angelou's Collection of Poems

• Solved Answers
• CBSE Prose XII
• Anglo Saxon Literature
• Pablo Neruda
• Rudyard Kipling
• Maya Angelou
• Matthew Arnold
• William Blake
• William Butler Yeats
• William Shakespeare
• William Wordsworth
• Rabindra Nath Tagore
• Robert Browning
• Robert Frost
• Indonesian High School Poems
• Indonesian University Poems

Summary and Analysis of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou: 2022

About Maya Angelou:  Writer and civil rights activist Maya Angelou was born on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. She shot to instant fame with the publication of her 1969 memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , which made literary history as the first non-fiction best-seller by an African-American woman. In 1971, Angelou published the Pulitzer Prize-nominated poetry collection Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘Fore I Die . She later wrote the poem “ On the Pulse of Morning “—one of her most famous works—which she recited at President Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993. Angelou received several honours throughout her career, including two NAACP Image Awards in the outstanding literary work (non-fiction) category, in 2005 and 2009. She died on May 28, 2014.

Summary of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

Stanza 1:  “Phenomenal Woman” begins with a savage attack on stereotypes. She proudly declares that neither she has an hourglass figure, nor she has a cute face. Her success without essential feminine traits surprises pretty women and they often want to know the secret of her success. She describes her secret saying that it comes from her confidence, the way she stretches her arms, the way she walks, the rhythm of her hips and also the way she smiles. Her entire body is an expression of womanliness. She concludes the first stanza by declaring herself as a ‘phenomenal woman’. This phrase is a double-edged sword. The word ‘phenomenal’ signifies her talismanic physical structure as well as her towering personality. Stanza 2: In the second stanza, Maya says that despite her not-so-feminine beauty, men used to fall for her, swarm around her like bees. Since she has a body of her own; her glistening smile, movement of the waist, lightness of her feet makes her a champion. Since she knows she is phenomenal, she celebrates what she is and what she has. Stanza 3: In the third stanza, she says she remains an enigma to men. Men leave no stone unturned to unravel her mystery but they fail miserably. She indicates to them that her mystery is not obscure but clearly expressed in her body language from the curve of her back, to her smile and rhythm of her bosom. This unresolved mystery, Maya feels, makes her so coveted amongst the men. She says she is a supreme woman, “Phenomenally/ Phenomenal woman/ That’s me.” Stanza 4: In the last stanza, she expects her readers to understand how and why she always walks with her head held high. She tells that she does not need to do anything loud to snatch attention. Rather it is the sound of her heels, the curve in her hair, the palm of her hand making her a ‘phenomenal woman’.

Analysis of Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou

The poem starts in a conversational fashion where a flock of women, intrigued by poet’s popularity amidst male suitors, want to know from her the secret of her success. Despite her strong refusal to fit into beauty paradigm, the poet gets maximum male attention. By her own admission, she is neither cute, nor she has a bottleneck figure. Her physical incongruity makes the questioning women more curious and they have a strong feeling that the poet conceals the secret of her success. The poet proudly asserts that she is very happy with whatever she has and definitely is not going to take a plunge to beautify herself. Her real appearance, the reach of her arms, the span of her hips, and the curl of her lips make her such a phenomenal woman. What she intends to highlight is that there is no falsity about her appearance. She appears the way she exists. Such honesty of her appearance exudes tremendous confidence which makes men go Every time she enters the room, she becomes the cynosure of the present contingent of men. Helpless men used to stoop flock after her just the way bees swarm around their hive. The hive of honey bees is an interesting metaphor. As bees find shelter in a hive, helpless men seek refuge in the not-so-glamorous body of the poet. Maya Angelou now takes initiative to decode the mystery further for the bewildering women. She is confident and that shows in the spark of her eyes. She has a proud smile which exudes optimism. Her swinging waist and joyous feet show she is in firm control over the situation. This firmness, this confidence makes her a phenomenal woman who refuses to mould herself according to male desire. The repeated proud assertion of being a phenomenal woman is a celebration of womanhood. Now, she remains a mystery to her male admirers. This ordinary looking woman sparks a desire in them and they fail to pin down the reason. Maya Angelou tries to reveal the mystery but the myopic men fail to see it. Actually, male doctrine believes in specificity. They cannot stand the idea of totality. When Maya Angelou’s entire appearance wins them over, they leave no stone unturned to fix a point. Male hegemony demands stability, a hierarchy of things which Maya Angelou’s body savagely defies. Her arch of the back, her glorious smile, rhyming motion of her breasts remains a jigsaw and single-minded men will never find the final piece of this jigsaw. Continue reading, click on next page

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19 comments

Praiseworthy guidance.a comparison with the similar works of other poets like Kamala Das will be appreciated.

Really inner beauty is greter than outer.no one is more beutiful in that sese from woman. She is wonderful in caring. The last line mentions her palm which is a blessing for serving for catering service which matters more not the raw physical beauty.marvellous.

Great material, great summary and explanation of poem. Very detailed and organized. It helped me to research and answer some questions related to this poem. Thank you and hope more material will be added on different poems.

Very nice summary and analysis, i have get much objectives from the explanation of this poem, i wish u all the best, thanks for ur contribution to us.

Great summary! Very detailed and easy to grasp.Really helpful for exams .

Really beautifully written and summarised! Very organised and helpful study material!!

Blend of simple & perfect explanations

It is a very good material for me for preparing boards……Awsmmm

really helped for isc preparation.:)

very interesting

really hlpful all the stuff is here

What does “the ride of breast” mean?

Beaming notes has been my English note ??

It’s really very helpful .it has helped me clearing my boards.because this was the most toughest poem I’ve ever studied in my life.

Most toughest? What kind of English do you speak??

It really helped me for my exam .thanks a lot from my heart

• Pingback: Inspiring Words from 7 Phenomenal Women - WoCaDo :: WOrds CAn DO

very neat, clean and well explained in these poem about the personality of women

Really appreciative.. Inner beauty nd inner essence is the most important thing in one’s life.. Felt quite confident with myself after reading these beautiful poem..

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“Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou Essay

Introduction, works cited.

In the famous poem “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou the author demonstrates the living principles of a strong woman who is confident about herself and about her success in life. Angelou emphasizes the significance of women’s self-identity and ability to understand that they have equal rights with men, and consequently, equal prospects in life, making family or career. It is evident that the author, as well as the heroine of her poem, is a strong, or phenomenal, woman herself and this allows her to say what she says in her poem not from other people’s experiences but from the life she lived and experiences she had growing from a little African American girl to one of the most famous writers, poets and social activists of today.

The contrast of sexes is also present in the poem by Maya Angelou, as the author wants to demonstrate that belonging to females does not mean anything negative for a person and can even turn out to be an advantage in some cases if only the person knows what she wants and what she strives for. Angelou, who is considered to be the embodiment of the phenomenal woman described in her poem, is a strong and confident woman and she proves in the following lines that express one of the main ideas of her poem – the equality and, sometimes, even superiority of women:

I walk into a room

Just as cool as you please,

And to a man,

The fellows stand or

Fall down on their knees.

(Angelou, 2000)

The poem is clear manifestation of Maya Angelou’s view of life which is based on her own experiences and the things she managed to achieve directed by this very view of life. The heroine of the poem states from the beginning that she is not the role model for other women in respect of beauty or nice figure but her phenomenon lies in more important things such as inner strength and confidence that allows to reach much more than physical perfection. It is not important for the author what others think or say, her heroine is proud of being a woman which is phenomenal in the very definition of the word:

I’m a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That’s me.

The character of the phenomenal woman, whose prototype may be Maya Angelou herself, can be applied to any other woman living on the Earth, as far as the ideas expressed in the poem do not demand any special knowledge to understand them and any special skills from women to implement them in practice. The only thing needed, according to Angelou, is the confidence and absence of fear to show it to the surrounding world. This point of view was also reflected by literary critics that studied the poetry by Angelou. For example, Stepto singles out the prefect imagery of the poem “Phenomenal Woman” that allows the wide circle of readers to understand the main idea of this work and apply to their own personal experiences. “Angelou uses imagery to give the reader a sense of what the persona looks like. She then lists characteristics to help further the reader’s sense of the persona.” (Stepto, 313) The style in which the poem is written is rather literary but it is at the same time understandable for an average reader and proves the point that the directed audience is every ordinary woman who wants to bring change in her life or needs support in some difficult moments.

As long as the heritage of Maya Angelou is African American, she realizes quite well all the problems that are faced by women on the whole and black women in particular, the poem under consideration can also be considered as a protest against racial discrimination. Angelou experienced the most violence aspects of such discrimination and this made her a stronger personality. She expressed this in “Phenomenal Woman” and thus gave all women a sign that they are not destined to stay at home and obey in the society that is considered to be created by men and for men. The ideas expressed by Angelou in her poem can be applied to any other woman who either lives according to these ideas or only tries to put them into practice. Angelou’s heroine stresses the features that are common to every woman and differ from one woman to another but she states that these points are the most important factors that predetermine a woman’s being phenomenal not because she possesses certain exclusive features, but just because she lives:

It’s in the arch of my back,

The sun of my smile,

The ride of my breasts,

The grace of my style.

Another aspect of the poem that deserves much attention is the concept of dignity and women’s self-esteem. This is one of the prominent concepts in all works by Angelou, and as noticed by Stepto (319), it finds it bright reflection in the poem “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou. The whole poem is built in a logical manner, when all aspects of woman’s life are described and discussed and the last, third, verse serves as the summary of the first two verses. In these lines, Angelou summarizes what she said in the poem and states that she is proud of being a woman, a black woman. At the same time she emphasizes that all other women must be proud of their being women, and furthermore all men must be proud that they are allowed to watch such perfect God’s creatures as women. Angelou’s heroine is a rather majestic woman but it does not prevent her from noticing and recognizing that she is an ordinary woman:

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.

To make a logical conclusion, I would like to say that the poem “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou is a rather skillful literary work that catches attention of readers at once they take a look at it. It touches such significant topics as women identity, their rights and success in this life. Certain feminist motives can be found in the poem, as well as a simple attempt to give people hope and trust in themselves. The main idea of the poem by Angelou is the dignity that every woman should possess or struggle for in case she is deprived of it. The heroine of the poem is a rather strong, confident and proud woman, as well as the author herself, and this allows her to state that every other woman can be so successful if only she understands that she is phenomenal irrespective of her appearance just because she is unique.

Angelou, M. Phenomenal Woman. Random House; 1 edition, 2000.

Gloria Mason Henderson, Bill Day, and Sandra Stevenson Waller. Study book is Literature and Ourselves. 5th ed. Ed. New York: Longman, 2006.

Stepto, R.B. “The Phenomenal Woman and the Severed Daughter.” Parnassus: Poetry in Review 8.1 (2006): 312-20.

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IvyPanda. (2023, November 1). “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou. https://ivypanda.com/essays/phenomenal-woman-by-maya-angelou/

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IvyPanda . 2023. "“Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou." November 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/phenomenal-woman-by-maya-angelou/.

1. IvyPanda . "“Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou." November 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/phenomenal-woman-by-maya-angelou/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "“Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou." November 1, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/phenomenal-woman-by-maya-angelou/.

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Literary Analysis Essay of Maya Angelou’s ‘Phenomenal Woman’

‘Phenomenal Woman’ is a poem written by the famous African American woman Maya Angelou. This piece is part of the And Still I rise book by the author and published in 1978. The poem is written in free verse and follows no specific rhyme scheme. The central point of this literary piece examines the persona’s perspective of a phenomenal woman. It gives readers the impression of what this woman is and the corresponding attributes that define this person. By carefully providing emphasis on these features, Angelou is able to emphasize both the individual and social relevance of how women should be represented.

Looking closely, one of the themes that can be gained from reading this poem corresponds to the empowerment of women. For the speaker, a ‘phenomenal woman’ is someone who is not necessarily beautiful or possesses the figure of a model. Rather, it comes from having the mindset and attitude that believes in her capabilities (Rose 1). She does not necessarily conform to norms and standards but rather builds character according to what she feels is right. Seeing this, Angelou advances this perception by showcasing in the poem a character that goes beyond what society think is physically beautiful. Instead, she constructs a woman who has a strong personality and the right attitude in recognizing her role and position in society.

Another important message conveyed by Angelou in the poem reflects the notion of how beauty should be manifested by every woman. Arguably, the poem criticizes the ideal that it takes other people to determine whether or not people are beautiful. Rather than trying to imitate what people see, it is important that this realization begins with the women themselves. Here, Angelou mentions that a woman’s concept of beauty must begin with her mind, believing that she is indeed beautiful regardless of what physical attributes she possesses (Angelou 1). Instead of depending on what other people had to say, a ‘phenomenal woman’ recognizes that she can work with her attitude and from there be unique from everyone else.

Equally, Angelou’s poem is arguably effective because of it effective use of literary technique. Such approach creates a deeper meaning to the piece and enables readers to connect with numerous messages. For instance, the use of imagery in the poem can be seen especially in describing what the speaker believes is a phenomenal woman. By using imagery, Angelou is able to create the woman she believes is confident and has the right attitude to become successful (UNCP.edu). Similarly, repetition and line length are also significant in highlighting the strengths of the speaker in the poem. For instance, repetition is used as a form of emphasis and enables readers to look into certain phrases that would elicit impact while line length also allow certain lines of the poem to stand out compared to others because of its shortness (UNCP.edu 1). In addition, the poem shows a lyrical approach with an effort to induce specific emotional responses to readers.

Overall, Maya Angelou’s ‘Phenomenal Woman’ is considered one of his most notable poems because of its ability to bring forward an empowered woman. It seeks to define a woman not based on her physical beauty or social stature but rather someone who possesses the attitude and determination to be someone who she wants to be. She also recognized the necessity of not necessarily conforming to expectations but rather creating opportunities for others to accept who she really is within. By bringing these features together, Angelou is able to create a meaningful piece that touches the hearts of numerous women and transcends through different generations.

Works Cited

Angelou, Maya. ‘Phenomenal Woman’ Poetry Foundation. n.d. Web. Accessed 4 September  2014.

Rose, Rina. ‘Poetry Analysis Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou’ Humanities 360. 14  October 2011. Web. Accessed 4 September 2014.

UNCP.edu.Maya Angelou. 2010. Web. Accessed 4 September 2014.

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