38 pages • 1 hour read
Caged Bird
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
“Caged Bird” (1983) by Maya Angelou is a free verse poem about freedom and oppression. The poem builds on her most famous work, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969), which was her first autobiography chronicling her experiences growing up as a Black woman in America.
“Caged Bird” utilizes an extended metaphor to capture the experience of an oppressed group of people. The poem contrasts freedom and captivity and utilizes everyday language and sentence structure to offer an accessible message of hope and freedom. Because Angelou does not specify an oppressed group, the poem can represent any group of people who feel trapped; however, most critics view the poem as a comment on the experience of Black Americans.
While Angelou’s poetry does not have the same historical legacy as her prose, this poem is one of her more popular works. More than anything, the title’s allusion to her most popular book has given this poem more exposure and readership over the years.
Poet Biography
Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Angelou was born Marguerite Annie Johnson, but she changed her name to Maya Angelou when she worked as a dancer and singer in the 1950s.
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