Africa

Africa written by Rabindranath Tagore a poem about western imperialism and how the colonial arrogance has left the African hearts filled with hate, due to deception and misperceiving them for who they truly are and not to mention refusing to acknowledge what actually happens in Africa. The poet explores this idea using imagery, irony and metaphors to grasp the readers attention and lure them into the world of Africa. The poem Africa begins in the turbid first age which is a very remote and magical starting point of time, however this is overlooked as the pathways of life are unclear and perilous to tread upon. The world in this stage is periodically altering and the fate of mankind is uncertain as the Creator, displeased with himself suggesting the world is in chaos and madness as he Destroyed his new creations again and again. Africa is shown to be an infant child which the angry sea snatched from the breast of Mother Asia, giving the reader a sense that it cannot develop as it is orphaned and has no support from as he has drifted apart from his family. The Africans are shown to have collected impenetrable secrets and also have learnt the arcane language of water and earth and sky which gives the readers an impression that they are infused with Mother Nature and its invisible magic that fills the African air. To further enhance this scene the Africans had danced to the drumbeats of chaos as part of their culture to make a mockery out of fear by making your own appearance hideous in order to ward off evil. However, this dramatic scene had startled the western invaders which had led to judgment upon appearance, as shown in the line your human aspect remained unknown. This particular quote suggested that the western invaders considered the Africans to be barbaric beasts who Flaunted their naked inhumanity. Imagery and irony seeps into the morning and evening, in the name of a loving God, the westerners consider themselves to be reputable as they follow God but however, they still refuse to acknowledge what really happens in Africa, by continuing life normally as Mothers dandled babies in their laps and poets raised hymns to beauty. Todays world chokes and gasps for life as the air of the west thickens, conveying that westernization is spreading all over the world followed by a big storm which is imminent from occurring, linking in to the catastrophic environmental impacts that westernization has caused. As animals emerge from secret lairs makes a direct reference to animal instincts as their senses can detect a storm coming even in the dying light of advancing nightfall. In the last stanza of the poem, imagery takes place again as Africa is implied to be untainted and despoiled whilst the westerners stand at the door pleading Forgive, forgive- which implements that the Africans will punish the westerners for devastating and tarnishing the whole world in the midst of their murderous insanity, linking in with the War and mass murder that westernization has brought upon the world. In the last line of this poem, the Africans threaten and wage war against the westerners as they say May these be civilizations last, virtuous words.