Critical analysis: Strong Men (Essay Sample)

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Critical analysis
“Strong Men” is a poem by Sterling Allen Brown, an African American professor, author of poetry and folklore and a literary critic. Sterling Brown lived at a time when slavery was long gone but still at a time when racial segregation was rife. Brown was, at the time of writing the poems, a teacher and a scholar of African American folk culture and literature at the University of Howard. His biggest influence was the jazz music and his works usually dealt with racial struggles. This was during the Harlem Renaissance together with other poets and writers such as Langston Hughes, T. S. Elliot among others. The poem “Strong Men” was also influenced by the issues of racial segregation at the time. In this poem, Brown depicts a picture of slavery even long after the practice of the trade was long gone (PAL: Sterling Brown (1901-1989). According to the poem, it is true to say that; “racial segregation” is a new face of slavery to maintain the status quo of slave-master relationship between the African-Americans and the whites.
In the first stanza, Brown introduces the theme of slavery. He describes how the slaves were ferried from one place to another and in the conditions they were transported in.
They dragged you from the homeland; they chained you in coffles,
They huddled you spoon-fashion in filthy hatches,
They sold you to give a few gentlemen ease. (The Making of African American Identity, 1)
The language Brown chose for this stanza creates a mental picture of the harsh environment the slaves were subjected to from their homeland to the time when they arrived to their masters homes. This is evident in the particular words that he uses for the description; dragged, chained, huddled, filthy are words that imply use of force and poor conditions. The last line in the stanza, “They sold you to give a few gentlemen ease.” asserts the slaves were actually sold so that wealthy men could live in a better way. In this stanza, Brown describes the transit from the slaves’ original homes to their new homes and the change to the slave status. The pronoun “they” has been repeated many times to create emphasis on the negativity of the actions.
In the second stanza, Brown introduces the few gentlemen who bought the slaves. Life in their masters home was not going to be any better. The stanza is a description of the life at the masters’ homes. At this point, Brown likens the working to that of an animal – oxen. Severe punishments are inevitable in the masters’ houses for any wrong done. Other disapproving acts are also highlighted in this stanza. Branding of the slaves and other inhumane treatments they are subjected to equating the slaves to animals owned by other people. He goes further to support the allegation of the slaves’ position as equal to that of animals by the fourth and the fifth lines of the stanza where they are made to multiply to provide more workforces.
“They made your women breeders,
They swelled your numbers with bastards. . . .” (The Making of African American Identity 1)
The last line highlights on religion. Asserting that they (slaves) were taught in religion the masters disgraced. Religion was possibly used to make the slaves more receptive to subserviency from the masters. Past tense verbs following the pronoun “they” have been used in this stanza just like in the previous stanza. Using of past tense is an effective way to emphasizes on the negative effects of the treatment from the masters as the persona still remembers of the ordeals. It is too hard for them to
After the second stanza, there is a turn and the poem breaks away to a work song. The work song describes vividly, the deplorable conditions of the working environment.
“ Keep a-inchin’ along
Lak a po’ inch worm. . . .” (The Making of African American Identity, 2)
As the song says, the slaves are made to work hard with no or few breaks for resting.
Brown uses both poorly and well-constructed English in the song to reflect the struggles of the African Americans. Correct English is however used minimally to reflect the few chances the struggles have borne fruits.
“The strong men keep a-comin’ on
The strong men git stronger.” (The Making of African American Identity 2 )
Following the work song is the stanza with a reflection of the work done by the slaves. However, the slaves are not the beneficiaries of the effort they employed. It qualifies the earlier statement in the first line, this stanza that the slaves are making life for the masters easy. The first and the second line directly quote the comfort with which the whites live at the effort of the slaves.
They point with pride to the roads you built for them,
They ride in comfort over the rails you laid for them.
As if that is not enough, the slaves are given little time to do just too much (Line 22 and 23). Brown then introduces yet another song in the poem. This time, the slaves are seemingly making progress with their struggles for freedom. The song does not highlight much of the activities happening.
The following stanza however paints a different picture. Slavery is eliminated but there is still racial segregation. Slavery has now taken a different twist. Jobs are now divided between the African Americans and the Americans. There are jobs for the African Americans, which are lowly paid and do not require highly trained personnel. The good jobs are reserved for the whites only (line 33).
“They cooped you in their kitchens,...