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Summary An African Elegy
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An African Elegy - Ben OkriWhat is an elegy?
Traditionally, an elegy is a mournful poem usually written in response to death.
It has no rhyme scheme.
It is written in three stages
→ grief
→ sorrow
→ praise
Summary
Okri’s elegy, however, is not mournful; rather it is reflective and thoughtful.
The poet is speaking about his African culture – ‘we’ and ‘our’ – the people of Africa.
The speaker asks the unique African spirit for answers to life’s paradoxes. He
explores the miracle of what being African means to him: the endurance for
suffering, the ability to find joy and beauty in the midst of pain, a spiritual union with
nature’s bounty, and an irrepressible sense of optimism despite all indicators
pointing in the opposite direction.
The speaker seems to believe that the tendency to hope and the sensitivity to
recognise wonder is a shared trait of Africa’s people.
Stanza 1
Line 1
We are the miracles that God made
respectful and spiritual tone.
miracles – He acknowledges the power of God.
We – refers to the people of African descent.
Line 2
To taste the bitter fruit of Time.
Metaphor – Our experiences in life are compared to bitter fruit. Just as we do not like bitter
fruit, so too do we dislike bitter/painful experiences. God created humans so that we could
face good and bad times. Death is a bitter fruit.
bitter fruit – Oxymoron - fruit are usually sweet. Life has not been sweet. They have
endured pain, poverty, hardship and slavery.
Line 3
We are precious.
Optimistic tone – message of hope. They must not despair.
Lines 4-5
And one day our suffering
Will turn into the wonders of the earth.
They are innocent people whose suffering will one day change for something amazing
(wonders of the earth)
Page 1 of 4
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