A full line by line analysis, including tone and themes, of the poem The Zulu Girl by Roy Campbell for Grade 12 NSC examinations in English Home Language.
Literal meaning of poem - simple. Zulu woman feeding her child. Metaphorical – the trials and
tribulations of the Zulu tribes.
The poet uses diction very effectively to convey his message.
Line 1: hot red acres smoulder – describing the extreme and very harsh weather conditions that the
labourers had to endure. as if the earth is smouldering like coals. Line 1 sets the setting of the poem.
Tone – extreme discomfort because they have to work in these harsh conditions doing harsh labour.
Line 2: plies – working hard – hard labour. Sweating – relating to smoulder in line 1 – the workers
are setting because the work is difficult and it is extremely hot. Gang – relates to how the Zulu girls
were stripped of their individual identity.
Line 3 – a girl – not the girl. The girl is indicative of all Zulu girls losing identity. Hoe – ploughing tool.
Flings – as opposed to throw – fling is very harsh, sense of exasperation and defiance, she is annoyed
and frustrated. She is rebelling against the harsh conditions and hard work she has to do and the fact
that she has to be submissive.
Line 3,4: synonymous of African women: the women would always carry their children on their
backs whether they are working or not – they don’t have nannies and they have to work to survive.
So, the easiest way for them to keep their children with them was to sling the child to their back. The
child is tormented by the flies. Tormented – afflicted with pain and suffering. The child is irritated
and restless due to the flies. Flies – unsavoury and unhygienic conditions.
Stanza 2:
Line 5: she realises she has to do something to help her child as he is irritable. So, she takes a break
and takes him to a ring of shadow. Ring – very little. Pooled – indicative of some type of coolness an
shade
Line 6: thorn trees – implies pain. Adding to the harsh conditions. She has to sit with the child under
a thorn tree. Ticks – a blood-sucking insect – unhygienic imagery. The trees are purple with the ticks’
blood. Cattle are troubled by ticks on their backs so they would rub their backs on these thorn trees
and the thorns would kill the ticks
Line 7,8: the mother is looking for something in his hair – lice – unhygienic. When she find it, she
tries to kill it. Sharp nails – harsh words, it will cause pain, also refers to the fact that her nails are
untidy and unattended. Slow caresses – she is gentle and soft - shows the affection the mother has
for the child. Despite her harsh circumstances, she still has time to show her child affection. Prowl –
a predator moving stealthily towards its prey – animalistic. Also, the mother wants to protect her
child. She would kill anything harming her child – the lice.
Stanza 3:
Line 9: sleepy – the child is sleepy – reasons - the harsh sun, the mother is caressing him, the child is
tired, the mother is feeding him. Personification of mouth – it cannot be sleepy, but is being
nourished, hitch make the child sleepy. Plugged – as if the child is imbibing the milk hungrily.
Remember the child has been exposed to the hot sun. so, plugged says the child is hungry – he uses
force as he wants to get as much as possible. Heavy nipple – the mother is ready to feed the child –
shows motherhood.
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