Poem no.12 of Matric Poetry Set. Summary and line-by-line analysis of "The Cry of South Africa" by Olive Schreiner. Focusing particularly on imagery, figures of speech, punctuation, and poet information. To help make your study sessions less overwhelming, more efficient, and information more retain...
‘The Cry of South Africa’
By Olive Schreiner
Poet:
(non-examinable – merely intended to give background context to the poem)
- She was very talented, even without a formal education
- Written during the South Africa vs British War
- Her Father was a Boer and her mother an English woman.
- Dichotomy: She was against her father and his religion but was on the side of the
Boers/South Africans in the War.
- She was placed in a concentration camp because of her allegiance.
- The poet expressed her feelings about the Boer War through the poem.
*Note: The Speaker and The Poet are not the same person, you must be able to distinguish
between the two.
About: The death and atrocities of the South African War are described and
emphasised by depicting South Africa as mother mourning the loss of her
children (South Africans).
Is a personified and figurative recount of the Boer War atrocities, in which the
deaths and suffering are emphasised.
Apostrophe: the speaker addresses someone who isn’t there or present.
Tone: grieving, depressed, mournful, suffering
Important Poetic Elements/Figures of Speech:
Personified The attribution of a personal nature or human
characteristics to something non-human, or
the representation of an abstract quality in
human form.
Apostrophe Referring/speaking to someone who isn’t
present.
Juxtaposition The fact of two things being seen or placed
close together with contrasting effect.
1|Page Created by Jaimie Morgan
, Title:
‘The Cry of South Africa’
- “The Cry” shows suffering (poets opinions come through)
- “The Cry” – Proper Noun with defiant article
- “Cry of South Africa” – South Africa is personified, by being given the human ability
to cry.
Part One:
Tone: Demanding
The Speaker is South Africa, personified.
Give back my dead! [!] Exclamation Mark – indicates a
They who by kop and fountain demand, very to the point.
First saw the light upon my rocky
breast! “my” – suggests poem is in 1st person
“They” – referring to South Africans
“Kop” – is a South African/Afrikaans word
Therefore, making the poem more
personal.
“First” – originating from South Africa.
“the light”
- Literal – first light you seen when you’re
born.
- Figurative – represents patriotism or
distinguishing between right/wrong.
“my rocky breast” – Imagery of mother
with a child (representative of South
Africa’s relationship with its people)
Only emphasises (+) pain/suffering
2|Page Created by Jaimie Morgan
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