FIGHTING EQUALITY IN A WOMAN SPEAKS AND WHO SAID IT SIMPLE BY

AUDRE LORDE

RIRI ANGGRAINI PUTRI

16019067

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Poetry is a literary work that can express all feelings felt by the writer. Aside from being

entertainment, poetry also functions as a tool for voicing whatever things are deemed

inappropriate in its place. One of them is voicing about equality of rights that should be accepted

by women and also voicing that women are not only created as objects or are satisfied with the

desires of men. Poems that contain ideas like this are called feminist poetry. Feminist poetry is

poetry that expresses women's desire to get equality and position between men and women

which is realized by getting equal rights and obligations.

As discussed in the history of America Poetriy 1945 - 1950, women poets and feminism began to

emerge. These feminine poems are used by female poets to voice their feelings who want to get

and fight for their rights which they have not gotten as they should.

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 CHAPTER II

Discussion

Different treatments for men and women have always been one of the sensitive problems that

often occur in the community. As explained earlier that in 1945-1950 began to emerge a lot of

feminist poems popping up in America which were used as a tool to voice their desire that

women also have the same rights as men and they are created not only as objects and satisfying

men's desires. These two poems will explain how black women get different treatment by people

around like white people. Black women are considered worthless as a human, so black women

are treated very badly. Such bad treatment is often degrading to make black women rise and fight

together to get their rights back.

A. Discrimination against women.

After reading these two poems we will know how cruel the society discriminates and treats

black women.

From the first stanza line 1-4:

/ moon marked and touched by sun /

/ my magic is unwritten /

/ but when the sea turns back /

/ t will leave my shape behind /

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Stanza means that women are always treated as they wish by men. this also means that men

always look down on black women. Through a metaphor we can interpret that the word "moon"

is representative of women, while the word "sun" is representative of men. So, if it is marked and

touched by sun, it can be interpreted that women are controlled by men, and because of that men

always easily do whatever they want to women. Furthermore, the second line / my magic is

unwritten / this means that the treatment of men and the environment that always denigrates

black women is because they do not think that women also have strength. And because it is

considered weak and does not have that power, that is the environment and the men always do

whatever they want to women. Treating it at will is not only low but also physically harassing

such as sexual harassment. Sexual harassment committed means proving that men only consider

women as a means of satisfying lust, not as a human being who must be respected and protected.

Then line three and four show that the harassment committed by men against the black woman

who felt the consequences of her lifetime was the woman. It is said in the poem that when the

wave returns it will leave my mark behind, this signifies the bad actions taken by men towards

them no matter how they forget the women and delete them in memory that will never be able to,

because of the bad treatment they received will always swell for life. This can be exemplified as

when a woman receives sexual harassment, her lifetime will be considered bad by the

environment because she has lost something very valuable in her, namely self-esteem and purity.

But this is very different from men, who although they are the main actors in the mistreatment

but they will not receive ill-treatment from the community for what they do. It could be said that

they could escape the incident and the community and the environment would not question it.

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This is also supported by the words on line 7-9, the line means that the bad things that men do to

them will always be their responsibility as a mistake for them. Their own environmental

mistakes only blame them and increasingly underestimate them because the actions of these men

have made them lose their self-esteem which is the most important thing for every woman.

Furthermore, differences in the treatment of the environment and society against black women

can also be proven through the 10-12 stanza on poetry A Woman Speaks:

/ I don't mix /

/ love with pity /

/ nor hate with scorn /

They have never mixed love and feelings of pity, in my opinion this is the expression of speakers

who are black women that they have never expressed anger at those who discriminated against

them. The expression of these feelings can also prove that it is true that black women always get

discretionary actions from their environment. These acts of discrimination can be exemplified as

those whose existence was never considered to exist by the community and were also never

valued so that men could treat them as they pleased.

Furthermore the discrimination obtained by black women and also not getting proper treatment

can also be proven through the first stanza of the poem Who Said it Was Simple:

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/ There are many roots to the three of anger /

/ thats sometimes the branches shatter /

/ before the bear /

This poem can be interpreted as saying that black women do not get good treatment from the

community. They are always rejected and oppressed by society. Even not only for those who

have grown up, but for their offspring who are still small and even unborn also get rejection and

oppression. This proves that the people are very cruel to treat them even though they are also

humans created by God, but they get treatment that is far from good because they are different or

because they are black.

Then at the second stanza line 1-4 in the poem Who Said it Was Simple:

/ Sitting in Neddicks /

/ the woman rally before they march /

/ discussing the problematic girls /

/ they hire to make them free.

Menurur me is a description of how not only men who discriminate and demean them, but white

women also reject and demean them. The word "woman" here, in my opinion is aimed at white

women who are talking about black women with their groups. The word discussing the

problamatic girl / on the third line recruits me refers to women, so it can be concluded that what

is being discussed by a group of black women is black women who work with them as a servant

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or guardian of children. Jobs that for them are considered very low and are only suitable for

black people. But the work they considered inferior was something that actually made them more

free from the black woman.

And then discrimination against women can also be proven through the second stanza line 9-12

in the poem Who Said it Was Simple

/ But i who am bound by my mirror /

/ as well as my bed /

/ see causes in color /

/ as well as sex /

It can be interpreted that black women are bound by freedom. And they also say they are

confined to their glass and mattresses, this can be interpreted that the people who humble them

only consider them as an outlet for lust. In other words they are only considered based on

appearance and skills, charming appearance and sex-related skills. It's really sad that black

women look very worthless here. they are only needed for the impingement of maleficence in

irresponsible men.

B. The struggle of women to obtain rights

After we discuss how black women really are considered low and meaningless by the

environment, and how they are only treated as a means of satisfying lust. Furthermore, these two

poems will also discuss about although black women are considered low and despicable, but they

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have the strength and desire to rise up and fight for their rights as a woman who deserves to be

respected and respected.

In the poem A Woman Speaks third stanza line 1-3:

/ I have been woman /

/ for a long time /

/ beware my smile /

This Stanza can be interpreted that the speaker wants to emphasize that they are a woman from a

long time ago which means they have understood the treatment of the people who always

demean and discriminate them. And because they are very familiar with the pain of the

discriminatory actions, in the next line speakers are like expressing sarcasm and warning about

those who are now. Maybe they look ordinary and follow or accept the society's ill-treatment, but

speakers like warnings should not be swept away by their calm attitude, because they might act

as soon as possible to fight for their rights.

And also on the next line:

/ I'm threacherous with old magic /

/ and the noon's new fury /

/ with all your wide fortunes /

/ promised /

/ I am woman and not white /

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From this line we can interpret there is a great desire and enthusiasm from hitan women to fight

for their rights. This line can also be interpreted to mean that the speaker confirmed that they

were indeed only a black woman who was always demeaned but be careful because they actually

also have strength. The power to resist their actions and fight for their rights is not always

considered low. From here we can see even though they are always demeaned and not

considered, but they still have the spirit and confidence to fight for their rights, and also fight for

their lives and their descendants to get a better life going forward. And that is their agreement.

Their agreement to themselves that they will fight for their rights and lives. And in the last three

lines the speakers emphasized that they were women, even though they were not black women,

but they were still very valuable women who must be respected. And the speaker also seems to

emphasize that they don't have to be white women to be respected and to feel proud of

themselves, but even as black women they remain proud and will continue to fight for their

rights as women and humans.

And those who always fight for their rights can also be proven through the poem Who Said it

Was Simple at the third stanza:

/ and sit here wondering /

/ which me will survive /

/ all these liberations.

Through this stanza we know that they have a great determination and passion to fight for their

freedom. Freedom which means they are not under the control of white people anymore and also

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the freedom from discrimination they receive that treats them very badly. In fact, they only used

their body's beauty as an outlet for their passions. And the word survive indicates that they really

will always fight for their rights as women, humans, and creatures of God.

CHAPTER III

CONCLUSION

From the two poems discussed, it can be concluded that at that time black women were really

considered meaningless and really very demeaned. Even so meaningless people easily treat them

as they wish. And also men only judge them from body beauty, which means they only see black

women as a means of satisfying lust.

And also from the meaning revealed can be interpreted that women and men do not have the

same rights. Men can sexually harass women, but after leaving without responsibility and the

man does not lose his honor, he will still be respected by society, very different from women.

Women who have received acts of sexual harassment will see the community not as a good

woman. However women's efforts to make amends, the community will still consider themselves

inferior. It can be concluded that when a woman has lost her pride as a woman she will lose that

pride for the rest of her life and nothing can be done to make up for everything. But if the man

who does this he will not lose his honor. So the point is women when they receive sexual

harassment, they will be considered despicable and damaged for the rest of their lives, while men

who do this are left alone and are only considered as an act of fun.

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However, in addition to discussing how the inequality of male and female rights is also how

black women are very demeaned by society, these two poems also reveal that women who are

always demeaned and belittled also have great power to rise up and fight for their rights. And as

the title says Who Said it Was Simple, indeed, to fight for that right is not easy because everyone

has their own views on truth, but they still emphasize that they will always struggle to get their

rights as women, humans, and creatures of God.

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