Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou Poem Analysis Essay Sample

The speaker in Maya Angelou’s 1978 poem, “Phenomenal Woman,” attempts to explain the secret of her natural radiance. This secret is explained through powerful lines and stanzas throughout the poem. The speaker explains why men find her attractive despite her not conforming to society’s definition of beauty. Through symbolism and imagery, the speaker portrays what it truly means to be beautiful which feeds into the theme of self-confidence and natural beauty.

Throughout the poem, the speaker uses symbolism to explain her natural beauty and confidence. Symbolism is something that is used to represent or describe a specific idea. One example of symbolism in the poem is, honey it is used to symbolize the speakers sweet and kind personality. When the speaker states, “They swarm around me,/A hive of honey bees.” (Angelou lines 19-20), she implies that men are attracted to her endearing personality. An endearing personality can be associated with natural beauty. The hive of honey bees, or worker bees, is symbolic for the men who gather around the speaker. The speaker is symbolic for the powerful queen bee. The queen bee’s purpose is to reproduce and to maintain order in the hive. The workers bees’ purpose is to protect the queen bee. Without the queen bee, the hive would cease to exist. The speaker’s self-confidence is what makes men attracted to her. Just like the worker bees who are subservient to the queen bee, men are naturally attracted to the speaker’s self-confidence and powerful demeanor, so they swarm around her. Anglou’s use of symbolism supports the theme of self-confidence and natural beauty.

Angelou also uses imagery throughout the poem to define the speaker’s inner beauty. Imagery is a visual description used to illustrate a mental image. “The curl of my lips.” (Angelou line 9), “And the flash of my teeth,” (Angelou line 19) are used to help the reader visualize the speaker’s soft lips and pleasant smile. This creates a warm and welcoming image of the speaker, further supporting her inner beauty. The speaker’s inner beauty is also demonstrated through her body language and the way she carries herself. Descriptions such as “The swing of my waist,” (Angelou line 24 ), “ The stride of my step.” (Angelou line 8 ), and “It’s in the click of my heels,” (Angelou line 53 ) helps the reader visualize the speaker’s confidence while she is walking. The speakers warm demeanor aligns with her inner beauty and radiates throughout the poem with Anglou’s use of imagery. 

In conclusion, Angelou uses imagery and Symbolism throughout the poem to demonstrate that the speaker effortlessly gives off self-confidence. This confidence is further supported in the final stanza when the speaker states, “When you see me passing,/It ought to make you proud.”(Angelou line 51-52). This type of powerful confidence makes the speaker naturally beautiful and attractive to men. It defines society’s definition of beauty and makes the speaker a phenomenal woman.

Work Cited

Ryan, Joel. “What Is the Significance of Honey in the Bible?” Christianity.com, Christianity.com, 4 May 2021, www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-is-the-significance-of-honey-in-the-bible.html. 

Angelou, Maya. “Phenomenal Woman by Maya Angelou.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48985/phenomenal-woman.