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Year 7 Poetry Lesson 3

Edward Kamau Brathwaite's poem "Limbo" conveys the experience of slaves transported from Africa to the Americas. The poem uses repetition and rhythm to recreate the dance movements of slaves aboard the ship. While initially seeming to describe a Caribbean dance, the poem reveals deeper meanings of the slaves' state of suffering and uncertainty during the passage. Harsh language and violent imagery portray the physical and emotional agony endured by the slaves. Overall, the poem powerfully communicates the slaves' loss of identity and humanity during the transatlantic voyage through its distinctive structure and vivid language.

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Stephanie Gregory
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50 views

Year 7 Poetry Lesson 3

Edward Kamau Brathwaite's poem "Limbo" conveys the experience of slaves transported from Africa to the Americas. The poem uses repetition and rhythm to recreate the dance movements of slaves aboard the ship. While initially seeming to describe a Caribbean dance, the poem reveals deeper meanings of the slaves' state of suffering and uncertainty during the passage. Harsh language and violent imagery portray the physical and emotional agony endured by the slaves. Overall, the poem powerfully communicates the slaves' loss of identity and humanity during the transatlantic voyage through its distinctive structure and vivid language.

Uploaded by

Stephanie Gregory
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Identity Poetry

LIMBO
by Edward Kamau
Brathwaite
Learning Objective:

To understand the meaning


of ‘Limbo’ and how the
structure and language are
used to convey meaning in
this poem
Learning Outcomes

 Allshould: recognise how structure


and language features are used in
the poem
 Most should: comment on how these
features achieve effects
The Poet
 Edward Kamau Braithwaite is a Caribbean writer.
 He was born in 1930 in Barbados, West Indies.
 He won a scholarship to Cambridge, England and
eventually gained a Ph.D.
 He worked in Ghana (Africa) for a number of
years. He later taught History in Jamaica in the
West Indies and also taught in New York.
 When he was working in Ghana he was given the
African name ‘Kamau’ and at the end of ‘Limbo’
you can see he includes his African name as well
as his very English sounding name Edward, to
remind people of his own cultural identity and
where his ancestors would have come from.
 His poems often deal with the themes of
colonisation and slavery.
Look at the following images
of slavery. What words come
into your mind when you look
at them?
What do you associate
with these images?
 Write down four words that connect with them
Identity based on Cultural
Factors
• Whip
 Oppression
 Removal of freedom
• Hunger
 Pain • Thirst
 Suffering
 Hurt
• Anger
 Persecution • Conflict
 Human Rights
• Theft
• Beating
Slavery

 Between 1540 and 1850, around 20 million


men, women and children were captured
in Africa and taken in ships to America.
 These ships were hell. The slaves were
chained to iron bars, and sometimes they
were expected to row. If they disobeyed
they would be struck with whips or sticks.
 Conditions were abominable. Many slaves
died during the passage due to the lack of
sanitation and hygiene, and they were
poorly fed.
 Slaves would be packed into the ship like
sardines in a tin. They had no room to move,
little room to breathe. Quite often they were
raped or tortured by the sailors.
 Because of all this, 20% didn’t make it to
America
Limbo: A Caribbean Dance
 Although it’s a ‘Caribbean’ dance, it originated on the slavery ships
travelling from Africa to America
 The slaves wanted to try and entertain themselves, to find a way to
make the unbearable passage more tolerable. They invented this
dance, which later became an integral part of the West Indies culture
 The dancers perform the dance to traditional music or drummed
rhythm.
 On the slave ships, the slaves would dance under the metal poles they
were chained to. They would create atmosphere and rhythm, cheering
and applauding each other. It would become their only form of release
from the agony, pain, and humiliation of the passage.

Other meaning:
 To be ‘in limbo’ is a phrase that originates from the Bible referring to
peoples souls who were not good enough to go to heaven nor bad
enough to go to hell…they were left in an uncertain state that was
worse than anything you could imagine.
Learning Checkpoint

 Writedown everything you


know about the term ‘Limbo’.
Where it originated and the
various things this can refer
to…..
Which words stick out? How do they sound?
Reading: ‘Limbo’ by Edward
Kamua Brathwaite

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlEfhim_36U
Structure
 When you read this poem it has a clear rhythm, a drum like
beat. What do you think it is about the structure that
establishes this rhythm?

 Which sections of this poem are repeated most frequently?


 This is called a chorus or ‘refrain’. In this case the refrain
‘Limbo, limbo like me’ encourages the reader to join in with
the ‘dance’ and get involved.
 What other effect does this repetition have?
 (Some argue it creates a trance like effect which replicates
how the slaves might have felt as a result of their treatment!)
Do you agree?
Meaning

We’re initially led to believe that the


poem is solely about the limbo dance,
but the imagery of the slave ship
shows this isn’t just about dancing.
The slaves are also in a state of
unknown.

Which lines could you use to support


this as a poem about limbo dancing,
and which contain a darker tone that
may hint at the slavery?
Imagery

 ‘long dark deck and the water surrounding me


long dark deck and the silence is over me’

 Which slave on this image might this person be when he


says these lines?
Imagery

 ‘dumb god’ is a metaphor…who do you think the slave is


referring to at this point in the poem?

 Challenge: Why might he refer to these people as ‘god’?


What does this image suggest?

 Write your answer in your book before sharing your


ideas.
Language: how does the
writer make you feel the pain
of the slaves?
 Harsh consonants: k, ck, st, d
 Plosives: st, d, sp
 Negative words: long, silence, whip, dark
 Repetition of ‘limbo’

 Identify where each of these language techniques are used


in this poem.
Effect
 What word best sums up your emotions about the identity
of the slaves in this poem?

 Which lines have the most impact on you? Why?

 How effective do you think this poem is in conveying the


identity of the slaves?

 Challenge : Why do you think this poem is called ‘Limbo’


rather than ‘Slavery’? Do you think the title is appropriate?
Plenary Questions – make
sure you PEE!
1. How is structure used for effect in this poem? How does
the writer make the poem sound musical?
2. How does your understanding of the word ‘limbo’ change
during the poem?
3. What images of violence and beating are there in the
poem?
4. Which words and phrases have the most impact and why?
5. How does the poem make you feel? Do you feel empathy
towards the slaves?

Using your notes spend 15 minutes responding in detail to at


least two of above questions.
DIRT: Using the feedback you’ve been
given now write a third paragraph of your
choice that would achieve your target
grade….10 minutes…..GO!!
1. How is structure used for effect in this poem? How
does the writer make the poem sound musical?
2. How does your understanding of the word ‘limbo’
change during the poem?
3. What images of violence and beating are there in the
poem?
4. Which words and phrases have the most impact and
why?
5. How does the poem make you feel? Do you feel
empathy towards the slaves?

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