Derek Walcott (1930-2017)
Things to Consider:
- Postcolonialism
- Hybridity, Subjectivity, and
Identity
Discussion Questions:
1444:
- Describe
Walcott's attitude toward British colonialism and the
English language.
- Describe
Walcott's literary syncretism.
"A Far Cry from Africa" (1956)
1444:
- What is the occasion for this
poem?
1445:
- Explain:
"I who am poisoned with the blood of both, / Where shall I
turn, divided to the vein?" (26-27).
- Explain the dilemma posed by
the final two questions.
from "The Schooner Flight" (1979)
- Describe the language used in
this poem.
- Describe
Shabine's relationship with Maria Concepcion.
1446:
- Explain:
"I had a sound colonial education. / I have Dutch, nigger,
and English in me, / and either I'm nobody, or I'm a nation"
(41-43).
"The Season of Phantasmal Peace"
(1981)
1447:
- What is being described in
this poem?
- Explain the final three
lines.
Other Discussion Questions:
"A Far Cry from Africa"
1444:
- Explain: "upright man / Seeks
his divinity by inflicting pain" (16-17).
"The Schooner Flight"
1445:
- Why is Shabine going to sea
on the Flight?
"The Season of Phantasmal Peace"
1447:
- Describe the poem's tone.
- What is a "phantasmal peace"?
