The document summarizes a student's analysis of feminism in Audre Lorde's selected poems. It discusses how Lorde's poems express the oppression faced by black women in a patriarchal society through themes of women's empowerment and resistance. Lorde's poetry gives voice to black women and their struggle against discrimination based on both gender and race. The analysis uses a black feminist framework to examine how Lorde's work advocates for women overcoming oppression and refusing to be defined by social categories.

1. THE FIRST UNDERGRADUATE CONFERENCE
ON ELT, LINGUISTIC, AND LITERATURE
JULY 6TH , 2013
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY of YOGYAKARTA

2. Wiwin Haryantoni
wharyantoni@yahoo.com
Dehasen University
Bengkulu
ANALYSING THE FEMINISM VOICES IN
AUDRE LORDE’S SELECTED POEMS

3. Woman must not be stand as the
second society regarded as
human inferior and want to equal
from women and men right.
women oppression as the culture
patriarchy act to race and gender
and the root of women’s
oppression in social condition.
INTRODUCTIO
N

4. Audre Lorde is one of the famous American
poet. She is described herself as a black
feminist of 20th century in America.
The Selected Poems By Audre Lorde
A Women Speaker (1968),
For Each Of You (1968),
Now (1968),
Love Poem (1973),
Coal (1976),
The Black Unicorn (1978),
Who Said It Was Simple (1978),
Power (1982).

5. The theory that
used is Black
Feminism
Plain and Sellers (2007:154) black
feminist criticism is a body of critical
and creative work written by women
of African descent in the United
States.

6. METHODOLOGY
The
descriptiv
e method
with
qualitative
approach.
The main
data for this
study is
taken from
the selection
of Audre
Lorde’s
poems
To explore
the analysis
in-depth this
analysis will
be supported
with some
sources
such as
library, book,
journal
article, and
internet.
several techniques
to analysis this
paper are
Close reading
Re-reading the
poetry
intensively, carefully,
and frequency then
identify each line of
the poems
Looking the words
which have relation
to feminism issue
and black women.
Analyzing these
words by using black
feminism concept.
Making conclusion

7. REVIEW OF RELATED
LITERATURE
Feminism is that men and women are
inherently until now appear different and the
very different occupy in social roles Michael
Levin (1994:3).
Black feminism came in the late 1960s and early
1970s and developed in conjunction with the
second wave of American feminism.
Simon (1995) stated that have recognized that
situations of oppression may modify freedom itself.

8. FINDING AND
DISCUSSION
A. Women Oppression
“A Woman Speaks
(1968)”
“For Each of You (1968)”
“Moon marked and touched by sun”
It describes moon and sun like love
and hope that is shown by women
possesses inside themselves as
woman and to overcome this life to
better life in the society. Women want
the justice between women and
men, even it’s very difficult as far
known many discrimination that
women only as the complement of
men, responsibility as
wife, household, and children keeper.
“that boisterous black angel that
drives you”
It describes women must be
become herself and can’t depend to
other people. Black as women who
can help each
women, especially, women which
get the oppression. Angel brings the
shine to give spirit and hope for
black women.

9. “ Now (1968) ” “Love Poem (1973)”
“black power”
black is stronger than the
other, many Afro-
American woman in
having capacity any
aspect which rise their
status in social life. The
black power activists such
as racial justice, job,
black studied program
university, and community
control of school.
“speak earth and bless
me with what is richest”,
describe that women as
creation by God should be
loved despite only
difference skin color.

10. “The Black Unicorn
(1978)”
“ Coal (1976) ”
“I”, “is the total black, being
spoken”,
from the earth’s inside”
The expression of women and
Lorde’s as black feminist,
leader, and poet which have
relation with her individual
and community in the society.
Lorde’s as black writer got the
oppression by white women
and black men cause
difference color.
“the black unicorn is greedy”, “the
black unicorn is impatient”, “the
black unicorn was mistaken”
The expression of every
women, black women, mother, and
daughter. The woman have been
strong for resistance each
problem eventhough only on a
woman. Women get the
oppression such as
race, sex, gender, and social.

11. “Who Said it Simple
(1978)”
” Power
(1982)”
“discussing the problematic
girls”, “they hire to make them free”
the women always get the
oppression by dominated and
making the unite for the look out
all the oppression such as NBFO
(The National Black Feminist
Organization).
“A policeman who shot down a
ten year old in Queens”,
“I didn't notice the size nor
nothing else only the color”
the white man or the policeman in the
New York which the shoot the boy
until died, but in the judgment the
police get the free in the fact the
police fals. The discrimination not
only for the black women but also all
the Afro-American. Consequently, as
black women refuse all the action by
American people toward all the Afro-
Africa. The oppression black women
cause difference of race.

12. “A Woman Speaks
(1968)”
“For Each of You (1968)”
B. Audre Lorde’s the Voices Empower Women
“I have been woman”, “I am”, “woman”,
the expression by Lorde’s as
woman and woman from
America. The describe that
Lorde’s as black woman and
black feminist Afro-America.
“and not white”
“black angel”
angel as women which
given shine every black women.
The word angel can be describe
the roles of angel such as
protecting, guiding human
beings, and carrying out God’s
tasks. The describe that Lorde, s
as angel can be protection her
children are Jonathon and
Elizabeth when divorce with her
husband Edward Rollins in 1970.

13. “ Now (1968) ” “Love Poem (1973)”
“black power”
women must not be treated as
second class in the society.
Therefore, women the expression
as give protection, spirit, and
love. The strong of black women
for all the resistance and
oppression by white women and
men. In line “black power”, is
slogan for people of Africa
decent to America.
“woman
power”,
“speak earth and
bless me with what is
richest”
Lorde’s expression that she
come from earth Africa
decent to America which get
the protection from God and
as woman many literary work
such as poem, essay, and
novel. In line “and I knew
when I entered her I
was”, Lorde’s expressed that
she made as mother for her
children.

14. “The Black Unicorn
(1978)”
“ Coal (1976) ”
“I”, “is the total black”
I as the expression by
Lorde self as black
writer the poems. Total
black the expression that
Lorde as black women.
Lorde as black women
want to raise status in the
society and resistance all
the oppression.
“the black unicorn is
greedy”, “the black
unicorn is impatient”,
“the black unicorn was
mistaken”,
the describe of Lorde as
woman who powerful for
resistance every
oppression. Lorde’s
complaint against white
American thrusting its
unnatural culture on
black.

15. “Who Said it Simple
(1978)”
” Power
(1982)”
The expression by
Lorde’s refuse if black
women only as the
human inferior which
only as weak women.
the describe of
Lorde’s for find
the identity to
resist
oppression.

16. CONCLUSIO
N
The patriarchal culture in the society that superiority of men has
oppressed of women.
Men dominated social and cultural systems, men have the power, and
men have the superiority over women and children.
Black women find of oppression by culture of men and always weak,
as second class and more get the oppression than men.
Lorde’s empower herself by refuse the image that she only one
category, raise the positive image, refuse negative mind of human in
life.
 Lorde’s get the oppression cause of her race and gender.
Lorde’s overcome from her oppression, gives the energy for other
women to resist of the discrimination culture.