Poetically Venting Wrath: the Alternative to Submitting to Aggression in African American Art

Poetically Venting Wrath: the Alternative to Submitting to Aggression in African American Art

Poetically Venting Wrath: The Alternative to Submitting to Aggression in African American Art
African American artwork has been developed and molded as a result of emotions in response to struggles of colonialism, emancipation, self-assertion, and discrimination. Culturally, blacks fought for a way to voice their thoughts and feelings for many years, but was silenced due to social status and the once persistence struggle with equality. Many artists used the only thing that they had during this time in order to break the barricades of racism that restricted them in plentiful ways. In the end, art served as a method for African Americans to share their anger, hatred, love, and aggression, resulting from social inequality, to the world in a non-aggressive manner. This abundance of emotion shown by African American artists has produced beautiful art forms and works that influence humans, aspiring artists, and generations to come. Two such artists who embody these qualities are Audre Lorde and Gwendolyn Brooks. Both literary texts, “Power” and “A Bronzeville Mother Loiters in Mississippi. Meanwhile a Mississippi Mother Burns Bacon,” were created as non-violent responses to injustice in the stead of one allowing aggression to overcome them.
In the heat of wrath there is a decision that needs to be made: creatively vent through art, or allow extreme emotion to overtake completely. Both poets, Audre Lorde and Gwendolyn Brooks had to make this complicated decision, either to create a piece with meaning that would illustrate their emotions in a positive manner or spread more violence throughout society. Indeed, their choice was art. Dale T. Miller writes, “Feelings of injustice may lead the aggrieved person to seek justice through acts of commission…where the motive is to even the score”. (60).The yearning of evening the score, shown by a victim of injustice is delineated immensely by Lorde. She writes, “I have not been able to touch the destruction within me”....

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