IF We Must Die By CLAUDE MCKAY (1891-1948) Selected Poems by Tanzania Institute of Education
McKay was born in Jamaica, where he started writing. Later he moved to the United States Where he wrote several books of poetry. During the last few years of his life, he published only prose.
IF We Must Die By CLAUDE MCKAY (1891-1948)
If we must die-let it not be like hogs Hunted and penned in a inglorious spot,
While round us bark the mad and hungry dogs, Making their mock at our accursed lot,
If we must die-oh let us nobly die
So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain: then even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honour us though dead! Oh kinsmen! We must meet the common foe; Though far outnumbered, let us show our bravery And for their thousand blows one deathblow!
What though before us lies the open grave?
Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying but fighting back!
GUIDING QUESTIONS:
Qn 1. What is the poem all about?
Answ: The poem is all about the call of people to join their strength together to face the oppressors (colonialists/monsters). The persona is conscientizing his fellow members to wage a struggle against their enemies (Colonialists).
Qn 2. Who is the one speaking in the poem?
Answ: The one speaking in this poem appears to be an activist and a member of the society (militant) which is under colonial rule. The persona is tired of colonialism that is why he urges his fellows to wage war (struggle) to remove colonialism by every possible means.
Qn 3. To whom does the persona talk to?
Answ: The persona talks to his fellow members of the society (militant) who are subjected to colonial domination.
Qn 4. Is the persona afraid of death? Why?
Answ: No, the persona is not afraid of death that is why he encourages his fellow members to go and fight the enemies. The only thing that the persona does not want is dying like hogs, he wants to die nobly (dying while liberating their country).
Qn 5. What is the tone of the poem?
Answ: The tone of the poem is serious and encouraging. The persona is optimistic (hopeful) that they will win the battle (struggle) as their enemies are very coward.
Qn 6. What is the mood of the poem?
Answ: The mood of the poem is exciting as it encourages us to take an action to remove colonial domination.
Qn 7. What is the setting of the poem?
Answ: The setting of the poem is during colonial rule (colonialism).
Qn 8. Comment on the use of figures of speech and musical devices. Answ: Figures of speech.
Simile. – “If we must die-let it not be like hogs”
Rhetorical question. “…..What though before us lies the open grave?…”
Symbolism.– the words “hogs”, “the mad and hungry dogs”, “the monsters” and “foe” symbolizes colonialists (the enemies).
Musical devices.
Rhymes. – The word hogs rhymes with dogs.
– The word shed rhymes with dead.
– The word pack rhymes with back.
Qn 9. What are the themes found in this poem?
Answ: The themes found in this poem include colonialism, sacrifice, protest and conscientization.
(i) Colonialism.
Colonialism is the policy or practice of acquiring political control over another country and exploiting it socially and economically. In this poem, the poet shows that people are under colonialism that is why they are now tired of it as the persona urges his fellow members to take an action to remove it.
(ii) Sacrifice.
The term sacrifice can be simply defined as the fact of giving up something important or valuable to you in order to get or do something that seems more important. In this poem the persona is ready to die fighting against their enemies so as to liberate their society. Consider the following verses from the poem when the persona says:
“ ….If we must die-oh let us nobly die…”
“….Pressed to the wall, dying but fighting back!”
(iii) Protest.
The persona protests against malpractice done to them by the colonialists that is why he urges his fellow members to take an action to remove it. The persona finds that physical confrontation (active protest) is the only way out to remove colonialism. Protest in this poem can be evidenced when the persona says:
“……Oh kinsmen! We must meet the common foe;
Though far outnumbered, let us show our bravery ”
(iv) Conscientization.
The persona in this poem is seen conscientizing his fellow members of the society to stage a revolution by removing colonial rule. Having experienced the colonial torture, people now are no longer interested in it. The persona conscientizes his fellow members by saying:
“……If we must die-oh let us nobly die
So that our precious blood may not be shed In vain: then even the monsters we defy
Shall be constrained to honour us though dead!. ”