Manifestation of female subjugation and sexual exploitation: An analytical study of Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

Abstract

The study underscores the challenges faced by racial subalterns in America, with Maya Angelou's renowned autobiography, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, providing detailed insights into the hardships endured by this community. Born during the Jim Crow Laws Era, Maya faced severe racial segregation, particularly evident in the racial animosities prevailing in Stamps, Arkansas, between Americans and subalterns (Blacks). Maya became a victim of patriarchal oppression, a consequence of her status as a subaltern and African American in a society predominantly controlled by men. The subjugation experienced by subaltern women restricted their freedom to pursue their dreams, subjecting them to domination by their counterparts. The shared inferior and marginalized status of African Americans in society serves as a thematic backdrop. Maya, however, transcended these challenges, breaking the metaphorical glass ceiling to become the voice of her racial subaltern community. Notably, she achieved the historic milestone of becoming the first subaltern woman to ascend to a position of prominence.