2.png)
RACISM IN JOHN AGARD'S SELECTED POEMS
Abstract
Abstract: Racism has historically shaped social hierarchies that privilege whiteness and marginalize Black identities, embedding inequality into language, education, and cultural institutions. This study explores how is systemic racism presented in John Agard's Selected Poems and what is the significance of systemic racism is in selected poems by John Agard. This study applies qualitative research using Michael Riffaterre’s semiotic of poetry to analyze systemic racism in three of John Agard’s selected poems, “Listen Mr Oxford Don,” “Half-Caste,” and “Checking Out Me History.” Through heuristic and hermeneutic readings, the research identifies ungrammaticalities and reconstructs hypograms to uncover deeper layers of meaning. The findings reveal that Agard’s poetry criticize systemic racism by exposing the marginalization of Black identity, the manipulation of language, and the enduring legacy of colonialism. These semiotic structures convey themes of resistance, cultural pride, and historical reclamation. Ultimately, the study highlights how poetry functions as a powerful medium for resisting systemic oppression and reclaiming identity.
Keyword: Systemic Racism, John Agard, Poems, semiotic of poetry
Full Text:
PDFReferences
Agard, J. (1996). Half-caste and Other Poems. Hodder & Stoughton.
Agard, J. (2009). Alternative Anthem: Selected Poems. Bloodaxe Books.
Ashcroft, B., Griffiths, G., & Tiffin, H. (1989). The empire writes back: Theory and practice in post-colonial literatures. Routledge.
Cassidy, F. G., & Le Page, R. B. (2002). Dictionary of Caribbean English Usage. University of the West Indies Press.
Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved May 5, 2025, from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/
Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Dick Whittington. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Dick-Whittington
Encyclopædia Britannica. (n.d.). Horatio Nelson. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Horatio-Nelson
Denzin, N. K., & Lincoln, Y. S. (2005). Introduction: the discipline and practice of qualitative research. In The SAGE handbook of qualitative research (3rd ed., pp. 1–32). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10826-024-02935-7
Dubois, L. (2004). Avengers of the new world: The story of the haitian revolution. Harvard University Press.
Feagin, J. R. (2006). Systemic Racism: A Theory of Oppression. Routledge.
Goldberg, D. T. (2015). Are We All Postracial Yet? John Wiley & Sons.
Jamaican National Heritage Trust. (n.d.). Nanny of the Maroons. https://jnht.com/site_nanny.php
Laband, J. (1995). The rise and fall of the zulu nation. Arms and Armour Press.
McDonald, P. (2005). Mary seacole: The most famous black woman in victorian britain. Luath Press.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved May 5, 2025, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dictionary.
Osler, A. (2005). Education, human rights and citizenship: International perspectives. Trentham Books.
Riffaterre, M. (1978). Semiotics of Poetry. Indiana University Press.
Savory, E. (1994). Jean rhys. Cambridge University Press.
The Oxford American Dictionary of Current English. (1999). Oxford University Press.
Zinn, H. (1980). A people’s history of the united states. Harper and Row.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24821/tnl.v22i2.16080
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.