Analysis Of 'Swing Low, Sweet Chariot'

Even though the woods surrounding the magnificent southern plantations were often filled with the slaves’ songs, they did not sing because they were happy. They sang because of their sorrow. Douglass brings this sorrow to the mind’s eye by telling us, “If any one wishes to be impressed with the soul-killing effects of slavery, let him go to Colonel Lloyd’s plantation, and, on allowance-day, place himself in the deep pine woods, and there let him, in silence, analyze the sounds that shall pass through the chambers of his soul, -- and if he is not thus impressed, it will only be because ‘there is no flesh in his obdurate heart.’” (Douglass, 51; quoting Cowper, The Task, book 2, line 8 (1785)). Douglass really makes his point

He mentions the fight in the House of Representatives that broke out, in relation with the civil rights bill. He also about the equality between black and white people in the 1960’s. At this point this is being read the words “all is calm, all is bright” this completely contrast from the subject about racism but the song is representing a sense of tranquillity as if everything is okay when it is not.

The use of emotion on his readers allow them to see the way Douglass sees. “They [slaves] would sometimes the most pathetic sentiment in the most rapturous tone, and the most rapturous sentiment in the most pathetic tone”(29). Harsh lyrics and pathetic tones give readers the thought of despair in slaves. The tune itself is the slave's’ way in giving up. Readers feel sorrow as they imagine the thoughts that went into the tune. Then sorrow leads to sympathy, where readers, then wish to help slaves. “We felt, and very properly too, that we had almost as well be slaves to man as to rum”(85). Many readers could sympathize exactly with the sorrow slaves felt during this time. Alcoholics are common; they feel that they are dependant on alcohol as the slaves are. Yet the difference is that slave drinking was used as a sport by slaveholders. The

Slave songs, therefore, do not pardon the institution of slavery; in fact, they do just the opposite. They are indisputable affirmations of injustice, accentuating the oppressive cage that is slavery. They are the mode of communication of a living dead who yearn for the blessings of a life unfettered: for liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Slaves sing of ideals that are not theirs to possess—ideals that their country and fellow men have denied them. The caged bird does not sing because it is happy; it sings because it is dreaming of happiness.

In the time period of slavery, many famous slave songs were produced, and most of the slave owners and others found their singing as a form of joy. In reality, singing was the slave’s form of sadness, and emotion. Slaves got through the day by singing about their hardships and troubles. Fredrick Douglass in the quote above explains that through all of his hardships, he got through it with his “sorrow songs” to pacify him and his fellow slaves to be able to complete their

the need to reach heaven. The songs and stories sounded like one thing but they

By telling us this it shows us that the slaves were taught to not feel, and that there was no other way for them to live life. Everyone can relate to the fact that in the moment of a certain situation it might not seem too bad, but when you look back on it you really see how bad it really was, this is what Frederick Douglass was experiencing. By explaining how he felt while hearing the songs, it makes the reader feel the unknowing nature that all of the slaves had and it makes us see the injustice in the situation.

In the expert from Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass, the speaker presents through the slaves song, about the dehumanizing character of slavery and his hatred towards it. According to the narrative it states “They would sometimes sing the most pathetic sentiment in the most rapturous tone, and the most rapturous sentiment in the most pathetic tone”(line25-26). This exemplifies how that there songs had the most sadness and true meaning of slavery in the most happiest tone, And they would sing the most happiest song in a sad tone. They did this to trick their bosses so that they won’t get in trouble, to add on the speaker implies “I have sometimes thought that the mere hearing of those songs would do more to impress some minds with

Douglass corrects white reader’s misconceptions about the slave’s assumed happiness by illustrating the song’s true meaning through his personal experience “within the circle.” Douglass is astounded that northerners believed they were singing songs out of happiness; he says, “I have often been astonished, since I came to the north, to find persons who could speak of the singing, among slaves, as evidence of their contentment and happiness. It is impossible to conceive of a greater mistake” (26). Douglass explains that the songs create a common experience among all slaves. Therefore, those outside the circle are ignorant to believe that their songs are out of happiness or contempt. In actuality, “slaves sing most when they are the most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears” (26). Douglass makes it clear that slaves are actually evident on a sub-conscious level of deep unhappiness. The singing is a coping mechanism, per say, to the aching hearts. The songs are not a pastime

Under the line, "I've been a victim" the speaker says, "The Belgians cut off my hands in the Congo. / They lynch me still in Mississippi." These lines demonstrate that obviously the speaker is symbolic of the black race, and is not just one person. However, the author wrote them as if it were one person and that proves to be very effective, especially in this stanza. The use of the first person voice allows the author to illustrate suffering in a very personal way, while simultaneously making the statement that each person carries with them the suffering, if not the experience, of past generations.

A spiritual journey dominates these songs, but the concern for physical freedom is there as well. The most pervasive image in the spirituals is that of the chosen people for the slaves believed that they had been chosen by God just as the Israelites had. They also believed that they understood better than anyone what freedom truly meant in both a spiritual and physical sense. The Old Testament characters that the slaves referred to in their songs experienced deliverance by God. The slaves believed that the same God that had granted them spiritual freedom would someday loose the chains of slavery. The wonderful flexibility of the spirituals allowed for that double meaning of freedom. For example, Frederick Douglass claimed that the line” I am bound for Canaan” in one of the songs he frequently sang meant that he was going North, not just that he would experience the freedom of the promised land in a spiritual sense. The flexibility and multiplicity of meanings also allowed for slaves to use these sacred songs as secret communication. Some songs, such as “Steal Away to Jesus,” were used to call a secret meeting where the people could worship without the supervision of the whites. Other songs, such as “Wade in the Water” served as coded directions for runaway slaves. With the eventual emancipation of the slaves, religious music of African Americans became prominently

Through songs many people express their feelings of the world threw the words they have wrote. Many songs talk about civil rights of the people and how change should be an option. In the world we live in today we have social issues that people have to face such as: police brutality, racial profiling, discrimination etc. Through Kendrick Lamar, Public Enemy, The Game, Bebe Winans, and N.W.A they will use their voice as a weapon for change among all people. Music with a message thrives in a live setting, for obvious reasons, and many politically conscious musicians aim to channel the heightened emotions

In the song “Glory” sung by John Legend and Common is a powerful song inspired by the Civil Rights Movement. The theme of this song is that resistance enacts change. There are several literary devices that convey the importance and power of peaceful protest such as allusion, symbolism, and metaphors. These three literary devices help to illustrate the struggle, dedication, and triumphs of those involved in peaceful protest of the civil rights movement.

“Where Have All The Flowers Gone?” by Pete Seeger became a popular anti-war protest song during the 1960s. This song did not only protest against the Vietnam War but also made their generation more aware about the global problems. Songs like “Not Ready to Make Nice” by Dixie chicks about freedom of speech was written after they received death threats for singing against the Iraq war, protests against the violation of human rights. But music is not only used to protest, it is also used to give hope and optimism. “We Shall Overcome”, a song sung by Guy Carawan together with the Montgomery Gospel Trio and the Nashville Quartet, is perhaps the best known example of civil rights song. Instead of blaming the government, this song registered a feeling of hope and faith among African-Americans during the civil rights movement.

This song was influenced by Bob Dylan’s “Blowing In The Wind” and gave a visual representation of the discrimination that African-American face even at public places like movie theaters. Civil rights supporters sang this song with tears in their eyes and hope in their heart that the prejudice against African-Americans will end.