Bury me in a free land

 

Bury me in a free land

Frances Harper

Osmania University Degree Sem 5

new syllabus 2024-25 onwards

Make me a grave where'er you will,

In a lowly plain, or a lofty hill; 

Make it among earth's humblest graves,

But not in a land where men are slaves.

I could not rest if around my grave

I heard the steps of a trembling slave;

His shadow above my silent tomb

Would make it a place of fearful gloom.

I could not rest if I heard the tread

Of a coffle gang to the shambles led,

And the mother's shriek of wild despair

Rise like a curse on the trembling air.

I could not sleep if I saw the lash

Drinking her blood at each fearful gash,

And I saw her babes torn from her breast,

Like trembling doves from their parent nest.

I'd shudder and start if I heard the bay

Of bloodhounds seizing their human prey,

And I heard the captive plead in vain

As they bound afresh his galling chain.

If I saw young girls from their mother's arms

Bartered and sold for their youthful charms,

My eye would flash with a mournful flame,

My death-paled cheek grow red with shame.

I would sleep, dear friends, where bloated might

Can rob no man of his dearest right;

My rest shall be calm in any grave

Where none can call his brother a slave.

I ask no monument, proud and high,

To arrest the gaze of the passers-by;

All that my yearning spirit craves,

Is bury me not in a land of slaves.

GLOSSARY

lowly/lauli/low in status or importance; humble lofty/lofti/ of imposing height

grave/grerv/ the place of burial for a dead body; serious or solemn in nature

trembling/'tremblin/ shaking or quivering, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty 

coffle/'kofal/ a group of prisoners, enslaved people, or animals chained or tied together in a line

 shambles / Jamblz/ a state of total disorder

shriek /fri:k/ a high-pitched sharp cry or sound, often indicating fear, surprise, or pain

 bury /beri/ to place a dead body in the ground; to cover or hide something underground

captive /'kæptiv/ a person or animal that is confined or restrained, often against their will

bartered/'ba:tard/ exchange goods or services without using money

bloodhounds /'bladhaundz/ a breed of large hounds known for their keen sense of smell, often used in tracking

 prey/prer/ an animal that is hunted and killed by another for food; to be hunted or victimised.

 passersby /'pa:səzbar/ the plural form of 'passerby, referring to people who are passing by or near a place

monument/monjomənt/ a structure or statue built to commemorate a person or event of historical significance

yearning/j3:n10/ an intense longing or desire, often with a sense of sadness or melancholy. 

slave /slerv/ a person who is legally owned by another and is forced to work without pay

EXERCISES

Answer the following questions in one or two lines.

1. What is the central theme of the poem 'Bury Me in a Free Land'?

Ans :- longing for freedom and the abhorrence of slavery.

2. Where does the speaker want her grave to be made?

 Ans :-The speaker wants to be buried in a land free from slavery.

3. What is the significance of the title 'Bury Me in a Free Land'?

Ans :-The title signifies a desire for freedom and a rejection of burial in a land of oppression.

4. What emotions does the poem 'Bury Me in a Free Land' evoke? 

Ans :-The poem evokes emotions of hope, sorrow, and determination.

5. How does the poet envision freedom in the poem 'Bury Me in a Free Land'? 

Ans :-The poet envisions freedom as a state of peace, dignity, and equality.

6. How does the poet describe the conditions of slavery?

Ans :-Harper describes slavery as a brutal, dehumanizing condition.

7. How does Harper challenge conventional notions of patriotism and citizenship in 'Bury Me in a Free Land, and what alternative vision of America does she present?

Ans :-She challenges conventional patriotism by highlighting the hypocrisy of a nation built on slavery, presenting a vision of America based on true freedom and equality.

8. What imagery does the poet use to convey the idea of freedom? 

Ans :-The poet uses imagery of chains, graves, and liberated spirits to convey freedom.

9. How does the poem reflect the historical context of the abolitionist movement?

Ans :-The poem reflects the abolitionist movement's fight against slavery in the 19th century.

10. What is the tone of the poem? How does the poem inspire action or change?

Ans :-The tone is impassioned,  inspiring action against the injustice of slavery.

Summary

AUTHOR

    Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (1825-1911) was a 19th-century African American poet, a prominent early feminist, abolitionist, civil rights advocate and reformer who co-founded the National Association of Coloured Women's Clubs. She was a noteworthy figure of the anti-slavery movement and championed the cause of women's rights, known for her speeches on these subjects. A prolific poet and writer, Harper was among the first African American women writers whose works were published in the USA. At age 20, she published her first book of poetry. Her short story 'Two Offers' (published in the Anglo-African in 1859) is widely known as the first short story published by a black woman.

       The poem consists of 8 quatrains, each with a rhyme scheme of AABB. The speaker highlights the plight of slaves, the horrors of slavery (specifically Black Americans), and their pitiable condition. She expresses a wish to be buried in a place where all men are equal, regardless of race.

        In the first stanza, the poet expresses a desire for a humble resting place, whether in a plain or on a hill, among the simplest of graves. However, the speaker insists that this grave should not be in a land where people are enslaved. This reflects a yearning for freedom and dignity, even in death, and a rejection of oppression and injustice. The speaker would rather be buried in a modest grave in a free land than in a grand tomb in a place where people are not free.

      She declares that she couldn’t rest in her grave if she heard the footsteps of trembling slaves, and the shadow of an enslaved person on her silent tomb would make the place gloomy. The speaker conveys intense emotional distress and highlights the brutality of slavery in the third stanza. She says that the sound of enslaved people in chains would be deeply disturbing.

      A mother’s cry of desperation and heartbreak resonates in the air. The speaker further states that she couldn’t sleep or rest if she saw the “lash” that draws blood from the wounds on a slave’s body. This image illustrates the violence of physical punishment.

         The children are forcibly separated from their mothers, a brutal and heartbreaking scene. The poet compares these children to “trembling doves,” emphasizing their fragility. The speaker imagines feeling strong instinctive fear and shock if she heard the sounds of bloodhounds—dogs trained to hunt—capturing enslaved individuals. She envisions a captured person begging for help, but their pleas are in vain.

         The speaker also discusses the exploitation of young girls, who are taken from their mothers and sold for their beauty or youth. This reflects the harsh reality of slavery, where people were treated as property and exploited. Her reaction is one of intense sorrow and anger. The phrase “death-paled cheek” suggests a face drained of color by grief but then flushed with shame for the cruelty of slavery.

          The speaker yearns for a land of freedom, equality, and justice. 

For Telugu explanation, watch this video on YouTube