Mai kon ho mai kya hu ? Dedicated to all women and girls

The Purest Love Story By Akriti Tripathi

nalysis Download this LitChart! (PDF) "Phenomenal Woman" is a poem by Maya Angelou, first published in 1978. The poem rejects narrow societal expectations of women and proposes an alternative perspective on what defines real beauty. Confidence and comfort in one's own skin, the speaker insists, are the markers of true beauty, and the poem thus offers an empowering message for all women. Read the full text of “Phenomenal Woman” “Phenomenal Woman” Summary The speaker refers to an elusive "secret" about herself that conventionally attractive women struggle to understand. She explains that she doesn't look like the models glorified by the fashion industry, and that when she stars to reveal her secret these other women don't believe her. The speaker claims that her beauty is manifested in her wide hips, her confident gait, and her smile. She's an extraordinary woman. When you think of an extraordinary woman, that's the speaker. Whenever the speaker calmly walks into a room, every single man present desperately competes for her attention. These men are drawn to the speaker, buzzing around her like honey bees. This is because her passion for life manifests in her physical appearance—in her flashing eyes, her vibrant smile, the way her waist sways as she walks, and the happy lightness in her step. She again declares that she's an extraordinary woman. When you think of an extraordinary woman, that's the speaker. Men have also asked themselves what it is about the speaker that makes her so attractive. But no matter how hard they try to pin down the speaker's mysterious appeal, they can't come close. Even when she tries to reveal her secret to these men, they just don't get it. The speaker says that her beauty exists in the way she carries herself—in her confident posture; her bright, sunny smile; the shape of her breasts; and her elegant style. She's an extraordinary woman. When you think of an extraordinary woman, that's the speaker. This, the speaker says, is why she insists on moving throughout the world confidently and boldly. She doesn't have to overcompensate in any way or prove herself to anyone. In fact, when other women see the speaker, they should be inspired to be more confident themselves. The speaker's appeal exists in the way she struts in heels, in the way her hair falls, in the way she holds out her hands, in the way others want her to care for them. She's an extraordinary woman. When you think of an extraordinary woman, that's the speaker. “Phenomenal Woman” Themes Beauty and Self-Acceptance “Phenomenal Woman” challenges restrictive notions of feminine beauty. The speaker rejects narrow societal beauty standards, and insists instead that real beauty comes from a place of self-confidence and self-acceptance. The speaker opens the poem by referencing the “secret” to her appeal. She explains that though she is “not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size,” she still possesses a unique, mysterious allure. She calls this “her inner mystery”—something that no one can precisely define or identify, but that everyone can perceive on some level. On the one hand, the speaker explicitly rejects narrow physical ideals of feminine beauty. For instance, she says her beauty lies in things like “the reach of my arms / The span of my hips.” She's not a tiny, wispy fashion model, but that doesn't mean she's not attractive. Even more importantly, the speaker repeatedly insists that her beauty lies in the way she carries herself—in her self-assured "stride," her bright smile, her grace, and her bold posture. All these things make her a "phenomenal woman"—that is, an extraordinary, spectacular woman. The speaker thus argues that true beauty stems from loving yourself, rather than trying to meet a certain standard and then feeling bad about yourself when you can't. Indeed, the speaker declares that such self-acceptance is exactly what makes her so irresistible.