The Speaker in Homage to My Hips
As the poem’s name suggests, “homage to my hips,” the speaker of the poem is developed so that femininity is celebrated. The poem dwells on a woman’s body hence the focus on the big hips of women. According to the speaker, a woman demands space in society because of a woman’s role in creating life. From the poem’s attitude, tone, and themes, the speaker is determined to promote women’s freedom in society. Apart from freedom for women, the speaker encourages women’s empowerment, femininity, and self-confidence.
The speaker is confident in her actions as a woman. In particular, the speaker states that she needs ample space to move in because her large hips cannot fit into a small space. While the aspect of large hips and ample space could be taken literary, it comes with symbolic meanings that should be taken into perspective (Ardian & Firmansyah, 2013). The speaker believes that societal expectations should not limit women. Instead, women should be given enough space to grow and achieve their ambitions. According to the speaker, anything that limits women should be avoided.
Similarly, the speaker builds on the freedom of women and the need to allow women to thrive without putting obstacles along their way. As evident in a choice of language, the speaker believes in the ability of women to determine their future. The speaker describes her hips as free and that her hips dislike anything that denies them freedom in their space. Like their hips, the speaker believes that women should not be confined to specific roles in society (Ardian & Firmansyah, 2013). Women should be completely free and should go wherever they want. Also, women should be allowed to do whatever they deem suitable.
In terms of femininity, the speaker believes that women have the power and ability to conquer any challenge in the world. The speaker is a feminist who holds that a woman can use her hips to dominate the world. For example, by using her powerful and magical hips, a woman attains the ability to put any man into a trance. She gains control over men because of the power of a woman (Ardian & Firmansyah, 2013). In a challenge involving a woman and a man, the speaker promotes the notion that a woman should win because her hips can spin the man and make her on top.
Additionally, the speaker promotes women’s empowerment and celebration of women in society. She defies the existing traditions to paint a picture of a woman who can move past obstacles to grow and achieve success. The speaker opposed the implicitly white traditions that demand a woman to remain thin and petite (Ardian & Firmansyah, 2013). She holds that large hips are equally beautiful and that women should be allowed to grow on their terms.
In conclusion, the poem’s speaker touches on issues that resonate with women in society. She believes that women can realize fundamental growth without being limited by society’s existing expectations and demands. The speaker maintains that nobody should make a woman feel wrong about her feminine beauty because a woman’s body is magical and powerful.
Reference
Ardian, Y., & Firmansyah, A. (2013). Figurative Language And Symbol In Poems “She Dwelt Among The Untrodden Ways,” “Women,” And “Homage To My Hips.” Paradigma Lingua, Jurnal Penelitian Bahasa dan Sastra, 2(2), 1-17.