Comparative Essay, “The Dawn is at Hand” and “Song of Hope”

The well known poet, Oodgeroo of the Noonuccal tribe, uses her two poems, Song of Hope and The Dawn is at Hand, to examine coming equality between her people, the Aboriginal race and the White community. These two poems both aim to convince Aborigines that racial equality is imminent. She explores this concept by making use of poetic devices. To understand how Oodgeroo achieves this aim, it is important to examine the form, tone and imagery used in the two poems.

Oodgeroo has uses the characteristics of dramatic monologues to assist her in examining the approaching parity between the Aborigines and the Whites. The Dawn is at Hand and Song of Hope, both follow the poetic characteristics of a dramatic monologue, with a singular speaker addressing “[her] people” (Song of Hope 1) and “dark brother”  (The Dawn is at Hand 1). In both poems, the poet’s voice is central to the poem. Oodgeroo develops the poem by addressing her people in second person plural in The Dawn is at Hand and grouping them together as one group by using first person plural in Song of Hope. By personally addressing her people in this poem, the poet voices her personal emotions and thoughts regarding the situation, evoking the same feelings in the reader.  

Join now!

Dramatic monologues are used to not only reveal a certain situation but also how the situation has affected the character. Through her poems, the poet exposes her cultural context of the poem and develops her view on the situation. This positions the audience to empathize with her and her people for their negative treatment from the ‘Whites’. Oodgeroo, employs her unique position as an Aborigine, to speak both for, and to, her race, people who were “bound and frustrated” (Song of Hope 17) causing “tears [to] shed” (The Dawn is at Hand 5). As the two poems progress, the ...

This is a preview of the whole essay