Vultures

                                                                                                                       Izawa, Yukiko

                                                                                                                       Roll. 1214266

                                                                                                                       PSENG III

Vultures 
by Chinua Achebe

In the greyness
and drizzle of one despondent
dawn unstirred by harbingers
of sunbreak a vulture
perching high on broken
bone of a dead tree
nestled close to his mate his
mate his smooth
bashed-in head, a pebble
on a stem rooted in
a dump of gross
feathers, inclined affectionately
to hers. Yesterday they picked
the eyes of a swollen
corpse in a water-logged
trench and ate the
things in its bowel. Full
gorged they chose their roost
keeping the hollowed remnant
in easy range of cold
telescopic eyes
   Strange
indeed how love in other
ways so particular
will pick a corner
in that charnel-house
tidy it and coil up there, perhaps
even fall asleep - her face
turned to the wall!
... Thus the Commandant at Belsen
Camp going home for
the day with fumes of
human roast clining
rebelliously to his hairy
nostrils will stop
at the wayside sweet-shop
and pick up a chocolate
for his tender offspring
waiting at home for Daddy's
return...
     Praise bounteous
providence if you will
that grants even and ogre
a tiny glow-worm
tenderness encapsulated
in icy caverns of a cruel
heart or else despair
for in the very germ
of that kindred love is
lodged the perpetuity
of evil.

Analysis of the poem "Vultures"
by Chinua Achebe

            Chinua Achebe is the first African postcolonial writer and is considered as father of African novels. His writings deal with the discrimination and social injustice faced by Africans in twentieth century. According to Achebe, the evil in humans is responsible for lack of respect and consideration for one another.

            His poem entitled “Vultures” focuses on the World War II and can be connected to all human conflict. “Vultures” are scavenging birds that feed on the remains of the dead animals. The poem begins with the picture of a pair of vultures sitting together on the branch of a tree. The opening of the poem describes a bleak and depressing setting which is descried as greyness. The poet uses many metaphors of horror and death to describe the cruel situation. Even though in the poem, the “vultures” are metaphoric representations of Nazi commandant. This can be referred to any oppressor who tries to prey on helpless people greedily and unmercifully.

In the poem, there is a dreadful description of a pair of vultures that embraced one another affectionately after eating a corpse. In another section, there is a strange love between vultures that is personified. The poet further uses the word “Daddy” instead of father to show the irony of how the commandant who is normal in his role as a father was not a normal person because of the brutal torture of human beings.Towards the end of the poem, the evil commandant is referred to a “glow worm”. This glow inside him is not for love or tenderness but it is perpetuity of evil.

The commandant in charge is responsible for the mass murder of Jews. There are very shocking terms that describe the pathetic conditions of the camp. One of examples is referred to “human roast”. Achebe uses an ironic tone throughout the poem to show love and cruelty blends. The oppressors show love only towards their families but cruel towards others. The evil side is more dominant in their lives.

Achebe tries to explore the characteristics of hegemony and articulates the emotional life of the decolonization. These attributes can be connected to stereotypes of Orientalism by Edward Said, Orient is feminine, where the trope of masculinity penetrates and totally exploits the orient due to its power. The orient is considered as feminine (Jews) and Occident points to masculinity (Nazi power).  According to Homi K Bhabha, the stereotypes of Orientalism by Edward Said that Orientalism a western fantasy, transforms into a horror that is ‘terrifying stereotypes of savagery, cannibalism, lust and anarchy.’ The genocide of Jews by the Nazis was caused by discrimination against Jews. This is completely contradicted to Edward Said ideology of Orientalism is legitimating for the political and judicial structures of colonial rule. According to Edward Said stereotypes of Orientalism makes assumptions about race. Hitler was of “Aryan race” and he considered Jews as lower race which resulted in the massacre.

The poem “vultures” highlights that the good and bad resides in every society. In the same way, colonialism can either be either good or bad on the subjugated people depending on how it is implemented. According to Frantz Fanon, by understanding the past and integrating it to the present, the negative effects of colonialism can be stopped the recurrence.