London
London - context Summary
Echoes of Empire in London
Angelou's poem offers an outsider's impression of London as a place shaped by imperial history. It contrasts metropolitan order and monuments with memories of the British Raj and colonial ties to Calcutta, noting how older English men nostalgically recall imperial glory. The poem registers cultural distance and oddness—"mighty queer"—while pointing to lingering divides and loyalties that make London feel both familiar and estranged through the lens of empire.
Read Complete AnalysesIf I remember correctly, London is a very queer place. Mighty queer. A million miles from jungle, and the British lion roars in the stone of Trafalgar Square. Mighty queer. At least a condition removed from Calcutta, but old men in Islington and in too-large sweaters dream of the sunrise days of the British Raj. Awfully queer. Centuries of hate divide St. George's channel and the Gaels, but plum-cheeked English boys drink sweet tea and grow to fight for their Queen. Mighty queer.
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