A Feminist Stylistic Study of Self-identity in Audre Lorde's Selected Poems

Abstract

This study delves into how Audre Lorde’s poetry shapes and asserts Black female identity, using a feminist stylistic approach to uncover the power of her language. Lorde’s work captures the layered oppressions—racial, gendered, and social—that Black women face, as well as their struggle to maintain visibility and self-worth. The study explores the tools she uses—like naming, deixis, and transitivity—to build a voice that is both strong and independent within a system that often tries to silence it. By drawing on Jeffries’ model of textual analysis, this paper highlights Lorde’s poetic choices that convey resilience and community, showcasing her dual impact as both a feminist and a powerful advocate for Black women. The findings suggest that Lorde’s language not only claims space for Black female identity but also pushes back against dominant societal narratives, making her poetry a blend of personal expression and a call for justice. Through her deliberate stylistic choices, Lorde reaffirms the power of feminist stylistics to illuminate vital issues of identity and agency.