Aim Low, Shoot High?

Aim Low, Shoot High?

The poem "Frederick Douglass" by Robert Hayden outlines Douglass' struggle and inevitable triumph over the bonds of slavery. Though the truth of Frederick Douglass' victory, freedom, and legacy are great and eternal, the text of the poem tends to focus greatly on the comparison of the natural, given things of Man to the temporary, contrived things that Man keeps as ornamental, superficial things. These analogies ultimately do not work for the unquestionable impact of Frederick Douglass as they actually stand against necessary things and things that remain and do indeed have an impact rather than things that give way to future greatness like the abolition of slavery. The comparisons and analogies fall far short of the intended target.

This confusing chaos of language is introduced in the very first line. The ultimate goal of the subject "this freedom, this liberty" is said to be a "beautiful and terrible thing." Now, perhaps the author is just having some fun with the reader, but as for the actual text contained within the body of the work itself, this phrasing prepares us for the contradictions that follow. Freedom and liberty are two things that are both natural and human. They are deserved, rightful concepts that every human is born with. However, the line goes on to state that they are "beautiful and terrible." These two adjectives are only opinions; they are unnatural things to be fit together with the rest of the line. Douglass' triumph is not an opinion, nor is it contrived; it is won, it is visceral. Opinions are temporary ideas, they come and go, yet "this freedom, this liberty" are now here forever and will not change.

Continuing along with line two, "this freedom" is said to be "needful to man as air." This seems to, at the very least, fall short of the reality of freedom. After all, air is only needed to survive. Air is a baseline necessity. It does nothing to further an individual through life and up any social ladders....