18 pages • 36 minutes read
Léopold Sédar SenghorPrayer to the Masks
Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1945A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Further Reading & Resources
Related Poems
"Black Woman" by Léopold Sédar Senghor (1945)
Another poem by Senghor published in the same year as “Prayer to the Masks,” “Black Woman” likewise creates a complex depiction of African culture. Again, Senghor omits a rigid structure and rhyme scheme in favor of free verse, although punctuation and line breaks still create a controlled rhythm. Senghor uses the poem to praise the beauty of Blackness, the titular Black woman serving as a metaphor for his African homeland. Throughout the poem, Senghor moves between admiration for his home and concerns for his homeland’s wellbeing against colonization.
"The Woman and the Flame" by Aimé Césaire (1948)
Aimé Césaire was a close friend to Senghor and is credited as being another founding member of the Négritude artistic movement. Published in the same period as Senghor’s “Prayer to the Masks,” “The Woman and the Flame” shows Césaire’s unique voice and aesthetic decisions. As the poem progresses, the line breaks and spacing increase in their experimentation, gradually leading the reader’s eye across the page while creating a sharp and dramatic cadence. Like Senghor, Césaire creates vivid images of the real world while also achieving a surreal, dreamlike quality.
"The White House" by Claude McKay (1919)
Senghor admired the Harlem Renaissance, an artistic movement in the United States that sought to elicit pride in the Black community and address injustice. Claude McKay, originally from Jamaica, was an early contributor to the Harlem Renaissance, and his poem “The White House” shares many similarities to “Prayer to the Masks.” Written in one large stanza, “The White House” finds an unnamed narrator grappling with the trauma of experiencing unjust treatment and hatred. The narrator is full of rage but seeks to keep their heart free of hatred, creating a complex depiction of experiencing mistreatment from others.
"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes (1921)
Another writer Senghor admired, Hughes wrote widely—poems, novels, plays, short stories—creating a body of work largely concerned with capturing the Black experience in America throughout the first half of the 20th century. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” is one of Hughes’s most famous poems, written when he was a young man. Like Senghor, Hughes uses his poem to contemplate history and the Black experience, connecting the past to the present and building a contemplative and bittersweet tone.
Further Literary Resources
"A Brief Guide to Négritude" Academy of American Poets (2004)
This article is a concise summation on the Négritude movement championed by Senghor and other prominent Black writers and intellectuals of the time. The article touches on the movement’s early influences, such as the Harlem Renaissance in the States and elements of Marxist ideology. Essential texts are also recommended, including works by Amié Césaire and Léon-Gontran Damas. The Négritude movement was seen as an international movement, with varying approaches and goals. Senghor, in particular, believed Black people could embrace their African roots while still assimilating with White people.
"Léopold Sédar Senghor" Poetry Foundation (2021)
This text presents an overview of Senghor’s life and achievements. Senghor’s life was varied and revolutionary. From being educated in Paris, serving in World War II and surviving a prison camp, to becoming Senegal’s first elected president, Senghor was constantly tied to the political and artistic advancement of Black people. By looking at Senghor’s life, both as an artist and politician, the article helps illuminate how Senghor’s politics influenced his art, and vice versa.
"Léopold Senghor Dies at 95; Senegal’s Poet of Négritude" by Albin Krebs (2001)
Written at the time of Senghor’s death for The New York Times, Kreb’s article offers more insight and detail into Senghor’s life. Some poems are cited throughout, but more attention is given to Senghor’s complex identity and political achievements. Born in Africa, educated in Paris, Catholic, Senghor critiqued aspects of the West but still aimed for diplomacy and alliance. While president of Senegal, Senghor cautioned neighboring countries against allying with the Soviet Union, and he wasn’t afraid to criticize the hypocrisy of countries that strived for freedom from colonizes while simultaneously suppressing their own people. Senghor’s long and tumultuous political life offers additional insight into his influences as an artist and his fondness for history, nature, and optimism.
The Collected Poetry by Léopold Sédar Senghor (1998)
A large collection of Senghor’s poetry. A bilingual edition, the collection offers English translations of Senghor’s work, often for the first time. As a whole, Senghor’s work contains vivid imagery and paints the beauty of Africa’s history, as well as the pain caused by colonization. Additionally, the text’s translator, Melvin Dixon, offers historical context for Senghor’s work, showing how Senghor’s political and personal beliefs affected his poetry.
