Speaking for the mute

In this passage, Cesaire talks about going back to his homeland, which has been colonized, and speaking for those who are “mute”. He wishes to stand up for those who do not have a voice. Often times, the oppressed in a colony have no way of voicing their struggles. As we talked about in class, it can be very difficult to get your voice heard, especially if you are oppressed by political violence.
The line I found most striking was, “My mouth shall be the mouth of those calamities that have no mouth, my voice the freedom of those who break down in solitary confinement of despair,” (line 269). This line states the desire for Cesaire to speak up for those who have suffered from the colonizers. If he doesn’t speak for the “mute” then the “calamities” he speaks of will only continue. Everyone’s opinion deserves to be heard, especially those who have been oppressed and exiled.