Images of Cultural Values in Sédar Senghor’s Poem “Prayer to the Masks”

Abstract

This study explores the culture of West Africa which is found in the poem “Prayer to the Masks” written by Léopold Sédar Senghor in 1945. This masterpiece is chosen to be tackled because it hides a lot of cultural images values within its verses. An analytical approach is applied to decode symbolism in the poem. This research gives a historical vision about West Africa and its main writers. It deals also with culture in Senegal since it is the birthplace of Senghor. The practical part gives an analysis of the poem and highlights the most cultural images values from which the four African concepts are raised: African nationalism, African spiritualism, ambivalence, and religious images (Roman Catholicism).The result of this work is that African literature is extremely vast and deep in meaning since it contains symbolism. Senghor is not seen as a poet or a president but as an African man who has self-esteem towards his race.