Vulture, Live Burial and The Negro American Soldiers

The Nazis and Vultures: An Analysis through Chinua Achebe’s 'Vultures'

Chinua Achebe (1930–2013) was a Nigerian writer and poet, best known for his novel Things Fall Apart. In his poem Vultures, Achebe draws a strong parallel between the scavenger birds and the inhuman cruelty of the Nazis. The poem presents an unsettling image of vultures that, despite their ugly and grim nature, exhibit a sense of affection. Achebe contrasts this with the image of a Nazi commander, who after a day of orchestrating mass killings, returns home to show love to his family.

“Yesterday they picked the eyes of a swollen corpse in a water-logged trench and ate the things in its bowel.”

In the greyness and drizzle of one despondent dawn unstirred by harbingers of sunbreak a vulture perching high on broken bones of a dead tree nestled close to his mate his smooth bashed-in head, a pebble on a stem rooted in a dump of gross feathers, inclined affectionately to hers. Yesterday they picked the eyes of a swollen corpse in a water-logged trench and ate the things in its bowel. Full gorged they chose their roost keeping the hollowed remnant in easy range of cold telescopic eyes.

"Strange indeed how love in other ways so particular will pick a corner in that charnel-house tidy it and coil up there, perhaps even fall asleep  her face turned to the wall!" 

" Thus the Commandant at Belsen Camp going home for the day with fumes of human roast clinging rebelliously to his hairy nostrils will stop at the wayside sweet-shop and pick up a chocolate for his tender offspring waiting at home for Daddy's return..."

The connection between the Nazis and vultures lies in their duality both creatures of death, yet capable of showing attachment or love. The vultures survive by feeding on the dead, representing the destructive power of war and genocide. Similarly, the Nazis thrived on violence and oppression but led seemingly normal personal lives. This duality makes the reader question human morality. Achebe’s poem forces us to reflect on whether love can coexist with absolute evil, suggesting that cruelty and kindness can exist within the same being.

Present-Day Atrocities Against Minorities : 

The themes of Vultures remain relevant in today's world, where atrocities against minorities continue in various forms. The persecution of the Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar serves as a modern-day parallel to the suffering described in Achebe’s poem. Thousands of Rohingya have been killed, and many more have been forced into refugee camps, their lives reduced to mere survival, much like the victims of Nazi concentration camps.

Similarly, the treatment of Uighur Muslims in China reflects the ongoing brutalities against marginalized groups. Reports of forced labor, mass surveillance, and re-education camps echo the structured oppression and systematic extermination seen in Nazi Germany. Just as the Commandant in Achebe’s poem is capable of love for his family while committing atrocities, many officials justify their actions under the guise of national security or progress.

In India, rising incidents of mob violence and religious persecution, particularly against Muslims and Dalits, further illustrate the grim reality of modern oppression. The recent targeted demolitions of Muslim homes, extrajudicial killings, and hate speeches mirror the systemic dehumanization of specific communities. The treatment of Palestinians in conflict zones also highlights the continued suffering of minorities under political and military regimes.

Achebe’s Vultures warns us that cruelty is not a thing of the past it exists in new forms, often hidden under political rhetoric, economic strategies, and nationalistic fervor. His poem serves as a reminder that the 'perpetuity of evil' is lodged within human societies, making it imperative to recognize and resist such injustices in the present world.

The Significance of the Title “Live Burial”

Wole Soyinka (born 1934) is a Nigerian playwright, poet, and essayist, and the first African laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature. His poem Live Burial is deeply symbolic, evoking the horror of being buried alive. It represents oppression, helplessness, and suffering. In literature, live burial has often been used as a metaphor for individuals who feel trapped in their circumstances—be it political, social, or psychological.

Sixteen paces By twenty-three. They hold Siege against humanity And Truth Employing time to drill through to his sanity...

In a broader sense, Live Burial can also symbolize a loss of identity, where people are metaphorically buried under societal expectations, racism, or historical injustices. The theme resonates with the struggles of marginalized groups, where individuals are forced into silence or erasure. The title suggests a state of living death, where one exists physically but is deprived of freedom and dignity.

“Seal him live In that same necropolis. May his ghost mistress Point the classic Route to Outsiders' Stygian Mysteries.”

In the present day, the concept of 'live burial' applies to writers and intellectuals who face censorship and suppression. Many authors and journalists experience persecution for their views, and their voices are metaphorically 'buried' by oppressive regimes. 

Arundhati Roy, an Indian writer known for The God of Small Things and her political essays, has faced backlash for her outspoken critiques of government policies. She has been accused of sedition and has faced legal battles simply for expressing her opinions.

“Bulletin: He sleeps well, eats Well. His doctors note No damage Our plastic surgeons tend his public image.”

Similarly, media freedom is increasingly under threat, with journalists being silenced or imprisoned for exposing corruption or human rights violations. Across the world, from India to China, from Russia to the United States, the press struggles to maintain its autonomy in the face of political and corporate pressure. The rise of propaganda and misinformation further exacerbates this problem, as truthful voices are often drowned out or deliberately sidelined.

“Confession Fiction? Is truth not essence Of Art, and fiction Art? Lest it rust We kindly borrowed his poetic licence.”

Soyinka’s Live Burial remains a powerful metaphor for these modern struggles. The poem’s imagery of confinement and forced silence mirrors the experiences of those who fight for truth and justice but are buried under layers of political and social repression. It serves as a reminder that the battle for free expression is ongoing, and that even in the darkest times, resistance must continue.

A Critical Note on “To the Negro American Soldiers”

Léopold Sédar Senghor (1906–2001) was a Senegalese poet, politician, and cultural theorist. His poem To the Negro American Soldiers speaks of the paradox faced by Black American soldiers during war. They fought for freedom and justice on foreign lands, while being denied basic rights in their own country. The poem highlights the irony of their situation risking their lives for ideals that America itself did not grant them.

"I did not recognize you in prison under your sad-colored uniform I did not recognize you under the calabash helmet without style I did not recognize the whining sound of your iron horses, who drink but do not eat..."

Intertextually, the poem echoes themes found in works like Langston Hughes’s I, Too and Claude McKay’s If We Must Die. Hughes celebrates the resilience of Black Americans, while McKay calls for dignity in resistance. Similarly, Paul Laurence Dunbar’s We Wear the Mask aligns with the theme of African Americans hiding their true pain beneath a facade.

The poem also recalls the historical reality of figures like the Tuskegee Airmen, who served with distinction despite racial discrimination. The broader historical context includes the Civil Rights Movement, where many Black veterans became activists after experiencing the contradiction of fighting for freedom abroad while facing segregation at home.

Through these intertextual references, To the Negro American Soldiers becomes a powerful critique of racial injustice, forcing readers to question the true meaning of liberty and equality. The poem is a tribute to the courage of these soldiers, reminding us that their fight was not just on the battlefield but also within their own country.

The themes of Senghor’s poem continue to resonate today, especially when examining racial discrimination in the U.S. and caste-based discrimination in India. African Americans still face systemic racism in various forms, from police brutality to economic marginalization. The Black Lives Matter movement emerged as a response to these injustices, echoing the struggle of past generations for equality.

Similarly, in India, caste discrimination remains a persistent issue. Dalits, often referred to as “untouchables,” face violence, social exclusion, and economic deprivation. Cases of lynching, caste-based rape, and denial of basic rights reveal the deep-seated prejudice that continues to exist. Just as Black American soldiers fought for a country that denied them dignity, many Dalits contribute to India’s growth while being denied equal opportunities.

The irony of fighting for freedom while being denied basic rights remains a global issue. Senghor’s poem serves as a powerful critique of these contradictions, forcing readers to question the true meaning of liberty and equality. His tribute to the courage of Black soldiers extends beyond its historical context, reminding us that struggles against racial and caste-based oppression persist today. The poem stands as a call to action, urging society to confront and dismantle systemic injustices wherever they exist.

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References : 

Achebe, Chinua. Vultures. In Collected Poems, Anchor Books, 2004.

Amnesty International. “China’s Mass Internment of Uighurs and the Global Response.” 2021.

Anderson, Benedict. Imagined Communities: Reflections on the Origin and Spread of Nationalism. Verso, 2006.

Bhan, Gautam. In the Public’s Interest: Evictions, Citizenship, and Inequality in Contemporary Delhi. University of Georgia Press, 2016.

Dunbar, Paul Laurence. We Wear the Mask. In The Complete Poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar, Dodd, Mead & Company, 1913.

Gopal, Priyamvada. Insurgent Empire: Anticolonial Resistance and British Dissent. Verso Books, 2019.

Hughes, Langston. I, Too. In The Collected Poems of Langston Hughes, Vintage Classics, 1995.

Human Rights Watch. “Anatomy of a Genocide: Myanmar’s Crimes Against the Rohingya.” 2018.

Jaffrelot, Christophe. India’s Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India. Columbia University Press, 2003.

McKay, Claude. If We Must Die. In The Passion of Claude McKay: Selected Poetry and Prose, Schocken Books, 1973.

Senghor, Léopold Sédar. To the Negro American Soldiers. In The Collected Poetry, University of Virginia Press, 1991.

Soyinka, Wole. Live Burial. In Collected Poems, Oxford University Press, 2007.

Taylor, Keeanga-Yamahtta. From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation. Haymarket Books, 2016.