Madam and Her Madam - Summary, Analysis and Question Answer

Madam and Her Madam - Summary, Analysis and Question Answer

Madam and Her Madam  Summary of Madam and Her Madam The poem Madam and Her Madam is about the disjunction that can occur between a person's ideas and their behaviour. The madam in this poem loves the maid but does not translate this love into a fair work arrangement. She expects the woman to take on the work of three people and, when questioned, responds with surprise to the idea that she is overworking her beloved maid. This poem shows how a loving demeanour can often belie an unquestioned abusive outlook. This poem is told in the voice of a woman who works as a maid, cook, and nanny for a woman who is not mean but makes excessive demands of her. Like all Langston Hughes’ “Madam” poems, he has caught the reader’s eye once again. “ Madam and Her Madam ” comes off as a simple poem, but its true meaning is insightful and packs a punch of emotion. The whole poem is narrated by a black woman, confined to being a slave to a rich white woman. The slave is trying to explain the harsh labour s…