“Knives at Noon” can be found in The Complete Poetry of Aimé Césaire: Bilingual Edition. Aimé Césaire was a Martinican poet, playwright, and politician. He is best known for his role in the development of the concept of négritude, which celebrates African cultural identity and heritage. Cesaire was a key figure in the Caribbean and African struggle against colonialism and advocated for the recognition and celebration of Black culture and heritage. His work, both as a writer and a politician, had a significant impact on postcolonial literature and movements for decolonization.
The theme of resentment versus forbearance can be seen throughout AImé Césaire’s poem, “Knives at Noon.” The poem illustrates a revolt by Blacks in the Caribbean against perhaps what they see as their white oppressors.
It opens with the image of the Blacks throwing giant tress at the “sweltering whiteness of the sky.” The whiteness of the sky itself is a metaphor for Whites, and Césaire confirms this when he goes on to say, “…whiteness is the very force contested by the blackness which they carry in their hearts and which endlessly conspires in the little all too regular hexagons of their pores” (paragraph 1). Here, he is suggesting here that Whites are inherently hateful towards Blacks. This is where the resentment stems.
He also mentions the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cluny, a Roman Catholic Institute known for its missionary work and for educating the poor, in his opening paragraph. He paints an image of nuns lathering their coifs with tropical soap, which suggests the institute’s attitude of having to cleanse others. When Césaire says, “emptying the sky of the smug cotton-wool which muffles [his] words…” it sounds as though he is denouncing the haughty mindset of white saviourism and being looked down upon.
In paragraph three, he says that he spits bitterly at those who “starve” and “insult” the Blacks, and refers to the Lord as “callous”, perhaps for not intervening. Yet, he goes on to describe his own whistling as “gentle” He also proclaims that he will keep his word to “stand upright in [his] wounds. This portrays that he will not become violent in anger like the opening paragraph suggests. He concludes by calling for a day with “rancorless” hands (hands free of bitterness/resentment). And in the end of the poem, the Blacks go off singing. It is my opinion that Césaire was trying to illustrate how Blacks in the Caribbean have often been quiet and forgiving when it comes to the transgressions of their colonizers. It is possible though for their anger to reach a breaking point. The word “noon” is commonly defined as “mid-day.” The other definition of “noon”, however, is “the highest point.” Césaire may have been referring to a breaking point when he titled this poem, “Knives and Noon.”, wishing to show how the Blacks in this poem felt great anger/resentment towards their oppressors to the point of wanting to physically revolt. However, they chose to take what is called the high road by remaining “gentle.” They continued going on about their lives while envisioning better days, a day for [their] faces free of shame” (paragraph 3).