Aishat Akintola’s “Tangled Web Story” is an evocative commentary on conflict, self-discovery, and final freedom. Written in a mood of confusion, fortitude, and hope, the poem encapsulates the human condition in experiencing entrapment by the complexities of life, as in a web tightening with every attempt to escape.
In its very essence, the poem touches on entrapment and determination. The “tangled web” imagery does justice to inner conflict, doubts, and the futile struggle to free oneself. The speaker describes an inner battle, as if trying to free oneself only gets one caught up further. Relating it to dementia and a tumor-infested heart adds to the emotional toll, expressing how distress and confusion clouds the mind.
But the poem takes a turn in the final stanza. Finding a missing piece—a truth or new insight—is the key to freedom. The reference to the Bible’s David and Goliath reinforces the idea that the greatest battles can be won with the right knowledge and attitude.
Structure & Style
The poem takes a free-flowing pattern with rhyming quatrains, building a rhythmic yet disturbing cadence that reflects the turmoil of the speaker. The use of short, effective lines heightens the tension and desperation of the moment.
Akintola’s language choices are calculated—phrases such as “fighting to cut each cumbersome cob” and “slapped me hard across the face” speak to physical and emotional weariness. The repetition of “tangled” and “break free” underscores the cyclical motion of struggle, making the eventual resolution all the more satisfying.
Poetic Devices
- Metaphor
“I was in a tangled tangling web”
This extended metaphor pervades the poem, standing for a confused state, entrapment emotionally, or the struggles of life. The web is a snare — just like one produced by a spider — that grows more difficult to escape with each step.
“My heart in a tumour couldn’t decipher”
Here, tumour is being employed metaphorically for an emotional or psychological burden. The inability of the heart to “decode” implies severe confusion or pain obscuring judgment.
- Simile
“Like one afflicted with dementia”
This simile conveys the speaker’s confusion and unclearness and draws a parallel with their state of mind and that of a person suffering from loss of memory and confusion.
“Like a Lion, I employed my strength”
The lion symbolizes courage and bodily strength. The simile underscores the speaker’s stubborn but ultimately failed efforts to escape their situation.
“Broke free like David defeated Goliath”
A powerful simile from biblical legend. It likens the speaker’s triumph to a miraculous, against-all-odds victory, emphasizing how shocking and gargantuan the breakthrough was.
- Alliteration
“Tangled tangling”
Repetition of the “t” sound creates a sense of complexity and constraint, recalling the relentless, tiresome struggle.
“Cumbersome cob”
The harsh “c” sounds add to the tactile and sensory richness of the imagery, which contributes to the sense of weight and burden.
- Personification
“Each knotted effort to escape struck me sharply in the face”
Here, efforts are attributed human characteristics — they “strike” the speaker, showing how escape efforts seem to work against them, as if the web doesn’t wish to be untangled. - Imagery
The poem is full of visual and kinesthetic imagery:
Visual: “Tangled web,” “tumour,” “darkness” — these create a vivid mental picture of the speaker’s emotionally trapped state.
Kinesthetic (movement-based): “Slapped me hard,” “fought furiously” — these suggest the physical and emotional toll of the battle.
- Symbolism
The web: Represents confusion, life’s problems, emotional entrapment, or even depression.
The lion: Represents inner strength and courage.
David and Goliath: Symbolize spiritual intervention, revelation, or triumph over seemingly insurmountable conditions through unseen means (wisdom, faith, or insight).
- Tone and Mood
Tone: From frustration and despair to enlightenment and triumph. It is tired and sad at the start; it is upbeat at the end.
Mood: It establishes sympathy and tension at the start, as well as relief and victory towards the end in the final stanza.
- Structure and Style
Quatrains: The poem uses four-line stanzas that offer rhythm and flow.
Loose rhyme and internal rhythm: Lines are variously rhyming (e.g., “easily / dearly”) but the overall form is free verse, allowing for emotional honesty.
Progression: There is a strong narrative development — from captivity to attempting, trying, realizing, and ultimate freedom.
Final Thoughts
“Tangled Web Story” is a very telling poem that reveals the emotional and mental challenge of persevering through adversity.Its sensory richness, fluid rhythm, and strong narrative trajectory make it engaging and reflective. Akintola successfully translates individual suffering into a common message: often, the key to liberty lies in telling oneself the missing piece rather than raw strength.
This poem is a must-read for everybody who struggles because it reminds us that even the most tangled webs can be unraveled through wisdom and will.
