The Star-Apple Kingdom

work by Walcott

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

"The Star-Apple Kingdom" is a work by Derek Walcott, a Nobel Prize-winning West Indian poet and playwright. Walcott's poetry often explores the Caribbean cultural experience, grappling with themes of identity, language, and race within the region.1

The "star apple" itself refers to a tropical American tree (Chrysophyllum cainito) or its fruit, which is typically green to purple and, when cut in cross-section, reveals a star-shaped pattern. In Walcott's poetry, such as in The Star-Apple Kingdom (1979), he employs a more concise style to examine the profound cultural divisions present in the Caribbean.21

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

Derek Walcott
In Sea Grapes (1976) and The Star-Apple Kingdom (1979), Walcott uses a tenser, more economical style to examine the deep cultural divisions of language and race in the Caribbean. The Fortunate Traveller (1981) and Midsummer (1984) explore his own situation as a black writer in America who has become increasingly…
Read More
In Sea Grapes (1976) and The Star-Apple Kingdom (1979), Walcott uses a tenser, more economical style to examine the deep cultural divisions of language and race in the Caribbean. The Fortunate Traveller (1981) and Midsummer (1984) explore his own situation as a black writer in America who has become increasingly…
Read More