The speaker
The speaker is a confident, self-aware woman who delights in her beauty. She remarks that everywhere she goes, both men and women are in awe of her yet fail to comprehend her allure. She has a bewitching effect on everyone. Women are determined to know the secret to her appeal, and men are drawn to her sensuality. However, the speaker reveals that her inner beauty is what makes her radiate such a powerful aura. She is a phenomenal woman, in that both her physical and inner beauty are remarkable to the point that others can hardly believe it.
Men
Men are entranced by the speaker’s beauty and are attracted to her sexually. They find her irresistible, however—like the women—they cannot determine just what it is about the speaker that makes her so appealing. The speaker explains that she has a beauty within that men cannot touch. Furthermore, when she tries to show that beauty—who she is as a person—they fail to see it. It is suggested that men are only capable of seeing beauty superficially; even if they are attracted to women who do not fit a certain model of beauty, they are not wise enough to understand why.
Women
In the poem, women are depicted as incredulous of the speaker’s beauty. Women recognize that the speaker does not possess the beauty and physique of a fashion model but nonetheless find her stunning. The speaker explains that when she tries to tell these women the secret to her powerful presence, they do not believe her. They are unable to accept the idea that beauty does not have to fit a stereotype, and it is implied that they are jealous of the speaker because they lack her qualities.
The listener/reader
The listener is addressed in the last stanza of the poem and may be considered any man or woman who might care to listen to the speaker’s feelings. Once the speaker completes her description of her physical attributes and character traits, she tells the reader that these qualities justify her confident attitude. She knows she is a phenomenal woman and tells the listener—and essentially the world—that they should be proud of her for being who she is.
