Derek Walcott’s Midsummer makes allusions to the British Brixton riots. These allusions show that the speaker is thinking of England as a place that has not fully accepted society for every race it has. The speaker also makes allusions to Shakespearean texts and Sonnets. Although someone tells the speaker that black actors have “no experience” of theater with Shakespeare, these allusions show the speaker’s comprehension of Shakespearean literature. All of these allusions help reveal the perspective that British culture belongs to people of all races and backgrounds.