Compare and Contrast the Two Poems The Negro Speaks of Rivers and I Too by Langston Hughes - Term Paper Example

here 3 August A Part of It All Regardless of whether or not America and the rest of the world want to admit it, Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes and his fellow African Americans are – and have been for thousands of years – an integral and vital part of the land in which they inhabit. This epic truth rings true in two of Hughes’ poems, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “I Too.” Contending for identity and a sense of importance within the white-dominated racist culture dominating the United States in the 1920s, the renowned Black author used these poems to tell the reader that Blacks have always belonged and share a rich heritage. However, both poems take extremely different approaches to exposing the important and dignified worth that Blacks have in this nation. The former poem does an effective job of relaying this message by demonstrating Blacks’ presence as a vital and flourishing people along the earth’s great rivers throughout the ages, while the later stresses African Americans’ significance and pride by overtly pressing them to challenge the discriminatory system and participate in the very activities that make one an American. Despite their different approaches and themes, both poems have many similarities and do an effective job of depicting African Americans in a refreshing, more accurate light. Through “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “I Too,” Hughes effectively communicates key experiences, attributes, and emotions that were shared by African Americans during the 1920s. One concept that is common in both is the sense of heritage and belonging. In the former poem, the poet expresses at the end, “My soul has grown deep like the rivers,” (Hughes 51), denoting an epiphany of racial consciousness and cultural nationalism (Wikipedia). These same concepts are witnessed in the latter work, where its last line reads “I, too, am America,” (Hughes 51), telling the reader that the Black poet is every bit as much a full-blooded American as any white man. Hughes also emphasizes skin color in both works, where he describes it as “muddy” in his river poem and calls himself “the darker brother” in the other. In both instances, he uses the dark imagery to symbolize a form of oppression and lowliness, which was eventually overcome. The author also effectively addresses the injustices done to Blacks in each poem. When he talks of the Mississippi by saying “I’ve seen its muddy bosom,” Hughes is documenting the white’s unjust treatment of Blacks before they saw the light through Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation that freed them from bondage (Zawinski). Unfair treatment is also signified in “I Too” through the poet’s detention in the kitchen while eating – a debasing burden that he foresees being lifted. The congruities of these poems paint a vivid picture of the inner struggles and victories experienced by Blacks in American history. Hughes’ poems are quite similar in the way they communicate a number of other crucial aspects about the African American experience. In “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” the poet colorfully depicts the Euphrates, Congo, Nile, and Mississippi rivers as being sources of nourishment and strength for Blacks ? similar to life-giving blood flowing through veins. He likens the waterways to a life source for Blacks, as if they were the roots that anchored and flourished their very souls, building them up to overcome their oppressors (Smith). Similarly, a form of ammunition and strength for Blacks in “I Too” is seen through food from the kitchen – the location of bondage. The food he eats there makes him powerful and confident to break free from shamefully having to eat away from the table. Another crucial theme touched upon in each poem is transformation. When Hughes describes the muddy Mississippi River being changed into a golden hue, this symbolizes Black slaves becoming free men (Onwechekwa 103). A similar transformation takes place in “I Too,” as the sustenance Hughes gets in the kitchen of bondage gives him the strength to boldly show up at the table and become a proud and free man. The last key element present in both works is the emphasis the poet puts on ethnic pride. When Hughes portrays the sun as turning the Mississippi River’s muddy water into gold during a sunset, he is in essence showing that African Americans have come from a state of shame into one of glory (Rampersad). A similarity is witnessed in “I Too,” when the Black servant narrator also demonstrates pride when he tells the reader that his white owners will be ashamed about their abysmal treatment of slaves and see how beautiful he and other African Americans actually are. Another common and integral thread tying the two poems together is the shared sense of a common history and meaning relayed by the author. In the opening and third-to-the-last lines of the river poem, Hughes states, “I’ve known rivers,” (Hughes 51), indicating that he is quite aware of the historical significance of Black people throughout the ages and the world. And he beings “I Too,” with “I, too, sing America,” meaning that he is an integral part of the nation’s history, as well. Hughes effectively uses many themes common to both poems to powerfully portray the plights and triumphs experienced by African Americans before and during the 1920s. Even though “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “I Too” are laced with many common themes, there are a number of essential disparities between the two. In the latter poem, Hughes speaks as a common man with common language to relate the African American’s story to the average American, (Whitaker 70). On the other hand, the speaker in the former work has all the pretenses of coming from a rich and noble heritage from the corners of the earth. The analogous language used here to describe Blacks’ history dating back to the ancient rivers is also not common, but very distinguished and complicated. Furthermore, in “I Too,” Hughes portrays himself as an ethnic outsider or an outcast, (Giaimo 133) when he says, “They send me to eat in the kitchen,” (Hughes 51). Yet in the river poem, Hughes speaks from a sense of inclusiveness, as if he is at one with all of his ancestors from the world’s four great rivers. Another major disparity witnessed between the two poems is the feeling of timelessness and immortality that is present in Hughes’ river poem. The waterways give the reader a sense of eternity, as though the Black soul will endure on earth forever, (Onwuchekwa, 103), whereas the domestic setting of “I Too” grounds the reader in man’s ephemeral state of existence. One more distinguishing characteristic between the two works lies in the tone. When Hughes says that he laughs after being told to eat in the kitchen, he is exuding disrespect, bravery, and a rebelliousness that denotes his strong and resilient spirit (Pericles). This is an arrogance and combativeness that is boldly flying in the face of white power (Chasar 57) that is nowhere seen in Hughes’ river poem. These differences make each poem unique and powerful in its own special way. Langston Hughes does a masterful job conveying similar themes about African Americans’ conflicts and victories before and during the Harlem Renaissance through two poems that – on the surface – seem worlds apart. The ethnic pride, strength, injustice, and transformation witnessed in both works tie the Black experience into a well-contained package that is easily understood by the reader. On the other hand, the different styles, temperaments, and settings divulged in each poem help Hughes’ underlying message hit home in distinct and memorable ways. It is quite evident that this standout Black poet put much thought into the unique delivery of “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” and “I Too,” in order to provide an all-encompassing view of the African American experience in the 1920s and before, while also drilling the reader with common themes of their travails and successes to ensure a thorough understanding. Works Cited Chasar, Mike. “The Sounds of Black Laughter and the Harlem Renaissance: Claude McKay, Sterling Brown, Langston Hughes.” American Literature 80.1 (2008): 57-81. Print. Giaimo, Paul. “Ethnic Outsiders: The Hyper-Ethnicized Narrator in Langston Hughes and Fred L. Gardaphe.” Melus 28.3 (2003): 133-147. Print. Hughes, Langston. The Weary Blues. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1926. Print “Langston Hughes.” En.Wikipedia.org. Wikipedia. 31 July 2011. Web. 2 August 2011. Onwuchekwa, Jemie. Langston Hughes: An Introduction to the Poetry. New York: Columbia. University Press, 1976. Print. Pericles, Hamlet. “Poetry Analysis: ‘I Too’ by Langston Hughes.” Helium.com. Helium. 22 October 2008. Web. 2 August 2011. Rampersad, Arnold. The Life of Langston Hughes. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. Smith, Nicole. “Poem Analysis of ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers.’” ArticleMyrial.com. Article Myriad 2010. Web. 2 August 2011. Whitaker, Charles. “Langston Hughes 100th Birthday of the Poet of Black America.” Ebony March 2002: 70-74. Print. Zawinski, Andrena. “Langston Hughes, Classical Poet.” Poetry Magazine. The International Digest of World Poetry, February 2000. Web. 2 August 2011. Read More