Major Questions on The Harlem Renaissance - Essay Example

Other names comprise Countee Cullen, Langston Hughes, Nella Larsen, Angelina Grimke, Alain Locke, Claude McKay, Florence Mills, Richard Bruce Nugent, Willis Richardson, Anne Spencer, and Dorothy West.

Harlem Renaissance was a literary, artistic and political movement. It brought to the forefront the cultural specifics of the black community in all possible spheres. In literature, Harlem Renaissance enriched poetry, fiction, drama and essay. In arts, the traditional and popular songs, dance forms and paintings exhibit a vibrancy characteristic of the Harlem spirit of the times. And politically, the founding of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the United Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) has brought the revolutionary ideas of W.E.B Du Bois and Marcus Garvey to good effect, which eventually led to appropriate representations and fortifications of the black community.

‘Renaissance’ can mean a rebirth or reawakening. The term is usually used to encompass a period that shows a renewed interest in art, literature or music. The Italian Renaissance of the 14th Century which focused mainly on painting led to a flowering of all forms of arts, literature and cultural artefacts in all of Europe that lasted till the 16th Century. In Harlem Renaissance, the interest in black tradition and art forms was evident. Moreover, it was a period when an abundance of artistic and literary products took birth and were circulated.

Harlem Renaissance works carried the general theme of a dual identity – of being an American and a black a coloured individual at the same time. They explore the African-American identity with a lot of enthusiasm and optimism since the racial prejudices were ameliorated at the time due to various reasons. The fact that there was scope for black art in the specific environment gave the players of the movement great confidence and a sense of significance. The characteristic feature of the Renaissance is that it relied on the African heritage and tradition as much as it proclaimed the contemporary African-American existence and its accommodative, liberal spirit. New art forms like the Jazz did break away from the traditions and rules of the existing art forms, thereby exhibiting the rebellious creative aspect of the movement. There was also an attempt to represent the day-to-day life of the African Americans, and to critically examine the role of the African Americans in contemporary America. Issues of segregation and integration of the Americans and African-Americans were also major themes for the works of the Renaissance.

Harlem Renaissance was born out of the migration of African-Americans to the northern cities. The difficult living conditions in the South and the high hopes for a better life in Harlem where African-Americans could explore the accommodative, liberal post-war environment were the major impetus for this migration. Read More