An Analysis of Hughes Poetry - Essay Example

Blacks versus Whites: An Analysis of Hughes’ Poetry Just as literature is said to be a reflection of life, particularly of man’s thoughts and feelings, James Langston Hughes poetry reveals the way he perceives the relations between blacks and whites in the United States of America. Hughes is born in Joplin, Missouri. He is the great-great-grandson of Charles Henry Langston, the brother of John Mercer Langston who was the first Black American to be elected to public office (http://www.poemhunter.com/langston-hughes/biography). As an African-American, he is endowed with his grandparents’ skin color which makes him literally and physically part of the Blacks. In his essay, "The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain," Hughes presents his views about writers and poets’ loss of racial pride stating that "no great poet has ever been afraid of being himself" (http://www.poemhunter.com/langston-hughes/biography). He continues to declare: We younger Negro artists now intend to express our individual dark- skinned selves without fear or shame. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they arent, it doesnt matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too... If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesnt matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, as strong as we know how and we stand on the top of the mountain, free within ourselves (http://www.poemhunter.com/langston-hughes/biography). There is an obvious distinction and a distance between the blacks and the whites in the poems of Hughes. For instance, in “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” (Meyer, 2002, p. 912), the persona speaks of his racial pride as part of humanity I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins (2-3). He continues to declare that he is an important part of civilization as seen in the following lines: I bathed in Euphrates when dawns were young. I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep. I looked upon the Nile and raised the Pyramids above it. I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen it muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset. This significance to humanity and civilization is also reflected in “Negro” (p. 916). The very title itself is a proud affirmation of the persona’s dark skin. Stanzas 2-5 speak of the blacks as slave, worker, singer, and victim. As a slave, the black works for the whites in base positions as cleaner of the steps and boots. These are two terms that imply very low and humbling tasks. As a worker, he tells with pride that great structures and buildings could only be erected because of the blacks. As, a singer, he is allowed to voice out and express his misery. Finally, as a victim, he shows how he is tortured and killed by the whites. “Danse Africaine” (p. 917) talks of the rhythm of the beating of the tom-toms and the dancing of a veiled girl. This speaks of the African culture. Upon hearing the beat and the rhythm, the true blood of the blacks is stirred (lines 5 and 15). This stirring may speak of an awakening to get into action whether to fight or stand up for some important thing. This stirring may be alarming if the whites stay off-guard. Further, this may imply that too much discrimination may result to revolt. In “Dream Variations” (p.918), the color black is emphasized. This also speaks of the persona’s dream which is to To fling my arms wide In the face of the sun, Dance! Whirl! Whirl! Till the quick day is done! (Lines 11-14). These lines imply being able to freely express one’s self in the open (“In the face of the sun”). This further illustrates how the blacks are hidden in the dark or are marginalized. Moreover, there is a positive description of the blacks in the following lines: Rest at pale evening… A tall, slim tree… Night coming tenderly Black like me (lines 15-18). These lines imply that the night is tender and relative to rest. In other words, this contradicts the whites’ notion of the blacks to be unruly and harmful or troublesome. Another poem worth mentioning is “Formula” (p. 920). This poem which uses satire and sarcasm seems to agree with Hughes’ conviction of standing for one’s identity and rights. Poetry, according to this poem should speak of the truth and should not gloss over things that are necessary but painful, foul and ugly like manure and pain. “Estethe in Harlem” (p. 921), one of the shorter poems, if not the shortest, is loaded with so much meaning. As revealed in the following lines, what is expected of the whites is often not what they really are. The same is true with the blacks. Strange, That in this nigger place I should meet life face to face; When, for years, I had been seeking Life in places gentler-speaking; And found Life stepping on my feet! This is another poem that shows that the acceptance of one’s identity as being black is the best decision one can make. Accepting the reality of life is the beginning of real life: “Until I came to this vile street/And found Life stepping on my feet!” (Lines 5-6). “Park Bench” (p. 924) speaks of a persona who lives on a park bench that is very near the Park Avenue. He may be daydreaming of transferring to Park Avenue but at a closer look, this may mean that a poor black today may become as great as the rich white man someday. Say, ain’t you afraid That I might, just maybe, In a year or two Move on over To Park Avenue? (Lines 8-12). In other words, there is no limit to one’s success. What the white man may have will also be owned by the black man. This implies that no one can predict what will happen in the future. Finally, both poems “Un-American Investigators” (pp. 928-929) and Dinner Guest: Me (p. 931) speak of the racial discrimination the blacks receive from the whites. In the first poem, the white investigators have already preconceived ideas about the suspects Is not your name Lipshitz? Yes. Did you not change it For subversive purposes? No. For nefarious gain? Not so. Are you sure? The committee shivers With delight in Its manure (Lines 13-23). The latter similarly talks of the persona as an unwanted person at Park Avenue. He as well as his presence is questioned. He is even coined as the problem. I know I am The Negro Problem (Lines 1-2) To be a Problem on Park Avenue at eight Is not so bad. Solutions to the Problem, Of course, wait (Lines 20-24). The solutions here can be unclear; it could be the problem’s disappearance from the presence of the whites or the blacks’ surrendering of his own identity for the sake of being accepted in the whites’ company. The aforementioned poems are only the samples of how Hughes incorporated his own convictions of taking pride in one’s identity or one’s blackness and being able to show the reality of life in his poetry. Indeed, the poem “Formula” sums up the whole truth, that poetry must reveal and reflect reality. It also supports the idea that poetry is an expression of one’s thoughts and feelings. Hughes’ poetry further illustrates that despite the American government’s claim that racial discrimination is already a thing of the past or that it is already passé, the truth of the matter remains. For as long as the blacks are blacks, they will continually be marginalized and treated negatively. Works Cited Meyer, Michael. The Compact Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 6th edition. Bedford: St. Martins, 2002. Langston Hughes.30 March 2010. < http://www.poemhunter.com/langston-hughes/biography/> Read More