Langston+Hughes

= =  __Langston Hughes__  Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri on February 1st, 1902 and was a member of an abolitionist family. When Langston was a young child his parents were divorced and his grandmother watched over him until age thirteen. Hughes attended a Central High School in Cleveland, Ohio and began writing poetry in eighth grade. “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” was the first poem published by Langston Hughes and was also his most famous.  Langston’s father told him to choose a more practical career, assuming that he couldn’t make a living off of his writing. Hughes argued “no great poet has ever been afraid of being himself.” Langston Hughes dropped out of Columbia University, he was in an engineering program but decided to pursue with his poetry instead. In 1924, Hughes returned to Harlem during the Harlem Renaissance and his writings flourished. Langston Hughes devoted his life to poetry he wrote sixteen books of poems, two novels, three collections of short stories, children’s plays, musicals, operas, and three autobiographies. Hughes spoke of black writers and poets, who would “surrender racial pride in the name of a false integration.” Hughes included traditional verse in his first two books because of his devotion to jazz and blues. Those books include The Weary Blues and Fine Clothes to the Jew. Writing to children was also important to Langston Hughes and he eventually published a dozen children's books. Langston is even referred to the "Poet Lauureate of the Negro Race." In his poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" contains many symbolic meanings that identify the cultural aspects of African Americans. The old rivers Langston speaks of represent both the birth and growth of African American culture. Hughes took a sense of racial pride in his poetry and writing during the Harlem Renaissance and was one of the most creative poets of his time. Not only did he set artistic standards for other writers, Hughes also promoted equality through his books and novels. Langston Hughes died of prostate cancer on May 22, 1967. The residence at 20 East 127th Street in Harlem, New York was given a landmark status by the New York City Preservation Commission. His block of East 127th Street was renamed "Langston Hughes Place."



__Langston Hughes’ Relevance to the Harlem Renaissance __

Langston Hughes’ works related to the themes of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes wrote about everyday life during the renaissance, the struggle of black men, and about the new music during the time period: the jazz and blues. The first poem, and most famous, of Hughes’ works that was published was “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” Hughes uses this poem to tell of the long struggle of black men and their heritage along with the use of wisdom, strength, and symbols, from past to present, by using four of the Earth’s largest rivers; the Euphrates, Congo, Nile, and Mississippi, to show that major civilizations originally came from river valleys. Hughes’ use of “I” in the poem is not in the meaning of one person but as if a whole race is speaking. Hughes also relates to the popular music during the Harlem Renaissance the blues in his poem “The Weary Blues.” In this poem, Hughes uses the main character, a black man, to show what the music was like. He describes the man playing the music by saying, “He did a lazy sway….”To show that the music was calm. He also uses the tapping of a foot to show that the music has a steady beat and that it is sung from the soul. By Langston Hughes**
 * “The Negro Speaks of Rivers”

I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I bathed in the 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 its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

“The Weary Blues” Droning a drowsy syncopated tune, Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon, I heard a Negro play. Down on Lenox Avenue the other night By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light He did a lazy sway. . . . He did a lazy sway. . . . To the tune o’ those Weary Blues. With his ebony hands on each ivory key He made that poor piano moan with melody. O Blues! Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool. Sweet Blues! Coming from a black man’s soul. O Blues! In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan— And far into the night he crooned that tune. The stars went out and so did the moon. The singer stopped playing and went to bed While the Weary Blues echoed through his he “Ain’t got nobody in all this world, Ain’t got nobody but ma self. I’s gwine to quit ma frownin’ And put ma troubles on the shelf.”

Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor. He played a few chords then he sang some more— “I got the Weary Blues And I can’t be satisfied. Got the Weary Blues And can’t be satisfied— I ain’t happy no mo’ And I wish that I had died.” ad. He slept like a rock or a man that’s dead.

I, too, sing America.
 * I, Too, Sing America**

I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong.

Tomorrow, I'll be at the table When company comes. Nobody'll dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen," Then.

Besides, They'll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed--

I, too, am AmericaI __Analysis__ The first line of "I, Too" uses the word "I" right away. The line states "I, too, sing America". This meter in particular is as important as the entirety of the poem. It means not only whites are Americans, but African Americans are citizens and should be treated equally. In the following stanza, the word "I" is used several times.

The first line of the second stanza states "I am the darker brother" -- meaning he may be African American, but he is still an American. The following five meters state "They send me to eat in the kitchen. When company comes, but I laugh, and eat well, and grow strong". The use of "I" here is showing that African Americans do not worry about what is being done, but how they are growing stronger as segregation continues, knowing soon they will be equal.

The third stanza shows what the future will be like, or as Hughes uses the metaphorical "tomorrow." The stanza reads "Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table when company comes. Nobody’ll dare say to me, "Eat in the kitchen," Then". The use of "I" helps showing the African American community will soon rise and be one with the rest of America.

The fourth stanza concludes in a way which states African Americans are not inherently bad, but inherently good. The stanza reads "Besides, they’ll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed – I, too, am America". Here Hughes says that once African American's are recognized as equal, everyone will see they are not bad and that they are beautiful as well as part of America.