An analysis of Langston Hughes poems

Langston Hughes poems

Langston Hughes began writing poems mainly about the world as evident through his eyes, which to him was full of racial segregation and injustice. The issues seem to be the basis of majority of poems written by him. The poems I, Too (1925) and Let America Be America Again (1936) talks about racism, injustice, and inequality. In I, Too the poem is against discrimination and depict racism injustices. The poem setting is in America and tries to describe personal experiences of a black man dealing with racial discrimination. The white people often treat him as an embarrassment by ensuring he feels inferior. In the other poem, Hughes envisions America that is full of democracy, liberty and equality, which does not exist anymore in the country. The country has turned out to be dictator scheme where individuals are deprived of opportunities but powerful people. He becomes on of the representative of the many people who have a similar dream but have to face the oppressive trend of a tyrannous America.

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The tone in Let America Be America Again (1936) is angry and resentful because Langston Hughes feels that America has not live up to expectations of many people who came to the country with hopes and dreams and feel they have been let down. In  I, Too (1925) the tone of the poet changes throughout the poem with the first line being patriotic because of the national Anthem, which symbolizes harmony in the entire nation. The next stanza is of anger and determination because the man is furious on the treatment he is receiving but confident that he will fight back. The following stanza tone is of caution as the man warns people that he has to be treated with respect and equality,

The poem, I, Too (1925), explores racism injustices by a black servant eyes who works for a white family. The other poem ,”Let America Be America Again,” seems to depict a a vivid word picture of a miserable America during the 1930’s as for many living in America the romanticism presented to be  the American Dream escapes their grasp. The two poems are comparable in that they have similar themes, which act as a representation of the personal tribulations faced by the author in terms of   racial inequality. The comparison of the two poems provides a reality glimpse of racism injustices in the 1920’s in America.

Quiet Girl and Mother to Son  by Langston Hughes are two poems ,which talks about love and relationship, although in different context. The poem Quiet Girl comes out as a mean poem in that the poet calls a girl boring regardless of the fact that she sings well and has pretty eyes. It is evident that being with the girl makes the speaker at ease similar to how a dreamless sleep calms his senses. At the same time, the poet says that her songs are not reassuring, but rather the opposite. It is evident that the girl in question is important to the poet but he does not want to agree with that fact, as it is obvious that her voice awakens her when she starts singing. When the poet is with the girl it is like he is in a dream and her songs have a tremendous effect on her.

On the other hand, Mother to Son is a free verse and a poem talking about relationship evident between a mother and his son during the Harlem Renaissance. The poem is appropriate in terms of the period it was written as it relates to the families going through depression struggles and the closeness evident between a mother and her  son. This come into focus in terms of understanding the connection between the times, which the poem was written as well the poem content.It is a poem, which shows love from a mother to her son, but at the same time, realistically symbolizes many mothers. The whole poem gives wisdom as well as advice to her younger son going through similar struggles and hopes that one day he will succeed. It seems like those lectures given to parents by their children but in a poetic structure.

Quiet girl poem

The poem, Quiet Girl makes uses of symbolism in the poem by the poet use the phrase a night without stars, sleeps without dreams to depict how the girl is boring and makes her to become more boring. On the other hand, the poem, Let America Be America Again,” make usage of connotation to evoke America fantastic patriotic images, which also makes the reader to question the images. The line sin the poem such as “Was American a “dream” for everyone, and “But opportunity is real, and life is free, makes the reader to question the notion of opportunity in the country. Many of the lines apply connotation and appeals to one’s emotion. The images are vivid with the scars ideas depicting violence and slavery beatings making the reader more passionate. The lines force any reader who has a conscience to remember atrocities that took place in America.

The tone in the poem, Let America Be America Again, helps in contributing to the poem meaning. The tone is confessional, which seems like the poet is discussing his experience in America. In the poem, all the poet evident from the poem’s tone highlights the flaws in the equal opportunity as well as freedom notion. The rhetorical questions in the poem make the reader think about the poem themes and highlight the poem’s tone. The tone in the second poem is sarcastic as the poet tries to compare the woman to dreamless sleep in addition to a  starless sky, at the same time, he says he cannot compare her to all these things because of her eyes and songs, which he thinks are great. The poet says he would compare the lady to a  starless night, but her eyes are very bright and although he would compare her to dreamless sleep, her songs tend to arouse him.

Conclusion

The poems I, Too (1925) and Let America Be America Again (1936) discuss racism, injustice, and inequality with the two poems depicting discrimination injustices brought about by racism. The themes in the two poems are similar as they are fighting against racism injustices and hope for a better future, which embraces equality and justice. On the other hand, Quiet Girl and Mother to Son by Langston Hughes are two poems, which talks about love and relationship, although in diverse context. The first poem talks about the intimate relationship between a man and a woman, while the other depicts the relationship evident between a mother and her son. This shows the similarity between the two poems as they discuss relationships.

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