Two famous American authors, Langston Hughes and Walt Whiteman, described their visions of America through their poems. In the year 1860, Walt Whiteman wrote the poem I Hear America Singing. In response, Langston Hughes wrote: I, too. The two viewpoints in the poems contrast with each other in different ways. However, Whittman wrote his poem in 1860. Hugh wrote his response in 1926. The two poems differ in tone and structure to fully depict the message of the poets and opposing visions of America. Whitman’s poem uses long, song-like lines to portray a vision that glorifies the working class. For example, Whitman writes, “I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear” (line 1). The singing in this verse demonstrates how Whitman uses singing to celebrate the different roles such as “the …show more content…
This quote shows the mechanic singing as he works: “Those of mechanics, each one singing his” (line 2), as a sign of joy. Whitman uses enjambment to highlight the routine of daily life in lines such as “the carpenter singing as he measures his plank or beam” (line 3). The carpenter’s singing during his mundane work, implies happiness while he’s working. In the line “the shoemaker singing as he sits on his bench, the gentleman singing as he stands” (line 6), Whitman gives another example of how he uses singing to depict a strong, joyful working class. In contrast to Whitman's vision of America, Hughes’ poem I, Too portrays a future with social equality for Black people. The first line of the poem starts “I, too, sing America” (line 1) showing that in contrast to Whittman’s glorification of the working class everyone, including black people, sing America. Later, in reference to black people, the poem starts off by stating “they send me to eat in the kitchen”, and speaks from the point of view of “the darker brother”. This demonstrates the black brothers' experience of inequality in the
A poem by E.E. Cummings and Langston Hughes appeared to share some similarities. The poems are “i sing of Olaf glad and big” and “I, Too” and both are closely related to Walt Whitman’s, Song of Myself. Whitman wrote a long poem celebrating himself. Cummings writes about how war is considered good, but Olaf feels very opinionated about the topic. Cummings express his opinions through this character, "i sing of Olaf glad and big/ whose warmest heart recoiled at war"(1-2). Cummings informs the reader that Olaf recoils at the topic of war which indicates that Cummings too dislikes war. Hughes poem expresses his thoughts about the topic of racism. In the poem hughes says, “I, too, sing America”(1), which goes along with the title of Cummings poem. Both authors talked about touchy subjects around their time period. I think both brought back the whole idea of Whitman’s “Song of myself” of being out of society’s norms of keeping opinions to oneself.
During the Harlem Renaissance, both Claude McKay and Langston Hughes developed an analysis of their time period through poetry. Each writer has a different poem but allude to the same theme. The White House by Claude McKay and I, Too, Sing, America by Langston Hughes makes a relevant comparison to the racial inequality during the 1900s. Both make a point about how White America has withheld equal rights from Blacks or Black America, making it hard for them to survive. More specifically, The White House speaks about the type of oppression being experienced during racial segregation and trying to triumph over it while I, Too, Sing, America speak about what created their oppression and envisioning change in the future.
This poem is often compared to Walt Whitman’s I Hear America Singing because of the similarities of the two poems. In this poem, Hughes argues that the African American race is equal to whites. Hughes even declares that one day the African American race will be equal to whites. Hughes proclaims, “Besides, They’ll see how beautiful I am and be ashamed-I, too, am America.” Hughes was very bold and daring when he wrote these lines in this poem. He is implying that the white people will regret what they have done to blacks. That they will be ashamed of how they treated them. Undoubtedly, this poem expresses Hughes cultural identity.
Whitman’s poem was written in the mid-1800s during the industrial revolution, but Hughes’ poem was written in the 1900s during the Civil Rights Movement. This is important because the Civil Rights Movement established the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Industrial Revolution moved at a slow place but there were still issues with slavery. Whitman’s poem was free verse while Hughes’ poem was traditional rhyme/rhythm. The tone of Whitman’s poem was patriotic and celebratory (I HEAR America singing, the varied carols I hear); because he was paying tribute to the success of the individuals; however, the tone of Hughes’ poem was sarcastic and frustrated (to build a “homeland of the free,’’ because he didn’t feel like some individuals were allowed to experience the American Dream. Whitman’s theme of his poem was that individuals and liberties make America great. On the other hand, Hughes’ theme of his poem expressed that individuals felt excluded from the “homeland of the free.” The purpose of Whitman’s poem is praise for universal brotherhood. However, Hughes’ poem’s purpose was to inform individuals about inequality, meaning that not everyone has the same liberties in America. Whitman’s poem focused on the jobs of the workers, while Hughes’ poem focused on race, social status, and a list to represent the “I am’’ phrase; (I am the Negro bearing slavery’s scars). He also
In "I, Too," Langston Hughes is obviously in conversation with the earlier poem, Walt Whitman 's "I Hear America Singing." Both poems explore the idea of American identity -- who and what is an American? What characterizes the people of this nation? The two poets, however, reach somewhat different conclusions in response to these questions.
Whitman, Walt. "I Hear America Singing." Selected Poems and Prose. Ed. A. Norman Jeffares. London: Oxford UP, 1966. 125.
Both poems are having a similar conversation with each other about racial inequality, yet because “I, Too” and “I Hear America Singing” are speaking from two dissimilar perspective; this consequently leads each poem to see America from a different point of view. Langston Hughes has a habit of writing poems where the speaker is
In, “ I Hear America Singing”, Walt Whitman uses alliteration, literal imagery, and tone to express the idea that there are many individual, hardworking workers in this country, but as a whole these people carry out the American pride. America does not only consist of one person, but it is the whole population that makes what America is today. This country is filled with fun and laughter for everyone to enjoy!
As Richard Perry once said, “Certainly any hope of dispelling racism requires the spread of knowledge to correct misinformation,” (738). Walt Whitman was raised in New York in a white, American, middle-class family in the early nineteenth century. After becoming a writer, Whitman was a great contributor of "Americanism" in literature. According to the book Walt Whitman 's America, “Whitman’s writings were an impulse to revisit the period before his birth, when slavery and the economy were not yet problematic issues,” (Reynolds, 25). The fact that he was always part of the working class was an influence in his writing style as seen in the poem, I Hear America Singing, where Whitman relates the story of someone who is listening to a song coming from America’s working class. Unlike Whitman, Langston Hughes wrote about the races which were hardly ever mentioned in literature in the early twentieth century. According to the book The Life of Langston Hughes, Hughes was “one of the heroes who inspired a
Langston Hughes was an American poet, novelist. He also made playwright with African-American themes which made him a primary contributor to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s.
James Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. He was named after his father, but it was later shortened to just Langston Hughes. He was the only child of James and Carrie Hughes. His family was never happy so he was a lonely youth. The reasons for their unhappiness had as much to do with the color of their skin and the society into which they had been born as they did with their opposite personalities. They were victims of white attitudes and discriminatory laws. They moved to Oklahoma in the late 1890s. Although the institution of slavery was officially abolished racial discrimination and segregation persisted.
“I dream a world where… love will bless the earth and peace its paths adorn.” -- Langston Hughes
In 1920, Langston Hughes became the voice of black America. He was the inspirational voice of the African-Americans, the hope and motivation of many. Langston wrote about freedom of creative expression, about ordinary people leading ordinary lives, politics, America, dreams, equality and inequality. No surprise was created when his poem: “I, Too, Sing America” was about a black man wish and hopes to live a life with equality. This poem conveys the fact that despite the differences of color, all people living in America are Americans and have the right to be treated equally. Langston’s poem “I, Too, Sing America” illustrates the hope of equality, ambition and freedom of an oppressed person.
In I Hear America Singing Whitman states in line 10, “The day what belongs to the day—at night the party of young fellows, robust, friendly, Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs.” This sentence show the cheerfulness of American workers and they take pride in their job and in what they do for a living in America. A prideful tone on the poem gives it a positive message and thus making the authors point being
The appreciation of nature has a long history in the culture of humanity. It is hard to separate humanity from its land, the environment it resides in. Nature has been an integral source of inspiration for centuries of cultures and civilizations. 19th century English American landscape painter, Thomas Cole, took a particular liking to the subject of nature. He was enamored by the sublimity of nature and enraged by the industrial developments of the time.