Poetry has the power to teach people new things and change their perspectives on life. When authors realize the power of their poetry it is a revolutionary thing because they are then able to teach people through their poetry. In many poems the reader is able to get a sense of the culture that the author grew up in. This teaches people a lot about the past and about what people in the past had to face. When America was young nation slavery was a common thing. People were brought over from Africa and forced to do labor on plantations in the south. There was a whole population of people in the United States that was mistreated and honestly did not belong anywhere. They were not considered citizens of the U.S. and this created a huge problem after the Civil War. When the slaves were freed many of them had no idea where they were supposed to go or what they were supposed to do. Some thought that being free was worse because they had no skills or a way to earn money in order to get food. This created a huge problem and as a result many freed slaves died of starvation. There was also a very hostile attitude towards the freed slaves because many people were angry of the outcome of the war. Many people were also angry because they did not know what to do with the mass population of slaves that was now traveling all over the United States. The era in history held a lot of opinions and emotions that were interpreted during the Harlem Renaissance when many African Americans began to write about this terrible time in history. Today these poems are what people use to understand what happened in the past and how many people felt about it. Clifton and McElroy both focus on history in their poems, Hughes focuses more on feelings, and they all sh...
... middle of paper ...
...his is what makes Hughes poems different; because he focuses more on the emotions of the slaves and the other authors focus more on the history side of this time period. This is how Hughes’ poetry contrasts from McElroy’s and Clifton’s. All of these poets, especially Hughes show how slaves just wanted to be seen as something other than slaves; they wanted to be equal to the white people that tried to control them. . In all of their cultural heritage poems the authors describe how slaves just wanted something that was so simple. They just wanted to be seen as equal to everyone around them. They knew that they way they were being treated was not right and they also knew that it was only a matter of time before they would be free and then they knew that the white people would be ashamed of what they had done to a group of people just because of the color of their skin.
The civil rights movement may have technically ended in the nineteen sixties, but America is still feeling the adverse effects of this dark time in history today. African Americans were the group of people most affected by the Civil Rights Act and continue to be today. Great pain and suffering, though, usually amounts to great literature. This period in American history was no exception. Langston Hughes was a prolific writer before, during, and after the Civil Rights Act and produced many classic poems for African American literature. Hughes uses theme, point of view, and historical context in his poems “I, Too” and “Theme for English B” to expand the views on African American culture to his audience members.
It’s no secret that inequality and racial discriminations were high back in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Langston Hughes was able to use his work to counterattack this way of thinking in America. He not only led a movement, but also set an example for others to follow. In the poems I stated above, you can tell the Harlem Renaissance influences on his
“Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words.” –Edgar Allan Poe. Poetry is one of the world’s greatest wonders. It is a way to tell a story, raise awareness of a social or political issue, an expression of emotions, an outlet, and last but not least it is an art. Famous poet Langston Hughes uses his poetry as a musical art form to raise awareness of social injustices towards African-Americans during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. Although many poets share similarities with one another, Hughes creatively crafted his poetry in a way that was only unique to him during the 1920’s. He implemented different techniques and styles in his poetry that not only helped him excel during the 1920’s, but has also kept him relative in modern times. Famous poems of his such as a “Dream Deferred,” and “I, Too, Sing America” are still being studied and discussed today. Due to the cultural and historical events occurring during the 1920’s Langston Hughes was able to implement unique writing characteristics such as such as irregular use of form, cultural and historical referenced themes and musical influences such as Jazz and the blues that is demonstrative of his writing style. Langston Hughes use of distinct characteristics such as irregular use of form, cultural and historical referenced themes and musical influences such as Jazz and the blues helped highlight the plights of African-Americans during the Harlem Renaissance Era.
When reading the literature of Langston Hughes, I cant help but feeling energetically charged and inspired. Equality, freedom, empowerment, renaissance, justice and perseverance, are just a taste of the subject matter Hughes offers. He amplifies his voice and beliefs through his works which are firmly rooted in race pride and race feeling. Hughes committed himself both to writing and to writing mainly about African Americans. His early love for the “wonderful world of books” was sparked by loneliness and parental neglect. He would soon lose himself in the works of Walt Whitman, Paul Laurence, Carl Sandburg and other literary greats which would lead to enhancing his ever so growing style and grace of oeuvre. Such talent, character, and willpower could only come from one’s life experiences. Hughes had allot to owe to influences such as his grandmother and great uncle John Mercer Langston - a famous African American abolitionist. These influential individuals helped mold Hughes, and their affect shines brightly through his literary works of art.
The Harlem Renaissance is the name given to a period at the end of World War I through the mid-30s, in which a group of talented African-Americans managed to produce outstanding work through a cultural, social, and artistic explosion. Also known as the New Negro Movement. It is one of the greatest periods of cultural and intellectual development of a population historically repressed. The Harlem Renaissance was the rebirth of art in the African-American community mostly centering in Harlem, New York, during the 1920s. Jazz, literature, and painting emphasized significantly between the artistic creations of the main components of this impressive movement. It was in this time of great
...nly country to force the race into slavery, they were just the last to free the slaves, and also had the worst treatment for the blacks. For years races were discriminated in the country of America, and it still this way today. Poets such as Langston Hughes, Lucille Clifton, and Colleen McElroy were evolutionary poets who wrote about their desire for freedom and equal treatment. Langston Hughes poems were more about the building up of the tension that existed in all of his people who were ready to start fighting for their freedom. Colleen McElroy wrote about how the blacks in America still were apart of there past because of the color of their skin and simply just because of where they were from. Lucille Clifton wrote about the desire for the recognition her race and all of the other races of America, besides the Whites, would finally be appreciated for their work.
Poetry is a versatile avenue from which waves or ripples can be made potentially. A writer of poetry has the ability to make their readers feel a while wide array of emotions and situations synonymous with the human condition. I, at first, was completely turned off to the idea of poetry at first because all I was exposed to early on by way of poetry were bland professions of love or lust or seemingly simple poems I was forced to process down to a fine word paste. Edgar Allan Poe was interesting, but it was a tad bit dry to me. But, after reading poems the Harlem Renaissance gave me a bit of hope for poetry. To me, the poetry written during that time period has a certain allure to it. They have serious depth and meaning that I, myself and empathize
The Harlem Renaissance was the first era in American history where African Americans could freely express their cultural, social, and artistic ideas or opinions after the slavery era. In the south blacks were oppressed by whites in the south. Although the civil war had ended and the south had lost the lives of African Americans did not get better in fact conditions for African Americans got worse as a result of the Civil war. The southern slave owners were very upset about losing the war and the United States awarding the slaves freedom, which caused a spike in the violence exercised by whites in the south. The conditions in the south caused many blacks to migrate from the south to northern cities where treatment of the African American race was better and there were more job opportunities. One of the major cities blacks moved to was Harlem, New York. Blacks many of whom were glad to get away from the violence and poor treatment by the south were interested in finding things to keep their mind off the years of oppression and to celebrate their new found freedom. This thirst to express themselves and to celebrate how far they came resulted in a new form of music, Jazz and many changes to fashion, how people talk, and interact. WIth such a large popularity and demand for new forms of expression, many of the best African American musicians, scholars, and artist moved to Harlem to start a new career. Harlem became a hot bed for new styles of dancing, writing, music, and art. These forms of music and art had been practiced by some people but had not gotten a large amount of exposure because they were done by African Americans who were not respected as intellectuals or even human beings at this point in time. With the new found freedom ...
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
...struggle for dignity as a black person in the early/mid twentieth century. “Democracy” is a slightly stern and direct request to take action and fight for civil rights. “Theme for English B” is a compassionate and low-key personal anecdote that reiterates the unpracticed concept that “all men are created equal”. Despite the difference in tone and subject, all four poems relate to the central theme that dignity is something that white men may take for granted, but Langston Hughes, as a black man and a writer, sees and feels dignity as fight and a struggle that he faced and that the black community as whole faces every day.
In poetry, it is critical t bring out a theme. This makes the reader learn something and realize what the poet is attempting to say. A good theme can really impact the reader. Most poets use elements of poetry to do this. In Harlem, Langston Hughes uses elements of poetry to show his theme, which is when you give up on your dream, many consequences will arise. In the poem Harlem, Langston Hughes uses many elements of poetry to prove his theme, including similes, diction and personification.
During this era African Americans were facing the challenges of accepting their heritage or ignoring outright to claim a different lifestyle for their day to day lives. Hughes and Cullen wrote poems that seemed to describe themselves, or African Americans, who had accepted their African Heritage and who also wanted to be a part of American heritage as well. These are some of the things they have in common, as well as what is different about them based on appearance, now I shall focus on each author individually and talk about how they are different afterwards.
Few people have heard of the Harlem Renaissance, let alone know what a large impact it had on society today. During World War One, African Americans had fought alongside whites to defeat their enemies. However, they were welcomed home with the same cruel, unfair prejudice as before the war. Although slavery had been abolished long ago, many Caucasians still held a serious grudge against the black population in general. Very little of African American culture had trickled through the enormous racial dam built by Caucasians at that time. However, the 1920’s was a time of extreme cultural reformation for society where blacks began to share their work in art, literature, and other cultural aspects with the changing world. Despite the severe oppression enforced by the white population of America, a period of cultural rebirth occurred in the 1920’s, more commonly known as the Harlem Renaissance.
How do musicians during the Harlem Renaissance relate to musicians in today’s society and how do they influence them? Musicians relate and influence musicians in today’s society for many different reasons. However, not only do musicians during the Harlem Renaissance relate to musicians in today’s society and influence them but artists, actors, painters and poets in the Harlem Renaissance did also. During the 1920s is when the Harlem Renaissance blossomed in the African American culture, particularly in creative arts and influential movement in African American literary history. Without the Harlem Renaissance eminent people today such as Beyoncé Knowles, Jay-Z, Morris Chestnut, Maya Angelou and Gabrielle Union would not be relevant.
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement where African American poets were writing about the racial tension they experience. Most poems came from Harlem and were about the injustices and pride the black community felt. One famous poet was Langston Hughes. Hughes works were about the African American life starting in the twenties. Langston Hughes was the best writer of the Harlem Renaissance. He wanted his poems to the point and simple, rather than complex and wordy. His works were not written in sonnet like many other black poets. He believes that poem from African American poet should be different from their experiences. He wanted to tell real stories that including good and bad times that happen. His poems spoke to people everywhere, especially in the African American community. One of his poems goes over a hard time an African American would have to face when living under a landlord. Through the words in “Ballad of the LandLord” by Langston Hughes, themes of social injustices in the African American communities show the audience how African Americans were treated.