Essay about Literary Critique of Langston Hughes - 805 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Langston Hughes’s writing showcases a variety of themes and moods, and his distinguished career led his biographer, Arnold Rampersad, to describe him as â€Å"perhaps the most representative black American writer.† Many of his poems illustrate his role as a spokesman for African American society and the working poor. In others, he relates his ideas on the importance of heritage and the past. Hughes accomplishes this with a straightforward, easily understandable writing style that clearly conveys his thoughts and opinions, although he has frequently been criticized for the slightly negative tone to his works. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;One of the most predominate themes seen throughout Hughes’s poetry is that of†¦show more content†¦Hughes provides a more personal account of the discrimination he endured because of his race in â€Å"Poet to Patron.† With the lines â€Å"What right has anyone to say/ That I/ Must throw out pieces of my heart/ For pay?† he relates his resentment that he must sell his own thoughts and feelings, an integral part of his being, simply to afford food to survive. Hughes’s reference to a â€Å"perfumed note† again illustrates the disdain he believes the overbearing aristocrats feel for his people. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Hughes frequently addresses the notion of heritage and the importance of remembering the past in his writing. He elaborates specifically on his own understanding of African American culture and ancestry. In his poem â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers,† Hughes compares his knowledge of his people’s past with the depth of a river. The lines â€Å"I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the/ flow of human blood in human veins† convey the extreme age and richness of human society, including his own culture. Hughes writes that his â€Å"soul has grown deep like the rivers,† indicating that he has learned to respect and admire the customs, beliefs, and history of African Americans and their forbears. His belief in the importance of respect for one’s culture and its past seems especially significant when considered alongside his role as an advocate for African American rights. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Even the greatest opinionsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis and Interpretation of I, Too Sing America by Langston Hughes1148 Words   |  5 PagesPoem I, Too Sing America is considered to be very characteristic for radical poetry of Langston Hughes. The majority of literary critiques and historians refer to Hughes as one of the first American poets, who set the standards and examples how to challenge the post-World War I ethnic nationalism. His poetry contributed and shaped to some extent the politics of the Harlem Renaissance. In analysis of Black poetry Charles S. Johnson wrote that the new racial poetry of the Negro is the expressionRead MoreThe Poetry Of Langston Hughes1498 Words   |  6 Pagescan be applied to the famous poet Langston Hughes, whom by expressing his feelings of oppression in a racist environment, motivated many blacks to learn how to read, play music, and revolutionize civil rights. As a result, this paper will critique how Langston Hughesâ₠¬â„¢ works of Harlem and I Too encouraged Black independence, and how they were used as frameworks for revolutionary concepts such as the achievement of civil rights and social equality. Langston Hughes was an African American poet in theRead MoreThe Innate Genius Behind By Langston Hughes944 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes was a pioneer of African-American literature and while he wrote an abundance of short stories, essays and plays, he is most well-known for his poetry. 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Many scholars helped shaped the Harlem Renaissance and those that were at the forefront included Langston Hughes, Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston, W.E.B DuBois, Paul Robeson, and Alaine Locke. Through poetry, prose, and essays, the writers of the Harlem Renaissance addressed social and racial issues in the African American community, double consciousness, individuality, and the critique as well as guidance for the advancement for the African American race. â€Å"Moreover, the Harlem RenaissanceRead More Visions of The Primitive in Langston Hughes’s The Big Sea Essay examples6201 Words   |  25 PagesVisions of â€Å"The Primitive† in Langston Hughes’s The Big Sea Recounting his experiences as a member of a skeleton crew in â€Å"The Haunted Ship† section of his autobiography The Big Sea (1940), Langston Hughes writes This rusty tub was towed up the Hudson to Jonas Point a few days after I boarded her and put at anchor with eighty or more other dead ships of a similar nature, and there we stayed all winter. ...[T]here were no visitors and I almost never went ashore. Those long winter nights