A Paper

2721 Words6 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Langston hughes racial issues in poems

The Harlem Renaissance is known as a short period in history that became a long lasting cultural revolution. The emergence of Black artists, poets, dancers, actors, playwrights, and musicians created a movement that encompassed African culture. The work of poet and playwright, Langston Hughes, was prevalent during the Harlem Renaissance. His mark on the world, as well as others, has a long lasting impact for future generations. He illustrated stories by capturing the experiences, trials, and pride of the Negro race; which he makes evident by representing not only himself, but other fellow Negroes of Harlem. I find how he represents the Negroes of Harlem compelling and all around interesting. As such, I have decided to research how does the work of Langston Hughes reflect the racial ideologies of the Harlem Renaissance? Even though African Americans were not slaves during this time period, racism and hatred were still active not only in New York, but also across the nation. The struggle of an oppressed people expressing their identity and yet being united as Negroes was a very delicate matter that Hughes portrays beautifully through his plays and poems.
Mulatto: A tragedy of the Deep South is one of the first of a series of plays in the book called Five Plays. Even though this work is set during slavery times it deals with the expression of identity. Robert Lewis, the youngest of four, is a light mulatto born to Colonel Thomas Norwood, a white plantation owner, and Cora Lewis, a black mistress of the Colonel. After temporarily attending school and receiving a limited education, “Bert” returned with the mentality that he would bow down to no one. He did not consider himself to be a “darkie” because he was not dark skinne...

... middle of paper ...

...emotions, pains and afflictions of African-Americans of the Harlem Renaissance through his own experiences. He shows a people struggling to find their identity when it is constantly suppressed by the world around them. They are heavily ridiculed because of the color of their skin, their moral standards and values, and even their hope system. In my opinion, these plays unleash characterizations of African-Americans that are not uncommon. It is shown consistently during the course of all the plays how Negros of the Harlem Renaissance are violent, illiterate, poor, and always in search of a quick way to attain wealth; and it can even be inferred that African- Americans are uncivilized. Langston Hughes is such a revered writer because his works reveal stereotypes and ideologies that have plagued a people for generations yet can pertain to people of every ethnicity.

Show More
Related

  • Harlem Renaissance and Jessie Redmon Fauset

    728 Words  | 2 Pages

    Originally referred to as the “New Negro Movement”, the Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement during the early twentieth century. It was started by the Great Migration of blacks to the North during World War I. This period resulted in many people coming forth and contributing their talents to the world, inspiring many. One of the poets of this time, Jessie Redmon Fauset, was one of those who wrote about the life of blacks and life in general during this time period. She used her good and bad past experiences as influences for her works.

    Read More

  • English paper

    534 Words  | 2 Pages

    In[a] the novel, Trouble, Henry respects Chay nearing the end of their adventure, because he learned about his tragic life in Cambodia. Henry had been an ordinary boy with the “Great Franklin Smith”, living his own ordinary life, until a tragic car accident ruins all of the Smiths plans for the future. Now Henry and Sanborn travel to Mt. Katahdin for Franklin, but Henry loathes Chay for killing Franklin. To avenge Franklin’s death, their epic adventure to Katahdin brings, troubles, hardships, origins, and anger between all members, making a unique journey for all.

    Read More

  • The Negro Artist And The Racial Mountain, By Langston Hughes

    895 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hughes was an integral part of the cultural movement known as the Harlem Renaissance. He had been attracted to New York City because of the changes that were being to occur. In “The Negro Artist and the Racial Mountain,” Hughes portrays the Negro middle class as the “respected folk” that are smug (Hughes). This type of Negro lives a comfortable life where the children attend a mixed school. Hughes attacks this middle class family in particular because he believes that they would rather be Caucasian instead of African American (Hughes). The high class Negro separates himself from the poorer blacks because he reads white magazines, strives to have t...

    Read More

  • Messages from Point of View in Langston Hughes’ I too

    1046 Words  | 3 Pages

    Because of that, his writing seems to manifest a greater meaning. He is part of the African-American race that is expressed in his writing. He writes about how he is currently oppressed, but this does not diminish his hope and will to become the equal man. Because he speaks from the point of view of an oppressed African-American, the poem’s struggles and future changes seem to be of greater importance than they ordinarily would. The point of view of being the oppressed African American is clearly evident in Langston Hughes’s writing.

    Read More

  • english

    830 Words  | 2 Pages

    Langston Hughes and Richard Wright both address the idea of race in America. Like most African American writers, these two authors mainly wrote about racial themes. They were concerned with the struggles of African Americans during the late nineteenth to mid twentieth centuries. Hughes used humor and sometimes irony, to portray the indication of racism. Myriad writings published by Langston Hughes have also captured the struggl...

    Read More

  • Langston Hughes and Poetry

    2394 Words  | 5 Pages

    Hughes, a.k.a. Langston, a.k.a. “Harlem [Dream Deferred]” The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer.

    Read More

  • Langston Hughes: Write, Fight, And Persevere

    1420 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Langston Hughes Biography Essay

    565 Words  | 2 Pages

    1920’s Harlem was a time of contrast and contradiction, on one hand it was a hotbed of crime and vice and on the other it was a time of creativity and rebirth of literature and at this movement’s head was Langston Hughes. Hughes was a torchbearer for the Harlem Renaissance, a literary and musical movement that began in Harlem during the Roaring 20’s that promoted not only African-American culture in the mainstream, but gave African-Americans a sense of identity and pride.

    Read More

  • Langston Hughes And The Harlem Renaissance

    634 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the 1920's and 30’s, America went through a period of astonishing artistic creativity, the majority of which was concentrated in one neighborhood of New York City, Harlem. The creators of this period of growth in the arts were African-American writers and other artists. Langston Hughes is considered to be one of the most influential writers of the period know as the Harlem Renaissance. With the use of blues and jazz Hughes managed to express a range of different themes all revolving around the Negro. He played a major role in the Harlem Renaissance, helping to create and express black culture. He also wrote of political views and ideas, racial inequality and his opinion on religion. I believe that Langston Hughes’ poetry helps to capture the era know as the Harlem Renaissance.

    Read More

  • Nativism During The Harlem Renaissance

    1505 Words  | 4 Pages

    2. The African American culture blossomed during the Harlem Renaissance, particularly in creative arts, and the most influential movement in African American literary history. Embracing literary, musical, theatrical, and visual arts, participants sought to reconceptualize “the Negro” apart from the white stereotypes that had influenced black peoples’ relationship to their heritage and to each other. They also sought to break free of Victorian moral values and bourgeois shame about aspects of their lives that might, as seen by whites, reinforce racist beliefs. Never dominated by a particular school of thought but rather characterized by intense debate, the movement laid the groundwork for all later African American literature and had an enormous

    Read More

  • The Harlem Renaissance

    1171 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Harlem Renaissance refers to a prolific period of unique works of African-American expression from about the end of World War I to the beginning of the Great Depression. Although it is most commonly associated with the literary works produced during those years, the Harlem Renaissance was much more than a literary movement; similarly, it was not simply a reaction against and criticism of racism. The Harlem Renaissance inspired, cultivated, and, most importantly, legitimated the very idea of an African-American cultural consciousness. Concerned with a wide range of issues and possessing different interpretations and solutions of these issues affecting the Black population, the writers, artists, performers and musicians of the Harlem Renaissance had one important commonality: "they dealt with Black life from a Black perspective." This included the use of Black folklore in fiction, the use of African-inspired iconography in visual arts, and the introduction of jazz to the North.[i] In order to fully understand the lasting legacies of the Harlem Renaissance, it is important to examine the key events that led to its beginnings as well as the diversity of influences that flourished during its time.

    Read More

  • Racial Inequality in 'Harlem' by Langston Hughes

    911 Words  | 2 Pages

    “Harlem” by Langston Hughes opened the doors to African American art. Throughout history, there has been a lot of issues with racial inequality. During the Harlem Renaissance, many African Americans wanted to prove they were just as intelligent, creative, and talented as white Americans. Langston Hughes was one of the people who played an influential part in the Harlem Renaissance. His poem “Harlem” painted a very vivid picture of his life and his outlook on the society he lived in.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Approaches To The Harlem Renaissance

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    When looking at the Harlem Renaissance, readers can expect to discover many artists that pushed the exposure of Jazz, Blues, and African American literature to the American mainstream during the 1920’s – 1930’s. Langston Hughes is associated with the Harlem Renaissance for his literary works and activism. Zora Neale Hurtson, was also a writer associated with the Harlem Renaissance, her works are, to say the least are in contrast to Hughes’s work. I reason that the different styles of writing and thinking, that were contributed to the Harlem Renaissance is in regards to both author’s upbringing/childhood experiences. The two literary compositions that I will be reviewing are I, Too by Langston Hughes, (The Norton Anthology

    Read More

  • Racial Tension In The Harlem Renaissance, By Langston Hughes

    1420 Words  | 3 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • A Comparison of the Dream Deferred in A Raisin in the Sun and Harlem

    1401 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hughes, Langston. "Harlem." [1951] Literature. 5th ed. Eds. James H. Pickering and Jeffery D. Hoeper. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice, 1027-28.

    Read More

More about A Paper

Open Document