The Writing Of Langston Hughes

The division between whites and blacks was clearly prevalent and the United States of America was a racially discriminatory society reinforced by its racist laws. Hughes took the initiative to speak his mind via poetry, resulting in his piece “I, Too”. In this poem, Hughes clearly signifies one thing: Just because his skin color is different from whites, does not mean that they get to sing the National Anthem louder. Arguing that all American citizens are the same, disregarding their skin color, Hughes applies in this poem a master-slave relationship. The assumed white master shows disrespect to his servant by sending him away whenever visitors come over, because he is ordered to eat secluded from the company. However he seems to not be faze by this and actually finds it funny, supported by “But I laugh” (5). Furthermore, not only does he find amusement in this unpleasant situation, but the isolation has a positive effect on him “And grow strong” (7), implying that even though he submits to his master, his spirit will not be diminished.

This paper examines the perspective of Langston Hughes and how his style of writing is. It looks at how several interrelated themes run through the poetry of Langston Hughes, all of which have to do with being black in America and surviving in spite of immense difficulties. Langston Hughes is one of the most influential writers because his style of work not only captured the situation of African Americans; it also grabbed the attention of other races with the use of literary elements and other stylistic qualities. Langston Hughes became well known for his way of interpreting music into his work of writing, which readers love and enjoy today.

At first, Hughes primarily focused on writing for a black urban audience; throughout time, he changed his focus to middle-class blacks, and then to the men and women of Harlem as “black masses”. Hughes ended up directing his writing to both whites and blacks of all classes. His basic philosophy, taken from the poem “I, too,” was as follows:

Langston Hughes was one of the first black men to express the spirit of blues and jazz

Langston Hughes was an American poet, community worker, author, playwright, newspaper man, and inspiration from Joplin, Missouri. He was a protégé for many African Americans, despite the times he lived in.

     People always listen to music, watch movies or plays, and even read poetry without once even thinking what is could be that helps and artist eventually create a masterpiece. Often times, it is assumed that artists just have a “gift”, and people just do not consider the circumstances and situations that gradually mold a dormant idea into a polished reality. This seems to be the case with nearly every famous actor, writer, painter, or musician; including the ever-famous Langston Hughes.

A huddle of horns And a tinkle of glass A note Handed down from Marcus to Malcolm To a brother Too bad and too cool to give his name. Sometimes despair Makes the stoops shudder Sometimes there are endless depths of pain Singing a capella on street corners

James Langston Hughes was born February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri. His parents divorced when he was very small, and his father (who found American racism made his desires to be a lawyer impossible) left the family and emigrated to Mexico. Hughes' mother moved with her child to Lawrence, Kansas, so she and he could live with his grandmother, Mary Langston.

Langston Hughes’ style of poetry renounced the classical style of poetry and sought out a more jazz and folk rhythm style. Most of Hughes’ poems were written during the Harlem Renaissance, named after the cultural activity African Americans participated in, such as: literature, music, art, theatre, and political thinking. William Blake, on the other hand, was a nonconformist who was associated with the leading radical thinkers of his day. Although, considered a lyric poet and a visionary, Blake’s poetry was not read by many, yet he still believed that his poetry could be understood by common people and was determined not to sacrifice his vision to become popular.

Langston Hughes poem “I, Too” was written during a time when segregation was in affect, blacks was not allowed to have a voice. “I, Too” spoke volumes to the people of the Harlem Renaissance, it showed that blacks would rise and would become part of the American dream instead of facing ongoing segregation. African Americans would

From freedom of speech, to freedom of religion, here in America, issues are also freed to hidden behind the phrase “freedom.” The statement of freedom like free flowing words on the page of poem, contains various definitions like different possible interpretations of a poem. While at the time for Langston Hughes, his definition of freedom was chained by the pigment of his skin. As he acknowledges his conflict with freedom while struggling against racism, Langston Hues in his poem I Too, expresses how the issue of racism has been understated in America through the usage of euphony, free verse and enjambment, depicting that the existence of freedom that was promised by America is incomplete.

The poem “I, Too” by Langston Hughes was published for the first time in 1926. It deals with the intense and complex emotions of black people in a racially segregated America and their wish and need to be accepted as part of America. Hughes’ poem is written in free verse, which means that there is no metrical pattern of the syllables. It’s composed of five stanzas in total, whereas two of the stanzas are only one line long: the first and the last stanza. The poem’s lines are very short, which not only catches the reader’s attention, but also slows down the speed at which the poem is read.

     Langston Hughes’s writing showcases a variety of themes and moods, and his distinguished career led his biographer, Arnold Rampersad, to describe him as “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.

“I, Too” a poem written by Langston Hughes, in a perspective of an African American narrator during the Harlem Renaissance Era. He shared his feelings and thoughts about how he was treated an simply how he felt towards the way black people were being treated by the white people and segregation of race during the 20th century. The poem was written in five different stanzas in a form of free verse, meaning the poem does not rhyme or have a regular meter. The sentences of the poem were shorts but yet the tone was very strong. The poem is titled “I, Too”, the first and the last stanza of the poem ends with the same words. the authors idea is to remind his readers that no matter how different the way that he was being treated or his