Poetry Essay 3/10/13

Poetry Essay Topic 2

 

            James Mercer Langston Hughes was an African American poet who lived through some of the toughest times in America as a Negro. He was forced to grow up and live in a world where African Americans were not treated equally by white Americans. Throughout his hardships, he became an inspiration, as well as an innovator to the new form of jazz poetry. Hughes was most commonly credited for his work during the Harlem Renaissance (Langston). In the poems “I, Too” and “Mother to Son,” Langston Hughes displays both powerful and unique language within his writing through literary elements to display its message to the reader.

            In the poem “Mother to Son,” Langston Hughes has a very unique use of language within his writing. In this poem the reader is embraced with words of wisdom as Hughes uses literary devices to show the constant uphill battle in life. This poem gives the reader an impression that an African American mother is speaking to her son; although uneducated she has many life experiences that she shares with her son. Hughes, who is highly educated and skilled in writing, uses the literary element of informal writing to give the reader the image that this poem was actually written by an African American woman to her son. He writes, “Well, son, I'll tell you: Life for me ain't been no crystal stair.” (Hughes 1,2) These lines show proof of how informal his writing was by using the phrase “ain’t been no”. He also used other examples of this unique writing later on in his poem by saying “I'se been a-climbin' on, And reachin' landin's, And turnin' corners,” (Hughes 9, 10, 11). These examples are all part of the building blocks which make Langston Hughes’s such a talented and unique poet through his language.

            In “I, Too,” Hughes conveys not only a unique style of writing but he also expresses very powerful writing within this poem. Langston Hughes did not write these poems to complain to his audience, but instead he wanted to educate them on the suffrage that was going on during this time period. “I, Too” is a great example of his powerful words that were heard around the world. Hughes states, “I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong.”(Hughes 2-7). These lines use vivid imagery and powerful language to show his feelings on racism. “I Too” as a whole shows the injustice of racism and is an anti-discrimination poem. Hughes also uses powerful imagery making the reader truly understand what it must have been like living in his position.” Nobody'll dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen," Then.”(Hughes 11-14). This can make someone who did not live through this struggle understand how Hughes feels about the discrimination that was taking place, and how he wanted to make a stand against it.

            Langston Hughes will always be remembered as one of the most famous poets of all time. He used unique and powerful forms of writing to form a clear message for his readers. His poems “I Too” and “Mother to Son” both carry very strong messages to their readers; and no matter what time period they may be read the interpreter will always be able to understand the hardships that Langston Hughes faced and the theme of his poems through his language.