Commentary and Context of Harlem Essay

Harlem

In the 1920s a breakthrough of many great African American writers emerged. This period was known as the Harlem Renaissance. One of the greatest writers during this time was Langston Hughes. Hughes was one of the well known and more intellectual writers and his work was powerful and moving. Langston Hughess poem Harlem is written about the dreams of the people during the time of segregation and racism. Written in 1951 Hughes asks the question What happens to a dream deferred? Hughes addresses this question to those who have big dreams and yet, they are too afraid to follow their dreams. This poems theme is of conformity and rebellion. This is a perfect theme for the poem because during Hughess time many people were rebelling against the norm and not conforming to society. This is how many of the writers emerged. The form of the poem is simple yet peculiar. There are four stanzas in the poem. The first stanza only consists of one line. This line asks the question that shapes the entire poem. After this line there is a caesura and the next stanza begins. In this stanza there are a few literary figures going on. First, Hughes uses similes to compare how the dream could be deferred. He asks, Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun or fester like a sore and then run? Secondly, this stanza has end rhymes and the rhyme scheme of this stanza is abcbded. The letters represent the word in the stanza that rhyme with one another. The last word in the second and forth line rhyme. The next stanza only consists of two lines that use a simile, Maybe it just sags like a heavy load.

Finally, Hughess tone for the entire poem is one of concern and hopefulness. He sounds as though he is trying to let people know what can happen if you never follow your dreams. This entire poem is a lyric poem. Hughes wrote this and expressed his personal feelings and thoughts instead of telling a story. He felt people should do what they want to do. Many of the writers during this time wrote about freedom of expression and doing things that made you proud of yourself.

The last line of the poem says Or does it explode? This is a very powerful and touching way to end the poem. It asks the question would your dream just explode and disappear if you never allow it to come out. This line also says that the dream can explode, meaning that you will never fulfill your dream and just let it disappear into a thing of the past. By letting your dream explode this can cause you to have resentment for not allowing your dreams to flourish. This was a great poem that influenced many people during and after the 1920s. Langston Hughes was an amazing writer and author and his work is inspiring writers all over the country.