The Negro Speaks Of Rivers By Langston Hughes - 1055 Words

Hello and welcome to Radio 7’s first series of â€Å"Strange Fruit† where we analyse and evaluate how a poet presents their values, attitudes and perspectives through their poem. I’m your host PERSON 1 and I’m pleased to be here with the wonderful PERSON 2, a poetry critic and history university lecturer, who will be talking about the poem â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† by Langston Hughes. So first of all PERSON 2 who is Langston Hughes and when did he write â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers†? Langston Hughes was a novelist, fiction, poet, playwright and fiction writer. He is known for his insightful, colorful portrayals of black life in America from the twenties through to the sixties and was important in shaping the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes wrote the poem â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† while on a train crossing the Mississippi River on the way to visit his father in Mexico in 1920; he was 17 years old at the time. Hughes helped to unite and inspire the African American community when their voice was not appreciated by a predominantly white society, and as a result, he became the unofficial poet laureate of the Renaissance. The Negro Speaks of Rivers connects the soul and heritage of the African American community to four great rivers in Africa, America and the Middle East. In this way, the poem charts the journey of African and African Americans and links this community to the birth of civilization. Hughes tells the tale of freed om and enslavement thatShow MoreRelatedAnalysis of Langston Hughes ´ The Negro Speaks of Rivers927 Words   |  4 PagesLangston Hughes A Poetic of the Harlem Renaissance During the Harlem Renaissance copious African Americans writers arose from this movement including Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston, Countee Cullen, and especially Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes has endured hardships from the time his parents separated to being raised in different cities. Hughes has tried multiple times to reconnect with his father, but it never succeeded. Although Langston Hughes has a complicated relationship with his fatherRead MoreSymbolism in The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes1074 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† by Langston Hughes Symbolism embodies Hughes’ literary poem through his use of the river as a timeless symbol. A river can be portrayed by many as an everlasting symbol of perpetual and continual change and of the constancy of time and of life itself. People have equated rivers to the aspects of life - time, love, death, and every other indescribable quality which evokes human life. This analogy is because a river exemplifies characteristics that can beRead More Symbolism and Allusion in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers720 Words   |  3 PagesSymbolism and Allusion in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers In Langston Hughes poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers, he examines some of the roles that blacks have played throughout history. Ultimately, the poem asserts that in every one of these aspects the black people have been exploited and made to suffer, mostly at the hands of white people. The poem is written entirely in first person, so there is a very personal tone, even though the speaker symbolizes the entire black race.Read More The Use of Symbols in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers570 Words   |  3 PagesThe Use of Symbols in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers The poem ?The Negro Speaks of Rivers? by Langston Hughes contains many symbolic meanings about the identity of African Americans. Throughout the poem Hughes uses metaphorical statements to suggest to the reader what the soul of the African American has been through. The symbols of the old rivers from which the African American ideal has risen can be interpreted in many different ways. They represent the birth and growth ofRead MoreLangston Hughes s Poem, Negro Speaks Of Rivers964 Words   |  4 PagesIn Langston Hughes’ inspirational poem, â€Å"Negro Speaks of Rivers,† he expresses, â€Å"My soul has grown as deep like the rivers,† (lines 4 and 13), describing how his encounters with racial intolerance have made him stronger as a person in both spiritual and emotional ways; rather than to just step down and submit to the cruelty of racism. The quote could also be interpreted as a sign of perseverance and hope for people who have experienced not only racial i njustice, but other forms of degradation inRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes s The Negros Speaks Of Rivers 896 Words   |  4 Pages In 1902, Langston Hughes was born to an African American woman and a bi-racial man, who had later abandoned them and settled in Mexico to become a lawyer. His grandmother raised him in Joplin, Missouri, while his mother worked long hours at multiple jobs to earn a living. Later on, his mother remarried and moved them to Cleveland, Ohio, were Hughes went to high school and was an excellent student. During this time, Hughes began to elaborate on the stories of African American life in the south thatRead More Sound and Sense in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers 1431 Words   |  6 PagesSound and Sense in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers    The text of the poem can be found at the bottom of this page.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Langston Hughes poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers, Hughes makes use of some interesting poetic techniques. This poem is written in free verse, and seems, at first glance, to be very unstructured. Hughes repeats words and lines, but does not make use of repeated sounds. Hughes rivers are very rich in symbolism, and are not just simple bodies of waterRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes Poem The Negro Speaks Of Rivers 1242 Words   |  5 PagesProfessor Merton Lee EN-101-12 28 October 2014 Essay 2 While reading Langston Hughes’ poem, â€Å"The Negro Speaks of Rivers† the theme of roots is predominant throughout the reading, this theme raises question to the whole meaning of the poem. Although the word â€Å"roots† itself is never in the actual text, it contains strong details of the poem promoting deep imagery and depiction of veins, tributaries, and the roots of the plants and trees. Hughes wanted to give the reader the illusion of a timelessness in theseRead MoreExploring the Symbolism and Historical Allusions in Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks of Rivers1311 Words   |  5 Pagesallusions in Langston Hughess The Negro Speaks of Rivers, I hoped to trace the different elements that influenced Hughes and how he viewed himself within the world and society. In the process of examining the poem and beginning to create a structure, I had to not only look at the superficial meaning of what Hughes was saying, but also look for alternative meanings of what he sa id. Additionally, I had to tie in my knowledge of history and society, which helped me to better understand Hughes and whatRead More Symbolic Imagery in Langston Hughes Poems, The Negro Speaks of Rivers and Mother To Son1651 Words   |  7 PagesSymbolic Imagery in Langston Hughes Poems, The Negro Speaks of Rivers and Mother To Son Langston Hughes uses symbolism throughout his poetry. In the poems The Negro Speaks of Rivers and Mother To Son, Langston Hughes uses symbolism to convey his meaning of the poems to the readers. Readers may make many interpretations about the symbols used throughout these poems. Throughout the poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers Hughes uses metaphorical statements to suggest to the reader