Oppressions, Poverty, and Racial Discrimination in Langston Hughes

The Harlem Renaissance, a social movement that emphasized African American identity and expression in the 1920s, had a well-known figure in Langston Hughes. Poverty, oppression, and racial discrimination that black Americans face are depicted in his poetry.

Let America Be America Again, one of Hughes’ most well-known poems, celebrates the ideal of the United States as a land of opportunity and freedom while acknowledging that this ideal has not been realized for all citizens, particularly black Americans. The sonnet proposes rethinking America as a place where everyone is allowed to live their lives and pursue their goals, regardless of race. vivid imagery and metaphors, like “O, let my land be a land where Liberty / Is crowned with no false patriotic wreath” (ll. 11-12) emphasizes the desire for a brighter future. Let America Be America Again perfectly exemplifies Hughes’ upbeat approach to poetry. You can almost hear the speaker’s longing for a new nation that never existed in the line “O, let America be America again” (line 61). a request in the hope that the United States will once again be free. “And yet I swear this oath—/America will be!” are the lines. show that the speaker has complete faith in you. ll. 77-78).

I, Too, another well-known poem by Hughes, addresses racial inequality. The subject of the sonnet is a white person who tells the speaker that he will eventually need to “eat in the kitchen when organization comes.” ll. 3-4). ” The speaker declares, “When organization comes, I’ll be at the table tomorrow,” demonstrating his respect for humanity. ll. 8-9-10). The line “I, too, sing America” in line 1 has a significant significance. The speaker is speaking on our behalf in an effort to convey the idea that all black people are the same: Their praise and celebration of America (line 18) resulted in the phrase “I, too, am America.” The poem discusses the resilience, fortitude, and unwavering belief in one’s own worth of African Americans in the face of adversity.

In Langston Hughes’ poetry, the experiences of black Americans in the United States are the subject of powerful and insightful commentary. He captures the pain and struggle of a marginalized community while also celebrating their strength and resilience through vivid imagery and metaphor. As a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and justice for all people, Hughes’s work is still relevant today.