In Langston Hughes' poem "The Negro Speaks of
Rivers" he references many historically important rivers. I think he uses
them to symbolize of Africans in American history. First he references the Euphrates
which along with the Tigris forms the Fertile Crescent, where civilization began.
By saying this I think he is saying that Africans have been in America since
its very beginnings. Next he says "I built a hut near the Congo", by
him saying he built a hut on the Congo (a river in Africa) I think he is saying
that that is his homeland. When he says he built pyramids he is referencing how
Africans were once enslaved and the pyramids are a metaphor for America. I
think he’s is trying to say that America was built with the sweat of African
slaves. By referencing Abe Lincoln going "south" on the Mississippi
he is talking about how he freed the slaves. The overall felling in the lines
about Lincoln and the Mississippi are happy and joyous because of the words
"singing" and "golden". It makes me think that he was happy
about emancipation. The line "muddy bosom turn all golden in the
sunset" to me is a reference to how the South went from having slaves (muddy)
to having freedmen (golden). I liked this poem because it was easier for me to decipher
what Hughes was actually trying to say.
I feel like you are right. Rather than just writing a book on history he uses metaphors of rivers to grab our attention.
ReplyDelete"HARLEM SHADOWS" BY Claude Mckay.
ReplyDeleteI found this poem most compelling to me because in just three paragraphs you could see and even feel the deepness of Mckays feelings. The feeling of sadness when she encounters the fact that just because of the color of their skin the girls are destined to be shadows and just that, Shadows of what a life they could had had. Shadows of a society ruled by white people, shadows of a life that (in the moment) couldnt be theirs. I believe the word shadows is so deeply beacuse you could had recognized it is a human figure hence you do not recognize the face the factions, the essence of that shadow. I believe Mckay wanted to compell this kind of feelings to make the pople in power to feel shame of what they where incapable of see. And also to make herself understand how hard life was for those girls that had to live a life of prostitution.
I also choosed because I like the fact that women speak their minds out, in such a polite but stongly and compelling manner.
"HARLEM SHADOWS" seems to be a very deep poem with plenty of emotions. It appears to come from the point of an oppressed female trying to overcome this. Shadows seems to be the word Mckay uses to describe a person without the chance to a fair future. I think it also shows the toughness of the woman he is talking about.
ReplyDelete