ipl-logo

Comparing Helen Johnson's Sonnet To A Negro In Harlem And The Harlem Dancer

811 Words4 Pages

Harlem Renaissance Assessment 3. Helen Johnson’s “Sonnet to a Negro in Harlem” (1927) and Claude McKay’s “The Harlem Dancer” (1917) differ in structure and their descriptions of their characters in relation to society. Though both are fourteen lines long, McKay uses more imagery and diction when describing the character in the poem. The style of this poem creates a romantic vibe in an organized way. Imagery makes the mood seem dreamlike which brings this piece to life. McKay describes the character “…proudly swaying palm” (1004) as an indication of his sight which can implied that he is drinking. The use of diction helps to describe the scene. He compares time to “...a picnic day” (1004) which describes the environment to be very bright as …show more content…

She combines negative adjectives such as “arrogant” and “pompous” combined with words of beauty and confidence such as “magnificent” and “splendid” to pain the picture of an admired man. In addition to being different in structure, both differ in their descriptions of their characters in relation to society. McKay’s “The Harlem Dancer” (1917) is significant because it shows the discrimination that black women faced during that time period. The line “…perfect, half-clothed…” (1004) is where the focus is on the audience watching the ideal body of the dancer, where it is obvious the audience is in awe by her appearance and sex appeal. In society, the perfection of the dancer lies in her sexuality and her body. As McKay’s piece shows the discrimination that black women faced during that time, Johnson’s piece “Sonnet to a Negro in Harlem” (1927), implies her character going against white supremacy. This somehow seems to threaten the “scorn” which can erase the contributions of the white man to society. Johnson’s character is described going against these “white” ideas by refusing to be like them. His culture described as “barbaric” is what makes him special and “too splendid for the city

Show More
Related
283 Words | 2 Pages

CPUSH Transcript: Plan for the National Government Debate Between Federalist and Anti-Federalist—Hamilton vs. Jefferson Alexis Orellana FRANKLIN: Alexander Hamilton as a federalist representative, please explain in a brief summary on why a national government would be more essential opposed to an anti-federalist's view on having a state government. HAMILTON: As a supporter of the constitution we insist on the constitutions balance of power between national and state. We believe that the division of powers and having the system of checks and balances would protect citizens rights from the oppressive rule from an organized power.

Read More
754 Words | 4 Pages

A Ritual to Read to Each Other by William Strafford, and Shakespeare’s sonnet are about very different kinds of romance. The fact that these two writers lived hundreds of years apart is evident in their poetry. Although the themes of both poems are similarly dark, Stafford talks about modern social issues, while Shakespeare brings up the issue of love itself. The two poems contrast more than the compare.

Read More
978 Words | 4 Pages

The poems “The Harlem Dancer” by Claude McKay and “I, Too” by Langston Hughes, both were written during the 1920s. Something significant happening during this time was the the boom of African American culture which took place mainly around the 20s and 30s in New York. Specifically their literature, art, music and much more. The Harlem Renaissance was going on during the time both poems were written, in fact, they were written because of the renaissance. The Harlem Renaissance was the movement of African American culture.

Read More
802 Words | 4 Pages

The Harlem Renaissance was a period in American history, which occurred in the 1920s in Harlem, New York. The cultural movement was an opportunity for African Americans to celebrate their heritage through intellectual and artistic works. Langston Hughes, a famous poet, was a product of the Harlem Renaissance. One notable piece of literature by Hughes is “Dream Deferred”. However, the discussion of African American culture isn’t limited to the 1920s.

Read More
962 Words | 4 Pages

Harsh stereotypes created misjudgment and tension throughout society, which demonstrated that there was a departure from the Harlem Renaissance, as seen in Zora Neale Hurston’s

Read More
1330 Words | 6 Pages

The purpose of this essay is to provide a thorough yet concise explanation on the ways in which The Harlem Renaissance helped shaped the culture and perceptions of the “New Negro” in modern era of the 1920s and early 1930s. I will analyze the socioeconomic forces that led to the Harlem Renaissance and describe the motivation behind the outburst of Black American creativity, and the ideas that continue to have a lasting impact on American culture. In addition, I will discuss the effects as well as the failures of the movement in its relationship to power and resistance, highlighting key figures and events that are linked to the renaissance movement. During the 1920s and early 1930s New York City’s district of Harlem became the center of a cultural

Read More
470 Words | 2 Pages

In conclusion what had made The Harlem Renaissance a renaissance was from the continuous hard work that many black artist have put in during this time. It had caused a culture bloom for blacks and whites alike. The Harlem Renaissance pushed for equality amongst the black community and have even come to influence modern day song and style. The people writing in this essay are only a very small handful from the people who had helped push for such a cultural

Read More
706 Words | 3 Pages

Poems can be analyzed in various ways ranging from their complexity to the emotions they convey to readers. The poems, “The Weary Blues” by Langston Hughes and “The Harlem Dancer” by Claude McKay will be analyzed based on their similarities and differences to name a few. The poems may describe different events; however the overall connection between the two can be identified by readers with deeper reading. Comparisons between the poems may easier to analyze and identify compared to the contrasts based on the reader’s perception. Overall, the concept and much more will reveal how the poems are connected and special in their own way.

Read More
73 Words | 1 Pages

In conclusion, the Harlem Renaissance was the first self-conscious literary and artistic movement in African American history. Claude McKay's "If We Must Die" and Helene Johnson's " Sonnet to a Negro in Harlem" both highlight dignity and racial pride. The literature of the Harlem Renaissance were acclaimed to a fierce racial conscious and racial pride animated by all the literature. Poetry as one of the cultural form and expression to subvert racial

Read More
132 Words | 1 Pages

The Harlem Renaissance was a period of great cultural growth in the black community. It is accepted that it started in 1918 and lasted throughout the 1930s. Though named the ‘Harlem’ Renaissance, it was a country-wide phenomenon of pride and development among black Americans, the likes of which had never existed in such grand scale. Among the varying political actions and movements for equality, a surge of new art appeared: musical, visual, and even theatre. With said surge, many of the most well-known black authors, poets, musicians and actors rose to prevalence including Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, Louis Armstrong, and Eulalie Spence.

Read More
1404 Words | 6 Pages

Due to the Harlem Renaissance, the United States now sees the African American community as a serious source of literature, art, and especially music. It was an opportunity for African Americans to resist the inequality and prove that if race was not a factor, that there may be aspects of African Americans that are appealing to whites The main idea of being free and open about everything regarding life has been passed down through the ages of African American culture to the music and poetry that we see and hear

Read More
1069 Words | 5 Pages

Student Name Instructor’s Name Class/Subject Name 11 March 2016 Harlem Renaissance Introduction At the end of World War I in 1948 new era began to emerge in which African American culture, art, literature, music and trends in dance began to flourish in Harlem, a district of New York City. It started during 1920s to 1930s and also known as the moments of blacks provided a great opportunity to African Americans to make their voice heard by the world which had been suppressed for a long time.

Read More
1545 Words | 7 Pages

The fascination with Harlem was accompanied by the new objectification of the Negro as an exotic icon” (Watson, p.105). Although there was so much attention brought to the Harlem Renaissance from many, there wasn’t any changes on the need for economic equality nor racial inequality (Watson, p.

Read More
1409 Words | 6 Pages

Langston Hughes poems “Harlem” and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” are two poems that have a deeper meaning than a reader may notice. Hughes 's poem “Harlem” incorporates the use of similes to make a reader focus on the point Hughes is trying to make. In “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” Hughes shows how close he was to the rivers on a personal level. With those two main focuses highlighted throughout each poem, it creates an intriguing idea for a reader to comprehend. In these particular poems, Hughes’s use of an allusion, imagery, and symbolism in each poem paints a clear picture of what Hughes wants a reader to realize.

Read More
1749 Words | 7 Pages

In this novel the reader can see the inner turmoil within literature and its characters. There is a major shift present from supernatural and religious happiness, into individual driven happiness. Due to this newly valued individual independence, social boundaries in race and gender started to appear, thus causing the transition into the Harlem Renaissance, a movement that celebrated African American culture through artwork, literature, and music. Throughout this era elements of new identity, political challenging, and gender and racial improvements were all addressed and examined in the associated literature. The poem Legal Alien is a good example of the ideals encompassed in the era.

Read More

More about Comparing Helen Johnson's Sonnet To A Negro In Harlem And The Harlem Dancer

Related Topics

Open Document