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Countee Cullen And Langston Hughes

1027 Words5 Pages

Gracee Reeves
Julie King
English 252
9 April 2023
Title
“We shall not always plant while others reap” (“From the Dark Tower, line 1). The Harlem Renaissance was a time of great cultural and artistic growth in the African American community, and the two of its most significant poetic voices were Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes. While the two writers had different styles and philosophies, their works can be compared and analyzed to gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and social climate of the time. Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes were influential writers during the Harlem Renaissance who had similar themes of freedom and inequality, were a voice to the voiceless, and used symbolism in their works. By examining these key elements, …show more content…

They contributed to the formation of historical, cultural, and social movements by using their art to illuminate the challenges and victories of their society. For Hughes, this meant embracing the strength and beauty of African American culture. He championed equality, denounced racism and injustice, and embraced African American culture, comedy, and spirituality through his poems, novels, plays, essays, and children's books. Hughes said “He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool. Sweet Blues! Coming from a black man’s soul. O Blues! In a deep song voice with a melancholy tone, I heard that Negro sing, that old piano moan” (“The Weary Blues,” lines 13-18). This demonstrates how Hughes appreciated the artistic richness of African American culture and music. On the other hand, Cullen adopted a more conservative perspective on the battle for black emancipation, emphasizing respectability and education as the means to equality. Additionally, Cullen developed an ideal that incorporated both cultures. He eventually came to feel that art was beyond race and that it could be utilized to bridge the gap between blacks and whites. This is supported when Cullen says, “oblivious to look and word they pass, and see no wonder that lightning brilliant as a sword should blaze the path of thunder” (“Tableau,” lines 9-12). Despite their differing approaches, both writers were celebrated for representing those who could not speak for

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Hughes and Cullen Poetry Analysis Langston Hughes was a black writer during the harlem renaissance who wrote poetry and other papers. Hughes wrote a poem called A Dream Deferred. That poem is about what happens when a dream is deferred. Another writer during the harlem renaissance is Countee Cullen.

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Countee Cullen and Langston Hughes were two African American  poets who wrote during the Harlem Renaissance time period. The Harlem Renaissance spanned from 1917-1937 in Northeast America. Although slavery was  in history, racial tension was still felt during that time, and that is what both poets wrote about. Countee Cullen wrote the poem “Incident”. Structurally the two poems are rather different.

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“Countee Cullen.” Poetry Foundation, https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/countee-cullen. Accessed 16 April 2023. Sánchez-Pardo, Esther. " Melancholia, the New Negro, and the Fear of Modernity: Forms Sublime and Denigrated in Countee Cullen's Writings.

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This being because the people with power, the white people, suppress the voices of black people at all costs, it was as if black poets and voices were blacklisted. Cullen points out the irony of God choosing to make him a black poet and ask him to write and publish when he is stopped by obstacles that are in place during his time

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The Harlem Renaissance, a cultural movement that rose in the 1920s, brought forth many literary works that celebrated African American identity and showcased black culture. Among the loud voices of this era was Langston Hughes, whose poetry embodied the struggles and resilience of the African American community. Langston Hughes' poetry is filled with vivid imagery, showing readers into the heart of the African American experience. Through his masterful use of imagery, Hughes captures the essence of emotions, settings, and characters, creating an experience that resonates with the reader. One example of a poem that showcases his great use of imagery is "The Weary Blues."

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The culture of most blacks was unwanted during this time. For this reason Hughes desired to make a change and illustrate such cultural identities in his poems. In doing this he caused a shift in ideas among all people. Although the change didn’t happen immediately it did eventually occur. With that said the African American people were given less of an opportunity at jobs, schooling, and most importantly culture.

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It talks about how yesterday was a thing of the past and that it cannot be changed. He talks about how each day, African Americans must march on towards their dreams. Despite prejudice, oppression, and poverty that African Americans faced at this time, Hughes points to a positive in that the only way their dreams will come true is if they focus on the present day and what they can do to fix things. They cannot be looking at the past and what has happened. His message to the audience in this poem is towards the youth, in particular African-Americans.

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We know we are beautiful… If colored people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, their displeasure doesn’t matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, strong as we know how, and we stand on top of the mountain, free within ourselves” (Hughes). Langston Hughes showed young Black artists that they could be proud of themselves and for them to not be afraid of showing that pride in their artwork.

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The shame wasn’t a cause for them to turn away from the love for their culture, it just made the proud of their deep black beautiful roots. The black artists of the Harlem Renaissance put a visual scene to the joy, pain, laughter, tears, and the ugly truth within this endearing culture. The literature of the Harlem Renaissance gave an intellectual opinion in American during in the turn of the 20th century. Writers of the Harlem Renaissance have had a profound impact on the American society today.

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