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Langston Hughes Let America Be America Again

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Analyses - Let America Be America Again Langston Hughes uses a varied meter in “Let America Be America Again”. In the first line and title of his poem he starts with the first syllable [let] stressed, followed by a unstressed syllable [a]. This trochaic dimeter is used just for the first four syllables, following a iambic tetrameter starting with [ca] unstressed and [be] stressed. The second line starts with a trochee, but this time with eight syllables, therefore a tetrameter. The last syllable in this line stands on its own and is stressed. Hughes follows the form of his first two lines and continues using stressed – unstressed syllables, a trochee. The eight syllables are followed by a iamb [the plain]. The fourth line starts with a trochee …show more content…

Line one [again] rhymes with line three [plain], and line two [be] with line four [free]. This scheme continues for the second and third stanza. Furthermore an internal rhyme is used in line one of the first [be-dream-be] and second stanza [dream-dreamers-dreamed]. According to Meyers a rhyme is the identity of the last stressed vowel and its subsequent letters in two or more words, in its diverse forms and variations, such as internal rhyme or alliteration (Michael Meyer, p50). To create internal rhyming, assonances are used in line 8 [where – never], line 16 [across – stars], line 40 [still – kings] and many more throughout the poem. Several alliterations are used in “Let America Be America Again”. In the forth line of the first stanza he uses [home,he,himself], followed by [dream,dreamers,dreamed] in the first line of the second stanza. Furthermore alliterations are used in line 7 [land, love] and line 72 [live, like, …show more content…

Several times different words are used as a metaphor for America, such as [dream] and [pioneer]. Furthermore [steel of freedom] in line 71 can be understood as the american pride. In line 34 [machine] is used as a metaphor. The machine stands as a methapor for the american system. The metaphor has been difened as 1) a shortened or implicit comparison, which substitutes one concept for another, or 2) as an interaction between two concepts, which transfers meanings. According to the first understanding, the metaphor presupposes a ground of similarity between the tenor and the image or vehicle. Accoirdung to the second definition, the metphor does more because it asks us to see x as y, to regard some in a new light (Bode 94). A metaphor appears in many forms; it combines two nouns, a noun and a verb, a qualifier and a noun, or it takes the shape of a statement. (Michael Meyer,

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Frances Scott Key’s, “Star Spangled Banner” and Langston Hughes’ “Let America Be America Again” are poems from two American poets, but describe two very different American viewpoints. Using the poems’ structures, and poetic techniques, and overall messages, both Keys and Hughes demonstrate their unique perspectives about America that are both historically significant to helping readers better understand our country’s history. Our National Anthem, “The Star Spangled Banner” was actually a poem originally titled “The Defence of Fort M’Henry” by Francis Scott Key who was actually a lawyer who wrote poetry as a hobby. Francis Scott Key wrote, “The Defence of Fort M’Henry” on September 14, 1814 after witnessing the British fleet’s bombardment

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What is the American Dream? Many people have tried to explain the dream, or how they feel about the dream. Most try to be all patriotic and country loving like Walt Whitman... But others like Langston Hughes reveal a darker side of the dream. Whitman hears America Singing.

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“Let America be America again” starts off with a usual rhyme scheme, with every other line rhyming. Lines seven and nine rhyme. Hughes’ structure change can be seen here, “Let it be that great strong land of love,” (line 7). The typical ABAB rhyme scheme is seen here with the words “love” and above”. “That any man be crushed by one above,” (line 9).

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This pattern is ABAB CDCD EFEF GG, where each line rhymes with its matching letter. I have marked each line in the passage with this scheme, notice how the lines with the same letter rhyme, i.e (lines A, hand and stand). Furthermore, this passage from the play follows

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The last consonant in both words are the same and the vowels before are also the same. This is an example of an end rhyme. Also, this example includes an alliteration. “Two-toned”, in Stanza 10, is an example of alliteration.

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America is well known as the land of the free and the home opportunity. Although it is said everyone is equal in every way, that has not always been the case. Langston Hughes is a poet who tried to emphasize the idea of equality among all human beings. Hughes underlined the basis of the American Dream with what is and what should be in the societal era he lived in. In hindsight he believed his poems helped others realize the injustices that all minorities had to face during this era.

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"I Hear America Singing" focuses on the glories of America, showcasing the happiness and joy that is present on a daily basis. This is clearly evidenced in one of the lines from Whitman's poem: "Singing with open mouths their strong melodious songs." However, "I, Too, Sing America highlights the darker side of American life during this era. Unlike Whitman, Hughes' poem takes a much more serious tone, that forces the reader to consider the other side of the coin. This is poignately illustrated in the line, "And be ashamed -" which points to the "they" that will be ashamed in the future for how "they" treated the African American

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The beginning of the poem implies the land, mines, office towers, and factories belong to the rich, but the end of the poem implies all these things belong to the American people as a whole. The most obvious display of repetition is at the beginning and end of the poem. In the beginning of the poem, it says, “That the land might be ours, And the mines and factories and the office towers” (Lines 14 and 15). It goes on to say “That the plants and the roads and the tools of power be ours” (Line 17). The second example of this repetition is at the end of the poem, “Takes land, Takes factories, Takes office towers, Takes tools and banks and mines” (Lines 58-61).

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In the two poems, “I Hear America Singing,” and, “I, Too,” there are many similarities and differences that show us that know matter what is happening you have to stand up for yourself and do what you love. We see this in the two poems, “I Hear America Singing,” and, “I, Too” when the authors, Walt Whitman and Langston Hughes, both talk about what America was a like in the 1900s, and how people were doing jobs that they had liked to do. We can see how a African American man would stand up for himself and we see this in the poem “I, Too” because we are able to see how he was able to stand up to everyone else and prove he was able to be treated like anyone else.

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They also represent what kind of contemporary entertainment he enjoys. He also uses quite a few enjambments to drive the poem forward. The enjambments bring the lines together, even though there is a line break the idea of the line continues on. A example of one of Hughes’s enjambments is “ I guess you learn from me--/ although you’re older”(Hughes 38-39).

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This assignment, I'm going to discuss the poetry of Langston Hughes. This Harlem Renaissance was an early twentieth Century movements to be an artist. How they felt to be black and the meaning behind being black. How to be black, and how to be an American at the same time. Harlem Renaissance started after first War world, and didn't end until the Great Depression.

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A central theme in the short story “Thank you Ma 'am” by Langston Hughes is a little kindness goes a long way. One act of kindness can change a person’s life forever. Her unnecessary kindness made a major impact on Roger and changes him. As the story progresses, we see that Mrs. Luella Bates Washington Jones shows empathy and kindness for Roger. That kindness appears to pass onto Roger near the end of the story.

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The second speaker also reshapes the first two lines of the entire poem into a plea to the majority. Beforehand, the first speaker uses those lines as a call for the old American spirit to be revived: “Let America be America again / Let it be the dream it used to be” (1-2). Both speakers change the meaning of the lines to express their thoughts on America. As a result, the poem expresses the desire for everyone to be treated equally in the land of freedom. The readers can relate to the speaker because they wish that everyone has equal rights in the country that proclaims itself to be the symbol of freedom.

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The literary device that seems ubiquitous in this poem is alliteration. The first one found in lines 633-634, “ still brave, still strong/ And with his shield at his side, and a mail shirt on his breast.” The “S” sound is repeated. Another example of alliteration shown is on lines 717-718.

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The speaker displays his connection to the black heritage by stating that “They’ll see how beautiful I am” (line 16), and the last line of the poem “I, too, sing America” repeats the first line, but this time with more insistent tone. The speaker is stating the fact

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