Biography of Langston Hughes Essay - 1046 Words

The well known poet Langston Hughes was an inspiring character during the Harlem Renaissance to provide a push for the black communities to fight for the rights they deserved. Hughes wrote his poetry to deliver important messages and provide support to the movements. When he was at a young age a teacher introduced him to poets Carl Sandburg and Walt Whitman, and they inspired him to start his own. Being a â€Å"darker brother,† as he called blacks, he experienced and wanted his rights, and that inspired him. Although literary critics felt that Langston Hughes portrayed an unattractive view of black life, the poems demonstrate reality. Hughes used the Blues and Jazz to add effect to his work as well as his extravagant word use and literary†¦show more content†¦He signed up to be a steward for cargo ships which would take him to Africa and Spain. Then in 1924 he went to live in Paris where he continued his works. A bit after he got back to America he met poet Vachel Lin dsay. After meeting Lindsay, Hughes career as a poet truly took off because when Hughes showed Lindsay his work he was intrigued greatly. Vachel massively broadened Hughes audiences, and in this event his work displayed his purpose to fight segregation and show the ugliness of black life widely. One of Hughes most famous poems, â€Å"Harlem(Dream Deferred)† had a great impact by posing lots of questioning. According to critic Tom Hanson, this poem is just that simple because it gives a bunch of undesirable answers to the same question, â€Å"What happens to a dream deferred?† Hanson also says how this poem refers almost completely to an unsolved problem (Hanson, Harlem). The poem gives four rather unpleasant interrogatives and one declarative answer followed by the sixth possibility, â€Å"Or does it explode?† which is supposed to be a question to make a reader really think. There are several ways to interpret the meaning of the final line, and the most sensible explanation is, the African American community is â€Å"deferring dreams† and in doing so their dreams explode in terms of the chance to act is gone. Some may say Hughes presented an unattractive viewShow MoreRelatedLangston Hughes Biography1058 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"James Merce r Langston Hughes, known as Langston Hughes was born February 2, 1902 in Missouri, to Carrie Hughes and James Hughes.† Years later his parents separated. Langston’s father moved to Mexico and became very successful, as his for mother, she moved frequently to find better jobs. As a child growing up Langston spent most of his childhood living with his grandmother named Mary Langston in Lawrence, Kansas. Mary Langston was a learned women and a participant in the civil rights Movement. WhenRead More Langston Hughes Biography Essay989 Words   |  4 Pages Langston Hughes is regarded as one of the most significant American authors of the twentieth century. Foremost a poet, he was the first African-American to earn a living solely from his writings after he became established. Over a forty-year career beginning in the 1920s until his death in 1967, Hughes produced poetry, plays, novels, and a variety of nonfiction. He is perhaps best known for his creation of the fictional c haracter, Jesse B. Semple, which first appeared in a Chicago Defender newspaperRead MoreThe Influences for Langston Hughes Successful Writing Career979 Words   |  4 PagesAmerican literature and American culture have always been connected throughout our history. Langston Hughes was able to recognize that, â€Å"Man had the inability to bridge cultures† (Bloom 16). 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James LangstonRead MoreAnalysis Of Langston Hughes s Poem I, Too978 Words   |  4 Pages Langston Hughes America, the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American. This is what everyone was told, what the Declaration of Independence states. But, Langston Hughes a black American poet in the Harlem Renaissance period saw the truth. Being an African American in the United States during the early 1900’s was difficult. Many lived a life full of hardships; segregation, prejudice and economic hardships, viewed as second-class citizensRead MoreEssay on The Harlem Renaissance and Langston Hughes 1038 Words   |  5 Pages Langston Hughes was one of the most important writers and thinkers of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, which was the first major movement of African- American life and culture. Hughes was influenced by living in New York Citys Harlem, where his literary works helped shape American literature and politics. Hughes strong sense of racial pride helped him promote equality, celebrate African- American culture, and condemn racism through his poetry, novels, plays, essays, and childrensRead MoreEssay on Langston Hughes? Influence on American Literature1422 Words   |  6 Pages Langston Hughes was one of the great writers of his time. He was named the â€Å"most renowned African American poet of the 20th century† (McLaren). Through his writing he made many contributions to following generations by writing about African American issues in creative ways including the use of blues and jazz. Langston Hughes captured the scene of Harlem life in the early 20th century significantly influencing American Literature. He once explained that his writing was an attempt to â€Å"explain andRead MoreMaya Angelou And Langston Hughes1193 Words   |  5 PagesMaya Angelou and Langston Hughes are both African American poets that have made tremendously positive names for themselves in the literature department. Their significant signature in the poetic community has been made by their passion and commitment to produce poetry that speaks to the emotions the pub lic faces on a daily basis. Maya Angelou was brought into this world on April 4th, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri. She grew up in St. Louis and Stamps, Arkansas (Maya Angelou Biography 1). Sadly, Ms. AngelouRead MoreAnalysis Of The Literary Work Let America Be America Again By Langston Hughes1324 Words   |  6 PagesHistorical analysis of the literary work â€Å"Let America be America Again† by Langston Hughes Man has always been interested in analyzing issues in the history of the world. People tend to appreciate it when grand historical events are described in works of literature. Consequently, writers and poets, try to capture every single step of societal and personal experiences in their works. One of such writers is Langston Hughes whose poem â€Å"Let America be America Again† speaks to certain events in theRead MoreThe Development Of Jazz, Blues And Literature1155 Words   |  5 PagesThe development of jazz, blues and literature in harlem shine a big light on langston hughes the famous writer .Who was one of harlem s famous writer for his poetry â€Å" Harlem Dream Deferred†.Langston Hughes is broadly viewed as one of the best artists who ever strolled the earth. A number of his subjects concentrated on the issues that were going up against the race, fairness and Suffrage. Langston Hughes was a vital part of the Harlem Renaissance, a period amid the 1920s and 1930s that was portrayed