Langston Hughes: Poet of Experience and Education

Introduction: Experience as the Foundation of Hughes's Poetry

Experience often shapes the individual in more ways than we realize. The most successful people take their experiences and turn them into something positive. Langston Hughes demonstrates how an individual can do this through literature. His poems explore the self that Hughes became — but only after suffering under segregation. His poems touch upon issues that became important to him. Hughes is known for his ability to be poetic while maintaining his sense of self and his awareness of his heritage. It is, in fact, his heritage that shapes most of his poetry.

We see the poet and his experience in "Harlem," a poem that set the tone for an entire generation. Other poems that speak to the poet's heritage include "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," "The Weary Blues," "Freedom Train," and "Theme for English B." Hughes's poetry also explores the experiences of others who might encounter a different slice of life, as seen in "Song for a Dark Girl." Hughes's poetry looks at certain life experiences from different points of view with the desire to educate others. Hughes wanted others to learn something from him, as he had learned over the course of his years. Experience and education become the focus of his poetry as Hughes attempts to educate through experience.

Experience is an important factor for Hughes, as he was willing not only to learn from his experiences but also to allow them to shape him into a better person. His passion drove him to succeed and become one of the most popular poets of his day. Paul Lauter claims that Hughes was a "bright young star of the Negro Renaissance" (Lauter 1487) and that Hughes's biggest discovery was Harlem. In Harlem, Hughes explored music and feeling as well as language, and from this time in his life he became proud of his heritage. One of Hughes's most painful experiences was also one that made him such a prolific writer. The experience of prejudice changed Hughes's life because it made him acutely aware of the suffering of others. Lauter claims the poet was "steadfast in his devotion to human rights" (1487). Michael Schmidt emphasizes the significance of Hughes's efforts in the Harlem Renaissance, noting that Hughes was the "bard of Harlem" (Schmidt 707). Schmidt asserts that Hughes incorporated much of his experience into his art, stating that the poet wrote in "two modes, one drawing rhythms from jazz and the blues, a poetry with ironies and radical reversals [that] generally avoids staginess; and poems of racial protest and definition" (Schmidt 708).

Hughes and the Harlem Renaissance: 'Harlem'

Hughes cannot be mentioned without acknowledging his influence on the Harlem Renaissance. The poem "Harlem" may prove to be one of the most popular pieces from this period. A man's dream is the central theme of the poem, with the poet asking what happens to a man when he cannot reach — or is prevented from reaching — his dream. Niemi claims that this poem is "justly revered as Hughes's most powerful poem of social protest" (Niemi 415). This is primarily because the poet has the courage to approach the topic and ask the important questions. The poet wants to know what happens to the African-American when his dream is "endlessly deferred by white society" (415).

The poem is nothing but a series of questions that cause the audience to think. The poet asks, "What happens to a dream deferred?" (Hughes, "Harlem," line 1) and begins to elaborate on what might happen when a dream is not allowed to be achieved. The conclusion of the poem asks, "Or does it explode?" (10), suggesting that broken dreams might be one of the most dangerous things that can happen. Niemi explains, "The question is a veiled warning that the ghetto may one day erupt in violence" (Niemi 415). Phillips explains that the last question the poet poses is intended to "shock and enlighten readers as to the explosive spirit and drive fueling an American dream and a determined people" (Phillips). The images of a "raisin in the sun" (Hughes 3) and the "stink of rotten meat" (6) are what Phillips calls "incendiary devices in the service of this dream that will not die" (Phillips).

The poet wants to convey as much of his topic as possible through sensory experience. When the reader can literally see and smell what the poet is experiencing, they are more likely to relate to the subject matter and remember it. The point Hughes wants us to recognize in the poem is that dreams belong to everyone, and no one has the right to crush someone else's dream.

Racial Affirmation and Heritage: 'The Negro Speaks of Rivers'

One of Hughes's primary concerns deals with racial affirmation. His hopes for America were that everyone, regardless of color, would be treated equally and with respect. "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," one of his early poems, demonstrates that desire. In this poem, our attention is brought to the poet's connection to his heritage. In that heritage, we find an unbreakable bond between the poet and both African and American rivers. The rivers flow like the poet's blood in his veins. He states, "I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of / human blood in human veins. / My soul has grown deep like the rivers" (Hughes, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," lines 2–4).

Here we can see how the poet feels connected to his past. It is also significant that the poet is not ashamed of his heritage. He writes, "I bathed in the Euphrates when the dawns were young. / I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep" (5–6). The power of language is illustrated in this poem as Hughes writes with a sense of pride. The images of the rivers reveal the enduring legacy of African-Americans and their ability to persevere.

Conclusion: Life as the Stuff of Poetry

Experience was extremely important to Hughes. His poetry emerges as some of the most passionate and realistic verse of its era because of Hughes's ability to discover something new in every different experience. The experiences of those who came before him are equally important, as he was always willing to learn from others as well. Being African-American during Hughes's lifetime was still profoundly difficult. Overcoming racism while allowing himself to engage with his changing community is what makes Hughes's poetry powerful and memorable. He did not let his circumstances ruin his life — instead, he decided to put them to good use, learning from them and educating others in the process.

Poems such as "Harlem" and "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" bring our attention to a point in time that was real and immediate for many individuals. Through such poetry, Hughes allows us to see his ability to express himself eloquently. He was also able to look at the human experience and tell a poetic story. "Song for a Dark Girl" and "Mother to Son" demonstrate Hughes's talent for writing from a different perspective and making a powerful point. Hughes's poetry succeeds because the poet captures our imagination and holds it long enough to teach us something. As these works collectively show, Hughes proves that life is the very stuff of which poetry is made.

Works Cited

Hughes, Langston. "Freedom Train." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Paul Lauter, et al., eds. Lexington: D.C. Heath and Company. 1990.

---. "Harlem." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia, eds. New York: Longman. 1999.

---. "Mother to Son." Poetry Foundation Online. Site accessed April 02, 2009. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/archive/poem.html?id=177021>

---. "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Paul Lauter, et al., eds. Lexington: D.C. Heath and Company. 1990.

---. "Song for a Dark Girl." Mesa Community College Literature Database. Site accessed April 02, 2009. <http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/~bjordan/SongforaDarkGirl.html>

Lauter, Paul. "Langston Hughes." The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Lexington: D.C. Heath and Company. 1990.

Niemi, Robert. "The Poetry of Langston Hughes." Masterpieces of African-American Literature. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. 1992.

Phillips, Harry. "Overview of Harlem." Poetry for Students. 1997. Gale Resource Database. Site accessed April 02, 2009. <http://www.infotrac.galegroup.com>

Schmidt, Michael. The Lives of the Poets. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. 1999.