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"The Negro Speaks of Rivers," : Theme/Structure/Meaning/Historical Context

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"The Negro Speaks of Rivers," : Theme/Structure/Meaning/Historical Context

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The theme of this poem is that African American culture began in ancient times and runs deep within many today. The poem was written around 1921 when racism was high and African-American culture was disregarded. The theme is conveyed throughout the poem, for the author lists events that reveal how long African-American culture has existed. For example, the poem states, "I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it." (Hughes, line 7) Using the time periods of the pyramids displays the age of this culture and allows the reader to grasp the topic. The poem is structured into 5 stanzas with two single lined stanzas. The two single lines are the same sentence which emphasizes how African-American culture is much like river. The subject is African-American culture which speaks directly to the reader of how old and strong the culture is. The author most likely wrote this poem to make a statement that this culture is relevant during a time where African-Americans were disregarded and treated poorly.The poem is happening during 1921 and does not have a specific place, for it speaks of many places, such as the Euphrates, Congo, Nile, the pyramids, the Mississippi, and New Orleans. The poem has a heavier mood yet it uses words with both positive and negative connotations such as, "muddy" then, "golden." Hughes was heavily involved in African-American culture and, "...wanted to tell the stories of his people in ways that reflected their actual culture, including both their suffering and their love of music, laughter, and language itself." (poets.org, pg 1) Hughes had to spend time truly observing his people and their stories in order to portray them correctly in his poems. Being involved in this culture influenced Hughes to tell their untold stories and expose the world to their culture, for people were unaware.

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"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" : 6 Literary Terms

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"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" : 6 Literary Terms

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- Langston Hughes uses a simile when he states, "My soul has grown deep like the rivers." (Hughes, line 4) A simile is a comparison using the words "like" or "as." Hughes compare's the subject's soul to a river which emphasizes how wise and knowledgable the character is. Rivers slowly become deeper and people slowly gain more experience as life progresses.

- Repetition is used in the poem, for example, the phrase, "I've known rivers," (Hughes, line 1) is repeated throughout the piece. Repetition is a technique in which a sound, word, phrase or line is repeated for emphasis. The fact that this phrase is repeated, the reader is able to truly grasps the idea that the subject is knowledgable and is full of culture.

- The author uses personification when he states, "...when dawns were young." (Hughes, line 5) Personification is when a nonhuman object is given human characteristics. Hughes uses personification to display how old the subject is and to explain the time of day which develops the setting.

-  Hughes uses imagery when he states, "I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset." (Hughes, lines 8-10)  The author paints a vivid picture in the reader's mind in order to further emphasize how old the subject is. Imagery is the descriptive language that recreates sensory experiences.

- The author uses the speaker to tell the story, for he states, "I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep." (Hughes, line 6) A speaker is a voice that "talks" to the reader. Including a speaker in the story gives the reader a better understanding of the topic, for they are reading the story from the character's point of view.

- Langston Hughes uses symbolism when he states, "I've known rivers: Ancient, dusky rivers." (Hughes, line 11-12) A symbol is a person, place, object, or activity that stands for something beyond itself. The deep rivers are a symbol for the long-living soul of African-American culture.

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"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes

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"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes

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The Negro Speaks of Rivers

Langston Hughes, 1902 - 1967

I’ve known rivers:
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.

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln
     went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy
     bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I’ve known rivers:
Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

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"Langston Hughes." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, )1 Aug. 2016. Web. 04 Apr. 2017

Hughes, Langston. "The Weary Blues." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 17 July 2014. Web. 04 Apr. 2017.

"Langston Hughes: biography: African-American history: Crossing Boundaries: Kansas Humanities Council." N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Apr. 2017.

Hughes, Langston. "The Negro Speaks of Rivers." Poets.org. Academy of American Poets, 15 June 2016.

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The theme of this poem is that music is important, for many go through difficult trials and music is a way to express one's thoughts and feelings. For example, the author states, "I ain't happy no mo' and I wish that I had died." (Hughes, lines 25-26) The musician is expressing his feelings through music. The theme is conveyed throughout the poem because the musician is singing constantly of his troubles. The meaning of this poem is that many face hardships, especially the African-American community, and music, particularly blues, is an important part of their culture. The subject is Hughes who is the speaker as well, who discusses the topic of African- American hardships and culture. The poem was written in order to inform the reader of what life is life for this particular race. The poem is happening in 1926 on Lenox Avenue. The poem contains the words "rickety" and "moan" which have sad and negative connotations. The tone/mood is solemn for the musician explains how unhappy he is. The poem is strucured into 15 stanzas which differ in rhyme schemes. Most of the stanzas follow the scheme: AA. The sentences spoken by the speaker are more formal, for example, "Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon, I heard a Negro play." (Hughes, lines 2-3) The subject speaks formally and in complex sentences. The musician sings, "Ain't got nobody in all this world." (Hughes, line 19) The musician uses slang and his speech is informal. The way each character speaks reveals more about them. Langston Hughes was involved in, "the world of jazz." (poets.org, pg1) His involvement and inside look on the culture of jazz has influenced him to create poems based on this topic. Hughes was not only influenced by jazz, but by other writers who wrote about African American life. Langston Hughes' writing gives the audience an insightful view of the culture and hardships of African-Americans.

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James Mercer Langston Hughes, commonly known as Langston Hughes, was born in Joplin Missouri on February 1, 1902. His childhood was difficult, for his parents divorced when he was young. He then lived with his grandmother until age thirteen. When he was thirteen, he moved to Lincoln, Illinois with his mother, which is where he began writing poetry. He attended Columbia University and traveled to Africa and Europe due to his job as a seaman. Not Without Laughter, Hughes' first novel, received the Harmon gold medal for literature in 1930. Langston Hughes' works are about African-American life from the twenties through the sixties. The poems written by Langston Hughes influenced the Harlem Renaissance, for his work regarded the lives of African-Americans. His poems as well as his other works portray important messages and are widely recognized today.

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- Langston Hughes uses a simile in his poem, for he states, "He slept like a rock, or a man that's dead." (Hughes, line 35) A simile is a comparison of two unlike things using "like" or "as". Hughes compares the man sleeping to a rock in order to illustrate his exhaustion and sadness, for he wishes he were dead. The simile emphasizes the man's feelings of unhappiness.

- The author of the poem uses imagery when he states, "Down on Lenox Avenue the other night By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light." (Hughes, lines 4-5) Imagery is descriptive language used to recreate sensory experiences. Hughes includes imagery to reveal more information about the subject and the man he heard playing the blues. The reader is aware that the musician as well as the speaker do not live luxurious lives. The image of the faded gas light illustrates that the two characters are not in a nice, well kept, area of town.

- The author uses personification, for he states, "He made that poor piano moan with melody." (Hughes, line 10) Personification is when a nonhuman object is given human characteristics. The piano is given the human characteristic of moaning. Hughes uses personification to show the musician's sadness. When the man plays, even the piano is solemn which emphasizes the man's emotions.

- Hughes uses repetition, for example, he states, "O Blues!" (Hughes, line 11) This phrase is repeated which emphasizes the musician's sadness and the importance of blues in order to express his thoughts and feelings. Blues is vital to the musician, for it allows him to escape temporarily from all of his hardships. Repetition is a technique where a sound, word, phrase or line is repeated for emphasis.

- The author uses onomatopoeia when he states, "Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor." (Hughes, line 23) Onomatopoeia is the use of words whose sounds echo their meanings. The author's use of onomatopoeia allows the reader to understand the setting as well as the character on a deeper level.

- Langston uses the speaker to tell the story, for example, "I heard a Negro play." (Hughes, line 3) The poem is told from the view of an observer which allows the reader to focus solely on the musician. A speaker is a voice that "talks" to the reader and can be an observer or intimately involved in the experience.

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The Weary Blues
Langston Hughes, 1902 - 1967
Droning a drowsy syncopated tune,
Rocking back and forth to a mellow croon,
     I heard a Negro play.
Down on Lenox Avenue the other night
By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light
     He did a lazy sway . . .
     He did a lazy sway . . .
To the tune o’ those Weary Blues.
With his ebony hands on each ivory key
He made that poor piano moan with melody.
     O Blues!
Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool
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—
     “Ain’t got nobody in all this world,
       Ain’t got nobody but ma self.
       I’s gwine to quit ma frownin’
       And put ma troubles on the shelf.”

Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor.
He played a few chords then he sang some more—
     “I got the Weary Blues
       And I can’t be satisfied.
       Got the Weary Blues
       And can’t be satisfied—
       I ain’t happy no mo’
       And I wish that I had died.”
And far into the night he crooned that tune.
The stars went out and so did the moon.
The singer stopped playing and went to bed
While the Weary Blues echoed through his head.
He slept like a rock or a man that’s dead.