Discuss the major themes of Langston Hughes’ poems you have read.

Answer

Discuss the major themes of Langston Hughes’ poems you have read. [NU: 2020, 22]

Langston Hughes (1901–1967) is one of the most important American poets of the 20th century. He was a leading voice of the Harlem Renaissance, a movement that celebrated African American culture and identity. Hughes wrote about racism, inequality, and the dream of freedom. His poems are simple in language but deep in meaning. Let us now discuss the major themes of his poetry.

Racial Inequality and Hope: Racial inequality is a major theme in Langston Hughes’s poems. In “I, Too, Sing America” (1926), Hughes shows the ugly side of racial inequality in America. In this poem, the speaker is a black man. He calls himself “the darker brother.” Because of his skin color, he is not given respect. He sadly says that he is sent to eat in the kitchen when guests come. He is not allowed to sit at the table with others.

“They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes.”

This shows how Black people are separated and treated as inferior. But instead of crying, he laughs, eats well, and grows strong. He hopes that one day he will sit at the table and eat together. So, Hughes shows the ugliness of racism but also the hope that one day America will accept Black people as equal.

Suffering and the Power of Music: In “The Weary Blues” (1925), we see the loneliness, sadness, and frustration of the black Americans. In this poem, the poet hears a Black musician playing the piano on Lenox Avenue in Harlem. The music is slow, sad, and sleepy. The singer sings:

“I ain’t happy no mo’ 

And I wish that I had died.”

These lines reveal the emotional pain caused by poverty, racism, and loneliness. Yet, even in sadness, the music becomes a way of survival. Hughes shows how art gave voice to suffering.