Langston Hughes' The Negro Speaks Of Rivers Poem Analysis

The Negro Speaks Of Rivers By Langston Hughes
Hello and welcome to Radio 7's first series of "Strange Fruit" where we analyse and evaluate how a
poet presents their values, attitudes and perspectives through their poem. I'm your host PERSON 1
and I'm pleased to be here with the wonderful PERSON 2, a poetry critic and history university
lecturer, who will be talking about the poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes.
So first of all PERSON 2 who is Langston Hughes and when did he write "The Negro Speaks of
Rivers"?
Langston Hughes was a novelist, fiction, poet, playwright and fiction writer. He is known for his
insightful, colorful portrayals of black life in America from the twenties through to the sixties and
was important in shaping the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance. Hughes wrote the
poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" while on a train crossing the Mississippi River on the way to
visit his father in Mexico in 1920; he was 17 years old at the time. Hughes helped to unite and
inspire the African American community when their voice was not appreciated by a predominantly
white society, and as a result, he became the unofficial poet laureate of the Renaissance. "The Negro
Speaks of Rivers" connects the soul and heritage of the African American community to four great
rivers in Africa, America and the Middle East. In this way, the poem charts the journey of African
and African Americans and links this community to the birth of civilization. Hughes tells the tale of
freedom and enslavement that
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

The Negro Speak Of Rivers By Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes who is full name is James Mercer Langston Hughes was born on February 1,
1902, in Joplin, Missouri, The son of American teacher Carrie(Carolina) mercer (1872/3–1938) and
James Nathaniel Hughes (1871–1934).Hughes parents separated soon after this birth. Hughes's
father left the family, divorced Carrie, moved to Cuba, and then to Mexican, to escape the racism
prevalent in the united states. This mother also moves around.Hughes was raised primarily by this
maternal grandfather, mary. Langston's grandmother, mary died in his early teens and then he moved
with his mother. Langston and his mother moved around to several different cities until they settled
in Cleveland Ohio, it was then when Langston began to write poetry. One day ... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
He also wrote many novel and short stories. After Langton published his first poem "The Weary
Blue" Langton got a scholarship to Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. while studying at Lincoln
University, Langton's poem gets attention by novelist and critic Carl Van Vechten. Carl Van Vechten
helped Langston publish his first poem book" The Weary Blue". The book showed his poetic style
and a lot of black themes since Langston was a black men. After that poem book Langston published
this second poetry book "Fine clothes to the jew" in 1927. After the publish of that poetry Langston
graduated from Lincoln University in 1929. After the graduation Langston published this first novel
"Not without Laughter"in 1929 and then his short stories"The Ways of the White Folks"was
published in 1934. Langston Hughes wrote so many other poems and novels which were published
but shortly after all that success and all those poems Langston was diagnosed with complication of
prostate cancer. And langston died shortly after but this work get translated throughout the

The Negro Speaks Of River Sparknotes
Throughout American history, African Americans have always expressed the trials and pain of being
treated as a second–class citizen. During the Harlem Renaissance African Americans were given a
platform to showcase their aggression, suffering, joy, and beliefs through literature. During the early
period of the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes wrote the well renown poem "The Negro
Speaks of River". This tells a story of the black man's evolution to America. He uses symbolism,
free verse, and tone to paint a picture in the poem. Hughes displays a strong sense of racial pride and
dignity. Through the metaphors of the rivers, he touches the history of the African American from
Africa to America.
This poem uses symbolism to display the African American saga. Hughes writes, "I built my hut
near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep." Hughes gives readers a sense of peace and tranquility. The
African man was once nurtured by the soothing comfort of the Congo. The Congo is a river that is
prominent in Africa. Hughes relaxes the readers as he takes them to the beauty of Africa and where
his ancestry came from. The vastness and resourcefulness of the Congo was a place Africans could
live and thrive. The black man in America can live and thrive as well. Langston experienced the
treatment of second class citizens, and he knows that African–Americans ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
During this period the people built up a united awareness that flows as a river, to each generation.
The sense of urgency never loses its power of flow, constantly moving forward. Hughes moves from
river to river from, living freely and moving around the Congo, to being enslaved to build, then to
having freedom yet again. Not only having freedom but a life beyond just freedom a life where him
and other black Americans can be

What Is The Mood Of The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
Poetry Analysis: The Genre of Poetry: "The Negro speaks of Rivers", by Langston Hughes, is an
extraordinary work. It's filled with deep passion of history and the spirit of those African Americans
who've thrived for peace, and died for the betterment of tomorrow. Reading this poem though it be
short in length, I was inspired by the metaphors and symbolism Hughes used. For starters the poem
as a whole discusses years and years of triumph from those of our ancestors. Hughes shows a
timeline throughout the poem, using it as a metaphor of the thousands of years that African
Americans as a people have grown. "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." (Lines 8–10). In
this exert of the poem the muddy color of the Mississippi is a metaphor for skin color in the context
of slavery and became golden when slavery was abolished by Lincoln. Not only does Hughes use
metaphors to describe his great admiration, but he also personifies. It is known that he could not
have lived through over five thousand years of triumph, but he personifies his soul to say that it has
grown as deep as ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
I feel that way because when your reading this poem, as you begin to break it down and realize the
true meaning behind it, its saying that though times have been difficult, people have strived and
suffered for a better day. They've accomplished so much in the course of history. Langston wrote
this poem in June 1920, way before major accomplishments by later activist. So one could say this
poem was a vision for a brighter day ahead of us. Lines 9–10, ".... went down to New Orleans, and
I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset." (9–10) describes the turn of events and
how it overcame. Though in this case Hughes was referring to slavery, that metaphor could be
applied to any obstacle you have overcome in

Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
Langston Hughes' The Negro Speaks of Rivers "was the first poem published in Langston Hughes's
long writing career a relevant poem (Gale 2003) because it connects readers to African American
history. Hughes serves as a voice for all African Americans, as he traces their heritage to the roots of
Negro civilization by quoting "I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than flow of human
blood in human veins"(Hughes 1994).
.
In order to understand where Hughes is coming from, it is important to know a little of the history
starting with "the Negro Speaks of Rivers" treats themes Hughes explored all his life: the
experiences of African Americans in history and black identity and pride(Gale 2003). This poem
was published in 1921. He wrote ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In a time of great violence, great racial intolerance, injustice, and inequality in America at the time
the writing of this poem was a real turning point as you see here Hughes addressed the point quickly
by "Very quickly, very directly, Hughes moved beyond anger and resentment to expose the isolation
that was the real tragedy of the mulatto in a racist society (Gale 2003). Also Hughes found and
recognized when he was young were and why all this racism was happening here he says how he
found out : "As Hughes developed his portrayal of the black lower classes and their ghetto
environment, he became more and more preoccupied with the question of the Negro's racial identity.
Hughes had begun his search for the meaning of the racial experience in America shortly after he
graduated from high school (Gale 2003). In his first mature poem, "A Negros peaks of Rivers," he
found an analogy between the river that flowed through his native Midwest and the ancient rivers
that watered the lands where his race was born (Gale 2003). Even when the Blacks had no voice or
any type of glow in the predominantly white society his voice and his poem somehow became the
voice of all Blacks and the unofficial leader in the Harlem Renaissance he also backs this quote up
by saying "African civilizations, and an "I" who speaks for the race, Hughes argues for the depth,
wisdom, and endurance of the African soul (Gale 2003). This was the movement of Black writers,
poets, journalist, and musicians this period was in the 1920 through the 1930's where blacks had
another way to express their self through their talents and words you can say that Mr. Hughes was a
key inspiration to all of this Hughes emerged as the most brilliant of Harlem's Renaissance poets,
and as the one who created the most vibrant portrait of the Negro's urban experience.

Langston Hughes: The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
Mason Hughes
Mrs. Whaley
English 3 Hon.
13 November 2017
Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes, who wrote in the mid 1900's, can be better understood by studying his struggles
with racism and segregation, his foreign affairs, and his involvement with anti–racist movements
like the NAACP. One of his most popular poems, The Negro Speaks of Rivers, can be better
understood by studying his childhood, his impact on young writers,and his influences.
Langston Hughes is easily understood with knowledge of his struggles with racism and segregation
in the early 1900's and encouraged young black writers to write about their struggles with racism.
While Langston's mother was looking for a job, he was mostly raised by his grandmother, Mary
Patterson Langston, in Lawrence, Kansas. When his mother took custody, they moved to Cleveland,
Ohio and attended high school there.
He started grammar school and elected class poet, and wrote for the school newspaper, and was an
editor for the yearbook, and started some of his first short stories and poetry pieces. After he
graduated high ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Langston Hughes. Greenwood Press, 2004.
"Langston Hughes." Poets.org, Academy of American Poets, 1 Aug. 2016,
www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/langston–hughes.
Wikipedia Contributors. "Langston Hughes." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 9 Nov. 2017,
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langston_Hughes.
"Langston Hughes." Poetry foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/langston–hughes.
"Langston Hughes." Langston Hughes, Library of Congress,
www.americaslibrary.gov/aa/hughes/aa_hughes_subj.html.
"Langston Hughes Society." Langston Hughes Society, 2014, www.langstonhughessociety.org/.
The State Historical Society of Missouri. "Langston Hughes." James Mercer Langston Hughes, The
State Historical Society of Missouri, shsmo.org/historicmissourians/name/h/hughes/.
"A Centennial Tribute to Langston Hughes." Library System, Howard University,

Langston Hughes in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" is speaking about the path that African
Americans had to take to get to where they are and how he too has faced and seen many things in
his lifetime. He uses repetition in his statement "I've known rivers", which he uses three times
throughout the short poem. Reminding the reader to pay attention to the long journey they
overcame. He first speaks on how the struggles of African Americans began in ancient times.
Referencing them going back before the beginning of man, "...older than the flow of human blood in
human veins". He then uses a simile to draw himself into the struggle; "My soul has grown deep like
the rivers". Boldly stating that he has seen and been through so much in his life that his

Symbolism in The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes
Symbolism in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes
Symbolism embodies Hughes' literary poem through his use of the river as a timeless symbol. A
river can be portrayed by many as an everlasting symbol of perpetual and continual change and of
the constancy of time and of life itself. People have equated rivers to the aspects of life – time, love,
death, and every other indescribable quality which evokes human life. This analogy is because a
river exemplifies characteristics that can be ultimately damaging or explicitly peaceable. In the
poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," Langston Hughes cites all of these qualities.
In "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", the river stands as a symbol of endlessness, geographical
awareness, and the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The poem 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" (8–9). The singing symbolizes
the happiness felt by the freed slaves while the river itself changes from being something murky and
gloomy into something bright and made of gold. With the mention of the sunset, there is a sense of
optimism and hope for a fresh start of a new day. Throughout these lines, the speaker conveys to the
readers the impression that no matter where the location of the river is, it has the capability to create
and sustain life, signifying the ability of the African American people to do the same. The
completion of the symbol is in Hughes's own personal account of himself and his own soul in the
poem.
The river functions as a symbol representing the continuous movement and flow of time and
geography. These main ideas adjoin in the one place and time in which the speaker currently resides
and exists in. After Hughes's comparison of the river to all human blood at the beginning of the
poem, Hughes states, "My soul has grown deep like the rivers" (4). This impactful and emotion
evoked line written by Hughes recognizes the message he is portraying of having a personal
connection to the rivers

The poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers, written by Langston Hughes uses rivers across different
geographical regions to explore the history and heritage of the African American from their early
existence among other civilizations up until the twentieth century. Hughes created the Poem itself
while he was crossing the Mississippi River aboard a train on route to see his father and had it
published the year after, during 1921. Hughes got inspiration while crossing the river and
supposedly whipped up this piece under fifteen minutes incorporating his normal literary use
African themes and identity within. In this essay, a further analysis of each section will be
incorporated as well as a section dedicated to the themes and literary devices used inside of the
poem. The beginning of this poem introduces the idea that Hughes believes rivers can be used to
trace back his ancestors' culture and civilizations from across the Globe. The following line, "I've
known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins"
illustrates the author's understanding that rivers across the world are older than the entire human
existence yet have played an undeniable role in multiple civilizations being able to thrive. The
author realizes that the rivers date back to primal existence of humans and therefore can be used to
explain ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Through a "dusky river," as Hughes mentions he knows in the poem, African Americans were
transported from Africa and the Caribbean to a foreign land known as the United States and were
traded freely for a while with the use of the Mississippi river, even being returned to slave owners
through the river after fleeing to the north for freedom. This was the law during the time–period
1850 Fugitive Slave

Langston Hughes was a writer during the Harlem Renaissance who portrayed the black life as how
their community saw it. Hughes' poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", illustrates how blacks have
been important to civilizations' growth as much as any other race through his use of literary devices
such as similes and metaphors, symbolism, and personification. Hughes uses both similes and
metaphors in his poem to push the reader to believe that blacks are equally important to any other
group. When he says, "My soul has grown deep like the rivers," a simile compares a soul to the
depth of the rivers (Hughes ln 4). As rivers get older, they grow deeper, showing how their
community is full of old souls and they are wise and helpful, rather than laborers.

Summary Of The Negro Speaks Of Rivers By Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes once said "When a man starts out to build the world, he starts first with himself."
Hughes was the best and most well renowned writers of the Harlem Renaissance. He often showed
deep passion in his poems for the situation that black people were in at that time. He identified the
journey that African Americans were having to through to find their place among society. Langston
Hughes sends some very important messages in his four poems The Negro Speaks of Rivers, I, too,
Dream Variations, and Refuge in America. Firstly, in Hughes' The Negro Speaks of Rivers, the
theme is about the heritage and historical identity of African Americans. In the last line, line 10, of
the poem he says "My soul has grown deep like the rivers." Here he is saying that for centuries,
black people have been here and they have souls, too, that are as deep as the rivers of the world. He
is stating that white people need to respect their souls, because they know so much more than
anyone could guess. Socarides states "Yet this poem declares itself to be spoken by someone whose
knowledge is as ancient as the rivers of which he speaks. In other words, this is an old "Negro,"
someone returned from a journey (or many journeys) around the world, someone whose soul has
had time to "grow deep as the rivers" that he has known intimately." This explains the theme of old
heritage that African Americans hold in America, as well as other places around the world. Next on
the list is Langston Hughes'

An Analysis Of The Negro Speaks Of River
The Negro Speaks of River: An Analysis Throughout America's history, blacks and whites have
always been at odds with each other. This is mainly due to the belief by whites that blacks are
inferior to them. This type of white hatred led to the forming of the radical hate group the Klu Klux
Klan. The group's activities peaked in America in 1920 during the Modernism period and much
harm was done to blacks. In that same year, as if answering the cruelty against the African
American, young African American poet Langston Hughes wrote a riveting poem that put the
African Americans in a very positive light just when great intolerance, injustice and inequality was
rampant. Entitled, "The Negro Speaks of River", the poem tells the story of roots, experience and
history. In it, the persona speaks of knowing rivers for as long as time has been. He walks us through
his life experiences journeying symbolically across four important rivers those being, the Euphrates,
the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The river motif in the poem also speaks of the strength of the African American race when
considered against an ever flowing river. Additionally, there is also the use of anaphora. This speaks
to the repetition of the "I" in each line of the poem. This helps in the meaning of the poem, as it
speaks to the affirmation of the message the persona carries. This being that the African American
community has been a part of the existence and has a history and a place. In addition to this, there is
also the presence of musical device in the poem. This is evident in the consonance repetition of the
"S" sound. This sound is euphoric and helps in making the message pleasurable to the audience
hence, helping in the uplifting and motivating that is

Violence In Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
Literature has several meanings but some of examples are poetry, novels and films. These forms of
literature have brought stories to life and have allowed history to never be forgotten. Racism is a
painful and delicate topic that has been transformed into all types of literature. That shows the pain,
strength, and the memories that they leave behind. "The narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass,
an American slave" is the autobiography of ex– slave Frederick Douglass. The book surprised
America and showed people what a former slave could actually accomplish. After getting so much
attention, Douglass' message about slavery was spread throughout the country and stimulated
awareness of slave brutality. The first incident of violence in the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The last paragraph is simply implying that Jessie cannot listen to music any more because he is
reminded of his sad past. "I would see once again as though they'd never ceased their dancing in my
mind, black men, women and children lifting their tormented limbs in time to a reedy martial air, the
dust rising for their joyless thumping, the sound of the fife finally drowned beneath the clanging of
their

The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
Langston Hughes was an American poet, novelist, and playwright whose African–American themes
names him a primary contributor to the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. After moving from
several cities, Hughes and his mother finally settled in Cleveland, Ohio. During this time, Hughes
began to write poetry. One of his teachers introduced him to the poetry of Carl Sandburg and Walt
Whitman, both whom Hughes would later cite as primary influences.
By the time Hughes was enrolled at Columbia University in New York, he had already launched his
literary career with his poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" in the Crisis, edited by W.E.B. DuBois.
He also committed himself to writing mainly about African Americans. Leaving Columbia in 1922,
Hughes spent the next three years in a succession of menial jobs and traveling abroad. He returned
in late 1924, but by then he was well known in African American literary circles as a gifted young
poet. Early on he was heavily influenced by the works of Walt Whitman and Carl Sandburg. Black
poets Paul Laurence Dunbar, a master of both dialect and standard verse, and Claude McKay, a
radical socialist who also wrote accomplished lyric poetry influenced Hughes as well. However,
Sandburg, who Hughes later called "my guiding star," was decisive in leading him toward free
verse– a radically democratic modernist aesthetic.
Langston Hughes rose to prominence during the Harlem Renaissance. His first two books, The
Weary Blues (1926) and Fine Clothes to the

An Analysis Of Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
One part of "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes that interests me is "I've known
rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins" (Lines 2–3). In
this line there is a simile, metaphor, tone, and a universal truth. A simile is a comparison of one thing
with another thing using like or as. In this line Hughes utilizes a simile by comparing accent rivers
with the age of the world. I think Hughes compared the ancient rivers to the age of the world to
show how deep and old his African roots are. Rivers are old and carved into the world. Also, like the
rivers, the world is old. So by comparing these two a reader can feel that the rivers show the history
and wisdom of the African people.

Analysis Of The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" – Langston Hughes "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston
Hughes is a 10 line lyric poem in free verse. This poem is compiled of 5 stanzas with various line
lengths. "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" doesn't rhyme, however, the repetition of the word "rivers"
insinuates transition. This essay focuses on the importance of the word "rivers" throughout the poem
because it discusses the origins of humanity and the interplay between racism and equality. Hughes
discusses the connection between the Mississippi, Congo, Nile, and, Euphrates rivers that equate his
African ancestry to humankind. Hughes uses "rivers" to test the notion that dark skin is associated
with less value, and that all people originated equally. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Euphrates is a river that flows from Turkey, but it also is noted as biblical reference as a birthplace
of paradise (Euphrates par. 2). Hughes suggests that black people have been alive since the
emergence of humanity "I bathed in Euphrates when dawns were young." (line 4) By using
Euphrates, he is indicating that his ancestors hold importance for the history of mankind as they
were present during the birth of humankind. Hughes references two more significant rivers, both the
Nile and Congo; "I built my hut near the congo and it lulled me to sleep/ I Looked upon the Nile and
raised the pyramids above it." (lines 6&7). What is significant about these rivers is that they
reference areas which are densely populated with people of color. Langston Hughes references these
two great streams to introduce the importance of black presence in humanity, nevertheless, they
have experienced the many wonders of the world such as the great pyramids by the Nile. All
together, the main idea of the poem highlights the experiences black people, from the birthplace of
all human life, to the end of slavery. Rivers are repeated throughout this poem as a way of
highlighting the black experience that Hughes discusses in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers". The most
important word in the poem is clear from the title, rivers. "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" uses rivers
to convey the overall message of the inequality that is

Langston Hughes is a well–known African American poet that was around during the Harlem
Renaissance. Growing up, he understood that, at the time, living in America was very different if
you were an African American or a white person. African Americans were being discriminated
against and are being oppressed. Hughes believed that African Americans deserved equality, and he
showed this through his poems. The characters presented in these four poems know of their
difficulties – from racism to poverty and everything in between. Hughes' most popular poems –
"The Negro Speaks of Rivers," "Mother to Son," "I, Too," and "Democracy" have a lot of
similarities and share a similar central idea. The following is a summary of each poem:
– "The Negro Speaks of Rivers": the speaker traces his African American ancestry via the rivers his
ancestors grew up around.
– "Mother to Son": a mother, who's life hasn't been easy, tells her son to keep pushing ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
All of the speakers have hope that the African American community can be treated the same as
white people. "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" and "Mother to Son" have themes of perseverance – the
speaker in "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" has "bathed in the Euphrates," "built a hut near the
Congo," "looked upon the Nile," and "heard the singing of the Mississippi" (line 4–7). It shows the
struggles that the African American race went through and his ancestor's journey to get freedom.
"Mother to Son" is about how and why the speaker's son needs to persevere. "I, Too" and
"Democracy" have a theme of patriotism and wanting freedom for everyone. The speaker in "I, Too"
"sings America" even though he is the "darker brother." He believes that one day there won't be any
discrimination against African Americans. In "Democracy," the speaker believes that freedom is a
"strong seed" and is in great need to be planted, and since the speaker is in America, he also
deserves freedom like anyone

Comparing The Piano Lesson And The Negro Speaks Of The Rivers
African Americans have a long struggling history of fighting for freedom. Beginning from a bloody
civil war in 1861 to Harlem Renaissance to period of Martin Luther King in 1960. During Harlem
Renaissance remarkable poems and plays were published by great authors which highlight a
common theme. A very well known play "The Piano Lesson" by August Wilson and a poem "The
Negro Speaks of the Rivers" by astonishing author Langston Hughes convey a common theme of
legacy. These both pieces of writing imply how legacy connects and create a sense of unity among
people.
In the play "The Piano Lesson" the protagonist Berniece has a piano which her brother wants to sell
for profit. However she doesn't want to sell the piano because "it has blood on it". Her ancestors
have ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
It uses legacy to connect people to a single ancestry. Author chose to deliver this message in a voice
of an african american because that time they were struggling for their equal rights. In the poem the
speaker said "I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young". Euphrates is one of the rivers of
Mesopotamia. Thats where the civilization begin. So in other words the speaker is saying that we all
came from the same place, we are all just branches of the same tree. By reading this poem readers
would realise that even with all the cultural and physical differences, they all have the same
background. The speaker also mentions different accomplishment of humans. "I looked upon the
Nile and raised the pyramids above it–I heard singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went
down to New Orleans"(line 6–8). The speaker conveys that he also has a part in building the
pyramids because they were his ancestors who built those pyramids. He uses pyramids as a "legacy"
of his ancestors to connect to them. In this poem the speaker uses legacy to smudge the difference of
the races and to connect people to the same

Summary Of The Negro Speaks Of Rivers By Langston Hughes
Messages
(An Analysis of Messages From Langston Hughes's Poems The Negro Speaks Of Rivers, I, Too,
Dream Variation, and Refugee in America) "Writer James Langston Hughes was born in Joplin,
Missouri, and grew up in Lawrence, Kansas, mainly with his grandmother, Mary Langston, whose
first husband had died in John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry and whose second, Hughes's
grandfather, had also been a radical abolitionist." (Rampersad). That would be Langston Hughes,
one of if not the most influential writer in the Harlem Renaissance. An example of his
accomplishments include being one of the few blacks able to attend Columbia University, even
being one of their top student's. It was there that he wrote his very famous and controversial poem I,
Too. The subject matter that Hughes is most known for would be his volumes of poetry. In Hughes's
poems The Negro Speaks Of Rivers, I, Too, Dream Variation, and Refugee in America, there can be
found multitudes of messages.
The first of many of Hughes poems containing messages is The Negro Speaks of Rivers. This poem
was Hughes first great poem and was written the summer after he graduated from high school, and
was published shortly after that. But just what is so special about this poem? What is the message it
portrays? In short, it can be summed up to perseverance. As someone reads this poem, he or she will
notice immediately the use of rivers. These rivers are used in the history of the African American
people, starting in the euphrates, and finishing with references to slavery with the Mississippi river.
"I heard the singing of the Mississippi..." (Line 7). Rivers stand the test of time, persevering through
the worst of what happens in the world. People can take away from this that if rivers can persevere
through the worst, so can they.
Moving on to a message from the ever controversial poem I, Too. This particular masterpiece delves
into the message of pride from the beginning. The poem starts by telling the reader how the white
people have segregated the blacks from the very beginning. "They send me to eat in the kitchen/
When company comes," (Lines 3–4). Hughes is taking no shame in thoroughly putting down the
whites for how they treated his people. This very

The poems "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," by Langston Hughes and "the mississippi river empties
into the gulf" by Lucille Clifton both use rivers to explain their deeper points. Hughes' poem talks
about how a man remembers and carries all his life life experiences throughout his life. Clifton's
poem explains how people go through life they carry their past with them. Both poems use the rivers
as symbolism to which the rivers carry the same water as like people carry their pasts. Although, the
water may change it is still the same water. "Every water is the same water going around," (Clifton,
8–9). The water is used as a comparison to the past and the river is the people. People have different
experiences but they still carry the ones they have made from the past with them. Hughes explains a
transformation in the river from "I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset," (9–10).
The river has changed its color from that of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The usage of first person allows the reader to view a person's life. "My soul has grown deep like
rivers." (Hughes, 3). The character states that overtime their soul has grown deep and compares
them to the deepness of rivers. In the next stanza it is further explained how the rivers have affected
the character's life. The river is deepened with the same water similar to the way the rivers have
deepened the character's soul by giving him a new experience at each. Clifton's poem in third person
gives the reader more of an observation to Clifton's symbolism of the rivers. "None of them
emptying anything, all of them carrying yesterday," (Clifton, 1–20). The rivers do not empty their
waters and carry each water with them much like a person that keeps and carries their past with
them everyday. The first person point of view used in Hughes gives the reader an idea of someone's
life unlike the usage of third person which contains a bigger grouping of

Analysis of Langston Hughes´ The Negro Speaks of Rivers
Langston Hughes A Poetic of the Harlem Renaissance During the Harlem Renaissance copious
African Americans writers arose from this movement including Claude McKay, Zora Neale Hurston,
Countee Cullen, and especially Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes has endured hardships from the
time his parents separated to being raised in different cities. Hughes has tried multiple times to
reconnect with his father, but it never succeeded. Although Langston Hughes has a complicated
relationship with his father it led him to write one of the most well–known novels that gave him
recognition: Negro Speaks of Rivers. Langston Hughes was born February 1st, 1902 in Joplin,
Missouri. Hughes's father, James Nathaniel Hughes, left him and his mother and headed to Mexico.
Hughes, his mother unable to provide for him, lived with his grandmother in Lawrence, Kansas.
Langston Hughes had ''learned lessons in endurance and pride from his grandmother'' (Litz 725). He
lived with his Aunt Reed outside of Lawrence, after his grandmother had died when he was twelve
years old. A year later he moved to Lincoln, Illinois with his mom and stepdad afterward his
stepbrother. Hughes and his family moved, where he was enrolled in a high school in Cleveland.
Langston was fascinated with Carl Sandburg and Paul Dunbar. ''Sandburg became one of the most
important influences on Langston work'' (Bryant 13). Hughes contributed to his school literary
magazine where he wrote poems about Sandburg and Dunbar. In the

The Negro Speaks Of Rivers Langston Hughes Analysis
Langston Hughes was a man of wisdom and an inspirational writer who wrote mainly about the
black man in America. He was born on February 1, 1902, in Joplin, Missouri "He mainly wrote
poetry, fiction, short story, autobiography, and criticism" (Dickson). His famous poem was "The
Negro Speaks of Rivers," which he wrote at the age of 18. He made many poems that still live
forever. He was a black poet who wanted to express what was going on Americans. His main
mission was to get his message across . poetry gave him the opportunity to do that However, there
are many differences and similarities in the poem "Negro", and "the Negro speaks of rivers", in how
Hughes discusses blacks' pain and suffering, pride in their heritage, and contribution to civilization.
There are many difference and similarities when Hughes discusses pain and suffering, in the
"Negro" and "The negro speaks of rivers". In "Negro" he talks about how he has been a slave and
"Caesar told me to keep his door–steps clean. /I brushed the boots of Washington" (Pg. 859). He
identifies the pain alone in this sentence by talking about the suffering of the slaves when their slave
master had authority over them. He uses people such as Washington and Caesar to show that he did
not forget what these leaders have done to the slaves. He specifically says that "Caesar told me,"
showing that Caesar is demanding with no question. Hughes is using imagery to describe the labor.
Not only that, but, "I've been a victim:/....

Analysis Of Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
"The history for Blacks in America starts at slavery," the further I ponder this statement from my
friend Joe, a navy veteran, the more I do not believe it to be true. Today many Blacks in America do
not remember stories of their African heritage. Although, they may not know their African history, it
does exist, and they did originate from Africa. So, their history does not start at slavery. In a
recorded interview, Langston Hughes says he wrote the poem, "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" in
1920, after he completed high school. Hughes also credits his source of inspiration to the
Mississippi river which he passed, while on the train, to visit his father in Mexico. He acknowledged
what the Mississippi symbolized to Negro people and how it was linked ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The speaker says, "...older than the flow of human blood in my veins" (Line 1). Blood is only
developed when a fetus is being grown, in the Mother, but within the blood lies DNA of their
ancestors from past generations. The speaker uses human blood to relate to the fact that our blood is
old and connected to our heritage because we carry their DNA inside of us. "I've seen its muddy
bosom" (Line 9). Muddy, implies a bleak outlook of not being able to see the end. Lose of hope.
"Turns all golden in the sunset" (Line 9) the ominous of a sparse future comes to an end with the
sunset signifying hope and a new beginning. The association to his ancestors' bleak past is his what
binds their experiences to him.
Although, some readers of "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" may interpret that the meaning of this
poem is that any person and their lineage, due to the beginning of the poem starting at the Euphrates
which not in Africa. This claim does hold merit, but you have to look at the deeper meaning of the
poem and understand what was going on at the time Hughes wrote it. Moreover, in the title "The
Negro Speaks" he is alluding to the "Negro" people and their voice. So, yes you could interpret the
poem as speaking to people and their origins as a whole, but Hughes is mainly referring to the
Negro

Poem Analysis: The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
Jennifer Arroyo Have you ever wonder how life was in the Harlem Renaissances? The Harlem
Renaissance was a movement in which Blacks asserted themselves by embracing. Their racial
identity and appreciating their African heritage instead of mimicking white mainstream culture in
art, literature and music. In the poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" it lets us know early in the
poem that is told from the perspective of a member of the black community.In the poem "I, Too" is
states how african americans were faced discrimination in nearly every aspect of their lives.They
were forced to live, work, eat and travel separately from their white counterparts, had few civil or
legal rights, were often victims of racial violence, and faced economic marginalization in both the
North and the South. In the poet "the negro speaks of rivers" is about someone who sings about life
he has known death. He has balanced between the knowledge of love and death.For example when i
read the title i expect that the speaker will be someone witnessing another person of speak of rivers.
But when i read more of that poetic i gathers force of how the americans were so racism to
blacks.From depths of grief the poet sweeps back to life by clinging to his greatest faith which is in
his ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Even though he is a darker skin who cannot sit at the table of whites they must eat in the kitchen.
For example their a quote that states "I am the darker brother" this quote states how they
establishing the speaker as African–American and placing him in a very interesting relationship with
his white counterparts. When African Americans faced discrimination in nearly every aspect of their
lives. They were forced to live, work, eat and travel separately from their white counterparts and had
few civil and legal rights they were often victims of racial

In the poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," Langston Hughes illustrates that though life may be
filled with hardships, life will get better in the end. The author shows this by talking about the trials
and tribulations of people of color.
In the poem, the author goes back in time to describe a period before and during slavery. Langston
Hughes brings the setting back by starting off the poem with "I've known rivers." (Hughes,769) The
past tense of the word know tells me what the author has become close to the rivers. It also shows
that much time has passed since the author first encountered them. One of the lines in the poem
references back to the Euphrates, "I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young"
(Hughes,769). Historians say that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Usually, the person who rocks you to sleep is your mother or father. To Langston Hughes, the Congo
river was that place of safety, and hope when life was getting difficult; such as family members you
go to when you are in trouble. The Congo River was also a place where African kingdoms had great
success.
The Next line of the poem is about the Nile river and the pyramids. Mr. Hughes says, "I looked upon
the Nile and raised the pyramids above it" (Hughes,769). Contrary to recent findings, researchers
said that the pyramids were built by slaves. I believe the author added this to address and bring up
another hardship for blacks. Slavery was A very hard time for African Americans. After the African
Kingdoms were successful there was a huge loss, when slavery came into play.
"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,769), Is the longest line on the poem. To me
this is the most significant piece of the poem, it would be the first time that African Americans were
free. On Sept. 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery. Shortly after, Lincoln went through
New Orleans, Louisiana. The cheering was coming from all of the slaves that were

Langston Hughes Negro Speaks Of Rivers
Langston Hughes expresses his life experiences by voicing his feelings about how African–
Americans remain just as much a part of America as any white person. Hughes starts
communicating his opinions in the very first poem he ever wrote entitled "Negro Speaks of Rivers"
by saying, "I've seen its muddy/bosom turn all golden in the sunset." The muddy river represents
Hughes's race, and the transformation of the river in the sun mirrors how blacks, once slaves of the
whites, gained freedom because of Abraham Lincoln (Jemie). Here Hughes expresses his thoughts
that because Lincoln freed blacks from slavery that they should gain acceptance in America like any
other person. Additionally, in Hughes's poem "The Weary Blues" he speaks of a man singing

The Negro Speaks Of Rivers Essay
Slavery has influenced how people of African descent went forth and lived life. In the poem "The
Negro Speaks of Rivers", Langston Hughes tells a story of the black man's journey to America while
trying to hold on to his past. Hughes uses imagery and tone to create a picture that illustrated racial
pride and dignity. Phillis Wheatley, "On Being Brought from Africa to America" describes the
positivity of being an American slave and the perks of Christianity. The major theme that runs
throughout these two poems are how someone views their own race. Though each poem is set
around the same time period, we can see two different effects of slavery and it could change in an
person. Wheatley's "On Being Brought from Africa to America" has a lot of literary devices within it
and reading it out loud really helps you find them. There is some end rhyme like "eye" &
"die";"land" & "understand"; and "cain" & "train" . Lines 7 and 8 shows a heroic couplet;
"Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain,/ May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train." Another
big literary device that could not be overlooked is personification. In the first line of the poem, the
speaker personifies "mercy". The speaker is using the term mercy in a biblical notion and in that
sense "mercy" could not have physically picked the speaker up and carry him or her over to
America. In Langston Hughes "The Negro speaks of Rivers", the speaker sets a tone while makes a
connect between him and the earth he lived on.

An Analysis of The Negro Speaks of Rivers Essay
The 1920s and 1930s were the years of the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance. This period of the
Roaring Twenties is said to have begun around the end of the war and lasted well until the Great
Depression. Partially due to the migration of more and more African Americans into the north of the
United States, the national literature, arts and music movement developed into something, until then,
completely new and literary modernism spread further (Perkins and Perkins 212). The 1920s were a
time of immense change, with women becoming eligible to vote, alcoholic beverages become
prohibited to sell, and later on the crash of the stock market (Perkins and Perkins). With modernism
and the invention of new things like the television, Americans ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
One of his earliest poems, The Negro Speaks of Rivers, was written in 1921, long before Hughes
would actually travel the world. However, without knowing the authors background and history, one
might think it was written by a wise man of old age. Having only lived in various places in the
United States, Hughes wrote this poem of an African American man who has seen the world, full
with things many people never get to see, that nourished his soul and formed bonds with humans'
deepest roots. The four rivers the narrator is mentioning, the Euphrates, the Congo river, the Nile
and the Mississippi river, are all of great importance not only in the lives of all human beings, but
slaves in particular. The Euphrates is said to be the longest river in Southwest Asia as well as the
world's oldest river overall. As mentioned in the poem, the Euphrates is "ancient as the world and
older than the flow of human blood in human veins" (Hughes 222), at least figuratively speaking
since the Euphrates is approximately 450.000 years old (Muhesen 95–105). This ancient river has
been a place of human settlement since the very beginning, and its water has made life possible for
those who settled down close to it. In a way, this

The Negro Speaks Of Rivers" by Langston Hughes argues the fact that rivers are a symbolic
representation of Africans enslavement and their freedom, he conveys this message by using literary
devices such as repetition, simile, symbolism, and personification. Throughout the poem Langston
Hughes conveys his message by demonstrating the freedom and slavery through different forms.
The writer demonstrates it by showing that freedom is what Africans have always had, freedom
being a part of them, history and their tribulations. All these factors tie to the meaning of the rivers
and their purpose in this poem.
Langston Hughes uses repetition to demonstrate that freedom is something they have had, but have
have been deprived of it. " I've known rivers" is stated throughout the poem. This one phrase
indicates that freedom was theirs. The word "known" is in the past tense demonstrating that it is not
occurring anymore. The freedom they once had is no more theirs. The writer at one point in his life
had known what freedom was like, but does not recall anymore. ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
" I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins."
Langston Hughes compares Africans freedom to the time of the world's existence. He shows that
African Americans freedom has existed since the existence of the earth. People are born with their
rights and are free as an individual. " My soul has grown deep like the rivers." He compares his soul
to the depth of a river. The depth of the river is his freedom. It is infinite and a part of him. It is a
part of him that should not be taken

A Comparison Of Langston HughesHarlem And The Negro Speaks...
Langston Hughes uses both Harlem and The Negro Speaks of Rivers to evoke responses from his
readers. Both of these poems are profound in and of themselves when simply read given the political
and racial tensions at the time, but when read and digested, they can speak to any race, creed, or
color. The use of figurative language in both of these poems is what makes them so easy to identify
with. He uses blood, deep rivers, rotten meat, and other nouns to allow the reader to process what
each of his or her own rotten meat or deep river is. Interestingly enough, when read passionately, the
reader could get lost in his or her own story, but it is of upmost importance to remember that Hughes
is chronicling the story of African American plight in such a way that allows anyone to identify with
it. It is through this identification that allows anyone to develop pride and sensitivity for Hughes and
his people. What does happen to a dream deferred? Immediately, Langston Hughes allows the reader
to think of dreams of his or her own in Harlem. Maybe they wish they were a doctor, lawyer, poet,
or professional athlete. "What if I had just tried that much harder?" or "What if I would have been
more focused?" These are ways that Hughes is known for evoking participation from his reader. As
seen in Harlem, the repeated question asking must elicit response from the reader. Without reading
line two, the reader is already thinking about his or her dream deferred. What would that have dream

The Rivers Tell The Story "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes is said to be one of
his earliest and most anthologized poems to be written (Taylor–Thompson). Throughout the poem,
Hughes puts extra importance on the river's role in African American society. Hughes uses
repetition, simile, and metaphor to support the poems theme of memory and the past. First, Hughes
uses the element of repetition to support the theme of memory and the past. In Hughes short poem,
the line "I've known rivers" is repeated in the first and eleventh line (Hughes 1). When Hughes says,
"I've known rivers", he starts off the poem and instantly talks about the past. He talks about the past
by saying he has known rivers, and not that he knows rivers. Since the line starts off the poem, it
leads into the memory of the entire list of rivers he has known. The Euphrates, Congo, Nile, and the
Mississippi are all rivers that he remembers and has previously "looked upon" or "bathed in"
(Hughes 5,7). Hughes choice to repeat this line makes it stick in the reader's head that he remembers
the rivers and has past experiences around the rivers. Hughes wants the reader to know that he
knows about the rivers he mentions in his ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Hughes ushers in the comparison in his fourth line, "My soul has grown deep like the rivers"
(Hughes 4). Hughes compares the rivers to the growing of his deep soul. The rivers he talks about in
the poem are perfect for talking about something deep like his soul, because the Euphrates, Congo,
Nile, and Mississippi are all big and deep rivers. Hughes use of the word deep to describe his soul
makes perfect sense in this simile, because if his soul has grown like the rivers and the rivers are
deep, his soul must be growing deep too. This quote helps add to the theme of memory and the past,
because Hughes remembers how the rivers have affected his soul, just like the past has affected

Personification In The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
The Negro Speaks of Rivers In the Langston Hughes' poem, The Negro Speaks of Rivers the
speaker uses a vast amount of personification and a theme of roots or beginnings is shown
throughout to express the past of African Americans. He uses personification to bring the rivers to
life. Although the word "roots" or "beginnings" is not in the poem, the strong words portray this
theme. The speaker uses personification "I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human veins" (2–3), to bring the rivers to life. The way the speaker
compares the water to "the flow of human blood" (3) creates an image that the river is alive and
moving much like a human would. "I built my hut near the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
The textual details of the poem invoke strong imagery related to veins, rivers. and roots of trees give
the reader a sense of the timelessness of these objects. Langston Hughes is able to create two
meanings for the theme roots since on the one hand they refer to the deep roots like trees have as
well as roots in the family and historical sense. "I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe
Lincoln went down to New Orleans..." (8–9). The singing of the Mississippi can be referred to as the
singing of the slaves in the 1860s. This shows the roots of African Americans in the south and how
they would sing throughout the day to demolish the sadness and harshness of their owners. It is clear
to the reader that lines such as "I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep/ I looked
upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above" (6–7), addresses themes that are much larger than
simply rivers or human veins, it becomes a statement on the life of African American history as it
flourished along the rivers of the world and created firm historical roots. "I've known rivers ancient
as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins" (2–3). The ancient rivers that
the speaker talk about are like the blood in veins or the roots under trees because they provide
sustenance and can give and support

The Negro Speaks Of Rivers Essay
Both poems ¨The Negro speaks of Rivers" and ¨the Mississippi river empties into the gulf¨ have few
similarities and differences, they talk about rivers but have different perspectives and different
experiences. In the poem ¨The Negro speaks of Rivers¨ the author is an slave that has been sold
many times and he has travel on the slave rafts. He has known every river because he has traveled
with other slaves into different countries. The author names important rivers, these rivers have been
used to transport copper, slaves and other goods. When the author says ¨My soul has grown deep
like rivers¨ he makes a connection with the rivers, the rivers represent him and he feels connected to
this rivers. He also talks about when Abe Lincoln went to

A Summary Of Langston HughesThe Negro Speaks Of Rivers?
After the emancipation of the slaves, they had no idea what to do, so many of them headed north to
a place called Harlem, where they they turned to some form of art. This period of time was called
the Harlem Renaissance, many African American people started to take up the arts, such as writing,
and music. An article titled "The Harlem Renaissance" says "The Harlem Renaissance was mostly a
literary, and intellectual movement"(Steven Watson) One of the most influential and famous African
American artists of this time period, was Langston Hughes. Hughes primarily wrote poems, many
which are very famous and study throughout schools in America many years later. Hughes also
wrote songs in the form of something called jazz poetry, jazz was a newly introduce and very
popular music as the time. There are messages in many of Langston Hughes poem, in The Negro
Speaks of Rivers, our souls need to grow deep like rivers, in I, Too, we are all Americans despite
differences, in Dream Variations, people need to be accepting to others, Lastly in Refugee in
America, we all want the same things.
A message that can be interpreted from Langston Hughes poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers, is that
our souls need to grow deep like rivers. A comparison that Hughes made was a soul to a river.
Hughes says multiple times in the poem "My soul has grown deep like the rivers"(3). Rivers are
majestic things that are necessary for many things in our like to work. Rivers provide means for
irrigation for our

In the poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," Langston Hughes employs the repetition of important
sentences, the allusion to the rivers in history, and the imagery and description of the rivers to
express that African Americans should be respected for their history. Langston Hughes repeat
himself in several sentences, especially in the beginning and the end. After establishing a connection
between his soul and the ancient rivers, at the end of the poem, he restated, "My soul has grown
deep like the rivers." He claimed that his soul is "like the rivers", showing that the culture and
history carried by the important rivers are flowing in him changing him in a meaningful way. The
rivers he introduced throughout the poem included the Euphrates, the ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
By mentioning the Euphrates, the Congo, the Nile, and the Mississippi River, Langston Hughes
alluded to the importance of the rivers in African American history. While the first three located in
Africa, the reference to the Mississippi River is connecting back to a specific event, as he asserted,
"when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans." Langston Hughes is pointing out the time when
teenage Lincoln first went to New Orleans, and how he saw the large slave trading ships traveled on
the Mississippi. Lincoln was greatly shocked by the slave trade, which influenced him later to carry
out the abolition process of slavery in his presidency. By referring back to this story, Langston
Hughes is addressing that even though the Mississippi carries tragedies of the slaves, it also brings
the new future to African Americans by influencing Lincoln; therefore, the African Americans
should earn the respect as the rivers. Throughout the poem, Langston Hughes vividly depicted his
fictional experiences at the four different rivers, and he included the detailed descriptions of the
scenes with good word

Explication Of Langston Hughes The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
Explication of "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" The poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers" by Langston
Hughes hinges on the premise of one man having the collective experience of centuries of African
and African American history. The Speaker reflects many of these experiences from freedom to
slavery and as he reflects it becomes clear the experiences are not exclusively his but those of his
ancestors. The poem begins by introducing its focus on rivers and we begin to see the formation of 3
'sections'. The first section –let's call it the "I've known rivers" section– introduces the basic premise
of this poem as well as introducing how ancient these rivers are. When we look at the first repetition
of the "I've known rivers" section we see an emphasis put on just how ancient these rivers are as if
to prepare the reader for the next lines. The second 'section' of the poem –let's call it the "My soul"
section– puts emphasis on how old this soul is. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
We see what each of these rivers meant to those Africans who lived near them in times of change
and creation near those rivers. From the Euphrates –one of the longest and most historically
significant rivers– at the beginning of its importance. To the Nile –another one of the longest rivers
and one which runs adjacent to the pyramids– as the pyramids were being built. To the Mississippi
as Abe Lincoln went to New Orleans to free the slaves. But it is here that we reach a new concept in
the lines "I've seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset" however it is also here that we see
one of the largest marks of a change. It is in this that we see the formation of a metaphor for the
freedom of the slaves, in the "muddy" look of the Mississippi prior to Abe Lincoln and the transition
to the "all golden" look as Abe Lincoln brought freedom to African

Claude Mckay's Poem In 'The Negro Speaks Of Rivers'
1. In "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", the speaker joins himself to his ancestors, immovably setting
them in essential historical, religious, and cultural locales everywhere throughout the world. The
speaker starts by asserting a connection to the world's ancient rivers that originated before human
creatures, and that has influenced his soul to develop profound like the rivers. This canny and
eloquent portrayal shows the speaker's gigantic judgment, and enables him to make a complete
connection between individuals of his race and whatever remains of human civilization. In the mid
twentieth Century, white Americans regularly saw their darker–cleaned partners as not as much as
human, and here, Hughes offers solid verification of historical equality. As compared to this poem,
McKay's Poem "On a ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
By manipulating semantics, Cullen says a great deal more than the words themselves do, and creates
deeper meaning inside the poem. In his poem "The Lynching," Claude McKay uses the event of a
black man being lynched to feature the racism and gruesome demonstrations of violence committed
against blacks in America amid the early twentieth century. The poem initially opens by describing
the deep sense of being experienced by the victim. In the initial four lines of the poem, McKay
describes the relationship between God and the victim. The victim ascends to heaven while being
welcomed by his Father. Interestingly, it seems that God rejects those who lynched the man by
calling their crime a dreadful sin that remained still unforgiving. There is no forgiveness, as per
McKay, for those who participated in the lynching. Their crimes are excessively cruel for even God,
making it impossible to forgive them, perhaps because they themselves have no remorse for their

"The Negro Speaks of Rivers" was the first poem Langston Hughes wrote. With personification,
"Hughes associates the ceaselessness of the might river with the eternal, life–affirming endurance of
Africans and African Americans" (The Negro Speaks of Rivers). In the fifth line, Langston states, "I
bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young"; this is an example of personification because
Hughes personifies the Congo River by saying how it "lulled" him to sleep as if the river was an
actual human signing him to sleep. Langston also personifies the Mississippi River as he states "I
heard the signing of the Mississippi". In the poem, "the river's singing invokes both the slave
spirituals and songs of celebration after the slaves were freed"

Literary Devices In The Negro Speaks Of Rivers
Slavery during the 18th century, influenced how people of African descend went forth and lived life.
In the poem "The Negro Speaks of Rivers", Langston Hughes tells a story of the black man's
evolution to America. Hughes uses imagery and tone to create a picture that illustrated racial pride
and dignity. Phillis Wheatley, "On Being Brought from Africa to America" describes the positivity
of being an American slave and the perks of Christianity. The major theme that run throughout these
two poems are how someone views their own race. Though each poems are set around the same
time period, we can see two different effects of slavery and it could change an individual..
Wheatley's "On Being Brought from Africa to America" has a lot of literary devices within it and
reading it out loud really helps you find them. There are some end rhyme like "land" &
"understand"; "too" & "knew"; and "eye" & "die". Lines 7 and 8 shows a heroic couplet;
"Remember, Christians, Negros, black as Cain,/ May be refin'd, and join th' angelic train." Another
big literary device that could not be overlooked is personification. In the first line of the poem, the
speaker personifies "mercy". The speaker is using the term mercy in a biblical notion and in that
sense "mercy" could not have physically picked the speaker up and carry him or her over to
America. In Langston Hughes "The Negro speaks of Rivers", the speaker sets a tone while makes a
connect between himself and the earth he lived on. Rivers have

Langston Hughes' The Negro Speaks Of Rivers Poem Analysis

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Langston Hughes' The Negro Speaks Of Rivers Poem Analysis