The name of Langston Hughes has become a household name in the literary world, synonymous with his work. Ever since he was first published in Crisis magazine in 1921, Hughes has consistently produced some of the most iconic, influential, and instantly recognizable pieces of poetry in literary history. But what was it that made Hughes’s work so famous?
To understand Langston Hughes’ poetry, one must first understand his ideological and intellectual influences. Hughes was profoundly influenced by both the Harlem Renaissance and the social-economic upheavals of the 1910s and 1920s, as well as the boldness and bravery of African-American culture and its struggle for equal rights. When he wrote, it was often with a sense of pride and cultural identity, a spirit of resistance–not necessarily of revolution, but of resistance to displacement, of creating something to call one’s own in a hostile environment. His work was not merely of African-American history and culture, but also of American history and culture–an expression of both triumphs and tragedies.
Hughes’ poetry is marked by its attention to the use of everyday language, its often-unpredictable rhythms and images, and its vivid sense of imagery that both evoke and take on a life of its own. It is a movement in both form and content–a lingual-creative expression that was designed to both celebrate and reveal the truths therein. Hughes embraced the unexpected, the malleable and maligned, the more intangible elements of life and language, and pulled them together in a creative balance that weaves together beauty and struggle.
This approach to poetry helped lend Hughes’ work a unique breadth of meaning and malleability, creating compositions that could be both inspirational and thought-provoking. His words, which can often be dark, melancholy and sharp, all simultaneously hold the power of being able to capture multiple interpretations–as if each line is inviting the reader in, creating an intimate dialogue between writer and reader. Hughes was a spark in the dark of human understanding, provoking, entertaining and educating with just a few short lines.
Further, Hughes’ poetry wasn’t limited to a single theme or form. He wrote sonnets, he explored dreamscapes, he wrote long verses of spirituals, and much more. Bravely, he combined all of these forms to deconstruct, challenge, and recreate what poetry could be, often giving a platform to those that were ignored and marginalized in the literary sphere. For example, his famous novel The Ways of White Folks was an amalgamation of simultaneous stories, some of which were written as dialogue, others in the form of dreamlike vignettes. It was a powerful expression of Hughes’ own views, and a direct and tender challenge to the social and political climate of the time.
What ties together the different forms of Hughes’ poetry is his exploration of the inner world of his characters. Hughes was an observational writer, deeply interested in understanding and capturing the individual nuances of people’s behaviour and feelings. His words often poignantly describe the everyday experiences of African Americans in a sharply observed and resultingly evocative manner. He also often incorporated themes of displacement, displacement from his home, from his culture, from his country, and from a sense of belonging, helping to create richer and more meaningful stories.
Historical Context
Before the Harlem Renaissance, African Americans were the victims of extreme social and economic inequity. A phenomenon that lasted until the 1940s, the Harlem Renaissance would spark a shift in focus and expression, wherein intellectual and artistic works, especially by African Americans, were to be valued, seen and heard. Writers such as Hughes, James Weldon Johnson, and Édouard Glissant (a key French West Indian-influenced philosopher), and many more, armed with the burning fire for their own cultural expression, would become increasingly visible and valued. Langston Hughes was at the centre of this literary explosion and with it he brought a cultural and artistic expression that was both moving and timeless.
With this movement came the rise of what is often known as the “New Negro Movement”, which focused on the untraditional, unique, and non-conformist aspects of African American life. This movement quickly became the intellectual movement of Hughes’ work. His words often invoked a determination to survive against all odds with a powerful, heart-felt expression of what it meant to be an outsider and an iconoclast. It was the New Negro Movement–wherein the expression and knowledge found through the work of Hughes and others was seen as a way to both challenge and ultimately empower an oppressed people–that helped bring Hughes’ poetry into the limelight.
Rise to Fame
Some of Hughes’ earliest works were published in the Crisis Magazine in 1921, and with it brought an unbridled form of expression unlike any other. This form of expression, which was a celebration of African American culture, a tribute to its many losses, surprises, and promises often found its way onto the pages of some of the most distinguished publications of the time, including The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, Vanity Fair, Harper’s Bazaar, and more.
In 1926, some of Hughes’ most famous books of poetry would be published, including The Weary Blues and The Dream Keeper and Other Poems. These books, with their powerful messages, deeper meanings, and captivating form, skyrocketed Hughes to a level of fame and cultural credit he had hardly seen before. He would soon become a regular contributor to some of the most well-known journals, including The Nation and The Crisis, as well as literary figures across the country. Hughes’ fame would continue to grow, as his many other books of poems, including Fine Clothes to the Jew, Montage of a Dream Deferred, The Panther and the Lash, and Ask Your Mama, would become staple for those seeking to explore African American culture.
Legacy
Today, the work of Langston Hughes remains as relevant and influential as ever. Hughes’ writing paved the way for the poetry of generations to come, as well as inspiring generations of readers to look at poetry in a different, more powerful, and often more raw, light. With every passing year, his work has continued to inspire new readers, and to touch the hearts of those who read it. His words and his magnitude of works remain an important cornerstone of America’s literary canon.
Hughes’ words were filled with a deep love of stories and the powerful emotions that come with them–a love that could only be conveyed through his poetry. He may have gone, but his words will live on and his legacy will continue to be celebrated for generations. He will remain a staple for any reader looking to find solace, understand the intricacies of living through writing, or simply appreciate beautiful forms of expression.
Analysis of Hughes’ Poetic Style
The power of Hughes’ poetic style can be seen in its ability to capture both the beauty of life and the pain of reality on the same page. His words straddle the divide between pleasure and pain, between tragedy and triumph, between sorrow and joy. Poems such as “Harlem” and “As I Grew Older” are prime examples of this, revealing stories and struggles of the African American experience all while capturing how beauty and pain can, in some ways, all be intertwined. This ability, combined with a deeply philosophical and often political orientation, combine to make Hughes’ work as powerful and relevant today as it was when he first wrote it.
In Hughes’ words, readers often find a yearning for understanding and belonging—for hope amid despair, for justice among injustice, and for understanding of the normality of life among the extraordinary. In this way, Hughes was able to capture the truth of the times and of life itself—something often lost in poetry of the time. Hughes’ work is as much a celebration of life as it is a demand for justice and understanding, allowing readers of his work to travel between the two momentarily, if only in the time it takes for a few lines of beautifully observed verse.
Subsequent Relevance & Impact
Today, Hughes’ words remain as captivating and relevant as ever. He has been referenced by countless renowned musicians, including Nina Simone and Kendrick Lamar, and countless more public figures from Maya Angelou to Oprah. His work has been featured across television, radio, advertisements, and even children’s books, and his life is celebrated in memorials across the United States, including in his hometown of Joplin, Missouri, and in cities such as California, Houston, and Atlanta.
His impact has been felt around the world, most recently in the 2020 “Langston Hughes on Broadway” show in London. This production follows in the footsteps of the off-Broadway Langston Hughes revue held in Chicago in 1956, and the two year-long Langston Hughes Arts Festival that was held in New York City in 1957. His works still appear in textbooks, have been adapted for television, and his influence in literature remains strong. He inspired generations of African American poets and continues to do so today.
Conclusion
Langston Hughes’ work is more than just words on a page–it is an exploration of a world that is fully alive. His work is capable of speaking to the heart in ways that few other writers’ could. With an often tender, reverent observance of humanity and its struggles, Langston Hughes’ poetry will continue to inspire readers and writers for generations to come.
