Countee Cullen Research Paper

EARLY LIFE
Born: 1903
Died: 1946
Birthplace: Unknown (Kentucky, New York)
Cullen’s paternal grandmother and guardian (parents and brother) died in 1918. He was adopted by Reverend Frederick A. Cullen - minister at Salem Methodist Church in Harlem. From that occasion, Cullen entered in center of black politics and culture. Countee Cullen married to Nina Yolande Du Bois- daughter of the most powerful influenced figure W.E.B du Bois. Marriage was not last for long. During Cullen’s trip to Paris, Yolande were ready signing decree of divorce. In the event occurs, Cullen’s poetry portrait frustration and disappointment in love. Furthermore, in Caroling Dusk (1927), Countee Cullen stated that he was “reared in the conservative atmosphere of a Methodist
A potential pioneer by genuinely portrait his color and race not in a knotted intellectual writing but his animated consistency release himself from a “mainstream” black herotism. Similar to any Harlem Renaissance writers, Cullen convey a mighty intellectual leader by showing perspicacity of a Negro spirits and perception. In my opinion, what makes Cullen an influential unique writer was a humble black man who doesn’t dissent skin color to snatch for hypocritical compassion. The goal for himself was to raise awareness of a racial society through his own animated world art. Cullen once wish not to be seen as a Negro poet because he doesn’t use the authorities of being black to depict what people want to be heard. This is the reason why we always find an outstanding illustrative in Countee Cullen’s work.
ANALYSIS MAJOR WORK
Countee Cullen’s first significant volume of poems called “Color” published in 1925 was an exceptional deep inspection about racial segregation. This volume was awarded the first Harmon Gold Awards for literature in 1926.
In Countee Cullen’s “Color”, “Heritage” was a beautiful up lifting 128- line reflects the idea of questioning his own ethnicity, doubly confused in his own identity in the society he was living in. African Americans were not equally seen as citizen. Cullen’s words blend beautifully by using his skillful literary techniques such as alliteration and assonance to add alluring
The author then emphasizing his conflicted confusion by using his ingenious literary skills applying asyndeton throughout most of the next line such as “or”. It wasn’t only a bewildered tone but also an aching despair voice illustrated through “or”, “removed”. Countee Cullen purposed was to portrait the biggest question which is why you discriminate me from being an African when all I know about Africa is the feral myths and wild backgrounds I’ve learnt from books and rumors. ‘Heritage’ poem portrait multiple free independent images using feral phenomena of Mother Earth such as “sun”, “sea”, “jungle”, “birds”, “cinnamon tree” assemble luminescence effortless scenario for any audience to read. Countee Cullen have used imagery throughout his poem because the author doesn’t really know what Africa is authentically to him. Many phrases such as “copper sun or scarlet sea”, “jungle star or jungle track” and “bronzed men or regal black” or allusion between whether his Africa is an Eden or jungle, proved that Countee Cullen does not know for sure about his native country, does not even sure about his untamed origin background then why the society intolerant his people by their race. Until everything strikes back to him “what if Africa to me” to end his first stanza. He startling between a heritage constraining from everything he wanted to be vs a