Poem Analysis: The Weary Blues By Langston Hughes
Ms. Theresa Hull
DP1 Language and Literature
4 April 2013
Formative #1 – Langston Hughes
This passage is a poem written by Langston Hughes and it is called “The Weary Blues”. It creatively displays the expression of the African American’s struggle and perseverance through the use of songs and music. Also, like much of his poems, shows the struggles of African Americans and their strive for equality and freedom. The persona in this poem is describing the experience of listening to a blues musician in Harlem. Langston Hughes is showing the culture of the African Americans through the blues singer and the singer is using his song to express his feelings of sorrow and depression. The theme of this poem is that it presents how sad …show more content…
For example, in line 5, Hughes wrote, “By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light”. This creates an image and puts emphasis on the opposing ideas of dullness and light. Readers can see a contrast being made as they can visualize the difference. This might show that there were ups and downs living at that time. However, this line might be more inclined in conveying a dark message as light has been linked to being “dull” or “pale”. Thus, this is illustrating a very depressing and gloomy image to the readers with this impression of a lack of light in the African American’s lives. Another example of imagery is in line 9 when Hughes wrote, “With his ebony hands on each ivory key”. This line demonstrates the discrimination and separation between the blacks and whites at the time. The contrast being made with this imagery is very effective as it is creatively showing the social discrimination by comparing the singer’s hands and keys. The ebony and ivory, meaning black and white imagery ties in with the racial themes of the poem and of the blues. The anger and sorrow due to the racism in America at the time is what was the basis of blues music and Langston Hughes’s poetry. Using the words ebony and ivory when talking about the keys shows how music was a part of this social discrimination, a way to express their emotions and present what was happening at the
DP1 Language and Literature
4 April 2013
Formative #1 – Langston Hughes
This passage is a poem written by Langston Hughes and it is called “The Weary Blues”. It creatively displays the expression of the African American’s struggle and perseverance through the use of songs and music. Also, like much of his poems, shows the struggles of African Americans and their strive for equality and freedom. The persona in this poem is describing the experience of listening to a blues musician in Harlem. Langston Hughes is showing the culture of the African Americans through the blues singer and the singer is using his song to express his feelings of sorrow and depression. The theme of this poem is that it presents how sad …show more content…
For example, in line 5, Hughes wrote, “By the pale dull pallor of an old gas light”. This creates an image and puts emphasis on the opposing ideas of dullness and light. Readers can see a contrast being made as they can visualize the difference. This might show that there were ups and downs living at that time. However, this line might be more inclined in conveying a dark message as light has been linked to being “dull” or “pale”. Thus, this is illustrating a very depressing and gloomy image to the readers with this impression of a lack of light in the African American’s lives. Another example of imagery is in line 9 when Hughes wrote, “With his ebony hands on each ivory key”. This line demonstrates the discrimination and separation between the blacks and whites at the time. The contrast being made with this imagery is very effective as it is creatively showing the social discrimination by comparing the singer’s hands and keys. The ebony and ivory, meaning black and white imagery ties in with the racial themes of the poem and of the blues. The anger and sorrow due to the racism in America at the time is what was the basis of blues music and Langston Hughes’s poetry. Using the words ebony and ivory when talking about the keys shows how music was a part of this social discrimination, a way to express their emotions and present what was happening at the