Analyzing The Styles and Thematic Concerns in “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Hughes
INTRODUCTION
Written by one of the greatest American poets, playwright, and social activist, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers,” is one of the most popular free verse poems on the life of Africans before and after being driven off their land. It’s the voice of Africans who were tossed into slavery and those who fought during the civil war in America. The poet goes in-depth to show all that is in his heart and offers glimpses of his rich heritage and memories connected with the ancient African rivers. For instance, he says, “I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.” Here, he is talking about some of the longest and largest rivers in the world, most of which have ‘hosted’ important civilizations and historical events (citation). Hence, to provide the readers with a deeper understanding of the poem, this essay will look at the critical writing styles and themes expressed in this short, but captivating poem.
THE STYLES
Repetition and Personification
Between the first and fourth lines, the poet uses a lot of repetition. From the onset, the reader can see that the speaker is a ‘colored’ or ‘black’ person. This is because he starts by saying, “I’ve known rivers,” in line one, then continues using the same phrase in line two, “I’ve known rivers ancient as the world…” He uses this form of repetition to emphasize how he has seen and ‘known’ these rivers to connect or bring the reader closer to the world he’s talking about. He speaks of how he has grown so attached to these large masses of water, like how one might know a colleague or friend.
He also uses the theme of personification, which means giving human attributes to physical or inanimate objects. A good example is the personifying the Mississippi River when he says that he has seen the Mississippi singing when President Lincoln traveled to New Orleans. It’s important to highlight that singing of the Mississippi during this time was used to signify victory. The purpose behind this form of personification is to express the joy of the African-Americans. They suffered under the yoke of slavery after President Lincoln won the civil war and abolished slavery.
Symbolism and Imagery
Using symbols to explain qualities and ideas by giving them more physical than literal meanings is something that is used correctly in the poem. The poet says, “the flow of human blood in human veins,” to show that these rivers are as ancient as the human blood. In this case, blood is used to represent the passage of eras, time, and social life (citation).
Symbolism and imagery are strongly connected. However, imagery is meant to help readers perceive different aspects of the poem using their five senses. For instance, the writer says that he built his hut along the Congo River, and it lulled him to sleep to show the comfort, peace, and safety which existed before the colonists came into Africa (citation). The poet has also seen the muddy bossom of the Mississippi become golden during sunsets to show that even in times of civil war, there was hope and joy at the end.
Enjambment
This is an engaging poetic style that happens when a line is broken off before it’s intended stopping point, especially if someone is talking about loud. It forces the reader to move his or her eyes up and down quickly throughout the poem. There is a lot of back and forth movement which mimics the flow of water. One suitable example of enjambment is when the poet says, “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.”
THEMATIC CONCERNS
Historical Representation
The poem is written from an old soul’s perspective and tries to link both the present and past events. Rivers are used to show the experience of Africans throughout history. He also says that “my soul has grown deep like the rivers,” implying that he has seen massive changes happening in his life. Besides, by speaking about how he spent time in the Congo, Nile, and Euphrates rivers, he tells the reader where he came from and provides insights into his growing love for nature.
Cultural Heritage and Pride
These are some of the significant themes showcased in ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers” poem. It explains the historical existence and origin of Africans using rivers as an essential reference. From his sentiments, the reader can see that Africans or African-Americans are deeply connected to their cultural heritage and have knowledge that is as ancient as the Mississippi, Nile, Euphrates, and Congo rivers. The mood in the poem continues to explain how the poet values his race, ancient culture, and the color of his skin.
CONCLUSION
This is one of the most famous unrhymed, thirteen line poem which speaks deeply about African heritage and history through the ‘life’ of some of the largest rivers in the world. Furthermore, it uses styles such as repetition, imagery, and enjambment to trigger the thoughts and emotions of readers.