The "Harlem" Knight

In his poem "Harlem," Langston Hughes skillfully uses figurative language, powerful metaphors and strong imagery to describe the regrets that arise from "dreams deferred." Though his descriptions contain different meanings to all kinds of readers, African Americans and those most influenced by the Harlem Renaissance share his feelings of weakness and frustration. Matt Longabucco and Richard Bizot, Hughes' scholars, also share that philosophy.

The very first line of Langston Hughes' poem "Harlem" poses a compelling question that speaks volumes about the human condition, especially that of the black man. "What happens to a dream deferred?" In other words, what happens when a desire is ignored, pushed aside, and forced into obscurity? Hughes, a staple in America's historic Harlem Renaissance, could have answered that question more aptly than anyone else. The next dozen lines quickly expand upon the question, evoking feelings of self-analysis and regret. The beginning of the poem is passive, yet it ends actively (Bizot 3) and almost all the questions are rhetorical.

Hughes continues by asking, "Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" Figuratively, dreams and desires are like grapes. They are known for their sweet flavor and moist innards. The sun on the other hand, can be interpreted on a personal basis. It can represent the hardships of life or the negative attitudes of others. Or, unlike it is popularly believed, the sun can be that place deep inside where we keep our secrets, a place that will diminish our dreams if they are not realized and pursued.

The next question Hughes poses in his poem is the most figurative. "Or fester like a sore - And then run?" On first glance, one would not imagine comparing a sore to a dream. But upon further analyses, the allegory makes perfect sense, much like that of the grape. A sore, like a grape, is full of fluid and over time builds up. A dream, like that sore, can become overwhelming over time if it is not attended to. When the time has passed too long and the dream is lost, nothing but an open wound is left behind.

Hughes takes his figurative language to the extreme when he asks if a deferred dream, "...stink(s) like rotten meat?" He builds upon the image of an open sore and evokes feelings of disgust. The dream, when blatantly ignored, rots and stinks like feelings of self-loathing and pity. Hughes quickly changes his tone and compares the dream to a "...syrupy sweet..." "crust(ed) and sugar(ed) over..." While the imagery is pleasing, the message remains the same. Sugar, like meat, changes when left alone and the dream hardens and calcifies over time.

The last two sentences of Hughes poem are almost complete contradictions of one another but both continue to refer to the deferment of dreams. A dream "sags" over time like a burden, weighing the dreamer down so letting go of the dream completely would be a relief. Hughes also ponders an explosion, as if the suffering might be enough to destroy oneself.

Langston Hughes' poem speaks even louder when you take into account his influences. The collection in which the poem first appeared, Montage of a Dream Deferred, holds the truth today that it did when it was first written (Longabucco 10). While it can be seen from a secular and wide spread view point, the message Hughes intended to convey is that of the suffering African Americans have felt for decades. A "dream deferred" is the "frustrated dream of African Americans: a dream of freedom, equality, dignity, opportunity, and success."(Bizot 3)

The title of Hughes poem is almost as powerful as his message. The city of Harlem is famous for its black heritage and impoverished inhabitants. Harlem represented a cornucopia of human suffrage that inspired Hughes, who lived there for the last twenty years of his life (Bizot 4). After World War II ended and the Depression was resolved, the life of African Americans still hadn't improved. The simple title gives the reader a glimpse into a world only those with his same skin color would understand. The city was a perfect example of what African Americans suffered nation wide.

Hughes' poetry is still famous for its blunt observations and figurative language. He is yet another voice for the suffering felt by African Americans that still suffer to this day. But very few other voices are quite as ominous (Bizot 2), relevant (Longabucco 10) or masterful as his. In seven simple sentences, "Harlem" encompasses the problems his fellow man have faced and inspires them to rise above the oppression that has pushed their dreams and aspirations into oblivion. Emotions are something only the greatest words can tap into and through "Harlem" Hughes masterfully encapsulate what few other writers could, the long lasting effects of segregation and discrimination.

Works Cited

Bizot, Richard. "Harlem, Montage of a Dream Deferrer." Masterplots II: Poetry, Rev. ed.

Salem Press, Inc., 2002

Hughes, Langston. "Harlem." Literature The Human Experience. 9^th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2006. 489

Longabucco, Matt. "The Poetics and Prose of Langston Hughes." Bloom's BioCritiques: Langston Hughes. Infobase Publishing, 2002