Harlem

Harlem

by Langston Hughes

What happens to a dream deferred?

Does information technology dry upwards
like a raisin in the lord's day?
Or fester like a sore—
And so run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or chaff and sugar over—
similar a syrupy sweet?

Mayhap information technology simply sags
like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

Summary of Harlem

  • Popularity of "Harlem": This curt poem is written by Langston Hughes, a renowned American poet, novelist, and playwright. "Harlem" is a thought-provoking literary piece nigh dreams and plans. Information technology was commencement published in 1951. The verse form illustrates what could happen if our dreams are not fulfilled on time. It speaks well-nigh the fate of dream shelved, including hopelessness.
  • "Harlem" As a Representative of Hopelessness: The poet narrates his thwarting of deferred dreams. The verse form begins with a question as he compares the dreams or goals with a raisin, meat, and sweets. The poet has used these analogies to evoke the epitome of a postponed dream. Each image enables the reader to feel what exactly has happened to the speaker's dream and the touch left on his mind. The description shows that his vision does not vanish so hands; instead, it goes through specific processes earlier reaching the bodily state of decay.
  • Major Themes in "Harlem": Delay, sadness, and dreams are the major themes of this poem. The poem speaks about the oppression of African-Americans. The tone suggests that their goals always remain unapproachable and lose their meanings. The speaker feels the burden of these dreams, saying when the burden becomes unbreakable, information technology will explode. On a deeper level, the poet is talking nigh the people having big ideas, but life never allows them to make their dreams a reality. The same is the example with African Americans. They wanted to liberate themselves from the clutches of racism, simply the supremacy of whites did non allow them.

Analysis of Literary Devices Used in "Harlem"

literary devices are tools that the writers use to heighten the meanings of their texts and to allow the readers to interpret it in multiple ways. Langston Hughes has also employed some literary devices in this poem to express his ideas. The assay of some of the literary devices used in this poem has been given below.

  1. Assonance: Assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds in the same line. For case, the sound of /e/ in "Does it stink like rotten meat" and the sound of /o/ in "Or fester similar a sore."
  2. Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the aforementioned line. For example, the sound of /n/ in "like a raisin in the sun".
  3. Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in verse that does not come up to an end at a line suspension; instead, it rolls over to the side by side line. For case,

"Peradventure information technology just sags
like a heavy load."

  1. Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses. For example, "like a raisin in the sunday", "Does it stink similar rotten meat" and "Or does it explode."
  2. Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is fabricated betwixt dissimilar objects or persons. For example, "Or does information technology explode?" Here the poet compares cleaved dreams with a bomb.
  3. Simile: It is a effigy of speech used to compare something with something else to brand the meanings clear to the readers. For example, "Does it dry up similar a raisin in the sun?", "Does information technology stink like rotten meat" and "like a syrupy sweetness." Here are the cleaved dreams are compared to decomposable food items.
  4. Rhetorical Question: Rhetorical question is a sentence which is posed to make the point clear. For example, "Or does it explode? "And "Does it stink similar rotten meat?"

Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in "Harlem"

Poetic and literary devices are the same, but a few are used just in verse. Hither is the analysis of some of the poetic devices used in this poem

  1. Stanza: A stanza is a poetic course of some lines. This is a short verse form consisting of eleven lines with no stanza suspension.
  2. End Rhyme: End Rhyme is used to make the stanza melodious. For example, "meat/sweet" and "sun/run."
  3. Rhyme Scheme: At that place is no particular rhyme scheme in this poem. However, the commencement 4 lines consist of the ABCB rhyme scheme.

Quotes to be Used

The lines stated beneath, and as well the entire poem is suitable to use by the people longing for liberty.

"What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry out upward
like a raisin in the dominicus?
Or fester like a sore—
And then run?
Does information technology stink like rotten meat?
Or chaff and sugar over—
like a syrupy sweet?"

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