‘The Negro speaks Rivers’
In this poem, the relation to Dubois theory in regard to double consciousness ultimately establishes a boundary line that examines the ‘African American history. The theory related to suggest that African Americans possess two distinct identities; African and American. Nonetheless, since Caucasian American society do not conform to either identity, they have been observed to remain in constant conflict with each other. In this poem, the persona says “I built my hut near the Congo, and it eventually lulled me to sleep,” (6). This particular line is aimed at showing that African Americans origin is in Africa. One the first line of this poem, the speaker, says that, “I’ve known rivers”, thus the use of the first person ‘i’ denotes the African Americans, he additionally says I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it (line 7). This line can be further expounded by Dubois explanation that Egypt is a chief part of the African American history.
Thesis: African Americans possess a great history due to their relationship with Africa.
This poem capitalizes on the use of symbolism such as how it relates rivers as the base source of the African-American life. When the persona says that;
"I've known rivers:
I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the
flow of human blood in human views" (line 1-3)
Through these lines, Hughes shows how rivers are some of the most extraordinary features that exist and have been there for ages. The deeper meaning to these lines is that, people should understand that rivers lived way before the human beings through which blood would flow. Therefore, the relationship that exists between the modern people and the ancient people is the flow of the rivers rather than the flow of a person’s blood since rivers outlive people. He ultimately celebrates the African American identity by expounding on the transition that was seen to between the African Americans. “I bathed in the Euphrates when dawn was young (line 5), and I also heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans (line 6 and7).
When reading through the poem, it becomes apparent that, Hughes successfully shows the struggles of the African-American individual especially with the emergency of the use of African Americans form of life. He said that he really celebrates the group of African Americans because all the cases involved showed that the author of this poem has a high level of confidence. The other factor that this poem became more reliable is that it is related to the notion that the speaker is able to familiarise himself with the aspects of the cycle of growth of self-discovery as a group of people in a certain geographical location. Apparently, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” which was composed by Langston is an evident expression that manages to show the great history of the African Americans. Additionally, the poem gives its audience a deeper insight into the battles of identity which exists between African Americans and their respective surrounding society. The ancient African rivers are an example of the experiences with life that the poem integrates into its symbolism in the poem. Largely, this poem is a clear formulation of an extensive and distinctive history for the African Americans.
Works Cited
Hughes, Langston, and Earl B. Lewis. The Negro Speaks of Rivers. New York: Disney Jump
at the Sun Books, 2009. Print.
