1_elejarza

Yvette Elejarza

American Literature

Nov. 21, 2000

Drowning from the Blues

Langston Hughes, author of "The Weary Blues," had a reputation as one of the most innovative and influential black American poets of the twentieth century. The majority of his writing was for and about African Americans being different historically and culturally. Beginning in the Harlem Renaissance, during the early 1920s, Hughes' career extended to the Black Arts Movement of the late 1960s. He helped to inspire young black American writers and encouraged the older ones. Despite criticism Hughes encountered from African Americans, he eventually became well known and loved.

Hughes' style of writing was strongly influenced by experiences that occurred during his lifetime. According to Edward E. Waldron, "Hughes continues to imaginatively express the many features of prejudice, racial exploitation, and brutality of Negro folk culture in his poems." "The Weary Blues" is a poem that expresses some form of disappointment in areas of life and in just plain living for African Americans. Waldron further states that Hughes wanted to create a "Negro culture in America-a real, solid, sane racial something growing out of the folk life, not copied from another surrounding race." His artistic desires and talents were intensified by the 1920s during the Harlem Renaissance. During this period, Hughes established close relationships with African American intellectuals and artists. He wrote primarily for a black urban audience. Hughes concentrated his work on the men and women in the Harlem neighborhoods.

"The Weary Blues" is a portrayal of an African American piano player who feels a sense of loneliness and despair. By playing the piano, he is able to express his frustrations and hopelessness. Writer Baxter R. Miller states that the "piano player uses his instrument to create the "call and response' pattern that is essential to the blues" (119). The Negro plays, and the piano responds. He expresses the fact that he is alone and lonely: "Ain't got nobody in all this world, / Ain't got nobody but ma self" (19, 20). However, the piano player feels he should stop feeling sorry for himself and move on: "Is gwine to quit ma frownin'/ And put my troubles on the shelf" (21, 22).

The poem creates an intense pride in blackness and African heritage: "Sweet Blues, / coming from a black man's soul, / O Blues" (14-16). The black piano player at no time feels ashamed of his nationality, but only wishes that it be accepted. The poem conveys a sense of protest against prejudice and discrimination: "With his ebony hands on each ivory key / He made that poor piano moan with melody" (9, 10). The black piano player relieves his frustrations, hitting the ivory keys until it is loud enough to get a response. The piano in a sense is "talking" back to him.

There is a lot of feeling to this poem -- "The Weary Blues." Hughes' style of writing can imaginatively take the reader to this period in time: the black piano player is playing the piano and singing the blues: "Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor, / He played a few chords then he sang some more" (23, 24). The "thumps" can almost be heard as the poem is read. The sway of his body and rocking on his old stool can almost be seen. The feeling is so strong that the reader can almost feel pain.

Through the process of playing the piano and singing about his troubles, the black piano player is able to express his feelings and attain a state of peace:

And far into the night he crooned that tune.

The stars went out and so did the moon.

The singer stopped playing and went to bed

While the Weary Blues echoed through his head.

He slept like a rock or a man that's dead. (31-35)

As soon as darkness had faded, he stopped playing the piano and went to bed hoping to escape the "Blues," only to find himself thinking about his troubles again.

Playing the piano while singing the "Blues" was a temporary escape for the black piano player. At darkness, he was able to express his frustration and arrive at point where he felt content. As soon as dawn approached, the black piano player would try to escape his despair and loneliness by sleeping. Unfortunately, he had to wake up sooner or later to face the harsh reality of daylight and everyday living. At one point, the black piano player escapes his sorrow while playing the piano at night, but is captured as daylight approaches.

Sources Cited

Hughes, Langston. "The Weary Blues." Handout. Internet Access 29 Nov. 2000.

<http://www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?prmID=1476>.

Miller, R. Baxter. "Langston Hughes." Dictionary of Literary Biography. Ed. Robyn Young.

Vol. 51. Detroit: 1991. 119-121.

Waldron, E. Edward. "Langston Hughes." Contemporary Literacy Criticism. Ed. Arnold

Rampesad. Vol. 15. Detroit: Gale, 1971. 292.









			Yvette Elejarza American Literature Nov. 21, 2000 Drowning from the Blues Langston Hughes, author of "The Weary Blues," had a reputation as one of the most innovative and influential black American poets of the twentieth century. The majority of his writing was for and about African Americans being different historically and culturally. Beginning in the Harlem Renaissance, during the early 1920s, Hughes' career extended to the Black Arts Movement of the late 1960s. He helped to inspire young black American writers and encouraged the older ones. Despite criticism Hughes encountered from African Americans, he eventually became well known and loved. Hughes' style of writing was strongly influenced by experiences that occurred during his lifetime. According to Edward E. Waldron, "Hughes continues to imaginatively express the many features of prejudice, racial exploitation, and brutality of Negro folk culture in his poems." "The Weary Blues" is a poem that expresses some form of disappointment in areas of life and in just plain living for African Americans. Waldron further states that Hughes wanted to create a "Negro culture in America-a real, solid, sane racial something growing out of the folk life, not copied from another surrounding race." His artistic desires and talents were intensified by the 1920s during the Harlem Renaissance. During this period, Hughes established close relationships with African American intellectuals and artists. He wrote primarily for a black urban audience. Hughes concentrated his work on the men and women in the Harlem neighborhoods. "The Weary Blues" is a portrayal of an African American piano player who feels a sense of loneliness and despair. By playing the piano, he is able to express his frustrations and hopelessness. Writer Baxter R. Miller states that the "piano player uses his instrument to create the "call and response' pattern that is essential to the blues" (119). The Negro plays, and the piano responds. He expresses the fact that he is alone and lonely: "Ain't got nobody in all this world, / Ain't got nobody but ma self" (19, 20). However, the piano player feels he should stop feeling sorry for himself and move on: "Is gwine to quit ma frownin'/ And put my troubles on the shelf" (21, 22). The poem creates an intense pride in blackness and African heritage: "Sweet Blues, / coming from a black man's soul, / O Blues" (14-16). The black piano player at no time feels ashamed of his nationality, but only wishes that it be accepted. The poem conveys a sense of protest against prejudice and discrimination: "With his ebony hands on each ivory key / He made that poor piano moan with melody" (9, 10). The black piano player relieves his frustrations, hitting the ivory keys until it is loud enough to get a response. The piano in a sense is "talking" back to him. There is a lot of feeling to this poem -- "The Weary Blues." Hughes' style of writing can imaginatively take the reader to this period in time: the black piano player is playing the piano and singing the blues: "Thump, thump, thump, went his foot on the floor, / He played a few chords then he sang some more" (23, 24). The "thumps" can almost be heard as the poem is read. The sway of his body and rocking on his old stool can almost be seen. The feeling is so strong that the reader can almost feel pain. Through the process of playing the piano and singing about his troubles, the black piano player is able to express his feelings and attain a state of peace: And far into the night he crooned that tune. The stars went out and so did the moon. The singer stopped playing and went to bed While the Weary Blues echoed through his head. He slept like a rock or a man that's dead. (31-35) As soon as darkness had faded, he stopped playing the piano and went to bed hoping to escape the "Blues," only to find himself thinking about his troubles again. Playing the piano while singing the "Blues" was a temporary escape for the black piano player. At darkness, he was able to express his frustration and arrive at point where he felt content. As soon as dawn approached, the black piano player would try to escape his despair and loneliness by sleeping. Unfortunately, he had to wake up sooner or later to face the harsh reality of daylight and everyday living. At one point, the black piano player escapes his sorrow while playing the piano at night, but is captured as daylight approaches. Sources Cited Hughes, Langston. "The Weary Blues." Handout. Internet Access 29 Nov. 2000. <http://www.poets.org/poems/poems.cfm?prmID=1476>. Miller, R. Baxter. "Langston Hughes." Dictionary of Literary Biography. Ed. Robyn Young. Vol. 51. Detroit: 1991. 119-121. Waldron, E. Edward. "Langston Hughes." Contemporary Literacy Criticism. Ed. Arnold Rampesad. Vol. 15. Detroit: Gale, 1971. 292.