Perspectives

Literary and historical period

The poem “Harlem” by Langston Hughes belongs to the Modernist movement called the Harlem Renaissance. The term refers to a cultural movement that began in the neighborhood of Harlem, New York City, and that was characterized by innovations in literature, art, and music. Harlem Renaissance literature generally deals with issues related to the problems faced by African Americans. This idea applies to “Harlem”, which is a poem that metaphorically discusses the condition of Black people and the consequences of ignoring their dreams. 

“Harlem” is also a modernist poem. Modernist poems rely heavily on symbols and engage the active attention of the readers. In “Harlem” the reader is invited to think about what happens to a dream that is postponed and is given a series of suggestions phrased as questions. Modernist poems also lack a regular rhyme and rhythmic pattern, giving the poet more freedom to express their ideas and allowing the reader to focus on the message instead of the structure of the poem.

Textual perspectives

It would be useful to look at the poem “I, Too”, which was also written by Langston Hughes. The poem presents a black speaker who is proud to be American, although he is sent to the kitchen when visitors come. The speaker concludes that, in the future, white people will be ashamed of treating him badly. Both “I, Too” and “Harlem” deal with the condition of African Americans, although in different ways. 

The short story “One Friday Morning” by Langston Hughes focuses on an African-American girl named Nancy, who is denied an award because of the color of her skin. The short story also deals with the theme of injustice and shows how the American Dream does not apply to all equally. 

Langston Hughes’ short story “Tales of Simple: Coffee Break” is also set in Harlem. Here, an African-American man named Simple has a contradictory discussion with his white boss about the needs of Black people in the US.