32 The stars went out and so did the moon. Were you aware of the following facts regarding World War II? If you have ever felt down about anything, you can hopefully relate to the poem. Coming from a black man's soul. "Down on Lenox Avenue": Lenox Avenue is a main street in Harlem, which in terms of the geography of New York, is North, or uptown. Learn. African American blues music itself is a patching together of different and disparate influences (see above Steven C. Tracy's ideas about the way African Americans made a "white" Western instrument speak of their particular emotions). The poem was included in Hughes's first book, a collection of poems, also entitled The Weary Blues. Probably not. Musical fool -- multiple meanings of the word "fool" -- fool as enthusiast, fool as mental defective, fool as entertainer. Write. Flocking northward to Harlem, where most African Americans lived, for the entertainment and introduction to new forms of music and art produced by African Americans there, white benefactors of these artists helped them to become known beyond their own community. Lenox Avenue: a main street in Harlem, Manhattan. Even in singing the blues, he is singing about his life, about the way that he and other blacks have to deal with white society. Steven C. Tracy writes the following about this idea: All the singer seems to have is his moaning blues, the revelation of "a black man's soul," and those blues are what helps keep him alive. But jazz and blues music must be considered original to African Americans, borne out of "the irrestistible impulse of blacks to create boldly expressive art of a high quality as a primary response to their social conditions, as an affirmation of their dignity and humanity in the face of poverty and racism" (Norton Anthology of African American Literature 929). This performance takes place in a club in Harlem, a segregated neighborhood in New York City. Would liberals acquiesce to "trans-species" inviduals' demands to be referred to as a cat/deer/whatever? The Weary Blues. The bluesman is "weary"; he sings about his loneliness and depression and says he wants to die. 12 Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool. Throughout the poem, several literary devices are used to guide Note the interruption of the blues lyrics in the narrative of the poem. With his ebony hands on each … "The Weary Blues" is a poem by American poet Langston Hughes. Get your answers by asking now. The speaker wants to share his experience with his audience. PLAY. Become a Study.com member to unlock this Test. The themes of the poem are being alive through music, the power of music, and the common suffering of the black people during this time period. In The Weary Blues by Langston Hughes, how does the poet use imagery to depict freedom? Also, notice the implicit opposition between the sorrows of the singer that bring him down and his desire to quit his "frownin" and "put [his] troubles [up] on the shelf.". liana_madison_elola. 24 He played a few chords then he sang some more--, 30 And I wish that I had died.". This passage is a poem written by Langston Hughes and it is called “The Weary Blues”. When we thing of something that is "raggedy," we think of rags, poverty and need. If you are on a personal connection, like at home, you can run an anti-virus scan on your device to make sure it is not infected with malware. Swaying to and fro on his rickety stool He played that sad raggy tune like a musical fool. ”The Weary Blues” by Langston Hughes Essay Sample. As his black hands touch the white keys, the accepted Western sound of the piano and the form of Western music are changed. Learn and understand all of the themes found in The Weary Blues, such as The African American Spirit. All rights reserved. Get access to expert help, study tools, and 1,000,000+ answered questions, Get access to this video and our entire Q&A library. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. 21 I's gwine to quit ma frownin', 22 And put ma troubles on the shelf.". But we also think of the idea of patchwork, a fabric constructed out of scraps of cloth -- or rags -- sewn together to make a new whole out of disparate parts, such as a quilt. Summary: The speaker of Langston Hughes's "The Weary Blues" describes an evening of listening to a blues musician in Harlem. Major Themes in Langston Hughes's The Weary Blues. Gravity. 20 Ain't got nobody but ma self. Sad? What is the theme and symbols in the poem "The Weary Blues" by Langston Hughes? Langston Hughes's “The Weary Blues,” first published in 1925, describes a black piano player performing a slow, sad blues song. Has Hughes simply made a grammatical error? starTop subjects are Literature, Social Sciences, and Arts. Check. Who was 'El Padrino,' godfather to drug cartel? The poem meditates on the way that the song channels the suffering and injustice of the black experience in America, transforming that suffering into something beautiful and cathartic… http://www.english.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/g_l/hughes/... How do I stop comparing myself to other writers? It was a way for them to vent their stresses and worries, and to take a load off after a hard day of working to live and survive in a world that was against them. During the 20s and 30s, writings by African-Americans about black identity and culture proliferated. Performance & security by Cloudflare, Please complete the security check to access. I hope that those thoughts help a bit; good luck! 15 Coming from a black man's soul. © 2020 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Harlem Renaissance: Novels and Poetry from the Jazz Age, Mulatto by Langston Hughes: Poem & Analysis, Art and Culture of the Harlem Renaissance: Artists, Poets, Authors & Music, I, Too, Sing America By Langston Hughes: Summary, Theme & Analysis, Claude McKay: Role in Harlem Renaissance & 'America' Analysis, Harlem By Langston Hughes: Analysis & Overview, Hughes' Let American Be America Again: Analysis & Meaning, The Cotton Club: History, Performers & Harlem Renaissance, The Beat Generation: Characteristics of Beat Poetry, Dreams by Langston Hughes: Summary & Analysis, If We Must Die By Claude McKay: Summary, Theme & Analysis, The Literary Realism Movement: A Response to Romanticism, The Imagist Movement: Poems, Examples & Key Poets, Transcendentalism: Impact on American Literature, Robert Frost Poetry Analysis: The Road Not Taken and Other Poems, The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe: Summary, Characters & Analysis, Double Consciousness & Du Bois: Definition & Examples, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Study Guide, American Literature Syllabus Resource & Lesson Plans, Georgia Milestones - American Literature & Composition EOC: Test Prep & Practice, Biological and Biomedical