Langston Hughes, the poet laureate of Harlem, effectively comments on the plight of African Americans in 20th Century America through his poetry. He places specific focus on Harlem, a predominantly black neighborhood in New York that attracted many hopeful black individuals during the early 1900s. Hughes consistently explores the concept of a “dream deferred” in his poems, which illustrates the disappointment and despair experienced by the black community in Harlem. Moreover, as each poem progresses, the intensity of this deferred dream intensifies, evoking deeper emotions like anger.
Understanding Hughes’ concept of the “dream deferred” requires knowledge of Harlem’s history. Originally planned as an upscale white community, Harlem attracted wealthy whites with its elegant brownstones. However, in the early 20th century, as whites forced blacks out of their neighborhoods in uptown Manhattan, Harlem became home to a growing black population. Racial fears led to white residents leaving the area. From the 1910s to the early 1940s, black individuals from different parts of the world flocked to Harlem, seeking refuge from the racial discrimination in the South and economic struggles in the Caribbean and Latin America. Eventually, Harlem became a predominantly black neighborhood. Sadly, this once-promising town soon became plagued with overcrowding, exploitation, and poverty.
The theme of “a dream deferred” is central to Langston Hughes’ first poem “Harlem” and sets the tone for the following poems. The poem opens with the question, “What happens to a dream deferred?” In the context of the poem, the dream refers to the aspirations of blacks who moved to Harlem in search of opportunity, better living conditions, and freedom from racial intolerance. However, upon arrival, their dream was delayed as they faced overcrowding, exploitation, and poverty. The initial questioning mood in “Harlem” leads to a search for definition and prompts readers to reflect on the meaning of a deferred dream as the poems progress.
The poem continues by listing various possible outcomes for a dream that is never realized. It suggests that the dream may dry up and disappear like a raisin in the sun. It may also become repulsive, giving off a foul odor like rotten meat. Another possibility is that the dream may form a crust and be covered up, masked by the normality of society. However, the most impactful line in “Harlem” is the last one: “Or does it explode?” This line, emphasized with italics, clearly highlights the severity of a delayed dream, especially for the black population in Harlem. After centuries of oppression, the deprivation of yet another dream is not taken lightly. With this final line, Hughes subtly suggests the potential for revolution, implying that the black community in Harlem is like a time bomb waiting to detonate.
The intensity of the mood in” a dream deferred” has increased, with the last possible fate being somewhat ominous and threatening. This theme is also present in the poem”Good Morning,” which portrays the harsh reality that awaited blacks upon their arrival in Harlem. The poem’s details create a more realistic and serious depiction of” a dream deferred,” and direct references to the city of Harlem help the reader understand its true nature. The speaker describes watching Harlem grow and the influx of black people from places like Puerto Rico, Cuba, Georgia, and Louisiana, referring to Harlem as a” dusky sash across Manhattan.”
The poem presents a shift in mood when it states, “I’ve seen them come dark / out of Penn Station— / but the trains are late. / The gates are open— / Yet there’re bars / at each gate.” The people in Harlem have not found what they anticipated and desired. These lines effectively convey the emotions that accompany the harsh reality of Harlem. The direct question, “What happens / to a dream deferred?” reinforces this understanding: this is the “dream deferred,” and this is what the people are experiencing. This question is unyielding and creates a sense of seriousness within the poem. Another poem by Hughes, “Same in Blues,” also explores the idea of a “dream deferred.” It incorporates a dialogue between characters to explain the components of a “dream deferred,” and concludes with an element of anger. In the first stanza, a woman informs her partner that she must keep moving, followed by the lines, “There’s a certain / amount of traveling / in a dream deferred.”
In this method, the poem goes through four stanzas where people converse and a new element is introduced: “a certain amount of nothing,” “a certain amount of impotence.” The most impactful component introduced in the poem is: “There’s liable to be confusion in a dream deferred.” The poem also states that there is likely to be confusion when a dream is kicked around. This line implies the anger felt by many African Americans – no longer is the dream “deferred,” now it is “kicked around,” creating a harsher and angrier image. The next poem, shorter than the previous three, titled “Comment on Curb,” also portrays the negative image of dreams being “kicked around,” while hinting at the false illusion of hope that many had about Harlem.
The poem, composed of two stanzas, declares that “You talk like / they don’t kick / dreams around / downtown.” Unlike “Same in Blues,” “Comment on the Curb” solely consists of dialogue. The speaker conveys that dreams are mistreated downtown, while the other person suggests that such circumstances do not occur in Harlem: “I’m talking about Harlem to you!” This poem further illustrates the perception of Harlem as a thriving place for dreams, with the ongoing theme of dreams being mistreated. The title implies that this kind of conversation happened frequently, a passing comment hinting at the widespread acceptance of this viewpoint. “Comment on Curb” sarcastically remarks on the disillusionment experienced by many African Americans, indirectly commenting on their unfortunate lack of knowledge.
The use of the “kicked around” expression conveys the same anger as “Same in Blues”: anger with the situation, anger with the lack of information blacks possessed, and anger with society’s lack of respect for their dreams. The poem “Island” also uses the theme of a deferred dream. It describes an island situated between two rivers. The island is depicted as negative and somber: “Like darker rivers / The streets are dark.” The word “dark” can refer to both a lack of light and the population being dark-skinned. However, the initial impression is likely to be gloomy and foreboding, given the image of darkness. The poem continues by mentioning the various colors in this “pie of a town:” “Black and white, / Gold and brown.” This suggests that people of different races reside on this island of diverse colors.
The use of the phrase “Chocolate-custard / Pie of a town” in “Comment on Curb” is sarcastic, creating an ironic illusion of a worry-free and problem-free place. However, the island mentioned in the poem is not completely free of trouble, increasing the irony. In the following stanza, Hughes emphasizes this irony with italics, referring to a dream within a dream that is deferred. The poem’s tone shifts from anger to melancholy as it suggests that perhaps the people living in Harlem have created a new illusion, hoping that Harlem will meet their original expectations after the initial shock of its conditions. Additionally, Hughes states that the “dream within a dream” and the original dream of Harlem have been deferred.
The poem’s satirical hope in the reference to the “pie of a town” disappears with the illusion of a “dream within a dream.” This final poem gives the impression that although things may appear to have improved in Harlem, nothing has actually changed. It is still a dream, a deferred dream. Langston Hughes uses the recurring theme of a deferred dream in his poetry, creating a powerful image that progresses throughout each poem and links them together. Hughes effectively conveys the despair felt by blacks in Harlem. The emotions accompanying this theme vary from foreboding to anger to gloom, evoking a sense of each in the reader. Hughes’ poems are a profound commentary on the experiences of blacks in Harlem and the enduring dream they share, which is still deferred.
