Langston Hughes And Countee Cullen

Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen are two major figures with very similar themes within their poems. The two early twentieth century authors delve into their writings during the Harlem Renaissance. During this time, African Americans were facing difficult challenges of their African heritage while still wanting to be apart of and accepted in the predominately white society. Between the two authors, they shared a common goal of racial equality and also supplying the residents of Harlem, New York an awareness of African American’s everyday lives. In both of their poems, “Yet Do I Marvel” and “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” it is proven to be true. Hughes and Cullen are iconic and prolific writers of the Harlem Renaissance and many critics through the years have analyzed their work. Fred Fetrow in his article, “Cullen’s Yet Do I Marvel,” examines how Cullen’s story is composed …show more content…
Sharon Jones, in her article, “Langston Hughes's Transnational Literary Journeys: History, Heritage, and Identity in ‘The Negro Speaks of Rivers’ and "Negro,’" analyzes how Hughes uses his imagery and diction function within his poem, “The Negro Speaks of Rivers.” I will assert whether the critic’s viewpoint of the two poems is correct. Cullen from a young age started writing and published “Color”, his first volume of poems at twenty-two. “Cullen demanded that black poets be considered as American poets, ultimately without any special racial designation” (2240). Race was such an impacting aspect of his life and he wanted to share that through his poems. The speaker comes across as confused as to why such wonderful and loving God