Ted Hughes The Negro Speaks Of Rivers

The Negro Speaks of Rivers, being Hughes’ earliest work, is indicative of the themes that run through much of Hughes’ work. Hughes use of black pride is present; he writes, “I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young./ I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep./ I looked upon the Nile and raised pyramids above it./ I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln/ went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy/ bosom turn all golden in the sunset” (Hughes, 23). Hughes shows the role that the black people have played all throughout history, from the dawn of civilization to the rise of beautiful African cultures, to the freedom of the slave in America. Hughes is showcasing the proudest moments of the black man …show more content…
In its forward Hughes writes, “In terms of current Afro-American popular music… this poem on contemporary Harlem, like bebop, is marked by conflicting changes, sudden nuances, sharp and impudent interjections , broken rhythms, and passages sometimes in the manner of the jam session” (Hughes, 387). Montage is meant to be a poetic jam session on, and reflective of, life in Harlem; the cacophony of the adopted bebop style reflects the cacophony of Harlem. In the opening poem, Dream Boogie, he can especially see Hughes’ efforts to reveal the meaning of the music. It reads, “Listen closely:/ You’ll hear their feet/ Beating out and beating out a -/ You think/ It’s a happy beat?/ Listen to it closely:/ Ain’t you hear/ something underneath/ like a-/ What did I say?/ Sure,/ I’m happy!/ Take it away!” (Hughes, 388). Hughes explores the meaning behind the seemingly happy beat, perhaps trying to reveal the true melancholy behind it, only to be interrupted by a ‘sharp and impudent interjection’ of happiness. The interruption of the music only comes after the narrator reflects on his own happiness. This interjection reflects the facade that Harlemites had to put on to keep from depression; they must be happy in their upbeat music to avoid the sadness of their impoverished everyday lives. The most interrupting of these musical interjections can be found in Question, “Can you do/ what my other man can’t do -/ That is/ love me, daddy -/ and feed me, too?/ Figurine/ De-dop!” (Hughes, 392). The sudden de-dop serves as to delay the question; why should they worry about that when they can just have a good time. And it should be noted that the question of this poem is a question of poverty; the man is unable to take care of his girl. Poverty was widespread in Harlem and many used to music of bebop to distract themselves from the problems of poverty that they faced. Hughes used carefree bebop stylings