LANGSTON HUGHES
218
THE POEM AND ITS CONTEXT
Langston Hughes penned "Harlem" in 1951.
This short poem
addresses one of the most common themes of his
American Dream does not become real for African.
writings --how the
The blacks,
Americans.Dsecond-uing
the 1950s, the American society still discriminated people
carrying the legacy of slavery, were treated racially.
as
class citizens by the law, especially in the American South. Howeve
a change was brewing, until1954 when theAmerican Supreme Cou
outlawed the practice of establishing separate public schools for white
and black students, calling it unconstitutional. Hughes, who was aware
of the problems and challenges faced by a black person in America,
wrote this poem as an expression of melancholy, resignation, and the
like. The poemwas titled "Harlem",after the New York neighbourhod
where Harlem Renaissance burgeoned. Many families from the
black community regarded Harlem as a safe haven away from the
frequent segregation and discrimination they faced elsewhere in the
country. However, at the start of the 1930s, when the Great Depression
set in the country, Harlem lost its glamour. Many prosperous Aifical
American families of Harlem lost their status once again.
TEXT
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar
over
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
(Langston Hughes, "Harlem" from Collected Poems)
, HARLEM
219
WORD NOTES
Deferred-postponed / put on hold
Raisin- apartially dried grape
Fester-become rotten
Sore -a paintulplace in the body
ta hardened layer, coating, or deposit on the
4ething soft surface of
Sugary-Oversweet
Sags- sinks
Explode-burst
SUBSTANCE
the In the 1950s, The Great Depression was over, the World
War II
theNES Over,but for AfricanAmericans the dream was still being deferred.
the Whether One's dreanm was a commonplace one or as
noble as hoping
sin bring up one's children properly, Langston Hughes treats all the
aeed dreams seriously. In metaphorical terms, the speaker wonders
happens to a dream that has been postponed. He wonders if it dries
)like araisin in the sun, or ifit oozes from rotting like a wound and
ns. It might smell like rotten meat or develop a sugary crust. It
NIght just sag like a"heavy load," or it might 'explode". The poem,
aged in aseries of questions: answers them at the same time. Theidea
an engulfing postponed dream. The lingering
frustration over a
BSence is that -time is short, the dream must be fulfilled or else...
218
THE POEM AND ITS CONTEXT
Langston Hughes penned "Harlem" in 1951.
This short poem
addresses one of the most common themes of his
American Dream does not become real for African.
writings --how the
The blacks,
Americans.Dsecond-uing
the 1950s, the American society still discriminated people
carrying the legacy of slavery, were treated racially.
as
class citizens by the law, especially in the American South. Howeve
a change was brewing, until1954 when theAmerican Supreme Cou
outlawed the practice of establishing separate public schools for white
and black students, calling it unconstitutional. Hughes, who was aware
of the problems and challenges faced by a black person in America,
wrote this poem as an expression of melancholy, resignation, and the
like. The poemwas titled "Harlem",after the New York neighbourhod
where Harlem Renaissance burgeoned. Many families from the
black community regarded Harlem as a safe haven away from the
frequent segregation and discrimination they faced elsewhere in the
country. However, at the start of the 1930s, when the Great Depression
set in the country, Harlem lost its glamour. Many prosperous Aifical
American families of Harlem lost their status once again.
TEXT
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore
And then run?
Does it stink like rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar
over
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?
(Langston Hughes, "Harlem" from Collected Poems)
, HARLEM
219
WORD NOTES
Deferred-postponed / put on hold
Raisin- apartially dried grape
Fester-become rotten
Sore -a paintulplace in the body
ta hardened layer, coating, or deposit on the
4ething soft surface of
Sugary-Oversweet
Sags- sinks
Explode-burst
SUBSTANCE
the In the 1950s, The Great Depression was over, the World
War II
theNES Over,but for AfricanAmericans the dream was still being deferred.
the Whether One's dreanm was a commonplace one or as
noble as hoping
sin bring up one's children properly, Langston Hughes treats all the
aeed dreams seriously. In metaphorical terms, the speaker wonders
happens to a dream that has been postponed. He wonders if it dries
)like araisin in the sun, or ifit oozes from rotting like a wound and
ns. It might smell like rotten meat or develop a sugary crust. It
NIght just sag like a"heavy load," or it might 'explode". The poem,
aged in aseries of questions: answers them at the same time. Theidea
an engulfing postponed dream. The lingering
frustration over a
BSence is that -time is short, the dream must be fulfilled or else...
