Saturday, December 1, 2012

In the Poem "Harlem" by Langston Hughes, how does the title suggest the theme of the poem?

I have often seen this poem referred to as "What happens to a dream deferred" rather than "Harlem," which I think is very interesting when you think about the poem's theme.

The major theme for me is one of civil rights and the anger and frustration inherent in the struggle for them (see the second link below). This is implied through the title. Harlem, of course, was a hotbed for civil rights during the 50's and 60's (see the third link below). Of course, the first line is an allusion to Dr. King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech about racial equality. The poem then posits what will happen if we continue to defer or postpone King's dream of racial equality.

The final line, "Or does it explode" suggests to the reader that if the dream is always postponed, then violence will erupt not only in Harlem but also across the country wherever civil rights are repressed.

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