Tone and Theme in Hughes' Poems

English > Analysis
Literature > American
Literature > Poetry

Explains how Hughes' "Ballad of the Landlord and Madam" and the "Rent Man" use similar voice, tone, and theme, to illuminate the African-American condition of the 1940's.

1,405 words () | 1 source | 2001 United States

Paper Summary:

This is an essay on two poems of the prolific African-American writer, Langston Hughes: "Ballad of the Landlord and Madam" and "The Rent Man". It focuses on the fictional elements of voice, point of view, tone, and theme. The meaning is illustrated through examining the words of both poems.

From the Paper:

"Langston Hughes uses a strikingly similar voice in "Ballad of the Landlord" and "Madam and the Rent Man." The point of view of both poems is first person, which greatly increases the believability of both poems' tone. The attitude is one of anger and despair, and it's this attitude that conveys the meaning Hughes is trying to make. His meaning has to do with race and class issues. Hughes is illustrating the frustration of oppressed African Americans and the racial prejudice and social injustice they face.'

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APA Citation:

Tone and Theme in Hughes' Poems (2012, January 15). Retrieved February 10, 2012, from http://www.academon.com/Analytical-Essay-Tone-and-Theme-in-Hughes'-Poems/2671