"Langston Hughes, although only twenty-four years old, is already conspicuous in
the group of Negro intellectuals who are dignifying Harlem with a genuine art
life. . . . It is, however, as an individual poet, not as a member of a new and
interesting literary group, or as a spokesman for a race that Langston Hughes
must stand or fall. . . . Always intensely subjective, passionate, keenly
sensitive to beauty and possessed of an unfaltering musical sense, Langston
Hughes has given us a 'first book' that marks the opening of a career well
worth watching."
-Bose Heyward from the New York Herald Tribune
My Response
I think Heyward's reaction to Hughes work is justified because he thinks that Langston Hughes first novel showed people that he had something great to show the world and that his poetry has an intense meaning to it. I agree in the fact that I also think Hughes poetry has a lot of meaning to it. He tried to incorporate emotions and real problems that were occurring in the world during his time. By doing this I think he made his poetry have more voice like how Heyward thought that his novel opened a career that was well worth watching
"On the whole, Hughes' creative life [was] as full, as varied, and as original as Picasso's, a joyful, honest monument of a career. There [was] no noticeable sham in it, no pretension, no self-deceit; but a great, great deal of delight and smiling irresistible wit. If he seems for the moment upstaged by angrier men, by more complex artists, if 'different views engage' us, necessarily, at this trying stage of the race war, he may well outlive them all, and still be there when it's over. . . . Hughes' [greatness] seems to derive from his anonymous unity with his people. He seems to speak for millions, which is a tricky thing to do."
- David Littlejohn from Black on White: A Critical Survey of Writing by American Negroes
My Response
Littlejohns response to Hughes poetry in my thinking describes exactly what I think Hughes hoped to achieve. The critic states that the poets greatness derives from his unity with his people and I think in his poems Langston Hughes really does try to speak in the name of all African American people with great skill. Just as written in this review I think that his poems are as original as Picasso's paintings and he could be described as someone who is able to write with great wit and humor while also bringing meaning to the word choice he uses.
Hughes "has perhaps the greatest reputation (worldwide) that any black writer has ever had. Hughes differed from most of his predecessors among black poets, and (until recently) from those who followed him as well, in that he addressed his poetry to the people, specifically to black people. During the twenties when most American poets were turning inward, writing obscure and esoteric poetry to an ever decreasing audience of readers, Hughes was turning outward, using language and themes, attitudes and ideas familiar to anyone who had the ability simply to read.
-Donald B. Gibson from Modern Black Poets: A Collection of Critical Essays
My Response
I agree with Gibsons response to Hughes work because he believes that he was a different type of poet in the way that he spoke in his poetry directly to African American people like him. I think this style of writing was unique because not many poets in his time wrote directly to one group of people but instead wrote to a larger audience considering that the audience reading these poems was decreasing as stated in the quote. I agree that instead of being like most other American poets Hughes decided to stick with his style and write to African American people but made it so that anyone could read his poetry which ended up making his writing be one of the greatest pieces known.