Skip to main content

“Still Here”- Langston Hughes

                                                 “Still Here”

-       Langston Hughes

I been scared and battered.

My hopes the wind done scattered.

Snow has friz me,

Sun has baked me,

Looks like between 'em they done

Tried to make me

Stop laughin', stop lovin', stop livin'—

But I don't care!

I'm still here!

Langston Hughes’ poem “Still Here” is a powerful and emotional expression of the struggle and resilience of African Americans in the face of oppression and discrimination. The poem is a reflection of the experiences of black people during the early 20th century, when segregation and racism were rampant in the United States. It conveys a sense of weariness and exhaustion. Despite the difficulties faced, the narrator remains defiant and determined to continue living. The repetition of the hardships of life emphasizes the theme of resilience and determination, and shows that the narrator has not been defeated by the struggles. The use of weather imagery also adds to the sense of difficulty that the narrator has faced. The narrator speaks of his experiences as a witness to both peaceful protests and brutal arrests, highlighting the struggle for justice and equality faced by black people. The use of religious imagery, with the narrator being both the preacher and the follower, emphasizes the spiritual aspect of the fight for freedom and equality. The poem is a testament to the strength and resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Things That Haven't Been Done Before - Edgar Guest - Poem & Summary

    The things that haven’t been done before, Those are the things to try; Columbus dreamed of an unknown shore At the rim of the far-flung sky, And his heart was bold and his faith was strong As he ventured in dangers new, And he paid no heed to the jeering throng Or the fears of the doubting crew. The many will follow the beaten track With guideposts on the way. They live and have lived for ages back With a chart for every day. Someone has told them it’s safe to go On the road he has traveled o’er, And all that they ever strive to know Are the things that were known before . A few strike out without map or chart, Where never a man has been, From the beaten path they draw apart To see what no man has seen. There are deeds they hunger alone to do; Though

Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali - Song 35 “Where the Mind Is Without Fear”

Poem Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls Where words come out from the depth of truth Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit Where the mind is led forward by thee Into ever-widening thought and action Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake . Essay          Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali is a collection of 103 song offerings to God. Tagore got Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913. Song 35 “Where the Mind Is Without Fear” turns from a religious to a patriotic poem.      Tagore dreams of an independent and progressive India. The poet prays for the spiritual emancipation of his country.  He asks for a country,  where a man can move fearlessly and hold his head high with nobility and generosity;  Where every individual can be imparted knowledge freely;  Where there are no bounds nor are there any fragmentation

Drama - Comedy

  Definition: Drama presents fiction or fact in a form that could be acted before an audience not read in private. A play has a plot, characters, dialogue and atmosphere, and an outlook on life. Basil Worsfold defines Drama in “Judgement in Literature”, “Drama is a composite art, in which the author, the actor, and the stage manager all combine to produce the total effect” Structure: A play requires five phases: 1.                      Exposition explains the circumstances or situation from which the action is to take its  course 2.      Complication or Rising Action progresses the action and reveals the conflict . 3.      Climax is the action that takes a turn for the better or worse - the central conflict is addressed in a way that cannot be undone . 4.      Denouement or Falling Action unravels the complication 5.       Re Solution/Catastrophe decides the fate of its characters based on the climax Kinds of Drama             Drama is broadly divided into Trage