Compare and Contrast Essay- TKAM
Block D
The Pen is Mightier than the Sword
The common mantra “The pen is mightier than the sword,”can be applied to various forms of poetry. How do devices help reflect the purpose of a poem?The poems “I Too” and “Yet Do I Marvel” by Langston Hughes and Countee Cullen, respectively, are both poems written in the United States during the 1920s. These two African American poets express the oppression of the black community during the Harlem Renaissance.The use of the poetic device, allusion, is used by both poets to enhance meaning and illustrate purpose. Hughes’ “I, Too” alludes to the poem “I Hear America Singing” by Walt Whitman to demonstrate their place among Americans. In contrast, Cullen’s “Yet Do I Marvel” alludes to Greek Mythology in order toexhibithow knowledgeable African American poets can be. The devices in both poems serve to the purpose of working towards a racially equal society.
Langston Hughes efficiently uses a variety of poetic devices in his poem “I, Too.” This poem alludes the Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing,” a patriotic poem of the embodiment of the American dream, all written in an extended metaphor to music and carols.As a follow up to this, Hughes uses repetition as he refers to Whitman’s poem. This free verse and lyrical poem has a sense of jazz associated with it, which exposes the reader to a very unique type of literature that goes along with the musical theme of “I Hear America Singing.” Hughes wrote his ambitious poem in a hopeful and confident tone. In the first stanza, Hughes states that: “I am the darker brother” (2), which is a metaphor to prove that even African Americans should be accepted and respected in America, like a family. At the end of the poem, Hughes declares, “They’ll see how beautiful I am” (16), showing how hopeful he is about one day demolishing the segregation caused by the Jim Crow Laws. This line provokes the reader and makes them optimistic about his goal.
In the sonnet, "Yet Do I Marvel," Cullen uses allusion to enrich the meaning of his poem. He alludes to the lesser known gods, Tantalus and Sisyphus, and uses their miserable tales as examples of ways God allows suffering in the world. Cullen manages to relate being an African American poet to thedevastating lives of a mythical god. Only a historian or an extremely keen poet, would be able to mention such unpopular characters and stories and find a connection within it, showing just how bright Cullen is. In the last couplet of Cullen’s poem, he says, “Yet do I marvel at this curious thing: / To make a poet black, and bid him sing!” (13-14) This abrupt turn in the poem illustrates a paradox; a man is forced to question why God would make him African American, and has to strive to be accepted as a poet in the United States.In order to furthermore reveal his abilities, Cullen wrote his poem in the form of a sonnet. Not any poet can write according to a strict set of traditional rules with a rigid rhyme scheme and iambic pentameter, but Cullen nevertheless does not fail displays his impeccable talent. This form of poetry is found throughout Shakespeare’s literature, who is known as one of the greatest writers in English history.
In conclusion, Langston Hughes alludes to Walt Whitman’s “I Hear America Singing” to his poem “I, Too”. On the other hand, Countee Cullen alludes to Greek mythology in his sonnet “Yet Do I Marvel.” Hughes uses this impactful poetic device in his poem to display his movement towards achieving a racially just society, despite the obstacles faced during the Harlem Renaissance. Cullen exhibits his intelligence and poetic talent by showing off that even an African American poet has the skills to create art in the strict structure of a sonnet, while proving his superb historical knowledge. Both of these African American poets use allusion as a poetic device in their controversial poems to contribute and promote the goal to reach an equal society over all races.