Langston Hughes and African-American Experience in Modern Poetry - Lecture 15

Explore the poetry of Langston Hughes in this 46-minute lecture from Yale University's Modern Poetry course. Delve into Hughes's work as a representation of the African-American experience, comparing his poetic project with other modernists like Pound, Eliot, Frost, and Stevens. Examine Hughes's innovative use of musical forms such as blues and jazz, understanding their significance in African-American culture and how Hughes employed them to create an alternative to dominant modernist expressions. The lecture covers key poems including "The Negro Speaks of Rivers," "Song for a Dark Girl," and "Life Is Fine," offering insights into black voices in modern poetry and the continuities between Hughes and his contemporaries. This comprehensive analysis provides a deep understanding of Hughes's unique contribution to the modernist canon and African-American literature.