understanding 'A Dream Deferred' by Langston Hughes

A Dream Deferred Essay written by Corin Stone The poetry of Langston Hughes, the poet laureate of Harlem, is an effective commentary on the condition of blacks in America during the 20th Century. Hughes places particular emphasis on Harlem, a black area in New York that became a destination of many hopeful blacks in the first half of the 1900ís. In much of Hughes' poetry, a theme that runs throughout is that …

…Harlem with great clarity and precision. The feelings that accompany the theme range from foreboding to anger to gloom, creating a sense of each in the reader. Hughes' poems are an effective comment on the experiences of blacks in Harlem and the dream that they share: a dream that, though deferred, still exists. Works Cited · Bailey, A. Peter and Edith J. Slade. Harlem Today: A Cultural and Visitors Guide - Online Edition.