International Journal of Language & Literature

The Essential Characteristics of Langston Hughes’ Poetry and Their Impact on the Congolese Conscience
Jacques Manangama Duki

Abstract
The main purpose of this paper is to present and popularize the essential characteristics of Langston Hughes‟ poetry and their impact on the conscience of the Congolese population exposed to the poet‟s ideas and validates the reception of his poetry as an arsenal for justice, emancipation, equity and elevation. If Langston Hughes‟ poetic arsenal has produced a major impact on the African American conscience, it still produces today the same effect on the conscience of blacks from the Congo, Africa and all over the world who are exposed to the Poet‟s work. Langston Hughes‟ poetry is used to encourage his people during their hard times. He was a powerful man who used his poetry skills to express his feelings towards the African American race, which was being highly discriminated against. Langston Hughes did not only impact the African American Community of his time but became an inspiration for all generations (http://www.redhotjazz.com/hughes.html). Stretching further Langston Hughes could be regarded as a Poet whose poetry includes “a new way of thinking about relationships between cultures” (Bourne, 1916: pp.86-97). This cultures blending could, in fact, be viewed as one of “the conditions of possibility of a new humanity that promotes and celebrates multiculturalism, mutualism, biodiversity and conviviality” (Lokangaka, 2017:3). In the present essay, I extend this formulation by resorting to some Hughes‟ poetic characteristics and their impact on the conscience of the Congolese population exposed to the poet‟s ideas.

Full Text: PDF      DOI: 10.15640/ijll.v5n2a17