WHAT IS GOD???
Langston Hughes is an American poet who is very famous nowadays for being very old (and dead). However, Hughes was a modern-day rebel who represented everything unconventional during his time. Nonetheless, being a black gay man who could write sweet rhymes wasn’t enough for Hughes’ lifestyle — he also found himself challenging god himself.
In Hughes’ poem, “God”, abstract concepts are used to create contrasting tones which critique the manner in which people chose to worship god. The poem contrasts the character of god “alone in my purity” with the “young lovers” below him to acknowledge how a lone god must be lonely, while humans live amongst each other and fall in love constantly. Typically, religious people place their god on an entire plane above themselves as a supernatural omnipotent being. However, they do not worry themselves with the ways their god may feel, as living on the “sweet ground” leaves humans carefree and satisfied already. By giving god a voice and a pitiful character “without one friend”, Hughes critiques how humans can blindly serve a being who is full of problems himself. Hughes describes god’s existence as a “world without end” to allude to how god is associated with being eternal, ie. without death. However, death is present in the poem where “life — is dead” in order to point out how life and death are certain to exist together. However, life is later characterized as “love” and “love is life only” to create a relationship between all three of these concepts, as opposed to “god” who has no life, no death, and no love, further showing how god’s existence isn’t any better off than humans are. In short, Hughes is able to bring questioning on how people in his time could be so persistent in worshipping god’s selfless nature, yet are selfish enough to never give a true thought to god which wasn’t either begging or giving thanks. Hughes, who had lived under struggle and oppression his whole life, knew better than to expect too much from god, and was able to critique many aspects of religion itself through his poems
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I remember reading this poem and I was extremely fascinated by it but had no idea what it meant. Your analysis completely broadened my perspective, and I really like how you captured the essence of this poem by stating that "god's existence isn't any better off than humans are". It puts us into perspective and allows us to question what we often blindly worship.
ReplyDeleteI loved how thorough your analysis was, you brought up many points that went completely over my head on the first read. I liked the connection you made between the idea of god being eternal and the presence of death.
ReplyDeleteYour analysis was really good, and I like how you were able to identify the contradictory nature within Hughes poem. I also really like how you were able to incorporate colloquial/informal language within your analysis while also making it sound concrete.
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