“Harlem” Lecture Notes
SUMMARY
Langston Hughes’s Harlem is a brief but powerful poem that poses a central question: what happens when dreams or aspirations are postponed or denied? Through a series of vivid, visceral similes, Hughes explores the psychological, emotional, and potentially violent consequences of unfulfilled dreams—particularly in the context of African American life in the United States.
ANALYSIS
Hughes structures the poem as a series of hypothetical answers to the opening question: “What happens to a dream deferred?” Each subsequent image is metaphorical, suggesting that deferred dreams may deteriorate, wound, decay, or eventually erupt.
• The poem is tightly compact—just 11 lines—and written in free verse.
• The imagery is sensory and bodily (drying, festering, stinking), evoking a physical and emo-
tional toll.
• The tone starts contemplative but becomes increasingly tense, ending with the ominous question: “Or does it explode?”
Hughes does not answer definitively, but he clearly suggests that denying people their dreams— especially en masse—has consequences that society must reckon with.
THEMES
• Deferred Dreams and Frustration: The central theme, expressed through metaphor, is the psychological impact of dreams that are consistently put off.
• Racial Injustice: Although the poem speaks universally, it is deeply rooted in the experience of African Americans whose dreams of equality, opportunity, and dignity have been deferred by systemic racism.
• Social Unrest and Revolution: The final line implies that if enough dreams are deferred, they may culminate in an explosive social response—interpreted by many as a reference to civil unrest or revolt.
• Hope and Despair: The poem captures the fragility of hope in the face of ongoing injustice.
SYMBOLS & IMAGERY
• Raisin in the sun: A dream that has been left out and shriveled, losing its vitality—an image later echoed in Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun.
• Fester like a sore: Pain that is ignored and becomes infected—suggesting mental and social wounds.
• Rotten meat: Putrid and discarded, symbolizing decay and neglect.
• Syrupy sweet: Dreams that appear appealing but may become stale or sickly if not realized.
• Heavy load: The emotional burden of deferred aspirations.
• Explosion: A sudden, possibly violent release—symbolizing protest, revolution, or breakdown.
STRUCTURE & STYLE
• Form: Free verse with irregular rhyme and line length, reflecting the unsettled nature of the subject.
• Tone: Moves from questioning and speculative to foreboding and urgent.
• Language: Simple diction, powerful metaphors, and accessible language—hallmarks of Hughes’s poetic style.
HISTORICAL & CULTURAL CONTEXT
Written in 1951, Harlem came during the early years of the Civil Rights Movement, in the postWorld War II era when African Americans were growing increasingly frustrated with the slow pace of progress toward racial equality. Harlem, a historically Black neighborhood in New York City, was a symbol of both Black cultural expression and socioeconomic struggle.
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
• What does Hughes mean by a “dream deferred”? Can this be applied to both individuals and groups?
• Which image or metaphor in the poem strikes you as most powerful, and why?
• How does the poem’s structure (a question followed by speculative answers) shape your reading?
• How might the final line relate to historical or modern social movements?
• Can the poem’s message be applied beyond the context of race? If so, how?