The Idea of an Essay, Volume 4

14 The Idea of an Essay: Volume 4 influence and position. Aside then from his political bent, other areas that drew criticism in Hughes’ works and life were primarily his style of writing and the way it reflected his view of African-Americans. In a very telling way, Langston Hughes recounts African-Americans development of prominence in poetry by subtly hinting at his own views in “200 Years of Negro Poetry,” pointing out the Black Muslims and African Nationalists being “exceptions” and inserting his own patriotic poem “I Too AmAmerican” (94, 95). This is furthered by his analysis that it is almost inescapable to be black and not write racially, of which he suggests as only proper (95). What can be gleaned here is that he values the unique culture that has developed and wishes to assimilate neither an entirely white culture nor native African culture. Hughes believed entirely in an authentic one-hundred percent African and one-hundred percent American persona. Hughes also made himself clear in another way, and that was with his poem “Crowns and Garlands.” In this poem Hughes was critical of fellow African-Americans that relied too heavily on black celebrities rather than taking arms up themselves. He himself elevated the individual African-American in much of his works through his characters and “simple and easy” language, which “surely no poet has ever appealed to any wider spectrum of readers” (Dace). Altogether these were the areas that drew the biggest ire from his contemporaneous critics, as well as the praise. It has been observed in retrospect as well, Hughes often balanced as if on a tightrope a mediating position between extreme views on how African-Americans should produce works of art, either as protest or pure expression [McLaren xi]. Fundamentally, it displayed Hughes’ dogma, those personally developed views for African-Americans, which were his greatest charm and perhaps his singularly greatest weakness. As already pointed out, this tunnel- vision view came to head with his advocacy for communism. Conversely, one has to wonder what Hughes’ skipped out on entirely because he didn’t feel it met his idealized view of African-Americans. In one respect, this solidifying of a distinct African-American personage has greatly enriched and shaped a multitude of African- Americans . Yet, at the same time, it has made the racial identity more than skin-deep and can be observed in its own evolution as part of the reason why such discrimination and stigmatism still exists .