The Negro Speaks of Rivers
Poetry
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Langston Hughes
The Negro Speaks of Rivers poem
The Negro Speaks of Rivers
By Langston Hughes
I’ve known rivers:
I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.
My soul has grown deep like the rivers.
I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.
I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.
I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.
I heard the singing of the Mississippi...
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The Negro Speaks of Rivers Key Info
Key Facts
Title: The Negro Speaks of Rivers
Poet: Langston Hughes (1901-1967)
Written Date: Hughes wrote this poem when he was only 17
Publication Date: June 1921, in The Crisis magazine. Later, it was included in Hughes’ 1926 collection The Weary Blues.
Form, Meter, and Rhyme Scheme: Free verse (no regular rhyme or meter)
Total Lines/Stanza: 10 lines, divided into several uneven part...
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The Negro Speaks of Rivers
Quotes
“I’ve known rivers ancient as the world…”
Exp: The speaker says he knows rivers that are as old as the world itself. This means the history of Black people began at the very start of human life. It shows that their roots are ancient and strong.
“My soul has grown deep like the rivers.”
Exp: The speaker feels that his soul has become deep and wise like the rivers. It means he has gained...
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The Negro Speaks of Rivers Theme
Themes
Pride in Black Heritage and History: A major theme of “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” is the deep pride in the long history of Black people. The speaker connects his soul to ancient rivers like the Nile, Congo, Euphrates, and Mississippi. These rivers symbolize the old history, pride, and struggle of the Black civilization. Through these rivers, Hughes shows that Black people were present i...
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The Negro Speaks of Rivers Literary Device
Symbols
Rivers : Hughes uses rivers as symbols of the old history of black people, their pride, and their struggle. In this poem, the poet says that he has known rivers.
“I’ve known rivers ancient as the world…”
It means the poet is a part of the history of human civilization. The entire black African-American race is a part of the history of human civilization. This is why he says that he has bat...
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Notes
Explore 2 detailed notes related to The Negro Speaks of Rivers. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.