Langston Hughes and Religion Essay -- African American Poets Poetry Li

Langston Hughes and Religion Langston Hughes in some(prenominal) poems denounced religion, inferring that religion did not exist any longer. In reading these poems, the endorser whoremongeres that Hughes was expressing his opinionings of betrayal and abandonment, against his race, by religion and the perform. Hughes had a talent for writing poems that would take off a discussion. From these discussions, Hugh es could only hope for realization from the public, of how religion and the church treated the Black race. Hughes wrote two poems that generated a lot of discussion round religion and African-Americans. One was free rein for Winter Night (Fifth Avenue), the other was au revoir Christ. Once when Hughes was asked about religion, he responded, I grew up in a not very religious family, but I had a promote aunt who saw that I went to church and Sunday nurture (qtd. In Emanuel 914). Even though Hughes grew up attending church and Sunday sch ool he could see how religion and churches treated his race. This is evident in Drama for Winter Night (Fifth Avenue). The poem begins You cant sleep hither My good man, You cant sleep here. This is the house of God. The usher opens the church door and goes out. (1-5).In doing this, the usher of the church on Fifth Avenue, given up someone less fortunate in order to maintain a good appearance. This house of God, which should be opening its doors to give a he lping hand, turns away a man in need of help. Hughes shows betrayal in the same poem, when the less fortunate man asks St. Peter if he can stay. St. Peter replies, You ca... ...nt of the Black race by religion and the church. I feel Hughes was successful in this endeavor. Hughes sums his whole perspective of religion, the church and the Black race, when he told a reporter, Religion is one of the innate nee ds of mankind. What I am against is the misuse of religion. (qtd. Emanuel 914). Works Cited Berry, Faith. On Hughess Repudiation of Goodbye Christ. Meyer. 916-17Emanuel, pack A. Hughess Attitudes toward Religion. Meyer. 914-15.Hughes, Langston. Drama for Winter Night (Fifth Avenue). Meyer. 891 ---. Goodbye Christ. Meyer 898-99.Meyer, Michael. ed. Langston Hughes (1902-1967). The Bedford Introduction to literary productions quaternary ed. Boston St. Mart ins Press,1996. 883-89.Meyer, Michael. ed. The Bedford Introduction to Literature. 4th ed.Boston St.Martins