english letters department letters and humanities...

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A SOSIOLOGICAL APPROACH ON LANGSTON HUGHES POEMS

A Thesis Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty

In partial fulfillment of the Requirements For the Strata Degree (S1)

Ade Agung Sahida

103026027609

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

JAKARTA

2009

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ABSTRACT

Ade Agung Sahida, A Sociological Approach on Langston Hughes. Thesis.

English Letters Department. Letters and Humanities Faculty. State Islamic University. Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta. May 2009.

This research discusses Langston Hughes poems entitle: Negro, Cross and I, Too

in which analyzes the sociological approach by Hippolyte Taine.

The writer attempts to present the poems of Langston Hughes and correlate the

poems to African American life in 1930s in America. Significantly, the research is

able to enlighten of the way the other researcher in comprehending a community.

The objective of this research is to know and recognize how the poems reflects the

condition of African American in 1930s. This research uses qualitative method

using sociological approach by Hippolyte Taine theory. The researcher uses

himself to study the text of poems and find other resources to complete the

research references and the analysis unit of this research is the poems entitle:

Negro, Cross and I, Too by Langston Hughes.

This study hopefully could be one of scientific developments in literature. Beside

that, the result of this study is expected to attract the other research, especially for

the students of English Letters Department who want to develop the similar study of sociology of literature in the future. If those all can be implemented, it will give

enough of significant assets to the scientific development in English reference study.

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A SHEET OF APPROVAL

A SOSIOLOGICAL APPROACH ON LANGSTON HUGHES

POEMS

A Thesis

Submitted to Letters and Humanities Faculty

In partial fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Strata Degree (S1)

By

Ade Agung Sahida

103026027609

Approved by:

Inayatul Chusna, M.Hum

NIP.150 331 233

ENGLISH LETTERS DEPARTMENT

LETTERS AND HUMANITIES FACULTY

STATE ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY

SYARIF HIDAYATULLAH

JAKARTA

2009

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LEGALIZATION

The thesis entitled “A Sociological Approach on Langston Hughes” has

been defended by the Letters and Humanities Faculty’s Examination Committee

on June 23rd

2009. The thesis has already been accepted a partial fulfillment of the

requirement for SI in English Letters Department.

Jakarta, June 23rd

2009.

Examination Committee

Chief

Dr. Muhammad Farkhan, M. Pd

NIP. 150 229 480

Secretary

Drs. A. Saefuddin, M. Pd

NIP. 150 261 902

Members:

Examiner I

Danti Pudjianti,S.Pd. MM

NIP. 132 233 516

Examiner II

Moh. Supardi, S.S

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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and that, to the best of my

knowledge and belief, it contains no material previously published or written by another person nor material which to a substantial extent has been accepted for the

award of any other degree or diploma of university or other institute of higher learning, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text.

Jakarta, June 2009.

Ade Agung Sahida

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

In the name of God, the Infinitely Good, the All – Merciful

First of all the writer would like to thank to Allah SWT, the lord of the

universe, has created heavens and earth, and has created mankind and all that we

perceive. Peace and blessing be upon to the prophet Muhammad SAW, his

fellows and followers.

Second, the writer would like to express his gratitude to his elder brother

Dudung Masduki and Teh Usi, thanks for the useful advise and financial support,

he also thanks to his beloved mom and dad for the prayer and hope. The writer

thanks to H. Rahman Husen, SH.i and Ustd.Padil who have advised him in

finishing this thesis.

Next, the writer would like to thank to his supervisor Inayatul Chusna,

M.Hum for his careful reading of his thesis, for his valuable suggestions for

making this thesis research completely and the most of all for his kind

encouragement.

Consequently, the writer also thanks to these following people:

1. Dr.H.Abdul Chair, MA, the dean of Letters and Humanities Faculty Jakarta

Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University.

2. Dr.H. Muhammad Farkhan, M.Pd, and Drs. Asep Saepudin, M.Pd, the chief

and secretary of English Letters Department.

3. Danti Pudjianti, S.Pd.MM and Moh.Supardi, S.S.M.Hum the examiners of his

final examination.

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4. All the Lectures of English Letters Department, who has taught and educated

him during his study at the campus.

5. All the employers of UIN Jakarta American Corner Library, FAH UIN

Library, FIB UI Library, who help him to get many extra ordinary references

to finish this thesis.

6. All his friends at the campus; Erlangga BP, Acep, Syukri , Afrizul, Anwar

Yasin , Syafrianto SM, Faisal and Fachri. May Allah blesses and gives the

greatest award for them.

Jakarta, June 2009.

Ade Agung Sahida

The Writer

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

A SHEET OF APPROVAL ……………………………………………. i

DECLARATION ……………………………………………………….. ii

ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………. .iii

LEGALIZATION…………………………….………………………….iv

ACKNOWLEGMENT ………………………………………………… v

TABLE OF CONTENTS ……………………………………………….vii

CHAPTER I INRODUCTION ……………………………………….... 1

A. Background of Study …………………………………………. 1

B. Focus of the Research ………………………………………… 2

C. Research Question …………………………………………….. 3

D. Significance of the Research …………………………………. 3

E. Method of the Research ………………………………………. 3

1. Research Methodology ……………………………….. 3

2. Data Analysis ………………………………………… 3

3. Unit Analysis …………………………………………. 3

4. The Research Time and Place …………………………4

CHAPTER II THEORICAL FRAMEWORK ……………………… 5

A. Literature and Reflection of Life …………………………… 5

B. Literary Sociology of Hippolyte Taine …………………. ….8

1. Race………………………………………………… 11

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2. Time ………………………………………………...11

3. Environment (Milieu) ……………………………..12

CHAPTER III THE ANALYSIS OF POEMS ……………………. 15

A. Negro ………………………………………………………. 15

B. Cross ………………………………………………………. 19

C. I, Too ………………………………………………………. 23

CHAPTER IV CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION ……………. 29

A. Conclusion ………………………………………………… 29

B. Suggestion …………………………………………………. 30

BIBLIOGRAPHY ………………………………………………….. 31

APPENDICES

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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of Study

One of the literary text functions is a reflection to the realities which

happened in a society. Through literary work, the author expresses the life

problem that is experienced by the society and author.1 Literature represents the

description of life consists on social fact. In this case, the life includes the relation

among societies and events impressed in someone’s mind which became the

substance of literature. It related to the personal and society2.

Poetry is one of literary work that describes the realities in that text. The

reality it self will be interpretation of author with the result that what the text of

poem is the author’s comprehension about a reality.

Langston Hughes3 is an African American represents the social condition

in his poem such as the African American who are not accepted as white as

accepted. I, Too is a poet that is written by Langston Hughes shows that out of the

numerous races living in America the black man also sings America. It’s mean

that American song can sing by all people of America belonging to African

1 Anonymous, Tentang Sastra dan Konflik, Accessed on May 28, 2008.

http://www.seuramoe.wordpress.com/2007/04/27/ tentang-sastra-dan-konflik-1/html. P.1 2 Anonymous, hakikat dan pungsi sastra, Accessed on Jun 12, 2008.

http:mywritingblogs.com/sastra/2008/02//14/hakikat-dan-pungsi-sastra/html.P.1 3 Langston Hughes was born on Feb. 1, 1902. In Joplin, Missouri, he was grown up

mainly in Lawrence, Kansas, but also lived in Illinois, Ohio, and Mexico. by the time Hughes

enrolled at Columbia University in New York, he had al ready launched his literary career with his

poem “The Negro Speaks of Rivers” in the crisis, edited by W E.B. Du Bois. He had also committed himself both to writing and to writing mainly about African Americans. He was part

of the Harlem Renaissance and was known during his lifetime as” the poet of Harlem”, Hughes

was an African American poet who was one of the black voices to hear in America.

Arnold Ramperson, Arnold Ramperson on Langston Hughes, Accessed on March 11,

2008.

http://www.English.uiuc.edu/maps/poets/g1/ Hughes/life.html. p.1

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American. In Poetry of Negro4 Hughes describes himself and his race as having

been a slave, worker, singer and victim who suffered discrimination in several

different ways from several different people in several different places. Cross is a

poet that is reflected about the speaker mixture between black race and white race.

And Cross which was printed in 1930 is representing truth and reflection in racial

identity. The realities that he takes on his poems on the title I, Too, Cross, and

Negro touches to problem about race, time and milieu or environment.

Sociological analysis human in society, through the process of

comprehension from society to individual. This analysis is to know the progress

of society, in which can be viewed from particular aspects, such as race, time and

environment. Sociological analysis explores the relationships between the writer

and society. This approach prophases the confrontation and conflict which happen

in a society as inspiration of the writer. In this case, the writer reflects and

describes the event which happens in that society. This approach, the literary work

is understood as description of social condition which happens in a society.

Through this analysis, the writer expects that the research will be successful and it

is necessary for all the people who interested in sociological analysis.

4 The term black people usually refers to a racial group of humans with dark brown skin

color, the black people had been in the United State since 200 years ago. They came from Africa,

in the beginning they called with the term “African”. In 1835 black leaders called upon black

Americans to remove the title of “African” from their institutions and replace it with “Negro” or

“Colored American.” In 1988 the term “Negro” replace with “African American” because the term has a historical culture base. Since then African American and black have essentially a coequal

status and the term African American still used up to now.

In this case, the writer will be used the term African American as substitute from the term

“Negro” in this thesis.

Anonymous, Black People, Accessed on May 16, 2009.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki Black people.html.P.2

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B. Focus of the Research

The Research will focus on the thesis writing of Langston Hughes Poems

Negro, Cross and I, Too and limit merely on the extrinsic analysis through The

Literary Sociological approach by Hippolyte Taine.

C. Research Question

Based on the background above, the statement of the problem is follow:

1. By applying Taine’s theory how do poems Negro, Cross and I, Too reflect

the condition of African American in 1930s?

D. Significance of the Research

Through this research, the writer wants to share the widest perception of

human relation, and correlate the literary work to the race, time and milieu.

Moreover, it can give enlightenment to the other researchers in exploring the

social condition by using The Literary Sociological approach by Hippolyte Taine.

E. Research Methodology

The method of this research involves some important aspects that

complete the research as follow:

1. Method of the Research

The method that is used in this research is qualitative method, which

disentangles the poem facts, and then follows sociological descriptive analysis

with Hippolyte Taine theory.

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2. Data Analysis

The collected data of the research is analyzed based on sociology of

literature approach by Hippolyte Taine. This approach used the text analyze

method to get understanding the structure, then use to know deeper the outside of

literature social indication.

3. Unit Analysis

The analysis unit of this research is three poems of Langston Hughes

entitle: I, Too, Cross and Negro.

4. Research Time and Place

The Research is started on the 9th

semester of 2007- 2008 academic year at

English Letters Department of Jakarta Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic

University and it will be finished in equal time.

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CHAPTER II

THEORICAL FRAMEWORK

A. Literature and Reflection of Life

Literature5 presents a life portrait and the essential part of social reality,

which includes human interaction, society and events that happen in one

individual. Sometimes, it can be reflected in a community, in which describes a

particular culture. The role of literature in social world is to recreate some

relations, such as social, race, moment, milieu and so forth; thus it reveals the

conflict and the strained situation among the communities.

A literary work is “a mirror” of human life; however, it portrays bad and

good things of human. As quoted from the dictionary of literature terminology, “a

literature work is a portrait of society life; moreover, it portrays the author’s

personal life”.6 A literary work is a possibility world that produced by an author.

In producing the work he or she has to provide a worth and saleable work for the

society tastes, and the work will be success if it can reflect the time, so the society

will appreciate the work as long as it represents their social, culture and economic

life.

In any case, an author is also the member of society, which has to establish

a communication between the author and the reader. Through the communication,

the literary work can be distributed to the reader as the devotee of literature. In the

5 The term literally is “acquaintance with letters” as in the first sense given in the Oxford

English Dictionary, from the Latin “littera” meaning “an individual written character (letter)”.

The has generally come to identify a collection of the texts of work of art, which in Western

culture are mainly prose, both fiction and non – fiction, drama and poetry. Anonymous, Literature,

Accessed on April 11, 2008. http://en.wikipefia.org/wiki/Literature, p.1 6 Laelasari and Nurlailah, Kamus Istilah Sastra, (Bandung : Nuansa Aulia, 2006), p.136

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communication process, the author has been sending a massage to the reader.7 In

this case, the literary work is described as the message and its content must be

recognized between them in order to be comprehended accurately.

Literary work is representation of a world; consequently, the reader has to

embody it actively. As a result, the reader will find the author’s ideology within

the work. Actually, the author has a particular language to inform the ideology to

the reader. So, the reader has to be smart in interpreting the author’s ideology. The

literature is able to be informative and creative, it does not only offer the

information; yet, it is related to the esthetics experience, which includes into the

art and transformed through the language.

According to Swingewood, literature is not only created to overcome the

scientific object analysis; however, it also gets into the ground of social life to

reveal the way of human to recognize their society. Meanwhile, the other

sociologist; Hogart, said that “without the full literary witness, the student of

society will be blind to the fullness of a society life”. 8

In this case, literature does not full express the life, because the author

occasionally does not make it on purpose; nevertheless, literature still describes

the inveisible aspects of society life. However, literary work has an important duty

to be a pioneer that gives admission to occurred social symptoms in society life.

Literature is the social institution that uses language medium. Moreover, it

“provides life” and almost of the life consists of social reality; occasionally, it

7 Sapardi Joko Damono, Kita dan Sastra Dunia,Baca Artikel. Accessed on Jun 12, 2008.

http:// www.mizan.com/portal/template/Baca Artikel/kodeart/222, p.4 8 Ibid.

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“imitates” the nature and world of human.9 One of literary work that portrays a

society life is fiction. This genre dominates to perform the complete narrative

aspects and involves the society culture. The language that used in fiction is easy

and understandable; generally, it is also used by the society.10 Accordingly, it can

be interpreted that fiction is fairly sociologic and represent the society social,

cultural and economic life.

B. Sociological Approach

Sociology is an academic and applied discipline and studies society and

human social interaction. As an academic discipline, sociology is typically

considered a social science. The world of sociology was coined by French thinker

Auguste Comte in 1838 from Latin socius (companion, associate) and Greek

logos (word). Comte hoped to unify of humankind- including history, psychology

and economic.11

Sociologist hope it is not only to understand what held social groups

together, but also to develop responses to social disintegration and exploitation.

Meanwhile, Indonesian sociologists; Soemardjan and Soemardi (Yanto: 1980)

define sociology:

“Sosiologi adalah ilmu yang mempelajari struktur, proses dan perubahan-

perubahan sosial. Yang dimaksud struktur sosial, yaitu keseluruhan jalinan

antara unsur –unsure sosial yang pokok, diantaranya kaidah – kaidah,

sosial adalah pengaruh timbal balik antar berbagai segi kehidupan, dan

salah satu proses sosial yang bersifat tersendiri adalah perubahan –

perubahan di dalam struktur sosial.”12

9 Wellek and Warren, Teori Kesusastraan, diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa Indonesia oleh

Melani Budianta, Ph.D, (Jakarta: Gramedia Pustaka Utama, 1995), p.109 10

Nyoman Kutha Ratna.S.U, Teori, Metode, dan Penelitian Sastra, (Yogyakarta: Pustaka

Pelajar, 2004), p.336 11

Anonymous, Sociology, Wiki. Accessed on Jun 12, 2008.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology, p.2 12 Yanto Subianto S.,Soal –Jawab Sosiologi, (Bandung: Armico, 1980), p.1

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Furthermore, sociology attempts to answer the question about how society

exists, act and survive. 13 Accordingly, The sociology attempt to get known how

the societies enable, how they take place, and how they still exist. This science

expands literary world by Hippolyte Taine (1766 – 1817).

1. Literary Sociology of Hippolyte Taine

The Literature is the social institute, which use the language as the

medium of language. The language is the social creature.14

The language had

shown the life reflection and it means the social reality. In understanding

about society life between individualism or between the human and the event

happened in someone’s heart had been used to literature is reflected to

someone relationship with another or societies. Literature related to certain

situation, or with political system, economic and certain social. The research

conducted to formulate social influence to literature and literature position in

society.15 The literature has created for enjoyable, understanding, and useful

for the people. Literature as a creative art using human and all kinds of life as

a media convey idea, theory, or system thinking of human can be able to

become forwarding of idea thought and felt by man of letters about the human

life.

Literature and sociology have a natural relationship. Sociology is the

systematic study of human behavior, of the groups to which one belongs, and

of the societies that human beings create and within which their lives unfold.16

13

Faruk, Pengantar Sociologi Sastra, (Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 1994), p.1 14

Kenney William, How to Analyze Fiction,( New York: Monarch Press, 1966). P.94. 15

Atar Semi, Kritik Sastra,(Bandung: Angkasa, 1993), p.52. 16 Hess Markson Stein, Sociology, (New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc, !982), p.4.

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Institutionally, object between sociology and literature is human being in

society. Sociology is scientific and objective study about human in society, a

study of social organizations and processes.17 The literature approach that tell

society elements called sociology of literature.

The concept of literary sociology represents that literary work written

by an author, and the author is a silent being. Therefore, literature also formed

by society that literature stay in network of system and assess in societies.

Sociology of literature in definition is involved all the approaches, each based

on the action and certain theories view. Another Lenin line follower critic had

done the sociology approach which use by the France writer team, sure about

the Literature engage idea. There are two principle tendencies in analyzing

sociology in literature. First, the approach based on opinion that literature is

merely reflection of economic – social process. This approach moved from the

out side factors of literature to discuss it. The literature would be valuable only

with the factors relationship in out side of literature it self. Second, the

approach based on the literature text as the research substance. The sociology

of literature use the text analyze method to get understanding of the structure,

then it use to know deeper the out side of literature social indication.18

So, the

duty of literary sociology is to connect the author creation situation and the

people experience with history circumstance representing his genesis.

The sociology of literature can be explained shortly, sociology as the

objective and natural analyze about the human in society, institute, and social

process. The sociology attempt to know how the societies made, how they

17

Faruk, Pengantar Sociology Sastra, ( Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 1994), p.1. 18 Sapardi Djoko Damono, Sosiologi Sastra, (Jakarta: Depdikbud, 1984), p.2.

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take place, and how they exist. The approach literature sociology approach

today paid a big attention to documentary of literature aspect: based on

opinion that the literature was the reflection era. This opinion considered that

the literature is direct reflection from all social structure aspect, family

relationship, class conflict, and so on. In this case, sociology of literature task

is relating to experience of the fancy characters and the author’s creation

situation with the histories sources.

The writer used literary sociology of Hippolyte Taine in analyzes this

paper. The period of positivism of scientific, a well- known figure of literary

sociology is Hippolyte Taine (1766 – 1817). He is a philosopher, historian,

politician, and critic of France naturalist. He is figure of literary sociology

modern. In his work, Taine influenced a number of nationalist literary

movements throughout the world, who used his ideas to ague that their

particular countries had a distinct literature and thus a distinct place in literary

history. In addition, post-modern literary critics concerned with the

relationship between literature and social history continue to cite Taine’s

work, and to make use of the idea of race, milieu, and moment. Taine used

these words in French ( race, environment, and time); the terms have become

widespread in literary criticism in English, but are used in this context in

senses closer to the French meanings of the words than the English meanings,

which are, roughly,(race, environment, and time).19

Taine wants to formulate

literature sociology approach by using method which used in natural

philosophy and relationship between literature and social history. Race

19

Anonymous, African American, accessed on March 26, 2008.

http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/27.html

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(nation), environment (milieu), and time (moment) are three aspects of the

literary critic and sociologist Hippolyte Taine’s attempt at a scientific account

of literature. Taine argued that literature was largely produce the author’s

environment, and that analysis of that environment could yield a perfect

understanding of the work of literature. In his book, History of English

Literature (1863), His mention that a literature work will be explained

according to three factors are race, time (moment), and environment (milieu).

Knowing fact about race, time (moment), and environment (milieu), we get the

picture spirituals climate and culture which produce an author and his works.

According to him, this factors produce structure mental author realized in art

and literature.

a) Race.

Taine gives definition of race from characteristic of man like

behavior, feature of body, the action being born, a breed, and tribe in soul

human being20

. Race is a human group with some observable, common

biological feature. The most prominent of these is skin color, but racial

group also differ in the other observable ways such as eyelid shape and

the color and texture of hair. People as well as societies differ from one

another, and these differences have become the basic from classifying

people into large group. Race, religion, nationally, and other culture

distinctions are a few of these human differences that have been used in

to categorize people, and usually these classification have been to the

20

Anonymous, Sociology, accessed on March 26, 2008.

http://www.answers.com/topic/hippolyte-taine /html. p.3

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disadvantage of the individual as well as the group. He also explain that

although much nation in the world, but identity of characteristic from one

nation still there. Taine did not mean race in specific sense now common,

but rather the collective cultural dispositions that govern everyone

without their knowledge or consent.

b) Time (moment).

Time is a condition social politic at one period. It is a component

of the measuring system used to sequence events, to compare the

durations of events and the intervals between them, and to quantify the

motions of objects. Time has been a major subject of religion,

philosophy, and science, but defining it in a non-controversial manner

applicable to all fields of study has consistently eluded the greatest

scholars21.The moment is the accumulated experiences of that person,

which Taine often expressed as momentum. Every momentum have

idea’s dominant which can hold out in the centuries. Time is literature

tradition; influence literary on the after tradition literary.

c) Environment (milieu).

Environment is condition of nature, climate, and the social.22

This concept of environment try to giving explains about genesis of

literary work. Milieu is the particular circumstances that distorted or

21

Anonymous, , Sociology, accessed on March 26, 2008.

http://www. wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippolyte_Taine/html. P.4

22 Sapardi Djoko Damono, op.cit. p. 19-20.

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developed the dispositions of a particular person. The conception of

Taine about this milieu will became close relation literary criticism with

the social science. According to Taine, literature is not just personal

imagination in characteristic personal, but representing its period

procedures record. Form of kinds of certain mind. The poems, for

example, it is a mirror which can be brought anywhere and most suited

for reflect experience and all life aspect. Sociology of literature as a

document has to be begun for converse all kinds of literature: what is

ugly, what the goodness, everything his kind of literature. Literature

refers to society object. For Taine, sociology of literature is view about

reader society. Literature always adapt to reader of literary works. The

writer inherited personality, his social, political, and geographical

background, and the historical situation in which he writes. By studying

the literary documents one may understand the psychology of their

author, and this, complemented by scrutiny of the facts of his life and

personality, illuminates the predominant characteristic that determines

his work; this, in turn, can then be “explained” by reference to three

great conditioning facts, (race, milieu, and moment). The writer’s

inherited personality, his social, political, and geographical background,

and the historical situation in which he writes. It is evident that Taine’s

interest here is less in literature itself than in historical causation and

psychology, and his method may well be thought to have encourage in

his admirers and excessive preoccupation with biography and literary

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history at the expense of critical judgment, though Tine’s own abilities

as a critic were considerable.

The theory that will be used in analyzing these poems is Taine

theory by using the sociological approach. According to Hippolyte Taine

as quoted by Suwardi Endaswara, Sociological approach is desirable

well to do reflection three point, that are race, moment, and milieu23

23

Suwardi Endraswara, Metodologi Penelitian Sastra,( Yogyakarta: Pustaka Widyatama,

2004) P.80.

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CHAPTER III

THE ANALYSISIS OF POEMS

A. Negro

I am a Negro 1

Black as the night is black,

Black like the depths of my Africa.

I’ve been a slave:

Caesar told me to keep his door-steps clean. 5

I brushed the boots of Washington.

I’ve been a worker:

Under my hand the pyramids arose.

I made mortar for the Woolworth Building.

I’ve been a singer 10

All the way from Africa to Georgia

I carried my sorrow songs.

I made ragtime.

I’ve been a victim:

The Belgians cut off my hands in the Congo. 15

They lynch me still in Mississippi.

I am a Negro:


Black like the depths of my Africa. 19

1. Explications

Negro is a poet that is written by Langston Hughes in 1926. It is reflected

to the history of African American, trials, and tribulation they endured in the past

and continue to endure in the present. In this poem, “I” is described to all African

American.

In this poem “I” as African American, Its could be seen from line “I am a

Negro Black as the night is black, Black like the depths of my Africa.” Its line

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shows that the speaker in this poem “I” as one black man, as the entire black race

throughout history.

2. Analysis Race

Negro is a poet that is written by Langston Hughes, it is described about

history of African American as slave in the time of Caesar era until Washington.

The African American in this poem is described as a poor man and suffer life it’s

different with the other race.


Caesar told me to keep his door-steps clean.


(Line 4-6)

The analysis “I” in this line is race of a tribe and breed, “Caesar” and

“Washington” indicated that African American having been slave during that time

because Caesar and Washington are symbol of period. In this poem, African

American described also as a worker but still as a poor people, we could see from

the line 7-9.




In the word “the pyramids arose” and the word “the Woolworth Building”

is reflected to the era and different time so African American as a worker from the

pyramid arose until the Woolworth Building.

In the next of other period the African American has changed as singer and

good condition if we compare with the period before as slave and worker.

I’ve been a singer



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I made ragtime

(Line 10-13)

In this line of analysis “I carried my sorrow songs” as race of behavior.

This poem resonated with black people or African American because the events

are the real events of suffered, and enlightens how far African-Americans as a

people have come. The main point of this poem describes about African American

being discriminated in so many places and by so many people, how horribly he

and others have been treated.

3. Analysis Moment

The second of Tine’s theory is time (moment). Time is a social condition

at the one period. The moment is the accumulated experiences of the person,

which Taine often expressed as momentum. Every momentum has idea dominant

which can hold out in the century. The story and event in the poem Negro

happened in 1926s.

Racial discrimination acted by the white race to the black race always

continues daily in America. Discrimination was seen in different parts of America

in the twentieth century. In the early 1926s, Hughes wrote his poem entitled

"Negro". He was a Harlem Renaissance poet which means he lived during the

Harlem Renaissance in the 1920's. This was a time when racial pride was

represented in the idea that through things like art, music, and literature, blacks

could challenge racism. .This is highly reflected in all of his poems, especially this

one, entitled "Negro". This poem reflects the history of African Americans and

the trials and tribulations they endured in the past and continue to endure in the

27

present. Hughes describes himself and his race as having been a slave, worker,

singer and victim who suffered discrimination in several different ways from

several different people in several different places.

4. Analysis Environment

The third of Taine’s theory is environment (milieu). Environment (milieu)

is the particular circumstances that distorted or developed the dispositions of a

particular person. According to Taine, literature is not just personal imagination in

characteristic personal, but representing its period record. The environment in the

Poetry of Langston Hughes is Harlem of New York’s city. Harlem is a community

in New York City, in northern Manhattan Island. Its population is mostly Negro.24

New York’s Harlem was a center for musical and artistic talent during that era. So

those, Harlem than became a fashionable residential community.

In the beginning, 1910 -1920 Harlem made one of largest black

communities in the United States. At the same time, Harlem became an animating

force for other black America communities. Many Black writers have been

Harlem residents.

One of central figure of Harlem Renaissance is Langston Hughes. He was

an African American poet who was one of the first black voices to be heard in

America.


The Belgians cut off my hands in the Congo.

They lynch me still in Mississippi

(Line 14-16)

24 Anonymous , Encyclopedia America, (USA : Grolier Incorporated, 2001) p.799

28

This poem refers to environment in Harlem because this poem written as a

voice of they souls as black people in Harlem and presented his environment.

B. Cross

Written by Langston Hughes

My old man's a white old man 1

And my old mother's black.

If ever I cursed my white old man

I take my curses back.

If ever I cursed my black old mother 5

And wished she were in hell, I'm sorry for that evil wish

And now I wish her well.

My old man died in a fine big house.

My ma died in a shack.

I wonder where I'm gonna die,

Being neither white nor black 11

(1930)

1. Explications

Cross is written by Langston Hughes, its poem as reflection to racial

identity. “I” in this poem is speaker and as mixed son between black people and

white people so because it, the speaker wonder about his position as white people

or black people.

The confusion of speaker in looking for his identity could be seen in line

3-6 “If ever I cursed my white old man I take my curses back. If ever I cursed my

black old mother And wished she were in hell, I'm sorry for that evil wish.” The

speaker in this poem wonders where his place is as a man "being neither white nor

black" and it can be reasonably inferred that this confusion was mirrored by

Hughes' uncertainty about what voice his poetry should take.

29

2. Analysis Race

Cross is poem of Langston Hughes, its poem as struggle reflection of

speaker in looking for his identity. The identity of race make person into a group,

sometimes in a community indirectly a large group make discrimination to other

group or other race and that is problem which happening in America. its poem

refer to race of feature of body.

“My old man’s a white old man

and my old mother’s black.”

(Line 1-2))

This poem also reflected the struggle to encounter in finding his own

cultural identity or race of breed, the speaker in this poem is a child of hybrid who

confused to choose of his identity of race. The speaker uses the word “I” as a

hybrid. He has denied he is black or white people so he cannot possibly be at the

same status of race as his parents. He is not taken in by the African culture

because he is part white and he is not taken by the whites because he is black. He

is taking his curses back from his mother and father because he realizes that this is

all he has left of his heritages and without them, he is no longer part of either

society.



If ever I cursed my black old mother


(Line 3-6)


Being neither white nor black

(Line 10 – 11)

30

Its line refer to race of breed and also reflected the distance between black

and white and how he is unsure of where he stands in America's view and the

speaker in this poem wonder about his culture being a white people or black

people because he seems to not have a race.

3. Analysis Moment

The plot story in the poem Cross was happened in 1930s. America on the

1930s money was scarce because of the depression, so people did what they could

to make them happy. In the great opportunity was now the land of depression.

What was once the land of hope and optimism had become the land of despair.25

African American always experience discrimination in their life. Discrimination

and pressure, and racial still there if American especially whites society still see

blacks as minority community.

In the early 1930s, Hughes wrote his poem entitled “Cross” in this poem

African American feels discrimination. It is also reflected to social and economic

condition in America where African American in this poem is described as poor

and suffer people than white people.



(Line 1-2)

“My old man died in a fine big house

My ma died in a shack.”

(Line 8-9)

In this line, my old man refers to white man and in good position we can

see when a white people died and we see how black people died. This poem also

reflected in the economic and social condition in America. In this poem African

25

James Stuart Olson, The Ethnic dimension In America History ( Volume One ), ( New

York : ST.Martin’s Press, 19790, p.35

31

American is described as suffer people in this life “died in a shack.” it is so

different condition from white people is described good position in economic

“died in a fine big house.”


"From 1920 until about 1930 an unprecedented outburst of creative

activity among African Americans occurred in all fields of art. Beginning as a

series of literary discussions in the lower Manhattan (Greenwich Village) and

upper Manhattan (Harlem) sections of New York City, this African American

cultural movement became known as "The New Negro Movement" and later as

the Harlem Renaissance. More than a literary movement and more than a social

revolt against racism, the Harlem Renaissance exalted the unique culture of

African Americans and redefined African American expression. African

Americans were encouraged to celebrate their heritage and to become "The New

Negro," a term coined in 1925 by sociologist and critic Alain LeRoy Locke.

In the early 1930s, Hughes wrote his poem entitle Cross. This poem as a

voice of speaker in looking for his identity.



(Line 1-2)

“My old man died in a fine big house

My ma died in a shack.”

(Line 8-9)

In this line, my old man refers to white man and in good position we can

see when a white people died and we see how black people died. This poem’s a

voice of African American which was appeared because environment influence of

32

Langston Hughes where he stays in a community African American places

namely Harlem.

C. I, Too.


I, too, sing America. 1

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh, 5

And eat well,

And grow strong.

Tomorrow,

I'll be at the table

When company comes. 10

Nobody'll dare

Say to me,

"Eat in the kitchen,"

Then.

Besides, 15

They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed - -

I, too, am America.

(1932)

1. Explication

I, Too is written by Langston Hughes, as reaction to racial discrimination

in America where African American are considered as class.

The racial discrimination could be seen from line 8-13: “Tomorrow I’ll be

at the table when company comes. No body’ll dare say to me, Eat in the kitchen.,”

this stanza explicates about racial discrimination, it could be seen from word

“tomorrow.” Because the word “tomorrow indicates that before tomorrow racial

discrimination still exist , in this poem African American always eat in the

kitchen, it’s different than white people.

33

2. Analysis Race

Fist line of the poem, “I, too, sing America clearly signifies one thing: just

because his skin color is different from whites, he argues that he also sings the

National Anthem/Star Spangle Banner the same as whites do because they are

African American also American people.

“I, Too, sing America,”

“I am the darker brother.”

(Line 1-2)

This poem refer to the feature of body of race, this poem is used of the

word “I” as Hughes on titles his poem, “I, Too” By using the word “I” he tells the

reader that he, personally, is the subject of the title. Essentially, he is saying that

he, too, or he also. By using the word “too”, he is implying that he is included in it

as well and is also part of whatever it is he is referring to the title is particularly

interesting, in that it seems to be a sort of miniature dialog snippet.

In the line “I am the darker brother,” showing how he is a part of the

family that is the American society, more specifically, the African American part.

He implies that he is the black citizen who is brother to the lighter skinned white

American. The word “brother” symbolizes a more significant and closer

relationship with his siblings, or in this case, fellow citizens. He is also American

the poet writes about servant who is a black and serves a white American.

Although that African American still optimism that someday African

American will be accepted as white accepted and this poem refers to voice of

America.

34

“Tomorrow, I'll be at the table

when company comes.

Nobody will dare Say to me, "Eat in the kitchen,”

(Line 8-13)

While the civil helped reunite the united state and slavery was legally

dissolved, racial ideologies remained, and the barriers that prevented black from

integrating into American Society still exited.26

This century black people were

discriminated through the act of segregation. Black society was separated from

whites in most public areas including trains, park, event cemeteries, and

segregates school.

3. Analysis Moment

Racial Discrimination acted by the white race to the black race always

continues daily in America. In 1932 Langston Hughes wrote his poem “I, Too”

This form allowed him to illustrate the damage caused by racism while portraying

the African American as an intelligent human being. Hughes, his style of writing

reflected the plight of the African American while not idealizing "black folk. In

his poem “I, Too” Hughes wanted to capture the dominant oral and improvisatory

traditions of black culture in written form", but he was more concerned with the

possibility of his work "lapsing into racist primitivism. The condition about

racism in America still exists, and those issues appeared in American society, and

this problem discussed in the American government.

Tahun 1964, digunakan oleh senat Amerika sebagai siasat untuk

mencegah diloloskannya Undang –undang Hak Sipil. Rancangan

undang –undang itu bertujuan mengakhiri diskriminasi ditempat –

tempat umum, berdasar warna kulit dan jenis kelamin. Banyak warga

Amerika frustasi karena Rancangan Undang –undang itu nyangkut di

26 Paul A. Shackel, Memory in Black and White, (USA : Alkamira,2003), P 7

35

Senat. Sebagian besar orang Amerika ingin agar RUU itu disetujui.

Pada waktu itu muncul istilah baru “filibuster” untuk menyebut siasat

yang digunakan dalam senat untuk merintangi langkah kelompok

mayoritas. Filibuster berasal dari kata Belanda - Prancis- spanyol, yang

secara harfiah, artinya adalah pembajak atau perampok. Selam 150

tahun ini , filibuster digunakan dari waktu kewaktu oleh golongan

minoritas dalam Senat Amerika untuk menunda atau merintangi

lolosnya Rancangan Undang-Undang.27

It defines that on 1964, American senate discussed about Legislation

Program that had purpose to finish discrimination in public places, based on race

and gender. Much American society got frustrated because Discrimination

Legislation Program still in American Senate. Part of American society wanted

that the Senate agreed Discrimination Legislation Program. However, minority in

America Senate did not want to allow that the Legislation Program applied in

public, because they felt that discrimination should have made happened in

America- for the best race that born from Aryan race or white people and the

second race that born from black, Asian, Jewish, Indian people, etc.

Since that time, had appeared new concept “Filibuster” that used by

minority group in America Senate to block the majority’s way that had purpose to

finish racial discrimination that happened in America. “Filibuster” came from

Nederland – French-Spanish, which mean hijacker. About these 150 years, used

by minority in American Senate to adjourn or block Discrimination Legislation

Program to be applied to the public. This way, filibuster was successfully used by

minority and made the issue about racial discrimination still occur in America.

It means, in American Government, issue about racial discrimination

would be long problem. Part of American Government in Senate agreed racial

27

http://www.sinar harapan.co.id/0506/06/lua03.html Surat dari Amerika: Heboh Soal

Filibuster dalam Senat AS. Accessed on May 28, 2008.

36

discrimination should have made occurred in America. This problem affected the

American society, which somebody could intimidate any everyone based on race

and gender. And, it caused many crimes happened in America.


I, Too which was written by Langston Hughes is a poem which refers to

environment in Harlem because this poem as a voice of they souls as black people

in Harlem and presented his environment.

“I” in the poem of “I, Too” is described as Negro people. The first line of

the poem “I, too, sing America,” clearly signifies one thing: Just because his skin

color is different from whites, he argues that he also sings the National

Anthem/Star Spangle Banner the same as whites do. More importantly, the voice

of the poem, the servant, argues that he too is American.

In this poem “I, Too” African American is described that African

American were not accepted. Black was discriminated , separated from using the

same facilities and being in the same place as white, just to name a few.

"They send me to eat in the kitchen”

“when company comes,”

(Line 3-4)

Both of poem represented Hughes as black skin and he is thinking that

black race beautiful. It is poem also influenced from his life as black people in

Harlem and refers to his environment.

From that explanation, we can conclude that Langston Hughes poems

entitle: Negro, Cross and I, Too is reflected the condition African American in

1930s – 1940s. The poem of Negro is reflected the African American as a slave.

37

African American experienced discrimination again in America in 1930s, it is tell

in the Langston Hughes poem of Cross, the position of African American in the

poem of I, Too is still in discrimination and considered as second class. A literary

work appear isn’t inanition culture but it appears from certain factor which

influenced to Langston Hughes poems are race, time and milieu because the

literary work reflected environment of author live.

38

CHAPTER IV

CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION

A. Conclusion

Langston Hughes poems attempts to present the sociological aspect,

according to Taine the sociological can be seen from three aspects such us: race,

time and milieu. The plot story and event in the poems Negro, Cross and I, Too,

happened in 1930- 1941s.

Negro is a poet that reflected to the history of African American, trials and

tribulation they endured in the past and continue to endure in the present. In this

poem, African American is described as second class than whites’ people.

In the poem of I, Too African American were discriminated against,

separated from using the same facilities and being in the same place as white just

name a few. The discrimination in this poem show when African American people

must eat in the kitchen, it’s so different than white’s people.

Cross is the poem is written by Langston Hughes, as reflection to racial

identity. “I” in this poem is speaker and as mixed son between black people and

white people so the speaker wonder about his position as white people or black

people. This poem as struggle reflection of speaker in looking for his identity. The

speaker in this poem as “hybrid.” He has denied, he is black people or white

people so his disability possibly be at the same social status as his parents.

Langston Hughes tells about racial black people in his poems I, Too, Cross

and Negro. According Taine, literature work is influenced by race, time and milieu

(environment). The environment in the poetry of Langston Hughes is Harlem of

39

New York city. Harlem is a community in New York City, in northern Manhattan

Island. Its population is mostly Negro. Because of that environment, Langston

Hughes tells about black people in his poems as a voice of souls as black people in

Harlem and presented his environment in his poems Negro and I, Too.

B. Suggestion

The thesis entitled A Sociological Analyzing on Langston Hughes poems

Negro, Cross and I, Too is one of many exertions to find the news treasure in

literature and this thesis hoped could giving the appreciation to literature itself.

The writer suggests those who are interested in studying about the

sociology, which analyzes the social activities of people, through the Hippolyte

Taine theory. The plot story and even in this poems was happened in 1930-1941s

in America.

The discourses of any readers and appreciators upon the literary works in

websites, and books are some helpful to accomplish this thesis.

40

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Books:

Anonymous. The Encyclopedia America. USA: Grolier Incorporated, 2001.

Damono, Sapardi Djoko. Sosiologi Sastra. Jakarta: Depdikbud, 1984.

Faruk, Pengantar Sosiologi Sastra.Yogyakarta: Pustaka Pelajar, 1994.

Laela Sari & Nurlailah, Kamus Istilah Sastra.Bandung : Nuansa Aulia, 2006.

Markson Stein, Hess. Sociology. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co.Inc, 1982.

Stuart Olson, James. The Ethnic dimension in America History, Volume one. New York:

ST.Martin’s Press, 1979.

Semi, Atar. Kritik Satra. Bandung: Angkasa, 1993.

Shackel, Paul A. Memory in Black and white. USA: Alkamira, 2003.

Subianto S, Yanto. Soal –Jawab Sosiologi. Bandung: Armico, 1980.

William, Kenney. How to Analyze Fiction. New York: Monarch Press, 1996.

Wellek and Warren, Teori Kesusastraan, diterjemahkan kedalam bahasa Indonesia oleh Melani Budianta , Ph.D, Jakarta : Grammedia Pustaka Utama, 1995.

Websites:

Anoymous, Tentang Sastra dan Konflik, http://www.Seuramoe.wordpress.com/2007/04/27/tentang-

Sastra-dan-konflik-1/html. Accessed on May 28, 2008.

Anonymous, Hakikat dan Fungsi Sastra, http:mywritingblog.com/sastra/2008/02/14/hakikat-

dan-pungsi-sastra/html. Accessed on Jun 12, 2008.

Anonymous, Literature, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/literature. Accessed on April 11, 2008.

Anonymous, Sociology, wiki. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/sociology. Accessed on Jun 12, 2008.

Anonymous, African American, http: //www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/27.html. Accessed on March 26, 2008.

Anonymous, Surat dari Amerika:Heboh Soal Filibuster dalam Senat AS, http://www.sinar

harapan.co.id/0506/06Iva03.html. Accessed on May 28, 2008.

41

Anonymous, Black People, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki.html. Accessed on May 16, 2009.

Damono, Sapardi Djoko. Kita dan Sastra Dunia, Baca Artikel. http://www.mizan.com/portal

/template/Baca artikel/kode art/ 222. Accessed on Jun 12, 2008

Ramperson, Arnold. Arnold Ramperson on Langston Hughes, http://www.English.ui uc.edu/maps/poets/g1/Hughes/life.html. Accessed on March 11, 2008.

42

APPENDICESS

Biography of Langston Hughes

Who was Langston Hughes? What did he do? Langston Hughes was a black

poet who made black people who were sad, cheerful. He had a broken

family and was partly raised by his grandmother. Still, he became one of the

most famous African-American poets.

Langston Hughes was born in Joplin, Missouri, on February 1, 1902. On the

same day Langston was born, his father was very angry because a new law said that no black person

could be a lawyer. Langston's father had studied very hard during his school days to be a lawyer,

otherwise, he couldn't get a job. So he left the United States and headed for Mexico. There he started

his own business. When Langston went to school, he was the only black student in his class. Since

he was black, no one wanted to play with him, so he made friends with characters in his books.

When Langston was 8 years old, he went to live with his grandmother because his mother can't

afford to pay the rent for their house. He used to listen to stories his grandmother told him. His

favorite story was about his grandfather, who was killed when fighting for freedom before Langston

was born. When Langston was 12 years old, his grandmother died. By then, his mother had married

another man, so Langston went to live with them.

Langston finished grade school in Lincoln, Illinois. He graduated from Central High

School in Cleveland, Ohio in 1920. One day, Langston's father asked Langston to visit him.

Langston agreed because he needed help to go to college. On the way to Mexico, Langston wrote a

poem called "Negro Speaks of Rivers". It was published in the Crisis magazine in 1920. His father

sent him to study mining engineering at Columbia University in New York. He lived in a nearby

city named Harlem. He loved that city because it was filled with black people. He liked it so much

43

that he wrote a poem called "My People" to show how much he loved being black. Langston liked

living there, but he didn't like school. Soon he quit school.

When he was 21 years old, he joined the crew of S.S. West Hesseltine. He was the only

one who brought books. One day, in a sudden attempt to leave his troubled past behind, he threw

his books overboard. The only book he kept was Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass. When he was in

New York again, Langston worked as a busboy in Washington D.C. at a hotel because at that time,

Langston's mother was there, and she wanted to be near him, so Langston moved there in 1925.

Once, at the hotel, a very famous poet named Vachel Lindsay was staying at the hotel. So,

Langston put some of his poems by Lindsay's dinner plate. Later in the night, many people came to

hear Vachel Lindsay read his poems. He read Langston's poems too. He said that he had discovered

a new poet. Newspapers and magazines throughout the country wrote about Lindsay's reading.

Soon everyone knew about the new black poet, Langston Hughes.

Langston Hughes died at the age of 65 in New York City from complications of cancer-

related surgery.

Here are some answers to questions about Langston's poetry:

• Was work published during his lifetime?

Yes, work was published during their lifetime. The first published work by

Langston Hughes was printed in The Crisis magazine in 1921 when

Langston was only 19 years old.

• What influenced his poetry?

What influenced their poetry was because of the fact that his father

44

couldn't find a job in the United States and had to find a job in Mexico

because he was a black.

• What poetry devices were often used by this poet?

Langston Hughes uses a lot of similes in his poems. Sometimes he uses

metaphor and personification.

• What is important to remember about Langston Hughes?

One thing to remember about this poet is that Langston Hughes wrote

poems describing how good black people are in a big way by using

euphemism. Also, he wanted to tell black people not to be sad and to be

proud that they're black.

The Dream Keeper

Bring me all of your dreams,

you dreamers,

Bring me all your heart melodies,

that I may wrap them in a blue cloud cloth,

Away from the too rough fingers of the world

What I like about this poem is that he said that he would wrap the dreams in a cloth. I

think it means that he would protect the dreams of people who want freedom, from the strict

country, and make the dreams come true. I think he used personification on the fourth line because

he made a thing not visible to wrap them in a cloth. I think it was written because people wanted

freedom, and in this poem Langston kind of made that freedom come true. My opinion is that I think

45

that Langston Hughes was a great poet and showed black people what they can do to stand up for

their people and he gave them ideas by writing poems.

Source: http://www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/Sunda/poets/hughes.htm (May 02, 2009)

46

Negro

I am a Negro


Black like the depths of my Africa.


Caesar told me to keep his door-steps clean.





I’ve been a singer



I made ragtime.


The Belgians cut off my hands in the Congo.

They lynch me still in Mississippi.

I am a Negro:


47

Cross

My old man's a white old man

And my old mother's black.



If ever I cursed my black old mother


And now I wish her well.

My old man died in a fine big house.

My ma died in a shack.


Being neither white nor black

(1930)

48

I, Too.


I, too, sing America.

I am the darker brother.

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

Tomorrow,

I'll be at the table

When company comes.

Nobody'll dare

Say to me,

"Eat in the kitchen,"

Then.

Besides,

They'll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed - -

I, too, am America.

(1932)

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