Calvin

10620045

4SA01

 

I Dream A World (1941) by Langston Hughes

I dream a world where man
No other man will scorn,
Where love will bless the earth
And peace its paths adorn
I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom's way,
Where greed no longer saps the soul
Nor avarice blights our day.
A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every man is free,
Where wretchedness will hang its head
And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all mankind-
Of such I dream, my world!

 

 

Analysis: The poem is about someone’s hope for a perfect world where people from any race and cultural background can live together peacefully, without hatred or injustice. There are figurative languages such as personification, antithesis, and simile discovered in this poem.

 

Personification gives human characteristics to non-human and inanimate objects, such as emotions.

 

“Where love will bless the earth” – line 3

This line can be considered as personification because the author gives human characteristics to an abstract concept like emotion. In this context, ‘love’ is able to offer blessing to the earth.

 

“And peace its paths adorn” – line 4

This is the second time the author personified an abstract concept. In this context, ‘peace’ is given the human quality to ‘adorn’ or decorate the path.

 

Where wretchedness will hang its head” – line 13

The author personified ‘wretchedness’ by suggesting that an abstract concept like that can hang its head, which is a human action.

 

 

Antithesis places opposite things or ideas next to one another in order to draw out their contrast.

 

A world I dream where black or white,” – line 9

The words ‘black’ and ‘white’ are the complete opposite, which the author used to describe the perfect world he envisioned where people with any skin color can live freely.

 

 

Simile uses “like” or “as” to compare two dissimilar things.

 

“And joy, like a pearl,” – line 14

The author compared ‘joy’ with ‘pearl’, suggesting that joy is as valuable, precious, and beautiful as a pearl.

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