The poem “The Bitter River”, written by Langston Hughes, may be regarded from different angles. This ambiguity is rooted in a meaningful metaphor of a river, which is the poem’s foundation. One of the themes disclosed in “Bitter River” is restrictions on art, creativity, and imagination. The author examines the disastrous effects of limiting freedom of expression, which are revealed in his choice of words, images, and symbols.
As a representative of Afro-American culture, Langston Hughes observes the racism and injustice that exist around him. However, watching is the sole thing he can do because he cannot change it, and that makes him suffer. Gifted with a talent of a poet, Hughes cannot use it to help those around him. The author understands that his voice will probably not be heard because he is not allowed to speak about this cruelty and discrimination. He uses the image of a river, which usually represents a free stream of consciousness, but here it is filled with mud, filth, and clay, so the image carries a negative connotation. The water serves in the literature to quench thirst and to encourage people. On the contrary, in this poem, the water is bitter and tastes of blood, it is unable to inspire the poet and give him joy. Thus, the image of the river shows the author’s state of mind, which for years had been poisoned and depressed. It can be assumed that curtailing freedom of expression is something abnormal, which goes against nature and spoils it.
One of the significant symbols in the poem is steel bars, mentioned more than ten times. This symbol helps in transmitting the idea of restrictions on creativity. Behind these bars, there is a lot of pain and suffering. Hughes does not see the beauty, which would inspire him for more optimistic poems. Even the sun and the stars, usually being a source of inspiration, do not reflect in the water of the bitter river, so they cannot cheer the author up. Moreover, the truth disappears because even words of hope turn to be lies. Hughes feels deceived by the “hiss of the snake-like song”, he cannot trust anyone, and his tone becomes ironic (63). This attitude can be seen in the phrase “I was given this water as a gift” (Hughes, 53). Life does not leave Hughes any choice but to sadly tell the reader the story of his life: “ambition battered and bruised”, “dreams to be broken”, and “hopes to be smashed” (20, 66, 67). All this makes the mood of the poem full of despair. When a writer is deprived of creative freedom, he cannot fulfill his purpose in life.
The poem “The Bitter River” depicts the horrible reality surrounding the author, Langston Hughes. He fails to find a source of inspiration because there is no more beauty and truth. All images and symbols in the poem create the atmosphere of gloom and despair: the filthy river with bitter water that does not reflect the sun and the stars or steel bars restricting the flow of consciousness. The poet has been silent for too long, obliged to put up with the injustice of the world. He speaks of reality with sad irony, and the whole poem seems a confession of a person tired of his life and unable to create something new.
Work Cited
Hughes, Langston. The Bitter River. McGill, 1942. McGill.