Langston Hughes creates a picture of a troubled musician. I believe the musician is one who wished for a life "in the lights". He wanted to be famous and thought that money,cars and women would be better than the life he once lived. He is a man adored by many and is rarely alone, yet no matter how many people are around he still feels as if he is by himself. Being on stage every night has become boring for this musician, he could perform with his eyes closed by now and would like a change of pace. I may be completely off with this thought but the last few words
-"And far into the night he crooned that tune.
The stars went out and so did the moon.
The singer stopped playing and went to bed
While the Weary Blues echoed through his head.
He slept like a rock or a man that's dead." -
make me feel as if this man was into drugs as a lot of musicians are and once the curtain closed he took his "hit" for the night. That is what brings him to a place of serenity. The drugs give him an escape from his once sought after life and when he's sleep he is so out of it that he resembles "A man that's dead".
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The images of the video: helpful or not? You've grasped this poem right on.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you described what you grasped from this video. Everything that we have seen so far this semester has illustrated the pain that musicians are in so the point that you brought out at the end about the drugs is a very interesting one.
ReplyDeleteThanks to the both of you :)! I was a worried that I was completely off with this blog entry. The video was helpful especially the parts where the musician is performing. I also listened to the poem twice without watching the video in order to make sure that I had the same reaction.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great reaction that you had to the video. You got so much out of this poem. Your insight into the psyche of the blues singer is so on point. I especially find the point about him probably being on drugs to be a very good point. After reading your response, I agree with you that he probably uses drugs to get away from the depression that he feels in his everyday life. Great job Amanda!
ReplyDeleteYou made a great observation by comparing the last lines about sleeping like a rock, or a man that's dead by relating him back to drugs, that never would have crossed my mind. A lot of people then were probably very addicted to doing drugs because of the way things were, the way they were treated and it was the only thing some of them could have done to make them come to peace with themselves.
ReplyDeleteAmanda I love the way you interpreted it. I just thought that maybe he was lonely and singing the blues which made him able to sleep peacefully. The idea of drugs or alcohol for his peaceful sleep is a big possibility because there are people who do that to escape.
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