Interpretation of "The Harlem Dancer".
The poet, Claude McKay, was an African American who was born in Jamaica. His.
history starts with arriving in the United States in the year 1912, where he traveled to.
Tuskegee Institute. After only staying there a coulple of months he decided to move to the.
University of Kansas in Lorance to study the art of agriculture. Ten years after arriving in.
the United States in 1922, he published a sonnet called "Invocation" , and later also wrote.
and published "The Harlem Dancer". McKay also spent time writing a variety of subjects.
inluding love and went in detail about his past life living in Jamaica. He traveled to.
England and Russia but later returned to Harlem and turned to the teachings of political.
and spiritual leaders. His viewpoints and achievements set the tone for Harlem.
Renaissance and earned him a lot of respect from the younger black poets of the time.
(poets.org). "The Harlem Dancer" is a poem written by McKay in which many different.
poetic apects emerge as we read the poem. There are many aspects of the poem that will.
be dealt with including the following: structure, symbolism, tone, situation or setting, the.
speaker, and rhyme and meter scheme.
McKay typically presents an outsiders view on American lifestyles due to his foreign.
birth. In his poems, McKay shows his concern for the treatment of African Americans.
during the 1920's. One poem in particular, "The Harlem Dancer", reflects his anger.
towards the the perjudice that the black people received, and many other African.
Americans looked to him for inspiration. McKay wanted other African Americans to be.
educated, so he used his educational acheivements to help them become educated.
Langston Hughes, a highly renowned poet, is one person in particular whom was .
2.
influenced by his writings. McKay inspired so many people because in his poems, he spoke.
of African Americans fighting for their civil rights in the United States.
