Table of ContentsIntroductionHarlem RenaissanceSterling BrownArna BontempConclusionIntroductionDespite the disparities in the poetic styles of Sterling Brown and Arna Bontemps, each author was equally effective in conveying the " new voice” of the black American during the Harlem Renaissance. The idea of ​​an expression more suited to African Americans repudiates the fundamental ideology of the Renaissance. The unconscious variety of interpretations of the new black society represents the most defining aspect of the movement: the culmination of diverse black origins into a single entity. While Brown wrote the poem "Southern Road" in the black vernacular, Bontemps's poem "Golgotha ​​Is a Mountain" uses a more standard literary style. Together, they embody the Harlem Renaissance as a natural progression toward the fusion of black culture. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Harlem Renaissance A spark of spontaneous and intrinsic culture, the Harlem Renaissance provided a break from traditional stereotypes, paving the way for a new identity for black Americans. After the abolition of slavery in the United States, former slaves left the South and migrated to the industrialized cities of the North, brewing a volatile cultural concoction. This condensed mix of African Americans from distinct backgrounds and diverse geographies united in the quest for life and freedom, sculpting the new voice and identity of the modern Black American. Best explained by Renaissance artist Aaron Douglas, the black man of this era “did not really consciously make his contribution; he contributed unconsciously” (Lewis 119). Essentially, the Renaissance was not an activist movement with a specific agenda. Rather, it represented an era of unprecedented prosperity for black culture in the United States, developed unintentionally by chance. Thus, all black men and women participated equally in the formation of the Renaissance, even “the man in the street… who would have had difficulty explaining it”; in fact, his “contribution [was] greater than if he had consciously attempted to make a contribution” (Lewis 119). Simply by existing, the black American emanated his culture through the daily trivialities and habits of life, leaving a lasting imprint on American history. Sterling Brown Sterling Brown illustrates the rise of an original black voice during the Renaissance through the use of African American vernacular. in his poem “Southern Road”. By articulating the words of black Americans in a purely natural dialect, Brown instilled a sense of black harmony into literary art. Her style is an authentic representation of the black voice, but also creates worthy poetic composition. For example, the stanza “doubleshackled—hunh— / guard behin'; / doubly chained—hunh— / guard behind; / Ball an' chain, bebby, / on my min',” incorporates a wide variety of figurative language turns (Lewis 228). The repetition represents the endless toil experienced by the black man working in a chain gang, while also providing the sense of rhythm and song embodied in African tradition. Symbolizing many elements of a black man's life, the term "double-bound" not only suggests that the man is chained by both feet, but also insinuates that he is figuratively bound, without hope or desire to live beyond its bonds. The man's physical and mental imprisonment serves as a representation of the civil attributes of the Black American. Obviously, the useby Brown of the black vernacular language in no way diminishes the literary value of his work. It simply provides an authentic representation of the black man's voice through the adaptation of English: despite potential controversy over the use of such "unpoetic" speech, Brown has defined a new voice for Black Americans. A point of contention for Brown's style is that his use of black vernacular can be interpreted as demeaning, even stereotypical. This argument has some merit, since the essence of the Renaissance is manifested in the abandonment of old conventions and the forging of a new identity for black Americans. However, this does not call into question Brown's work. The introduction of black vernacular into the literary world was certainly not a stereotype; it was in fact a revolutionary innovation, truly significant in that it marked the dawn of black sophistication and its impact on American society. Reasonably, a contemporary reader may misinterpret the lines "po' los' boy, bebby, / evahmo'..." as decreasing (Lewis 229). However, in the context of the Harlem Renaissance era, such a statement would be more indicative of pride. By adopting the humiliating insults endured by slaves, such as “boy,” the black man absorbs the negativity associated with the term and instead redefines the connotation of his inclination. Yet while Brown's use of black vernacular gave black Americans an original and authentic voice in literature, other Renaissance poets chose to adopt European approaches. The cultural flexibility of Americans. By expressing himself with a style of white poetry, Bontemps displays the intellectual capacity of the black man through a European lens. The first two lines of his poem, "Golgotha ​​is a mountain, a purple mound / almost out of sight", refer to Christianity, introduced to Africans by whites, as well as the English language (Lewis 224) . Bontemps uses Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, as a symbol of a history of suffering and sacrifice, a concept more than familiar to former slaves and their descendants. It essentially synthesizes white culture with black culture, creating a bridge between whites and blacks in mainstream society, redefining the role of the black American. Furthermore, he emphasizes that “there are also mountains in Africa. / Treasure is buried there: gold and precious stones / and cast glory” (Lewis 225). Although Bontemps writes in a European style, he emphasizes the importance of African tradition, arguing that Africans also have a rich cultural history. The use of a standard literary style broadened Bontemps's audience, potentially attracting white readers and thus strengthening the place of black Americans in society. Therefore, Bontemps' work effectively contributed to the establishment of the new voice of the American black during the Renaissance, but not without attracting criticism. Inevitably, Bontemps's standard literary style suffers from criticism on the grounds that it does not create a new image of blackness. American, but rather reflects white techniques. Proponents of this mentality fail to recognize the magnitude of the Renaissance as a beacon of diverse cultural expression. By adopting a standard literary style, Bontemps attempts to assimilate white tradition into black culture. Phrases such as “I slept at the foot of Fujiyama and dreamed of legend and death” could easily be confused with fragments of white literature of the period (Lewis 225). However, the.