Reading: The South by Langston Hughes

The South

by Langston Hughes

The lazy, laughing South

With blood on its mouth.

The sunny-faced South,

Beast-strong,

Idiot-brained.

The child-minded South

Scratching in the dead fire’s ashes

For a Negro’s bones.

Cotton and the moon,

Warmth, earth, warmth,

The sky, the sun, the stars,

The magnolia-scented South.

Beautiful, like a woman,

Seductive as a dark-eyed whore,

Passionate, cruel,

Honey-lipped, syphilitic—

That is the South.

And I, who am black, would love her

But she spits in my face.

And I, who am black,

Would give her many rare gifts

But she turns her back upon me.

So now I seek the North—

The cold-faced North,

For she, they say,

Is a kinder mistress,

And in her house my children

May escape the spell of the South.

Here are important words and phrases from the poem. Try to guess the meaning first, then check the definitions.

Seductive
Tempting and attractive; having an appealing quality that draws one in.

"The seductive aroma of freshly baked bread filled the kitchen."
Whore
A prostitute. The word is used here to create a strong, negative image of the South's hypocrisy and corruption.

"The poem uses the word 'whore' to criticize the deceptive nature of the South."
Syphilitic
Affected with syphilis, a serious sexually transmitted disease. The term is a metaphor for the deep-seated corruption and disease of racism in the South.

"The poet uses the word 'syphilitic' to suggest a hidden, destructive illness."
Spits in my face
A gesture of extreme contempt, insult, and rejection.

"He felt that the company's low offer was like spitting in his face after all his hard work."
Mistress
A woman in a position of authority or control. Here, it personifies the North as a potential protector or provider.

"The new leader was considered a kind mistress to her people."
Spell of the South
The powerful, often negative, influence or hold that the traditions and racism of the South have on people's lives.

"She moved to the city to escape the spell of the small town's gossip."

Answer these questions about the poem "The South."

How does the poem's description of the South change throughout the first section?
What does the phrase "blood on its mouth" suggest about the South?
In what ways is the South described as both beautiful and corrupted?
How does the speaker's personal experience of being "black" relate to his feelings for the South?
What is the speaker's ultimate solution to the problem presented in the poem?
What is the significance of the "North" being described as a "kinder mistress"?
What is the central theme of this poem?