Question

Which statement best describes the significance of the four rivers mentioned in the poem

Answer 1

Answer:

In "The Negro speaks of Rivers" by Langston Hughes, the four rivers which are; Euphrates, Congo,Nile and Mississippi has significance. The significance of the four rivers is that the all played an important role in the history of the history of the ancestors of African-Americans.

Explanation:

This poem is about the lives of African people and their lives before and after  they left their land. it is a free verse poem which was published in 1921. it presents the memory of Africans that were forced into slavery. The major themes in the poem are that of pride, heritage and nature.

The River Euphrates which is the longest River in western Asia symbolizes return of innocence as Hughes links himself to the history where few people populate the planet, a history of a young world, the river has a sense of innocence.

The River Congo is also referenced by Hughes as the deepest river in Africa is symbolic of Hughes deep connection to that continent.