Critical Comment on ‘Dinner Guest: Me’ by Langston Hughes
The poem, ‘Dinner Guest: Me’ is written by African-American poet Langston Hughes. Through
this paper, I shall critically comment on various aspects of the poem. I aim to analyse the rhyme
scheme, tone, syntax and theme of the poem.
Although the poem contains a few rhyming words, it does not display any particular rhyme
scheme and hence can be considered to be written in free verse. The poem does not appear to
have any noticeable structure.
The tone of the poem is mockery as the poet appears to make an overall sarcastic comment on
the host of the dinner. The poem seems to display the superficiality of the host (or the white
man) when it comes to empathising with the speaker of the poem and when the question of
finding a solution to his problems arises.
It is evident from the first stanza of the poem that the poet has been invited to a sumptuous and
luxurious dinner, not with the intention of good-will, but so that he may answer the ignorant
questions that white people have about the lives of African-Americans. The poet makes use of
words such as ‘demurely’, ‘to Probe’ and ‘polite’ in two consecutive lines to show how artificial
the white man’s approach to the African-American community’s problems truly is. Although the
host appears to be ‘demure’ and ‘polite’, he seems to ‘Probe’ the guest with personal questions
that he may or may not be comfortable talking about. The poet has made use of elements such as
lobster, damask table, wine and fraises du bois to show the extravagant setting of the dinner. This
presents the vast contrast between the lifestyle and ways of the host and his guest, the speaker of
the poem.
Langston Hughes successfully manages to bring out the uncomfortable, awkward and superficial
ambience that surrounds the host and the speaker of the poem. His mocking tone and imitation of
a typical indifferent white man portrays the reality of people that sympathize and make it look
like they’re bothered by a problem instead of working towards finding a solution for it.