Analysis of Ships that Pass in the Night
The Meaning:
Laurence Dunbar expresses his wish of everybody having opportunities in life, regardless of their race. Although the African Americans were free, they were still discriminated against and had less chances to do things than the white people did. "Pregnant night" to me means that they have hope and expectation that the opportunities will come to them (Line 2). And anyways, we also say a woman is expecting when she is pregnant. Thus, it makes sense here. Dunbar catches "the gleaming of a random light" (Line 4). This means that he is sensing the opportunity is nearby but not in his grasp as "the ship I [Dunbar] seek[s] is passing, passing," and the opportunity passes him by (Line 5). The concept of opportunity is represented by the ship. The second stanza summarises how Dunbar tries to reach the opportunities but his voice is not strong enough and only the "its ghost doth reach that vessel, passing, passing" (Line 5). Finally Dunbar questions if there is any "way that I [Dunbar] may sight and check that speeding bark which out of of sight and sound is passing, passing," or in other words, will he ever be able to try out anything that he is deprived of solely due to his colour? He simply wants to do what the others, the white people, can; and this is the wish of every black person during that time.
The Elements of Poetry
Metaphor: the big overarching concept of ship passing and the sailor persevering and looking for it represents that although opportunities, once alive in their minds, re slowly drifting away, they have not given up hope yet.
Personification: "voice falls dead a foot from mine own lips... but its ghost doth reach that vessel" (Line 9-10). Voice is being personified to show how Dunbar's efforts are futile.
Repetition: the phrase "passing, passing" ends every stanza. This is done to emphasise how opportunities just drift away slowly and gradually, for black people. "O Earth, O Sky, O Ocean, both surpassing, O heart of mine, O soul that dreads the dark" also uses the repetition of "O" (Line 11-12). This is done to highlight how Dunbar is looking up to different sources for the answers to his questions.
Rhyme scheme: ABCBA in every stanza.
Symbolism: the ship symbolises opportunities and hope. The dark clouds depict the hurdles and struggles, indirectly (Line 1). Light symbolises little hope (Line 4).
Tone/Mood: heavy and longing, given up, yet still alive with some hope.
Personification: "voice falls dead a foot from mine own lips... but its ghost doth reach that vessel" (Line 9-10). Voice is being personified to show how Dunbar's efforts are futile.
Repetition: the phrase "passing, passing" ends every stanza. This is done to emphasise how opportunities just drift away slowly and gradually, for black people. "O Earth, O Sky, O Ocean, both surpassing, O heart of mine, O soul that dreads the dark" also uses the repetition of "O" (Line 11-12). This is done to highlight how Dunbar is looking up to different sources for the answers to his questions.
Rhyme scheme: ABCBA in every stanza.
Symbolism: the ship symbolises opportunities and hope. The dark clouds depict the hurdles and struggles, indirectly (Line 1). Light symbolises little hope (Line 4).
Tone/Mood: heavy and longing, given up, yet still alive with some hope.
The Connection to the Harlem Background
Simply speaking, slavery was mostly abolished but the perspective towards the black populations did not. They were still considered inferior with the only reasoning that their background was poor and their skin was coloured. Now, Dunbar is especially interesting because his parents were freed slaves. So he is the first free generation to experience the injustice without slavery. He and other blacks were denied jobs until a shortage occurred due to World War 1. But that wait alone was very long. But with Dunbar, luck was at his side as his wait was not very long. In 1982, at the Western Association of Writers, he was invited to recite poetry. Being impressed, James Whitcomb Riley, a famous white poet, wrote him a letter of encouragement. So, with Dunbar it was not as bad as it could have been. Anyways, the Klu Klux Klan also reached its peak in the 1920s, trying to establish white supremacy. Thus, the blacks were still not allowed to do a lot things in the society. But they wanted to! That desire is what led to the Harlem Renaissance!!! That's when the black people began expressing themselves and gaining fame in the outer white world. And as we know it, the Harlem Renaissance set the first brick to build the wall of equality.