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Difficulty: MediumThe Harlem Renaissance and the New Negro Movement

Read the following excerpt from Countee Cullen's poem "Yet Do I Marvel" (1925):

"I doubt not God is good, well-meaning, kind,
And did He stoop to quibble could tell why
The little buried mole continues blind,
Why flesh that mirrors Him must some day die,
...
Yet do I marvel at this curious thing:
To make a poet black, and bid him sing!"

Which of the following best describes the central tension that Cullen highlights in the final two lines of the excerpt?

  1. The paradox of experiencing a creative, artistic calling while living in a society that systematically devalues Black humanity.Answer
  2. B
    The direct ideological conflict between Booker T. Washington's focus on industrial education and W.E.B. Du Bois's defense of the 'Talented Tenth.'
  3. C
    The geographic and economic challenges faced by Black artists trying to relocate from the rural South to Northern cities during the Great Migration.
  4. D
    The debate over whether Black intellectuals should pursue cultural integration in the United States or support Marcus Garvey's emigrationist movement.

Answer

The paradox of experiencing a creative, artistic calling while living in a society that systematically devalues Black humanity.
The correct option is correct because the final couplet of Countee Cullen's 'Yet Do I Marvel' expresses the profound paradox of being a Black artist who feels a divine, creative urge to write ('bid him sing') while living in a racialized society that denies Black equality and devalues Black humanity ('To make a poet black'). This capture of double consciousness and creative agency under oppression was a defining theme of the Harlem Renaissance.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the literal meaning and imagery of the poem's final lines.
The final lines contrast the identity of being 'black' in a racialized society with the divine calling to 'sing' (create poetry/art).
To understand the core conflict the author is presenting.
2
Contextualize the poem within the Harlem Renaissance and the New Negro Movement.
The Harlem Renaissance was characterized by Black artists asserting their humanity and creative agency despite systemic racism and segregation.
To align the literary themes with the historical and intellectual context of the era.
3
Evaluate the options to identify which one accurately describes this tension without introducing historical misconceptions.
The option describing the paradox of a creative calling in a society that devalues Black humanity is the only accurate representation.
To select the correct response and eliminate distractors representing common misconceptions about the era's debates and migration.

Key Concept

The Harlem Renaissance and the New Negro Movement
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Topics

The Harlem Renaissance and the New Negro Movement

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