Robert Johnson - 1938 Summary and Analysis

Marcus indicates Robert Johnson, an African-American, was also an artist concerned with freedom; however, he wants freedom from the constraints into which he was born. While it is the promise of America that the her inhabitants search for and find a better life, Johnson was one who knew what it was like to be betrayed by this American promise. Marcus uses the uninhibited way that Johnson explores this idea of American as a betrayer as a measuring stick by which to gauge the attempts of other artists to mimic his style.

In his music Johnson deals with ideas such as the non-existence of redemption or salvation. His songs almost always feature a devil or demon of some sort. This inclusion of a devil shows how real the knowledge of sin and darkness was to Johnson. Marcus appears...