Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
American Poet and Professor
Born: February 1807
Died:1882 (75 years old)
Languages: English, French, Latin, Spanish, Italian, German, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Finnish, Icelandic
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born into an affluent family and was born second out of eight children. He was proud of his families ties to New England and the pilgrimage, tracing his ancestry back to the first child born in Plymouth Colony1. His family was heavily involved in politics, his grandfather a general in the Civil War, a founder at Bowdoin college and a member of congress. His father was also a member of congress, a known federalist, trustee at Bowdoin College and a successful Lawyer. Longfellow’s father approved of his studies, but “Longfellow’s mom fostered his love of language and literature, citing Sketch-Book, Don Quixote, Robinson Crusoe, and Arabian Nights as early favorites2. As part of the fireside poets, Longfellow’s poetry was written in a way that was easily memorized and widely shared. Like Dante, Longfellow wrote poetry for a general audience, not restricted to scholars of literature. Longfellow’s most notable poetry includes “Paul Revere’s ride”. A simple rhyming scheme easy to recite, contemporary audiences still share lines from the poem even if they don’t know it comes from Longfellow
He said to his friend, “If the British march
By land or sea from the town to-night,
Hang a lantern aloft in the belfry-arch
Of the North-Church-tower, as a signal-light,—
One if by land, and two if by sea;
And I on the opposite shore will be,
Ready to ride and spread the alarm
Through every Middlesex village and farm,
For the country-folk to be up and to arm.”
(Paul Revere’s Ride)
Another notable poem by Longfellow is Evangeline. This work is anepic poem -long form poetry telling a story of adventure of some kind. Meant to be read instead of recited. He uses descriptive imagery to paint a vivid picture of setting and scenery something that Dante also accomplishes.
This is the forest Primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,
Stand like druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic,
Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.
Lound from it’s rocky caverns, the deep voiced neighboring ocean
Speaks, and in accents, disconsolate answers the wail of the forest.
(Evangeline, 1905)
Evangline follows the story of two childhood sweethearts who are separated during British evasion. Longfellow was a Dante scholar and was familiar with his idealized love with Beatrice. While it’s not a story of Dante and Beatrice (who were never lovers. Dante held a special devotion and virtuous kinship to her) Evangline shares similar themes to their story.
Key Points Regarding Longfellows Translation:
Longfellow was a poet and a linguistic scholar. He was familiar with Dante’s Terza Rima but focused on literal word for word translation.
Longfellow was a scholar of Dante, he wrote essays and lectures on Dante’s work and life.
Longfellow tried to incorporate as much of the original Italian when possible