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Showed the broad white road in heaven, Pathway of the ghosts, the shadows, Running straight across the heavens, Crowded with the ghosts, the shadows. At the door on summer evenings. Sat the little Hiawatha; Heard the whispering of the pine-trees, Heard the lapping of the waters, Sounds of music, words of wonder;
The Song of Hiawatha. On the shores of Gitche Gumee, Of the shining Big-Sea-Water, Stood Nokomis, the old woman, Pointing with her finger westward, O'er the water pointing westward, To the purple clouds of sunset. Fiercely the red sun descending Burned his way along the heavens, Set the sky on fire behind him, As war-parties, when retreating,
By the shores of Gitche Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water, Stood the wigwam of Nokomis, Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis. Dark behind it rose the forest, Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees, Rose the firs with cones upon them; Bright before it beat the water, Beat the clear and sunny water, Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water. There the wrinkled old ...
- Summary
- The Song of Hiawatha Context
- Structure and Form
- Literary Devices
- Detailed Analysis
- Similar Poetry
‘Hiawatha’s Childhood’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow describes the first years in the life of Hiawatha. The poem begins with a description of Hiawatha’s grandmother and how she fell to earth from the moon. Throughout the rest of the poem, the poet describes how Hiawatha was raised, what he learned, and how he drew close to all the living creatures ...
This excerpt is part of the much longer poem, ‘The Song of Hiawatha.’ It follows the Native American protagonistfrom childhood into adulthood and through many challenges. He leads his people to prosperity, suffers losses (like his two best friends), and even loses his wife, Minnehaha, to fever. He has visions of white men arriving and teaching his ...
‘Hiawatha’s Childhood’ by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is one section of the much longer ‘The Song of Hiawatha.’ This is the third part of the poem and contains eighty-six lines contained in one long stanza (known as block form). The poem is written in trochaic tetramer. This means that each line contains four sets of two beats, the first of which is...
In this poem, the poet makes use of a few literary devices. These include but are not limited to: 1. Alliteration: the repetitionof the same consonant sound at the beginning of multiple words. For example, “Gitche Gumee” and “words of wonder.” 2. Anaphora: the repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of multiple lines. For example, “R...
Lines 1-15
In the first lines of this poem, the speaker describes the setting, using very clear examples of repetition that immediately imbue the poem with a steady forward rhythm. The poet wrote about the “shores of Gitche Gumee” (a reference to Lake Superior) and uses words like “Big-Sea-Water” (what the words “Gitche Gumee” loosely translate to) and “wigwam” (meaning a domed tent or hut). The speaker begins by telling readers that long ago, a woman named Nokomis fell from the moon to earth. She gave...
Lines 16-30
Hiawatha’s grandmother quieted him when he cried too loudly, warning him that the “Naked Bear” would hear him. She taught him about the legendsof the Obejiwa people and cared for him. She explained why the stars shone in heaven and showed him a special comet, “Ishkoodah.” The poem moves from one topic to the next, generally outlining how much of what Hiawatha knew about the world and believed came from his grandmother. When he was young, he’d already seen images of warriors and legends.
Lines 31-47
Hiawatha learned about the “Pathway of the ghosts” in the heavens and learned to listen to the pine trees whispering. There was meaning in everything, these lines imply, and Hiawatha’s grandmother taught him how to interpret it. Each thing, like the water and the trees, says something different, like “Minne-wawa!” and “Mudway-aushka!” The poet refers to the firefly as a “candle” that flits through the sky, resembling much of the magic that Hiawatha has already learned about.
Readers who enjoyed this poem should also consider reading some other Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poems. For example: 1. ‘The Song of the Owl’ – describes the hooting of the great black owl. It taps into the themes of silence and darkness. 2. ‘The Indian Hunter’ – tells the story of land thefts and injustices for the Native American people. 3. ‘A Da...
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- October 9, 1995
- Poetry Analyst And Editor
By the shores of Gitche Gumee, by the shining Big-Sea-Water, Stood the wigwam of Nokomis, daughter of the Moon, Nokomis. Dark behind it rose the forest, rose the black and gloomy pine-trees, Rose the firs with cones upon them; bright before it beat the water, Beat the clear and sunny water, beat the shining Big-Sea-Water.
1 translation. The Song of Hiawatha lyrics. By the shores of Gitche Gumee, By the shining Big-Sea-Water, At the doorway of the wigwam, In the early Summer morning, Hiawatha stood and waited. All the air was full of freshness, All the earth was bright and joyous, And before him, through the sunshine, Westward toward the neighbouring forest.
Hiawatha Lyrics: By the shores of Gitche Gumee / By the shining Big-Sea-Water / Downward through the evening twilight / In the days that are forgotten / From the land of sky blue...
