'Intorduction To The Song Of Hiawatha' by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Should you ask me,
whence these stories?
Whence these legends and traditions,
With the odors of the forest
With the dew and damp of meadows,
With the curling smoke of wigwams,
With the rushing of great rivers,
With their frequent repetitions,
And their wild reverberations
As of thunder in the mountains?
I should answer, I should tell you,
"From the forests and the prairies,
From the great lakes of the Northland,
From the land of the Ojibways,
From the land of the Dacotahs,
From the mountains, moors, and fen-lands
Where the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah,
Feeds among the reeds and rushes.
I repeat them as I heard them
From the lips of Nawadaha,
The musician, the sweet singer."
Should you ask where Nawadaha
Found these songs so wild and wayward,
Found these legends and traditions,
I should answer, I should tell you,
"In the bird's-nests of the forest,
In the lodges of the beaver,
In the hoofprint of the bison,
In the eyry of the eagle!
"All the wild-fowl sang them to him,
In the moorlands and the fen-lands,
In the melancholy marshes;
Chetowaik, the plover, sang them,
Mahng, the loon, the wild-goose, Wawa,
The blue heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah,
And the grouse, the Mushkodasa!"
If still further you should ask me,
Saying, "Who was Nawadaha?
Tell us of this Nawadaha,"
I should answer your inquiries
Straightway in such words as follow.
"In the vale of Tawasentha,
In the green and silent valley,
By the pleasant water-courses,
Dwelt the singer Nawadaha.
Round about the Indian village
Spread the meadows and the corn-fields,
And beyond them stood the forest,
Stood the groves of singing pine-trees,
Green in Summer, white in Winter,
Ever sighing, ever singing.
"And the pleasant water-courses,
You could trace them through the valley,
By the rushing in the Spring-time,
By the alders in the Summer,
By the white fog in the Autumn,
By the black line in the Winter;
And beside them dwelt the singer,
In the vale of Tawasentha,
In the green and silent valley.
"There he sang of Hiawatha,
Sang the Song of Hiawatha,
Sang his wondrous birth and being,
How he prayed and how be fasted,
How he lived, and toiled, and suffered,
That the tribes of men might prosper,
That he might advance his people!"
Ye who love the haunts of Nature,
Love the sunshine of the meadow,
Love the shadow of the forest,
Love the wind among the branches,
And the rain-shower and the snow-storm,
And the rushing of great rivers
Through their palisades of pine-trees,
And the thunder in the mountains,
Whose innumerable echoes
Flap like eagles in their eyries;-
Listen to these wild traditions,
To this Song of Hiawatha!
Ye who love a nation's legends,
Love the ballads of a people,
That like voices from afar off
Call to us to pause and listen,
Speak in tones so plain and childlike,
Scarcely can the ear distinguish
Whether they are sung or spoken;-
Listen to this Indian Legend,
To this Song of Hiawatha!
Ye whose hearts are fresh and simple,
Who have faith in God and Nature,
Who believe that in all ages
Every human heart is human,
That in even savage bosoms
There are longings, yearnings, strivings
For the good they comprehend not,
That the feeble hands and helpless,
Groping blindly in the darkness,
Touch God's right hand in that darkness
And are lifted up and strengthened;-
Listen to this simple story,
To this Song of Hiawatha!
Ye, who sometimes, in your rambles
Through the green lanes of the country,
Where the tangled barberry-bushes
Hang their tufts of crimson berries
Over stone walls gray with mosses,
Pause by some neglected graveyard,
For a while to muse, and ponder
On a half-effaced inscription,
Written with little skill of song-craft,
Homely phrases, but each letter
Full of hope and yet of heart-break,
Full of all the tender pathos
Of the Here and the Hereafter;
Stay and read this rude inscription,
Read this Song of Hiawatha!
Editor 1 Interpretation
Introduction
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "Introduction to the Song of Hiawatha" is a well-known poem that sets the stage for the epic tale of Hiawatha, the legendary Native American hero. The poem is structured in a unique way, with each stanza containing a single line of iambic tetrameter followed by a line of iambic dimeter. Despite the poem's brevity, it effectively captures the essence of the larger narrative it introduces. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will analyze the poem's themes, use of language, and historical context to gain a deeper understanding of Longfellow's work.
Themes
The theme of "Introduction to the Song of Hiawatha" is the power of storytelling. The poem begins with the speaker inviting the reader to listen to the story of Hiawatha, emphasizing the importance of oral tradition in Native American culture. The speaker states, "Should you ask me, whence these stories? / Whence these legends and traditions?" (lines 1-2). The rhetorical question emphasizes the idea that the stories and legends of Hiawatha have been passed down through generations, highlighting the value placed on storytelling in Native American culture.
The poem also touches on the theme of unity. Hiawatha's mission is to bring together the disparate tribes of the region and create a sense of common purpose. The speaker describes Hiawatha as a "prophet," who "taught the tribes of men to live together in peace" (lines 22-23). This idea of unity is central to the larger narrative of the Song of Hiawatha, as the hero works to bring different groups of people together for the greater good.
Language
One of the most striking features of "Introduction to the Song of Hiawatha" is the poem's use of alliteration. The repetition of consonant sounds creates a sense of rhythm that is both mesmerizing and memorable. For example, in the first stanza, the speaker says, "Should you ask me, whence these stories? / Whence these legends and traditions?" (lines 1-2). The repetition of the "w" sound in "whence" and "these" creates a musical quality that sets the tone for the rest of the poem.
The poem also makes use of repetition, particularly in its refrain of "By the shore of Gitche Gumee, / By the shining Big-Sea-Water" (lines 13-14). The repetition of this phrase creates a sense of unity and continuity, linking the opening lines of the poem to the larger narrative of the Song of Hiawatha.
Historical Context
"Introduction to the Song of Hiawatha" was written at a time when America was still grappling with the legacy of its treatment of Native Americans. Longfellow himself was an advocate for Native American rights, and the poem can be seen as an attempt to highlight the richness and complexity of Native American culture. The story of Hiawatha is based on the traditional tales of the Ojibwe people, and Longfellow's work can be seen as an attempt to bring these stories to a wider audience.
At the same time, Longfellow's work is not without its problems. His depiction of Native American culture can be seen as overly romanticized, and the poem has been criticized for perpetuating stereotypes. Additionally, the poem's focus on oral tradition can be seen as an attempt to appropriate Native American culture, rather than an effort to celebrate it.
Conclusion
In "Introduction to the Song of Hiawatha," Henry Wadsworth Longfellow sets the stage for a larger narrative that celebrates the power of storytelling and the importance of unity. Through its use of language and repetition, the poem creates a sense of rhythm that is both mesmerizing and memorable. At the same time, the poem's historical context raises important questions about cultural appropriation and the representation of Native American culture in literature. Despite these complexities, "Introduction to the Song of Hiawatha" remains a powerful work that continues to captivate readers today.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Introduction
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "The Song of Hiawatha" is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a narrative poem that tells the story of Hiawatha, a Native American hero who is known for his bravery and wisdom. The poem is divided into twenty-two chapters, each of which tells a different part of Hiawatha's story. The poem is written in trochaic tetrameter, which gives it a unique rhythm and flow. In this article, we will analyze and explain the classic poetry introduction to "The Song of Hiawatha."
The Classic Poetry Introduction
"Should you ask me, whence these stories? Whence these legends and traditions, With the odors of the forest, With the dew and damp of meadows, With the curling smoke of wigwams, With the rushing of great rivers, With their frequent repetitions, And their wild reverberations As of thunder in the mountains? I should answer, I should tell you, 'From the forests and the prairies, From the great lakes of the Northland, From the land of the Ojibways, From the land of the Dacotahs, From the mountains, moors, and fen-lands Where the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah, Feeds among the reeds and rushes. I repeat them as I heard them From the lips of Nawadaha, The musician, the sweet singer.'"
The classic poetry introduction to "The Song of Hiawatha" sets the stage for the rest of the poem. It begins with a rhetorical question, "Should you ask me, whence these stories?" This question invites the reader to wonder where the stories and legends that make up the poem come from. The answer to this question is given in the following lines, which describe the sources of the stories as being from the forests, prairies, great lakes, and mountains of the Northland.
The use of sensory language in the introduction is notable. The odors of the forest, the dew and damp of meadows, and the curling smoke of wigwams all evoke a sense of place and atmosphere. The rushing of great rivers and the wild reverberations as of thunder in the mountains create a sense of movement and energy. All of these sensory details help to transport the reader to the world of the poem.
The introduction also introduces the character of Nawadaha, the musician and sweet singer who is the source of the stories that make up the poem. The fact that the stories are repeated as they were heard from Nawadaha's lips emphasizes the oral tradition of storytelling that is central to Native American culture.
Analysis
The classic poetry introduction to "The Song of Hiawatha" serves several important functions. First, it sets the stage for the rest of the poem by introducing the sources of the stories and legends that make up the narrative. This creates a sense of place and atmosphere that helps to transport the reader to the world of the poem.
Second, the introduction establishes the oral tradition of storytelling that is central to Native American culture. By emphasizing that the stories are repeated as they were heard from Nawadaha's lips, Longfellow is highlighting the importance of passing down stories and legends from generation to generation.
Third, the use of sensory language in the introduction creates a vivid and immersive experience for the reader. The odors of the forest, the rushing of great rivers, and the wild reverberations as of thunder in the mountains all help to create a sense of place and atmosphere that draws the reader into the world of the poem.
Fourth, the introduction introduces the character of Nawadaha, who is the source of the stories that make up the poem. By doing so, Longfellow is emphasizing the importance of individual storytellers in the oral tradition of Native American culture.
Finally, the introduction sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The use of trochaic tetrameter gives the poem a unique rhythm and flow that is both musical and poetic. This sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is characterized by its musicality and poetic language.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the classic poetry introduction to "The Song of Hiawatha" is a masterful piece of writing that serves several important functions. It sets the stage for the rest of the poem, establishes the oral tradition of storytelling that is central to Native American culture, creates a vivid and immersive experience for the reader, introduces the character of Nawadaha, and sets the tone for the rest of the poem. It is a testament to Longfellow's skill as a poet that this introduction has stood the test of time and remains a beloved classic to this day.
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