'Hiawatha 's Departure' by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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By the shore of Gitche Gumee,
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
At the doorway of his wigwam,
In the pleasant 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 neighboring forest
Passed in golden swarms the Ahmo,
Passed the bees, the honey-makers,
Burning, singing In the sunshine.
Bright above him shone the heavens,
Level spread the lake before him;
From its bosom leaped the sturgeon,
Sparkling, flashing in the sunshine;
On its margin the great forest
Stood reflected in the water,
Every tree-top had its shadow,
Motionless beneath the water.
From the brow of Hiawatha
Gone was every trace of sorrow,
As the fog from off the water,
As the mist from off the meadow.
With a smile of joy and triumph,
With a look of exultation,
As of one who in a vision
Sees what is to be, but is not,
Stood and waited Hiawatha.
Toward the sun his hands were lifted,
Both the palms spread out against it,
And between the parted fingers
Fell the sunshine on his features,
Flecked with light his naked shoulders,
As it falls and flecks an oak-tree
Through the rifted leaves and branches.
O'er the water floating, flying,
Something in the hazy distance,
Something in the mists of morning,
Loomed and lifted from the water,
Now seemed floating, now seemed flying,
Coming nearer, nearer, nearer.
Was it Shingebis the diver?
Or the pelican, the Shada?
Or the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah?
Or the white goose, Waw-be-wawa,
With the water dripping, flashing,
From its glossy neck and feathers?
It was neither goose nor diver,
Neither pelican nor heron,
O'er the water floating, flying,
Through the shining mist of morning,
But a birch canoe with paddles,
Rising, sinking on the water,
Dripping, flashing in the sunshine;
And within it came a people
From the distant land of Wabun,
From the farthest realms of morning
Came the Black-Robe chief, the Prophet,
He the Priest of Prayer, the Pale-face,
With his guides and his companions.
And the noble Hiawatha,
With his hands aloft extended,
Held aloft in sign of welcome,
Waited, full of exultation,
Till the birch canoe with paddles
Grated on the shining pebbles,
Stranded on the sandy margin,
Till the Black-Robe chief, the Pale-face,
With the cross upon his bosom,
Landed on the sandy margin.
Then the joyous Hiawatha
Cried aloud and spake in this wise:
"Beautiful is the sun, O strangers,
When you come so far to see us!
All our town in peace awaits you,
All our doors stand open for you;
You shall enter all our wigwams,
For the heart's right hand we give you.
"Never bloomed the earth so gayly,
Never shone the sun so brightly,
As to-day they shine and blossom
When you come so far to see us!
Never was our lake so tranquil,
Nor so free from rocks, and sand-bars;
For your birch canoe in passing
Has removed both rock and sand-bar.
"Never before had our tobacco
Such a sweet and pleasant flavor,
Never the broad leaves of our cornfields
Were so beautiful to look on,
As they seem to us this morning,
When you come so far to see us!'
And the Black-Robe chief made answer,
Stammered In his speech a little,
Speaking words yet unfamiliar:
"Peace be with you, Hiawatha,
Peace be with you and your people,
Peace of prayer, and peace of pardon,
Peace of Christ, and joy of Mary!"
Then the generous Hiawatha
Led the strangers to his wigwam,
Seated them on skins of bison,
Seated them on skins of ermine,
And the careful old Nokomis
Brought them food in bowls of basswood,
Water brought in birchen dippers,
And the calumet, the peace-pipe,
Filled and lighted for their smoking.
All the old men of the village,
All the warriors of the nation,
All the Jossakeeds, the Prophets,
The magicians, the Wabenos,
And the Medicine-men, the Medas,
Came to bid the strangers welcome;
"It is well", they said, "O brothers,
That you come so far to see us!"
In a circle round the doorway,
With their pipes they sat In silence,
Waiting to behold the strangers,
Waiting to receive their message;
Till the Black-Robe chief, the Pale-face,
From the wigwam came to greet them,
Stammering in his speech a little,
Speaking words yet unfamiliar;
"It Is well," they said, "O brother,
That you come so far to see us!"
Then the Black-Robe chief, the Prophet,
Told his message to the people,
Told the purport of his mission,
Told them of the Virgin Mary,
And her blessed Son, the Saviour,
How in distant lands and ages
He had lived on earth as we do;
How he fasted, prayed, and labored;
How the Jews, the tribe accursed,
Mocked him, scourged him, crucified him;
How he rose from where they laid him,
Walked again with his disciples,
And ascended into heaven.
And the chiefs made answer, saying:
"We have listened to your message,
We have heard your words of wisdom,
We will think on what you tell us.
It is well for us, O brothers,
That you come so far to see us!"
Then they rose up and departed
Each one homeward to his wigwam,
To the young men and the women
Told the story of the strangers
Whom the Master of Life had sent them
From the shining land of Wabun.
Heavy with the heat and silence
Grew the afternoon of Summer;
With a drowsy sound the forest
Whispered round the sultry wigwam,
With a sound of sleep the water
Rippled on the beach below it;
From the cornfields shrill and ceaseless
Sang the grasshopper, Pah-puk-keena;
And the guests of Hiawatha,
Weary with the heat of Summer,
Slumbered in the sultry wigwam.
Slowly o'er the simmering landscape
Fell the evening's dusk and coolness,
And the long and level sunbeams
Shot their spears into the forest,
Breaking through its shields of shadow,
Rushed into each secret ambush,
Searched each thicket, dingle, hollow;
Still the guests of Hiawatha
Slumbered In the silent wigwam.
From his place rose Hiawatha,
Bade farewell to old Nokomis,
Spake in whispers, spake in this wise,
Did not wake the guests, that slumbered.
"I am going, O Nokomis,
On a long and distant journey,
To the portals of the Sunset.
To the regions of the home-wind,
Of the Northwest-Wind, Keewaydin.
But these guests I leave behind me,
In your watch and ward I leave them;
See that never harm comes near them,
See that never fear molests them,
Never danger nor suspicion,
Never want of food or shelter,
In the lodge of Hiawatha!"
Forth into the village went he,
Bade farewell to all the warriors,
Bade farewell to all the young men,
Spake persuading, spake in this wise:
I am going, O my people,
On a long and distant journey;
Many moons and many winters
Will have come, and will have vanished,
Ere I come again to see you.
But my guests I leave behind me;
Listen to their words of wisdom,
Listen to the truth they tell you,
For the Master of Life has sent them
From the land of light and morning!"
On the shore stood Hiawatha,
Turned and waved his hand at parting;
On the clear and luminous water
Launched his birch canoe for sailing,
From the pebbles of the margin
Shoved it forth into the water;
Whispered to it, "Westward! westward!"
And with speed it darted forward.
And the evening sun descending
Set the clouds on fire with redness,
Burned the broad sky, like a prairie,
Left upon the level water
One long track and trail of splendor,
Down whose stream, as down a river,
Westward, westward Hiawatha
Sailed into the fiery sunset,
Sailed into the purple vapors,
Sailed into the dusk of evening:
And the people from the margin
Watched him floating, rising, sinking,
Till the birch canoe seemed lifted
High into that sea of splendor,
Till it sank into the vapors
Like the new moon slowly, slowly
Sinking in the purple distance.
And they said, "Farewell forever!"
Said, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the forests, dark and lonely,
Moved through all their depths of darkness,
Sighed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the waves upon the margin
Rising, rippling on the pebbles,
Sobbed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
And the heron, the Shuh-shuh-gah,
From her haunts among the fen-lands,
Screamed, "Farewell, O Hiawatha!"
Thus departed Hiawatha,
Hiawatha the Beloved,
In the glory of the sunset,.
In the purple mists of evening,
To the regions of the home-wind,
Of the Northwest-Wind, Keewaydin,
To the Islands of the Blessed,
To the Kingdom of Ponemah,
To the Land of the Hereafter!

Editor 1 Interpretation

"Hiawatha's Departure" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Did you ever wonder what it would be like to say goodbye to someone you dearly love? Perhaps, you have experienced it yourself, and have felt that excruciating pain of bidding farewell to someone who has come to mean so much to you. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Hiawatha's Departure," is a poignant portrayal of just such a moment, as the Native American chief Hiawatha prepares to leave his people and journey to the Spirit Land.

Overview

"Hiawatha's Departure" is part of Longfellow's epic poem, "The Song of Hiawatha," which tells the story of the life and adventures of Hiawatha, a legendary figure from Native American folklore. In this particular section of the poem, Hiawatha has grown old and knows that his time on earth is coming to an end. He decides to bid farewell to his people, and sets out on a journey to the Spirit Land, where he will join his ancestors and the Great Spirit. Along the way, he encounters various spirits and creatures, and reflects on his life and the legacy he will leave behind.

Literary Analysis

One of the most striking features of "Hiawatha's Departure" is Longfellow's use of imagery to create a vivid and moving picture of Hiawatha's journey. The poem opens with the lines:

By the shore of Gitche Gumee,
By the shining Big-Sea-Water,
At the doorway of his wigwam,
In the pleasant Summer morning,
Hiawatha stood and waited.

These lines immediately transport the reader to the shores of Lake Superior, where Hiawatha is standing, ready to begin his journey. Longfellow's use of vivid descriptions, such as "shining Big-Sea-Water" and "pleasant Summer morning," creates a sense of atmosphere and sets the tone for the rest of the poem.

Throughout the poem, Longfellow uses nature imagery to reinforce the themes of life, death, and the cyclical nature of existence. For example, he describes Hiawatha's journey as follows:

Through the mystery of darkness,
Through the white and ghostly moonlight,
Walked he with his guide and teacher,
Pondering much and much contriving
How the multitudes of nations
Born of one great father's children,
Might become one tribe, united,
One grand league of friends and brothers.

Here, Longfellow uses the image of darkness and moonlight to suggest the mysteries of life and death, and the cyclical nature of existence. He also emphasizes the importance of community and unity, as Hiawatha reflects on how the various tribes of Native Americans might one day come together as a single tribe.

Another notable aspect of the poem is the way in which Longfellow portrays Hiawatha's character. Throughout the poem, Hiawatha is depicted as a wise and noble leader, who is deeply connected to his people and their traditions. Longfellow describes him as follows:

Much he talked of old Nokomis,
Of the days when he had known her,
In his youth she had protected him,
Kept from harm her only grandson,
Mundanee the scoffs and jests of
Bravest warriors, best hunters,
Could not make him lift his eyelids;
Only gloom and lonely silence
Made him answer when he opened
His thin lips, from which the tobacco,
Falling, perfumed all the wigwam
With sweet smell, like that of incense,
Or the wild rose in the spring-time.

Here, Longfellow emphasizes Hiawatha's close relationship with his grandmother Nokomis, and suggests that this relationship has helped to shape his character and his values. Hiawatha is also depicted as a man of great wisdom and insight, who is able to see beyond the immediate concerns of his tribe and envision a future of peace and unity.

Interpretation

At its core, "Hiawatha's Departure" is a meditation on life, death, and the cyclical nature of existence. Longfellow presents Hiawatha's journey as a metaphor for the journey of life itself, with its moments of joy, sadness, and reflection. By portraying Hiawatha as a wise and noble leader, who is deeply connected to his people and their traditions, Longfellow suggests that there is a fundamental goodness to human nature, and that people are capable of transcending their individual concerns and working together for the greater good.

Through his use of nature imagery, Longfellow also suggests that there is a kind of mystical connection between humans and the natural world, and that this connection can help people to find meaning and purpose in their lives. Hiawatha's journey to the Spirit Land is thus presented not as an end in itself, but as a continuation of the cycle of life and death, in which all living things play a part.

Conclusion

Overall, "Hiawatha's Departure" is a deeply moving and poignant poem, which offers a powerful reflection on the nature of life, death, and the human condition. Longfellow's use of vivid imagery and his depiction of Hiawatha as a wise and noble leader make the poem particularly compelling, while his meditations on the cyclical nature of existence and the importance of community and unity give the poem a timeless quality that resonates even today. Whether you are a fan of poetry or simply interested in exploring the human experience, "Hiawatha's Departure" is a work that is well worth reading and re-reading.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry is a form of art that has been used for centuries to express emotions, tell stories, and convey messages. One such poem that has stood the test of time is "Hiawatha's Departure" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This poem is a beautiful and emotional depiction of the departure of Hiawatha, a Native American hero, from his people. In this analysis, we will explore the themes, literary devices, and historical context of this classic poem.

The poem begins with a description of the setting, which is a beautiful and serene landscape. The first stanza sets the tone for the rest of the poem, with its peaceful and tranquil imagery. The use of words like "calm" and "stillness" creates a sense of serenity, which is then contrasted with the impending departure of Hiawatha. This contrast sets up the central theme of the poem, which is the bittersweet nature of departure.

The second stanza introduces Hiawatha, the hero of the poem. Hiawatha is described as a great leader and a wise man who has brought peace and prosperity to his people. The use of words like "noble" and "wise" creates a sense of admiration for Hiawatha, and we can see why he is so beloved by his people. The third stanza then introduces the reason for Hiawatha's departure, which is to seek knowledge and wisdom from the Great Spirit. This is a common theme in Native American mythology, where heroes often embark on quests to gain knowledge and wisdom.

The fourth stanza is where the emotional tone of the poem begins to shift. Hiawatha's departure is described as a "sad farewell," and we can feel the sadness and loss that his people are experiencing. The use of words like "tears" and "sorrow" creates a sense of emotional depth, and we can see that Hiawatha's departure is not just a physical departure but an emotional one as well.

The fifth stanza is where the poem reaches its emotional climax. Hiawatha's people gather around him to say goodbye, and the scene is described in vivid detail. The use of repetition in the line "they were silent" creates a sense of tension and anticipation, as we wait for Hiawatha to speak. When he does speak, his words are powerful and emotional. He tells his people that he will always be with them in spirit, and that they should not be sad but instead celebrate his departure as a new beginning. The use of the metaphor "the setting sun" creates a sense of finality, and we can see that this is a moment that will be remembered for generations to come.

The final stanza brings the poem to a close, with Hiawatha departing on his quest. The use of the word "vanished" creates a sense of finality, and we can see that Hiawatha's departure is now complete. The final lines of the poem, "And the people, standing round him, / Smiled as fades the morning light," create a sense of hope and optimism. We can see that Hiawatha's departure is not just a loss but also a new beginning, and that his people will continue to thrive and prosper even in his absence.

Throughout the poem, Longfellow uses a variety of literary devices to create a sense of emotional depth and complexity. One such device is repetition, which is used to create a sense of tension and anticipation. The use of repetition in the line "they were silent" creates a sense of anticipation, as we wait for Hiawatha to speak. Another device used in the poem is metaphor, which is used to create vivid imagery and emotional depth. The metaphor "the setting sun" creates a sense of finality and emotional depth, and we can see that this is a moment that will be remembered for generations to come.

In terms of historical context, "Hiawatha's Departure" is a reflection of the Romantic era in American literature. This era was characterized by a focus on emotion, imagination, and individualism, and we can see these themes reflected in the poem. The focus on emotion and imagination is evident in the vivid imagery and emotional depth of the poem, while the focus on individualism is evident in the portrayal of Hiawatha as a hero who embarks on a quest for knowledge and wisdom.

In conclusion, "Hiawatha's Departure" is a classic poem that has stood the test of time. It is a beautiful and emotional depiction of the bittersweet nature of departure, and it uses a variety of literary devices to create a sense of emotional depth and complexity. The poem is also reflective of the Romantic era in American literature, with its focus on emotion, imagination, and individualism. Overall, "Hiawatha's Departure" is a timeless work of art that continues to inspire and move readers to this day.

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