Longfellow Longfellow, H. w．
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807-1882)
One of the greatest romantic poets in the United States in the 19th century. Born on February 27, 1807 in Portland, Maine, into a family of lawyers. He entered Beaudoin College in 1822 and was a classmate of Hawthorne. After graduation, I traveled to France, Spain, Italy and Germany to study the languages ??and literature of these countries. In 1836, he began teaching language and literature at Harvard University for eighteen years, dedicated to introducing European culture and the works of romantic writers, and became an important figure in the literary and social circles of Cambridge, the cultural center of New England. In 1839, he published his first collection of poems, "Night Songs", including the famous "Hymn of the Night", "Ode to Life", "Light of the Stars" and other beautiful lyric poems. In 1841, he published a collection of poems, "Songs and Others," which included story poems such as "Armored Skeletons" and "The Disaster of the Venus", as well as narrative poems that contained simple philosophy such as "The Village Blacksmith" and "Climb to Higher Places." The poem is full of hardworking spirit and optimism. These two collections of poems became a hit on both sides of the Atlantic, and he became known as a poet throughout the world. Longfellow published a collection of poems in 1845, "The Bell Tower of Bruges and Others", which included "The Arsenal at Springfield", "The Bridge", "Nuremberg" and "The Bell Tower of Bruges and Others". The article is praised by people. "Seaside and Fireside" (1849) includes the "Dedication" in which the poet declares his creative intentions to readers, and the long poem "The Construction of Ships" that praises the founding of the Federation through the image of shipbuilding. In 1850, "The Tragic Fate of Li Junyu" was published.
[Edit this paragraph] Main creations
Longfellow's main poems include three long narrative poems, or "popular epics": "Evangelion" (1847), "The Sea" Song of Warsaw" and "The Proposal of Miles Standish" (1858). In 1854, he resigned from his teaching position at Harvard University and devoted himself to creation. The following year he published "The Song of Hiawatha". This is a long poem carefully conceived based on Indian legends. It describes the heroic achievements of the Indian leader Hiawatha in defeating the enemy in his life, as well as his important contributions such as ending tribal melee, teaching people to grow corn, cleaning up rivers, and eliminating diseases. In the history of American literature, this is the first epic poem describing Indians, but the material of the poem mainly comes from the works of Schoolcraft, and the author lacks direct life experience; the rhythm of the poem completely imitates the Finnish epic "Kalevala" ”, although it was praised by readers at the time, it was criticized by some later critics. From 1843, the Longfellows spent 17 years of happy family life in the secluded Craigie Villa. In 1861, his wife was unfortunately burned to death by fire, which always made him extremely sad. In order to get rid of the mental burden, he devoted himself to the translation of Dante's "Divine Comedy" and wrote 6 sonnets about Dante. , is his best poem. The Tale of the Roadhouse (1863) is loosely modeled after Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales. The three-part poetic drama named "Christ" was completed in 1872. "Praise to Life" was selected into the fourth unit of the second volume of the sixth grade edition of Beijing Normal University - Life. There are changes when the textbook is selected.
[Edit this paragraph] Quotes
Don’t lament the past, it will never come back; improve the present wisely. We must plunge into the confusing future with a firm will that is not worried or fearful. Believe in yourself first, and then others will believe in you.
Longfellow’s creative work in his later years was highly respected and he was awarded honorary doctorates by Oxford University and Cambridge University respectively. On his 75th birthday, schools across the United States celebrated. Longfellow died on March 24, 1882. He was the first American poet to be honored with a bust in the Poets' Corner at Westminster Abbey in London.
[Edit this paragraph] Author or book introduction
Longfellow (1807-1882) American poet. Born in Portland, Maine into a family of lawyers. He entered Budouin College in 1822 and was a classmate of Hawthorne. After graduation, he went to Europe to study the languages ??and literature of France, Spain, Italy, Germany and other countries. He returned to China in 1836 and taught European culture and romanticism at Harvard University, becoming an important figure in the literary and social circles of Cambridge, the cultural center of New England. In 1839, he published his first collection of poems "Night Song" and the romantic novel "Hyperion", and in 1841 he published "Songs and Others", establishing his status as a poet. In 1842, he published the poem "Slavery", and in 1845 he published the collection of poems "Brugge Bell Tower and Others". The long narrative poem "Evangelion" published in 1847, "The Song of Hiawatha" (1855), and "The Proposal of Miles Standish" (1858) are Longfellow's three major poems. The publication of these works His reputation grew day by day. In 1863, he published "The Story of the Roadside Inn" and in 1872 he published the trilogy of verse drama "The Christ", including "The Sacred Tragedy", "The Golden Legend" and "The New England Tragedy". Longfellow was highly regarded in his later years and received honorary doctorates from Oxford and Cambridge universities. After his death in 1882, his bust was placed in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey, London. The large number of lyric poems, narrative poems, ballads and verse dramas he created throughout his life were widely circulated and appreciated in the United States and Europe, but his reputation declined sharply after the 20th century.