Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) in Longfellow House said, “Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou art to dust returnest, was not spoken of the soil. Not enjoyment, and not to sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each tomorrow find us farther than today.” ( Longfellow House Washington Headquarters 1) This means that life is something special to look forward to, death is not what we live for. We should live for tomorrow for the better. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an important figure in American History because he wrote poetry that influenced and also inspired many people in different ways during the 1900’s till today. He overcame a few obstacles to get to where he got himself during his lifetime. Even when he went through the worst, he made more effort to better his poetry and attending college. Longfellow is really someone to look up to because of that.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine. Henry’s date of birth was on February 27, 1807. Henry’s parents were Stephen and Zilpah Wadsworth Longfellow. He was the second child born out of seven children. Henry’s father was a lawyer and also a congressman. Henry was a descendent from the Longfellow family who arrived to America from Otley, Yorkshire, England. His family beliefs were Unitarian. Longfellow was enrolled in a “dame school” from the age of three to the age of six. Henry entered Portland Academy and was able t read and write very well. Henry stayed in Portland Academy until he was fourteen, and began attending Bowdoin College, which is located in Brunswick, Maine. Henry, being only the age of nineteen, graduated fourth in a class of thirty eight students. During Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s time a...
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...rities gathered all around him. Longfellow was awarded with an L.L.D by Cambridge, and Oxford awarded him with an honorary D.C.L. Henry later started feeling pain. In 1882, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow then passed away. Henry was said to be “A sweet, beautiful soul” by Ralph Waldo Emerson. (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 2) Henry was a very strong man, mentally. He put up and went through so much. Even after both his wives died tragically he managed through it. He took out his depression by putting it to good use which are his poems. He changed poetry by being realistic and emotional. Even till today Henry’s poetry is still remembered.
Works Cited
Matthew Gartner. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. December 2, 2002. Web. January 8, 2014.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow- Biography. Web. January 10, 2014.
New World Encyclopedia. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Web. January 8, 2014.
Paul Revere’s great ride through the night to save the americans from the huge british force was a big piece of American history during that time. Many have written about Paul Revere but longfellow doesn't tell the whole story. Longfellow's poem doesn't tell the whole story but Paul’s letter does.
Henry David Thoreau was bon on July 12, 1817 in Concord, Massachusetts, on his grandmother’s farm. Thoreau was of French-Huguenot and Scottish-Quaker decent. Thoreau was interested in writing at an early age. At the age of ten he wrote his first essay “The seasons”. He attended Concord Academy until 1833 when he was accepted to Harvard University but with his pending financial situation he was forced to attend Cambridge in August of 1833. In September of 1833 with the help of his family he was able to attend Harvard University. He graduated college in August of 1837.
Much of Henry David Thoreau’s work was affected by his early life and education. Henry David Thoreau was born into a normal middle class family in Concord Massachusetts on July 12, 1817. Thoreau’s family were shopkeepers and later operated a small but profitable business making pencils and selling graphite that later turned out to be very prosperous (Sattelmeyer 1). The fact that Henry’s family had money made it possible for him to get a good education. Instead of following the family business which could have been a prosperous decision, Henry went to better his education in high hopes of making something of himself. This decision marks the starting point of Thoreau’s educational adventure.
There are countless times as one grows up when you just stop for a second and reminisce on random things. These memories serve for a very special purpose as the things you do in life shapes you into the person you will become. Today, many authors and poets make use of their memories and experiences in their work as a way to reflect back on their lives, raise awareness, or just simply to tell a story. As a prominent contributor to the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes was an inspirational poet who highlighted many aspects of the urban life of African-Americans through reflections of his own life and experiences.
Henry David Thoreau was born in Concord Massachusetts, a small town that was located twenty miles apart from Boston. He was raised along with his siblings; John Thoreau, Helen Thoreau and Sophia Thoreau. In his teenage life he was a bright and hardworking student, eventually he attended to Harvard College. During his time in Harvard, Henry studied different languages such as Greek, Latin and German. At some
Henry David Thoreau was born July 12, 1817. He was born in Concord, Massachusetts. He lived a wonderful life as a poet and essayist. Its sad to say that he pasted away on May 6, 1862 in Concord. The first year of his life his family moved away, but also returned five years later. He grew up in a village and later reached his manhood. His favorite thing about the village was the woodlands, streams, and meadows. He was the third child in his family.
Henry Thoreau was born in Concord, Massachusetts to a successful pencil manufacturer John Thoreau and a strong-willed, quick-witted mother, Cynthia. Early on Henry enjoyed reading books and observing nature in solitude. He inherited the gift of gab and intellectual inquiry from his mother as well as both Puritan and abolitionist ideals. In 1837 he graduated from Harvard. In 1841 Henry moved into Ralph Waldo Emerson's home.
Walt Whitman was born to Louisa and Walter Whitman in Long Island, New York, May 31, 1819. He was the second son from a household of nine. He was named after his father who was a farmer and Carpenter. He was born just after the end of the American Revolution. When he was four, his family and he moved to Brooklyn where he went to school until the age of eleven. He left to help support the family and got a full-time job. Whitman looked back on his childhood as generally restless and unhappy, given his families difficult economic status.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." (Brainy Quote). Emerson was one of the greatest poets of all time. Ralph Waldo Emerson is considered an important poet because of his themes of Transcendentalism. "Self-Reliance", "The Problem" and "Hymn" were some of Emerson's great works on Transcendentalism.
Henry David Thoreau, an American born author and philosopher, was born in Concord, Massachusetts in the hot, bright summer of 1817. He survived from July 12, 1817 through May 6, 1862 and died in the late spring due to a severe case of tuberculosis that he battled since his college days at Harvard College. Thoreau had a very normal childhood, and it was not until his later years that he actually came to know his true self and how he wanted to live. He attended college at Harvard College. There, he studied many different languages. He was a very bright man and did not do what others would have expected a guy like him to do after college. Thoreau is considered one of the best authors in American literature and his works are
On February 27, 1807, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was born in Portland, Maine to Zilpah Wadsworth and Stephen Longfellow, an excellent lawyer and Congressman. Longfellow’s grandfather was General Wadsworth and he was named after his uncle on his mother’s side, Henry Wadsworth, who died while serving in the Navy. He was the second child born to a family with only one other boy, but that would soon change as he has a total of three brothers and four sisters. After Longfellow was only 7 months old, his mother wrote about his “fondness for singing and dancing” (Beebe). As a young boy, the poet loved to read and listen to stories told by the foreign sailors. Hearing the many different languages as a child must have, later on, inspired him to study foreign languages. Also, having such scholarly parents who encouraged reading at a very young age helped Longfellow discover his passion for writing. Though H.W. Longfellow enjoyed “normal boy activities”, he rather preferred reading under a tree, enjoying nature; which, presumably, is because his mother appreciated nature to a great extent.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was one of the most famous poetics of them all. He wrote his poetry in a lyrical form. They were mostly known for its musicality and also presented stories of mythology and legends. A lot of his poetry was free verse. The article states, “He always wrote obvious themes that everyone could easily understand, it was easy for Longfellow to rhyme through his poetry’. Another article stated, “He wrote poetry as a bird sings with natural grace and melody”. His best work was
Whitman’s poems made a life long impact on the people who lived in American and read what he had to say. The poems that he wrote reflected what he felt about different situations and views on the war. The themes that he focused the poems around ultimately helped Americans to understand what message Whitman was trying to get across through his poems.
William Wordsworth is a British poet who is associated with the Romantic movement of the early 19th century. Wordsworth was born on April 7, 1770, in Cockermouth, Cumberland, England. Wordsworth’s mother died when he was seven years old, and he was an orphan at 13. This experience shapes much of his later work. Despite Wordsworth’s losses, he did well at Hawkshead Grammar School, where he firmly established his love of poetry. After Hawkshead, Wordsworth studied at St. John’s College in Cambridge and before his final semester, he set out on a walking tour of Europe, an experience that influenced both his poetry.
Walt Whitman lived during the time of the American Civil War and knew people who were part of the American Revolution. He lived in a time when slavery and the rights of African Americans were top issues. He opposed slavery and he wrote poems about the importance of America and in fighting for what is right. He admired Abraham Lincoln and wrote the poem “O Captain! My Captain!” to honor Abraham Lincoln. This poem became one of his most famous literary works.