About
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, born in Portland, Maine, in 1807, was one of the most celebrated American poets of the 19th century. A graduate of Bowdoin College, he taught modern languages there before becoming a professor at Harvard, where he pioneered comparative literature. His collections, such as Voices of the Night (1839), and his epics Evangeline (1847) and The Song of Hiawatha (1855), achieved great popularity. He also translated Dante's Divine Comedy. After the tragic death of his second wife in 1861, he grew a beard to hide his burns. He was the first American honored in the Poets' Corner of Westminster Abbey.
* 1807-02-27 — † 1882-03-24
Major works
- Voices of the Night (1839)poetry collection
- Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie (1847)epic poem
- The Song of Hiawatha (1855)epic poem
- The Courtship of Miles Standish (1858)narrative poem
- Tales of a Wayside Inn (1863)poetry collection
Key milestones
- 1836Appointed Smith Professor of Modern Languages at Harvard, serving until 1854.
- 1861His second wife, Frances Appleton, dies in a fire; Longfellow suffers facial burns trying to save her.
- 1877His 70th birthday is celebrated as a national event with parades and public readings.
Themes
Nature and American landscapesAmerican heritage and historyLove and lossFaith and spiritualityEveryday life and home
Sources: poetryfoundation.org · home.nps.gov · oxfordbibliographies.com
