Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

In Short

This biography traces the life and literary growth of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, examining how a young Maine academic helped establish a distinctly American literature. Drawing on personal letters, Harvard administrative files, and early college speeches, Thomas Wentworth Higginson follows Longfellow from his student debates at Bowdoin through European travels, his long professorship at Harvard, and the creation of famous works like Evangeline. The book highlights Longfellow's unwavering devotion to native themes, his personal griefs, his administrative duties, and the quiet dignity that made his poetry standard reading across the English-speaking world.

The Story

The narrative begins with a young Longfellow coming of age at Bowdoin College, where his early ambitions take clear shape. Driven by an intense hunger for learning and a firm belief in American subjects, he defends native themes in student debates and voices a strong desire to pursue literature rather than the law preferred by his father. Recognizing his talent, college authorities select him for a professorship in modern languages, sending him to Europe to master foreign tongues. Returning to teach at Bowdoin, he throws himself into crafting accessible textbooks, such as conversational French readers, to replace outdated classicism with vibrant language study.

Longfellow’s academic success leads to an offer for the prestigious Smith Professorship of Modern Languages at Harvard. Before assuming the post, he embarks on another trip to Europe to deepen his studies. Tragedy strikes during this voyage when his young wife, Mary, suffers a relapse following a miscarriage and dies in Rotterdam. Devastated, Longfellow eventually resumes his journey, returning to Massachusetts to take up his duties in Cambridge. There, he navigates administrative friction, resisting university votes that attempt to burden him with basic language classes rather than his proper focus on Belles Lettres and broad literary instruction.

Alongside his university responsibilities, Longfellow settles into domestic life in Cambridge following his second marriage to Frances Appleton, whose insightful presence and literary collaboration enrich his career. He steadily writes and publishes the works that establish his global reputation. From early translations like the Coplas of Jorge Manrique to original masterpieces like Evangeline, Longfellow draws heavily upon local history and American lore. His work gains immense popularity across Europe and North America, earning praised readings from global figures and high praise from peers like Oliver Wendell Holmes.

In his later years, Longfellow faces further personal loss and the inevitable tide of shifting literary tastes. While critics debate the merit of his late dramatic works, such as The New England Tragedies, he remains a deeply revered public figure. He maintains a serene, accessible presence in Cambridge, actively participating in civic life and opening his doors to children, friends, and distinguished visitors from around the globe. His career closes with his position as a primary architect of American letters firmly secure.

How It Unfolds

The youth claims his passion At Bowdoin College, young Longfellow demonstrates a keen interest in native topics during campus debates and explicitly informs his father of his intention to pursue literature over a traditional career in law.

The scholar heads abroad Appointed to a professorship at Bowdoin, Longfellow travels to Europe to acquire modern languages, returning to create accessible French and Italian textbooks for American college students.

Tragedy strikes in Rotterdam Selected for the Smith Professorship at Harvard, Longfellow travels overseas again, but the sudden illness and death of his first wife, Mary, casts a deep shadow over his study plans.

Tensions rise at Harvard Settling in Cambridge, Longfellow confronts administrative changes at the college, writing firm letters to the corporation to preserve the departmental structure and defend his proper role as professor of literature.

A native literature flourishes Happily remarried to Frances Appleton, Longfellow produces landmark American works like Evangeline, achieving international renown and warm appreciation from world leaders and contemporary critics alike.

The quiet elder statesmanship In his final decades, Longfellow continues to write dramatic and reflective poetry, remaining a beloved figure in Cambridge who meets critics, public figures, and local children with calm, gentle benevolence.

The People

• Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: A dedicated poet and educator who wants to build a true national literature for America; despite severe personal tragedy and academic burdens, he achieves vast international literary fame while maintaining a quiet, gracious disposition.
• Thomas Wentworth Higginson: The biographer and narrator who seeks to show the depth of Longfellow's commitment to American themes, utilizing previously unpublished letters, university records, and early college writings to present his life.
• Mary Storer Potter Longfellow: Longfellow's first wife, who accompanies him on his early European travels; her unexpected death in Rotterdam after a long illness leaves him heartbroken during his formative years.
• Frances Appleton Longfellow: Longfellow's second wife, a woman of striking beauty and intellect who serves as his amanuensis, suggests poetic subjects, and assists in compiling foreign anthologies.
• Josiah Quincy: The President of Harvard University, with whom Longfellow corresponds regularly to negotiate the terms, status, and precise instructional duties of his professorship.

In Its Own Voice

"The fact is, I have a most voracious appetite for knowledge. To its acquisition I will sacrifice everything."

Longfellow writes these words to his father in 1825 while setting aside a legal career in favor of intensive literary study.

"Our beloved Mary is no more. She expired on Sunday morning, Nov. 29, without pain or suffering, either of body or mind, and with entire resignation to the will of her heavenly Father."

In a letter from Rotterdam, Longfellow breaks the tragic news of his young wife's death to her father.

"We have but one life here on earth; we must make that beautiful."

This reflection from Longfellow's personal diary summarizes the guiding philosophical principle behind his life and art.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book explores how a young nation establishes a distinct cultural identity without discarding classical European scholarship. It argues that Longfellow was not merely an imitator of foreign forms, but a dedicated pioneer who deliberately channeled his broad linguistic training into preserving American stories, landscapes, and historical struggles. The narrative delves into the balance between academic duty and creative ambition, showing how personal sorrow and public routine shaped a resilient artistic spirit. Ultimately, it investigates the relationship between an author's private character and his public legacy, illustrating how personal integrity and quiet devotion to beauty can define a literary era.

Why Read It Today

This biography offers an engaging look at the founding era of American literature through the eyes of an author who knew its key figures. Readers interested in 19th-century culture, literary history, or the realities of early university life will appreciate the rich archival detail. Higginson avoids flowery adulation, choosing instead to let private correspondence and official documents reveal the practical struggles behind Longfellow's success.

The prose flows easily, though readers should expect the formal, measured cadence typical of early 20th-century biography. The inclusion of original letters and period documents adds a historical texture that brings the era into sharp focus. What remains with the reader is a clear portrait of an ambitious young scholar who successfully shaped the reading habits of a rising nation.

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