The Song of Hiawatha
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The Song of Hiawatha is an epic poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was first published in 1855. The poem was loosely based on the legends of Native American peoples. In 1857, Longfellow estimated that the work had sold 50,000 copies.
The Song is about Hiawatha and his beloved Minnehaha. It is set along the south shore of Lake Superior. The poem was very popular, but critics did not like it.
Composers and painters were inspired to create works based on the poem. A 2005 television movie was based on the poem.
Story
Hiawatha's birth is foretold by a "mighty" peace-bringing leader named Gitche Manito. A woman named Nokomis falls from the moon. Nokomis gives birth to Wenonah. She grows to be a beautiful young woman. Nokomis warns her not to be seduced by the West Wind. She does not listen to her mother, and Hiawatha is born.
Hiawatha has childhood adventures, falls in love with Minnehaha, slays the evil magician Pearl-Feather, invents written language, discovers corn, and other episodes. The poem closes with the approach of a canoe to Hiawatha's village. It contains "the Priest of Prayer, the Pale-face." Hiawatha welcomes him with joy.
The "Black-Robe chief" brings word of Jesus Christ. Hiawatha and the chiefs accept the Christian message. Hiawatha says good-bye to Nokomis, the warriors, and the young men. He says, "But my guests I leave behind me / Listen to their words of wisdom, / Listen to the truth they tell you." He endorses the Christian missionaries. He launches his canoe for the last time westward toward the sunset. Then he departs forever.
Gallery
Death of Minnehaha by John Bufford, 1856
Hiawatha's Departure, 1865
Minnehaha by Edmonia Lewis, 1868
Death of Minnehaha by William Dodge, 1892
Hiawatha's Friends ny Frederick Remington, 1889
Hiawatha and Minnehaha by Jacob Fjelde, 1911
The Song Of Hiawatha Media
Minnehaha, a marble state created in 1868 by Edmonia Lewis, now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City
Hiawatha, an 1868 marble statue by Edmonia Lewis now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Minnehaha Feeding Birds by Frances Anne Hopkins, c. 1880
Other websites
- The Song of Hiawatha
- Unabridged audiobook at LibriVox
- 2 short radio segments of Linen's writing from California Legacy Project Radio Anthology (scripts and audio) including San Francisco (in imitation of Hiawatha). Archived 2012-02-19 at the Wayback Machine
- Rena N. Coen, “Longfellow, Hiawatha and some 19th century painters”, Papers Presented at the Longfellow Commemorative Conference, April 1-3 1982, National Park Service, Longfellow National Historical Site[dead link]
