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Daybreak" by H. W. Longfellow

A Short DiscussionThe Author:

H. W. Longfellow

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (180!188"# was one of the great A$erican %oets of the

1&thcentury. He was 'orn at ortland) a sea%ort town in *aine) +.S.A. on " ,e'ruary)180. His father Ste%hen Longfellow was a lawyer and was originally fro$ -orshire)

/ngland. H. W. Longfellow was the second one of eight children of his %arents. He was

friendly) sensitie and $eritorious fro$ his childhood. He had his early education at

ortland Acade$y. Then he was ad$itted in owdoin 2ollege in runswic) *aine in18"". At owdoin) he $et 3athaniel Hawthorne who 'eca$e his lifelong friend. After

graduating fro$ there in 18"4) he $ade a long /uro%ean tour.

He returned ho$e in 1850 and 'eca$e the first rofessor of *odern Languages at

owdoin 2ollege. 6n 1851) he $arried *ary Storer otter) an intelligent and 'eautifulgirl of ortland. ut his "" year old wife died during their tri% in 7otterda$ after

suffering a $iscarriage in 1854. When he returned to the +nited States in 185) he 'eca$e the rofessor of *odern Languages at Harard +niersity. Then he settled in

2a$'ridge) *assachusetts) where he lied for the rest of his life although he lied to

s%end su$$ers at his ho$e 3ahant.After seen years of courtshi% he $arried *iss ,rances 9,anny A%%leton) the daughter of 

a wealthy oston industrialist) 3athal A%%leton in 18;5) eight years after the death of his

first wife. He resigned his %rofessorshi% in 184; to deote all his ti$e to %oetry. He was

also a deoted hus'and. ut his $arriage ended in sadness. After eighteen years of ha%%y$arried life) ,anny was accidentally 'urnt to death in 181. Longfellow was deastated

 'y her death and neer fully recoered. He died on "; *arch in 188") after sufferingfro$ %eritonitis for fie years. He was 'uried at *ount Au'urn 2e$etery) 2a$'ridge)*assachusetts.

He 'eca$e one of the $ost %o%ular %oets of his day in A$erica and /ngland. He 'egan

to write and %u'lish %oetry at the age of thirteen. His first nota'le %u'lication olden Legend (1841#) The Song of Hiawatha (1844#) The

2ourtshi% of *iles Standish (1848#) Tales of a Wayside 6nn (185#) irds of assage) etc.His %oetry is 'ased on co$$on and easily understood the$es with si$%le) clean and

lucid language.

The Source:

The %oe$ Day'rea is taen fro$ irds of assage) a collection of his %oe$s.

The Su'stance:At day'rea a wind rises fro$ the sea. 6t receies the $essage of the $orning and starts

to 'low. 6t taes u% a duty to s%read the news. The heay $ists o'struct the wind. ut the

wind is deter$ined to 'low. 6t is in haste and wants to $ae all awae. So it re?uests the

$ists not to o'struct it. 6t first sees the shi%s anchored. ut they should 'e set free fro$

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their anchors as the sun rises and darness is oer. The wind re$inds the $ariners to

undertae a new =ourney. 6t 'lows oer the distant lands and calls all to arise and awae.

6t calls the forest to unfold its leaes) twigs and 'ranches fully and freely. 6t tells thewood 'irds to get u% and start singing. Their song will announce the 'eginning of the day.

6t %ro$%ts the do$estic cocs to herald the day.

The light of the sun is the source of life to the %lants of the fields. They are looed afterand nourished 'y it. They should 'e grateful to the sun. So the wind tells the$ to 'ow

down their heads and e@%ress their gratitude. The wind %asses through the church tower

and results the 'ell to ring in the %leasant hour. ,inally) the wind arries at the graeyardof the church. 6t sighs sadly for the dead and softly tells the$ to slee% on 'ecause it is not

yet the udge$ent Day.

The ,eatures:

Day'rea is a fine lyrical %oe$. An urge for wor is the central the$e of the %oe$. 6t iswritten in nine loely cou%lets. Bee%ing in $ind the flow of the wind) the %oet a%%lies a

 'reeCy style to the %oe$. 6t see$s that we $oe on with the wind fro$ one %lace to

another. The %oet %ersonifies the wind actually %lacing his own words into its li%s. He

successfully catches the $ood and at$os%here of the earth at day'rea. erall) the %oe$ is really en=oya'le.