The Song of Hiawatha

The Song of Hiawatha is an 1855 narrative poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882). It is one of the most famous narrative poems in English. It is based on the legends of the Ojibway Indians who lived in the American northeast. The man named Hiawatha, who lived (depending on the version of the story) in the 1100s, 1400s, or 1500s, was a leader of the Onondaga and Mohawk nations of Native Americans.

Part III - Hiawatha's Childhood

Downward through the evening twilight, With the beauty of the starlight. In the days that are forgotten, And Nokomis warned her often, In the unremembered ages, 35 Saying oft, and oft repeating, From the full moon fell Nokomis, "O, beware of Mudjekeewis, 5 Fell the beautiful Nokomis, Of the West-Wind, Mudjekeewis; She a wife, but not a mother. Listen not to what he tells you; Lie not down upon the meadow, She was sporting with her women, 40 Stoop not down among the lilies, Swinging in a swing of grape-vines, Lest the West-Wind come and harm you!" 10 When her rival the rejected, But she heeded not the warning, Full of jealousy and hatred, Heeded not those words of wisdom, Cut the leafy swing asunder, 45 Cut in twain the twisted grape-vines, And the West-Wind came at evening, 15 And Nokomis fell affrighted Walking lightly o'er the prairie, Downward through the evening twilight, Whispering to the leaves and blossoms, On the Muskoday, the meadow, Bending low the flowers and grasses, On the prairie full of blossoms. 50 Found the beautiful Wenonah, "See! a star falls!" said the people; Lying there among the lilies, 20 "From the sky a star is falling!" Wooed her with his words of sweetness, Wooed her with his soft caresses, There among the ferns and mosses, Till she bore a son in sorrow, There among the prairie lilies, 55 Bore a son of love and sorrow. On the Muskoday, the meadow, 25 In the moonlight and the starlight, Thus was born my Hiawatha, Fair Nokomis bore a daughter. Thus was born the child of wonder; And she called her name Wenonah, But the daughter of Nokomis, As the first-born of her daughters. 60 Hiawatha's gentle mother, And the daughter of Nokomis In her anguish died deserted 30 Grew up like the prairie lilies, By the West-Wind, false and faithless, Grew a tall and slender maiden, By the heartless Mudjekeewis. With the beauty of the moonlight, 65 For her daughter long and loudly "Ewa-yea! my little owlet! Wailed and wept the sad Nokomis; Who is this, that lights the wigwam? "O that I were dead!" she murmured, With his great eyes lights the wigwam? "O that I were dead, as thou art! Ewa-yea! my little owlet!" No more work, and no more weeping, 95 70 Wahonowin! Wahonowin!" Many things Nokomis taught him Of the stars that shine in heaven; By the shores of Gitche Gumee, Showed him Ishkoodah, the comet, By the shining Big-Sea-Water, Ishkoodah, with fiery tresses; Stood the wigwam of Nokomis, 100 Showed the Death-Dance of the spirits, 75 Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis. Warriors with their plumes and war-clubs, Dark behind it rose the forest, Flaring far away to northward Rose the black and gloomy pine-trees, In the frosty nights of Winter; Rose the firs with cones upon them; Showed the broad white road in heaven, Bright before it beat the water, 105 Pathway of the ghosts, the shadows, 80 Beat the clear and sunny water, Running straight across the heavens, Beat the shining Big-Sea-Water. Crowded with the ghosts, the shadows.

There the wrinkled old Nokomis At the door on summer evenings Nursed the little Hiawatha, 110 Sat the little Hiawatha; 85 Rocked him in his linden cradle, Heard the whispering of the pine-trees, Bedded soft in moss and rushes, Heard the lapping of the waters, Safely bound with reindeer sinews; Sounds of music, words of wonder; Stilled his fretful wail by saying, "Minne-wawa!" said the Pine-trees, "Hush! the Naked Bear will hear thee!" 115 "Mudway-aushka!" said the water. 90 Lulled him into slumber, singing,

Questions & answers are on the next page. The Song of Hiawatha Questions:

1. Who are the main characters in the story?

Hiawatha, Wenonah (his mother), Mudjekeewis (his father, the West Wind), and Nokomis (his grandmother)

2. Find the plot elements in this poem (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution). Can you find them all?

NOKOMIS:

Exposition - lines 1-20 (falls from the moon)

Rising action - 34-55 (warns Wenonah about the West Wind; Wenonah doesn’t listen)

Climax - 59-70 (Wenonah dies)

Falling action - 72-115 (Nokomis takes care of Hiawatha)

Resolution - none

WENONAH:

Exposition - 22-33 (Wenonah is born)

Rising action - 34-53 (Nokomis warns her to be careful about the West Wind; she doesn’t listen)

Climax - 54-55 (he gets her pregnant and she has a baby)

Falling action - 57-58 (she has the baby; the baby is Hiawatha)

Resolution - 59-64 (she dies)

HIAWATHA:

Exposition - whole poem

3. Which part of the poem gives you the clearest or most memorable picture in your mind?

(your opinion)

4. Look at lines 61-70. What emotions do you feel when reading this part?

sadness, sorrow, anguish

5. Now look at lines 82-94. What emotions do you feel during this part?

safety, love

6. What examples can you find of onomatopoeia?

lines 48, 70, 89, 111, 114, & 115

7. Can you find any examples of alliteration?

lines 4-5, 8-9, 14, 15, 17, 37, 41, 43-44, 46-50, 51, 52-53, 54-55, 61, 62, 65, 66-70, 71-72, 79-81, 83-84, 86-

88, 90, 100-103, 109-115