Reflections on Life and Nature: A Study of Longfellow's Poems

The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls
and
A 
of Life
Psalm
STANZA 1 –
STANZA 1 –
What is the Rhyme Scheme?
What is the Rhyme Scheme?
The tide rises, the tide falls.
The tide rises, the tide falls.
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea sands damp and brown
Along the sea sands damp and brown
The traveler hastens toward the town,
The traveler hastens toward the town,
 
 
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
D
D
a
a
r
r
k
k
n
n
e
e
s
s
s
s
 
 
s
s
e
e
t
t
t
t
l
l
e
e
s
s
 
 
o
o
n
n
 
 
t
t
h
h
e
e
 
 
r
r
o
o
o
o
f
f
s
s
 
 
a
a
n
n
d
d
 
 
w
w
a
a
l
l
l
l
s
s
,
,
B
B
u
u
t
t
 
 
t
t
h
h
e
e
 
 
s
s
e
e
a
a
,
,
 
 
t
t
h
h
e
e
 
 
s
s
e
e
a
a
 
 
i
i
n
n
 
 
d
d
a
a
r
r
k
k
n
n
e
e
s
s
s
s
 
 
c
c
a
a
l
l
l
l
s
s
;
;
T
T
h
h
e
e
 
 
l
l
i
i
t
t
t
t
l
l
e
e
 
 
w
w
a
a
v
v
e
e
s
s
,
,
 
 
w
w
i
i
t
t
h
h
 
 
t
t
h
h
e
e
i
i
r
r
 
 
s
s
o
o
f
f
t
t
,
,
 
 
w
w
h
h
i
i
t
t
e
e
 
 
h
h
a
a
n
n
d
d
s
s
Efface the footprints in the sands,
Efface the footprints in the sands,
 
 
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
*
*
C
C
r
r
e
e
a
a
t
t
e
e
s
s
 
 
a
a
 
 
s
s
o
o
m
m
b
b
e
e
r
r
 
 
a
a
t
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m
m
o
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s
s
p
p
h
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e
*Personification of a child’s hand
*Personification of a child’s hand
Expressing the gentle, soothing
Expressing the gentle, soothing
Affect of nature.
Affect of nature.
White is also the color of sea foam
White is also the color of sea foam
Life is not about emotions
(“enjoyment” or “sorrow”; rather, it
is about action—what we do with
our lives is what really counts.
 
“destined”: We were
made with a purpose.
We have been
“destined” to live
meaningfully.
The morning breaks; the 
The morning breaks; the 
s
s
teeds in their 
teeds in their 
s
s
talls
talls
S
S
tamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
tamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
The day returns, but nevermore
The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveler to the shore.
Returns the traveler to the shore.
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
hostler = person who
takes care of horses
Alliteration: repetition of “s”
SOAPSTone
Who is the speaker?
What is the occasion?
Who is the audience?
What is the purpose?
What is the subject?
What is the tone?
SOAPSTone
Who is the speaker? 
Middle-Aged to Older Man
(probably the poet)
What is the occasion? 
An observation of the
inevitability of death.
Who is the audience? 
Himself or human beings
What is the purpose? 
Accept the inevitability of
death and come to terms with it.
What is the subject? 
The cycle of life & nature
What is the tone? 
accepting, calm, matter of fact
The Title of the Poem
A Psalm of Life
The word “psalm” in the title makes you think
that the poem will be religious in nature.
There is a book in the Bible called Psalms,
many of which focus on the brevity of life.
(e.g., Psalm 39:5, Psalm 90:12)
Back to Title Slide
Tell me not in mournful 
numbers
,
Life is but an 
empty dream
!
For the soul is dead that 
slumbers
,
And things are not what they seem.
NEXT 
STANZA
Longfellow uses a “sleep” metaphor in the first stanza. He starts out
by saying that life is not an “empty dream.” This metaphor expresses
that our lives have purpose. The idea of life being a dream suggests
that it is only an illusion or that it will amount to nothing. The word
“empty” emphasizes the idea of futility.
He continues that metaphor in line 3 with “the soul is dead that
slumbers.” If we are not realizing our life’s purpose, i.e.,
“slumbering,” then we are not having the impact on the world that
we are meant to have.
NEXT 
STANZA
Previous 
Slide
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Finds us farther than today.
Life is not about emotions
(“enjoyment” or “sorrow”; rather, it
is about action—what we do with
our lives is what really counts.
 
“destined”: We were
made with a purpose.
We have been
“destined” to live
meaningfully.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
Stout = strong
We don’t have
long on this
earth.
Longfellow wrote this
poem after his first
wife’s death after a
miscarriage. He was
extremely depressed
after her death. Later, he
pursued and was
rejected by Fanny
Appleton, which also
lead to some depression.
In the world's broad field of 
battle
,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven 
cattle
!
Be a hero in the strife!
Lots of alliteration in this
stanza:
Broad
  
dumb
Battle
  
driven
Bivouac
Be
be
These alliterations imitate the
sounds of bombs dropping,
appropriate for the battlefield
metaphor.
Next Stanza
Metaphor
The battle metaphor suggests the struggles
and conflicts of the world. Longfellow
experienced some personal struggles right
around the time of his writing this poem.
Examples of conflicts during this time in
America are slavery, economic struggles
related to industrialism, and the fight for
women’s rights.
Previous 
Slide
Metaphor
The cattle metaphor states that we are not
just dumb animals. We have minds and souls.
We should NOT just go wherever outside
forces “drive” us; rather, we should live with
purpose.
Previous 
Slide
 
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,--act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
I noticed the contrast
of the 
living
 Present
and the 
dead 
Past.
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time
;
When I think of the footprints in the sand, I also think about how they are easily
washed away. Is our mark on the world that superficial?
Who are some of these “great
men”? Who are our inspirations
in life and what makes them
great?
Next Stanza
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Here, Longfellow uses the
extended metaphor of the ship
on the ocean: The person’s
journey is characterized as
“sailing,” and his journey is on the
“main,” or the open ocean. Also,
the person is “shipwrecked,”
indicating that are facing a great
struggle, which threatens to
destroy him.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing
Learn to labor and to wait.
Longfellow says to “be up and doing,” but he never says 
what
 we are to be doing.
In Puritan days, the reward for hard work was evident: success and wealth.
However, by Longfellow’s day, industrialization made work much more repetitive
and less rewarding. No reward is promised in Longfellow’s poem. We are to labor
and wait. “Just keep working,” he seems to say, “for the sake of working.”
If time be of all things the most
precious, 
wasting time
 must
be, as Poor Richard says, 
the
greatest prodigality
, since, as
he elsewhere tells us, 
lost time
is never found again
, and what
we call 
time-enough, always
proves little enough
: let us then
be up and be doing, and doing
to the purpose; so by diligence
shall we do more with less
perplexity. 
Sloth makes all
things difficult, but industry all
easy
.
Previous Slide
Works Cited
Peck, David R. "'Let us, then, be up and doing'.
(Essays)." 
ANQ
 16.3 (2003): 30+. 
General
OneFile
. Web. 8 Mar. 2012.
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Exploring themes of life, nature, and mortality in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's works "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls" and "A Psalm of Life." The poems delve into the inevitability of death, the enduring power of nature, and the meaningfulness of life's purpose. Through vivid imagery and poetic devices, Longfellow prompts readers to contemplate the transient yet impactful nature of existence.

  • Longfellow
  • Poetry
  • Life
  • Nature
  • Mortality

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  1. The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls and A Psalm of Life By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

  2. STANZA 1 What is the Rhyme Scheme? The tide rises, the tide falls. The twilight darkens, the curlew calls; Along the sea sands damp and brown The traveler hastens toward the town, And the tide rises, the tide falls. THEMES: (1)Man pitting himself against nature MAN LOSES (2) Tide Rises and the Tide Falls; Nature will overcome everything (3) Tide will keep rising and falling and the traveler will be forgotten. To traveler, reason for the journey is: Vitally important Worth the risk of racing the tide to reach the other side. He loses the race and the tide reaches the traveler before he is able to attain the important goal.

  3. destined: We were made with a purpose. We have been destined to live meaningfully. Darkness settles on the roofs and walls, But the sea, the sea in darkness calls; The little waves, with their soft, white hands Efface the footprints in the sands, And the tide rises, the tide falls. *Creates a somber atmosphere *Personification of a child s hand Expressing the gentle, soothing Affect of nature. White is also the color of sea foam Life is not about emotions ( enjoyment or sorrow ; rather, it is about action what we do with our lives is what really counts.

  4. Alliteration: repetition of s hostler = person who takes care of horses The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls; The day returns, but nevermore Returns the traveler to the shore. And the tide rises, the tide falls. Symbolizes death and that life will go on even when you are not there; the tide will continue to rise and fall as people will come and go. Nature is lasting; humans are not.

  5. SOAPSTone Who is the speaker? What is the occasion? Who is the audience? What is the purpose? What is the subject? What is the tone?

  6. SOAPSTone Who is the speaker? Middle-Aged to Older Man (probably the poet) What is the occasion? An observation of the inevitability of death. Who is the audience? Himself or human beings What is the purpose? Accept the inevitability of death and come to terms with it. What is the subject? The cycle of life & nature What is the tone? accepting, calm, matter of fact

  7. The Title of the Poem A Psalm of Life The word psalm in the title makes you think that the poem will be religious in nature. There is a book in the Bible called Psalms, many of which focus on the brevity of life. (e.g., Psalm 39:5, Psalm 90:12) Back to Title Slide

  8. Rhyme scheme Tell me not in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream! For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. A B A B Empty dream: metaphor referring to the how life in not barren, vacant and futile. Slumber: state of unconsciousness. You don t know what is going on around you. NEXT STANZA

  9. NEXT STANZA Previous Slide Longfellow uses a sleep metaphor in the first stanza. He starts out by saying that life is not an empty dream. This metaphor expresses that our lives have purpose. The idea of life being a dream suggests that it is only an illusion or that it will amount to nothing. The word empty emphasizes the idea of futility. He continues that metaphor in line 3 with the soul is dead that slumbers. If we are not realizing our life s purpose, i.e., slumbering, then we are not having the impact on the world that we are meant to have.

  10. Reminds me of the common lines of funeral services: ashes to ashes; dust to dust. Exclamation points show his earnestness. Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal; Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest, Was not spoken of the soul. The rhyme in lines 2 and 4 of this stanza, emphasizes goal and soul. This contributes to the serious and religious tone of the poem. We must set goals in your lives, and these goals must be life-affirming and enriching. The word soul appears again, reiterating the spiritual nature of man. Only the physical body will return to dust. The soul is everlasting. The soul is our true being, while the body is only the vessel that holds our soul.

  11. Not enjoyment, and not sorrow, Is our destined end or way; But to act, that each tomorrow Finds us farther than today. destined : We were made with a purpose. We have been destined to live meaningfully. Life is not about emotions ( enjoyment or sorrow ; rather, it is about action what we do with our lives is what really counts.

  12. Lasts a long time (after we re long gone) We don t have long on this earth. Stout = strong Art is long, and Time is fleeting, And our hearts, though stout and brave, Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave. Mary Storer Potter Longfellow Longfellow wrote this poem after his first wife s death after a miscarriage. He was extremely depressed after her death. Later, he pursued and was rejected by Fanny Appleton, which also lead to some depression. Simile: like muffled drums The sound of drums suggest the beating of a heart, but the drums are beating funeral marches, i.e., we will all die.

  13. Bivouac: a temporary encampment of troops; this metaphor again suggests the brevity of life In the world's broad field of battle, In the bivouac of Life, Be not like dumb, driven cattle! Be a hero in the strife! These alliterations imitate the sounds of bombs dropping, appropriate for the battlefield metaphor. Lots of alliteration in this stanza: Broad Battle Bivouac Be be dumb driven Next Stanza

  14. Metaphor The battle metaphor suggests the struggles and conflicts of the world. Longfellow experienced some personal struggles right around the time of his writing this poem. Examples of conflicts during this time in America are slavery, economic struggles related to industrialism, and the fight for women s rights. Previous Slide

  15. Metaphor The cattle metaphor states that we are not just dumb animals. We have minds and souls. We should NOT just go wherever outside forces drive us; rather, we should live with purpose. Previous Slide

  16. Makes me think of the saying, Dont count your chickens before they hatch. We sometimes think that everything s going to turn out okay in the end, but the speaker is saying not to place our trust in what might happen. We must seize the day: Act in the present! This reminds me of Ben Franklin s aphorism: One today is worth two tomorrows. Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant! Let the dead Past bury its dead! Act,--act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o'erhead! I noticed the contrast of the living Present and the dead Past. Connects again with the religious tone of the poem; it s a Psalm of life. We are accountable to God for what we do with our lives. He s watching us. Romantic Ideals: Intuition and Individualism Personification of the Past: the past should bury its dead, meaning we should not let the past hinder us in the present. We need to leave the past behind us: the mistakes and pain.

  17. Lives of great men all remind us We can make our lives sublime, And, departing, leave behind us Footprints on the sands of time; When I think of the footprints in the sand, I also think about how they are easily Heavenly washed away. Is our mark on the world that superficial? The use of the same word for the rhyme in lines 1 & 3 in this stanza suggests the universal meaning of the poem the lesson is for all of US, not just the speaker of the poem. Who are some of these great men ? Who are our inspirations in life and what makes them great? Next Stanza

  18. Footprints, that perhaps another, Sailing o'er life's solemn main, A forlorn and shipwrecked brother, Seeing, shall take heart again. Here, Longfellow uses the extended metaphor of the ship on the ocean: The person s journey is characterized as sailing, and his journey is on the main, or the open ocean. Also, the person is shipwrecked, indicating that are facing a great struggle, which threatens to destroy him. The lives we live can be an inspiration to others.

  19. The poem advocates action, regardless of what the result may be. Let us, then, be up and doing, With a heart for any fate; Still achieving, still pursuing Learn to labor and to wait. Longfellow says to be up and doing, but he never says what we are to be doing. In Puritan days, the reward for hard work was evident: success and wealth. However, by Longfellow s day, industrialization made work much more repetitive and less rewarding. No reward is promised in Longfellow s poem. We are to labor and wait. Just keep working, he seems to say, for the sake of working.

  20. If time be of all things the most precious, wasting time must be, as Poor Richard says, the greatest prodigality, since, as he elsewhere tells us, lost time is never found again, and what we call time-enough, always proves little enough: let us then be up and be doing, and doing to the purpose; so by diligence shall we do more with less perplexity. Sloth makes all things difficult, but industry all easy. Previous Slide

  21. Works Cited Peck, David R. "'Let us, then, be up and doing'. (Essays)." ANQ 16.3 (2003): 30+. General OneFile. Web. 8 Mar. 2012.

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