THE CROSS OF SNOW BY: HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW BY TROY TURNER

BIOGRAPHICAL INFO Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is one of Americas most recognized and beloved poets. Henry was born in Portland, Maine, in 1807 This poem was mostly likely written about his wife’s tragic death when her dress was caught on fire from a fireplace ember. Eighteen years after it happened he was looking trough a book when he found a picture that ultimately resulted him into writing “The Cross of Snow”, which is one of his poignant and touching sonnets. Henry attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick Maine Henry died at his home in 1882

THE CROSS OF SNOW In the long, sleepless watches of the night A gentle face – the face of one long dead – Looks at me from the wall, where round its head The night-lamp casts a halo of pale light. Here in this room she died; and soul more white Never through martyrdom of fire was led To its repose; nor can in books be read The legend of a life more benedight There is a mountain in the distant West That, sun-defying, in its deep ravines Displays a cross I wear upon my breast These eighteen years, through all the changing scenes And seasons, changeless since the day she died Stanzas:1 Lines:14 Sonnet poem

BEGINNING The moon drops one or two feathers into the field. The dark wheat listens. Be still. Now. There they are, the mon’s young, trying Their wings. Between trees, a slender woman lifts up the lovely shadow Of her face, and now she steps into the air, now she is gone Wholly, into the air. I stand alone by an elder tree, I do not dare breathe Or move. I listen. The wheat leans back toward its own darkness, And I lean toward mine.

SPEAKER The speaker is a man who is very sad because his wife died unexpectedly because her dress caught on fire from their fireplace embers. The speaker wore a cross which could mean he was a religious person. He could have worn the cross to remember his wife. He also made a cross of snow which could symbolize his wife dying but going away since snow melts when the seasons change.

IMAGERY “Never through martyrdom of fire was led” – dying in a fire The connection might be what he thought felt being trapped by the fire.

IMAGERY “And seasons, changeless since the day she died” – Henry’s wife's passing The connection might be it has never felt like a change to him since his wife died.

IMAGERY “Displays a cross of snow upon its side” – he’s wearing a cross of remembrance The connection might be him wearing a white cross to remember his wife because of her great qualities.

IMAGERY “Looks at me from the wall, where round its head” – he saw her shadow on the wall The connection might be that he wasn’t near her when it happened and he could only see her shadow from the wall.

POETIC TERMS Rhyme Scheme- In the long, sleepless watches of the night A A gentle face – the face of one long dead B Looks at me from the wall, where round its head B The night-lamp casts a halo of pale light A Here in this room she died; and soul more white A Never through martyrdom of fire was led B To its repose; nor can in books be read B The legend of a life more benedight A

POETIC TERMS METAPHOR The legend of a life more benedight SENSORY DETAILS Sun defying in its deep ravines Displays a cross of snow

POETIC TERMS Image- Never through martyrdom of fire was led A gentle face – the face of one long dead The lamp casts a halo of pale light

LITERAL MEANING The literal meaning of this poem is the speaker heard his wife's cries but he could only see her shadow. When he finally got to her she had been caught on fire by an ember from the fire place. He did all he could to help stop the blaze but he wasn’t able to do so.

FIGURATIVE MEANING The figurative meaning of the poem is the speakers wife was as a martyr because she didn’t deserve the death she had faced.

AUTHORS PURPOSE The authors purpose of the poem was to express his love for his wife and the story behind her death.

THEME The theme of “the cross of snow” is the life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s wife and the way she died.

CITATIONS