Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Date of Birth: February 27, 1807

Zodiac Sign: Pisces

Date of Death: March 24, 1882

Biography

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator, born on February 27, 1807, in Portland, Maine. He was one of the most popular and influential poets of his time, known for his expressive and emotional writing style. Longfellow’s early education was at Portland Academy, and he later attended Bowdoin College, where he became friends with Nathaniel Hawthorne. After college, he traveled extensively in Europe, which significantly influenced his literary works. Longfellow’s career as a poet began to take off in the 1830s with the publication of his first major work, “Voices of the Night,” in 1839. His poetry often drew on mythology, history, and folklore, making use of a musical and lyrical style that captured the public’s imagination. Some of his most famous works include “Evangeline,” “The Song of Hiawatha,” and “Paul Revere’s Ride.” Longfellow also translated important works from European languages into English, making significant contributions to the accessibility of world literature in America. Longfellow’s personal life was marked by both joy and tragedy. He married Mary Storer Potter in 1831, but she died tragically in 1835. In 1843, he married Frances Appleton, with whom he had six children. Tragedy struck again in 1861 when Frances died in a fire. Despite these personal losses, Longfellow continued to write and remained a beloved figure in American literature until his death on March 24, 1882.

5 Interesting Facts about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1. Longfellow was the first American to translate Dante Alighieri’s “Divine Comedy.”

2. He was a professor at Harvard University for many years, teaching modern languages.

3. Longfellow’s home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was a meeting place for some of the most prominent literary figures of his time.

4. He was honored with a commemorative bust in the Poet’s Corner of Westminster Abbey in London.

5. Longfellow’s poem “Christmas Bells” was later adapted into the popular Christmas carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.”

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1. “Music is the universal language of mankind.”

2. “The best thing one can do when it’s raining is to let it rain.”

3. “Trust no future, however pleasant! Let the dead past bury its dead! Act, act in the living Present! Heart within, and God o’erhead!”

4. “In character, in manner, in style, in all things, the supreme excellence is simplicity.”

5. “A single conversation across the table with a wise man is better than ten years mere study of books.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

While exact figures for historical figures are hard to ascertain, Longfellow was quite prosperous for his time due to his successful literary career and inheritance from his second wife’s family. His highest net worth would be estimated in the range of tens of thousands of dollars, a significant amount in the 19th century.

Children

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow had six children with his second wife, Frances Appleton: 1. Charles Appleton Longfellow (1844-1893) 2. Ernest Wadsworth Longfellow (1845-1921) 3. Fanny Longfellow (1847-1848), who died in infancy. 4. Alice Mary Longfellow (1850-1928) 5. Edith Longfellow (1853-1915) 6. Anne Allegra Longfellow (1855-1934)