Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator who lived during the 19th century. He was born on February 27, 1807, in Portland, Maine, and died on March 24, 1882, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Longfellow is one of the most prominent and widely read poets of the 19th century, known for his lyrical style, romantic themes, and narrative poems. Some key aspects of his life and works include:

Life and Career:

1. Early Life: Longfellow grew up in a prosperous and well-educated family in Portland, Maine. He showed an early interest in literature and languages.
2. Education: He attended Bowdoin College in Maine, where he befriended Nathaniel Hawthorne and future U.S. president Franklin Pierce.
3. Travel and Study: Longfellow traveled to Europe to further his studies, becoming fluent in several languages, including French, Spanish, Italian, and German.
4. Teaching Career: Longfellow taught at various institutions, including Bowdoin College and Harvard University, where he became the first American to hold a chair in modern languages.
5. Literary Career: He published numerous poems, essays, and translations throughout his life, earning both critical acclaim and commercial success.

Major Works:

1. “Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie” (1847): A narrative poem that tells the story of Evangeline Bellefontaine and Gabriel Lajeunesse, two lovers separated during the Expulsion of the Acadians.
2. “The Song of Hiawatha” (1855): An epic poem inspired by Native American legends and folklore, featuring the hero Hiawatha and his quest to bring peace and unity to his people.
3. “Paul Revere’s Ride” (1861): A stirring narrative poem that recounts the midnight ride of American patriot Paul Revere during the Revolutionary War.
4. “The Song of Hiawatha” (1855): An epic poem inspired by Native American legends and folklore, featuring the hero Hiawatha and his quest to bring peace and unity to his people.
5. “The Courtship of Miles Standish” (1858): A narrative poem based on the early colonial history of New England, focusing on the love triangle between Miles Standish, John Alden, and Priscilla Mullins.

Legacy:

1. Popularity: Longfellow was immensely popular during his lifetime and remains one of the most widely read and anthologized American poets.
2. Influence: His works have had a lasting impact on American literature and culture, influencing subsequent generations of poets and writers.
3. Memorials: Longfellow’s former home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is now a museum known as the Longfellow House–Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site.

Longfellow’s poetry often explores themes of love, loss, nature, and the passage of time, characterized by its musicality, imagery, and moral earnestness. His enduring popularity and contributions to American literature have cemented his legacy as one of the most significant figures in the nation’s literary history.

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