Summary
This book is a collection of poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, titled *Ultima Thule*, which explores the transition from the trivialities of daily life to a deeper, ideal existence. The central argument is that night brings a "better life" by erasing the "ghosts of men and things" and the "unprofitable splendor" of the day, allowing the "ideal, hidden beneath" to revive. The poems contrast the fleeting nature of worldly pursuits—described as "a phantom, a shadow, a thought"—with the enduring power of artistic creation, which comes from a "vast Unknown" and must be obeyed when "the Angel says: 'Write!'"
A reader takes away the idea that noble souls "rise from disaster and defeat the stronger," and that wounds of the soul, though healed, leave "reddening scars" that compel confession. The collection emphasizes the poet's role as a conduit for songs blown from a "misty realm," and the inevitable end of all ambition, as symbolized by Jugurtha's descent into "cold baths" of death. The poems ultimately affirm that life's deeper truths emerge only after the "common-place book" of daily incidents is erased.
Key concepts
- Ultima Thule — The title of the collection, referring to a far-off, mythical land beyond the known world, symbolizing the ultimate or distant goal.
- Palimpsest — A metaphor for life, where trivial incidents are written over, and the "ideal, hidden beneath" revives when the surface is erased.
- The Angel says — "Write!": The imperative command that compels the poet to create, coming from a "vast Unknown" and obeyed by day and night.
- Noble souls rise from disaster and defeat the stronger — The idea that adversity strengthens character, as opposed to "weakness" and "self-conceit" being sifted away.
- Cold baths of Apollo — A repeated line from the poem "Jugurtha," symbolizing the cold, unfeeling end of a once-splendid life, whether for a king or a poet.
From the book
Horace BOSTON: HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY. The Riverside Press, Cambridge. 1880. Copyright, 1880, By HENRY W. LONGFELLOW. RIVERSIDE, CAMBRIDGE: STEREOTYPED AND PRINTED BY H. O. HOUGHTON AND COMPANY. CONTENTS This work was published before January 1, 1931, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. Public domain Public domain false falseFor works with similar titles, see Bayard Taylor . ← Dedication Ultima Thule by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Bayard Taylor The Chamber over the Gate → Bayard Taylor was a poet/journalist who died in 1878 11383 Ultima Thule — Bayard Taylor Henry Wadsworth Longfellow POEMS. BAYARD TAYLOR. Dead he lay among his books! The peace of God was in his looks. As the statues in the gloom Watch o'er Maximilian's tomb,…
Popular questions readers ask
- In your own words, how does Longfellow define or characterize "Ultima Thule" across the different sections of this excerpt, and what contrasting emotions or states of being does it represent in the "Dedication" poem versus the introductory context?
- Explain the significance of the imagery used to describe Bayard Taylor's death (e.g., "statues in the gloom," "gone, as travellers haste to leave an inn"). What does this imagery reveal about Longfellow's perspective on death and legacy?
- Trace the journey described in the "Dedication" poem, from "Hesperides" and "Atlantis" to the "tempest-haunted Hebrides" and "Ultima Thule." What is the speaker's emotional trajectory throughout this journey, and what does it suggest about the nature of a "quest"?
- While both the "Bayard Taylor" and "Dedication" poems grapple with themes of time, loss, and ultimate destinations, how do their specific explorations of these themes differ, and what might each poem suggest about finding solace or meaning in life's ultimate realities?
- Considering the introductory information about "Ultima Thule" being a collection, and the specific dedications to Bayard Taylor and G.W.G., what common threads or overarching message might Longfellow be trying to convey through these seemingly distinct poems?