"Haunted Houses" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Bhargav Sen Bhowmick
- Nov 4, 2024
- 12 min read
Updated: Nov 9, 2024
Summary:
The poem explores themes of remembrance, reflecting on spiritual permanence and material transience.
Longfellow uses motifs of time, memory, and the inevitability of death, evoking deep emotion.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, a 19th-century American poet, was known for works that emphasized compassion and moral insight, popular in family readings.
Longfellow’s "ghosts" represent gentle, lingering memories rather than frightening apparitions.
The “haunted house” symbolizes life, where memories of people and events continue to shape present decisions and emotions.
The inevitability of Death: Death leaves behind memories, influencing those who remain.
Power of Place: Physical spaces retain the essence of past inhabitants.
Duality of Human Nature (Ambition vs. Temptation): Life’s balance between aspirations and desires, is shaped by past experiences.
Reflective and melancholic, invoking both loss and comfort.
Personification: Houses are given memory-like qualities.
Imagery: Silent rooms and dusty glass evoke a haunted, nostalgic atmosphere.
Symbolism: The haunted house and dust represent the layers of past experiences that shape us quietly and enduringly.
Introduction:
November 2nd, the Day of the Dead. A day on which you remember your departed loved ones. In light of this, the poem "Haunted Houses" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow stands out to me. Do not be fooled by the name of this poem though, as it is not your classic Halloween-themed poem that talks about apparitions or blood-thirsty vampires, but it has a much deeper didactic elucidation. Longfellow through his words voices the idea of spiritual permanence and material transience.
The recurring motifs of the passage of time, the enduring power of memories, the inevitability of death et al. are brought to the fore. The poem thus, touches on personal subjects that elicit sentiment and emotion.
About The Poet :
The poet, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, was a much-celebrated 19th-century American
poet. His writings be they lyrical, narrative, or descriptive in a natural, traditional style, reminded Americans of their roots. Longfellow was lovingly regarded as a fireside poet for his works were meant to be read out as a form of entertainment for family and friends sitting by a fireplace. He was a leading member of the Fireside Poets, a 19th-century American literary group. All members of this group were as popular as their British counterparts.
His works like, "A Psalm of Life", "Excelsior", "Nature" etc. highlight the qualities of compassion, tranquility, and didacticism.
About The Poem:
It is no wonder that the world of the paranormal is certainly a most intriguing subject for all of us. Although many would discount their interest in the world of ghosts, there is no gainsaying the fact that we all are drawn towards it in some way or another. The sudden adrenaline rush entices us to consume more horror media, and we look for means to spook ourselves. Longfellow, though, dispels this traditional spookiness of ghosts and presents them in a gentle light. His ghosts or phantoms are inoffensive and harmless, they merely waft through doorways and halls and are silent as paintings on the wall.
There is a sense of comfort and familiarity attached to Longfellow's ghosts in this poem because it starts with a very assertive statement that all houses where men have lived and died are haunted. Mine, yours, and even your neighbor's house is haunted, but, these hauntings are not menacing or evil, rather these are the lingering memories of our departed dear ones.
However, in the central interpretation, the haunted house is perceived as an individual's life. The hauntings are the memories of past experiences the individual may have had or perhaps the indelible mark left by a certain someone in their life. These experiences at different stages of life affect the individual in many different ways.
It may seem to us that we have complete ownership over our lives but in reality, all these past experiences have molded us into what we are today and continue to percolate from our subconscious to the conscious even now, influencing our choices and decisions even though they're long forgotten.
The Poem:
All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
With feet that make no sound upon the floors.
We meet them at the doorway, on the stair,
Along the passages they come and go,
Impalpable impressions on the air,
A sense of something moving to and fro.
There are more guests at table than the hosts
Invited; the illuminated hall
Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts,
As silent as the pictures on the wall.
The stranger at my fireside cannot see
The forms I see, nor hear the sounds I hear;
He but perceives what is; while unto me
All that has been is visible and clear.
We have no title deeds to house or lands;
Owners and occupants of earlier dates
From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands,
And hold in mortmain still their old estates.
The spirit world around this world of sense
Floats like an atmosphere, and everywhere
Wafts through these earthly mists and vapours dense
A vital breath of more ethereal air.
Our little lives are kept in equipoise
By opposite attractions and desires;
The struggle of the instinct that enjoys,
And the more noble instinct that aspires.
These perturbations, this perpetual jar
Of earthly wants and aspirations high,
Come from the influence of an unseen star,
An undiscovered planet in our sky.
And as the moon from some dark gate of cloud
Throws o'er the sea a floating bridge of light,
Across whose trembling planks our fancies crowd
Into the realm of mystery and night,-
So from the world of spirits there descends
A bridge of light, connecting it with this,
O'er whose unsteady floor, that sways and bends,
Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss.
The Poem in Detail:
Let us take it from the top. This poem at first glance appears to be about a desolate house that was once full of life but now is haunted and thronged with poltergeists and phantoms. But that is not all, is it? No.
Longfellow has seeded in this poem much poignant didacticism, which is evident from the fact that the "house" is not merely a house but a metaphor for human life itself! He starts by asserting that all houses are haunted. That is just as how every home has a history, maybe the spirits of its departed inhabitants clung to it; every human carries memories of experiences they've had, indelible marks or influences left by people they've shared a conversation or been in a relationship with.
"Through the open doors...make no sound upon the floors." The openness here suggests the vulnerability of humans. The silent movement of these harmless phantoms is likened to individuals who crossed paths with us but their presence was overlooked or disregarded. The effect might not have been evident at that moment but it surely manifested as an influencing factor somewhere down the line.
We meet these people at the doorways, staircases, and the passages of our lives, in essence, the developmental stages. Their effect on us is so inexplicable and intangible that Longfellow has alluded it to "Impalpable impressions on the air,".
As the poem unfolds, we see a disparity presented in the next stanza between the conscious and the subconscious minds. These are like parts of the iceberg, the tip is the conscious, available to your comprehension; the rest is the unconscious, which even you cannot fully comprehend. Longfellow has cleverly used this line-"There are more guests at table than the hosts/Invited; the illuminated hall/Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts," to insinuate that our conscious mind, the table only regards a mite of the memories we carry. But our subconscious mind, which is the illuminated hall is thronged or crowded with innumerable past experiences, which correspond here to inoffensive ghosts who stay as silent as pictures on the wall.
The poet further tells that as the narrator only he can perceive the presence of his ghosts, while the stranger by his side has no sense of it. This simply put means that our thoughts, memories, experiences, and reason are extremely private and available only to us, only we are aware of what we have been through and how it has influenced us to become what we are today. "He but perceives what is; while unto me/All that has been is visible and clear." The outsiders only see what we present ourselves overtly as, but to us the what, why, and how are visible and clear.
As the poem unravels the poet goes on to say that the feeling of ownership we have over our lives is not true in the complete sense. Our agency is limited and inhibited by those from our past, even those long forgotten continue to influence our lives in more ways than one. "From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands,/And hold in mortmain still their old estates." The word mortmain in legal terms, refers to the ongoing control of property by those who have passed away, as if the deceased continue to have authority over their former estates even after death. The dead, as in these long-forgotten memories still cling to us and hold in perpetual control our choices and decisions.
Longfellow then reveals that this spirit world is not limited to one place or house but co-exists with the world of sense, i.e. the overworld. This reminds me of the UpsideDown from the Netflix series Stranger Things. A mist veils this world of spirits from our eyes, something only a Percy Jackson fan would understand. Though it is hidden, it still "wafts through" and discloses itself merely. The spirit world essentially stands for the realm of recollections and understandings. It is like a blanket wrapped around our corporal permanence, an "ethereal air" that imparts the spirit of living to our lives, enhancing our experiences.
At this juncture, the poem zooms out to a broader outlook on life. It talks about the duality of human nature and how human life is a balance, an "equipoise" between primal impulses and lofty ambitions. Just like the Yin and Yang!
The poet says here that all our decisions to work toward "attractions" or "desires" are influenced by our acquaintances, some may push us towards the "instinct that enjoys"while others may elevate us towards the "noble instinct that aspires". Thus, this stanza introduces the theme of "Ambition versus Temptation"
We spend our entire lives in this constant conflict, the "perpetual jar" of "earthly wants"- the baser instincts, and "aspirations high"- the higher aspirations, driven by the influence of a shrouded and inconspicuous force- the "unseen star" and the "undiscovered planet" in our "sky". This star or planet is often an unrecognized individual or incident in the sky of our lives that holds immense power to change its trajectory.
The next stanza begins with alluring imagery, probably the best use of the Moon I have seen in a long while. "And as the moon from some dark gate of cloud/Throws o'er the sea a floating bridge of light,/Across whose trembling planks our fancies crowd/Into the realm of mystery and night,-" Longfellow, in the lines, likens the reflection of the Moon on the sea to a bridge connecting the worlds of the tangible and the intangible. Essentially, this stanza is also symbolic that, just as the moon lights up the sea, our past lights up our present and provides a path into the uncertainty of the future. A sense of impermanence and mystique is involved, adding to the overall feeling of anticipation.
Longfellow concludes by building on this metaphor further and suggests that from the "world of spirits"- the world of past influences, descends a bridge of light, a guiding light to enlighten us in the present and on the "unsteady floor" of which, occur all our thoughts, reasons, perceptions, and decisions.
Critical Appreciation:
Theme
The primary theme in Haunted Houses is the enduring presence of spirits or memories within places where people once lived. Longfellow suggests that homes retain a "spiritual" imprint of past inhabitants, who linger in a form that cannot be seen but can be felt, as "the forms and faces of the past / Look wistfully through the dusty glass." The house can also be compared to the abode of your soul- the body, a home for your spirit and conscience. This idea represents not only the literal sense of ghosts but also the figurative impact of memories and legacies left behind. The poem touches on the melancholy of mortality, and the idea that people may leave physical spaces, but traces of them endure. Some other themes are:
Memory as a Living Presence
Longfellow transforms memory into a living entity. The “forms and faces of the past” that appear wistfully at the windows are personified memories, looking in on us as we continue with our lives. They are like reminders of who we once were and of those who have left an impression on us. By embodying memories as forms and faces that linger near us, Longfellow emphasizes the idea that we are never truly alone; our pasts, with all their experiences and relationships, accompany us, forming an integral part of who we are.
Didacticism and Moral Insight
There is a gentle didacticism in Longfellow’s portrayal of these haunting memories, suggesting that the past should not be forgotten or dismissed, but rather acknowledged and valued. By recognizing the impressions others have made on us, Longfellow seems to encourage a life of gratitude and awareness. He subtly guides readers toward understanding that each connection, however fleeting, has contributed to the person we’ve become. These spirits are not ghosts to fear; they are echoes of the past that shape us, serving as guides and reminders of our shared humanity.
Inevitability of Death
Longfellow’s portrayal of a house haunted by memories emphasizes the unavoidable reality of death. The once-vibrant home is now inhabited by phantoms, reflecting how all lives ultimately give way to mortality. The lingering presence of spirits suggests that while life is temporary, its influence remains, a reminder that death is inevitable but not the end of impact or memory.
Power of Place
The poem conveys the power of place in preserving memories and experiences. The house is imbued with traces of its past inhabitants, symbolizing how certain places hold onto the essence of those who lived there. This “haunted” quality suggests that physical spaces can become vessels of memory, shaping and connecting generations who pass through them.
Duality of Human Nature: Ambition vs. Temptation
Longfellow subtly examines the duality of human nature through the interplay of ambition and temptation. The presence of these ghostly figures hints at past lives shaped by both noble aspirations and possibly misguided desires. In this way, the poem reflects how ambition can drive human action, but temptation can also lead to paths that leave indelible marks on our spirits, even beyond life. This duality enriches the haunting, as these spirits, caught between these drives, linger to remind the living of life’s deeper moral and ethical dimensions.
Tone and Mood
The tone of the poem is meditative and slightly melancholic, invoking an atmosphere of quiet reflection. Longfellow writes with a soft, somber mood that suits the reflective theme of lingering spirits. He captures a bittersweet feeling, encouraging readers to feel both the sadness of loss and the comfort of remembering loved ones who have passed.
Literary Devices
Longfellow employs several literary devices to enhance the poem’s themes:
Personification: He personifies houses, giving them qualities of memory and sorrow, as though they possess the spirits of former inhabitants. By describing them as "haunted," Longfellow suggests that these structures have a life of their own, holding the essence of past lives.
Imagery: The poem is rich in visual imagery, describing the "empty rooms" and "dusty glass" through which memories of people "look wistfully." This imagery evokes a tangible sense of abandonment and decay, effectively contributing to the poem’s haunted feeling.
Metaphor: Longfellow uses the metaphor of a "haunted house" to represent the way memories dwell in places, comparing physical spaces to mental and emotional reservoirs of memory.
Symbolism: The poem symbolizes the human desire for continuity and remembrance, as houses become metaphors for the mind or heart, storing memories of those who have departed.
The Symbolism of Dust and Decay
As the poem unfolds, Longfellow describes the haunting of the house as something subtle and enduring, seen in the “dusty glass” and the empty, silent rooms. Dust here is a potent symbol, representing the accumulated memories and experiences that settle over time, often unobserved but ever-present. Just as dust gathers silently in an abandoned room, memories and influences from others layer themselves in our minds, building up gradually to shape who we are. This image of dust as something ethereal yet tangible evokes a sense of the past’s lingering presence in our lives, hinting at the quiet, inescapable passage of time.
Quietness and Reflection
Longfellow emphasizes silence throughout the poem, describing the phantoms as making “no sound upon the floors.” This silence serves as a metaphor for the way these experiences and influences don’t disrupt our daily lives in an obvious way. They are silent companions, subtle forces shaping our inner lives rather than external events. Longfellow implies that introspection and quiet reflection are necessary to perceive these influences. Only in silent, reflective moments do we fully realize how people, places, and experiences have influenced us, like whispers we can only hear in the stillness.
Structure and Form
Haunted Houses is written in a simple yet lyrical form that reflects Longfellow’s traditional style. The rhythmic and flowing lines contribute to the reflective mood of the poem, creating a gentle, almost ethereal quality. The rhyme scheme lends the poem a calm, steady pace, as though Longfellow is guiding readers through a thoughtful meditation on memory and loss.
Conclusion:
Longfellow’s Haunted Houses beautifully expresses the poet’s belief in the lingering presence of the past in everyday places. His exploration of the emotional and spiritual imprint left by those who have gone evokes a universal theme of nostalgia and remembrance. The poem ultimately suggests that while people may leave, their impact and memory persist, haunting the physical world and comforting those left behind.
Citations:
Online Free Notes. (n.d.). Haunted Houses: ICSE Class 10 English questions and answers. Retrieved November 1, 2024, from https://onlinefreenotes.com/haunted-houses-icse-10/
Think. Ponder. Contemplate. Is this a Needless Narrative?
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