Fireside Poetry By Harley Schwing

Background Fireside poetry is also known as “household” poetry because real-life issues were often the subject. Can be called traditional because of the adherence to patterns in rhyme and meter. Popular subjects include: nature, family, and politics. American heroes and slavery were especially written about.

Style and Structure Style can be called conservative because it is traditional. Mix between lyric and ballad. Not a formal ballad because of its lack of Romanticism Ballad: four line stanza, definite rhyming structure, and tells a story End rhyme is most common. Stanzas are usually quatrain and cinquain.

History Mid- 1800s (approximately 1830-1860) Strong pre-Civil war influences Slavery and its abolition were discussed Conservative in structure, but liberal/modern in ideas on political issues such as slavery http://www.timetoast.com/timelines/fireside-poetry

Poets From New England Made up of five poets Henry Wadsworth Longfellow James Russell Lowell Oliver Wendell Holmes John Greenleaf Whittier William Cullen Bryant

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow February 27, 1807- March 24, 1882 Most prominent fireside poet. Became nationally recognized in 1850s. Inspired by his own family, particularly children. Not only wrote poems, but translated Dante’s The Divine Comedy. Influenced those inside and outside the arts culture. Some of his more notable lines are still used today. “Footprints on the sands of time Had tragedy in his life which allowed him to add realism to him work. His references to the past were applicable to the happenings of his time, most notably the Civil War.

Oliver Wendell Holmes August 29, 1809- October 7, 1894 Helped found The Atlantic Monthly which served as an outlet for untraditional political opinions; allowed Fireside poetry to grow.

James Russell Lowell February 22, 1819- August 12, 1891 Like Longfellow, suffered tragic events. This both stunted his career and enhanced it. “Among the Fireside Poets, Lowell was the most versatile,…erudite…” William Charvat Against slavery. His strong abolitionist opinions furthered his writing. In turn, he brought the problem of slavery to the forefront. He wrote with particular strength about the Civil war seen in “The Present Crisis”. http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/19385