1. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 1807-1882

2. Early Life Born in Portland, Maine Rich Family Father was a lawyer, expected to be a lawyer Portland Academy Bowdoin College – Excelled in Foreign Languages – Sent overseas to study languages in Europe – Had to write his own textbooks

3. Adult Life Associated with Europe and the “Old Life” Married Mary Storer Porter Published travel essays Went back to Europe before becoming a professor at Harvard – Wife dies – Soon after, he marries a new wife in Europe after detailing their dating life in his poetry (frowned upon in high society), later dies in a house fire – Father gives the new couple Craigie House, now called Longfellow House (still holds original furniture and over 10,000 books in the house library)

4. His Writing Used Influences from many different writers Very Successful Right Away Wrote many styles including epic poems First American to get a bust statue placed in Westminster Abby Family Circle and Heroism Themes Many poems take place around Europe