The Hemlock Tree
from The German
The Hemlock Tree - meaning Summary
Faithful Tree, Faithless Lover
Longfellow's poem contrasts steadfast nature with human inconstancy. The hemlock tree remains green through winter as a symbol of faithful endurance, while the maiden abandons love in adversity. Comparisons to the summer nightingale and a brook that dries without rain reinforce the central contrast between reliable natural cycles and fickle human affection. The repeated refrains underline the speaker's disappointment and moral lesson about constancy versus faithlessness.
Read Complete AnalysesO Hemlock tree! O hemlock tree! how faithful are thy branches! Green not alone in summer time, But in the winter's frost and rime! O hemlock tree! O hemlock tree! how faithful are thy branches! O maiden fair! O maiden fair! how faithless is thy bosom! To love me in prosperity, And leave me in adversity! O maiden fair! O maiden fair! how faithless is thy bosom! The nightingale, the nightingale, thou tak'st for thine example! So long as summer laughs she sings, But in the autumn spreads her wings! The nightingale, the nightingale, thou tak'st for thine example! The meadow brook, the meadow brook, is mirroro f thy falsehood! It flows so long as falls the rain, In drought its springs soon dry again. The meadow brook, the meadow brook, is mirror of thy falsehood!
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