Song of the Bell
from The German
Song of the Bell - meaning Summary
Bell Witnesses Human Life
Longfellow’s poem presents a bell as a communal witness that rings for weddings, Sabbath mornings, bedtimes and farewells. Though an inanimate object, the bell seems to express joy and sorrow, embodying the community’s emotional rhythms. The speaker marvels at this paradox and attributes the bell’s power to a divine mystery: it consoles, elevates, and connects human life through sound, marking ordinary and sacred moments alike.
Read Complete AnalysesBell! thou soundest merrily, When the bridal party To the church doth hie! Bell! thou soundest solemnly. When, on Sabbath morning, Fields deserted lie! Bell! thou soundest merrily; Tellest thou at evening, Bed-time draweth nigh! Bell! thou soundest mournfully. Tellest thou the bitter Parting hath gone by! Say! how canst thou mourn? How canst thou rejoice? Thou art but metal dull! And yet all our sorrowings, Arid all our rejoicings, Thou dost feel them all! God hath wonders many, Which we cannot fathom, Placed within thy form! When the heart is sinking, Thou alone canst raise it, Trembling in the storm!
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