Psalm of Life by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Themes Analysis Essay

In life we often question whether it is meaningful. “Tell me not, in mournful numbers, life is but an empty dream.” There is more to life than dreaming about the “what ifs.” Longfellow explains the heart of a young man and his views of life. There are three main themes discussed in Henry Wasdsworth Longfellow's "Psalm of Life": there is more to life in death, living in the moment, and being patient in times of adversity.

There is more to living than dying, “life is real, life is earnest and the grave is not the goal.” The American life of a teenager is very mundane. Many teens often contemplate what to do with their life, as they feel pressured to perform well. A life of constant worry about the future plays a toil on the mental capacity. The longing of the heart outweighs logic and reason. Longfellow personifies life and the soul into vivid meaning. Instead of thinking about the future, Longfellow also tells us to live for the next day.

To further the concept of a meaningful life, Longfellow also speaks about acting in the present. Enjoyment and sorrow can not be the only way to go about life. Time is fleeting and can be gone and forgotten in a blink of an eye. The future is unknown and out of the grasps of human control. The past is also in a similar genre. What is done is done, we can not go back in time to change or control what happened. Longfellow says not to dwell on the past or think about the future. This is a spiritual and Godly way to live. Life is temporary and should be lived to the fullest. “But to act, that each to-morrow finds us farther than to-day.” Each step we take towards the next day, the more accomplished in life we are. 

Life can throw obstacles at us that we must face, and so we must be patient in times of trouble. Longfellow compares a herd of dumb cattle to a hero to describe life's challenges. We should not be like cattle who do not think for themselves, but rather like a hero. The hero takes charge and responsibility in his own life. Even in strife he is independent and rises victorious. Our ancestors and great men of the past have gone through troubles but have survived. Longfellow says to use these other men as role models for our future. We can leave a legacy by overcoming our problems. However, none of this can be done without being patient. “ Learn to labor and to wait.” Through labor we use patience to take steps toward our legacy. 

In Henry Wasdsworth Longfellow's "Psalm of Life," three key topics are discussed: there is more to life in death, living in the moment, and being patient in times of difficulty. All of Longfellows points were ultimately to increase our hearts condition to live a good life. By living in the moment we are expending the greatness of life. Worry constantly floods the brain and causes more worry to enter. In times like this by using the virtue of patience, there can be more to life than walking to the grave. We must constantly walk through life with a positive outlook. If we have running thoughts that there is no purpose to living, than we ultimately create.