The Courtship of Miles Standish

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The Courtship of Miles Standish is a narrative poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow that romanticizes early Pilgrim life through a love triangle set in the Plymouth Colony.

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Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf narrative poem
poem
author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
authorNationality American
authorStyle elevated, romantic, and descriptive verse
basedOn legend of John Alden and Priscilla Mullins
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
firstEditionFormat book
followedSuccessOf The Song of Hiawatha
hasCharacter Captain Miles Standish’s comrades
William Brewster
surface form: Elder William Brewster

John Alden
Myles Standish
surface form: Miles Standish

Priscilla Mullins
hasForm epic-like narrative poem
hasPart multiple cantos or sections
influencedBy Pilgrim historical traditions
intendedAudience general reading public
language English
literaryGenre historical fiction in verse
romantic poetry
literaryMovement American Romanticism
literarySignificance popular 19th-century portrayal of Pilgrim romance
mainCharacter John Alden
Myles Standish
surface form: Miles Standish

Priscilla Mullins
medium print
meter hexameter
narrativeFocus love triangle
notableLine “Why don’t you speak for yourself, John?”
originalPublicationYear 1858
placeOfPublication Boston, Massachusetts
surface form: Boston
portraysEvent early years of Plymouth Colony
portraysGroup Pilgrims
publisher Ticknor and Fields
settingLocation Plymouth Colony
settingTime early 17th century
structure narrative verse
subject Pilgrim settlers in New England
courtship customs among early colonists
theme duty versus desire
friendship and loyalty
love and courtship
romanticized depiction of early Pilgrim life
workPeriod 19th century American literature

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Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow notableWork The Courtship of Miles Standish