“The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

“The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was first published in 1849 as part of the collection The Seaside and the Fireside. This inspirational poem serves as a metaphor for the tireless work involved in building both a durable structure and a meaningful life. It underscores the importance of unseen labor, perseverance, and the enduring nature of a legacy built with good qualities. Longfellow reminds us that even when unnoticed in the frenzy of the present, the results of our efforts will resonate across time, creating something substantial and worthwhile.

Text: “The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

All are architects of Fate,
Working in these walls of Time;
Some with massive deeds and great,
Some with ornaments of rhyme.

Nothing useless is, or low;
Each thing in its place is best;
And what seems but idle show
Strengthens and supports the rest.

For the structure that we raise,
Time is with materials filled;
Our to-days and yesterdays
Are the blocks with which we build.

Truly shape and fashion these;
Leave no yawning gaps between;
Think not, because no man sees,
Such things will remain unseen.

In the elder days of Art,
Builders wrought with greatest care
Each minute and unseen part;
For the Gods see everywhere.

Let us do our work as well,
Both the unseen and the seen;
Make the house, where Gods may dwell,
Beautiful, entire, and clean.

Else our lives are incomplete,
Standing in these walls of Time,
Broken stairways, where the feet
Stumble as they seek to climb.

Build to-day, then, strong and sure,
With a firm and ample base;
And ascending and secure
Shall to-morrow find its place.

Thus alone can we attain
To those turrets, where the eye
Sees the world as one vast plain,
And one boundless reach of sky.

Annotations: “The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Stanza	Analysis
Stanza 1	* Theme: Everyone contributes to shaping their own destiny within the context of time. * Focus: The broad statement that everyone is a builder, even those whose contributions may seem small, like poets who create “ornaments of rhyme.”
Stanza 2	* Theme: The importance of everything having a purpose. * Focus: Even seemingly insignificant things strengthen the larger whole. This stanza reinforces the value of all contributions.
Stanza 3	* Theme: Building the future with care and integrity. * Focus: Our actions today form the foundation for tomorrow. We are building a structure within time, and how we construct it today matters.
Stanza 4	* Theme: Responsibility and craftsmanship matter, even in unseen details. * Focus: The importance of doing any task well, even if no one else is watching. We should be mindful of our actions because their impact extends beyond our immediate sight.
Stanza 5	* Theme: Call to action. * Focus: Builds on the previous stanza, emphasizing that we must put equal effort into the visible and invisible aspects of our work. We should aim for beauty and wholeness.
Stanza 6	* Theme: Consequences of shoddy work. * Focus: An incomplete life will leave us struggling to progress, compared to a well-built life that supports our aims.
Stanza 7	* Theme: Build a strong foundation for tomorrow. * Focus: Taking action in the present to build a “firm and ample base” is how we ultimately reach our goals.
Stanza 8	* Theme: Aspiration and reward for diligence. * Focus: Only through sustained effort can we ascend to a place of greater understanding and perspective.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Section 1: Key Figurative Language Devices

Device	Definition	Example from “The Builders”
Metaphor	A comparison between two things without using ‘like’ or ‘as’	“All are architects of Fate, Working in these walls of Time” (Fate is compared to a building, time to its walls)
Extended Metaphor	A metaphor carried over several lines or even a whole poem	The entire poem is an extended metaphor for building a life
Personification	Giving human qualities to non-human things	“Time is with materials filled”
Symbolism	Using a concrete object to represent an abstract idea	The house stands for the life we build; solid construction symbolizes virtue.
Imagery	Using vivid sensory language to create mental pictures	“Broken stairways, where the feet stumble as they seek to climb”
Alliteration	Repetition of consonant sounds at word beginnings	“Working in these walls”
Anaphora	Repetition of the same word or phrase at the beginning of lines	“And what seems…”, “Truly shape…”, “Let us do…”
Oxymoron	Two contradictory terms placed together for effect	“idle show” (Something seeming idle but having purpose)
Enjambment	A line of poetry running onto the next without punctuation	Many lines in the poem use this, giving it a flowing feel
Antithesis	Placement of contrasting ideas close together	“Some with massive deeds and great, Some with ornaments of rhyme”

Section 2: Structural and Sound Devices

Device	Definition	Example from “The Builders”
Rhyme Scheme	The pattern of rhymes at the end of lines	The poem uses a regular ABAB CDCD pattern in each stanza
Meter	The pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in a line	Predominantly iambic tetrameter (da DUM da DUM da DUM da DUM)
Repetition	Repeating words or phrases for emphasis	“Build today…”, “…and secure / Shall tomorrow…”
Allusion	Indirect reference to a person, place, event, or other text	“In the elder days of Art…” refers to classical periods of skilled craftsmanship
Apostrophe	Addressing a person who is absent or an inanimate object as if present	He speaks directly to time and to readers (“Let us…”)
Rhetorical Question	A question asked for effect, not expecting a reply	“Think not, because no man sees, Such things will remain unseen.”
Caesura	A pause within a line of poetry	“Truly shape and fashion these; // Leave no yawning gaps between”
Didactic tone	A teaching or instructional quality in the poem	The poem strongly conveys a moral message
Juxtaposition	Placing two unlike things side by side for comparison	The builders who perform “massive deeds” and those who create “ornaments” are juxtaposed to show both are valuable.
Hyperbole	Exaggeration for emphasis	“one boundless reach of sky”

Themes: “The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1. Theme 1: Everyone Shapes Their Destiny Longfellow emphasizes the idea that each individual contributes to their own life’s trajectory. We are all builders of our futures, even if our contributions may seem vastly different in scale. This idea is encapsulated in the opening lines: “All are architects of Fate, Working in these walls of Time; Some with massive deeds and great, Some with ornaments of rhyme.”
2. Theme 2: The Power of Small Contributions The poem stresses that there’s no such thing as an insignificant action. Often, we tend to overlook the value of smaller efforts but, Longfellow reminds us, each contribution strengthens the larger structure of our lives. This is evident in: “Nothing useless is, or low; Each thing in its place is best; And what seems but idle show Strengthens and supports the rest.”
3. Theme 3: Mindful Construction of Life Longfellow urges us to approach the “building” of our lives with intentionality and care. Every action we take today creates the foundation for our future. He emphasizes the importance of diligence: “Truly shape and fashion these; Leave no yawning gaps between; Think not, because no man sees, Such things will remain unseen.”
4. Theme 4: Building with Integrity The poem encourages a holistic approach to our actions. It’s not enough to just focus on what is outwardly visible. It is equally important to attend to the “unseen parts” – our motivations, thoughts, and the integrity we bring to everyday tasks. Longfellow highlights the consequences of carelessness with the imagery of a crumbling foundation: “Else our lives are incomplete, Standing in these walls of Time, Broken stairways, where the feet Stumble as they seek to climb.”

Literary Theories and “The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Literary Theory	Focus of Analysis	How it Might Apply to “The Builders”
Formalism / New Criticism	Close examination of the text itself: structure, language, literary devices	Analyze the poem’s meter, rhyme scheme, imagery, symbolism, and how these elements contribute to its meaning.
Biographical Criticism	Links between the author’s life and their works	Explore how Longfellow’s personal experiences, values, or historical context may have shaped the poem’s themes and message.
Historical Criticism	Influence of the era the work was created	Consider how social and cultural movements of Longfellow’s time (19th century America) influenced the poem’s focus on morality, progress, and individual effort.
Reader-Response Criticism	Focus on the reader’s experience and interpretation	Examine how readers with different backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives might find different meanings within the poem.
Moral Criticism	Focus on ethical and social impact in a work of literature	Analyze the poem’s strong moral message: the importance of responsibility, integrity, and building a meaningful life.
Feminist Criticism	Explores gender roles, power dynamics, and female representation within literature	Consider whether the poem’s ideas about building and achievement resonate differently for male and female audiences, and if its imagery reinforces or challenges traditional gender roles.

Critical Questions about “The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1. To what extent does the poem idealize the concept of individual agency?Does it sufficiently acknowledge potential external limitations (social structures, privilege, etc.) that may impact one’s ability to “build” their life? Could this focus inadvertently downplay the impact of factors outside of individual control?
2. How does the poem’s use of architectural metaphor shape our understanding of the process of creating a fulfilling life? Does the emphasis on building and structure risk reducing the concept of life to something rigid and predetermined? Does it allow for flexibility and the unexpected?
3. Is the moral message of the poem overly simplistic? Does it place too much responsibility on the individual? Does it risk suggesting that those facing hardship caused by factors outside their control simply haven’t “built” well enough?
4. Whose voices and experiences are potentially excluded from this vision of “building”? Does the poem acknowledge differing social roles and the differing kinds of “work” and contributions that society values? Could it be more inclusive of marginalized voices and alternative paths to fulfillment?

Literary Works Similar to “The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1. “If—” by Rudyard Kipling: This iconic poem resonates with “The Builders” in its emphasis on individual character development, resilience, and integrity when facing adversity. Both poems champion personal responsibility and internal fortitude.
2. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost: This poem highlights the significance of life’s choices and their lasting impact on the shape of our individual journeys. Like “The Builders,” Frost’s work suggests that who we become is a direct consequence of the paths we pursue.
3. “Ulysses” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson: Though grounded in classical myth, this poem embodies a spirit of unyielding determination and echoes the sentiment in “The Builders” that striving and growth require ongoing effort. Both pieces speak to the human impulse to push beyond stasis in pursuit of greater meaning.
4. “Desiderata” by Max Ehrmann: This prose poem offers a similar focus on ethical living, self-knowledge, and finding peace within a tumultuous world. While written later, “Desiderata” shares with “The Builders” a strong moral message emphasizing mindfulness and personal purpose.
5. Sections within Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass”, particularly “Song of Myself”: Whitman’s expansive work expresses faith in individual potential and the interconnectedness of all things. Whitman’s poems share with “The Builders” the concept of the individual’s role shaping a larger, ever-evolving whole.

Suggested Readings: “The Builders” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Books:

• Arvin, Newton. Longfellow: His Life and Work. Little, Brown and Company, 1963. (Provides biographical and critical insights into Longfellow’s writing)
• Calhoun, Charles C. Longfellow: A Rediscovered Life. Beacon Press, 2004. (More recent biography focusing on Longfellow’s influences and personal experiences)
• Irmscher, Christoph. Longfellow Redux. University of Illinois Press, 2008. (Examines Longfellow’s legacy and explores the changing critical reception of his work)

Websites

• The Poetry Foundation: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/henry-wadsworth-longfellow (Includes brief biography, poems, and sometimes essays)
• The Longfellow House – Washington’s Headquarters National Historic Site: https://www.nps.gov/ (Historical site dedicated to Longfellow’s former home, provides insights into his life)

Potential Articles (Search with these titles & author within a library database)

• Gioia, Dana. “Longfellow in the Aftermath of Modernism.” The Hudson Review, vol. 39, no. 4, 1987, pp. 591–613. JSTOR, (Might discuss how Longfellow’s traditional style has been viewed over time)