In The Song of Hiawatha, Hiawatha would be a much less interesting character without the love story that Longfellow weaves into this poem. After all, who wants to read about a guy who's awesome at everything and who wins every battle he fights fairly easily? No one, that's who. Love is what makes Hiawatha mortal, especially when the people he loves start to die and there's nothing he can do about it. Love reminds us that, no matter how strong or awesome we are, we're never in total control because the people we love have minds and lives of their own.
Questions About Love
- When does Hiawatha first notice Minnehaha and how does he interpret his feelings? What parts of the poem give you your answer?
- Who does Hiawatha love in his life apart from Minnehaha? Why?
- How does Hiawatha react when he loses his loved ones? What does he decide to do after losing Minnehaha?
Chew on This
In The Song of Hiawatha, Longfellow reminds us that love is the one thing that'll always keep us mortal.
The Song of Hiawatha shows us that that, if we never love anyone, we'll never have to feel pain. (Um, yay?)