Welcome to Poem of the Day – The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls is a meditation on the passage of time, the cycles of nature, and the inevitability of death. Written in the form of a lyrical narrative, the poem explores the relationship between human life and the natural world, illustrating how the forces of nature are constant and unchanging, while human existence is transient and fleeting. Longfellow’s use of imagery, rhythm, and repetition reinforces the theme of life’s cyclical nature, where human life is but a brief moment in the ongoing flow of time. This essay will explore the poem’s themes, structure, and poetic techniques, highlighting how they work together to deliver a poignant reflection on life, death, and the relentless passage of time.
The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls
The tide rises, the tide falls,
The twilight darkens, the curlew calls;
Along the sea-sands damp and brown
The traveller hastens toward the town,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
Darkness settles on roofs and walls,
But the sea, the sea in the darkness calls;
The little waves, with their soft, white hands,
Efface the footprints in the sands,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
The morning breaks; the steeds in their stalls
Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls;
The day returns, but nevermore
Returns the traveller to the shore,
And the tide rises, the tide falls.
The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls Explanation
1. The Cyclical Nature of Time and Life
The first stanza introduces the central motif of the poem: the recurring movement of the tide. “The tide rises, the tide falls,” is repeated twice, setting the tone for the rest of the poem and underscoring the relentless, cyclical nature of the natural world. The tide’s rising and falling is an eternal process, one that occurs without interruption, unaffected by human life or death. The simplicity of this repetition suggests that nature’s rhythms are constant and unyielding, while human life is fleeting and insignificant in comparison.
The line “The twilight darkens, the curlew calls” further reinforces this idea of nature’s constancy, as twilight and the call of the curlew are part of a predictable pattern. The “traveller hastens toward the town,” a figure representing human life, moves towards a destination, possibly symbolizing a journey through life. Yet, the traveler’s hurriedness contrasts with the unhurried, patient rise and fall of the tide. This juxtaposition between human action and the timelessness of nature creates a sense of inevitability, suggesting that human life, like the tide, will rise and fall, but the natural world will continue unchanged.
2. The Unceasing Power of Nature
In the second stanza, Longfellow shifts to the contrast between darkness and light, illustrating the power of nature to persist regardless of human life. “Darkness settles on roofs and walls,” represents the coming of night and the closure of human activities, symbolizing the end of a day or even the end of life itself. However, in the darkness, “the sea, the sea in the darkness calls,” reminding us that nature continues even as human life is hidden in the night. The sea is personified, its “call” urging the traveler (and perhaps humanity as a whole) to heed its eternal pull.
The “little waves, with their soft, white hands,” are described as erasing “the footprints in the sands.” The act of erasing the footprints symbolizes the impermanence of human existence. No matter how deep the traveler’s footprints may be, the waves eventually wash them away, suggesting that human achievements, struggles, and lives are transient. This erasure of the footprints implies that time, much like the tide, is unstoppable. The waves, symbolizing time and nature, do not recognize human efforts to leave a permanent mark, reinforcing the theme that nature, and time itself, are indifferent to individual human experiences.
3. The Inevitability of Death
The third stanza begins with the image of “The morning breaks,” signaling the renewal of the natural cycle. Yet, despite this renewal, the traveler is never seen again: “but nevermore / Returns the traveller to the shore.” This suggests that death has occurred, and with it, the traveler has become part of the larger cycle of life and death. While the natural world continues to move through its rhythms—morning breaks, the horses stamp in their stalls—the traveler is gone, never to return.
The phrase “the steeds in their stalls / Stamp and neigh, as the hostler calls,” evokes the image of daily life continuing in its usual rhythm. But the absence of the traveler—who once hastened toward the town—is a reminder that no human life is permanent. The use of the horses, often symbols of life, energy, and movement, emphasizes the ongoing nature of life, even in the face of death. The “hostler,” the one who tends to the horses, represents the caretaker of life’s routines, but even he is subject to the passage of time, which continues despite the loss of the traveler.
4. Poetic Structure and Technique
The structure of The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls contributes to its meditative tone. The poem is divided into three quatrains, each with a simple AABB rhyme scheme. The rhythm is steady, almost musical, mirroring the ebb and flow of the tide. This regularity in structure emphasizes the natural, repetitive patterns that govern both the world and human life. The use of the refrain “The tide rises, the tide falls” at the beginning and end of the poem creates a circularity, reinforcing the theme of cyclical time. By bookending the poem with this refrain, Longfellow highlights that life, like the tide, is a continuous flow that eventually returns to where it began.
The repetition of this phrase serves as both a literal and metaphorical reminder of the inevitability of the cycles of nature, the passage of time, and the transient nature of human life. Additionally, the poem’s meter—largely iambic tetrameter—further enhances the steady, rhythmic movement of the tide, contributing to the overall sense of inevitability and continuity.
5. The Philosophical Implications of the Poem
While The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls is rich in imagery and natural description, it also offers a profound meditation on the relationship between human life and nature. The poem suggests that human lives, no matter how significant they may seem in the moment, are ultimately inconsequential in the grand scheme of the natural world. Nature, in the form of the rising and falling tide, continues its cycle unaffected by the brief passage of human lives.
The traveler’s disappearance represents the inevitable end of all human life, a reminder that death is an intrinsic part of the human condition. However, the relentless return of the tide suggests that while individual human lives may end, life itself—and the natural world—goes on. This creates a sense of both comfort and melancholy. The comforting aspect is that life, in some form, continues, even when individuals are lost. The melancholy aspect arises from the realization that human lives, with all their struggles and achievements, are temporary.
In this way, the poem can be interpreted as an exploration of human mortality and the need to find meaning within the finite span of our lives. The traveler’s journey toward the town may represent our collective search for purpose, while the erasure of footprints by the waves reminds us that our efforts, no matter how meaningful they seem, will eventually be forgotten by time. Nevertheless, the poem invites readers to reflect on their place in the world and to consider the broader, eternal rhythms of nature, in which human life is but a small, fleeting part.
Conclusion
The Tide Rises, the Tide Falls by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a powerful meditation on the cyclical nature of time, the transience of human existence, and the indifference of the natural world to individual lives. Through the use of vivid imagery, repetition, and rhythmic structure, Longfellow emphasizes the inevitability of death and the continuity of life. The poem’s melancholy tone is tempered by a sense of the eternal, suggesting that while human life may be short-lived, the natural world endures, and in this continuity, there is both comfort and awe. Ultimately, the poem encourages readers to reflect on the fleeting nature of their own lives and the larger forces that govern existence.
