I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1864

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Symbols & Motifs

“Peace on Earth, Good-Will to Men”

“[P]eace on earth, good-will to men” (Lines 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35) is a phrase used as a refrain at the end of every stanza. It is taken from the Bible, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). This section of the book of Luke relays the journey of the pregnant Mary and Joseph as they enter Bethlehem, the birth of Christ in the manger, and the visit from the angel to the shepherds, announcing the arrival of the savior of man. Longfellow knows that his readers will know this reference and is evoking it as the correct of Christianity, reminding them of what the angel said. The phrase also helps to justify the “Right prevail[ing]” (Line 34), enhancing the idea that, in the Civil War, the Union is on the correct side of “good-will” by seeking an end to slavery and the “hate” (Line 28) that “mocks the song” (Line 29) of Christianity.

Broken Hearth-Stones

The speaker worries that the Civil War is equal to an “earthquake rent[ing] / the hearth-stones of a continent” (Lines 21-22). The hearth is the floor of a fireplace, and in literature, is often symbolic of the heart of the home and/or the family unit. Here, the comparison of war tearing asunder the feeling of safety in the individual home of the speaker like an earthquake may reflect Longfellow’s personal feelings regarding his son’s injury on the battlefield. However, it also serves as a greater metaphor of what is happening to the nation, as Americans fight each other causing the United States to no longer be united, thus jeopardizing the “peace on earth” for which Christians should strive.

Accursed Mouth

The speaker’s tranquil feelings regarding Christmas are disrupted by the sounds of artillery: “Then from each black, accursed mouth / The cannon thundered in the South” (Lines 16-17). Importantly, the speaker uses the phrase “accursed mouth” (Line 16) to describe the long barrel of the cannon from which the shot is fired. This personification allows the reader to view this as part of an argument, both physical and verbal, in which the Christian value (“good-will to men” [Lines 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35]) is being “drowned” (Line 19) out by every volley of cannon. Artillery fire puts a curse on the peace one should aspire to. This helps to show how seriously the speaker believes in peace—and how much despair they feel that others seemingly do not. The punctuation of the cannon destroys peace “with [its] sound” (Line 18), cursing hope’s success.