The Black Knight by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
At a Pentecost celebration, a sable knight defeats the king's son in the lists and dances with his daughter. At the banquet, both children drink wine offered by the guest and die as they embrace their father. The king begs to be taken too, but the guest replies that he gathers roses in spring.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Genre: Ballad, Gothic Poetry · 552 words
First lines
By Johann Ludwig Uhland
'T was Pentecost, the Feast of Gladness, / When woods and fields put off all sadness. / Thus began the King and spake: / "So from the halls / Of ancient hofburg's walls, / A luxuriant Spring shall break."
Genres
- Ballad — Rhymed six-line stanzas narrate a mysterious knight's arrival, encounters with two royal children, and their deaths, with dialogue marking the action.
- Gothic Poetry — Blackening skies, a rocking castle, a cold armored dancer, and a guest's cavernous voice accompany the deaths of the king's children.
Tags
Pentecost · jousting · supernatural visitor · royal children · death · ballad
What this Textopian page supports
The Black Knight is listed on Textopian as a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Ballad, Gothic Poetry
- Length: 552 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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