The Building of the Ship
A merchant commissions a strong vessel, and a master shipwright and his workers build the Union. The young man who will inherit the master's craft marries his daughter on deck before the ship is launched. Closing addresses bless the ship and the bride, then urge the nation, figured as a Ship of State, to sail onward despite danger.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Maritime Literature, Patriotic Poetry · 4,084 words
First lines
"Build me straight, O worthy Master! / Stanch and strong, a goodly vessel, / That shall laugh at all disaster, / And with wave and whirlwind wrestle!"
The merchant's word / Delighted the Master heard; / For his heart was in his work, and the heart / Giveth grace unto every Art.
Genres
- Narrative Poetry — Rhymed verse follows the vessel from its commission and design through construction, a wedding on deck, and its launch.
- Maritime Literature — The narrative describes timber selection, hull construction, rigging, and launching, alongside the master's tales of sailors and wrecks.
- Patriotic Poetry — The closing address identifies the Union with the Ship of State and pledges collective hope, faith, and support for its passage through danger.
Tags
shipbuilding · craftsmanship · seafaring · marriage · national unity · political allegory
What this Textopian page supports
The Building of the Ship 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: Narrative Poetry, Maritime Literature, Patriotic Poetry
- Length: 4,084 words
- Structure: 1 section, 25 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Building of the Ship by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
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