The Discoverer of the North Cape
Othere, a sea-captain from Helgoland, recounts his northern voyage while King Alfred writes it down. He describes passing the North Cape under the midnight sun, then sailing east and south to hunt walruses, narwhals, and seals with five other Norsemen. When Alfred doubts his account, Othere holds up a walrus tooth as evidence.
By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Maritime Literature, Exploration · 1,053 words
First lines
A Leaf from King Alfred's Orosius
Othere, the old sea-captain, / Who dwelt in Helgoland, / To King Alfred, the Lover of Truth, / Brought a snow-white walrus-tooth, / Which he held in his brown right hand.
Genres
- Narrative Poetry — Rhymed five-line stanzas frame Othere's voyage account with Alfred's writing, interruptions, and doubts.
- Maritime Literature — Othere describes sailing along northern coasts through storms and fog, then hunting marine animals with harpoons.
- Exploration — Othere sails north to discover how far the land extends, reaches the unknown North Cape, and follows the coast into a nameless sea.
Tags
Arctic exploration · sea voyages · midnight sun · walrus hunting · storytelling · skepticism
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The Discoverer of the North Cape 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, Exploration
- Length: 1,053 words
- Structure: 1 section, 24 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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