Pentucket by John Greenleaf Whittier
The poem tells the story of a young Native American woman who falls in love with an English colonist. The two are from different worlds and their love is forbidden by society. They try to be together, but ultimately they are separated by the conflicts between their cultures.
By John Greenleaf Whittier · First published 1826 · Genre: Historical Poetry, Narrative Poetry, War Poetry · 817 words
First lines
The village of Haverhill, on the Merrimac, called by the Indians Pentucket, was for nearly seventeen years a frontier town, and during thirty years endured all the horrors of savage warfare. In the year 1708, a combined body of French and Indians, under the command of De Chaillons, and Hertel de Rouville, the famous and bloody sacker of Deerfield, made an attack upon the village, which at that time contained only thirty houses. Sixteen of the villagers were massacred, and a still larger number made prisoners. About thirty of the enemy also fell, among them Hertel de Rouville. The minister of the place, Benjamin Rolfe, was killed by a shot through his own door. In a paper entitled The Border War of 1708, published in my collection of Recreations and Miscellanies, I have given a prose narrative of the surprise of Haverhill.
What this Textopian page supports
Pentucket is listed on Textopian as a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier, dated 1826 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: John Greenleaf Whittier
- Date: 1826 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Poetry, Narrative Poetry, War Poetry, Descriptive Poetry, Lyric Poetry
- Length: 817 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Pentucket by John Greenleaf Whittier
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Pentucket?
- How does this poem by John Greenleaf Whittier fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Poetry first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Historical Poetry — The work reflects historical events and figures, focusing on the past experiences of a frontier town.
- Narrative Poetry — The poem tells a story with a clear plot, detailing the attack on the village and its aftermath.
- War Poetry — The themes of conflict, violence, and the impact of war on a community are central to the poem.
- Descriptive Poetry — The vivid imagery and detailed descriptions of the setting and events enhance the emotional impact.
Tags
American Literature · Poetry Collection · 19th Century · New England · Regionalism · Folklore · Mythology · Symbolism · Nature Imagery · Social Commentary · Morality Tale · Coming of Age