The Jewish Cemetery at Newport

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1854

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Download PDF

Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Themes

The Finality of Death

One of the central themes of the poem is the irreversibility of death. Though the poet speaks of the dead with great sympathy and acknowledges they are not forgotten, he asserts that “no Psalms of David now the silence break” (Line 22). “Silence” and “silent” are often used to describe the grave dwellers of the Newport cemetery, dividing them from the loud, moving world of the living. In contrast to the dead, the waves of the nearby sea are “never-silent” (Line 3) and the trees “wave their broad curtains in the south-wind's breath” (Line 6) over the still graves. Each time the dead are animated, it is in the context of the poet’s imagination, his retelling of the “Ishamaels and Hagars of mankind” (Line 32) driven over deserts and seas. Here, the speaker discusses the past of the Jewish community, and broadly suggests the futility of living in the past. The theme acquires greater meaning in the context of Longfellow’s humanist and patriotic ideals. As an American poet crafting a new literature and shaping a proud national consciousness, he espoused the nation have its eyes firmly trained on the future.

In the same way Longfellow treats his version of Jewish history, the past is to be revered and respected, but cannot be reclaimed. The final line of the poem states “and the dead nations never rise again” (Line 60). The speaker does not try to pretend that their lives were ideal, nor do they become overly optimistic about what they can learn. There is no sense of breakthrough to a greater or inner truth at the end of the poem. The speaker’s experience of the cemetery does not teach about the nature of life. What they contemplate enriches their imagination, yet also warns of the reality of suffering and of loss of the past. Longfellow is vitally interested in the past, but does not think this interest can save or redeem the present.

The Plight of Exile

The poem draws attention to the theme of exile and forced immigration in a sensitive, nuanced manner. While particularly dealing with the specific experiences of Jewish communities, the poem sheds light on the fact that immigration is not always driven by a pioneering spirit. Often, people migrate to escape hardship, violence, and persecution. Longfellow’s view of immigration in the poem starkly contrasts with the narrative of the American frontier where migration is presented as a bold adventure. The subtle point the poem makes is that though the migrating Jewish people were brave and courageous, their movement occurred in the context of Christian persecution. It also highlights the fact that migration and exile can be a bittersweet experience. The Jewish community at Newport may have had a relatively peaceful and prosperous existence, yet their ancestors experienced a break from their cultural homelands.

Lines 36-40 describe the pain of exile in empathetic detail: “All their lives long, with the unleavened bread / And bitter herbs of exile and its fears, / The wasting famine of the heart they fed, / And slaked its thirst with marah of their tears.” Longfellow gives the exiles great interior insight, acknowledging accompanying uncertainties and “fears” (Line 37). His observations are as true for any community forced to undergo an exodus as they are for groups of Jewish people. Further, Longfellow’s commentary on exile continue to be relevant in a world grappling with refugee crises.

Christian Hatred and the Persecution of Jewish Communities

In one of the poem’s most memorable passages, the speaker wonders,

“How came they here? What burst of Christian hate, / What persecution, merciless and blind, / Drove o'er the sea—that desert desolate— / These Ishmaels and Hagars of mankind?” (Lines 29-32) The question posed at the beginning of the passage is rhetorical, though the very next line provides the answer. It was a burst of “Christian hate” (Line 29) that led many Jewish communities to migrate from their homelands. Longfellow’s assertion is remarkable in its directness and tackles a theme not often discussed in the poetry of his time: Christian hate and its consequent persecution of Jews. Historically, the Christian persecution of Jewish communities arose from the accusation of deicide—the killing of God (here, Jesus). As Christianity expanded during late antiquity and the early Middle Ages, Christians around the world began to believe the pernicious myth that Jewish people were responsible for killing Jesus. Part of this myth was the belief that Jews present during the death of Christ betrayed him. In time, this false blame was transferred to the Jewish people as a whole and contributed to virulent Christian anti-Semitism.

Longfellow’s account of the suffering of exiled Jews—whether or not applicable to the Newport settlers—is nevertheless pertinent. The excommunication and slaughter of Jewish communities in Europe reached a fevered peak during the Middle Ages with frequent anti-Semitic crusades and inquisitions. Jews were even blamed for the deadly plague outbreaks in Europe, which led to the death of entire Jewish villages. The waves of anti-Semitic violence in history led several Jewish communities and families, particularly from Europe and West Asia, to flee to safer lands. By the end of the 17th century, violence against Jewish communities in Europe subsided, partly because there were few Jews left to persecute. However, anti-Jewish attitudes persisted.

Longfellow refers to this historical persecution by frequently making biblical allusions, such as those to Hagar, Ishmael, and Moses. By discussing traditional Jewish rituals such as the singing of psalms, Longfellow centers the community’s experience. Moreover, he does not associate the community just with victimhood, stating “[p]ride and humiliation hand in hand / Walked with them through the world where'er they went” (Lines 36-37). The diaspora is described as unshakeable as the continent. Despite certain ambiguities of tone, Longfellow presents a well-rounded and empathetic portrait of the Jewish diaspora. Equally interestingly, he tells the story of Christian hatred through the Jewish people’s experiences.