John Greenleaf Whittier's A Word For The Hour

“A Word for the Hour” by John Greenleaf Whittier sends a strong message about the division of the nation during the civil war. Whittier wrote the poem in 1861. He was a strong supporter of the North and believed that the Union should let the Southern states separate in order to avoid war. “A Word for the Hour” has a desperate tone, as Whittier advocates for peace. The title suggests the final hour before war and destruction, he directly mentions the Apocalypse in the poem, “As in the dream of the Apocalypse” (6).
The poem relates to The War of the Words because of the desperation that it communicates. The people facing the Martian invasion realize they are on the verge of the apocalypse, just like Whittier. Although the problems they face