Longfellow Themes

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Longfellow writes “a psalm of life” and uses themes of live for today, and live a productive life with moods of excitement and inspiration. “Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal” (Longfellow). Longfellow is creating a mood of excitement of living just because you’re alive and one should not aspire to die. He believes that one should not dwell on the past but let it go and move on because life is not always easy. “Trust no future, howe’er pleasant! Let the dead past bury its dead! Act, - act in the living present! Heart within, and God o’erhead!” (Longfellow)

Emily Dickinson uses themes of inevitability of death, and cycles of life; which creates moods of calmness and acceptance of death, and being carefree.

Walt

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