The Wreck of the Hesperus
"The Wreck of the Hesperus" is a poem. It was written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was published in 1842 in Longfellow's book, Ballads and Other Poems. His inspiration for the poem was a bad storm in 1839. The storm destroyed 20 ships and killed 40 people. A dead woman was found in the sea tied to a mast.
Story[change | change source]
A proud sea captain takes his little daughter aboard his ship to keep him company. A seaman warns him a storm is approaching. He does not pay attention to this seaman. The storm hits. The captain ties his daughter to the mast. He does not want her to be swept overboard. She calls out to her dying father. She hears the waves beating on the shore. She prays to Christ to calm the seas. The ship crashes onto a reef and sinks. The next morning a fisherman finds the daughter's dead body in the sea. It is still tied to the mast.
