A Pharisee
Is not this
The carpenter Joseph's son? Is not his mother
Called Mary? and his brethren and his sisters
Are they not with us? Doth he make himself
To be a Prophet?
The Annotated Edition
A Pharisee by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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This short poem gives a voice to the skeptical townspeople, letting readers experience the moment when Jesus's neighbors dismiss him as merely a carpenter's son.
- Core theme
- Doubt
§01Quick summary
What this poem is about
This short poem gives a voice to the skeptical townspeople, letting readers experience the moment when Jesus's neighbors dismiss him as merely a carpenter's son. Longfellow removes any narrative distance, allowing us to feel the sting of that rejection directly. It illustrates how familiarity can lead to contempt — those who believe they know someone too well to have faith in them.
§02Themes
Recurring themes
§03Line by line
Stanza by stanza, with notes
Is not this / The carpenter Joseph's son?
Editor's note
The poem starts mid-sentence, creating the feeling that we've stumbled into a crowd that's already buzzing with conversation. The question posed is rhetorical and dismissive — the speaker isn't really asking; they're reminding everyone of Jesus's humble beginnings. Referring to him as 'the carpenter Joseph's son' suggests: *we know exactly who this person is, and he’s certainly not a prophet*.
Is not his mother / Called Mary? and his brethren and his sisters / Are they not with us?
Editor's note
The speaker loads up on examples of the mundane—the mother, the brothers, the sisters—each one a recognizable face from the same town. Every detail aims to diminish Jesus's significance. The rhetorical questions don’t seek responses; instead, they create a barrier of social certainty that communicates, *we know this family; they are nothing out of the ordinary.*
Doth he make himself / To be a Prophet?
Editor's note
The final question hits hardest. The phrase 'make himself' suggests an accusation — it implies that asserting prophetic authority is more about arrogance or self-promotion than a true calling. The poem concludes with this sneering tone, offering no counterargument, which allows the dismissal to linger and prompts the reader to reflect on its pettiness.
§04Tone & mood
How this poem feels
The tone is harsh, abrupt, and scornful. Longfellow offers no narrator or commentary — only the voice of the crowd, filled with the smugness of those who think that understanding someone's family history determines their value. There's a subtle irony here: the speaker appears rational and sensible, yet the reader can see the spiritual blindness lurking beneath.
§05Symbols & metaphors
Symbols & metaphors
- The carpenter's son
- Ordinary labor and humble beginnings are weaponized against greatness. The trade aims to define and constrain — suggesting that a man born into a craft cannot ascend to a calling.
- The family members (mother, brethren, sisters)
- The crowd's understanding of Jesus's family reflects a common human tendency to define people by their social connections. This familiarity doesn't offer warmth; instead, it limits and confines.
- The rhetorical questions
- Every line poses a question, yet none are open-ended. The form reflects the Pharisee's closed mindset: these questions are essentially statements masquerading as inquiries, a rhetorical maneuver designed to shut down discussion rather than encourage exploration.
§06Historical context
Historical context
Longfellow published a collection titled *Christus: A Mystery* in 1872, which is a dramatic trilogy that delves into the life and legacy of Christ through three different historical periods. "A Pharisee" is part of this broader work. Longfellow directly references the Gospels; the poem reflects Matthew 13:55–56 and Mark 6:3, where the people of Nazareth challenge Jesus's authority based on these specific concerns. The title identifies the speaker's category rather than naming a specific person, highlighting a common human attitude: using religious respectability as a barrier against a true encounter with the sacred. Longfellow wrote during a time of vigorous theological debate in America, and his poems about Christ tend to emphasize human resistance to change rather than focusing solely on miracles.
§07FAQ
Questions readers ask
It's a dramatic monologue delivered by a Pharisee—a part of the Jewish religious establishment—who dismisses Jesus by highlighting his ordinary family background. The poem reflects the moment of rejection found in the Gospels when Jesus returns to his hometown and faces disbelief.
Because the focus isn't just on this one individual — it's on a type. The Pharisee stands for anyone who leverages social connections or religious authority to dodge challenges. By keeping the speaker vague, Longfellow gives the poem a timeless quality that resonates widely.
It closely references Matthew 13:55–56 and Mark 6:3, where the people of Nazareth express nearly the same sentiments. Longfellow is transforming a Gospel passage into verse, heightening its drama by stripping away the surrounding narrative.
Yes. It's part of *Christus: A Mystery* (1872), a dramatic trilogy that Longfellow dedicated decades to writing. The trilogy explores the early Christian era, the Middle Ages, and the Puritan period in America. 'A Pharisee' is included in the first part, which focuses on the life of Christ.
The phrase 'make himself' is crucial. It suggests that Jesus is *pretending* or *self-promoting* instead of being genuinely called. This serves as an accusation of vanity or deceit, disguised as a reasonable question.
That's the whole point. The questions are rhetorical — the speaker thinks they already know the answers. The poem's structure reflects the speaker's closed-mindedness. Longfellow doesn't offer a rebuttal, making the reader feel the weight of the dismissal and encouraging them to form their own judgment.
The speaker comes across as sensible and grounded—they're simply sharing facts about a local family. However, the reader recognizes that these 'just facts' are being wielded to undermine someone truly significant. The irony lies in the fact that the Pharisee's self-assuredness in their own understanding is precisely what keeps them from seeing the truth.
No, it's written in blank verse — unrhymed iambic pentameter — which Longfellow used to create a natural, speech-like quality. Without rhyme, it sounds more like a conversation you might overhear than formal poetry, fitting the dramatic monologue format perfectly.
Citation
Cite this poem
MLA
Longfellow, Henry Wadsworth. "A Pharisee." Storgy, https://storgy.com/poems/a-pharisee-henry-wadsworth-longfellow/.
APA
Longfellow, H. W. (n.d.). A pharisee. Storgy. https://storgy.com/poems/a-pharisee-henry-wadsworth-longfellow/
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