BARTIMEUS. by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
Bartimeus is a dramatic monologue where an elderly blind man waits outside the ancient city of Jericho, sharing the city’s rich history with a younger companion named Chilion.
The poem
Be not impatient, Chilion; it is pleasant To sit here in the shadow of the walls Under the palms, and hear the hum of bees, And rumor of voices passing to and fro, And drowsy bells of caravans on their way To Sidon or Damascus. This is still The City of Palms, and yet the walls thou seest Are not the old walls, not the walls where Rahab Hid the two spies, and let them down by cords Out of the window, when the gates were shut, And it was dark. Those walls were overthrown When Joshua's army shouted, and the priests Blew with their seven trumpets.
Bartimeus is a dramatic monologue where an elderly blind man waits outside the ancient city of Jericho, sharing the city’s rich history with a younger companion named Chilion. He recounts tales from the fall of its walls during Joshua's time to the moment when Jesus healed a blind beggar on that same road. The poem explores how a single location can embody centuries of stories, and how this blind man perceives that history more vividly than anyone else. It concludes with the speaker suggesting that he might be Bartimeus, the blind man who was healed by Jesus in the Gospels.
Line-by-line
Be not impatient, Chilion; it is pleasant / To sit here in the shadow of the walls
This is still / The City of Palms, and yet the walls thou seest
Are not the old walls, not the walls where Rahab / Hid the two spies, and let them down by cords
And it was dark. Those walls were overthrown / When Joshua's army shouted, and the priests
Tone & mood
The tone is slow and reflective — the voice of someone who has found comfort in stillness. There’s a warmth in how the speaker talks to Chilion, reminiscent of a grandfather getting ready to share a long tale. Beneath this calmness, however, lies a quiet reverence: this old man occupies a space rich with centuries of sacred history, and he is aware of it. The poem maintains a soft voice, yet it holds significant weight.
Symbols & metaphors
- The walls of Jericho — The walls reflect the layers of human history, with each generation constructing anew atop the remnants of the previous one. The poem's first lesson is that the visible walls are *not* the original ones: what appears before us is never the complete truth. This presents a quietly ironic perspective for a blind man.
- The shadow of the walls — Sitting in shadow is the blind man's natural state — he exists without light. Yet, this shadow also represents comfort and shelter, not danger. Longfellow presents blindness as a form of closeness to the unseen world instead of a loss.
- The scarlet cord — Rahab's cord, which was used to lower the spies to safety, symbolizes salvation and covenant in the Bible. Within the larger poem, it ties into the theme of rescue—similar to how Jesus heals and 'rescues' blind Bartimeus from darkness.
- The seven trumpets — Sound, rather than sight, was what brought down the walls of Jericho. For a blind man who relies on sound to understand his surroundings—bees, bells, voices—this detail carries significant weight. The most remarkable event in the city's history happened through hearing, not seeing.
Historical context
Longfellow published this poem in his 1854 collection *The Masque of Pandora and Other Poems*, although earlier versions had surfaced. It pulls directly from two biblical stories: Rahab and the spies in Joshua 2, and the healing of blind Bartimeus in Mark 10 and Luke 18. Longfellow had a strong interest in the Holy Land — he visited in 1868 — and many of his poems incorporate biblical geography as a backdrop for reflections on faith, time, and human resilience. The dramatic monologue form, where a speaker talks to a specific listener, was quite popular in the Victorian era and allowed poets to channel historical or biblical figures without making explicit theological statements. Longfellow employs this technique here, letting the blind man's viewpoint convey the theological message subtly, without overt preaching.
FAQ
Bartimeus (or Bartimaeus) is mentioned in the Gospel of Mark (10:46–52) and Luke (18:35–43) as a blind beggar sitting by the roadside near Jericho. When he learns that Jesus is nearby, he cries out to him, and Jesus restores his sight. In Aramaic, his name translates to 'son of Timaeus.' Longfellow features him as the speaker in this poem, bringing him back to Jericho after his healing.
Chilion is the name of a young companion the speaker addresses directly. It originates from the Book of Ruth, where Chilion is one of Naomi's sons. However, Longfellow uses it here as a name for a younger listener—someone who might be impatient and not well-versed in the city's history. He essentially serves as a stand-in for the reader.
The City of Palms is an ancient name for Jericho, one of the oldest cities still inhabited today, found in the Jordan Valley. This name shows up in the Book of Deuteronomy. Jericho was well-known for its date palms and its vibrant oasis, standing out in a largely dry landscape.
According to the Book of Joshua, once the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, God instructed Joshua to lead his army in marching around the walls of Jericho for seven days. On the seventh day, seven priests blew seven trumpets, the army shouted, and the walls came tumbling down. The city was then destroyed. This event is one of the most renowned military miracles in the Hebrew Bible.
Rahab was a woman in Jericho who concealed two Israelite spies sent by Joshua to explore the city. She helped them escape through her window by lowering them with a scarlet cord, and because of her actions, Joshua protected her and her family when Jericho was conquered. The Bible honors her as a symbol of faith and bravery, and she is mentioned in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel.
The speaker is Bartimeus — the blind beggar from the Gospels — highlighting that his blindness is crucial to the poem's message. Although he can’t see the walls that Chilion sees, he understands them better than anyone else. The poem subtly suggests that inner knowledge, memory, and faith provide a form of sight that physical eyes can’t offer. This irony is intentional and maintained throughout.
The poem is written in blank verse — unrhymed iambic pentameter — Longfellow's favorite form for longer, serious narrative poems. This style has a natural, conversational rhythm that fits a monologue well. It feels more like someone genuinely speaking rather than reciting lines, which is precisely the effect Longfellow aimed for with an old man sharing stories in the shade.
Yes. 'Bartimeus' is part of a larger sequence titled *Christus: A Mystery*, which is Longfellow's ambitious three-part dramatic poem exploring the history of Christianity. He spent decades working on the full piece, which spans the life of Christ, the medieval church, and the Puritan era in New England. 'Bartimeus' is included in the first part, which takes place during the time of Jesus.