BY SIMON DACH by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This poem is a love song that honors the connection between a man and his wife, Annie of Tharaw.
The poem
Annie of Tharaw, my true love of old, She is my life, and my goods, and my gold. Annie of Tharaw, her heart once again To me has surrendered in joy and in pain. Annie of Tharaw, my riches, my good, Thou, O my soul, my flesh, and my blood! Then come the wild weather, come sleet or come snow, We will stand by each other, however it blow. Oppression, and sickness, and sorrow, and pain Shall be to our true love as links to the chain. As the palm-tree standeth so straight and so tall, The more the hail beats, and the more the rains fall,-- So love in our hearts shall grow mighty and strong, Through crosses, through sorrows, through manifold wrong. Shouldst thou be torn from me to wander alone In a desolate land where the sun is scarce known,-- Through forests I'll follow, and where the sea flows, Through ice, and through iron, through armies of foes, Annie of Tharaw, my light and my sun, The threads of our two lives are woven in one. Whate'er I have bidden thee thou hast obeyed, Whatever forbidden thou hast not gainsaid. How in the turmoil of life can love stand, Where there is not one heart, and one mouth, and one hand? Some seek for dissension, and trouble, and strife; Like a dog and a cat live such man and wife. Annie of Tharaw, such is not our love; Thou art my lambkin, my chick, and my dove. Whate'er my desire is, in thine may be seen; I am king of the household, and thou art its queen. It is this, O my Annie, my heart's sweetest rest, That makes of us twain but one soul in one breast. This turns to a heaven the hut where we dwell; While wrangling soon changes a home to a hell.
This poem is a love song that honors the connection between a man and his wife, Annie of Tharaw. It conveys that true love isn't shattered by challenges — storms, illness, distance, or conflict — but instead becomes more resilient through them. The couple is so intertwined that they share one heart, one soul, and one life together.
Line-by-line
Annie of Tharaw, my true love of old, / She is my life, and my goods, and my gold.
Annie of Tharaw, her heart once again / To me has surrendered in joy and in pain.
Annie of Tharaw, my riches, my good, / Thou, O my soul, my flesh, and my blood!
Then come the wild weather, come sleet or come snow, / We will stand by each other, however it blow.
Oppression, and sickness, and sorrow, and pain / Shall be to our true love as links to the chain.
As the palm-tree standeth so straight and so tall, / The more the hail beats, and the more the rains fall,--
So love in our hearts shall grow mighty and strong, / Through crosses, through sorrows, through manifold wrong.
Shouldst thou be torn from me to wander alone / In a desolate land where the sun is scarce known,--
Through forests I'll follow, and where the sea flows, / Through ice, and through iron, through armies of foes,
Annie of Tharaw, my light and my sun, / The threads of our two lives are woven in one.
Whate'er I have bidden thee thou hast obeyed, / Whatever forbidden thou hast not gainsaid.
How in the turmoil of life can love stand, / Where there is not one heart, and one mouth, and one hand?
Some seek for dissension, and trouble, and strife; / Like a dog and a cat live such man and wife.
Annie of Tharaw, such is not our love; / Thou art my lambkin, my chick, and my dove.
Whate'er my desire is, in thine may be seen; / I am king of the household, and thou art its queen.
It is this, O my Annie, my heart's sweetest rest, / That makes of us twain but one soul in one breast.
This turns to a heaven the hut where we dwell; / While wrangling soon changes a home to a hell.
Tone & mood
The tone is warm, sincere, and joyful—this is a love song, and it embraces that fully. It has a folk-song vibe, highlighted by the repeated mention of Annie's name and the steady, flowing couplets. Beneath the sweetness lies a hint of defiance: the speaker isn't merely saying 'I love you' but rather 'I love you, and nothing can change that.' The moments of dry humor (like the dog-and-cat couple) prevent it from feeling overly sentimental.
Symbols & metaphors
- The palm tree — A classic symbol of resilience. The palm tree bends fiercely during storms but stays intact, representing love that becomes stronger under pressure instead of being shattered by adversity.
- The chain — Typically, chains symbolize imprisonment, but in this case, they're turned on their head: the links of the chain signify life's challenges — illness, grief, and oppression — that intriguingly bring the couple closer instead of driving them apart.
- Woven threads — Two separate threads come together to form a single piece of cloth. This domestic, tactile image illustrates how two individual lives become intertwined through marriage — distinct in origin yet unified in the final fabric.
- The hut vs. heaven and hell — The humble hut represents any ordinary home. The poem suggests that the same physical space can feel like heaven or hell, depending purely on whether love or conflict fills it — the structure itself is neutral; it's the people inside who shape its character.
- Sun and light — Annie is referred to as 'my light and my sun,' which directly contrasts with the 'desolate land where the sun is scarce' that comes with exile. She represents warmth, clarity, and direction — without her, the speaker is lost in darkness.
- Gentle animals (lambkin, chick, dove) — The pet names the speaker uses for Annie — all small, soft, domestic creatures — reflect a sense of tenderness and protectiveness. They subtly enhance the poem's portrayal of a peaceful, harmonious household as the ideal.
Historical context
Longfellow translated this poem from a 17th-century German song by Simon Dach (1605–1659), a Prussian poet and hymn writer. Dach's original piece, 'Anke van Tharaw,' was written in the Low German dialect and is thought to have been composed as a wedding song around 1636. It gained immense popularity as a folk song throughout northern Europe. Longfellow discovered it while compiling his anthology *Poets and Poetry of Europe* (1845) and created this English version, transforming the dialect into smooth couplets that American readers could appreciate. The poem reflects Longfellow's dual passions: making European literary traditions accessible to a wider audience and honoring domestic love as a legitimate poetic theme. The 17th-century Prussian backdrop is significant because the backdrop of the Thirty Years' War made the poem's themes of separation and exile feel painfully real rather than just metaphorical.
FAQ
He translated it. The original work is 'Anke van Tharaw' by Simon Dach, a 17th-century poet from Prussia. Longfellow turned it into English couplets for his 1845 anthology *Poets and Poetry of Europe*. The title 'By Simon Dach' in Longfellow's own collections clearly acknowledges the authorship — he was giving credit to his source.
Tharaw (or Taraw) is a village that was once in Prussia and is now part of Russia's Kaliningrad region. The 'Annie' mentioned in the poem is thought to be Anna Neander, a woman Simon Dach actually knew. There's been some debate over whether the poem was written for her wedding or if it's more of a general love song, but the specific name and location lend it a sense of authenticity and connection to reality.
That true love is defined by what it endures, not by how great things feel during easy times. The speaker suggests that challenges — storms, illness, separation, conflict — don’t diminish love but instead make it stronger, much like how a palm tree becomes sturdier when faced with fierce winds.
It's a twist on the typical idea of chains. Instead of viewing hardships as burdens that weigh you down, the speaker suggests they actually become the links that connect the couple. Each challenge — whether it's oppression, illness, or grief — is seen as something that strengthens their bond instead of tearing it apart.
By today's standards, the poem does portray a patriarchal view of marriage — the husband commands while the wife obeys. However, it's important to note that it was written in 1636 and translated faithfully by Longfellow in 1845. In that context, referring to Annie as 'queen' was a way of elevating her status. Longfellow chose not to alter the gender dynamics; he kept the original voice intact.
The poem features a consistent pattern of rhyming couplets (AABBCC...) from start to finish. Each pair of lines rhymes, creating a melodic, chant-like feel. This reflects the folk-song roots of the original German text, which was intended to be sung.
The palm tree is a classic symbol of resilience. It bends dramatically during storms but always springs back up without breaking. The speaker uses this imagery to convey that love, much like the palm, doesn’t just survive tough times; it actually grows stronger because of them. The more hail it endures, the taller it stands.
It’s the poem’s final argument, which brings everything back to reality after the lofty declarations. The physical home — depicted as a simple hut — doesn’t have much character by itself. What turns it into heaven is love and unity; what turns it into hell is endless fighting. This practical, almost proverbial closing thought ties all the romantic idealism to the everyday reality of domestic life.