CHORUS OF DRYADES. by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This brief choral piece is drawn from Longfellow's dramatic poem *Prometheus, or the Legend of Kezbeh*.
The poem
Haste and hide thee, Ere too late, In these thickets intricate; Lest Prometheus See and chide thee, Lest some hurt Or harm betide thee, Haste and hide thee! PROMETHEUS (entering.) Who was it fled from here? I saw a shape Flitting among the trees.
This brief choral piece is drawn from Longfellow's dramatic poem *Prometheus, or the Legend of Kezbeh*. The woodland nymphs, known as Dryads, see Prometheus coming and quickly urge one of their own to hide in the forest before he sees her. It's a brief glimpse of divine peril — even nature spirits are cautious of the Titan who challenged the gods.
Line-by-line
Haste and hide thee, / Ere too late,
In these thickets intricate; / Lest Prometheus
See and chide thee, / Lest some hurt
Or harm betide thee, / Haste and hide thee!
PROMETHEUS (entering.) / Who was it fled from here? I saw a shape
Tone & mood
Urgent yet quiet, the Dryads are quickly whispering a warning. Their rhymes have a folk-song lilt that prevents the tone from veering into outright terror, but there's a real sense of unease beneath the surface. When Prometheus speaks, his tone shifts to a calm, almost puzzled inquiry, which makes the nymphs' fear seem a bit exaggerated and introduces a subtle irony.
Symbols & metaphors
- The thickets — The dense forest undergrowth represents nature as a place of refuge and protection. The Dryads don’t seek shelter in a building or a deity; they rely on the wild tangle of their own home for safety.
- Prometheus — The Titan embodies a form of divine or semi-divine authority—one so powerful that even nature spirits must heed it. Just his presence can send the woods into disarray. In the larger myth, he also stands for perilous knowledge and the repercussions of challenging established order.
- The fleeing shape — The unnamed figure in charge embodies vulnerability when faced with power. We never discover their identity, allowing this figure to symbolize anyone who has ever needed to conceal themselves from someone more powerful.
Historical context
Longfellow wrote this piece as part of his exploration of classical mythology, a topic that captivated American poets during the Romantic era as they sought to establish a literary culture that could rival Europe's. The Romantics brought new life to the Prometheus myth, with Shelley's *Prometheus Unbound* (1820) being perhaps the most notable example. Longfellow's rendition shows this influence while maintaining his signature clarity and lyrical style. Dryads, the tree-nymphs from Greek mythology, were minor deities associated with specific trees; their chorus in this work draws from the tradition of Greek drama, where a chorus comments on and responds to the main events. The piece was published in the mid-nineteenth century, a time when Longfellow was the most popular poet in America.
FAQ
Dryads (or Dryades) are tree-nymphs from Greek mythology—minor nature spirits tied to specific trees. In this poem, they function as a chorus, noticing Prometheus approaching and urgently warning one of their own to hide before he gets there. They appear to be worried about his authority or the trouble his presence might cause.
Prometheus is a hero to humanity; he stole fire from the gods to give it to people. However, he remains a Titan, a being of immense divine power. To woodland nymphs, that kind of power is dangerous, no matter what his intentions are. The poem doesn't specify their exact fears; it's the *uncertainty* of his potential actions that fuels their panic.
*Betide* is an old English word that means *happen to* or *befall*. So, 'lest some harm betide thee' translates to 'in case some harm happens to you.' Longfellow uses it because it matches the poem's archaic, mythological tone and rhymes well with *hide thee* and *chide thee*.
The chorus features a tight rhyme scheme centered on the *-ide thee* sound: *hide thee, chide thee, betide thee*. This repetition lends the stanza a chant-like quality, fitting for woodland spirits. It also builds momentum—the repeated sound drives the listener onward, echoing the urgency of the warning.
This section comes from a longer dramatic piece by Longfellow inspired by the Prometheus myth. The stage direction at the end — *PROMETHEUS (entering.)* — indicates that this is crafted as a play or dramatic poem. The chorus of Dryads acts like a Greek theatrical chorus, commenting on the action and establishing the emotional atmosphere before the main character makes an entrance.
Shelley's *Prometheus Unbound* is a lyrical drama that transforms Prometheus into a symbol of human defiance against oppression. In contrast, Longfellow's fragment is much more limited in scope—it zeroes in on a moment of fear and escape instead of grand philosophical rebellion. While Shelley's Prometheus emerges victorious, Longfellow's version is a strong force that even causes nature spirits to flee.
It shows us that the forest isn't merely dense but *complex*—a maze of intertwined branches and underbrush. This complexity is what makes it such a great hiding spot. The term also adds a formal, almost architectural touch, suggesting that the forest has been intentionally crafted as a safe haven, which aligns with the concept of the Dryads' home as a place of natural shelter.
Because the Dryads' warning was effective, whoever fled has already vanished back into the forest. Prometheus catches just a glimpse, a shadow among the trees. It's a small but impactful detail: it illustrates the forest's role in hiding, and it keeps the identity of the fleeing figure shrouded in mystery, leaving the reader feeling a bit uneasy.