GUIDE. by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
A tour guide highlights the well-known "Devil's Bridge," detailing its lone stone arch that stretches over a daunting gorge with a raging waterfall below.
The poem
This bridge is called the Devil's Bridge. With a single arch, from ridge to ridge, It leaps across the terrible chasm Yawning beneath us, black and deep, As if, in some convulsive spasm, The summits of the hills had cracked, And made a road for the cataract That raves and rages down the steep! LUCIFER, under the bridge. Ha! ha!
A tour guide highlights the well-known "Devil's Bridge," detailing its lone stone arch that stretches over a daunting gorge with a raging waterfall below. Just as the guide wraps up this intense description, a voice — Lucifer himself, hidden beneath the bridge — chuckles from the shadows. It’s a brief, impactful moment that taps into the old legend of the Devil constructing such bridges in return for souls.
Line-by-line
This bridge is called the Devil's Bridge. / With a single arch, from ridge to ridge,
It leaps across the terrible chasm / Yawning beneath us, black and deep,
As if, in some convulsive spasm, / The summits of the hills had cracked,
And made a road for the cataract / That raves and rages down the steep!
LUCIFER, under the bridge. / Ha! ha!
Tone & mood
The tone changes in two distinct stages. The guide's speech is lively and full of energy — packed with dramatic adjectives and exclamations — the voice of someone who has delivered this speech countless times and still relishes the thrill it brings. Then, Lucifer's two-word response turns everything into dark, sardonic humor. The overall effect is playful yet slightly unsettling, like a campfire story that wraps up with a sudden knock at the door.
Symbols & metaphors
- The Devil's Bridge — Rooted in European folklore, Devil's Bridges are stone arches so remarkable that locals often believed only the Devil could have constructed them — typically in exchange for the first soul to cross. In this context, the bridge represents the divide between the safe, ordinary world and something perilous and supernatural.
- The chasm / gorge — The yawning black void beneath the bridge symbolizes the unknown, the abyss, and the constant threat of destruction. It's the literal space where the Devil resides—right under the bridge—and it reflects the divide between the human world above and the hellish one below.
- The cataract — The roaring waterfall exemplifies raw natural power. It reflects the chaotic energy associated with Lucifer — wild, unstoppable, and unconcerned with human safety. This fury not only makes the bridge essential but also turns crossing it into a bold challenge.
- Lucifer's laugh — "Ha! ha!" serves as the briefest affirmation that the legend is indeed real. It disrupts the guide's performance and reminds the reader that the supernatural isn't merely a tale for tourists — it's here, attentive, and entertained.
Historical context
Longfellow published *Christus: A Mystery* in 1872, a lengthy dramatic poem divided into three parts that explores the journey of Christian history. "Guide" is a brief dramatic piece within this larger work, set against the stunning backdrop of Switzerland's Alpine landscape, where the famous Teufelsbrücke (Devil's Bridge) spans the Schöllenen Gorge above the Reuss River. This bridge has been a notable landmark on the St. Gotthard Pass since the 13th century, and by Longfellow's time, the legend surrounding its devilish construction was well-known in European folklore. The poem fits into a Romantic tradition that finds both the sublime and the sinister in extreme natural scenery. Longfellow's choice of a dramatic monologue format, complete with stage direction for Lucifer, mirrors the overall theatrical structure of *Christus*, which was intended to be read rather than performed but draws heavily on dramatic conventions.
FAQ
It refers to the Teufelsbrücke, a stone arch bridge in the Schöllenen Gorge of Switzerland that spans the Reuss River along the St. Gotthard Pass route. According to local legend, the Devil constructed the bridge in return for the soul of the first being to cross it. Longfellow visited Switzerland, and this bridge is featured in his dramatic poem *Christus: A Mystery* (1872).
It’s an excerpt from *Christus: A Mystery*, Longfellow's lengthy dramatic poem released in 1872. The complete work is split into three sections: *The Divine Tragedy*, *The Golden Legend*, and *The New England Tragedies*. This particular scene is found in *The Golden Legend*, which takes place in medieval Europe.
That brevity is the whole joke. The guide has just given a long, excited speech about how terrifying and supernatural the gorge looks, and Lucifer — who is literally hiding under the bridge — simply laughs. He doesn’t need to explain himself. His presence confirms the legend, and his amusement at the tourists’ dramatic descriptions is the punchline.
Here, "cataract" refers to a large, powerful waterfall — specifically, the Reuss River's torrent as it crashes down through the Schöllenen Gorge. This term is an older literary expression for a waterfall of such magnitude and force, setting it apart from a gentle cascade.
The eight-line stanza uses an ABABCDCD rhyme scheme: *Bridge / ridge*, *chasm / spasm*, *deep / cracked* (a near-rhyme), *cataract / steep* (another near-rhyme). Longfellow maintains a brisk pace with the rhymes, matching the guide's lively, theatrical energy.
*Christus: A Mystery* is crafted as a dramatic poem — it resembles a play, complete with character names and stage directions, but it's designed for reading instead of performance. This approach allows Longfellow to introduce Lucifer into the scene without shifting into narration, preserving the intensity and theatricality of the moment.
Both at once, which is what makes it work. The guide's speech creates a truly eerie atmosphere — the gorge sounds frightening. But Lucifer's laugh at the end adds a layer of dark comedy. Longfellow is exploring the contrast between the tourist's theatrical delivery and the real supernatural presence just beneath the surface.
On the surface, it's about nature — particularly the awe-inspiring power of a mountain gorge and waterfall. However, it also delves into themes of fear (the chasm, the tumultuous water), the eerie presence of evil in our world, and how humans craft stories to make sense of intimidating landscapes. The Devil's laugh adds a touch of dark comedy, highlighting the contrast between how things seem and how they truly are.