HEARTSEASE AND RUE. by James Russell Lowell: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
*Heartsease and Rue* is a later collection of poems by James Russell Lowell, bringing together shorter lyrics, dedications, occasional verses, and reflections crafted over many years.
The poem
Hebe. Heritage, The. Holmes, To. Hood, To the Memory of. How I consulted the Oracle of the Goldfishes. Hunger and Cold. In a Copy of Omar Khayydm. In Absence. In an Album. In the Half-Way House. In the Twilight. Incident in a Railroad Car, An. Incident of the Fire at Hamburg, An. Indian-Summer Reverie, An. Inscriptions. For a Bell at Cornell University. For a Memorial Window to Sir Walter Raleigh, set up in St. Margaret's, Westminster, by American Contributors. Proposed for a Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Boston. International Copyright. Interview with Miles Standish, An. Inveraray, On Planting a Tree at. Invita Minerva. Invitation, An. Irené. Jonathan to John. Keats, To the Spirit of. Kettelopotomachia. Kossuth. Lamartine, To. Landlord, The.
*Heartsease and Rue* is a later collection of poems by James Russell Lowell, bringing together shorter lyrics, dedications, occasional verses, and reflections crafted over many years. The title perfectly captures the mood: heartsease (a wildflower symbolizing peace of mind) stands alongside rue (a bitter herb representing regret), suggesting that the book explores the coexistence of joy and sorrow. It feels like a poet in his sixties reflecting on a rich life, affirming that both the sweet and the bitter experiences were valuable.
Line-by-line
Hebe. / Heritage, The.
Holmes, To. / Hood, To the Memory of.
How I consulted the Oracle of the Goldfishes. / Hunger and Cold.
In a Copy of Omar Khayyám. / In Absence.
In an Album. / In the Half-Way House.
In the Twilight. / Incident in a Railroad Car, An.
Incident of the Fire at Hamburg, An. / Indian-Summer Reverie, An.
Inscriptions. / For a Bell at Cornell University.
For a Memorial Window to Sir Walter Raleigh... / Proposed for a Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument in Boston.
International Copyright. / Interview with Miles Standish, An.
Inveraray, On Planting a Tree at. / Invita Minerva.
Invitation, An. / Irené.
Jonathan to John.
Keats, To the Spirit of. / Kettelopotomachia.
Kossuth.
Lamartine, To. / Landlord, The.
Tone & mood
The tone throughout *Heartsease and Rue* is always changing, and that change is intentional. Lowell transitions from nostalgic warmth to sharp humor, from civic frustration to quiet amazement, often within just one page. You get the sense of a man who has solidified his views and isn't rushing to make them more comfortable for others. Affection is present in abundance, but it comes from someone who has experienced genuine loss and disappointment.
Symbols & metaphors
- Heartsease (the wildflower) — Heartsease is an old name for the wild pansy, but it also means relief from sorrow. Lowell uses it to capture those fleeting moments of true peace and joy that make life meaningful—small, effortless, and often easy to miss.
- Rue — Rue represents both a bitter medicinal herb and the English verb for regret. Lowell captures both meanings simultaneously: regret has a bitter quality, yet, much like the herb, it can also provide utility and clarity. The title connects it with heartsease, suggesting that a rich life encompasses both experiences.
- The planted tree — In *On Planting a Tree at Inveraray*, planting a tree that you won't see grow symbolizes faith in the future and in others. This idea reflects a common theme in Lowell's work: that the most meaningful actions we take often benefit those we may never know.
- The bell — The Cornell bell inscription symbolizes time that we can hear together. A bell doesn’t just signal time for one individual; it announces the hours for everyone who listens, reflecting Lowell's belief that good poetry should resonate with all.
- Indian summer — The warm days that follow the first cold snap of autumn are beautiful because they feel like borrowed time. Lowell uses the image of Indian summer to represent old age: still bright, still warm, but knowing that winter is just around the corner.
- The half-way house — A literal stopping point on a long journey, but Lowell uses it to represent old age — that stage of life where you can clearly reflect on the path you've traveled but haven’t reached the end yet. It’s not tragic nor comfortable; it’s just honest.
Historical context
James Russell Lowell published *Heartsease and Rue* in 1888, just three years before he passed away. By that time, he had already made a name for himself as a Harvard professor, served as the editor of the *Atlantic Monthly*, and held the positions of U.S. Minister to Spain and then to Britain. He was one of the most prominent American literary figures of the nineteenth century. This collection features poems he wrote over the years, many of which were occasional, crafted for specific people, events, or places. The title refers to the old language of flowers, where heartsease symbolizes comfort and rue signifies regret. Lowell penned these works while reflecting on the long-lasting effects of the Civil War, the loss of close friends like Hawthorne and Thoreau, and the reality of aging. The book represents a moment at the close of the American Romantic tradition, acknowledging how the once-unshakeable optimism of mid-century had been profoundly challenged by historical events and exploring what still held value in a changing world.
FAQ
Both words originate from the Victorian-era language of flowers. Heartsease refers to the wild pansy and signifies relief from grief or worry. Rue, on the other hand, is a bitter herb whose name represents regret or sorrow. Lowell combines these terms to express that a genuine life — and a true collection of poems — encompasses both comfort and regret, with neither negating the other.
It’s a collection. *Heartsease and Rue* brings together shorter poems that Lowell crafted over the years — elegies, dedications, nature lyrics, comic verses, political poems, and inscriptions. The table of contents reflects the individual poems in the book, rather than stanzas from a single poem.
Lowell was a key figure in American literature during the nineteenth century. He worked as a poet, critic, and editor for the *Atlantic Monthly*, and later served as a diplomat. He was a strong advocate for abolishing slavery, treated American poetry as a serious craft, and passionately supported international copyright. When he published this collection, he was among the most renowned writers in the English-speaking world, although his reputation has since diminished.
It’s a lengthy nature lyric reflecting on the unusual warm spell that occasionally hits New England after the initial chill of autumn. Lowell uses this moment to meditate on beauty that’s fleeting— the landscape is stunning precisely because winter is on the horizon. It also subtly touches on aging and the unique clarity that arises when you realize time is limited.
'Jonathan' represents Brother Jonathan, the American everyman and a precursor to Uncle Sam. 'John' symbolizes John Bull, the embodiment of Britain. This poem emerged during the Civil War when Lowell was outraged by Britain's apparent inclination to recognize the Confederacy. It's filled with anger, wit, and genuine pain — the voice of someone who had expected more from a long-standing ally.
Lowell viewed literature as a community that transcends both time and national borders. In his letters to Keats, Holmes, Hood, Lamartine, and others, he conveyed that poets engage in a dialogue with one another, regardless of whether they are living or deceased, and whether they hail from America or Europe. This approach also served as a critique — by praising a writer through verse, he expressed his beliefs about the purpose of poetry to his readers.
It’s a Latin phrase that translates to 'against the will of Minerva,' referring to the goddess of wisdom and the arts. The Roman poet Horace used it to describe writing that happens when inspiration is absent. Lowell adopts it as a title to humorously acknowledge that not every poem flows effortlessly — sometimes you write regardless, and other times, maybe you shouldn’t have.
It sits at the end of the American Romantic tradition. Lowell was part of the same Boston-Cambridge circle as Emerson, Longfellow, Holmes, and Whittier. By 1888, most of them were either deceased or quite old, while the younger generation — Whitman, Dickinson, and later the Modernists — was steering American poetry in entirely new directions. *Heartsease and Rue* serves as a sort of farewell to an old way of understanding what poetry should accomplish.