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The Annotated Edition

NAZARETH by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

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This brief poem depicts a scene from Longfellow's larger dramatic piece *Christus: A Mystery*.

Poet
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Themes
faith, freedom, hope
The PoemFull text

NAZARETH

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

CHRISTUS, reading in the Synagogue. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. He hath anointed me to preach good tidings Unto the poor; to heal the broken-hearted; To comfort those that mourn, and to throw open The prison doors of captives, and proclaim The Year Acceptable of the Lord, our God! He closes the book and sits down.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

This brief poem depicts a scene from Longfellow's larger dramatic piece *Christus: A Mystery*. In it, Jesus stands in the synagogue at Nazareth, reads from the scroll of Isaiah, and then takes a seat—effectively revealing his identity and purpose. It encapsulates the moment he declares his mission: to aid the poor, heal the brokenhearted, free the captives, and usher in a time of divine grace. The stage directions lend a theatrical quality, immersing the reader in the atmosphere of the moment.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me. / He hath anointed me to preach good tidings

    Editor's note

    Jesus begins by quoting Isaiah 61:1, presenting himself as the one chosen and empowered by God. The term *anointed* is the basis for "Messiah," which means he subtly asserts a significant claim about his identity without stating it directly.

  2. Unto the poor; to heal the broken-hearted; / To comfort those that mourn

    Editor's note

    The mission is outlined in a list: the poor, the broken-hearted, and those in grief. Each of these groups represents some of the most vulnerable members of society. The rhythm of the list—using short, parallel phrases—adds a formal, almost ritualistic tone to the speech, as if each group is being recognized and honored.

  3. and to throw open / The prison doors of captives

    Editor's note

    This image of prison doors swinging open carries both a literal and symbolic meaning. Originally from Isaiah, it referred to the release of people from physical captivity; when spoken by Jesus, it gains a spiritual aspect as well—liberation from sin, despair, and oppression. The phrase *throw open* is dynamic and even forceful, implying that this freedom is both powerful and total.

  4. and proclaim / The Year Acceptable of the Lord, our God!

    Editor's note

    The "Year Acceptable" signifies the Jubilee year in Jewish law — a period when debts were wiped clean, slaves were freed, and land was returned to its rightful owners. By referencing this concept, Jesus positions his ministry as a cosmic reset, a moment when justice is restored. The exclamation mark and the final stage direction — *He closes the book and sits down* — allow the silence to convey the weight of the moment.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone is serious and authoritative — this feels like a public declaration rather than a personal reflection. There's a sense of quiet confidence: it presents a statement of purpose without any argument or persuasion, simply delivered and allowed to resonate. The stage direction at the end ("He closes the book and sits down") brings a theatrical calm, suggesting that the words are so complete they require no further comment.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The Spirit of the Lord
Divine authorization and power. This indicates that what comes next is not just a personal ambition but a calling from beyond the speaker — he operates not under his own authority but under God's.
Prison doors
Both literal imprisonment and any form of bondage—poverty, grief, sin, oppression. Throwing them *open* implies a liberation that is immediate and complete, rather than gradual.
The Year Acceptable (Jubilee)
A specific institution from the Old Testament where all debts and bondages were forgiven. This is used here to symbolize divine justice and renewal—a world restored after a long period of imbalance.
Closing the book and sitting down
In the synagogue tradition, a teacher would sit down to share his interpretation after reading. This gesture indicates that the reading is over and leaves the meaning — *I am the fulfillment of this text* — lingering in the air for the congregation to take in.

§06Historical context

Historical context

This poem is taken from Longfellow's ambitious three-part dramatic work, *Christus: A Mystery* (1872), which he spent over thirty years crafting. The complete piece explores the history of Christianity, starting with Jesus' life and continuing through the early church and into the medieval era. "Nazareth" is from the first part, *The Divine Tragedy*, and depicts the moment in Luke 4:16–21 when Jesus reads from Isaiah in the synagogue of his hometown. Throughout his career, Longfellow was drawn to grand religious and historical themes, and *Christus* stands as his most personal theological reflection. The poem captures the mid-19th-century American fascination with both the historical figure of Jesus and the social gospel — the belief that Christianity's main focus should be on justice and caring for those in need, rather than solely on personal salvation.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

The words are taken nearly verbatim from Isaiah 61:1–2, as quoted in Luke 4:18–19, giving it a biblical tone. However, the poem itself is Longfellow's dramatic interpretation of that scene—he presents it as a moment in a play rather than as scripture.

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