PETER. by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This brief dramatic monologue immerses us in the thoughts of Simon Peter, the fisherman destined to become one of Jesus's closest disciples, immediately following the miraculous catch of fish recounted in the Gospel of Luke.
The poem
Never was such a marvellous draught of fishes Heard of in Galilee! The market-places Both of Bethsaida and Capernaum Are full of them! Yet we had toiled all night And taken nothing, when the Master said: Launch out into the deep, and cast your nets; And doing this, we caught such multitudes, Our nets like spiders' webs were snapped asunder, And with the draught we filled two ships so full That they began to sink. Then I knelt down Amazed, and said: O Lord, depart from me, I am a sinful man. And he made answer: Simon, fear not; henceforth thou shalt catch men! What was the meaning of those words?
This brief dramatic monologue immerses us in the thoughts of Simon Peter, the fisherman destined to become one of Jesus's closest disciples, immediately following the miraculous catch of fish recounted in the Gospel of Luke. Peter is astounded by the recent events and continues to ponder the puzzling phrase Jesus spoke — "henceforth thou shalt catch men" — as he attempts to decipher its meaning. The poem concludes with this unresolved question, inviting the reader to share in Peter's sense of wonder and bewilderment.
Line-by-line
Never was such a marvellous draught of fishes / Heard of in Galilee!
The market-places / Both of Bethsaida and Capernaum / Are full of them!
Yet we had toiled all night / And taken nothing, when the Master said:
Launch out into the deep, and cast your nets; / And doing this, we caught such multitudes,
Our nets like spiders' webs were snapped asunder, / And with the draught we filled two ships so full
That they began to sink. Then I knelt down / Amazed, and said: O Lord, depart from me,
I am a sinful man. And he made answer: / Simon, fear not; henceforth thou shalt catch men!
What was the meaning of those words?
Tone & mood
The tone feels both curious and uneasy. Peter's words convey the energy of someone who has just encountered something inexplicable and can't shake it from his mind. There’s a sense of wonder mixed with a hint of fear, but no clear conclusion — the poem concludes in a state of confusion rather than in faith or victory. Longfellow maintains a straightforward, conversational style, which adds to the authenticity of the miracle rather than diminishing it.
Symbols & metaphors
- The miraculous draught of fish — The incredible catch of fish is the key indication that something extraordinary is happening. It marks a turning point—before it, Peter is simply a fisherman; afterward, everything changes.
- The deep — Jesus tells Peter to "launch out into the deep." On the surface, this refers to going into deeper water, but it also symbolizes stepping into the unknown — the spiritual realm Peter is being urged to explore, which is well beyond what he’s encountered before.
- Nets snapped like spiders' webs — The fragility of the nets compared to the size of the catch highlights how ordinary human tools and frameworks fall short when faced with the divine. What Peter believed to be strong enough just isn't.
- Kneeling — Peter's instinct to kneel shows his sense of submission and feeling of unworthiness. It indicates that he acknowledges the presence of something greater than himself, even if he can't quite name or grasp it yet.
- "Catch men" — The poem's central symbol is Jesus's use of fishing language to describe apostleship. It reframes Peter's familiar life as preparation for an entirely different path — his vocation isn’t erased but rather transformed.
Historical context
Longfellow published a series of short dramatic monologues titled *Christus: A Mystery* in 1872, a project he dedicated decades to and regarded as his most ambitious work. "Peter" is part of the section called *The Divine Tragedy*, which brings to life scenes from the Gospels through the voices of those who experienced them firsthand. At the time, biblical themes were approached with great seriousness in both literature and art, and Longfellow's method of giving ordinary figures like Peter an inner voice aimed to make scripture feel more human and immediate, rather than distant and doctrinal. The text draws from Luke 5:1–11, which tells the story of the miraculous catch of fish and Peter's call to follow Jesus. Longfellow was 65 when *Christus* was published, and this project reflects the theological doubts and personal sorrow he faced after losing his wife in a fire in 1861.
FAQ
It's a dramatic monologue — Peter speaks aloud, reflecting on the moment Jesus performed a miraculous catch of fish and told him he would "catch men" instead. The poem explores Peter's struggle to make sense of a life-changing experience that he doesn't fully grasp yet.
It is taken straight from Luke 5:1–11 in the New Testament. Longfellow stays true to the Gospel narrative but weaves in his own details, particularly the vivid comparison of the nets to spiders' webs.
It's a deeply rooted human instinct: when faced with something truly holy or awe-inspiring, our initial reaction is often to feel unworthy and want to retreat. Peter isn't turning his back on Jesus — he's simply expressing that he doesn't feel like the right person to be this close to such a powerful presence.
Jesus is telling Peter that his life as a fisherman is about to take a new direction. Instead of catching fish, he will now "catch" people, gathering followers and sharing Jesus' message. This calling is framed in the context of Peter's trade, which makes it resonate deeply with him.
Because Peter doesn't have the answer yet. Longfellow is capturing the moment *before* Peter transforms into the confident apostle we know from later tradition. At this point, he's just a fisherman in a boat full of fish, genuinely uncertain about what his future holds. This open question encourages the reader to embrace that uncertainty.
A dramatic monologue is a poem that captures the voice of a particular character at a particular moment — similar to a speech in a play, but without the surrounding context of the entire play. Longfellow employs this technique here to delve into Peter's thoughts, making a well-known biblical story feel personal and immediate instead of distant and religious.
Yes. It's a part of *Christus: A Mystery* (1872), a lengthy dramatic poem that Longfellow worked on for decades. The section is from *The Divine Tragedy*, which brings to life scenes from the Gospels using the voices of witnesses and participants.
It's Longfellow's own twist on the biblical story, and it works because it portrays the nets—Peter's essential tools for making a living—as suddenly fragile and almost hilariously insufficient. This highlights the miracle's magnitude without falling back on vague superlatives.