THANGBRAND THE PRIEST by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This poem narrates the tale of Thangbrand, a boisterous, brawling, heavy-drinking priest dispatched by King Olaf of Norway to convert the people of Iceland to Christianity—mainly because the King wanted to rid his court of him.
The poem
Short of stature, large of limb, Burly face and russet beard, All the women stared at him, When in Iceland he appeared. "Look!" they said, With nodding head, "There goes Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest." All the prayers he knew by rote, He could preach like Chrysostome, From the Fathers he could quote, He had even been at Rome, A learned clerk, A man of mark, Was this Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest, He was quarrelsome and loud, And impatient of control, Boisterous in the market crowd, Boisterous at the wassail-bowl, Everywhere Would drink and swear, Swaggering Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest In his house this malcontent Could the King no longer bear, So to Iceland he was sent To convert the heathen there, And away One summer day Sailed this Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. There in Iceland, o'er their books Pored the people day and night, But he did not like their looks, Nor the songs they used to write. "All this rhyme Is waste of time!" Grumbled Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. To the alehouse, where he sat Came the Scalds and Saga-men; Is it to be wondered at, That they quarrelled now and then, When o'er his beer Began to leer Drunken Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest? All the folk in Altafiord Boasted of their island grand; Saying in a single word, "Iceland is the finest land That the sun Doth shine upon!" Loud laughed Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. And he answered: "What's the use Of this bragging up and down, When three women and one goose Make a market in your town!" Every Scald Satires scrawled On poor Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. Something worse they did than that; And what vexed him most of all Was a figure in shovel hat, Drawn in charcoal on the wall; With words that go Sprawling below, "This is Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest." Hardly knowing what he did, Then he smote them might and main, Thorvald Veile and Veterlid Lay there in the alehouse slain. "To-day we are gold, To-morrow mould!" Muttered Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. Much in fear of axe and rope, Back to Norway sailed he then. "O, King Olaf! little hope Is there of these Iceland men!" Meekly said, With bending head, Pious Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest. X
This poem narrates the tale of Thangbrand, a boisterous, brawling, heavy-drinking priest dispatched by King Olaf of Norway to convert the people of Iceland to Christianity—mainly because the King wanted to rid his court of him. Thangbrand has a series of confrontations with the Icelanders, ends up killing two men during a drunken fight, and returns to Norway in disgrace, having achieved nothing. Longfellow treats the entire episode as dark comedy, depicting Thangbrand as a striking contradiction: a man of God who acts like the most disreputable thug.
Line-by-line
Short of stature, large of limb, / Burly face and russet beard,
All the prayers he knew by rote, / He could preach like Chrysostome,
He was quarrelsome and loud, / And impatient of control,
In his house this malcontent / Could the King no longer bear,
There in Iceland, o'er their books / Pored the people day and night,
To the alehouse, where he sat / Came the Scalds and Saga-men;
All the folk in Altafiord / Boasted of their island grand;
And he answered: "What's the use / Of this bragging up and down,
Something worse they did than that; / And what vexed him most of all
Hardly knowing what he did, / Then he smote them might and main,
Much in fear of axe and rope, / Back to Norway sailed he then.
Tone & mood
The tone is comic and satirical throughout, but it takes on a darker edge in the final two stanzas. Longfellow maintains a light, ballad-like rhythm that makes the violence hit even harder by contrast. There’s a sense of affection in the portrayal — Thangbrand is too vivid and too human to be just a villain — but the poem never lets him off the hook. The repeating refrain acts like a punchline that keeps getting reloaded.
Symbols & metaphors
- The refrain — "Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest" — The refrain serves as the poem's main ironic element. Each stanza adds a new adjective — *swaggering*, *drunken*, *pious* — that clashes with the title's dignity. By the end, the phrase has turned into a punchline, much like the effect of the Icelanders' wall graffiti in the story.
- The charcoal caricature on the wall — The drawing captures how art and satire can humiliate those in power. It's the moment that shatters Thangbrand's self-control and sets off the killings — suggesting that mockery, rather than theology, is the true driving force in this poem.
- The alehouse — The alehouse is where Thangbrand's contradictions are most apparent. For the Icelanders, it serves as a hub of community and culture, while for him, it becomes a setting for self-destruction. His frequent visits suggest that he feels more at ease in pagan social life than in the church he is meant to represent.
- Iceland itself — Iceland acts like a mirror. Its literary culture, sense of pride, and refusal to be converted all showcase what Thangbrand lacks: patience, respect, and genuine faith. The land he’s meant to save ultimately reveals his shortcomings.
- "To-day we are gold, / To-morrow mould" — This memento mori couplet represents the sole instance of authentic religious sentiment in the poem. It implies that Thangbrand possesses a soul beneath his bravado — yet this realization emerges only after he has committed murder, rendering it more tragic than redemptive.
Historical context
Thangbrand was a real historical figure, referenced in the Icelandic sagas — especially *Njáls saga* — as a German priest sent by King Olaf Tryggvason around 997 AD to convert Iceland to Christianity. The actual Thangbrand did kill several men and returned to Norway with very few converts. Longfellow used this story in *The Saga of King Olaf*, a long narrative poem included in his 1863 collection *Tales of a Wayside Inn*. This collection uses a storytelling format inspired by Chaucer: a group of travelers at a Massachusetts inn share stories with one another. The Thangbrand episode is one part of the Musician's tale. Longfellow had a deep interest in Norse mythology and medieval Scandinavian culture, and *The Saga of King Olaf* represents one of the most thorough explorations of that material in American poetry.
FAQ
Yes. Thangbrand appears in several Icelandic sagas, especially *Njáls saga*, as a priest sent by King Olaf Tryggvason to convert Iceland around 997 AD. The sagas depict him as aggressive and challenging, noting that he killed at least two or three men during his mission before returning to Norway. Longfellow closely adheres to this historical outline.
The poem is a ballad consisting of eleven stanzas, each with seven lines. Every stanza concludes with the same refrain — *"[adjective] Thangbrand, Olaf's Priest"* — with the adjective changing each time to capture Thangbrand's behavior in that moment. This repeating format is what creates the poem's comic rhythm and adds its satirical impact.
King Olaf Tryggvason was a Norwegian king who reigned from 995 to 1000 AD and fervently advocated for Christianity across Scandinavia. In the poem, he dispatches Thangbrand to Iceland, not solely for missionary purposes but because Thangbrand has become too troublesome to remain at court. This mission serves as both an exile and a religious undertaking.
Skalds were Norse poets known for their formal verse, frequently celebrating kings and warriors. Saga-men were the storytellers and authors of the prose sagas. Iceland boasted a remarkably vibrant literary culture, and Longfellow uses these figures to embody that richness—making Thangbrand's disdain for their writing all the more ironic, considering he is a learned man himself.
The immediate trigger is the charcoal caricature on the alehouse wall — a mocking portrait of him with his name and title. After suffering through written satires from the Scalds, seeing himself literally portrayed as a figure of ridicule is the last straw. Longfellow notes he acted *"hardly knowing what he did,"* implying it was blind rage rather than a calculated decision.
It serves as a memento mori — a reminder that life is fleeting and death is inevitable. Thangbrand mutters this right after he kills the two men, and it’s the only moment in the poem where he truly sounds like a priest. The phrase recognizes life's fragility, but it arrives too late to stop the violence and fails to offer any form of atonement.
Largely, yes. Longfellow portrays Thangbrand as a comic character — the pompous, hypocritical churchman is a classic satirical type. The lively ballad meter and the ironic refrain maintain a light tone for most of the poem. However, the killing of two men in the tenth stanza takes a serious turn, and the ending — Thangbrand sneaking back to Norway — feels more deflating than humorous.
It is one part of *The Saga of King Olaf*, a lengthy narrative poem found in *Tales of a Wayside Inn* (1863). This collection is inspired by Chaucer's *Canterbury Tales*, where various narrators share stories at an inn in Massachusetts. The Thangbrand episode comes from the Musician's contribution. Longfellow had a deep interest in Norse culture and studied Old Norse texts firsthand.