THE AIR by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This short dramatic monologue is delivered by Hermes, the messenger god, as he departs from the titan Prometheus, who is chained on his crag, and soars back up to Mount Olympus.
The poem
HERMES (returning to Olympus.) As lonely as the tower that he inhabits, As firm and cold as are the crags about him, Prometheus stands. The thunderbolts of Zeus Alone can move him; but the tender heart Of Epimetheus, burning at white heat, Hammers and flames like all his brother's forges! Now as an arrow from Hyperion's bow, My errand done, I fly, I float, I soar Into the air, returning to Olympus. O joy of motion! O delight to cleave The infinite realms of space, the liquid ether, Through the warm sunshine and the cooling cloud, Myself as light as sunbeam or as cloud! With one touch of my swift and winged feet, I spurn the solid earth, and leave it rocking As rocks the bough from which a bird takes wing. V
This short dramatic monologue is delivered by Hermes, the messenger god, as he departs from the titan Prometheus, who is chained on his crag, and soars back up to Mount Olympus. Hermes contrasts Prometheus's cold, unyielding suffering with his own light, pure joy of flight. The poem celebrates freedom and movement — that exhilarating sensation of leaving the heavy earth behind and merging into the open sky.
Line-by-line
As lonely as the tower that he inhabits, / As firm and cold as are the crags about him,
Prometheus stands. The thunderbolts of Zeus / Alone can move him; but the tender heart
Now as an arrow from Hyperion's bow, / My errand done, I fly, I float, I soar
Into the air, returning to Olympus. / O joy of motion! O delight to cleave
The infinite realms of space, the liquid ether, / Through the warm sunshine and the cooling cloud,
Myself as light as sunbeam or as cloud! / With one touch of my swift and winged feet,
I spurn the solid earth, and leave it rocking / As rocks the bough from which a bird takes wing.
Tone & mood
The tone shifts in two distinct movements. The opening lines are steady and serious — Hermes is discussing suffering, and the language feels cold and weighty to reflect that. Once he takes off into the sky, however, the tone shifts to one of exhilaration and almost giddiness. The exclamations come across as genuinely spontaneous, rather than staged. There's also a subtle contrast woven throughout: Hermes's joy is heightened by the misery he is leaving behind.
Symbols & metaphors
- The crags and tower — The rocky landscape surrounding Prometheus symbolizes confinement, rigidity, and the heavy burden of suffering. Stone contrasts sharply with air — it is inescapable, unyielding, and endures through time.
- Winged feet — Hermes's sandals are key to his identity as the messenger god, but they also symbolize a larger idea: the privilege of freedom of movement. They distinguish him from the bound Prometheus below.
- The rocking bough — The last image of a branch swaying after a bird flies away symbolizes departure and the mark left by freedom. It brings the divine down to a human level, making Hermes's flight feel tangible rather than just a myth.
- The forge / white heat — Epimetheus's intense, pounding heart represents deep emotional pain — passionate, consuming, and exhausting. This imagery resonates with the forge connected to Prometheus's gift of fire to humanity, linking personal sorrow to the broader myth.
- Liquid ether — The upper atmosphere, likened to liquid, implies that the sky is its own version of an ocean—a space where Hermes navigates just as effortlessly as a fish swims in water. This perspective makes freedom seem like an inherent trait rather than something to strive for.
Historical context
This passage is from Longfellow's dramatic poem *Prometheus; or, The Poet's Forethought*, which is part of the larger collection *Masque of Pandora and Other Poems* published in 1875. Written later in his career, Longfellow uses Greek mythology to explore the role of the poet. He connects with Prometheus, the figure who brought fire (representing knowledge and art) to humanity and faced punishment for it. Hermes appears as the divine messenger, bridging different realms, and his dialogue serves as a pause—a breath of fresh air amid the scenes of suffering. Longfellow was significantly influenced by classical literature and German Romanticism, which is evident in the poem's blend of the formal elegance of Greek drama with the Romantic appreciation for nature and emotion. By 1875, he had become the most widely read poet among English speakers.
FAQ
Hermes, the Greek messenger god, is the one speaking. The stage direction 'HERMES (returning to Olympus)' indicates that he has just visited Prometheus on his rock and is now making his way back to the home of the gods. He shares his observations and revels in his own ability to move freely.
Both elements are present, but their emphasis changes throughout the poem. In the first half, Prometheus represents suffering and immovability. By the second half, the focus shifts to the physical and emotional joy of flight. Prometheus serves primarily as a contrasting figure—his heaviness and imprisonment amplify the exhilaration of Hermes's ascent into the air.
'Spurn' carries two meanings simultaneously: to push off from something using your foot, and to reject or disdain something with contempt. Hermes is literally kicking off the ground with his winged sandals, while also rejecting the earth — its weight, its suffering, its limitations — as he ascends.
Hyperion is the Titan god of the sun, which makes his bow resemble a solar image — the arrow represents a ray of light. This comparison grants Hermes both speed (arrows strike instantly) and radiance (sunlight). It also anchors the poem within the Greek mythological realm that Longfellow is creating.
In ancient Greek cosmology, ether was the pure, luminous substance that occupied the upper atmosphere above the clouds — the very air that the gods breathed. Describing it as 'liquid' suggests a realm where Hermes might swim rather than just fly. This imagery adds texture to the sky and transforms the concept of freedom into a tangible, sensory experience.
Epimetheus, the brother of Prometheus, is known in myth as the one who accepted Pandora and brought suffering into the world. Longfellow employs him as an emotional contrast to Prometheus. While Prometheus remains cold and unyielding, Epimetheus is filled with intense emotion. His 'tender heart' pounding 'at white heat' conveys a sense of grief and guilt, and the imagery of the forge links him to his brother's well-known gift of fire.
After all the grand mythological imagery—Olympus, Zeus's thunderbolts, infinite space—Longfellow concludes with something small and ordinary: a branch swaying after a bird has flown away. This intentional scaling-down makes Hermes's departure feel tangible and visible. It also subtly hints that freedom always leaves something behind, gently rocking in its wake.
Yes. This is a speech from Longfellow's dramatic poem *Prometheus; or, The Poet's Forethought*, which appeared in his 1875 collection *Masque of Pandora and Other Poems*. The 'V' below the text indicates that it is the fifth section of this larger work. Longfellow created it as a closet drama, intended for reading rather than performance.