THE BUILDING OF THE LONG SERPENT by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
A proud master shipbuilder named Thorberg Skafting is hired by King Olaf to create the greatest ship Norway has ever seen—twice the size of the legendary Dragon.
The poem
Thorberg Skafting, master-builder, In his ship-yard by the sea, Whistling, said, "It would bewilder Any man but Thorberg Skafting, Any man but me!" Near him lay the Dragon stranded, Built of old by Raud the Strong, And King Olaf had commanded He should build another Dragon, Twice as large and long. Therefore whistled Thorberg Skafting, As he sat with half-closed eyes, And his head turned sideways, drafting That new vessel for King Olaf Twice the Dragon's size. Round him busily hewed and hammered Mallet huge and heavy axe; Workmen laughed and sang and clamored; Whirred the wheels, that into rigging Spun the shining flax! All this tumult heard the master,-- It was music to his ear; Fancy whispered all the faster, "Men shall hear of Thorberg Skafting For a hundred year!" Workmen sweating at the forges Fashioned iron bolt and bar, Like a warlock's midnight orgies Smoked and bubbled the black caldron With the boiling tar. Did the warlocks mingle in it, Thorberg Skafting, any curse? Could you not be gone a minute But some mischief must be doing, Turning bad to worse? 'T was an ill wind that came wafting, From his homestead words of woe To his farm went Thorberg Skafting, Oft repeating to his workmen, Build ye thus and so. After long delays returning Came the master back by night To his ship-yard longing, yearning, Hurried he, and did not leave it Till the morning's light. "Come and see my ship, my darling" On the morrow said the King; "Finished now from keel to carling; Never yet was seen in Norway Such a wondrous thing!" In the ship-yard, idly talking, At the ship the workmen stared: Some one, all their labor balking, Down her sides had cut deep gashes, Not a plank was spared! "Death be to the evil-doer!" With an oath King Olaf spoke; "But rewards to his pursuer And with wrath his face grew redder Than his scarlet cloak. Straight the master-builder, smiling, Answered thus the angry King: "Cease blaspheming and reviling, Olaf, it was Thorberg Skafting Who has done this thing!" Then he chipped and smoothed the planking, Till the King, delighted, swore, With much lauding and much thanking, "Handsomer is now my Dragon Than she was before!" Seventy ells and four extended On the grass the vessel's keel; High above it, gilt and splendid, Rose the figure-head ferocious With its crest of steel. Then they launched her from the tressels, In the ship-yard by the sea; She was the grandest of all vessels, Never ship was built in Norway Half so fine as she! The Long Serpent was she christened, 'Mid the roar of cheer on cheer! They who to the Saga listened Heard the name of Thorberg Skafting For a hundred year!
A proud master shipbuilder named Thorberg Skafting is hired by King Olaf to create the greatest ship Norway has ever seen—twice the size of the legendary Dragon. When Thorberg secretly makes deep cuts into the nearly finished hull, the king is furious. However, Thorberg then transforms those cuts into a sleeker, more beautiful shape, demonstrating that what seemed like sabotage was actually a stroke of genius. The ship, named the Long Serpent, becomes legendary, and so does the name of the man who built her.
Line-by-line
Thorberg Skafting, master-builder, / In his ship-yard by the sea,
Near him lay the Dragon stranded, / Built of old by Raud the Strong,
Therefore whistled Thorberg Skafting, / As he sat with half-closed eyes,
Round him busily hewed and hammered / Mallet huge and heavy axe;
All this tumult heard the master, -- / It was music to his ear;
Workmen sweating at the forges / Fashioned iron bolt and bar,
Did the warlocks mingle in it, / Thorberg Skafting, any curse?
'T was an ill wind that came wafting, / From his homestead words of woe
After long delays returning / Came the master back by night
"Come and see my ship, my darling" / On the morrow said the King;
In the ship-yard, idly talking, / At the ship the workmen stared:
"Death be to the evil-doer!" / With an oath King Olaf spoke;
Straight the master-builder, smiling, / Answered thus the angry King:
Then he chipped and smoothed the planking, / Till the King, delighted, swore,
Seventy ells and four extended / On the grass the vessel's keel;
Then they launched her from the tressels, / In the ship-yard by the sea;
The Long Serpent was she christened, / 'Mid the roar of cheer on cheer!
Tone & mood
The tone is upbeat and slightly braggadocious, reflecting the hero's character. Longfellow writes with the enthusiasm of a storyteller who truly enjoys sharing the tale — the king's furious outbursts come with a sense of humor, the busy shipyard is depicted with warmth, and there's genuine admiration for skilled craftsmanship. Beneath the lively rhythm lies a more subdued note of respect: this poem strongly believes in the ability of art and hard work to grant a person a kind of immortality.
Symbols & metaphors
- The Long Serpent — The ship stands as the heart of artistic achievement. It embodies what a skilled craftsman can create when allowed to pursue his vision fully, even if that vision seems reckless to others.
- The gashes in the hull — What may appear as vandalism or sabotage is actually the artist's keen eye for correction. The cuts represent the bold, disruptive action that distinguishes a great artist from a competent one — the readiness to gamble everything on a more compelling idea.
- The boiling tar caldron — Compared to a warlock's midnight ritual, the tar cauldron embodies the dark and mysterious, almost supernatural aspects of creation. Crafting something remarkable isn't a clean or comfortable process — it requires fire, smoke, and forces that seem just on the edge of chaos.
- Thorberg's whistling — The whistling at the start of the poem expresses a sense of creative confidence and comfort. It shows that Thorberg is in his element, doing what he was meant to do. It captures the essence of someone who is truly engaged and vibrant in their craft.
- The hundred years — The phrase "for a hundred years" signifies lasting fame, which is the artist's greatest desire: to be remembered long after they are gone. The poem fulfills this wish by preserving Thorberg's name in its lines.
- King Olaf's scarlet cloak — The cloak symbolizes royal power and authority, and the detail of Olaf's face turning redder illustrates just how much the king's composure shatters. This small, comedic image adds a human touch to the powerful, reminding us that even kings can make mistakes.
Historical context
Longfellow included this poem in his 1863 collection *Tales of a Wayside Inn*, which is a frame-narrative inspired by Chaucer's *Canterbury Tales*, featuring a group of travelers who share stories. The story of Thorberg Skafting references the Old Norse *Heimskringla*, a saga compiled by Snorri Sturluson in the thirteenth century, documenting the construction of the actual Long Serpent for King Olaf Tryggvason around 999 AD. Throughout his career, Longfellow had a strong interest in Norse and Scandinavian themes — his earlier works, *The Skeleton in Armor* and the epic *The Song of Hiawatha*, reflect his fascination with legend and oral tradition. By the 1860s, amid the turmoil of the American Civil War, poems that honored heroic craftsmanship and enduring achievements suggested a deeper message: that human creativity persists despite conflict and destruction.
FAQ
The story is real—or at least as real as a medieval saga gets. Snorri Sturluson documented it in the *Heimskringla*, a collection of Norse kings' sagas penned around 1230 AD. Thorberg Skafting is mentioned as the master-builder of the Long Serpent, King Olaf Tryggvason's renowned warship, and the part about the damaged hull and the king's anger is included in the original text. Longfellow adapted it faithfully, preserving the key details and transforming the prose into a ballad.
The Long Serpent (*Ormen Lange* in Norse) was King Olaf Tryggvason's flagship in Norway, built around 999 AD. At about seventy-four ells long — between 115 and 130 feet — she was the largest warship of her time in Scandinavia. Her legend grew not only from her impressive size but also from her involvement in the Battle of Svolder in 1000 AD, where Olaf faced a coalition of foes and the ship was ultimately captured. The saga tradition ensured her name endured for centuries.
No — it was quite the opposite of sabotage. Thorberg made the cuts because he spotted a flaw in the hull's shape that nobody else had seen, and he realized that the only way to fix it was to cut deep and re-smooth the planking. He did it secretly because he knew that explaining the idea beforehand would have been more difficult than just demonstrating the outcome. The 'destruction' was actually the first step toward improvement.
The poem places that tension at its core. King Olaf can order the ship's construction and Thorberg's execution, but he lacks the artistic insight that Thorberg possesses. The master-builder challenges royal authority — doing so with calmness and a smile — because he believes in his own vision more than he fears the king's wrath. Ultimately, he proves to be correct. The poem implies that true creative skill grants a form of authority that surpasses mere rank.
The poem uses trochaic tetrameter — lines that begin with a stressed syllable and contain four beats each — featuring a consistent ABAB or ABCB rhyme scheme in its five-line stanzas. This lively, driving meter resembles what Longfellow employed in *The Song of Hiawatha*, fitting the theme perfectly: it evokes the feel of a chant or work-song, reflecting the rhythm of hammers and axes in the shipyard.
At its core, the poem explores the artist's longing for enduring fame and the bravery required to pursue a vision that others might not yet recognize. Thorberg puts his life on the line to improve the ship beyond its initial design. The reward isn't solely the king's approval; it’s also the promise the poem makes from the very beginning: to be remembered for a century. Longfellow presents artistic greatness as both a personal ambition and a legacy for future generations.
King Olaf Tryggvason ruled Norway from 995 to 1000 AD and stands out as one of the most captivating figures in Norse saga literature. He was celebrated for his physical prowess, his aggressive push to convert Norway to Christianity, and his dramatic death at the Battle of Svolder. In the poem, he acts as the patron and authority figure whose judgment Thorberg seeks to challenge. His rapid transition from furious anger to joyful praise is both humorous and enlightening—it illustrates that even formidable leaders can learn from a skilled craftsman.
It’s one of the stories in *Tales of a Wayside Inn* (1863), a collection centered on a group of travelers at a Massachusetts inn who share stories in verse. The Musician narrates this specific tale. The collection also features *Paul Revere's Ride*, which was included in the same first volume and gained much more fame. However, the Norse tales in the collection reflect Longfellow's enduring passion for Scandinavian legend.