With this passage read the last two stanzas of _Mr. Hosea Biglow by James Russell Lowell: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This short poem calls for peace after the American Civil War—yet it’s not a mournful or defeated peace.
The poem
to the Editor of the Atlantic Monthly_, beginning: "Come, Peace! not like a mourner bowed For honor lost and dear ones wasted, But proud, to meet a people proud, With eyes that tell of triumphs tasted!"
This short poem calls for peace after the American Civil War—yet it’s not a mournful or defeated peace. Lowell envisions peace arriving with dignity, recognizing that the sacrifices made were meaningful. It’s a celebration of a nation that fought fiercely and has earned its right to rest.
Line-by-line
Come, Peace! not like a mourner bowed / For honor lost and dear ones wasted,
But proud, to meet a people proud, / With eyes that tell of triumphs tasted!
Tone & mood
The tone is both triumphant and urgent. Lowell isn’t mourning; he’s taking charge. The exclamation points and the direct call to action ("Come, Peace!") create the vibe of a toast or a rallying cry. While there’s grief lurking beneath the surface—given that the Civil War claimed hundreds of thousands of lives—Lowell won’t allow grief to be the last word. The mood resembles a soldier standing proudly at a ceremony rather than a widow crying at a grave.
Symbols & metaphors
- Peace personified — By personifying Peace as someone who can enter a room, hold her head high, and make eye contact, Lowell transforms an abstract concept into a figure with a strong presence. This approach gives the poem the feeling of a greeting rather than just a hope.
- The mourner bowed — This image represents a peace that feels defeated or shameful — the type that comes after surrender or a moral failure. Lowell clearly rejects this notion, indicating his belief that the Union's cause was just and that its sacrifices were meaningful.
- Eyes that tell of triumphs tasted — Eyes here reflect memory and experience. To have "tasted" triumph means you've earned it through genuine struggle. The eyes symbolize honest witness — Peace has witnessed what occurred and isn't pretending otherwise.
Historical context
James Russell Lowell created the *Biglow Papers*, a collection of satirical dialect poems, during the Mexican-American War (1846–48) and later during the Civil War (1861–65). The character Hosea Biglow, a straightforward New England farmer, served as Lowell's voice to expose political hypocrisy. This excerpt comes from the end of the second series, penned as the Civil War was drawing to a close. As a passionate abolitionist and a prominent literary figure of his time, Lowell was heavily invested in the Union's efforts. By the time he wrote these lines, the nation had faced four years of devastating conflict. His call for a proud peace shows both relief that the war was concluding and a strong belief that the Union's victory — along with the end of slavery — is a significant moral achievement that should be celebrated instead of just mourned.
FAQ
Hosea Biglow is a fictional farmer from New England, created by Lowell to express straightforward, sensible views on politics. By using this rustic character, Lowell could share pointed and controversial opinions while also connecting with everyday readers who might ignore a Harvard professor speaking to them directly.
The American Civil War (1861–1865). During this conflict, Lowell wrote the second series of *Biglow Papers*, and this final passage was created as it became evident that the Union would prevail. The phrase "triumphs tasted" points to the North's military victories and, for Lowell, the moral victory of abolishing slavery.
He's rejecting the notion that peace after war has to be a sad or shameful affair — the type of peace that follows a pointless or dishonorable battle. Lowell believed the Union fought for a just cause, so the resulting peace should honor that. Mourning would suggest that the deaths were meaningless, and he outright rejects that interpretation.
It refers to victories that are truly felt, not merely envisioned. The word "tasted" evokes a sense of sensory experience — it makes success feel deserved and authentic. Peace comes from having witnessed and participated in those challenging moments, rather than being an outsider.
Both. It has a patriotic feel as it honors the nation's strength and pride. It's also political since Lowell, an abolitionist, viewed the Civil War as a moral battle rather than merely a military conflict. The pride he advocates is linked to the conviction that the just side prevailed.
This literary device is known as apostrophe — addressing an abstract idea or an absent figure as if it were listening. It gives the poem a sense of immediacy and emotion, resembling a speech or a prayer, rather than simply observing history from a distance.
The stanza follows an ABAB rhyme scheme: *bowed / proud / wasted / tasted*. These crisp rhymes create a hymn-like or anthem-like feel, perfectly matching the celebratory and ceremonial mood that Lowell aims to convey.