Contents: Introduction Author Biography Poem Text Poem Summary Themes Historical Context Critical Overview Criticism Sources For Further Study

Style

“Concord Hymn” is tightly constructed of sixteen lines, four stanzas of four lines apiece, with (usually) eight syllables to each line. The lines also end in alternating rhymes, as we can see in the first four lines: “flood” on line 1 rhymes with “stood” on line 3; while lines 2 and 4 end with the rhyming of “unfurled” and “world.” This regularity creates a musical order, which helps the reader enter into the poem in the same way one might enjoy a popular song. Our ears begin to anticipate what will come next. This musicality is also important given that Emerson notes in his subtitle that the poem was “sung” at its first performance.

Another device that Emerson employs here is alliteration, particularly with the “s” sound. Notice “silence slept,” “silence sleeps,” and “soft stream.” In addition to these obvious uses where one word immediately follows another, look at line 12:

When, like our sires, our sons are gone.

Both “sires” and “sons” begin and end with “s,” and their similar sound emphasizes the connection between past and future generations, which in turn is a major element in the theme of time in the poem. While the word “fathers” would have had the same literal meaning as “sires,” it would not have provided the thematic emphasis, and also would have added an extra syllable to the line.

Topics for Further Study

• Write a “hymn” to some news event that you would not want future generations to forget. Follow the poetic structure of Emerson’s poem.
• Research the “Intolerable Acts” passed by Britain in March of 1774 to punish the colony of Massachusetts for defying British policies. Form teams to debate the fairness of such actions, using modern-day political situations as examples.
• This poem was written more than fifty years after the “shot heard round the world.” How is this fact shown in the poetic strategies Emerson uses?