O suffering, sad humanity! O ye afflicted ones, who lie Steeped to the lips in misery, Longing, yet afraid to die, Patient, though sorely tried!
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
He had mittens, Minjekahwun, Magic mittens made of deer-skin; When upon his hands he wore them, He could smite the rocks asunder, He could grind them into powder.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote signifies the extraordinary potential that lies within us when we harness the right tools or resources.
In this quote, Longfellow presents the idea that possessing the right tools, symbolized by the magical mittens, can empower an individual to achieve great feats. The mittens allow the wearer to perform actions that would otherwise be impossible, suggesting that with the right preparation or capabilities, one can overcome significant challenges and transform the seemingly unbreakable into something manageable. This speaks to the broader theme of human potential, creativity, and the transcendence of ordinary limitations through magical or extraordinary means.
Themes
PotentialMagicTransformationToolsStrength
In practice
Example use cases
Inspiring a group to embrace new technologies that may empower their work.
More from Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
All quotes →There are moments in life, when the heart is so full of emotion That if by chance it be shaken, or into its depths like a pebble Drops some careless word, it overflows, and its secret, Spilt on the ground like water, can never be gathered together.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
Perseverance is a great element of success. If you only knock long enough and loud enough at the gate, you are sure to wake up somebody.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
To be seventy years old is like climbing the Alps. You reach a snow-crowned summit, and see behind you the deep valley stretching miles and miles away, and before you other summits higher and whiter, which you may have strength to climb, or may not. Then you sit down and meditate and wonder which it will be.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
God is not dead; nor doth He sleep; ... _x000D_ The wrong shall fail,_x000D_ The right prevail,_x000D_ With peace on earth, good will to men.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
In the long run men hit only what they aim at.
Henry Wadsworth LongfellowRead
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