Modern American Poetry

Ralph Waldon Emerson’s “Boston Hymn”

The Full title of Emerson’s poem “Boston Hymn” is "Boston Hymn, Read in
Music Hall, January 1, 1863" which is one of his greatest as well as influential
poems. In the years leading up to the Civil war's outbreak, Emerson's home city
of Boston was "hotbed" of abolitionism in the United States. Emerson composed
the poem in late 1862 and read it publicly in Boston Music Hall on January 1,
1863. The poem commemorates the Emancipation Proclamation issued earlier that
day by President Abraham Lincoln for the abolition of slavery to the Puritan notion
of sacred destiny for America. Cadava (4) is of opinion that Emerson “praises the
Proclamation for having inaugurated the dawning of a new day in the meaning of
America and challenges his audience to meet the responsibilities this new day and
meaning entail”.

Cavada further claims that the social and political importance of Proclamation as a
changing force is drawn “from the history it wishes to overcome” (24). This sense
is clearly mirrored in Emerson’s “Boston Hymn” when it stresses that this can only
be achieved when American people realize their responsibility for their own
history. Accordingly, the poem combines all of the ideals that would make
America a perfect nation if they are followed.

Emerson uses the poem as a series of calls to the American people. To give it an
authoritative and divine effective voice, Emerson uses God as a speaker. This
serves in resonating the tone of the books in the Old Testament concerning the
authority of God.

The key element of the poem is the personification of Freedom in the form of an
angel sent by God to the American people. Emerson reflects his transcendental
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belief via the use of the concept of freedom in the poem. For him and for the
transcendentalists, society’s institutions corrupt the goodness of the individual
(theculturetrip.com). Freedom will be a sovereignty as well as the primary goal
mentioned in most of the stanzas. Freedom in the form an angel is a warning to the
American people not to do wrongs and a chance to repent their crimes against
human race (slaves) and freedom. Emerson associates the emancipation to
the advocated ideals in his city, and of America as a whole. So the poem
glorifies abolitionism as divine and honorable (The Atlantic.com).

Structure

“Boston Hymn” was written in the form of 22 rhyming four line- stanzas or
quatrains. The poem’s language is biblical spoken by God, which gives the poem
sublimity and seriousness. God’s voice is clear and commanding and at times
warning. First stanza’s focal element is the Pilgrims, connecting the biblical figures
with the early settlers. “The word of the Lord” to the Pilgrims alludes to the
sublimity and maybe sacredness of the mission the Pilgrims were supposed to
carry. This is explained in the following stanza. Second stanza’s focal figure is the
oppressed poor at the hands of the kings and ensuing injustice. This stanza directly
opens with God’s voice which attracts the reader’s attention to the seriousness of
God’s purpose and utterances. God declares that He has had enough with earthly
rulers and that the poor’s (slaves’) cry has reached His ears. This suggests that God
is angry with the (Pilgrims) for founding slavery and wronging the slaves. This
stanza starts with a rhetorical and essential question set by God to humanity. The
key point is God’s condemnation of war on earth. God created earth for humans to
live in peace and love. People destroy earth with wars and “havoc”; with enslaving
and oppressing the poor. This stanza is significant. The key element is the angel

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(Freedom). The speaker (God) goads that the angel (Freedom) should be chosen
king (metaphor for Americans’ leader).

This suggests that once chosen, America would always be guided with justice and
protection, “And fend you with his wing”. Stanza 5 alludes to the past discovery of
the west and suggests God’s leading power to discover it and his choice to
“uncover” for the early settlers to settle there. The Use of “I” and “my” in “Boston
Hymn” gives emphasis to God’s authoritative voice. “Columbia” in stanza 6 refers
to the beautiful land of the West with its “rocks”, “air-borne flocks of clouds” and
“the boreal fleece”. In Stanza 7 the emphasis is shifted to an essential issue behind
God’s declaration by the equal distribution of wealth among people. “I will divide
my goods”. Those “the wretch and the slave” who have worked and toiled will get
their wages and wealth not only “toil”. Only “the humble” will rule.

This hints at the slave owners’ mistreatment and exploitation (they paid nothing to
the slaves for their service). (they live luxuriously at the expense of the slaves).
Stanza 8 other essential issue is raised in stanza 8.The “state” will only be ruled by
common people regardless of the bloodline “a noble” and “ no lineage counted
great”. The rulers of the state will be “Fishers and choppers and ploughmen”.
(lineage will not decide the wealth).

In stanza 9 there is a Biblical parallel to the Old Testament. While God asked the
Israelites to build him a temple made of gold and other fine stones, here, God is
asking the Pilgrims to build Him a home from the trees of the forest. Here is a call
for the Americans to live a simple life gained by their own hand work, “cut down
the trees in the forest and build me a wooden house”.

In Stanzas 10, 11 and 12 there is again another all for all kinds of Americans: “the
young men and the sires

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The digger in the harvest field,
Hireling and him that hires”

So the haves and the have nots shall unite in one purpose.

Stanza 11 reflects the act of democracy by encouraging the Americans to choose

In stanza 13the key meaning is biblical that Jesus has come for a nobler purpose,
to serve. So it is nobler to serve people than to be served by (slaves) “‘T is
nobleness to serve”. The value and nobility are not in one’s wealth or lineage.
Break the idea of nobility that has penetrated society for generation upon
generation. That is to say work not wealth is the source of pride.

The stanza stands for a warning not to deviate from such ideals of helping those in
need, “Help them who cannot help again”.

In stanzas 14 and 15 there is a direct speech about what has been hinted at
previously (emancipation). It is God Who “unchain the slaves” and makes them as
free “as wind or the wandering wave”. Stanza 15 can be the epitome of Emerson’s
belief suggesting the essential goodness of man and that God is the source of this
goodness and He is everywhere and in everything (transcendentalism). Stanzas 16
is also pivotal. Many former slave owners had used the Bible, “slaves obey your
masters”, to justify their ownership of slaves. By clarifying the point more,
Emerson explains that the Bible indicates the only reason to own a slave is when a
person owes much debt to another; he is obliged to acquiesce to work it off for
seven years of slavery. Stanza 17 is another call to “unbind” the slaves “the

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captive”. God will eventually also “rescue” them when the “Trump” sounds
(biblical).

In stanza 18 there is a very interesting twist. Reference to the North and the South
is stressed. While the South kept their right to own slaves, the North had to pay to
free them.

“Pay ransom to the owner

And fill the bag to the brim”.

The twist is in the question “Who is the owner? God says that:

“The slave is the owner,

And ever was. Pay him”.

This is a clear call that the slaves should have owned what they planted and
harvested and that it is they, not the owners, who must be paid. Stanzas 19 and 20
are an open call for both the North and the South, despite their conflicts, to unite
under one cause which is Freedom. It is a call for the North to use their riches to
save the slaves from misery and also a call for the South “for his shame” to
eliminate their shame (slavery) and gain honor. Another call for rich Nevada
(silver and gold) to engrave its “golden crags With Freedom’s image and name”.

Stanza 20: encouraging the newly freed slaves from a long “darkness” to make life
for themselves fast like “antelopes”

In stanzas 21and 22 Emerson Invites the whole nation, “East and West and North”,
despite their differences “races, as snowflakes”, to unite for God’s “purpose”
(Freedom). God’s purpose is certain and firm. Stanza 22 indicates that God’s will
shall be fulfilled whether in day or night, because his “thunderbolt”, another name

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for the angel, Freedom, has “eyes to see his way home to the mark”. Freedom is
God’s will and hence it will be King, no matter how long it takes.

Works cited:

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Cadava, Eduardo. "The Nature of War in Emerson's "Boston Hymn"." Arizona
Quarterly: A Journal of American Literature, Culture, and Theory (1993): 4.

“Boston Hymn by Ralph Waldo Emerson”. https://poemanalysis.com/ralph-waldo-

“A Literary Guide to Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Boston”.

Neklason, Annika. The Atlantic. 6 April 2017. 17 11 2020