The Courtship of Miles Standish

The Courtship of Miles Standish is a long poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It was published in October 1858. It sold 25,000 copies in two months. 

It tells the story of early New England settlers Miles Standish, John Alden, and Priscilla Mullins. Miles Standish and John Alden are both in love with Priscilla.  

It is unknown whether the story was taken from real-life, or if it was an American folk tale. One critic liked some aspects of the poem. He complained about other aspects though. Longfellow wrote the poem in an unfamiliar meter, Greek hexameter, and used medieval words. 

 Other websites 
The Courtship of Miles Standish, and Other Poems, 1858 edition, at books.google.com.
 — includes this poem.
Plot summary and historic background 

Category:19th-century American poems
Category:Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Category:1858 books
Category:1850s poems