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Old Ironsides is a poem written by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. in 1830, inspired by the USS Constitution, a wooden warship built in 1797 that was still in active service at the time the poem was written. The USS Constitution earned the nickname "Old Ironsides" due to its durability and the fact that cannonballs seemed to bounce off its hull during battles, leading people to believe that it was made of iron rather than wood.
The poem begins with a description of the USS Constitution and its impressive history of victories at sea. Holmes writes, "Ay, tear her tattered ensign down! Long has it waved on high, / And many an eye has danced to see / That banner in the sky." The speaker of the poem is addressing those who would dare to destroy or decommission the old warship, urging them to reconsider and recognize the importance of the USS Constitution to the nation.
The speaker goes on to describe the battles that the USS Constitution has survived, noting that "her keel was laid down / When belles were in their teens." Despite the passage of time and the wear and tear of battle, the USS Constitution remains strong and undaunted. The speaker declares, "Though battered by the gales of all / The roaring Southern seas, / In every battle honor'd still, / Old Ironsides! thy name shall be."
In the final stanza, the speaker asks the readers to "write her a poem" and to "sing her a song," as a way of paying tribute to the USS Constitution and its enduring legacy. The speaker concludes with a call to action, urging the readers to "pledge with me our country's sword," and to "shield her from the fight."
Old Ironsides is a powerful and poignant tribute to the USS Constitution, a symbol of America's strength and resilience. It celebrates the enduring spirit of the ship and the bravery of those who have served on it, and it serves as a reminder of the important role that the military plays in protecting and defending the nation. Overall, the poem is a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit and the strength of the American people.
Poems for a Nation's Ship
Ironsides was constructed decades later in 1797 and came through victorious in conflict after conflict. From that moment on "Old Ironsides" had a bulletproof image. As her centennial passed, Congress expressed interest in making her a museum. Where words are gifts that feed the soul; ignite a flame within the heart; excite the recesses of the brain; spark passions and concerns; inspire the conscious and subconscious. During the hottest part of the battle, a sailor, at least so runs the story, saw a cannon ball strike the side of the vessel and fall back into the sea.
This is called kedging. He notes that her reverberating cannon fire has made her known in the sea's depths, and so that should be her rightful resting place. Holmes was born in 1809, only twelve years after the ship that made him famous was launched. Once again, publicity had to rescue her. Unwilling to leave the deck a moment, he had his wounds dressed while directing the battle.
Another broadside tears through the rigging, wounding several men. The second date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. For the first time, Europe realized that there was a new nation, which was able and willing to fight for its freedom on the ocean, as it had fought for its independence on land. The tone of the poem is romantic and sentimental, as Oliver Wendell Holmes gives fantastical descriptions of the ship's glory days. Holmes brings the first stanza to close on an emotional note, describing how the flag will no longer cut through the clouds. It was, he explained, his first attack of "lead poisoning" brought on by wielding a lead pencil.
We are loathe to see you go, But you are sailing under orders, As all good ships must sail, And as you glide down our little river Out to the open seas, We would not say good-bye, But Bon Voyage! The brilliant defeat of the Guerrière in 1812 had come at a time when national morale was at a low ebb, and the win was followed by another victory, the destruction of HMS Java. Similar fears exist throughout history, including today, as people wonder what aspects of human nature will fade away with the rise of each new generation. The first stanza of the poem reads: 'Aye tear her tattered ensign down Long has it waved on high, And many an eye has danced to see That banner in the sky; Beneath it rung the battle shout, And burst the cannon's roar; - The meteor of the ocean air Shall sweep the clouds no more. Stanza 3: In lines 17 through 20, Holmes gives his opinion that it would be a more fitting end for the ship if it was sunk in battle rather than being retired. What is the Theme of ''Old Ironsides? Why keep her fit—why fly her flag on high— Unfurl her canvas—let her cannons roar? Our sailor boys give cheer on cheer as they whirl the windlass and pull at the oars. With World War II coming to an end Hilliard penned an ode to peace. Holmes' assertion in the third stanza that the ship is deserving of a better fate than retirement also plays into the theme of pride.
Lines seven and eight lament the ship's decommissioning, describing how its sails will no longer ''sweep'' through the clouds. One of the nation's best loved patriotic poems first appeared in 1830 when the victorious frigate was only 33 years old and headed for the scrap heap. O better that her shattered hulk Should sink beneath the wave; Her thunders shook the mighty deep, And there should be her grave; 20 Nail to the mast her holy flag, Set every threadbare sail, And give her to the god of storms, The lightning and the gale! The stature of the poem derives largely from the manner in which it celebrates the dead who had manned the ship and fought on its decks for the honor and preservation of the United States. Rotting and adapted into a dormitory ship for young navy recruits, "Old Ironsides" then looked more like an ocean-going motel than a mighty warship. Constitution returned to sea in August 1803 as the flagship for Captain Edward Preble, bound for the Mediterranean and operations against the Barbary Pirates in North Africa.
It has been the eagle of the sea that. The loss of a few frigates did not matter much to England, but the loss of her naval prestige in the war of 1812 was of importance to the whole world. Shipping Quality Service We produce your ID and ship it within one week of you placing your order, with rush shipping available. They apparently invited the elderly doctor, then in his eighties, to come aboard. If the ship is to not die in battle, then at least it should be set adrift. Constitution next moved to Annapolis in 1860 to serve as quarters for Naval Academy midshipmen.
Old Ironsides, a poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. at webapi.bu.edu
Better to offer it up as a sacrifice to the gods of the sea than render it useless, confined to a life in which it can no longer sail the seas. The final stanza decries the injustice of retiring the ship. This sort of biting sarcasm is exactly the tone Dr. See eNotes Ad-Free Cite this page as follows: "Old Ironsides - Themes and Meanings" Critical Guide to Poetry for Students Ed. A secondary theme of the poem is the concept of pride.
He must get away. Of course he could not fight his powerful foe with his single ship. She then returned to Norfolk via the Cape of Good Hope, having circled the world. The Navy had simply requested estimates for repairing the Constitution. The narrator notes its long service, during which it witnessed much mayhem and stood as a symbol of reassurance to those looking for it in the fray. In three of these attacks, the Constitution took part; and once, while supporting the fleet, she silenced more than a hundred guns behind the forts of the pirate capital.
However, even though 'Old Ironsides' might look to be just an appeal to preserve this historic vessel, Dr. Her launching occurred on September 20, 1797, but she stalled partway down the ways. It was soon published by the paper and rapidly attracted support from patriotic Americans anxious to save the ship, first in Boston and subsequently in other locales as newspapers up and down the East Coast reprinted the poem. In Portsmouth, The Morning Chronicle filled half the front page with the report "Holmes Passes to the Other Shore," but never mentioned the USS Constitution just across the river in Kittery. She then patrolled the Atlantic and Southeast Pacific.
Old Ironsides: a History of America’s Ship of State
Her cruising days ended just before the outburst of the Civil War, in 1861, when she was taken to Newport, Rhode Island, to serve as a school-ship for the Naval Academy. A large public outcry was heard in favor of preserving the ship, and among those voices was that of Oliver Wendell Holmes. It's only the symbol of American freedom. The last date is today's date — the date you are citing the material. When he states the ensign flag has ''long waved on high'' there is a double meaning here.
