Evangeline

Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie is an epic poem written in English by American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and published in 1847. It tells the poignant story of a young Acadian woman named Evangeline Bellefontaine and her lifelong search for her lost love, Gabriel Lajeunesse, after the two are separated during the forced expulsion of the Acadians from Nova Scotia during the Great Upheaval (1755–1764).

The inspiration for the poem came from a story shared by Longfellow's friend, author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Longfellow chose to write the poem in dactylic hexameter, a meter traditionally associated with ancient Greek and Latin epics. Though this stylistic decision was controversial among critics, it gave the poem a distinctive cadence and grandeur that helped make it Longfellow’s most celebrated work during his lifetime. It remains one of his most enduring and widely read poems.

The narrative follows Evangeline's long and sorrowful journey across North America as she searches for Gabriel, often unknowingly passing close to him. Along the way, the poem explores themes of love, loss, perseverance, and spiritual devotion. Eventually, Evangeline settles in Philadelphia, where she devotes her life to caring for the poor as a Sister of Mercy. In a final, tragic twist, she finds Gabriel only as he lies dying in an almshouse during an epidemic. He dies in her arms, bringing her quest to a sorrowful yet deeply symbolic close.

Though Longfellow was not a historian, Evangeline had a profound cultural impact, shaping public perceptions of Acadian history and identity well into the 20th century. It gave poetic form to the trauma of displacement and exile, resonating deeply with themes of heartbreak, endurance, and the power of faith. While modern scholars have pointed out the poem’s historical inaccuracies and romanticized portrayals, its emotional depth and lyrical beauty have ensured its lasting place in American and Acadian literary tradition.