The Courtship of Miles Standish: With Suggestions for Study and Notes

by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

"The Courtship of Miles Standish" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is a narrative poem published in 1858. Set in 1621 Plymouth Colony, the poem tells the story of a love triangle among three Mayflower passengers: soldier Miles Standish, Priscilla Mullins, and John Alden. Against the backdrop of a fierce Indian war, this tale explores romance in early colonial America. While Longfellow claimed the story came from family tradition, scholars debate whether the events are fact or fiction, though the main characters were real historical figures.