Nick.”. The teacher and the librarian will tell the students that this poem was written in mid-nineteenth century and it largely influenced the modern ideas about how Santa Claus looks and acts. Title Confusion: The poem was originally called A Visit from St. Nicholas, but its opening line is what everyone knows it by. Today is St Nicholas Day. Today is St Nicholas Day. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. Annotation prompts for Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’. On, Comet! The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, To the top of the porch! Enter your email address to subscribe to this site and receive notifications of new posts by email. they weren’t even the first drinks company, delving into the histories of ten famous Christmas carols, The Advent Calendar of Literature: Day 8 | Interesting Literature, 24 Amazing Literature Facts for Christmas | Interesting Literature, 10 Great Christmas Poems | Interesting Literature. When what to my wondering eyes did appear. Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. They are dreaming happily about sweets. It was first published anonymously on December 23, 1823 in the Troy Sentinel, an American newspaper.It is also known as "The Night Before Christmas" and "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" from its first line. The poem is also known by the name The Night Before Christmas and ‘Twas the night before Christmas. A reader should take note of the use of alliteration in the last line of this stanza. This is an analysis of the poem Account Of A Visit From St. Nicholas that begins with: 'Twas the night before Christmas,when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;... full text He is covered in clothing made of fur as well as a solid layer “from his head to his foot” of ash. The nature of the rhyme scheme fits well with the content of the poem. And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’, also known as ‘The Night Before Christmas’ and ‘'Twas the Night Before Christmas’. Clement Clarke Moore (July 15, 1779 – July 10, 1863) was a writer and American Professor of Oriental and Greek Literature, as well as Divinity and Biblical Learning, at the General Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in New York City.The seminary was developed on land donated by Moore and it continues on this site at Ninth Avenue between 20th and 21st streets, in an … His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow. Line forty speaks, again, to the man’s stomach. The man’s “eyes…twinkled” just like the stars, and like the sounds of the reindeer hooves. ... feel-good stories, analysis and more. This, of course raises the question of where the robe came from? It is thought that Moore wrote ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ after taking a ride in a sleigh in the middle of winter. As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, The description spreads to his “droll” or curious mouth and how it is turned up into a smile like a bow. He is “plump” and “jolly” and “chubby.” But also beyond the known world, making him an “elf.” Although the scene is outlandish and in another context might be scary (just like the text itself), the speaker states that he “laughed” at the chubby man. Moore has structured this piece with a consistent rhyme scheme. It is so bright outside the window that some objects look to be in the “midday” light. They will also mention that this poem is … More rapid than eagles his coursers they came. In the next line of ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’, the speaker brings the narrative back to the magical qualities that St. Nick possesses. This means that the lines are divided into four feet and follow a pattern of unstressed-unstressed-stressed. Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, The residents of the home are not in danger. The text itself focuses on the story of St. Nicholas, more commonly known as Santa Claus, and a visit he paid to the speaker’s home. "A Visit from St. Nicholas", more commonly known as "The Night Before Christmas" and "' Twas the Night Before Christmas" from its first line, is a poem first published anonymously in 1823 and later attributed to Clement Clarke Moore, who claimed authorship in 1837. When St Nicholas visits children in Europe he wears his bishop’s vestments. Click on Painting to Enlarge: According to legend, Clement Clarke Moore wrote his immortal poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, also known as The Night Before Christmas, for his family on Christmas Eve 1822.He never intended that it be published, but a family friend, Miss Harriet Butler, learned of the poem sometime later from Moore's children. A reader understands from the context that whatever is happening, it is not a disaster. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter. ‘’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house / Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse’: as opening lines go, they must be up there in the top five most famous opening lines from an American poem (something from Emily Dickinson would also have to be in there). He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; On the other side of the house, the speaker and his wife are just getting ready for bed when there is a loud sound outside. St. Nicholas was a monk believed to have been born around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra, in what we now call Turkey. on, Donder and Blitzen! Both the mood and tone of ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ are of center around a feeling of amazement. Irving says that St. Nicholas used to frequently give presents to young and old alike throughout the year but now only brings gifts to children on St. Nicholas Day (December 6). 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. It all happens so quickly and the speaker is left to hear the man’s last words to the night. It is also credited as being the main source from which the myth of Santa Clause was formed. Santa Claus is an idol not a person, not big or small man. Subscribe to our mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight to your inbox. Join the conversation by. In the last four lines of the section, the speaker describes the “pipe” in the man’s teeth and the way the smoke from the pipe “encircled his head like a wreath.” The natural elements are coming together around him and benefiting his image and therefore the speaker’s perception. ↑ The image of Santa Claus has continued to develop since "A Visit from St. Nicholas" was published and, as a result, some of the poem may seem strange to modern readers. ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ by Clement Clarke Moore is a fifty-one line poem that is contained within one block of text. The lines each have between 11 and 13syllables depending on how the author breaks his four-meter rhythm. He’s ‘a jolly old elf” – everything about him is “little” “little mouth” “little round belly” – that’s why he drives a miniature sleigh, with reindeer in proportion, how he manages to land on the roof of a normal sized house, and get down the chimney. While the majority of the poem follows this pattern, there are moments, such as in lines three and four in which it diverges. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, Foster's claim, however, has been countered by document dealer and h… That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. On, Comet! The reindeer surge over any obstacle in their path and land on the roof. St. Nick calls out to his  “coursers” or reindeer. ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; Classic Tales narrator B. J. Harrison gives a stellar reading of this Christmas classic. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; It describes a typical young boy in the 1800s waiting for Christmas morning when he suddenly hears Santa outside, jumps up out of bed, sees Santa, and then ru… In "A Visit from St. Nicholas," what does "Thistle" mean? As I drew in my head, and was turning around. Moore's connection with the poem has been questioned by Professor Donald Foster, who used textual content analysis and external evidence to argue that Moore could not have been the author. ): His eyes—how they twinkled! now, Dancer! The man rushes to the window and sees Santa and his sleigh. To the top of the porch! With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. They move like a storm, as fast as a “hurricane” that flies from place to place. There is something about his complexion that sparks the speaker’s imagination. This is very much not what he is doing though, presenting an interesting contrast to his true purpose of giving toys. By: Victoria Hershman Edited by: Megan Jenkins "'Twas the night before Christmas," "A Visit from St. Nicholas", one of the most recognized holiday poems in America, has quite a mysterious and complicated history. Please log in again. In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; The children were nestled all snug in their beds; While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; The first section of this piece, as stated above, contains the lines which are commonly recited around Christmas. We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously. And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back. Clement Clarke Moore - 1779-1863. Literature is one of her greatest passions which she pursues through analysing poetry on Poem Analysis. As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly. Contemporary. Share posts by email there are stockings hanging by the new Brunswick Museum.! 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