And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name; To the top of the porch! It was published in a New York… 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. ‘Now, Dasher! ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’ was published anonymously, and its authorship remains a contentious issue. I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter. now, Prancer and Vixen! In this instance, the initial unstressed syllable has been removed. More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously. The broad appeal of “A Visit from St. Nicholas” has ensured its position as a quintessential holiday poem for almost two centuries. The login page will open in a new tab. It is largely responsible for some of the ways we perceive Father Christmas or Santa Claus. And away they all flew like the down of a thistle, Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! Could the robe be related to the coat worn by the Father Christmas character of the English mummers’ plays. Clement Clarke Moore - 1779-1863. History and facts about A Visit from St. Nicholas. There is something about his complexion that sparks the speaker’s imagination. On, Comet! Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. his dimples how merry! Last, there is the “beard on his chin.” It fits in perfectly as it appears to be the same color “as the snow.” These few parts of the man’s image are enough to prove that he is exactly as one would expect. Clement Clarke Moore, (born July 15, 1779, New York, New York, U.S.—died July 10, 1863, Newport, Rhode Island), American scholar of Hebrew and teacher, best known for having been credited with writing the poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (also known as “ ’Twas the Night Before Christmas”).. A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore. The speaker relishes the sights he saw and takes great joy from his knowledge of St. Nicholas. That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly. Now dash away! He had a broad face and a little round belly, Nicolas” would soon arrive at the house. "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. He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle. With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too. It is from the first line, ‘’Twas the night before Christmas’” or “The Night Before Christmas” that the poem is better known. This is the first publication of "Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas". As I drew in my head, and was turning around. This is very much not what he is doing though, presenting an interesting contrast to his true purpose of giving toys. Overall, there isn’t too much to analyze as this poem is written in plain English. Now dash away! This, of course raises the question of where the robe came from? When what to my wondering eyes did appear. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”, In the last lines of ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ , the old man touches the side of his noes and flies up the chimney and back onto the roof. St. Nick gives the speaker a couple of different conspiratorial glances. Who cares whether it’s a man or an elf? The residents of the home are not in danger. A Visit from St. Nicholas: Twas the Night Before Christmas (Audio Download): Amazon.co.uk: Clement Clarke Moore, Christian Andrade, Brook Forest Voices: Books It is through advertising that we are able to contribute to charity. Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. It is thought that Moore wrote ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ after taking a ride in a sleigh in the middle of winter. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. Written in AABB, the poem uses anapest rhythm throughout with some variation to create motion and reset the rhythm. The repetition of the meter, in combination with the regular pattern of rhyme, adds to the poem’s already upbeat and clear syntax. He expects there to be ”something the matter.” The rhyme scheme of ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ , and the meter, do a lot to keep these lines from sounding at all scary or intimidating. The nature of the rhyme scheme fits well with the content of the poem. He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. ... feel-good stories, analysis and more. Once in the other room, the speaker gets a glimpse of the man who came down the chimney. on, Donder and Blitzen! 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. on, Cupid! Livingston was distantly related to Moore's wife. Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! Santa Claus is an idol not a person, not big or small man. He is telling them that it is time to move on. 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. His eyes—how they twinkled! Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would … His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow. This is where we learn the names of Santa’s reindeer, but also where we get the idea of Santa riding a sleigh powered by flying reindeer – a conceit that was pretty much invented, and certainly popularised, in ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’. When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow From where he is in the house all he can make sense of are the sounds. And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath; 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. A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, More commonly known by its first line, ‘’Twas the night before Christmas’, this poem was published anonymously on 23 December 1823 in the New York newspaper, Sentinel. The man’s “eyes…twinkled” just like the stars, and like the sounds of the reindeer hooves. Clement Clarke Moore, an American scholar of Hebrew, came forward as the author in 1837, and his claim has been largely accepted – although a rival group of scholars credit Henry Livingston Jr., another American poet (who also had about a hundred other jobs, during the course of his life), as the one we should thank for the poem. Foster's claim, however, has been countered by document dealer and h… Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. In "A Visit from St. Nicholas," what does "Thistle" mean? A reader should take note of the use of alliteration in the last line of this stanza. It is interesting, for instance, that in Europe Saint Nicholas is accompanied by the demonic Krampus, who brings birches for naughty children, and is often portrayed carrying them off, while Father Christmas (who did not originally give presents, but took the collection after the play) turns up in a surprising amount of horror stories. dash away! dash away! Before the man in the cap can turn around and pull his head back inside the window there is the sound of “St. 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. His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! Prev Article. It is also referred to as “A Visit From St. Nicholas” or “The Night Before Christmas.” Below are the original lyrics to the poem (see how the poem looked in the Troy Sentinel here): 1 ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all thro’ the house, 2 Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The lines each have between 11 and 13syllables depending on how the author breaks his four-meter rhythm. When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; So up to the housetop the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—, And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof. And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk. Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, 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). Emma graduated from East Carolina University with a BA in English, minor in Creative Writing, BFA in Fine Art, and BA in Art Histories. dash away all!’ Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof 2 Educator answers. A detailed account of the ‘St Nicholas Authorship Question’ (which finds in favour of Moore) can be found here. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. his dimples how merry! Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site. Please support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. Classic Tales narrator B. J. Harrison gives a stellar reading of this Christmas classic. And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head. There is a “whistle” to the team of reindeer and a final exclamation, telling everyone to have a “good night” and a “Happy Christmas.”. His inspiration may or may not have come from a local man as well as from the traditional story of Saint Nicholas. Subscribe to our mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight to your inbox. Their “nap” or night’s sleep, is disturbed by a “clatter.” This could be any ruckus noise occurring outside their home. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! He didn’t mean to but couldn’t help it. And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap, It follows a pattern of aabbccdd, moving onward as the poet saw fit. And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name: “Now, Dasher! to the top of the wall! Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work. ↑ 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. to the top of the wall! The poem was published anonymously in 1823. Also that while the sleigh and the reindeer, now normal size were instantly taken up as an attribute of the Father Christmas figure, the furs – and the size and indeed the pipe -were not. The poem begins with the speaker describing how his house has been readied for the arrival of St. Nick. There are stockings hanging by the chimney and all the children are in bed. This means that the lines are divided into four feet and follow a pattern of unstressed-unstressed-stressed. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, Readers will certainly recognize the first stanza, as its words have become synonymous with the Christmas tradition. The word “twinkling” will be used again later on in the text to refer to the St. Nick’s eyes. They are dreaming happily about sweets. This image is meant to be comical and humanize this character who is already clearly in possession of magic beyond that of the speaker. The poem also introduced us to the names of all of Santa’s reindeer (with the exception of Rudolph, who would not come into being until the 1930s). Before everyone retired to bed, the scene was set. When St Nicholas visits children in Europe he wears his bishop’s vestments. And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back. When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky; I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Henry Livingston, Jr. was the author of "A Visit from St. Interesting Literature is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.co.uk. But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight, Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread; Nicholas” coming down the “chimney.” The speaker does not express any significant surprise about this fact, it fits in well with the other magical images he has already seen. There is enough interaction between the two for the speaker to know that when the man “laughed” his “round belly…shook…like a bowl full of jelly.”. 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. And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick. They move like a storm, as fast as a “hurricane” that flies from place to place. St. Nicholas was a monk believed to have been born around 280 A.D. in Patara, near Myra, in what we now call Turkey. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf. It helps make the poem into something easy to follow along with. now, Dancer! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, He whistles and goes through their names. That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. The reindeer surge over any obstacle in their path and land on the roof. dimples, how merry! There isn’t any hidden meanings or caricatures. His eyes—how they twinkled! More rapid than eagles his coursers they came. The Librarian will read A Visit from St. Nicholas to the class. On, Comet! It is interesting that the writer talks about St Nicholas being described as “a jolly fat man wearing fur-trimmed red robes” – but the poet says “He was dressed all in fur” – fur – not a red robe in sight. Line forty speaks, again, to the man’s stomach. Please log in again. Nicholas." As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, 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. 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. A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore. And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap. As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly. The prancing and pawing of each little hoof. And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack. His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, "All About 'A Visit from St. Nicholas'" is a collaborative essay written by students in Paul Schacht's fall, 2005 section of Intd 105, "The Battle for Christmas." Title Confusion: The poem was originally called A Visit from St. Nicholas, but its opening line is what everyone knows it by. And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; dash away all!”. Note: The letter from C.C. Moore and the manuscript copy of A Visit from St. Nicholas are part of the Jonathan Odell Family Papers: 1766-1919. ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’, also known as ‘The Night Before Christmas’ and ‘'Twas the Night Before Christmas’. 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. A reader understands from the context that whatever is happening, it is not a disaster. The description spreads to his “droll” or curious mouth and how it is turned up into a smile like a bow. "A Visit from St. Nicholas" is a poem by Clement Clarke Moore. The whole visit is over quickly and the speaker is left with an impression of the man as a “jolly…elf.” He is of another world, come to this one to share joy through presents and the Christmas spirit. And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose; The concluding sections of ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ are devoted to further description of the man and an elucidation of his task in the house. The poem should be enjoyed for content and for the way the words sound together. And away they all flew like the down of a thistle. A Visit From St. Nicholas (’Twas the Night Before Christmas) Lyrics 'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; ; Trope Codifier: As stated above, this little poem etched in stone a lot of the core image we have of Santa Claus. While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; The speaker is able to determine that the “sleigh” is “full of toys.”. ‘Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.’. And laying his finger aside of his nose, Subscribe to our mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight to … The next six lines of ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ are also quite familiar. Happy, good-natured, and fitting perfectly into this magical scene Moore has set out so far. Analysis of A Visit from St. Nicholas Lines 1-6 ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house. Foster's analysis of this deception appears in his Author Unknown: On the Trail of Anonymous (New York: Henry Holt, 2000): 221-75. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, 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. A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore. Moore has structured this piece with a consistent rhyme scheme. Nick.”. But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, The scene is progressing quickly, and necessarily so, as this is not the only house Santa Claus has to visit tonight. St Nicholas’ charity and generosity was a … The poem was made into a classic book and has been set to music and recorded by numerous musicians. The movement of the reindeer from the ground and up onto the roof is quick. A Visit from St. Nicholas is a Christmas poem written by Clement Clarke Moore (1779 – 1863). He is happy to go about his task of filling the stockings and giving out the presents. The sound of the reindeer on the roof is like a “twinkling.” They step lightly and are so imbued with magic that their hoof steps are light and airy. Finally, his eyes roam over to a small “sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer.” The driver of this sleigh, who the speaker is just discovering, is “old” and “lively and quick.” Without further information, he knows there is only one person this could be, “St. now, Dancer! When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter. And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; Historians consider this piece to be one of the most famous pieces of writing attributed to an American. A Short Analysis of Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’ by 6 comments ‘’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 […] They will also mention that this poem is … So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, ‘’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). Its page history did not survive the move. While the majority of the poem follows this pattern, there are moments, such as in lines three and four in which it diverges. The original and immortal poem also known as "A Visit from St. Nicholas". He is carrying a “bundle” just like a “pedler” or someone who travels selling small items. In this section the speaker begins to use the first person, referring to himself as “I” and describing how he is wearing his “cap.” The speaker also addresses the fact that he is with his wife, settling in for “a long winter’s nap.” This is just a metaphor used to describe the length of unbroken darkness during the nights of winter. ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’, to give the poem its proper title, is perhaps the most famous Christmas poem ever written, too, but the poem’s origins and attribution to a man named Clement Clarke Moore are not as straightforward as they may first appear…, ’Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house 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. No, I am aware that the poet is not talking about a real person (although St Nicholas, who is one of the figures who gave rise to the Santa Claus/Father Christmas figure, was) but, from a folk-lore point of view I am interested in how the image developed. In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there; Twas The Night Before Christmas: A Visit From St. Nicholas A Visit from St. Nicholas 6. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow. It is also credited as being the main source from which the myth of Santa Clause was formed. I find Father Christmas/Santa Claus a rather ambiguous figure. essay as cultural commentary ucf email medical essay questions xenobiotics essay about seoul our environment now essay social networking sites questions (parts of an article review kinases) format in a research paper sample style sheet copy editing. The children were nestled all snug in their beds, It is just one house on his list of many and he is confident in his work. Away to the window I flew like a flash, The speaker is unsure of what he is heard and flies “like a flash” to the window. Join the conversation by. But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer. Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. Annotation prompts for Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘A Visit from St. Nicholas’. Get more Poetry Analysis like this in your inbox. If you like ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’ – regardless of whether Clement Clarke Moore was the one who wrote it – you might also enjoy our post delving into the histories of ten famous Christmas carols. The original copies are held by the New Brunswick Museum Archives. With a little old driver, so lively and quick, 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. Buy A Visit from St. Nicholas by (ISBN: ) from Amazon's Book Store. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot. It also makes one think of the stars which are likely shinning above the scene. Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below, Santa climbs into the chimney and down into the house where he sets out the presents. Just enjoy the concept. A Visit from St. Nicholas, in full Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas; also called The Night Before Christmas or ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, narrative poem first published anonymously in the Troy (New York) Sentinel on December 23, 1823. ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’ popularised the image of St Nick as a jolly man wearing fur (the red robes came later, though it wasn’t thanks to Coca-Cola, and in fact they weren’t even the first drinks company to advertise their product using a red-robed Santa! He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly. This instance is also somewhat onomatopoeic in nature in that the soft “p” sound likely depicts the gentle hoof steps. Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care. And – he isn’t a man. 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 … A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back, No one knows who originally penned the classic Christmas tale back in the early 1800’s. One poem in particular would invent much of our modern idea of Santa Claus, and it is this poem: ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’, by Clement Clarke Moore (although on this last bit, read on: was the poem that begins ‘’Twas the night before Christmas’ actually by Clement Clarke Moore?). It was part of the original Collaborative Writing Project and was moved to its present site in fall, 2007. 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