Henry Wadsworth Longfellow 
The Courtship of Miles Standish 
With Suggestions for Study and Notes

‘The Courtship of Miles Standish’ is a narrative poem that takes readers back to the early days of Plymouth Colony in America. Set against the backdrop of a fierce Indian war, the poem tells the story of a love triangle involving Miles Standish, Priscilla Mullins, and John Alden, three Mayflower passengers. The poem captures the bittersweet quality of America’s colonial era, balancing drama and comedy with the Pilgrims’ battles against disease and Indians and their eccentric love triangle.