How we cite our quotes: (Part.Line)
Quote #1
Else you would not cry and whimper
Like a miserable woman! (2.53-54)
When he's killing the Great Bear of the mountains, Mudjekeewis takes a moment to taunt the bear by comparing him to a crying woman. He basically means that women are weak and emotional compared to strong and brave men.
Quote #2
But you, Bear! sit here and whimper,
And disgrace your tribe by crying,
Like a wretched Shaugodaya,
Like a cowardly old woman! (2.64-66)
Mudjekeewis isn't quite finished yet. He takes another moment to remind the bear of how cowardly and womanly he's being by crying instead of fighting back. Say what you want about Longfellow, but it's pretty clear that Mudjekeewis doesn't think highly of women.
Quote #3
Much he questioned old Nokomis
Of his father Mudjekeewis;
Learned from her the fatal secret
Of the beauty of his mother,
Of the falsehood of his father. (4.28-32)
When he's old enough, Hiawatha learns the truth about how his father seduced his mother and abandoned her once she was pregnant. His mother then died of a broken heart, and Hiawatha decides that it's his manly duty to avenge his mother's death by killing his father.
Quote #4
This was Hiawatha's wooing!
Thus it was he won the daughter
Of the ancient Arrow-maker (10.219-221).
Hiawatha sees a beautiful young woman named Laughing Water and decides that he must possess her as a wife. The first thing he does is ask the young woman's father if he can marry the girl. It's only afterward the he asks Laughing Water herself. Truth be told, it's actually pretty progressive of Longfellow to give Laughing Water any choice in the matter at all.
Quote #5
Old Nokomis, brisk and busy,
From an ample pouch of otter,
Filled the redstone pipes for smoking (11.49-51)
As the highest-ranking woman, Nokomis takes on the duty of filling all the men's pipes at Hiawatha's wedding feast. It's a tiny detail, but telling when it comes to what's expected of men and women at ceremonial occasions.
Quote #6
Now the men were all like women,
Only used their tongues for weapons! (10.115-117)
Minnehaha's father thinks sadly about how the young men of his time are becoming more and more like women, using their words to attack one another instead of their fists and clubs. It looks like the old man thinks the world would be better off with a little more violence in it. Then again, he's an arrow-maker. So he kind of has a financial interest in having more violence.