Image the situation as presented in the first several stanzas. Why locate in the sea without a "human shore," l. 12? Is there any especial reason for having the time Christmas night? Note the dramatic introduction of Judas. What effect did his appearance[p.165]have on the saint? How was the latter reassured? Give reasons why Judas felt impelled to tell his story. Tell the story. Does he praise or belittle his act of charity? Why does he say "thatchanceact of good"? How was it rewarded? Explain his last expression. Was he about to say more? If so, what? What effect did Judas's story have on Saint Brandan? Why? What is the underlying thought in the poem? Discuss the form of verse used and its appropriateness to the theme.
"The title of this poem inevitably brings to mind Tennyson's two poems,The MermanandThe Mermaid. A comparison will show that, in this instance at least, the Oxford poet has touched his subject not less melodiously and with finer and deeper feeling.—Margaret will not listen to her 'Children's voices, wild with pain';—dearer to her is the selfish desire to save her own soul than is the light in the eyes of her little Mermaiden, dearer than the love of the king of the sea, who yearns for her with sorrow-laden heart. Here is there an infinite tenderness and an infinite tragedy."
—L. DUPONT SYLE,From Milton to Tennyson.
Legends of this kind abound among the sea-loving Gaelic and Cymric people. Nowhere, perhaps, have they been given a more pleasing and touching expression than in Arnold's poem. Note carefully the dramatic manner in which the pathos of the story is presented and developed.
6.wild white horses.Breakers, whitecaps.
13. Margaret.A favorite name with Arnold. SeeIsolationandA Dreamin this volume.
39.ranged.See note, l.73,The Strayed Reveller. (wander aimlessly about.)
42.mail.Protective covering.
[p.166]
54.Why "down swung the sound of a far-off bell"?
81.seal'd.Fastened; fixed intently upon, as though spellbound.
89-93.Hark ... sun.In her song Margaret shows she is still keenly alive to human interests, temporal and spiritual. The priest, bell, and holy well (l. 91) symbolize the church, here Roman Catholic. The bell is used in the Roman Church to call especial attention to the more important portions of the service; the well is the holy-water font.
129.heaths starr'd with broom.The flower of the broom plant, common in England, is yellow; hence,starr'd.
In his work on Matthew Arnold, George Saintsbury speaks of this poem as follows: "It is, I believe, not so 'correct' as it once was to admire this [poem]; but I confess indocility to correctness, at least the correctness which varies with fashion.The Forsaken Mermanis not a perfect poem—it hastongueurs, though it is not long; it has its inadequacies, those incompetences of expression which are so oddly characteristic of its author; and his elaborate simplicity, though more at home here than in some other places, occasionally gives a dissonance. But it is a great poem,—one by itself,—one which finds and keeps its own place in the fore-ordained gallery or museum, with which every true lover of poetry is provided, though he inherits it by degrees. None, I suppose, will deny its pathos; I should be sorry for any one who fails to perceive its beauty. The brief picture of the land, and the fuller one of the sea, and that (more elaborate still) of the occupations of the fugitive, all have their charm. But the triumph of the piece is in one of those metrical coups, which give the triumph of all the greatest poetry, in the sudden change from the slower movements of the earlier stanzas, or strophes, to the quicker sweep of the famous conclusions."
What is the opening situation in the poem? Have the merman[p.167]and his children just reached the shore, or have they been there some time? Why so? Why does the merman still linger, when he is convinced that further delay will count for nothing? Why does he urge the children to call? What is shown by his repeated question—"was it yesterday"? Tell the story of Margaret's departure for the upper world, and discuss the validity of her reason for going. Do you think she intended to return? What is the significance of her smile just before departing? Give a word picture of what the sea-folk saw as they lingered in the churchyard. Will Margaret ever grieve for the past? If so, when? Why? Who has your sympathy most, Margaret, the forsaken merman, or the children? Why? Do you condemn Margaret for the way she has done, or do you feel she was justified in her actions? Discuss the versification, giving special attention to its effect on the movement of the poem.
The story of Tristram and Iseult is one of the most vivid and passionate of the Arthurian cycle of legends, and is a favorite with the poets. The following version is abridged from Dunlop'sHistory of Fiction.
"In the court of his uncle, King Marc, the king of Cornwall, who at this time resided at the castle of Tyntagel, Tristram became expert in all knightly exercises.... The king of Ireland, at Tristram's solicitation, promised to bestow his daughter Iseult in marriage on King Marc.... The mother of Iseult gave to her daughter's confidante a philtre, or love-potion, to be administered on the night of her nuptials. Of this beverage Tristram and Iseult unfortunately partook. Its influence, during the remainder of their lives, regulated the affections and destiny of the lovers.
"After the arrival of Tristram and Iseult in Cornwall, and the[p.168]nuptials of the latter with King Marc, a great part of the romance is occupied with their contrivances to procure secret interviews ... Tristram, being forced to leave Cornwall on account of the displeasure of his uncle, repaired to Brittany, where lived Iseult with the White Hands. He married her, more out of gratitude than love. Afterwards he proceeded to the dominions of Arthur which became the theatre of unnumbered exploits.
"Tristram, subsequent to these events, returned to Brittany and to his long-neglected wife. There, being wounded and sick, he was soon reduced to the lowest ebb. In this situation he despatched a confidant to the queen of Cornwall to try if he could induce her to follow him to Brittany.
"Meanwhile Tristram awaited the arrival of the queen with such impatience that he employed one of his wife's damsels to watch at the harbor. Through her, Iseult learned Tristram's secret, and filled with jealousy, flew to her husband as the vessel which bore the queen of Cornwall was wafted toward the harbor, and reported that the sails were black (the signal that Iseult, Marc's queen, had refused Tristram's request to come to him). Tristram, penetrated with inexpressible grief, died. The account of Tristram's death was the first intelligence which the queen of Cornwall heard on landing. She was conducted to his chamber, and expired holding him in her arms."
1.Is she not come?That is, Iseult of Ireland. Arnold's poem takes up the story at the point where Tristram, now on his death-bed, is watching eagerly for the coming of Iseult, Marc's queen, for whom he had sent his confidant to Cornwall. Evidently he has just awakened and is still somewhat confused; see l. 7. Surely none will fail to appreciate so dramatic a situation.
5.What ... be?That is, what lights are those to the northward, the direction from which Iseult would come?
8.Iseult.Here Iseult of the White Hands,[p.169]daughter of King Hoel of Brittany and wife of Tristram.
20.Arthur's court.Arthur, the half-mythical king of the Britons, set up his court at Camelot, which Caxton locates in Wales and Malory near Winchester. Here was gathered the famous company of champions known as the "Knights of the Round Table," whose feats have been extensively celebrated in song and story. Among these knights Tristram held high rank, both as a warrior and a harpist. See ll. 17-19.
23.Lyoness.A mythical region near Cornwall, the home country of Arthur and Tristram.
30-31.Hence the name, Iseult of the White Hands.
56-68.See introductory note to poem for explanation.Tyntagel.A village in Cornwall near the sea. Near it is the ruined Tyntagel Castle, the reputed birthplace of Arthur. In the romance of Sir Tristram it is the castle of King Marc, the cowardly and treacherous king of Cornwall, the southwest county of England.teen. See note, l.147,The Scholar-Gipsy.(Grief, sorrow; from the old Englishteona, meaning injury.)
88.wanders, in fancy. Note how the wounded knight's mind flits from scene to scene, always centring around Iseult of Ireland.
91.O'er ... sea.The Irish Sea. He is dreaming of his return trip from Ireland with Iseult, "under the cloudless sky of May" (l. 96).
129-132.See introductory note to poem. The green isle, Ireland is noted for its green fields; hence the name, Emerald (green) Isle.
134.on loud Tyntagel's hill.A high headland on the coast of Wales. Discuss the force of the adjective "loud" in this connection.
137-160.And that ... more.See introductory note to poem.
161.pleasaunce-walks.A pleasure garden, screened by trees, shrubs, and close hedges—here a trysting-place.[p.170]After the marriage of Iseult to King Marc, she and Tristram contrived to continue their relationship in secret.
164.fay.Faith. (Obsolete except in poetry.)
180.Tristram, having been discovered by King Marc in his intrigues with Iseult, was forced to leave Cornwall; hence his visit to Brittany and subsequent marriage to Iseult of the White Hands. See introductory note to poem.
192.lovely orphan child.Iseult of Brittany.
194.chatelaine.From the French, meaning the mistress of a château—a castle or fortress.
200.stranger-knight, ill-starr'd.That is, Tristram, whose many mishaps argued his being born under an unlucky star. See also the account of his birth, note, ll.81-88, Part II.
203.Launcelot's guest at Joyous Gard.Prior to his visit to Brittany, Tristram had imprisoned his uncle, King Marc, and eloped with Iseult to the domains of King Arthur. While there he resided at Joyous Gard, the favorite castle of Launcelot, which that knight assigned to the lovers as their abode.
204.Welcomed here.That is, in Brittany, where he was nursed back to health by Iseult of the White Hands. See introductory note to poem.
215-226.His long rambles ... ground.Account for Tristram's discontent, as indicated in these lines.
234-237.All red ... bathed in foam.The kings of Britain agreed with Arthur to make war upon Rome. Arthur, leaving Modred in charge of his kingdom, made war upon the Romans, and, after a number of encounters, Lucius Tiberius was killed and the Britons were victorious.—GEOFFREY OF MONMOUTH, Book IV, Chapter XV; Book X, Chapters I-XIII. According to Malory, Arthur captured many French and Italian cities (see ll. 250-251); during this continental invasion, and was finally crowned king at Rome. It seems that he afterward despatched a considerable number[p.171]of his knights to carry the Christian faith among the heathen German tribes. See ll. 252-253.
238.moonstruck knight.A reference to the mystical influence the ancients supposed the moon to exert over men's minds and actions.
239.What foul fiend rides thee?What evil spirit possesses you and keeps you from the fight?
240.her.That is, Iseult of Ireland.
243.wanders forth again, in fancy.
245.secret in his breast.What secret?
250-253.See note, ll.234-237.blessed sign.The cross.
255.Roman Emperor.That is, Lucius Tiberius. See note, ll.234-237
258.leaguer.Consult dictionary.
261.what boots it?That is, what difference will it make?
303.recks not.Has no thought of (archaic).
308-314.My princess ... good night.Are Tristram's words sincere, or has he a motive in thus dismissing Iseult?
373-374.From a dramatic standpoint, what is the purpose of these two lines?
With the opening of Part II the lovers are restored to each other. The dying Tristram, worn with fever and impatient with long waiting, unjustly charges Iseult with cruelty for not having come to him with greater haste. Her gentle, loving words, however, quickly dispel his doubts as to her loyalty to her former vows. A complete reconciliation takes place, and they die in each other's embrace. The picture of the Huntsman on the arras is one of the most notable in English poetry.
47.honied nothings. Explain. Compare with
[p.172]
"his tongueDropt manna."—Paradise Lost, ll. 112-113, Book II.
81-88. Tristram was born in the forest, where his mother Isabella, sister to King Marc, had gone in search of her recreant husband.
97-100. Tennyson, inThe Last Tournament, follows Malory in the story of Tristram's and Iseult's death. "That traitor, King Mark, slew the noble knight, Sir Tristram, as he sat harping before his lady, La Beale Isoud, with a trenchant glaive, for whose death was much bewailing of every knight that ever was in Arthur's days ... and La Beale Isoud died swooning upon the cross of Sir Tristram, whereof was great pity."—Malory'sMorte d' Arthur.
113.sconce. Consult dictionary.
116-122. Why this restlessness on the part of Iseult? Why her frequent glances toward the door?
132.dogg'd. Worried, pursued. Coleridge uses the epithet "star-dogged moon," l. 212, Part III,The Ancient Mariner.
147-193. For the poet's purpose in introducing the remarkable word-picture of these lines, see notes on the Tyrian trader, ll.231-250, 232,The Scholar-Gipsy.
After the death of Tristram and Iseult of Ireland, our thoughts inevitably turn to Iseult of the White Hands. The infinite pathos of her life has aroused our deepest sympathy, and we naturally want to know further concerning her and Tristram's children.
13.cirque. A circle (obsolete or poetical). See l. 7, Part III.
18.holly-trees and juniper. Evergreen trees common in Europe and America.
22.fell-fare(or field-fare).[p.173]A small thrush found in Northern Europe.
26.stagshorn.A common club-moss.
37.old-world Breton history.That is, the story of Merlin and Vivian, ll. 153-224, Part III.
79-81. Compare with the following lines from Wordsworth'sMichael:—
"This light was famous in its neighborhood.... For, as it chanced,Their cottage on a plot of rising groundStood single....And from this constant light so regularAnd so far seen, the House itself, by allWho dwelt within the limits of the vale... was namedThe Evening Star."
iron coast.This line inevitably calls to mind a stanza from Tennyson'sPalace of Art:—
"One show'd an iron coast and angry waves.You seemed to hear them climb and fallAnd roar, rock-thwarted, under bellowing caves,Beneath the windy wall."
92.prie-dieu.Praying-desk. From the Frenchprier, pray;dieu, God.
97.seneschal.A majordomo; a steward. Originally meantold(that is,chief) servant; from the Gothicsins, old, andsalks, a servant.—SKEAT.
134.gulls.Deceives, tricks.
"The vulgar,gulledinto rebellion, armed,"—DRYDEN.
140.posting here and there. That is, restlessly changing from place to place and from occupation to occupation.
143-145.Like that bold Cæsar, etc. Julius Cæsar (100?-44 B.C.). The incident here alluded to Is mentioned in Suetonius'[p.174]Life of the Deified Julius, Chapter VII. "Farther Spain fell to the lot of Cæsar as questor. When, at the command of the Roman people, he was holding court and had come to Cadiz, he noticed in the temple of Hercules a statue of Alexander the Great. At sight of this statue he sighed, as if disgusted at his own lack of achievement, because he had done nothing of note by the time in life (Cæsar was then thirty-two) that Alexander had conquered the world." (Free translation.)
146-150.Prince Alexander, etc.Alexander III., surnamed "The Great" (356-323 B.C.), was the most famous of Macedonian generals and conquerors, and the first in order of time of the four most celebrated commanders of whom history makes mention. In less than fifteen years he extended his domain over the known world and established himself as the universal emperor. He died at Babylon, his capital city, at the age of thirty-three, having lamented that there were no more worlds for him to conquer. (For the boundaries of his empire, see any map of his time.) Pope spoke of him as "The youth who all things but himself subdued."Soudan(l. 149). An obsolete term for Sultan, the Turkish ruler.
153-224. The story of Merlin, King Arthur's court magician, and the enchantress Vivian is one of the most familiar of the Arthurian cycle of legends.Broce-liande(l. 156). In Cornwall. See l. 61, Part I.fay(l. 159). Fairy,empire(l. 184). That is, power; here supernatural power.wimple(l. 220). A covering for the head.Is Merlin prisoner, etc. (l. 223). Merlin, the magician, is thus entrapped by means of a charm he had himself communicated to his mistress, the enchantress Vivian. Malory has Merlin imprisoned under a rock; Tennyson, in an oak:—
"And in the hollow oak he lay as deadAnd lost to life and use and name and fame."—Merlin and Vivian.
224
. For she was passing weary, etc.
[p.175]
"And she was ever passing weary of him."—MALORY.
PART I. What is the opening situation in the poem? Why have it a stormy night? What does Tristram's question (l. 7) reveal of his condition physically and mentally? What is the office of the parts of the poem coming between the intervals of conversation? How is the wounded knight identified? How the lady? Follow the wanderings of the sleeping Tristram's mind. Are the incidents he speaks of in the order of their occurrence? Explain ll. 102-103; ll. 161-169. Tell the story of Tristram and Iseult of the White Hands. What is shown by the fact that Tristram's mind dwells on Iseult of Ireland even at the time of battle? How account for his wanderings? For his morose frame of mind? What change has come over nature when Tristram awakes? Why this change? What is his mood now? Account for his addressing Iseult of Brittany as he does. Why his order for her to retire? What is her attitude toward him? Note the manner in which the children are introduced into the story (ll. 324-325)PART II. Give the opening situation. Discuss the meeting of Tristram and Iseult. What is revealed by their conversation? What is the purpose in introducing the Huntsman on the arras?PART III. What is the purpose of ll. 1-4? Give the opening situation in Part III. How is Iseult trying to entertain her children? What kind of a life does she lead? Discuss ll. 112-150 as to meaning and connection with the theme of the poem. Tell the story of Merlin and Vivian. Why introduced? Compare Arnold's version of the story of Tristram and Iseult with the version given in the introductory note to the poem.
[p.176]
The church of Brou is actually located in a treeless Burgundian plain, and not in the mountains, as stated by the poet.
1.Savoy. A mountainous district in eastern France; formerly one of the divisions of the Sardinian States.
3.mountain-chalets. Properly, herdsmen's huts in the mountains of Switzerland.
17.prickers. Men sent into the thickets to start the game.
35.dais. Here, a canopy or covering.
69.erst. See note, l.42,The Scholar-Gipsy. ( Formerly. (Obsolete except in poetry.))
71.chancel. The part of a church in which the altar is placed.
72.nave. See note, ll.70-76,Epilogue to Lessing's LAOCOON.
77.palmers. Wandering religious votaries, especially those who bore branches of palm as a token that they had visited the Holy Land and its sacred places.
109.fretwork. Representing open woodwork.
17.matin-chime. Bells for morning worship.
21.Chambery. Capital of the department of Savoy Proper, on the Leysse.
22.Dight. See l.277, andnote,Sohrab and Rustum. (Adorned, dressed.)
37.chisell'd broideries. The carved draperies of the tombs.
6.transept. The transversal part of a church edifice, which crosses at right angles between the nave and the choir (the upper portion), thus giving to the building the form of a cross.
39.foliaged marble forest. Note the epithet.
[p.177]
45.leads. That is, the leaden roof. See l. 1, Part II. (Upon the glistening leaden roof).
This poem, one of Arnold's best-known shorter lyrics, combines with perfect taste, simplicity and elegance, with the truest pathos. It has been said there is not a false note in it.
13.cabin'd. Used in the sense of being cramped for space.
16.vasty. Spacious, boundless.
What is the significance of strewing on the roses? Why "never a spray of yew"? (See note, l.140,The Scholar-Gipsy.)What seems to be the author's attitude toward death? (Read his poem,A Wish.) Discuss the poem as to its lyrical qualities.
14.Holy Lassa(that is, Land of the Divine Intelligence), the capital city of Thibet and residence of the Dalai, or Grand Lama, the pontifical sovereign of Thibet and East Asia. Here is located the great temple of Buddha, a vast square edifice, surmounted by a gilded dome, the temple, together with its precincts, covering an area of many acres. Contiguous to it, on its four sides, are four celebrated monasteries, occupied by four thousand recluses, and resorted to as schools of the Buddhic religion and philosophy. There is, perhaps, no other one place in the world where so much gold is accumulated for superstitious purposes.
17.Muses.See note, l.120,The Strayed Reveller.
18.In their cool gallery. That is, in the Vatican art gallery at Rome.
19.yellow Tiber.So called by the ancients because of the yellowish, muddy appearance of its waters.
21.Strange unloved uproar.At the time this poem was[p.178]written,—1849,—the French army was besieging Rome.
23.Helicon.A high mountain in Boeotia, the legendary home of the Muses.
32.Erst.See note, l.42,The Scholar-Gipsy.
48.Destiny.That is, Fate, the goddess of human destiny.
In what mood is the author at the opening of the poem? How does he seek consolation? How does the calm of the Muses affect him? Can you see how he might find help in dwelling on the pictures of the blind beggar and happy lovers? What is the final thought of the poem? Can you think of any other poem that has this as its central thought? What do you think of the author's philosophy of life as set forth in this poem? Discuss the verse form used.
The Kensington Gardens form one of the many beautiful public parks of London. They are located in the Kensington parish, a western suburb of the city, lying north of the Thames and four miles west-southwest of St. Paul's. In his poem Arnold contrasts the serenity of nature with the restlessness of modern life. "Not Lucan, not Vergil, only Wordsworth, has more beautifully expressed the spirit of Pantheism."—HERBERT W. PAUL.
4.The pine trees here mentioned are since dead.
14.What endless active life!Compare with Arnold's sonnet of this volume, entitledQuiet Work, ll. 4-7 and 11-12.
21.the huge world.London.
24.Was breathed on by rural Pan.Note Arnold's classic way of accounting for his great love for nature, Pan being the nature god. See note, l.67,The Strayed Reveller.
37-42.Compare the thought here presented with the[p.179]following lines from Wordsworth:—
"These beauteous forms,... have not been to meAs is a landscape to a blind man's eye.But oft, in lonely rooms, and 'mid the dinOf towns and cities, I have owed to them,... sensations sweetFelt in the blood, and felt along the heart;And passing even into my purer mind,With tranquil restoration."
Read also Wordsworth'sLines to the Daffodil.
What is the dominant mood of the poem? What evidently brought it to the author's mind? How does he show his interest in nature? In human beings? What inspiration does the author seek from nature, ll. 37-42? Explain the meaning of the last two lines.
"I have such a love for these forms and this old Greek world, that perhaps I infuse a little soul into my dealings with them, which saves me from being entirelyennuyx, professorial and pedantic." (Matthew Arnold, in a letter to his sister, dated February, 1858.)
Circe, according to Greek mythology, was an enchantress, who dwelt in the island of Ææa, and who possessed the power to transform men into beasts. (See any mythological text on Ulysses' wanderings.) In Arnold's fantastic, visionary poem, the magic potion, by which this transformation is accomplished, affects not the body, but the mind of the youth.
12.ivy-cinctured.That is, girdled with ivy, symbolic of Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry, whose forehead was crowned[p.180]with ivy. See also l. 33.
36.rout.Consult dictionary.
38.Iacchus.In the Eleusinian mysteries, Bacchus bore the name of Iacchus.fane.A temple. From the Latinfanum, a place of worship dedicated to any deity.
48.The lions sleeping.As Ulysses' companions approached Circe's palace, following their landing on her island, they found themselves "surrounded by lions, tigers, and wolves, not fierce but tamed by Circe's art, for she was a powerful magician."
67.Pan's flute music!Pan, the god of pastures and woodlands, was the inventor of the syrinx, or shepherd's flute, with which he accompanied himself and his followers in the dance.
71.Ulysses.The celebrated hero of the Trojan war; also famous for his wanderings. One of his chief adventures, on his return voyage from Troy, was with the enchantress Circe, with whom he tarried a year, forgetful of his faithful wife, Penelope, at home.
72.Art.That is, are you. (Now used only in solemn or poetic style.)
73.range.Wander aimlessly about.
74.See what the day brings.That is, the youth. See ll. 24-52
81.Nymphs.Goddesses of the mountains, forests, meadows, or waters, belonging to the lower rank of deities.
102-107.Compare in thought with Tennyson's poem,Ulysses.
110.The favour'd guest of Circe.Ulysses. See note, l. 71.
120.Muses.Daughters of Jupiter and Minemosyne, nine in number. According to the earliest writers the Muses were only the inspiring goddesses of song; but later they were looked to as the divinities presiding over the different kinds of poetry, and over the arts and sciences.
130-135.Note the poet's device for presenting a[p.181]series of mental pictures. Compare with Tennyson's plan in hisPalace of Art. Does Arnold's plan seem more or less mechanical than Tennyson's?
135-142.Tiresias.The blind prophet ofThebes(l. 142), the chief city in Boeotia, near the riverAsopus(l. 138). In his youth, Tiresias unwittingly came upon Athene while she was bathing, and was punished by the loss of sight. As a recompense for this misfortune, the goddess afterward gave him knowledge of future events. The inhabitants of Thebes looked to Tiresias for direction in times of war.
143.Centaurs.Monsters, half man, half horse.
145.Pelion.A mountain in eastern Thessaly, famous in Greek mythology. In the war between the giants and the gods, the former, in their efforts to scale the heavens, piled Ossa upon Olympus and Pelion upon Ossa.
151-161.What in these lines enables you to determine the people and country alluded to?
162-167.Scythian ... embers.The ancient Greek term for the nomadic tribes inhabiting the whole north and northeast Europe and Asia. As a distinct people they built no cities, and formed no general government, but wandered from place to place by tribes, in their rude, covered carts (see l. 164), living upon the coarsest kind of food (ll. 166-167).
177-180.Clusters of lonely mounds, etc.That is, ruins of ancient cities.
183.Chorasmian stream.See note, l.878,Sohrab and Rustum.
197.milk-barr'd onyx-stones.A reference to the white streaks, or bars, common to the onyx.
206.Happy Islands.Mythical islands lying far to the west, the abode of the heroes after death.
220.Hera's anger.Hera (or Juno), wife to Jupiter, was noted for her violent temper and jealousy. She is here represented as visiting punishment upon the bard, perhaps out of jealousy of the[p.182]gods who had endowed him with poetic power, and his life, thus afflicted, seems lengthened to seven ages.
228-229.Lapithæ.In Greek legends, a fierce Thessalian race, governed by Pirothous, a half-brother to the Centaurs.Theseus.The chief hero of Attica, who, according to tradition, united the several tribes of Attica into one state, with Athens as the capital. His life was filled with adventure. The reference here is to the time of the marriage of Pirothous and Hippodamia, on which occasion the Centaurs, who were among the guests, became intoxicated, and offered indignities to the bride. In the fight that followed, Theseus joined with the Lapithæ, and many of the Centaurs were slain.
231.Alcmena's dreadful son.Hercules. On his expedition to capture the Arcadian boar, his third labor, Hercules became involved in a broil with the Centaurs, and in self-defence slew several of them with his arrows.
245.Oxus stream.See note, l.2,Sohrab and Rustum.
254.Heroes.The demigods of mythology.
257. Troy.The capital of Troas, Asia Minor; the seat of the Trojan war.
254-260.Shortly after the close of the Trojan war, a party of heroes from all parts of Greece, many of whom had participated in the expeditions againstThebesandTroy, set out under the leadership of Jason to capture the Golden Fleece. Leaving the shores of Thessaly, the adventurers sailed eastward and finally came to the entrance of theEuxine Sea(theunknown sea, l. 260), which was guarded by the Clashing Islands. Following the instructions of the sage Phineus, Jason let fly a dove between the islands, and at the moment of rebound the expedition passed safely through. The ship in which the adventurers sailed was called the Argo, after its builder, Argus; hence our term Argonauts.
261.Silenus.A divinity of Asiatic origin;[p.183]foster-father to Bacchus and leader of theFauns(l. 265), satyr-like divinities, half man, half goat, sometimes represented in art as bearing torches (l. 274).
275.Mænad.A bacchante,—a priestess or votary of Bacchus.
276.Faun with torches.See note, l. 261.
What is the situation at the beginning of the poem? What effect does the "liquor" have upon the youth? Why is the presence of Ulysses so much in harmony with the situation? How does he greet Circe; how the youth? What does his presence suggest to the latter? Why? Note the vividness of the pictures he describes; also the swiftness with which he changes from one to another. What power is ascribed to the poet? Why his "pain"? What effect is gained by closing the poem with the same words with which it is opened? Why the irregular verse used?
In this poem is expressed the peculiar turn of Arnold's mind, at once religious and sceptical, philosophical and emotional. It is one of his most passionate interpretations of life.
15.Sophocles(495-406 B.C.). One of the three great tragic poets of Greece. His rivals were Æschylus (526-456 B.C.) and Euripides (486-406 B.C.).
16.Ægean Sea.See note, l.236,The Scholar-Gipsy.