•

Matthew Arnold's five long poems: a di al ecti cal readi n g

N :l.'ih ira ]\('sl1 av j('t' • ]) (' p!lrtm PH t of English !vleGill University, !\1ontrcal 0('10 he'1' 1fHl:!

J\ 'l'IWS1:'' subml1f('d to the fa culty of Graduale Studies and U C8ca rel! in partial fulfillment of tJte 1'cquircmcnt9 fo1' the dcgree of i\L\STEH OF' .ABTS • • 1\lattlH'w .\l'Ilold·~ 11\(, IO!l!!. P('l'lll~ \1('1\' (lIddi"hvd \1,'I\\\'t'11 l~:)~ :111" l~li;. III the:::,e pOl'Il1!"> (/;lrll)t'd()c/('.~ 011 /o;t//tI, li,..... //II/11 Il/Id I.,({,Il. ,"'·Ollll[l! 1[/11/ NlI ..... tIl1/l,

Baldcl Deal! and j\ll'/olle) _'\1'1101<1 tlil':"" tu :\ld~/,' :1 1IIlIIlI'I'l' 1'1' 1111'1111':"". li"l' Il:1-

Lul'P. IIl0/,;!I \'alul':-..... !)(ll'tk",. :tild thl' pl:II'I' ,dO 'Illtlt(lril~ ill .... (),·\('I~'. III" :\ll:d~:--i .... i:-­

dia\cet.i(,:11, alld OIII' 1l()lin· .... )!,1'l':tI dl .... II'(' ...... :111.1 :111 III'IIl\lit.\ l,) 1\· .... ,,111· thl, .... t· i"

sues. 'l'hi!:, t.h('~b l'XilIlliJ\{'!') :\l'Ilo\

cepiancc of lire ill ail it.s ('01l11'1ldktiol\:--. It ('Olll·llltlt'''' ... lIh .... (·l(IIt'lltl.,· Ih:1t Arnold

has a genulue d('sire tn lilld IWI'SI)}lnl dinlC'ctil':\1 ~Ylltl}('s(':-, \\ !t('1'1' [H),-;'nhk .

•

• HLSL\!L

l,l';, ('ITJ

• /);JlJ" ('f", pf)l'llj(';' (/~·Ull)(;d()d('.<) 07/ Hlrw, TWilram a1ld 1.. -.e1Ilt. ,"{oJl1af) and HU8tU1II.

JJaldt'r f}cad alld MooJlc) Arnold es:,,~)ie d';maly:,,('r 1ln cprtain nombre de

t1l1'lll('" 1,('1" (jllf' h lIatTIIC'. I(!'> valeurs !TIora)rs, poétique,>, rt la place de

l'a\l1.nliv: 1/:111;, ];1 ;,(){'i/t(~, :--:01\ Htlaly!-)(' ('st di:ll('diqu('. pt, l'oJ1 pellt, llotpl' \lIle

~f'alld(' d(~t,t'{'s:-,f' l't. 111](' illhabileté ~i résoudre ce!'> questions. Cette t.hè~e rxamine

la ('OIlf'llsIO!l d'Alliold aiw,i q\l(' sa progressIve' et calme acceptation de la vie

dall.., t.olll!' SI':' (,()IILmdidioIlS. La conclusion qui en découle est qu'Arnold a un

d(::-,irc' :,il'('("T(' de 1,rollvl'r, quand ceci est possible, des synthès{'R dialectiques

l)(,l~)(Jflll!'II('s • •

• .\ ( .. h '\ 0 \ \ 1 FI H , ! '\ 11 "\ '1':--

• là thC'c.;;,. :l1ld "ritin~ :1 tht".. ,i .... nIl <'t\l\ll'\II1'I', \\('l't' t\\t) t'\Ilt'rlt'lIt't' .... III ,~. li i C' h:' .. 1):> a Il 0 \ i e~> , 1) ro !'t' ~ ~ () ri\. t' r r ,\ :\ Il' ~ \\ t'(' 1\(' ~ III (lI c t It :1 Il r \1 Iii 1il- d Il i.... rd 1t'

mi tÎI""~:-' ,<"l\lwr\'Ï::-.or in ~llidill~ Hll': ill :ldtLtil1 11 11.) tltt' ,ll':ldt'IlII(' t,\jlt'l'ti .... !' lit'

o,(f,ol'(-,j ll',~ ~ ;ndnt'::,s :md 1\ lld{'r",l:llldlll~ \','1' n'

Pr/)I' , " Î\l:tdh:l\'ji \";1 .... illdi .... pt,II .... ;tldt, in tilt' lwll' ht' pr\l\ idt·t! ill dt·III)' .... -

• •

THblc of COlltellt"

C It:t pl,(,,' 1: lntl'Odll('tioll

Chapt/'r :!: E1/lpcrlodc.'i ou 1,,'111([ IG

Ch;q)!<-r :~: 1'1181/,(/ III (/ /Id /.~c 1/ li 27

Ch;lptl'/' 1: S'olt ra" li /Id ft Il ..,111 /fi '1ô

(:h:tpt('j' ;,: !Ja!dn f)clld nlld ,\1 CIO/H' G2

1~i hl i()~r:1 p!t~.: 81 •

• t 'hapter 1: lll/ioductioll

• TraC'Ïng t.he :\1 n()ldi~1!l dLlk~·ti,· thlollsh tll\' l'Ollr:-,(' or hi:- li\ (' l(lll~ l',WIlI:- i.., n'

vealing or Aillold'.., !,:l'IH'J''11 J't'l'lin!.!; or tilt, :lgl'. l'I(,:lJl~ tltl'l\' l·\j·.t,·d '111

lIpl!t>:n'al of idl':\,'" \\ hil'Il c:\w-(,d a jl(H't likc ,\ rJlldd ln J'('-('\:ll\lll\(' ',I!l'II t'lIl1d,1

Illcllt:d i"''''IJ(''''' :1'" Jl:1tlll'l', Jll\11:·lity, l'l'j,ti,'·. ,111<\ :\ "'OUII'('

'l'Iii.., qu<>~lJ()llillt. or tl:\diti('II.\II.' :It'l'epkd ide:!,.., \\':1'" ~\)I1l\'lllill~~ 1 Il olt illit\.lll\

l'all~('d .'\]'Jloll1 :\ !2,['(':\I dl',iI or :111;;lIi..,h. \\1' (:111 "'('(' tlii ... ill hl" Il,IP,i(' (lt,II:It'!fo1

likp EIllJlcdoclC'') alld T!'j..,tr:ll11. TIll' !lI Cl!'(' hl' d('\'('ll)lll'd Ilj·, 1)\\11 Il''' 1 •• 1111\\'("

('l', the IIlUI'<' 1\ l'llold ])('(':1111\' :111 il1t!p p('lldl'lll t Iii Il k(·1' \\ h,) 1"'[,,:111 l, \ ,Il',d \\ 1111 j,.

:"o\lC~ a:-.. di\'(' 1":-.(' :1'-. \\()lll('I1'~ loll'!' ('/'/1.',/11/111 flllrI ",(,I/Ii). II\(' 1"",1 ',1·11' ill 1lllll,dit,\

(Sol!lob and HlI,~/IIIII), (I!ld tl)(· pl:w(' Ill' l'(lIlIl :llld (llIJlI'llt III \1'" tl\ (l'lrfll'''

(1853)). Arl1old'!':> tI1Il1111LlI()1I~ thillJ..iJl~~ l'('~olllkd 1'11)111 tll(' 111,111\ l'II:llll',(':' Ilt,lI

\Vere takillp; place in Ellgl:lIld al, LIlI' tillll'. Il,· \\:1', :1111/' t'I ',{'(' ('II':lIly tll:ll, hj-, • cOllnU'y wa,<; pIltcriIl).!; ~I dilll< 1111 IJlOI ;11, "'1\iJ'itll;d :tlld ('('IJII(lIllil' 1.\1:1',1' John ~t Il art Î\ 1il!. lib, A J'lIold, ;--,,1\\., t il' (hTl)!,I'1 III 1III' Il' \'/'11·.11 inl l'III .1' 1d

])('op](' :-'0 IllllI'-,('d 10 tlll' !J0\\!'J' ()r !,I/lld('TlI\' ;11''1llill·d illdividil;di',III. JJ,.

de::.,cribcd the CIlOlllliLy of t!l(> 1('~p()Il',il)ilit,\ tlll()\\'11 011 IH'Opll': liA" 1,1", ,dd dl li

trines hav(' g;OIlf> Ollt, and th(~ Ilew ()I\('~ 11;IV!' 1I0!. YI't, ('(Jlll(' ill, l'VI'I V {)I\(' 11111',1.

judge fOl' himself ab he bést may" (qt d. il! 11()1l~)htllll !)(J, l'J'O Il 1 M rll", '/7/{' ,")11111

of lhe Age :i;~). Echoinp; Ârllold\ ('0/1('1'111'" ~lill W;I'. 1III1IJIIII'IJI!.:ddl' ;.1)""1. pl {J

pIe havini!; to di:-,c(\vc,' or cOII:-,LI'IJf"t :1 ('('llln' (JI' ;IIJtl!'Jlilv ill tlil il livI"" A

justifiablC' l'car exi!'>ted of a po\arizatioll 1)('1,\\,(' l'JI UI()'(' who :-'OIIJ!,hl, I.h(· (·OlJ1f'r)f1.

of authority ill illstitution!'> lik<' l'f'lig;ioll, g;()VI'llIlIll·lll., hdJ()III', lit,('r~JI,1]I'(', ;tliri ',(J

Oll. and tho,<,c who coulcl flot or would Ilot place 'h('i,. faitll in psl.ahli c,lIlJJI!lIt:,

Lltat, t.ü the III , wpre rf'trog;radl', It. W;I.'o ;11/ :Ig;r' ;qJlly ,jI",I'liIJI',j IJy (,';1/ lyll' ;1:, ";,t, • once dt:5titnt(· uf faiLli and terrifier! al, :-,cI;ptir:i:-'lll" (qtrl. ilJ IlljllghfIJlI !J7, j'J(JIII - ~ -

• :--"1(J!(' :111<1 IllfJ!(' ('OII\i\I\('(·d th:l{, the wOlld \r·nl\" \n he~()JnE' JII()!(' ('Olllf()It,ddl' for tlw ITlll.C,:,:>, and I!1O!'P ll11romfortnhlC' ff)J thll''! Id :111\' Il:t1IJLt! ~rd'j. (JI (lj,·tillf·til)!I--:IIl,j il 1'- :1." \\cll ))/.,!J;qJ', Lh:t1, if' ',l,oldd IJ(' -.o--j'o/' lIitlIr'rto Ihr> u;d't(·r! h;)\'(· d ,lfJlli' 111'11 .111,1 d('li~~hl"ll I,h(, \\'(jlld, IJlII Ill>! Il,lil1(·.1 or iIJ'-.pll'f>r/ 01' III ail\' J'(;at \UIV el,allll/'

(\pI\('Y "Iway:, (';Illl!' till~('d with hope tha\' wa:" !Jorn of f~,ith in tlH' bE'::,t of

tivI' :-,1,:1111 pi Il).', (JI' t1l(' foot LitaI, tl1(> world was Ilot living; liT> to olle's ick::lls. Not

O/lly wa:-. 1](' "ki'ptie:", bill 11<' nlso experipllC'l'c! a wearin('ss, born of frllstration,

of tllf' attiLllcll';-' nI' hi~ f(']]ow citizl'ns. ne dcspaircd of the ch,ll1ging values of • th(' p('l'jod, :!Ild ill :I l)Joad ~PIlC;(' laml'nt.PcI the rad that England wa." sllffering 1'1'0111 li lad;: of pea('(' of mind. Arnold's disillllsion ie; l'vident, when he wrote to

ClolI).!;h ill ]r'(·I>I'II:tI'.\ lr;[):~ LItat "congestzan of the b7011l is what we sufTer from--I

alway:-. fl'el il, :llld ~:1\' it~-:lJld cry t'or air like my own Empt:docles" (Letters ]30).

Thi" III1P:\;-,ill("," ill Al'Ilold !'llgPIHl(·I'(·d a sense of suflocation. Ile felt peo-

pk WPIT 1)('il1!,!; ~iitkd lIIor:dl~', p<,!'sonally, and inkIIHt\1ally; tJwir ~pÎl·itnal and

mPlltal li\'('~ weil' Ilot keepinlS pMe with thcir social. political and material

dt·\,('IOPllH'Ilt.. 11(· helil'\'l'd that too m uch was harp~ning in England for its

illhabiLallt~ (0 ah"ol'b. and that people were not yet conscious of theil' cir-

(,lIlll~(:lIlce ..... Thi:-. :\PP(·.lI'l'd as a sigll of the mental barr~nness of the era and

c:l\l:-.('d :\ rllold to excbilll to Clough. "Arid--that is what the tim rc; :1re. • (~l)d kt'Pp Il'' hnth l'rom al'idity" (l)cffers 131). The so called aridit,y seemed to , - ,) -

haY~ infected Pl'Ople'S belief syst{'m~ :1'- \\t'l! :lIld t'.lll"l't\ 11111('11 of tht'

• closed ofr a .1uly lS·I~ Il'tt('l' 10 Clol1î!:h \\ ith tht' f:lCt'li()"" Illll', ''(;nd hlt"'''' ~()\l: therc b a (;üd. huI Il{' i~ not wcll t'OIH't'i\ l'd (lI' h~ :111" (/'t'fIt'1.~ Kï), .\" '\!'I\old's

i:: round PJ'illl:ll'il~' III hic, pro"'(·, .'\Illolt! "('('111:-> t f ) 1l.I\t' ~1I11('11'" :\ \\oild w(,:lIi-

ness, and app(';)l'(," 10 Ily ln "top Illl' (l\t'1!\()\\t'lïllf'.

of los!:> of a popl in :J \Itilit.al'i:1I1 ~()l'il'ly, Arllold had th(' d:llllltilq" 1:1.,,1- or h:l\'ill!~

to retienne hi::. l'ole in hi~ \Vorld, aud !lb iuallilit.y ln du :-'0 kt! ln Ih(' :--1'11:,(' Ih:lt

life wa,,', pa')::.iIlg lIilll hy (Lctl('f.~ l~()), Ili:-. !>l'J':-'()Ilal <1 i:-. LI 1''''',(';' \V('\,(' Il,t1.lIlt't·'' \Iv

ln his Preface to j'..:."says 111 CutlClSII! h(· lugllbrioll"ly dl't'I:IIf'd thal. "[\dy viv:tcity i"

but the la,,,,\' ~p(lllde of Ibm\; !Jl'!'o)'c \VI' :trI' ail in \.JI(' d:lJ k, 11\1' !:t;,t, J.!;lilll p:'(' ()r • colour befoj'(> \\(' :111)..';0 jlltn

austerely litera! fut.urc, , ,II (FUe ~:) 1),

Dissectioll of' th(' ploblplllS of' Vil't,orÎ;uI :-;()('idy \Vith :t vin\' 10 tll(·il' l'al'''

reaching effect.", \Vas a challcll!!,(' ta M~tt.t}1PW A rllold, 11(' ~aw t,hl' 1'1)()f, of t.hi'~

ceive the existing vision as Il:lll'OW alld la(~kinf!; in 1IIlivl'r·~:IIII.V, :lIld III' 1'1'11. that. a

crit,ical vicw of' ~()cia! alld IllOral COJl(liliow-.; wa.'" (',!lied fr)! i/J Lili:, til/II':

thesc fu'e dlllIlllcd tiJll(·:-.--(·vnyt lLÎllJ!; ie., (ti!,aiIl..,1. olw--Llll' height t.o Wllicll kll()wli·d/!,I' is bf'('ofi] (', th(· ~pf'('ad f)f Illxllry, our phy;,icrll PI}(,l'\';Jtioll. tlJf' ab')('J)('1; (if ~J('aL 1/(LlII7f;.'" 1.IJ1' unavoidClbk cOllla!'\. wit.h lllillioll:-' of ~lfJall ()JJI':~, JII'W"I),I­ pers, eiticc" lii!,llL prolli/!,;)!.i· fril'nd,>, III 0 nt! dl':~I)('l':ld'J', lib· Carlyle, 0111' OWll :-.(·1\'(·..,. ,Illd lit,· :-.j('kellillg; r·()JI~.r'i(J11'-,Il( :,', ()f our diOiclllti(·c" (I,d/Ln, 111) • - ,1 -

• 1,I·li,.vl cl t Il;tf Idl l'(' IH'(i"ll' \\;('11' Il!fil'l' r·lf'ar-r~yr·d ~lhOllt lif(>--"'f'('ill~ il for il..,('lf'-­ LlII'Y wfJldri ;iC'11I1 v' ;j('(·ordillgl.\ 'l'Iii" IJW(;r 01' 1)/'r'('PI,tioll, Arnold !H'lip\,pc!, h~

jl.i1 1'11)t~lr"-'''';I()lI, Ollr' j..., IJI)I) fld ln C,('(' ill Ih i~ the !lf'(·r;..,..,ity fol' llniv(,l''-al educa-

~,(·ll~,ihrlil.v \voilld ('n'I'p IIlln Ihr· fllll('lion'" (Jf ..,oeir'j,\. Ill:1 10tf,er to his wire writ-

<'\pl:lill<'d Lh:!!, IllI' (·IlI·(·Lé, (JI' '-,el!o()lillg "are so illlIl1Cn::.e, and their l'uLule ellects

of' (·ivilizill).!, LlJ(' IW;...t, !!,(']wr:tLil)!l of' t,]](. lowcr (' 1;):,>" C':-:. , who, ao;;, t.hill!!.:'> art' going,

\1 ill Il:1\,1' 1110',101' t111' jioIJti(':d li()\\'('J' ill II!('il' hand.." may he so impoJ't:lllt" (PfYC

".....r .) 1 ) . "VILh all ill(·)(·<1 ...,illl-!,l.v hOjlPj'ul and rar-~ighteo vi!:\\ of the Il100ern cra,

Arll()ld 1)(,).!,;11l ln {'Il\'i:-.ioll ('"I,(Ibli..,l!f'

:""'()('('I, l'at.lll·r Chail thl' tladitiollal 'I.!",pect,.., tha,t, tended to oppresé, in the ~trictness • ()r tIII·il'

ail 1J1I~t.:lbl(' alld challp,int-; l'la. Ill' apJlPared to realize that the Victorian rearling

pllhli(' \Va.'" :t 11('\\ LI'(·(>(1. not a.L aIl like tflC' l'eadets of the Romantic pCI'iod. In

Ili!"> l'~~'\y, '11/(' S/ur/y of j)octl'lj, Arnold madr ::-,()me astutR judgements on his

l't·:ld''r~hip. alld thl'Oll!.dlout still III 1l11agcd ta maintain his faith in the place of

We Hf'(' orlell tnld thllt an ('ra if, 0p0nÎnp; in which wc are ta !">pp Illultit "dt·.., or a CUIllIllOIJ sort of l'C'adf'l', and masses of a COlllll\Oll !--()rt or litel':1tllll'; thnt slIch l'l'aden;:; do noL want and I.'oltld l\nt rcli:,11 ,1nytllin!!. lwCt01' th:1l1 811('h literatUl'e, and tll:\1 tn jlro\ id(' it i" h(,(,()IIlIIJ~ a \ :1..... 1. and profitable illdl\~ll'\. ,.:\ ('Il if ~\)()d lill'l';ltUJ'(' ('ntirel\' lo,",t rtll'I('ncv with tht' \\und:mth' ~\(l,th "hile t~ con­ tinut> Il) l'Il,~)Y it h~- olH':"elf. But it Il("nl' will lose currency • with the \wrld. in ~pik of momrlll:1ry :lplw:1l'an('i.'~: it never - ., -

will los(' ~u prl'1l1.\(·~. <"'\11 rl' l\l'~ :ll1d ~u pl ('111 :Il'~ :m' in ..·"11 ('( 1 to it. Ilot illdl.'('d ln Il](, \\l,lld· ... Iklihl'l':\!t' .\l1d l·lll1 .... ('i,l\l .... choic(>, but \1\ :--()l\l(·;lli!l~ 1':\1' d('I'j1I'r,--h~ tlll' ill .... tinl't ,,1' • :.:;clf-l'rl''''!·1'\ ItiD11 ill h\llll.\!lil\. (l'l' (' ;{~7) His optimi'ill1 !lol\\illt ... l:lIldille. tlll' 1'1I1,lk h.\d tn hl' ::\I,{'II illh' (·(ll\',idl'I.lli"11 ill

disquic(. \\ith :111 th:1l \\:1" h:IPPl'1l1l1\2. :llllllJld hilli. lit· "'1'(·lllt·" (',\ll\ illl'!''! th·t! Il

had 11('\,<:1' IW('II h:ll'd(,1' tu pl'odll('(' \2.

ln a lett{'l' of' J\1:lrcll l~ P" \rllnld (old CI()u~1J of (':\l'I~'l{'',,, !'jlilli"ll tlt:11

"The hlllll:lll J'(W(', h:l" IlO\\' :11'11\(·<1 :11 tlt(, 1:1:-;(. .bd: :I .... ·,ilil' \fin Il " (/,rllr"", -;;,)

became more 1ltliitnri:1Il tl!ry \\'('!'(> II· ...... l'('('('ptivf' tn lll:lf.tl']'·; n!' lilll'!' d!'I:ltI Il''1'

lhose cmbodicd ill pcwt,ry. Tite Il:lrr·)\\, (,()Ilfill(,~ of .I1·n·lllY 1II'IlIh·IIIl'·, d()f'll'illi'

• that BCIl(,haIll'~ vic\V of LI\(' Art." ;-'('('~. tlJ(' VI'IY pl dJ-';III:II,ir' ('1';111111' Id' t.lw'-." ,\',

mg; ~,~ this vicw i~, BCllthalll die! ('oll"irlr'ral>l(' 1t:1I1I1 10 LIli' (TI·rlil,ilil\, of lilA'I:IIV

production whcll be ('xtelldcd (,hi~ opinioll and :,I,:dpr! LI"d tllf'l(' j" IH) 1(1)'11 ill

not be appreciated in an nge ilOt. \\,(,11 ('(jllippr'rI t~) ~Ip"rr'('i;ill' If. }\('(IIIII' 1II'IIrv

... thb (kmand 011 tl\l' ('r'I,dl'r l'or :lr·livit.y, wlll'JI \'1' W:lllh to peruse lIb allthor ill a 11IXIllioll ... p;I,",.'1ivI·!If''',·'' i', tlll' v/'I'y thing t.h~lt JIlOV('" hi", I)ill': il. i" ol)viol)'o t.h:tI. LIlI)' l' Wlill'J', will always be !llO~t pO]JlIJar wllr) f'('qllir<' t.11I· Ir·:I.'1L dl';!;!I'I; iiI' excl'tioll. (IIallarll HG)) • Hallam \Va,,> cOIlcel'Jled Ilot only with t!H' : eadn\ ~1'Jl~itivit,il'~, IJI1L al·~o with !Ji!' - (j -

(Jljl·"ti(J/J ()f wÎl('le alld how poetic writing fit into the new &chema. In previous

I.illll·:-' plwtl'y l'X pII·"..,(·d th,. gellcrhl concerns of people in a nation. hut now it • HPP(';lrl'd tn 1)(' W(i! killg again~t the impube of the people. and in fact to be illltag()lIi~t,i(' Iii Ut(' r!r·..,irf' of the people for rapid change and progress.

Nalll!'all\' tlli.., I(·d Il) a prof'olllld :-'('lISP of :dicllntio!1 0n the part of a

1I111111H'! of Vktol iall ]l(wh. and ils dept,h rail h~ sccn in worb of ail major

pop!..., of tl)(' !lI'riod. III hi" f)7cfarc (lRf):~) MaU)]('\\, Arnold chararterized the

Vi('torilill agi' :llld iL.., pI)('II'Y, :md 1Il01lrncd the faet that ''thl' calm, the cheel·ful-

11(':-,'., th(' disi!tf{·('(·:-,Ic·d obj('divity have disappeared: the dialof;,ue of' the mind

\Vith it...,(·lf Iw..... cOlll1l1cncedj modprn problems have presented themselves"

(/)(1(' :20:{). 'l'Il(' illLro"'pcction illdicated in thi'3 sentiment resllits from a

ntllllbl'I of factor':>, ail of which ~peak of the isolation and alienation of the poet.

1L wa.'" an i:-,olat iOIl 111 ac\c more pronounced by a l'carling pu blic which felt free to

Illak(· (k!lIl1lld:-, of' it,:-, wrikr:-., and which showcd ::'0 !iule bcnsi(,ivit,y to the ima­

).!;illat.i\'(' world. Th(, \'ÎI'W that increased public education and a wider l'eading • :Iudipll('e p;avp t.he pOl't the prestige and status of a prophet was fal\acious. In l'ealiLy, lite POl'!. W:lS increasingly alienated from his audience and imaginatively

shaekled hy the pl'I'sl'l'ilwd d(~signat.ion of prophet. Houghton and Stange

t'Ilcapslllat,e t.ltÎs illiIllÏC'al expC'rience in their declarat.ion that "l'ven as they

(\('('('pt('d t.hp \''l'(':\ehs of laure 1 and roses . . . the greatest Victarian poets

prpspr\,('d :l biu.(>!· &·,tl'l1~t. of' theil' l'eaders'' (Introduction yi).

Vic(oriall P(wts sufferN] a duality of identity which manifested itself as a

dinl('ctic \11 th(' sPllsihilily of these individuals who \Vere kying ta find their

pln('(' in :\ d~'ll:Ill1 i(' ~oeil't.y. This place, howevel', \Vas somewhat precarious

bccause it (,ollt,bled of the d('~ire ta be true ta the crcative imagination, as weIl

as a ~(,IlS(, of dut) 10 OIW'S ap;e. At the very least this was a daunting task, the • dilli('ully of which is app:1I'l'nt in the poetr)' of the age; in The Alien V1St'On of - 1 -

FtciorlQ1l Poetry. E. D. H. Johnson long agn hh'ntilil'd the task of Vit'torinn poets:

• there i.-. "l'(,()~llizahll' in their "orl-. :1 kitld ,,1' kll-.j"1l l'rj­ ginating in dit' !wrioll'i writer's tr:Hlitillll:d (k-.irl' tn \'()Jll­ Il1l1IlÏcatf'. to do s() \\itho1\t Il('tl':\.\ill~ th\· l'lllit., (11' hi" cl'eat.iYe lllotin' ('\'\'1) in th\' fac\' or :\ l'llhli\' littl.' ,li -1'\,-.(,<1 to llIl

effort ta dcfillt' the eL!Jo!) of his o\'t'I'whelmillg; a~e .. lohll:-',\lI, h\)\\'('\'\'r, i~ lIpt to

say that Arnold. Illon' thall Tellllyl->oll and HI\l\\lIill~. Il'rll~_\,d ln ('lllllpr()llli~('

\Vith the Vict0rian l'm. Hp a<;sprk; that Arllold\; :lli('llati()1I i'i \''\\'lIlplilil'd hy IIi..,

isolated, solitary pl o ta!-!;oni..,t0. lib admiratioll for ArJl()ld'~, "nilÎ<':d habit, of

discrete charactcri:-,tic:-, of thp Victorian :\).';(' in dPlinit(· :111<1 "ohj(,(,tiv(' t('I'1I1:-'''

(147). Arnold himself arLiculatcd tJj(' difflclllt.h':-, illh(·r('1l1. ill this ta',k in ail • incisive letter ta Clough of DeC('lllber 1817: Had Shakc~pcare nnJ Milt,oll liV(·d in Lill' atlllo .... pllf'll· (JI' modem fcditll!', had Illf'y Ilad IIIf' III ttltil IId(' (lI' III'\\' thought..<, a.nd fcplillg 10 rl<-;11 witll n lJJorJr'l'lI Il:1 ..... 1 f"ill" il. likcly the :-.t~ 1(,:-. of' 1':1\'11 \\'(Jltld Il:1\'1' 1)('('11 f':11 Ir",', (111/011', and cxqui5ite. For in il li/an ~Lyl<' i~ tht' ~:l.villg ilJ tllf' lJ('~,1 way whal you have II) SIL!!. TIt(' w!{(/I !JOli h(I1W to MI!! d"J)/·II.]" on yOUI' age. ln th0 17th Cl'lLtury il wa..... a s1/lIl[[n Itallw,',f than 110 lU, and :-'OOIlCJ' tl) 1)(· J'(':lJ)('d: :illd th"I'''I',»)'(, fil if;, reaper \vas leit. time to ~tow il III 01'(' filll'Iy alld (·lllinll:-,ly. Still more \Va,'" tllb lite ca.'1C ili thl' :11I(·j('IIL \\·(l/Id. TIJI' poet's !TI aLter bcing U~e lutherto experu:nce of tilt: 1JJm/d, (lut! hu; oum, illcrea,,('~ with ('very (·clIt1!ry .. " yon llIay ()!f.I'!l hear my 5incws c/"ackillg IlJldl~r t,hl~ cf!orL t.n llIlitl' lJIatt(·)'. ( fi df('r.'> (i:»)

According te Johnson, not only wa.~ the Vict0riall readi/lg (JulJlic iJl~('nc,itive 1,0

the imaginative life, but the Victorian poet made conc(::-.,sioll~ 1.0 this fact. A • Vict0rian writer would ::,uff el' the conflict (a'3 mCIltioned alJove) l)dw(~elJ IJ(:jlJ~ - R -

li ':>jlok(!~per~oll for the af!,c, and bearing "allegiance ... to his own aesthetic

~('IJ:-'Îbiliti(>~" (Introdl]ctioJ] x). • Arllold HPPH!(:d to have been awal'c that he was writing poetry at a time W)lI'J1 imaf!;iJlaliv(' VCI~(' wa.'" in ,1 ~tat.e of tnU1~jtion. \Vith opposing idea.<; Hghting

fOI' place 011 the !->aJ/l(~ ~tage. As a poet he was tom between duty and desire.

IJ('I'haps !,('eatJse of )) r. A l'1lold':,; ideals, he kncu' of his responsibility to his

li)..!;!', 1,111, IWV('1 ~h(d(,~~ Ilf' feU 1,11(· afMa('tion of Cil'cc's cup and its cllticing

vi~i()I1"" 'l'Ile difli clIILy Arnold eÀ perienccd as Il feeling poet al, a tirne when

:l(lprp<'Ïa,l,ioll fol' this deplh of feeling \Vas lackillg is poignantly expressed in The

Th('~(' LhillÇ,~, l T1y:-.:-.C':-., '1'11(' wbe }l:mb abo Bl'hold :l1lcl :-,illf.!,. HuI, oh, what labour! o priJlc(', whaL paill!

:-'IJ('!J a pric(' Th(· Cods exact for song: • To })t'com(' whaL w(' sing. (207-34) And in Obermann Once /I.1ore (1857) he speaks of the weight of his duty as a port:

Hut t.holl, thou[!;h to t}H' wodd's new hoU/" Thou com(' with flSpcct rnarr'd, ShOl'1I of the joy, the blooll1, the power ''''hich l)('~t bdit.., il., bard--

Though lat.e. though dill1l11ed, though weak, yet tell lIope 10 n world llC"\-lllndC'! (301-12)

Thal. Amolcl \\lI1S indeed conscious of the poet's role in Victorian society is seen

in 11le ,'-1'(1Idy of Poetl'y, in wllich he speaks of the primacy of poetry in a func­

t.ioning socj('ty. As other aspects of society developed, the need for good poetry • lIlanifrs(,rd itsrlf: "Mme and more rnankind will discover that we have to turn - SJ - l 1 to poetry to interpret lifE' for U~. to ('()n~o\P us. 10 ~ustain us" l/'t!-'(' :mn). l!l'n'

was Arnold's motivation in spendinp: so \11u('h of his pl'Osr f;{'ttin~ sl:lIl1i:mi" for • poetry. He l'elt that onl~' poct\'y or thr lli~hl,::-;t S(:lI1d:lI'd would Pl'l'l'Ol'1lI i(~ fll\h'- tion as he pcr('rivcd il.

Living; in what Il(' frit wns a Jll'Orolllldl~ "lI11pol'til':11 .I~l'." Arllllld did IH)t

discard the idea that h(' ('ould ~l1idl' :111d k:ll'h hi" 1't·lIo\\' ('itizl'IIS th\'Olq~1t hi ...

incisive critieal abiliti('~. Arnold 1H'\in'{'d (h:l( thl' ollly W:ly Oll( of tht· ~t'{'\I1-

ingly hopeless situat.ion of port\'~'IC's<;I1('S" \\'a:-: (n psI:lhli~h li ('{'l'Iain ~ /IId of POI'-

try, one that was morc suit.ahlC' 10 thl' ;I~(" .\ lit! (hol\~h E. J), Il, ,1ohll'.()n i" nt'

the opinion that Amold \\':1R llllable 1,0 1'('('o\H'ilP his podry with th!' I\('(·tb of hi:,

time (Introduction xiii), Arnold himsdl' dpdnrr'd in his !':-;~:1y, Th t' /<'1111 1'1 Iml of

Criticis111, thrrt his main ohjcct.ÎvC' \Vas (0 "prop:ll,;at(' th!' hlH·d Ihat. Îs klJOWI1 ;Il1d

thought in the wol'id" (PBC 257). Jlis id(·:,'. fol' popt l'y app<,;I\'(·

to what he felt wafi tht' ~l\p('l'fi('i:llit,y of' SOIll(' ('()lIf~'1lI por:lry p()p(.". This

sl..lpedlciality \Vas embodied in the ('lIIphllSis 011 ('XllI'(':-,:-,iolJ ill ('()III~'lllp()r:,ry Vi('- • torian poetry. Simplieity of spec('h, A mold t'pIt., W:I:-' ('~'.Plll.i:\1 10 t.\)(' lIIo

ing that "matter" was the hC3rt, of p(wtry alld, in th:!!' t.ill)(·, (>~:-'('llt.i:tl. AI Jlold

emphasized that the modern poet's cO/lcnn s!Jollld 1)(' wit.h l'ulldalll(·Ilt.ah, III

his Preface (1853) he exemplifled this point by Il!)in~ tlle ca:",('~ of M a('})(>t.h alld

O e d'lpUS saymg . t,1at1 a contemporary poct COll Il( II('V(' l' " J'(·pn·s(·Ilt. f 01'('1)'II YIl t. 1If'

ex te l'l1 al traits of their lives. Thal, was INI["t, impOl't.ant. In Arnold's doct.rjn(~l if.

was the ''inwaJ'd man" who should be of prime eOIlCCJ'1l f.o t!l<' ('()Jltf'lTllJ{)l'a/'y

poet, Rather than concel'l1 with form, he believed ~l1b~tal1ce :-:.hollld !Je tllf:

objective of' the contemporary poet: element.s like fe(din~s, \H'l!avÎolll' ~lIId pa:i-

sions (P&C 206). • In addition ta his emrha.c;is on content in poetry, ArJlolrJ stf'('s:~f'd t.bat, ;1.'" - JO -

i Il tl').!,J:d ('0 JJ IIJl)) JI: Il h, }l( Jl'tl'y Hl \1"01.. contain "!Je~' u ty" and natu l'al n Cf:,S, an d ad he re

Iii il" I,\V() fiJi/li ilJ,1i ()lIj('(·~: "olle to add to onc'5 ~tore of tho\l)..Çht~ and fc"clings­ • -;IIJOL!WJ' 10 ('(JIII P()~(' :llIcI (·kvatf' the rnind by a Sllsta.illl'd !,OTlt'. 11111l1PI'OUS allu­ ~i{)IJ~, ,lIld J!.I';llld 'oLvlc'" (IJd/C1.~ ü(); BH; ]O()). Arnold Wrl~ 1i1'l11 on the point that

t,})(' ('OIJt.f'III or jJ(J(·tly, (JJ I(ltlwr, poctry it..':)(' II', s}lolJld 12;i,,{' plC';I.'o1\re rather than

\J1(Jvokl' Lhl)l\~llt.. It \V:I~ fol' t.hi,", r('H~On that he ~(>L a,sid0 l~m7>cdorfes on Etlla in

Iti:-, !.:d,j ('c1ililJll (JI' 1J()('lll:-'. III tlJ(' Pteface (lK.1a), he lalwllrd iL as being a

JJf)f'IIJ ill \Vldc'Il ":1 ('O/ltiIlIIOII'o ~tat(' of mcntal distre:-;:::' i~ prolol1gpd, IInl'elieved

I),Y il/(·idl·IlL, IJOlw, 01 lt·~i~L()Il(,(·; ill which Lhel'c i~ ('v(>r~'Lhing; LO be endured,

llOLltiIlJ!, 10 h(· dO/l!'''. A Illolrl l'I!ljllin·d the tourhillj:!; of :-;o1ll0(,hing permanent in

pl'opl(· l,y \lo('lry, alld lell t,]w(, a lot of cOlltemporal'Y poelry (his own included)

\Va.'" 1l0(, rllifil/ill!!; tlii:-, l'IIJletioJl Sl](·('('~sflllly. Ile wrot{' the Frefnee (1853) after

IlaviJl/.!, d('VI'!

add ln ()IIP'~ ~t()J'(' or kl1uwll'dge, but also that it "convcy a chnrm, and infuse

deli!!;ht,", l·\.'ali~ill)!; that t.hl' long0vity of such an institutioll as poetry lay in the • l'lIjOYJllt'llt iL provided. !I(, criticizecl severely the poetry of his OWIl time. In wIlLr",'·;!. tAl th,,1 or tll(' HIH'il'IlL Grpeks iL placed tno much value on individual

L!t()lq.o;ht..., :lIId illl :l~(·r.\ in !'t·Ia/ioll \'0 an action; he claimed that fol' rnany modern

popt •..., the actioll of' Ih(· \ ('l'~(' i!:' :subonlinatcd ta expression (PBC 201-7),

Arnold brlievrt! th:1t the "confusion of the pl'esent times is gl'eat, the mul­

tÎtll

poet,l'y (\c('ordill!!; (0 hi~ Jllc;cribed teneu:' he would have ta resolve certain fun­

dalllPlItal IS~II(,~ 111 hi" OWIl tumultuous thinking. Like those of his society,

A l'llold's t.holl).!,hts :llld idp:\s wPl'e in a st.at.e of t.I'ansition. He was heil' to

\{oll\antir 1l1()~jpb or tllOught, yet his sense of responsibilit.y ta his society ul'ged

ltim to l'ol'lllulnte pl'illciples of poetl'y that wcrc appropl'iate fOI' the current l'ead­ • inp; publi('. Ont' a. ...,s('rtion was that rontcmporary poets look to ancient writers - 1 1 -

roI' guidance. H<> l'elt thal th<>y could. b(' mo~t instl'llC'ti\'t, bec:"l:;\'. fIItt'r alta •

their style:::. il1stilkd a certain p(')'m:lI,l'nC't'. In~te:HI of t'Plltt'llll'lll""I'Y IHH't~ 1'1'0-

ducinp; wor"s of :) tr:1IlsÎtor\' Il:1tllre. IH' :--:tid. the\' l'nuld lt-:\l'n l'''dlll th(' :ll1cit'nl;-; • . ,

poet in " \t'r~ tr~in~ "~l'. In a kttl'r t{l ('IOIl~1t or .hlllt· u-;,:!. \1'1\ll\<1 dl:--pirit-

edly :::.tated tltal "1 alll ~urc' how('\'('r that ill tlll' :\il nI' titI' IlIta '('1l1 1111\(':-- il 1I()\I:--

manqul' d'"lilll(·IIt. :111<1 th:)t \\'(' lh·tt'rilll'at(· in spit(· or (llll' ',11 Il !-'.IJ( . .., .. Il (!'t'fln,',

123). ln OIlP sense' I\(' wa" !Jlamill); Litt' tillll':-- for pr\'\'('lltllll~ Ililll 1')'(1(\1 :--11";('("

tively prodllC'illl!; tlll' ic!Pn.., and il\<;igltt.,-: which (ll'('lIr!'(,d ln IIIL, Illll'tic lIIilld.

Arnold secmed to br n"'Hn' tltnt his and othC'1' ('onkl\\ po!':!!'y 1l()('1 1 \' WiI." (l,WII 10

the critici::.m or lIut flll Lite ri Il).!. the lllaIly bllddiIl~ ('(JIl(·('pl." of' 1h(' IlIdll~lri:t1

l'evolution. But Ulle ('ail ellvi"iol1 hilll ('olll'hldill); thal 1,11(·..,(· ('(lll('('pl,', lal'I\('

any relat.ion ta what, wa" permaneIlt, ill t!tp hlllllau ~()1l1 :\IJd Ih(·n·ro\'(· hl' ('ollld

not see worLhy port!',\' f1owill).!; fo!'Lh t'/'OIII :-'IJCh )ln·(·l'p""" .

FOI' A l'Ilold the Way out of Lhis ('onl'uc;Îo!l WH,'" Jo :1<';('('1'1 :Ii 1\ Iii" po<;itioll 01\ • some basic p

ne e ds 0 r h is :l!2;e • 0 Il (' ('(' Il 1d ci le' 'J'//(' ,'1'('h 01 a T- (,'YP8 '/, 'I1I'1Jl"l/';, j) Il 111'1 /l1'fI (' li a Il d

the later IOIlg pOClIlS as lllOIlIlIl1(·IJt.<; ln t.his newly c!(·v1·lo(l(·d pI)l'l.il·'l, i\~ il,

staod by 1852, A!'llold recogl1ized his OWll lIeed t.o l'c!:>olv(', ill hi·. Illilld and ill

his poetl'y, the discrC't,(,IlP':>S thal, wa,,> a J'{'IlP('tioll of tlJI' (,olllli('I:, ill his OWII

thinking. This l'ealizatioll is manif'('st,(·d in tht' fOI'lorll hop(' or his Ik.'>:{ 1('1.1,1"1' 1.0

his sister .Jal1(·: 1I1l1y P()('Jll~ arr' f'rai;rnPllt:-,--Î.f>. thaL 1,1111 rl':ll..')II(·II1:) .• t,llf'

whole effect of my poem'-:i i., qllitp vagllf~ nJld indd~·I'Inill:tI)'-·lllj~) i<, t.hr·il' wl'ak­

ness . , . tlw poems st:-lgger wpakly & al'(, al, theil' '.viL.., r·lId. J ~,IJ:Jl1 do l)I'tlpl'

some day 1 hope ... do not plaglw yourself tlJ fiJJrl a. cOII~i:"tr!lIt IIW:lllillg .. ," • (P8C 524-.52.5) . - l:! -

Th(' c:Oldli('t, in A rIl(Jld 1)(~lwl'(~I\ bi~ duty to the age and hi~ instinct to turn

:I\I/;Iy rf'(JTlJ ;t11 t!J(' tlJlIJlllt and ('JJjoy the jwallty hr had clIltivatf'd in himself • (11':tI,I'rI w/iat 1 ('all t1Jf' "1/Jf>L;I-r1i:J!c'dic'" or his poetry, As t,hi" Illda-dialectic :lji!J/fI:!I'llI'd LIli' poiJlt, qf' 1(':-,oll)I,ÎO/I, ArJJulJ. ,.,ith Itill(hif!;ltt, cOllld sec the

di:t!f'f'li,;t! L:tI,th· 1 ;1~lll~ III l'idl ill H1I1J)(;dotlc,> 01/ I·;tl/o, and thi~ C'all"ed him to

1:J!i(·1 :1)(· pOI'IlI, "(!Hi/il lJi !lot 1I'at;ic", Tlif' ItIi'ta-diHIf'ctic' cornes ta be refiectE'd in

(·1"11)('111." of' Al'llfJlrI':-, P()('tl,V th:lL arC' di;t1c('ti('al in t!H'T!l,>clv('s, Elemeluts likc

th(· roi,· LIJHt /IaLUII' 1i;1.', ('0 Il li' 10 play ill titI' modcm ~eIl::,ibiliLy; the place of

vallH ~ ill t111' p{H'I!',v (,J' a lIewly ('ritienl society which i~ qllcstioning tradition;

t 11\' p(·r:-op(·('tiv(· O}l lir\' alld love tl!êlt thb :--o('Ï('ty bac! n'C'Ol1r~c 10; l1Ild ln the

Illlfoldilll!; p{)di('~ wlti('!J hi~ V('n,e~ ('Illhody that reJ!('cL Arnold's Lholl~hls fOI'

hi", a).!,(·, 1 !J,Ive ('110:-'(,11 to px:ullillC' Arllolcl's livE' long poem~ bccallse, while

(':\clJ 1:-, IIlliqlH' in it.'-'ell, \Vile]) l'cml :-,equcntially and comparative1y, they reveal

Llt( !'V()llIti{)1l :lJld illt"1 actioll of A Iï1old's principal poct.ic idea;" Through these

liv(' !l(WItlS :llId the' dial(·(·ti('al elplIH'nts the y cOJltain one is abl<, te trace • A J'llold's pa.":-';I)!;<' 1'10111 dialel'Lie:d ('ollf'u:-,ioll--(':lUSCÙ Gy th<, existence of so III :Illy id!,,\-,:> Lha!' lU {' allt iLht'l.ical--t{) a !::o(a(e of' ~ynLhc5is, where he caIl envision

th(' ('{)-t'xi:-,L('Il(,(, ()! (,()IIt.l'adictol'y lloLi()II~, Tilh :-,ame ùialectic is ta be seen in

1\ 1'lI()lcl'~ ot!)('l' pol'lry hut, tlj(' !:>Luùy of iL in the long poetry is particularly

ill1.<·\'(·:-,t.illt!, h!'('aUH' or (hl' :-OllsL~lilled \Vay in which it is manifested both themati­

(':111,\ :llld l'llJ'lllally. A:-, Ill('ntiulled above, th(' flvc long poems are: Empcdocles on

1~'IIIt1 (ISf)~). Jll'ohahly hi" he::-(. knowll and mûst stuùicd work, which conCE'J'ns _.....

tilt, pl't'-SolT:ltk philosopher who p,rapplcs with a sense of meaninglessness in a

('h:mp;illp; \\orld, and \\ hu lllLimaü'ly dl'~Lr()ys himself; Tristmm and Iseult

(1 sr):!). \\ Iti('h j" h:\:wd 01. (hl' ll1edjrval le~end of two ili-faLcd loyers; Sohrab

alld HuslullI (H\f)~)), whieh is adapteù froIU an old Persian tale that deals with • lilial l(l\l'; /Ja/dn J)cad (1855), the subjcct of which is tub'll from Teutonic - 13 -

mythology, and portn1~'s aU~l1l pts to l'l'tl'it'\ t' t ht' soul of :\ brave warrior l'rom

the l'calm of hel!: and 1\1('/0/11' (l~(iï). :\ (;l't't'k pby (rt'plt'\{> with l'hol"lIs) ill • which a woman seeks to avell~t' IH'l' h\l:-:;h:\l1d'~ de:1th. Arnold's rl"Ol'('S~ of di:1ll'ctil':11 thl'lI bh. Il''.('ll1hlt'-' th,\I or llq!,l'l \\ho "~('(

out his s~'st(,ll1nti(' \\'1'itilli!;" in di:t!l'('tit':li tli,ld.., ('t)lllpri..,ill!-!, :1 tht'~,i..,. :llltithl,..,i:,

and synthesis" (Adon 'l:1li). :\Illold 11I:llIift'..,kd di-.tillctl.\ llt'~l'li:\I1 :-ot'lIti11lt'llt,..,

by tl'yill,l!, to 1'('''01\,(' Ihe' di:îlc'cti('" ht' t'II"')\llllt'I('t! ill IIi" :\l',t', \. \\'. nI' Il Il

states, howevel'. that. 1lC' pl'oh:ddy 111'\1'1' 11':\<1 11 (,)!,l'I, :\1Id lltlllt' nf Al'lI()ld'-.

posthumol1s ]'('C'OI'c!S inoicak this l'itl\t'r (

the Hcgelian dial{'ctieal triad, thesh :111t! :llltith('..,i:-o. t':111 Il(' :-O('PII nt the' (':Irl"

point of the Al'lloldi:m di:llpetil' \\,1)('11 ('()lItr:\

fluctuation !Jet,\v('PIî idnls ll1:lkes fol' 11'{'llt'1I:\Il1. :1Ilt! di"t.tlrhillt', pt)('tr,\'. '\'\\,()

l'elevant and Lelling l'xample!::o of' this pll:I'''' ill Ar1lold'·, tllÎlIkill)!, :UP tilt' lil',1

two of his 10Jl~ floeInS p1\bli~11Cd in IS~)~ III :111 pdil.i'lll of POI'lll:, ('lll.illl·d

Empcdorles 011 Etna ond D/l1er h)(~III'i: 111(' tilll' !H)t'Ill :lIld '/'1l'i/1(1111 (/ut! 1~(,lIfI III • both, Arnold':::; ull(,(,l't;1Ïnty is m~nil'('~It'd in tht' f,oJ'lll('llIl'd ~()\r1-">/';l1('hin~ of each of the principal ch ar:-let no.;, 'l'II(' di',('(HI:.;ol:ILt'III'..,:, of I.I)(',,>/, ('''ala('f~'r:; j"

indicative of tht' di"tr('ss ('all~ed hy t,h(' l'n('1 111;11, :111 individll:tl (';IIlIIO!, III' J'('('OIl­

ciled ta opposing i(](oa.o.; witllollL (al, I('(l,..,t, inili:t1ly) :-'1I!lt"jllg; ('()Jd'lI"iClIl ;11111 ;J

sense of rncaninglcssllPSS. In Rm]J(~dorlc,> 011 J~'tll(f :lnd T1/.~/r(f1ll (/1/d hf'lIlt 1.111'11'

is no l'econciliation or resollltioll. And LIli.., 1'>..Lr·nd., tn the· vil'\% (JI' lIat,,/'/' nlld

values as weil a'3 tA.> the poctic featllr<'~ ill Llt('~1' two P()(~III~. IL wOllld :-;('(~1I1 t,hal

in thesc pocm!:> the poet holc!::' a hopcle:-,::, viny in wlti<'ll tlJ!' illdividllilJ ha.,,> ln

succum b to the force of' tbe dialcctie raLIlf'J' LlUIIl li Ild il W;t,y of ;JI'c'(jJn Illodat.illg;

il,.

As Arnold's poe tic thinking develop~ (in So/tro/J and H7l.'illlrrt, lJalder IJf-ar/ • an d M erope) , ho weve l', 0 Il e sees an i Il ('re ll,< TI g; rf'('O Il ('i Ihlf,io Il of () fi fi');, i fi V; (. \f.- - ] 1 -

ll)/'Ill.'-" III th"..", hdr l' j)(j{:JTI". dia\(,ctica\ elemenl~ appear 1,0 Le synthcsizing to a

p'JillL wJJI'J( fJJ!I)():-,iJI~ V)r'W" ;!l'e !lot ftllLagolll':>tÎC'. but ratlIer. arC' a('('epted 3.'3 two • ('qufi\ly vj;J!J\r' allr'llJati\'(·~. III S'ohrau and H1lsl'l/1n we ~ee fol' the fil'sL time a j!l'ogll"",I(>l1 III lllt r)J'()('('~" 01 the di~,df'('ti,'al tl'iad ill that '-,Ollle (kÙ1Pllts of

II'è,O\lltÎU!l fil '-,\'IJ1Ij(''-,j', 1111' :IPfJllJPllt. Hathel' t.han IWIIlP; a ('ollf'llsed (,OIlCf'pt that

(':111 1". ItI"ithr'l ,1('('('I'tt-r1 111)1 II'/'llted, tlle l'ole of lIature take~ OB more of a

rI,.fillilÎv(· If,lr' llldll il, r1irl l'Ir ViOlh)Y. 111 additioIl, moral valt1('~ too (Iike fami­

lial l()y:!ll.v) :\11' (·\:PI(><,c,(·d \Vith more clariLy alld Slll'f:nesc., tllan they were in

HII/IJ(~d()(It:,', (11/ 1';//111 (JI 'lil. ..,/II/111 (/1/(/ l.sCll/t. And vcr:-,ilicnti()ll il! ....,·oh10b and Hus-

1111/1 Llkt·;, O!l :1 '-,1.dllli\,v :lIld :111 illerca':>ed 31110unt of control. III lJaldcl Dcad and

M(,l()l}(~ 1,111'1'(' 1111' 1,\\1) l''\llc''-,(>Ilt.at,ionè, of' Amold's lllatlll'C' \\orlel vi"ioll. Each

o!1Pl'S a w()rld 111:11 (,o/lld ht', bllt which nevel' is pl'l':-,ellt"d in absolute terms.

Th(, dialf'('t,jr' i:-. illrl,·(,tI :lli\'!' ill lJalder ])cad and IIIclopc, but il is :wktlOwledged

n.'-, (,]1<' pxpl'('~,:,i()11 IHlt or il"l'('(x)llcilable view~ but rnthrr of" t.wo options, neit,her

of whi('11 abl'()p,alt''-, 1 hl' ut!}{'J'. Harder f)end otr(>r~ a fllt11l'e-oriellt./'d altC'rnat.ive. • aud !lJCI0]IC a IlIOl'e l'Î).2,id, IOrJll:di~tÎC' Olle, clppict<>c! in it,', VPl''SC' ily highly organ­ iZl'd ;,pl'l'('h paLtt'lll'-,. A Il.lill LIll' \'pr:-,ilication of tl!ese pO('Jll:-' ~h()w:-, ~t shift in the

j>IPvioll:-,ly llllllltltll(lll'-. t!Joll!.2,ht." (J/, t.hp [Jo(,t. And hel"P he i'-, open f'Jlough t.o

l',\P('I"illl('lIt \\itll :1 Ilghl Illlv:uyillg /'01 III ill Me1ope, a,,> well :J.') \Vit.h the l1noh­

trll::.iv(' !Jlank \'('1':-'(' ur na/der ])cnd. and let.s ef\.ch stand f

'l'hb pro)!;I(';,:-.io!l in Arnc,IJ's thinking, his dialect.ical t.hinking ill particular,

provide:-, il !!;ood \'II'\\' nI the

poctry. Thi:-; appro:lch jll'o"idc's a halanced perspective of the many apparent

contradict.ion') ill :\ Illold'" writillg. alld it b illdicat.ive of his gl'owth as an intel­

kl·tuall1l1d 11~ a poet. TitI' di'-.ta\l(,(, trayellcd from Empcdocles Oll Etlla to A/erope

b \':I:5t,. and OlJCt' :l~,lill :-'Ug)!.l';'(8 Hegel in its conviction that "the excl'cise of • tllought in il.... \I1l)~\ dl'\'l'loPl'd rorll1~ involves the negation of \rhat had seemed Hl'm an cl cl'rtain :111li th (' (1 pt' 11 i ll~ li P <.) f Ilt' \\' po::-.si h i\i 1ies" t. \ ct 011 +W). 11(/1 dfl

Dead and ,\trIO/le :11'\' 1\\'0 \)1" :\rn(lld'~ long pOl'Ill~ th:lt Il:\\l' Il)ll~ hpl'Il • neglectecl by eOIll\l1C'ntatol'S a~ nol h:n-illj2. mUt'h to ()tlt~l·. :\1l:,I~'?inp' thl'1l1 t'rOl\l :l dial('ctit'al ]>('l''\)('(·li\('. I!()\\v\el'. ()11('1l~ tltl'1l1 Ill' ln :1 I<·:\(lilll~ "hil'h lilld~ thl'

conceptual :llld rOIIlI:d pnkllti.d in thesL' !,()(,lll". !la/do f)C'lld .llld ,\1 r ItlJlt do

indeed 011'('1' jlo:;:-.ihilitic:; :md ho!,e in thpir 1'11\ i"innill\!" ur .11\('\,11:\\[\'1' \\\\rld:-.

whel'c t.he prohl('l1l or ,llltitlll'tÏ<':d ide:\:-. ILIS !W('II :;O!\'l't! 1'()!1~trlll'ti\ (·Iy. Tltat is,

one idea i~ ;lekll<>\\kdp,l'd. bilL tl\(· p():-.~ibilit." 01' :llloLllI'l' b :11;--,\) illvitl'\1. AL thi"

stage of hi::; po(·tic dl'veloj)lIl1'nL OIW ('all ~al't'Iy say t.lta! Al'I1old ie; \\'1'11 O!1 his

way ta the point ",lIcI\' lI(' raIl "Ullit{, 111(1\'\01'''.

•

• - 1 G -

Chapter 2: Empedocles on Etna

• III [';wIJer/odes 01/ !'J(/la M }\I,t,!lew A rnold scern~ to bc involved in a com plex

di~,('()vr' l'y or IIf'W idr·;t;,; of old ide;!.., in a. lIew \\Torld; and of bis faith in the abil-

i Ly ur po dr'y If) :-, 111'vive dC'v~ ...,tating sil j ft,s in Il btoric!ll circll rnstances. In The

TIl!' /'lltlll'r' or !J0l'Lry is iIllIlJrll~e, l)('c:lll~(' in podry, where il ie, \VOl Lily 01 il.., 11Î!-';h d(·"Lillip~. 0111' ra('p, a,'" tilll(, goes on, will !inti ;111 ('V('ll :-'llrCI' (lIld Sllrel' :-,têlV. Thrre is not an ;w('J'f'ditr-d tlo).',IJW whlch i.., Ilot :-,!Jo\\'1J '10 be ljlle:-;t,ionallle, Ilot a J'('('('J\,pd lrnrlit.ioJl which do('s ilOt, t,hrcatcn to dissolve. (30G)

IL i~ app:Il'Pllt t,hat. Amolù !:law a neeJ for a new kind of poetry in a new kind of

W()l'Irl. Th(· illiti:tI building of' t,his new pocties, how('ver, appeared difficult for

/\ l'Ilold Illltii Il(' ;IITivpr! nt the OH:"is or t,hr }JuJacc (1853). Th(' difilculty was

p()~,(·d by t.h(· 11\1'\,;t-dia!p(·tic with which be had to ('onu'nù in this time. Empedo- • l'iC.'! 011 HIIIIl, L11PI'el'ol(', COJlll'~ lo us J'roIll Arnold'::, deepest point of dialectical ('()llrll:-.iOIl. Il all()\\'~ him to c!C'al with the di(1l('ctic!'1 of his mind. Fundamentally,

A rllold lia." '\ t.hOI01\/2;11 tll1del''StandiIlf.!; or the pa,..,t, a dis'uinct vision of the

fuLIIJ'(', alld a ('0 III !Jl('l!<'Il:::-iOIl t.bat he i::; dealing \Vith dialectical circumstances

whit'h Ilecd (,0 l)e I"c'solved (pl'Ïmarily in his OWll mind).

'1'11(· 1'11\ hodilJl('nt of t.his dia!er1i(' is constructed in the characters of Calli-

('les atld ElIlpeJo('les. Callicles. UniJ11pedrd by a mind that is vlagued with

If • 1 III J~ 1t.y th(Jllbht~" (~.2'12), is at peace with the times and with himself.

Em I)('d()l'k~. hO\\'(,vl'r. is burdened by the conflicts proffered by his present,

al\d tlll' :-;imp!ieity }Illd C'omprehensibilit.y of the lire into which he was barn; he

has "Ii\'t.'d out of iL into a Lime wlwn knowledge and the strife of men have 50 • iJl('J'('n:'wd t!lat, coheJ'('Jl('r is 5('al"('cly possibk ..." (Hoper 107). The choice of - 17 -

the drumatic mode for the present:ltioll of thl' \\'olld-\\ (':\r~ phil,)~,)pht'r'~ ~tor~

is tclling. Pl'rhaps it. is only j,hr,)\1~h ~Pl'('('I\('" thal :\1'\'. l' .... "('nti:tll~. dr:\lllati,' • monologue:., th:1t, olle ('a11 l'\perillH'llt \\ ith tlll' dil1l'It'1I1 ll()~~ihiliti('~ th:\t :\\'(' opcll('d tb!'ougll 1Il'\\' ways of thilll--ill~,. FOI 1,:lIlj\('t.!()cll, .... tlli .... 1\1'\\ \\':\y i',

(,Xl)l'l'~':;('d ill hi!:> ('\.ü'l1lkd hOlllily ill .\ct 1. ~l"'ll!' :..!. :\I\d III hi ...... nlil,\(l'lit, .... (1"

the sUlllmit oi' thl' mOlll1l.ain, For (·:tlli('lf, ..... tl\!' prim:\r,\' ll\(llJt. (JI' 1·\PI('~, .... i()1I i ....

hi::, nl~tlv)log,i('al ::,nllg::,: llH' lir;-,j, ~()II).; i.... :!1H)lIt th(' ~llllll).; hl'I\I :\(,htllt,~, hl'illt~

taught h,\ Chiroll ho\\' the Ilatll!':ll \\()rld 1.... :1 ~:II\('III:II\ l'O!' \':\Ii()l!~ t'lt':IIII('('~,:

Caùmus and llal'lllOllia :U'(' th(' !"l1h.Ït'ets or Ih(' .... t,t'()lld .... (lllf', \\'hidl kil ... (If 111I'ir

suIf l'l'in!!, thl'Ough lift., alld how Lh('y l'ulIlld \,l',lI'., :\1\ d ..... )1:II't, (III 1,\ i Il Il:111\\'('; ill

hb thin!5011g, olle gelA'> the illlpl'(':-:;~i()n Ihat Ill<' :\Il~ly T~'ph(), Ih(· ;-'(>II!.'.,'~; ~l\l>iC't'\.

is a comp!C'IllC'lIt 10 Elllpedoelt'~' al1~('I', alld 1 lt:tI (':tllicll'~, j .... ('X tollitl~~ hi .... 0"'"

palliative view of poC'try; thc fourcl! SOli!!, j ... f'}.pl'f'~o.;iv(· (JI' ~'lh'('ilÎt' djalf'cLÎt':tl

questions in t.!tat thl'ough the tal(' of Apollo :LIld 1\/!:u ..... I,\'a .... il. 111l!>li!· .... Lhal

pel'haps a new kind of poctry ha}; no :1OJ>(' hlll, to pnb"; Ill(' lit'Ih nlle! In:;{, or • Calliclc::,' ::'Ollg::, b the lllost illterc::,tillg becall::,e t.he :)Oll)!; i:-. 1l\(JJ(' of' ail ohs('Jva­ tion than a l'ecounting, and indeed S('CIlI'" In 1('IIt! ('l't'dibilil.y ln Emppt!o('lps'

\Vay of thinkiIlg.

ThC'se dilfe/,('Ilccs in the two main ehaI'HeL('I'~ HI'I' pxplol'l!at.rnl'Ilt.

of nature; Callicles allù Empcdocles' vicws pr'co..,f'llt tlte J'{':ld(~1' with il /'(>I)/'/'SI'II­

tation of thc place that people' take ill Il:lLlll(', ,\:-. \VI,II ,1:, t,j)f' !>();,:;ihilit,y of ll.lly

spiritual corrcspoIldcncc with iL. II, Illay appl'lIl' (,0 (1 11111111)('1' (JI' l'lit,i('~ (f'.J.!;. l'ail 1

Baum, Tinker and Lowry, Dwi!;ht (;1111('1' Hild otltf'I':-') t.11:tf. 1':11\ pI'd,)!'I ... , i~; paill­

l'ully subjective about naturc; but he is in l'ad. J

nounceù aWalellC:S~ of the wOl'kiIlg!:> of natlllf', Clitj(';t1 f':til1JI 1' ln J('('()i!,llizl' thi:~

is caused by thc subjective manner in whieb EJlI /l,'du('I!'!) arlnf!I;) th(' JlotjoIl: hb • approach tfJ nature, for example, b bitter aJjd (;lll()t.i(JJlal :md Lll!!rf'by eJ01J(]:., hb - PÎ -

iF,"llIIIJlI' l'atioll;l\f!. TlJl{)llg,h bis many 5pecchc& it becomes apparent that

hJIJ pl·'lof'll'''; (JIJjl'('1 i.., l!cljrmd Ilature, and that he ~('e~ Ilature \\ith its innumer­ • alJll' lJIy..,lp/'i("-, :1.'-. :1 IllI·:III ..... 10 LI If' 1lltimaLe ('!Id: H Lrue Illldcr~talldillg of the self ;tIld :-'lIli<,I:qIJI'lllly I.lJl' AIl. EIIIJwdoclps' sllhjpdivil,y cOlllpric;cs ;lll extensive

('xpall~,i!JJI nI' LIlf' :-.1·11', Il:-'Jll).!, llaLure (wlikh b a ~(>]Jal'al(' Lhing trolll the ~elf) as

LIlf' ()lij(·(·t. of Lili·, IJI():tr!I·lliJ\J!,. I!oughlo!l and Slallgc makc an a:::.tutp observa­

Lif!!1 W/JI'11 LilI'.\' ":I.V I.II:JI il! Victoriall poe!.ry "Tilt> ~)l'l':lt. l{omflllt.iC' accomplish­

JII(·llt. ill Il:JI.III!· I)(){'II~ 1" c\1'1'f!I'Jwd alld cxt,('lldpd, <1:-' j" the' l{Olll:llltic le'lIdency

ln ('xploJ(, 1.111' illdi\ idll.v). This, 1

11·,,1, II·(·JlIpll:I:-.izro<, 11 If' poillt 1.!J:lf. ElllP('!locl(!f:, ohj('dilie:-, Ilature in his ;,1':II'('h for

the :-,elf alld LI :l1lf:JC(·ll transcclldence ha" the distinctive ql1ality

o/" (Jhjr·('tivity il! litaI. Il:11111'<' ':- IOle iIl il. is ~e(,l1 a.'3 a lllcallS l'aLIter than a.n end.

l';1Il ji<,doc!ps l'(·fI(>('I,,, hi" ('()II(,ppLioll of the moral worh.iIlgs in naturc as weil.

Th 1'0 Il ~ h li i;, \' i (' \v, i 11 \\ Il i ,,11 n il t li 1'(' i:-, 0 bje etUi e d U Il t il i t. i;, a t h i Il g l'O III pie t.ely

~('p:\r:ltA' f'rolll clJ(· ;,elL dlH' \'{'\'Ollles awarc that iL he. unacccptabic ('or "ethical • val\l(,s ... 10 \)(' d(·l'ivl·d 1'1'0111 nature; in the extcl'llal 1I1livcI'SC 111:1,11 may find I)(':luty, g;ra('c, Ill:1gll', hllt. Il()t. !l1oral good" (St.angc l:W).

Callieks

(·II't'ct,.... , t,o :-.lto\\' hilll th:!1 Lltl' l'c'clings of calm, pcacc and comfort tlta.t he gets

{'roll! aeeepting it~ lttlrlllolly, n'Ill'eb(~nt good; and that assumptÏon of complete

:-,plf-J"('lialll'(' (;llId tl)(' l'll;'llill).!; :t."~uI1lption that nat.me functions fol' iÜ3elf and

hUIllall hl'ill).!;s l'ur (hClllSl'lvl'~) i;, undesirable. As Hoper says: "The songs of

(':!lIic\t';, n'coI d :1 tin\(' \\ lit' Il III ail was com pldcly in hal'mony with nature .

but. tht' l'()lllplil':\tj()Jl~ or h lllllall life at'E' no\" such that it canllot ully longer be

prl':-'l'I\ kd a:-. in h:l1111011y \\ ith Il:lt.l1rl''' ( l sn -8). From this point of vic\\' one has

10 qUl'::;t.ioll \\ hl't.lwl' (':dlklt>::; is Ilot in rad im posing his conventional morality • ()Il \Vhat Il(' Il(']'(,l'i\ es ({l Jl(> it.s wlTC'spondence in nature. He pl'OjC'cts his emo- - 1 ~l -

tians and V:l!tH'S 01\10 t.h", l\al\1ral wodd and tlwl'\'h\ Cl't':\\t'" \ht' illll"illl\ rl'r • himself t.hat. he is 111 h:l1'll1ony \\ itil it. Accepting; thal l':wh of tlH' two main eh:lr:wkr:. 1l1:\ldl',,,,t,.... tilt' 1\\'\1 :,idl'" ur

th<, dialcct.i(,:11 qUl'"tic'll. 011(' n':diz('~ th:l1 ill EIl1{l('dnck" (JI\(' ',t't", tll.l1 11'\1111(' j"

marc than ('OW,o!:tIÎol1. :md 1Il:11 perh:lps il h:J:, :1 higllt'l' 11I111'()'.,(·; :llId 1Ii:II (':llli­

cks l'C'pl'cs('nb "Ihl' h:\lIlI()Il~ \\hi('1l ~() llllll·h ll:ltliit' Ih)!'tl\ \'I·II'hl,I"'.\" (~t IlIf',t'

102). "Onf'Ile:-.:-." (lI' J:ll'k of il) jo..; ('('1111':11 ln 1':I1lI'I'dtll'lto,,' \il'" ,,1' 1\.1\1111' III'

feels that nt (lIlP lime Il\' h:ld a dj~,til\l'I ~('m,(' \lI' tlw \ll\t·II"~., Id 11\1' ',1 \1' ,\1\1\ thl'

univel'se. 'l'hi:-- h illtlÏC'ath'l' (lt' Ill(' IIlliqll(' \\ .Iy ill \\ Itil'll III' ,dNlI h', IIi" il!('.1 ,,!,

natul·e. Em)l('doc!es illll'I'I\:diz(''., Il al 111'(' ill :l \\':I~' pl"ol'onndly dil1('I'I'II! 1"1">111 111:11

of Calliclec,:. To holh. !l'Il 1111' ;'., 11':111'-,('('11<11'111,:\1: bIll 1':111 pr·dl)(·II·'., '0/'1'111', 1<> l':ll'J'y

this tranSCe](d(,llt,;tli~111 l'ultl)(·j' tll:l1J (':llli('I('~'. ill t!J:1l h(· ~,II()\\':, hu\\' till' Illinti (II

spirit and not the' ~('Il'-,I'~ d('v('lop~ Ihroll~h ()ll(,'~ 1)('r('('pli()l1~ Ill' tilt' \\'111 Li Ill'," Ill'

nature. One cOIlIc! S:ly t.Jl:d, C:dli('ks' IH'I'('('ptioJ]'., :11'(' I)a~f'd (111 Iii" t!,,('('/ 1'\ p('ri­ • enee of naturc, while 1·:nlJwdo('I(·s is stru).';).';lill).'; to )!;O !.(·.'l()lld t Iii·, dil r'('1 1'\ I"'I i enee ta a tmJl~c('II(kll(,:di~1I1 or Illind alld ~(·Ir.

ln a SCIlSP C:l11icl(·..., ~('(':-" Il:11111"<' :1.'., :1 vi~jIJJc' ide:d of 1><':lIII,\', 1"'llr'III<>1I :llId

rejuvenation in tlH' lllliv(!!''-,('. ()Il(~ (,()llld ~V('l\ say tha!. il, i·., ('aI/wIn \\ II" i" : III,

jective in his intcl'Ilalizilt,joll of Ilatur(' on ail ('Illotiollill Il'vI'I, wllf'l l' It i', :111 J('OIl

ta satisfy his neeus. IIf> kJlow:-:> h(· can go II> il. fOI' :-"01:1 1'1', ill"I,ir:llirJlI :llIrI

escape; he ean abo Il'av(' il, alld 1'P-I'II1.('r t.hp world l'I·fl'l':.lwd. \VI1:t! (';,lli('II'"

learns from naLllre is Lh:l!, il. i~:. l>nlrll l'or t111' WOll/lrl:-.. h" clll1r'I', ill tlll' w"lld.

In this sense ElIll)erloc'Ir::-, i:-.. IlIOJ'(~ ()bjc'eLivc~ Iwc'all:-"\' Ilf' J.!.'){'" l'I'YI dit! t III' p'lill1.

wherc nature i.., a ballll for wOllrlly alllidioll:.,. IlIdepd, lllJt.llilli!, i', :!ldl t/) ,,)()UIf'

Empedocles' wocs. AJ]ot,hc'l' at.1J~lIJpt of AJ'JJold's 1/) sC'pal·rd". 1111ln:111 1I(·('cI·., frll/ll

Ilature is fOIlIld ill hi" J H'IO "Olllld, ln lf arlflouy wz'th /'/a/IL1f:, wlil' 1: (1lIId1a:,il.(",

1 • not only one s ~r~J!ar~llr'llr~"0 l'mlll llature, LuI. a\:-'() I.Il:JI, (JII(' r·:I'I. ilJ,]"" Jllii l, - 20 -

M~l/I mu:-,t IJegin, know thi':>, ,\'here Nat1ll'e ends; N atlJ re and III a Il can Il cvl' r IJe fa:;t fri C Il ds, • F(Jol, il' tlloll (':111'-,1, ilOt, p;I,'-,~ her, l'pst her sbl\'c! (12-14)

{J /IbekllowlI:-,L to Calliclcs (or perhaps al, a rnuch higher level of abstl'action

1liaI 1)(' (kw!'> Ilot ackllowlcdgc) his songs arc no::,talgic and speak of "an old

Iwroi(' life" (BopPI' 2(2). They express Empedocles' feeling of longing for a

tillt(, whe/l hi,; collc,cioll!:>nes5 was such that, he l'cil, human life was truly in har-

III () lIy \\' i th /1 aLIII·('. 1"0 l' Cali icles, tmllsce Il de Il talisll1 in nature is de fi ne d as th e

P(':I('(' alld ('kvatioll il, bring;::, to his so1l1 and sCIl!)jbilities. Empedocles' concep-

Ljoll of lIaLIII'(' ('ail he said ta 1)(> in :1 domain highcr than that of Callicles: the

1IILilll:t!~' ailll of' his view b ta l'l'unite the self ms weil as the natural world with

th(' Ilniv('nw once again; Lhis is the es::,cncc of his aim of unity or oneness.

A /Id al, Lhe :same Lime he is unsul"c about the instinct that makes him consider 1. IJÎIlI!">e Ir !:>qJarHLe l'rom nature; the dichotomy tears him apart. Through t.he course or Empedocles 011 Etna it becomes clear that Callicles

d()(':-, 1101, t.rllly undcrstand Em pcdocles' anguish. He can only see nature and

Illol"al vallu'!-> !->uhjectively; hc canHot sec things fiS they are. Callicles' assump-

t.ioll tbat EIlIJ)('Jo('lcs' state or mind is harmf'ul, 01" painrul, or that it must be

(·radiea\.ed, illvaliJates that very state or mind, U nlike Empedocles', his moral

valu!'!"> do Ilot allow for questions or conflicts that a changing world provokes.

III ~hor\., Callicles' l'cality does Ilot seem to accommodate Empedocles', This is

Jl('I'haJl~ what pr'ompted Zietlow to obsel've that Amold may have constructed

tlH' !->O!1t;!"> of' Callicles as a symbol or the incfl'ectiveness of Romanticism b the

\'j('(ori:lII \\'orld (2·12). Empedocles, on the other hand, tries, perhaps too s\oi­

cally and brut,ally for his sensitiye soul. to sec things as they are in themselves. • Tt) hilll !1atul't' is t.he ideal example of how mOI'alit.y runctions. From nature's - :21 -

arbitrariness he learns that momlity can he' C'qually :\l'bitl':lry I\nd t'(,lati\"l' to

one's circumstances. This resembles the situation of i\laq:;aret ill :\rnold'~ F",- • saken Merman where there are no clear indicatioll!' of ri).!;htnl'~:", or \\TOII)'.,lH'~~ ill the actions of characteI"S who al'r L'olll)lrllrd to nr\' by inlH'I' promplillt~~, III li kt'

lesson easily Icampel from Il ,ÜUIC, \\ hieh, 0\\ itl! ('quai llIind" ( 1 .~.~;)ï) dbpl'W'l':-'

actions that can be cla:-.sl'c\ :1:-' !Joch ~ood oud ('\'il. 'l'Il<' :\l'hilr:\ry :\('(illl\'-. or

nature, as weil as thr arbitrHI'Y actions or his l'l'lIo\\' ('iliz('lls, h:l\'!' t:\llp;ht

Empedocles that absolute mornl vall\(", ddpl'Illillill)!; hUIlI:l1l :I\'Li(lll~ :\1'1' :1 l':dlal'Y

by which people live: this is nol secill); lire a:-. it J'{'ally i~, 11(' ~lIyS.

The world's CO\lrse provl'~ the krill::' On which man wins (,olltel\l.; Reasoll the proof cOlllirIllS-- Wc SpUl'I1 iL, and illveltl. A false course for the wodJ, and for ourselvcs, faJsl' pow<,rs. ( 1,~,~~~-Ii) • The development of his thoul-',ht ha:-; bl'ollght Emp<,doc\('s t.o a l'l'allll wlt!'l'!' !J,. can no longer see life wiLh his hear\': Il )!;('I!t,)I', IlP(Jlltiful :Jill! id(,;t1i~,I,i(' wnrld i:,

no longer accessible Lü him. Ile i~ more aL hOllle (JII thp '·Ia~).!;y, raLlll'r Lltall tlll'

lush, parts of the rnountain. Fol' EmpC'doclcs, with llis rni/ld l'volv('d liS il, is ln

a new world, only mtionality, stoicism and Illtimntcly rnis('ry, (':LII br- lib l'aIl',

The subjectivity and objectivity leamed frolll Ilatllre, and :-,ePII ill thl' l/lor,,1

values of the principal charactel's. are ;d'5o rpf)pell'r1 il! tlw po(·tirs of t,/If' IHJI' III.

When poetry is referrccl to by Callicles it i~ almost pllrl dy nrtb,tie: tltat i<;,

something that is beautiful a.nd sacred, It b ~ylllboliz(·r1 in ilb w()rd~ ~I\II~ III

tune with the lyre. The lyre sing::. it.<:. beauty tlIrollgh the irnpetlls or lI)(! hlowilll!, wind, very much like the poet who ::.ings his perceptions of beauty throtlgh t!w

impetus of inspiration. By rccountillg; the tal(; of M ar~aya.s' d,.feat IJy LIli' Iyn' • of Apollo, Calliclcs is cxpre~::,illg hb {';Jitl! i/l bealltifl1l JJ()(;try. FrJI' C;dlidl'~), - 22-

p(wtr',Y, likc: nature, provideb solace and comfort in the face of the harshness of

lift·, III 011(: ~(~Il~e C(:lJlkles limits poctry t.o thc l'calm of che aesthetically func- • Liolml: LI)}]t, ic" ln 1)(· 1)(!Hllt,iful enough ta givc l1esthetir plea..surc with ail the llI'al:l' alld jl)y th,,!, (·IIt,;tib. lIb poetry bf'ing~ ta mind Arnold's Slrayed Rcveller,

wlil'f'c' 1,111' ~IJI'ahl'r d('~iJ'(':-' ollly the subjective, and the imaginative passions it

LI'I, Llj(' wild, tlt r()llgilll!; train, 'l'!Jp l'I'j~h1. pI'O(·(·~~,j()l1 or (·ddyill)!. fOI'lIl:-', SW('Pp tltl()ll~h Illy SOli)! (292-7)

1';111 pl'do('If>:-' ('X prt' ;'-,('s his poe tirs m ainly in his verses to Pausanias. He has

al'J'iv(·d al, illl ohic'l'Li\'(' (Ille! didadic view of his fUllction as a poet. He considers

hb vC'r:-,('s tn l'all:-'illlÏ:t,<-' "hb lc~soll" (2.7). The vnscs themsclves are harsh not

ollly i/l LI/(· words, 1!llt in strlldlll'C as weil. The contrast \Vith the beauty of

Calliclp:-.' :-,pc(>ehe:-, b apparent tü any readcl'. The contrasting "ugliness" of • Elllp('d()cl('~' (,xpl'l·::;~ion :"peaks of Arnold's idea that a difl'crent poetics is now beinl-!; (,:llIp

Mor!' :md more 1 f('('1 th:.!. the difrcrcnce bctwcen a matme alld a yOllthfll1 :lt!;!' or 1,11(' \\'orld compels tlJ(' poptryof the forllll'\' tu use grcaL plaÎnncbs of spcech as compal'cd with t.!rnt. of tlH' latkl' , .. nul, the language, style' and general Pl'o('pcdinp;s of a poeLl'y which has su eh an immense task to 11('\'1'01'111, IlIU~t. 1)(' "PlY plain and direct and :=;evC'rc: and il, IllU!'>!. IlOl lo~t· it..-,clf in parts and cpisodcs and omarne ntal wor\.::, bilL 1II11:-.t prpss f'onvards to the wholc. (Let/ers 124)

Huper lIlakc::, the JloiIlt that the modern age brceds ugly poetry, so to speak,

and th:!l HII1llCdoc!fs 01/ Htlla is essentially about the confiict between "the Iyrical

dcs('ripti\'cllc~~ 0(' n youthflll age of the world and the hal'sh necessities of a

mat.llre ag,e" (~02). The lnck of prettiness, as it were, of Empedocles' homily • wa::.- ::-ul'ely dt.'lihl'rale 011 Arnold's part. Aesthctics, it would seem, have become se con dar)'. This l'cemphnsizrs the Arnoldian di:llNtic of podics: thal

is, the dispal'Îty beLwecn the fllllction of pol'tt'~ :l~ il w:\!--. :md a~ lt. will IH' ill tlH' • future. Calliclcs' padies of \Jt'alltiful pxpr<,:-,sioll dut's Ilot :-'('\'V(, tll\, PUl'IH1:-'\' of

intel'preting lire; raLhpl' il. desrrilws !irC' in tltl' C()lltp'\t or idl'aliz:\tiOIl :md if:.. Itb-

tol'ical celebrations. Em p('doel('~' irritatioll \\'ith, :",d yt't :IJlp)"\'ci:ttiol1 of, thb

kind of poetl'Y srw:1ks of it" merit:

He fables )'el, S]1(' :Ü;:S (,ru th! The bmv0, ill1}lC't,1I0I1S hp;uL yi<'lds ('vpry\\')w\'(' To the :-'llhtk, ('()ntl'Î\'in~ 1I1':1<\. ('2)~n-\l())

Yet Callicles speaks poet!'y that rankle:-. EIlI!H·doc\('s hl'(':1l1s(' of il." ill('()Il~~rllity

with present needs. Em pedocles can only rxp"css this hy sp('akin~ a (h'Y, hnt'sh

poetry which h0 knows himsclf Îs not t,}H' altprll:d,iv(' !)()('"i(',-;))(' i" ~;('(')dll~. 11('

does not (and coulcl Ilot, givel1 h is npprl'rÎatioll of' Cnlli<,les' l'(H' try) l' l'(';-,c'I'i 1)(, li

didactic padie, l1ncl yet he (~o{'~ ~('(' the 1J('C'c! for :1 10('1)'. or :IIII.IICJl'ity ill a • dynam ic world. If Callic\cs' po(>tirs is dpfinitl' hllt s1i1! i Il ad('q\l :11,(' l'or t!J(, world he lives in, Empcdocl0S' is mon' IlnSllf'(' bill i ...... c'~lr('llillJ!, :lIld (111 thc· p:d,1t 1.0

adequacy.

One eannot avoid, howevc r, the issue of didaeLic'i~m III i':1IIJledor/(',<; ou I,/tl/w.

Tt would seelll logiC'al that ir' Arllold cannoL \H' eharJ!,c'd with w/'il.illJ!, 1)(':J1IUflll

poetry he will eventllally be poiIlted al, for writillg p(wLl'y "!Jat i:, Ino didlldk.

Empedocles on Etna itself intimatcs, by its rneter and iu..; larl!!,II:I!!,C', that tltoll!!,h

beauty is important and apPl'eciatcd, il., may have lo hl' <-i:tni!ic·(·d 1'01':111 :lgC' t!J:.t

seems ta reqlliI'(~ g1lidance. 'l'lib dialectieal con~irJ('rati()1I j" ('X JiI'(·:,')C'rJ ~11(·(·illctly

in Empedocles' reSpOIlf5(! to Callicles: "Ile fabl(~:-,. y(:t ~)JI(;llb Il'JIUI''. 11, WOllld

seem that Arnold wants to point 111' the thollghtJlIl dilllf'f1C,jl))l of a IIf'W po(·t.ir''), • the one that inadvcl'tently guides readel's. Leoll (;()ttfri(~d, f()l' ('x a III pIf', t:dks - 21 -

:11)0111, A rnoid'~ "(:floJ'b 10 r(:illf>taLe the social utility of poetry" (206), implying

tJl~lt t,!Jotlgh di(hJ('tÎf'Î:,lll 1Tl~ly Ilot be the ruling principle of Arnold'''') poetics. itis • al, ]1'a,')L ft ('oll:)idf' nt 1.Ïo Il , G()ttrl'i(~d. in fact, goefl so far a.., to aCCllse Arnold of

() f' /,fH'L/'y w, Il,Illli'lï)/'e(,lvl' ," () f' r"a l'Ity ( ~))( ....(») , Em pedocles dacs prove that he was,

nt OHI' LillJ('. li ~)IJ\)~)('\'il)('1' to Ill{' POf'tif':-' of Callielc:--, Ile ~how~ this id Act 2 in

!JI(' l,otlf'ilillf.!; Y('l:-'(~~ he ~I)('ab 11') he relillqubhcs his "Iaurel bough" (2.190). In

lib r!r·v(·I{)/lI'r! ('()Il:"'('i()IISI1(>~~, howevcl', POCLI'Y 110\\ brill/bs him only soiitude,

ali('llaLioll alld illll('J' (111).!;l1i-,11. Ile /'calizes that for himself there is no tUl'ning

11;I<'k 1'10111 wlJ(')'" hi .... 11f'\\ "of'li(;~ ha,') lcd him: he Ù.iC5, The source of Empedo-

(,1(,:-,' bolaLio!l i~ 11i:-, Iwlicf ill UlI' philo50plty or the unity in all things, It isolates

11ÎJJl J'rom {)t,h(~l'~; ('Yf'lltllally iL bolatcs 11Îm 1'1'0111 Iyrical beauty; and linally iL

i~()I:Jt('!"> him J'rolll lJilll~(·Ir. NaturaJly it illfluencps his poeiics becausc il, makes

Itilll a..... "tllllf· lilat, ail pl'OpJ<. ('(lll 1)(· !:>clf-rdianL, ~toic and rational. Callicles is an

\'11 ('I,tiv\' roil 10 tlli:-. phil():-,ophy, ~h()\\'il1).!; hi~ t!ej)clIdcnce 011 naLurc'5 soothing • l'frect..,> a..-, weil a,,> Oll humau (,olllpalliuJl~hip. In one sense, Empedocles' detach- 11H'IlL :lIld soliLud(' lJ(·g LlJ(' questiun or hi~ philosphy because if he is isolated

1'j'()111 tilt' r('~(, or It tllll:lllkilld II(' e:lllno!. tndy bé a part of the "oneness of ail

(.hillj.';t-," Hope!' pllt:-. il, llÎl:ely wh('J1 1](' points ont, that "the poet rnay benefit

l'iom the dd(\('hlllcnt, but the \Han suffers l'rom isolation" (19ô).

AIl :'ieCIIlS lIopele:"s and yct this secmingly futile poetics is substantiated

and givPIl hope for ihe future by the arrivai ai the end of the poem of Apollo

and "lib cllOil', 1,11(' Nille" (1.'145-6). They sing of life as it is in itself, very

lIlucl! like ElllpedoelPs. And very much Iike Arnold, they are portrayed as

::-'('aJ'ehing fnr the pluc(' of tbit, Ile\\" poeties:

Thev art' lost ill thl' hollo\\'s! Tlll';' ~tr('alll up agail1~ • \\'hat st'l'ks on this mOllllt,aill The glorified train? j-­ • (2.4-tfl-5:?) .

and the lyric;111l(';luty 01" tht, older p()('tr~. 1'\)1" c:dlicll':-' it i--. --.tl:li~~IIII\)II\,ltd :111,[

fanliliar; thcl'c are no 1lC'\' philo::,ophil's or Ill'\\' th(lll~hL... \\ il Il \\ hi"11 t,) !~r'\l'\ll('

entirely acclIl'nte. in thnt EIll!H'

c0111pletcd ~ystelll. Put simpl~', he kll()\\'~ /h(// lib \\'av or Ihil1kil1t~ j..., \\'()rk:lhl«'

for a IlC\V world, but he' do('s not 1\:110\\' hO/l'. IIi ... illahillty to ('11\ i..,j() Il Iii" philo>

sophy who le is cXPl'csspd weil in hi:-, IJolllily of Ad l, wll<'11 hl' J:III1('II"" t.h:.!.

The wind-bol'ne. mil'rorillg, sOlll, A t.holl~anr! 'hl'tlJlp~es Will~. And Hever ~ecs a w 1101('; (:l.8:~-f»)

an dllespea\SeveH 1 more cl espall'll1):Çyo·· JI'" man "

\Vho knows Ilot wllat tü !>pliev(' • Since he ~('e~ TJothilli~ c lc'al, And dares !->tam]> IIOLhill)..!; ral:-..(~ whcn' hl' lillds 1I()l.hill~ ~III!·. (:l.~ll-O 1 )

The anguish of doubt created in ElIlIH'do('jp:-, by hi:-, 1H'lid in a IIt'W W:ly of

thinking for a new world lcd hilll to ell);agC' ill A mole 's "dialogl1(, or Lhl' Inilll!

with it..'3clf."

In it..s images of nature, Rmpenorles on Htnfl prr's('I1!,,<-; th(' rpndl'I' wi!.!! 1,11,.

two options of the dialectic. O/lP SCI':-' a va(:ilhtioll bdw('(~1l a ('of\..,idl'r;t1,itjll or

Callicles' cOllception of nature, W}}('I'I' })(' (~Xl)l'lil'lI('f':-' li I,rml:-'('I'Il,]r'Il('p ill tlll'

transcendence. Em pedocles fiIld!':> "he ~itllati()II hopr~ lc:-,') alld ÎlItn!r·rablu \'(:(':\11:11' • he cannot live, in the long tCI'TIl, wiLIi Cl-liliell'<,' lillilosoplty ut' lif(!, lIor ('ml Ill' livi' ilJ LIli' Î'-,O\}llirilJ or hi!"> OWII illcornplctr~ philo;,ophy, And the way in \\'hich

IJaLllrl' j., vil·w(~rl li.\' r'~j{'h of Llle prillcipal chal'aet...:l''' fu netioll':; in a sim ilar ...... ay to • Il!()/':t/ vallll':-' ~IJlrI J}I)(·l,i(·..., i,! 1~'?II1)(~d()cle.~ on 1~'tll(/, 'l'III' "lIbjectivity and objectivity i/d'lJ~"rI illto t.l1I' W:I).' in whicIJ (;~Iliel(';., alld 1·;rnl'<,rlO(·J(':-,. l'espcrtÎwJy. vie,\

lIaf.lJJ'(·, i..., a]<,o fl(ipalr'IJt ill t,]j(' ab:-,oll1thlll alld leJ,llÎvÎ'-om or thdr rnor;:l1 Valllf'S,

:1 •..., \\,/'JJ :t."" th(· d('i',rr'(' or IYl'i(':d 1)('Hllty ,11\<1 did:l.cti<"i''''lIl tbey vinv ::\;; a part of the

1'11Ij('l,j()1J or 1'()I'lr.\'. Tlt:tf. i:-.. ill C;dJi('I{·,,' poetic'o, the' beauty aIl(l sacredness of

L1J(' jlJ',l.jLIJLilJlI nI J)n<"tIY :11'(' of' prilllary ('OIl(,('J'/1. EIII]lPr!O('Jc:-. do('s indced see

t.l1I' :11IJ!orl.;IIIl'(· or tJj(·')('. bl1t que::otioll'o whether poet!',\' :::.hollid noL ::,erve ail

ill~)tl'II('j,iv(' JI1IIJJ():-,r' ;J'-. \\('11. Th(·l'(· i:-. a ('('J'tain ('ompromis(' on t.his question

rUIIJl.! ill 'l'7hlul/l/ (I/u! heu!! whell the qU('stioll of po('tics is opened up to a

val'id,v or 101'111:-' alld \lI Il jlO:-;(';" Thi~ p;ivc::, a Illaterial fOl'ln to the question of

LIli' ill~t.Il\div(· :J~ w('!1 (1.'0 Ill(' ae:-,t,hetic fUIICtio!l5 of' poctry . •

• - :!;" -

Ch:1pter 3: Tnstra m and ISfitit

• HOUp,l'l\\l'nt '1'/1.';[/(1111 and I,,-cl/ft "thl' 011t' p,1't':lt \-:\\1'(\1'<':\1\ th nI' Denis de ('ails m~

adultery" (18): {'Ol' Arnold thi" thil'kt'llth-('<'ll1l1l'.\ 1l').!,('lId 1\1l1'll'd 1I111Ch 111111'1'. III

Tnstrarn and /8('11/1 tht' \'Lll'ÎOU::> a::-,pC('(b ut' h)\'l' :tll' (·'\lIOII·t! di:lIC'di\·:tlly, 'l'hl'

nature alld l'\klll or p:\<"'<"'iOIl:ltl' 10\ l' :1 l't' dt'pit'\t'd :\', :\1\' tlll' ',,11111:11'.\ :1"I't'('h :Illd

the di::-lIlal f(,:\tlll'l'<'" (Ir thi ... jlll\\'('l'I'lli l'III()(iull:tl/" .... ~l'lt()II,ldl .. d rlll'l'(', 'l'Ill' (,th('1'

sicle of p:I.<..,:-,ioll:t!p lo\'!' i .... :1I~,u ('\l'I()l'(,t!: .\ (':dlll 1\1\(' \\lti(·lt t''',('IIII,[I''.:t It'\.\

tivcly raLioll<\1 :.1:11(' ",Iw\'(' 011<' ('(lw-,idn:-> 11· .. ,p,ll1 .... ihiliti,><,. dllti(", .111,1 l'I\ltdillll.tl

states élS beillt; or <'

the context of 10H', 10 illellld(' Ihp pln('(' or 11IOr:" \,:1111(':-' ill hlll\l:\11 illl{'r:\l'litl1l:'.

Spccillcally. 111l' Ill]t· or \\'(IIll<'11 i ... l''Cllllilll''1. :1:-' w('lI ", II\(, I,,,·,·.i!lilltil'" ,,1' \\'1\111

anhood. \Nithill tilt' lif!;lIr<::-. of' tll<' two b('I1II .... 1 !III' ~('b :t ltilll 1 d' LI\(· ",ici,·,

dimensions of' the p()t~I1tialiLy LhaL lies in the' roi!'" or \\'011\1'11 ill I,·htioll 10 111('11 • as weil :15 to the world. The' poem S(>(,llI~ t<> 1)(' qll(' .... ti()lIilli~ wll<'(I\I'1' :-'1\I'1r lilll­ ited dimensions fI'<; are ascrilwc! ta thelll 1'1'1\('('1, t.l'lIly tlt" l'Idl 1\:11,11//' (JI' titi,. gender.

Two subsidiary but ~igllilicallt a.,>peds of' this de~igll :1\'" or Il:III:iI,ivl' tA'l'lllIiqlll',

and the l'ole of naLure. Narrative voice, rhyme :-,chelll\', alld j>1'l"P"('\'ivl' :\11'

salient fUllctjol\s of t h(~ forlIIer. TIIP prilleipal voj('(' of '/'I/.',/U/I" (//111 /',('Id/

belongs to th<, IlHITa10l' (orteil l'cfel'l'cd 1.0 as "Th(· BI'('lnll Ilald" il! <'r;tÎ(':t1

works), As 3 l'esulL of' his au('~" to the ~t()ry, :1.'-> wdl :1.', Iii,. Il:111 :iI(jli:d ',( If

consiousllc::,s, hb re];ttiollslJip tü th(; l'ead<~I' a.',~1J/lj(·~ ail :111LlI()liLy tll;tI, w()ldd \)1'

unsuitable for the poet llÎllI:-,elf. Th(, a]t<;ratifJll il; 1 hylll(' ;.r·IWllI( 1', IIP'JI'ly ;1

more literai manIlel' ill which the poelJl cali ex p/'('~:-, tllI' r1i;t1(>(·j il' il, ',l'(·b, fil • resolve. Thl'Ough t.he llatThtioll of 'l'onS/Hl/ft ([llrl J.c,f;Il11Ifr;IIIj' ;,hilt." ill /)1 1"p/('Livl' - 2:>-; -

HII; V),.,~ibl(~, alld thi<, ('J't'al,..., what Bllckler neatly calls the "harmony of immedi­

wy with dhtawr'" (J~~). '1'11(: IJ1ll'po~e of thc~e change~ in point of VIC'" is to • l'xpluf'/' v;trio1l'-, rll;dr·r tjr',d rj1J1·<.,tio)]:-" ~OllIC or wllich refJllir(' a ('!oser Iwr:-,pccl,ive Lllall uL!Jf'I',. A IId 11(1111)'(' ill 'j'II,>t1f/111 ([IU[ hcult takf><' ()n lill illtNc<,tinp,ly <,Ilbor­

dill;!f", rol(' wllkll 1" rjllit., rlifJr'll'llt l'lolIl t h(' part il, phlyer! ill j"III/H;doclf.-5 011

1-;/1/1/. NatllJ(' :-'('1 VI':, If) ('l\l('idal\' 11\1' VélIIOIl:-' :-.t.at\':-, of milld of ehax3dcrs in

'1'11-,,17(/1/1 (111" lM/dt. 'l'hi" -'>.\ III !Jolir' loir' d(·lll.\~tifi(,<, IUltll(,(> a<, il, \Va.<' prc-,clltcd in

1~'IIIJJ('d()d(':) (JI/ I-;t/ll/, :JIlIl :-'lll-',l!,(·C,I.:-, t.llat pcrhap:-, a ;.;t(·» flll'thcr has !JC(,Il taken in

IIJI' di;d(·(·l.ic,d 1(':-',I!lllioll (d' \\ lJ.d n,dlll'!' (';1Il 1lJ(~all ill t!IP livc:-, of people. In

'j'/I."'UIIII (inrl hl'I/I! 0)](' "('P:-' 11(11.111'1' r'~"'p()ndill[!; ac, if' on CliC 1,0 trol1hled st}ttes of

l/lilld, ()r ln 1(.J\p('[, tlJ(' ClL!IlIl\C':-'<' ot' (\ !2,iVPll :-.e('lle. Nature is mos!, interesting in

Lhi:-. 1)()('1I1 Wlll'Il il, i:-, h('avily :-'~lllh()lic, f'or ('}..amp!c, Iseult of Brittany's life

:ll'Ip)' 1.111' d(·ath of TI j:-,I.J'l11I1.

The !>odi(':-. of T1/.~I7(/1/l and hel/Il serves the cl'ucial function of distancing the

l'p;ul('/' frolll II\(' Illat('J'Înl. The e!f('d of this is to manipulate the rcadcr's per­

• -,]>('('(i\ (' ('Jl(}lqdl :-.u thal lit' or she CUIl cOllceive of the dialcctical points with

()h.i('(·li\'it~ :\11<1 1'1()11I :t\l :llli.dl':-'. Thh Î:-. dOllC' hy IhÎ!l[!; the II(jrratOI', or tbe 13rc­

Inn Il:l!'d: Lhl' hlllIhlll:lIl O!l tilt' :lITa.>';; :llld fluC't,llatillj.!; Illdri('s, tü l)rcomplish the

p()('ti,' )!,oal. Th(· ')()('Ill (>xperilllC'Ills \vith v:ll'iou!:> poctic techniques ta achicve

Lh(' killd of' c"pn·:-.:-.iüll Ilecded t.o (,Ollvey various idca'3. The experiment.ation is

:-,olllPtilllt':-, ohviol\:-', hut. pnc' b Ilot !:>ul'prbcd nt. t.his in a poem which deals with

diak('tica! ('oldlil't 01\ "ariolls )('\'{'Is of abstract.ion.

'l'Ill' pr:ldical t'Ill\ctioll of the nalTatol' in T1l.~tra1n and Iseult is ta orient the

('(':1<1('(' \\'ilhill the plol. and ::,equ('l1ce of the stol'y. He f1!!~ in gaps from the past

(tllI'Ill'L'S) and helps the :'eadel' Blake transitions through

\\' h :\1 co 111 d bl' "0 Il J(' "\'(' l'y d i~t ('('s"i n g le :lP"" (Bu (' k 1er 12'1) in the Il arrativc of • Illt' jHH'm; th(' 1l:l1TatOI' abo inl'orm:-- the ('t'ader ahout ('acl! character. Using the voice of the narrator, point.s are ('xamined thorour;hly l'Vl'Il whl'Il th('Y l"o1\tlad-

ict themselvE's. Fol' E'xample, in thl' eh:1l':lctl'l'i2:ltioll or Tristl':\lll. Ill' is • described as

Idlc a:-; a 1l10ssy stone

and then thil't-<,cII lilll'':> latn the l'('a

green wood/They cloud the hruill, they dull t.he hlood" ( 1.li -~). Olll' ('0\11.1 :;:1."

that frolll the fllllctiolls he pert'OI"IIlS, tll<' Il:tl'ralor, wit.h hi:-. di:-.till<,t idt'Illit.y, i"

crucial to the poelll.

The function of t.he narrator is Lakell o\'el' brÏ<'lly hy t,hl' hllllt."'IlIHII 011 1.\11'

arras. He scrve~ the pllrpo!'>e of' dist.a Il ci Il).'; t.h!' n'ad"r f',olll Lht· ;1I't,ioll (If' 1111'

drama to a grcatcl' extl'nt than did th!' Il:IfTal.oI·. Th(, 1lI:1I11 ()h}'divp for 1.111'

hUlltsman is Lo dl'3lllati/:c alld LO obj<·('t.ify. 'l'Ill' IIS(' of 1.11(' 1111111:-0111:111 1'(':-'1'lllldl':-'

a cincmatic technique whcrdll OUI' :-'lIddpllly plllls J'al hack 1'1'0111 (\ :-'('('111', ~i\'illf!;

• il. a perspective or \'ütality. It jol\':-, tll<' l'('a<\('1' inCo ohj,·(,t,iviLy :-'llddl'lIly tA) ha\'('

ta take an ou10idcr's j)l'I'spectivc 011 LI 1(' l'idl :11\<1 1'1I1Ot,ioll:llly ('IJ}lI'~(>r1 ~('("If' ill

which previou-.,Iy IIC or she har! ail all/lo:-,L ilitillla!,l' ('()llIpli(·iLy. It i:-. with a

shuddel' that, one looks Oll t,he sallie tragie :-,cellc with the dial()~IIl':

'What placc tS tins, and who arc Ih e!J'I \111/.0 15 tha! I-llcclinq IJady frw? And on Ins pdlows Ihal ]JaL.; k/t1rJltt vVl/.O seeW8 oj l]I(l1ble on (/. 10mb ~ Il 01/1 come::, Il Il ere, tll't.~ c)UI1U/JC7 ln tglt!, 11L1ough wl!o.',('. 1Iw:!lOlI(;d 1IJllldol1J,., rlear The coStlC-('Olllt allll'c[ wtfl! mm, Tite r!ww{mdge and the "Will (l7JIJCUl, And Ihell Ihe bco"h, fl7ld, lIIfllkr;d I/Jzllt ,c,7JTflY, 11~e .~llnken 7cef.,>, (Lud jar alJ)(ly The 1l'lzqmet bnqht Atlan/u' plam'/ (2.1 G;>-7-1) • And when the hUflL.<:>man 011 tllé tafJ(·:-,try wOllder:-, how he carn(~ IlIm! t'rom t,l1I' - :m -

"1'1'('(' ~/'l;(!11 wood" (2.7!J) (which the vicwer can still sec "l'Qund him" (2.154))

Ulr; )l'adl'T", llJo, T"01/~f'~ hirn or hersel!' ac, f'r,)m a dcep, dreaming slcep,'sorne- • wlut!, ref'r'p!'-;)/I·d, hut \Vith an flr'hing hcart. 'l'I/I! rhY"IP sellerlle in 'lhslram and Iseult hflS !wcn aptly described as

"1 Iyl' ml 1" :

['/''1/.,>11111/1, (f'lId hf'1d/] Im,-; ;\ diffprC:llt Illetrie~" f'orl1l for each parI, [:lJld] val'if':-' lIIdrically in th(~ lil''ot (,\\'0 parts: Pm'\' l :dt,(·r·rJ:tI(·~; 1)/'1,\\'('('11 jiv('-IIf'aL SpPl!c!tf'!-> for the pn':-'f'IlL :lJld ('ljIlÎV:dl'lI('/'d ol'1o:-.yllahir·" for t1lf' Ilan;tiin''-, of the Brf'ton 1);lrrl, !Jotll 111""11'<1 in<'l';lIl:trly, and P:uL Il ])(·f!;ill'-. with qlla­ \'r:lirl'-, ill tr()( hail' !J('rJl:IIlII'I{'" l'or Il)(· spp('(·I}(·<'" of Tri"Lrmn :llId 1')('IIIt, of' ('()lllWall alld tllf'll :-,\\'it('II(,~ to thé ('q' 1 i v nll' 11('(' (1 ()('t()~yll a hic:,:>, :'->0111 dim cs introd1!cin ~ rhym ing l'ollldr·t,', (Il()\' 10 1I1('lllioll ~('v(')'al I.hn·(·-IH'at lill!'..,.) (AlloU" 1\17;) 77)

OL!](')' Lhall the UIIÎqlll' :-,tylc iL givc:-, Lo thi:-, poelll, this cclcctic rhyming embo-

dies ail experilllcnt \Vith expression thaL is suitable ta the convcying of forrned

and Illlfol'Ill(·d id('as. The fae!' that a uniforl1l pattern of rhymcs is not used is • indicat.ive Ilot ollly of cOllcept.llal dialectics but of the dialcctic cxperienced in p()('(,i('~ li.'" w('II, TIl(· v:didity of acC'cj>t.ed fmm::, of poetr~' scc'Il1s 1.,0 be being qlll'stiolle'

ïh·.I7II'IH I/Ild IMlfll hravely adopl6 elcmcnt::. that may be incünsistent, but

which :-'('C'1ll he:,!' !--11Î1(·d 1,0 the' expression of ils idem.;. Through the use of an

OllllliscÎ(\Ilt. nalTaLol'; a huntslll:ln on tapcstry who shifts the reading entirely;

and a l'hYlllc SCIlPllH' t.hat seems anything but schematic, the poem expresses

idea.'i iJl tlH'ir dialcctÏeal forIll, challenging the reader to synthep;ze these dicho-

tomolls iden.s.

One of t.he main dialC'dical themes dealt with in Arnold's poetry is the place of

nature in h uman lire. ln T'/Istram and Iseul~ however, unlike its raIe in • f<.,'ml'edOc/CB 011 m,za, nature takcs a secondary position to the dialectic of love. - :{ 1 - l

Neverthl'less Olle- cau say that a :;;tep ll'I'om tIlt· positioll in E/III'e'doc/cs Ol! l<..'/flll)

has been taken in the exploration of thi:; idl':l. 'l'hl' f:\ct th:lt H:tt\l\'t· ha~ • assumed a symbolic l'ok furthcl' objectiti{·~ it. alld i" :l lIq!,:\ti(111 or tht' l'o:-;:-;ihil­ ity of tl'anscende-llc(, in ll:ttUl'r. Hathrl' t1H' ~~1I1h()Ii~lll .... (l"~,..,..,t·~, (1·.'Il~\'(,lId(,IlI·('

through natul't' as ,1Il objecL 'l'hl' :-;ymboli"'lIl (JI' Il:\t\lI(' i... t'IIlJlh:\-:i~\'d ill '1'11-;(1'0111

and Ise11lt by having ie ndkc\. \h~· ::;t:1te!-' 01' lIlilld pt thl' ch:lrnt'ln'.,. F(11' (':\11111-

pie, whCIl Trbtl':ll11 i:-. V('l'y il\. "cIl(' ",int! h()",I ... IO\ltll,\' ( I.K:n, th(' I:lill p:\II\'I ...

shaI'ply; and tl!r Atlantie i" d(\rp :\Ild IÎl'r('(' tUl:!). N:lItll"(' 1',IH'~ l'tll'lllt,1' ill ill;

symbolism whcll it pmoodips tllP tOllt' or :) '.,(·ttill).!.;. lik(' Ih:lI. ()f th .. 1'i:\lldt".. lÎll<'

and danger'ous meeting placp or Tl'i.;;t.ralll alld 1~1'1l1t. of 11'('I:llld: u( 'hill "Io\\':-' th(,

wind, the plcl1saull('C'-walk:-. ar(' drear-"(I.Uil). :'-lId J\!' il\(,I'II!,jty 01'11\1' two

lovers is well portrayed in nature in ll,~ ::'ylll hols or illt(,1\~it.~. willt1'r :llid sprilll!;.

It is interesting; tn Ilote th:ü t.l!ere is no ~e:N)n au':ll'III't! \.0 1~,(,tJ!t of IlJiLt.ally.

pointing to t.he fact Lita\' the!'e i~ 110 illt.ell:-.iLy a:--w('i:tl('d \Vith 11t,1' I(lv!' .

AfLc(' Tri::,!'ralll'::' deatb. !tow('\,('I', t.he' n:tt.ul'al illl:ti!,t'I'y :I.<-",()(·ialpd with !:-.Plllt • of Brittany i:=-; ('haradcl'i~t.ical1y h('1' own; iL is :\!' if :-.11(' ha" l'('('hillll'd t.ltt' l'III hll'ili of nature Lü ('oineide wit.h he(' {,::'!ienLial ~pi!'iLllnIiLy I

merelyas a ::;Ylllbol roI' varyillg Plllotiollal ~Lat)~:-., 1 t. :-,h(Jw~ ;1 \11/);)(11'1' dilll(·II..,i()11

to Iseult of Brittany t.haIl was apparent. whell sli<, \Va.'.; 1'('II'J.!,:IIJ·d 10 ( .... i:,I,(·Il(·(' ollly

in relation to Trbtl'am. Sorne example::, of tbis lIal,lllal c.,,VIIl!J(dhlJl an': qll:II'1.~

which symbolizcs illtCg;rit.y; holly whic\t :-,t,aIld:-, fol' ).!;()()

cates confidence and initiative (3.H-20) (Coop(~r 27\)). or :111 tlH' /latllra!

imagery associuted with Iseult of Brittany the 1Jl()~t illl,(,f'I'st,ill~ i~ "1,111' IlPa,t,}u'/',

which ail ,'ouIHljCI'C('P:-' thi('kly" but "gJ'ow~ Ilot" (:LJtI-/;)) ill "'('Illt, or Hlit.l,ally\

immediate SllIT01JIl(lil1g;~. It bc(,olJJe~ iIlLere~,tilig whl'II

traditions, heather !'))'mlJOlizes "protection agaill~L acL"i of pa.c,',ifJ Il " (dl·Vrip:-, ~1.'»), • In the manne/' in which lIat.Ul'e i~ cOllvcyed ill Tristram and hl;ull jl, h o!JvirJu:, - :12 -

I,hat it ha,> br~r.!n obj(.!clilied 1,0 a large cxtent. Nature is portrayed in this poem

ordy a.<' il, ,.efl(~d" thp ::,tatr~ of ('adl eharacter. By rclegating nature ta this seem- • illJ.!;ly ~IJ/)('J'fi<:i~d l'ole., titI' !lotioll thnL Ilatlll'e is a transcendant \\'orld is negated,

'J'wo (I.'-iJJf'(,I,c, or love ~In' (JIIUi IIC·rI ill this mcdieval "tory, "t\\'o W(lys of living th at

Al'Jlold lilld:-. ('

Iil(': ;llIcI 1,,,,,1, wlii('11 iIlvo!vc·..., IIlOIlO!,OIIY and tlIC' ('on~eqll('nt dC;}C!c-lliIl).!; or :'-f'l1si-

l,iliLy allrl illitiativ('" (Ftyklllëlll ~), Thl'ough the legend the exquisitene::-:, of an

Alld LIli' aIÜ')'llnLiv p t,o P;h..., io Il , :J (':11111, self-posscsseo kind of love, ie; also

l'x/,!orcd, Th(, J'('nd<'!' ('olllt'S tn 1'('('1 th:lt, "the wbolc tendelle)' of Arnold's treat~

1111'111, of tfJ{' jp)!/nd i:-. low

kinds or WOIIH'Il nnd two killds or lov{'" (SL:lIlge 2S7). In 7)istram and Iscjclt the

illlplication i~ that seJ'('llity. bilL Ilot ennui, in life is much sought aftel'. It is

('I('ar, l!o\V(·\'('J'. LhaL whik Lh(!n> is 1lIlea. ..,ill(,~S in either of the cxtrcmc stntes, a

• f!,I'OIl Il ( il1 ql1('~tiOIl yet established. 111Îddl<' 1 LI\(' ('olllpl('x ha!'> flot becn

III 'J'I/il//a!ll ((nd hCl/1I the pa~sionat{' 10\'(' of Tristram and Iseult of ll'cland

... the i'at.al bonds or a lovc they dare Ilot Il::lme, (1.1,tn-!)!))

ln t.1lt' poelll lo\'("s t.el'1'iblc force is examined in both the negative and the posi-

(ive :\,"'l1e('(,.., of' pa .... sionatc love, and it. is by no rncans left as entirely hoppless.

The ll1os1 striki;l~ l'l'attlfC of the depiction of thc love of Tristram and Iseult of

In'land b the ill\ülveIlll'lIt of much Iloise, The descriptions of the natural set­

lillg illCllldl' ~lIeh l'lellH'llki as sied \vhipping the pane (lA); a "wild" December • ni)!,ht (1.11): :\ ",inti th:!L is "bcating" against the coast (1.33-34); etc .. This sug- gests the tumult that cmbodil'" tIlt' 11:\tl1l"(, of p:lssio11:\t(' In\'l', \\.\ ..... 1 :\1\d :"

• and wild weathcl". It is \\'h~'n Ollt' n'ael\\':", the qllÎt't \\orld uf tilt' Il Il IlhlJl:1I1 llli

love afrai!' an: rCIll:ll'kahll'. :llld, :\!2,aill. :-.t:\l1d Ollt :\~ Olll' or tht' Ill'L,,:tll\t' le- 111111".

of thi~ kind of' IO\'L' .... ille!' it .... ~lllh()lizt'.., il ... IIl'P\ill!!: Ilatllf'('. 'l'hi·, Il.·t'IIIIL'III'',', 1·

spring-timc 01' his love" for bl't1\L (JI' In-lalld (1.170-:n. TI\!' I,,,k d r.ll

land tries to cOllvillce Tristralll Lo "Chid(, IlO\. wiLlI tilt' p:I..,I, hlll 1'1'.·111\1'

pre5ent" (2.7). This limited vi:-.iull b Lake Il t'uI'LIll'r Whl'II iL b"('(JIIW:, Il·I'kl(".:,

ness and shows iLs lad: of l'C'straillt:

Tristram' -- na!). /la!}, -- Iholt 11Iusll/ol !ak(' III!} hill/d' -­ T/'1sl1'U'I/l' -- ."u'ecl lvve' -- wc a1C 11t;//(lY'c!-- 011/-/"111111 'd • Olle las!' kisti fir:,t,! -- "Tu; vam -- 10 I/(J/.~c -- elll,tif/" (l.l()(i.D)

The passion whic-h gave mealllll).!; j,o till'ir li\'I':-' l'\'Ptllll:dly ''('l'VI' .... 10 Illldo Tri,.

sionate love, they are rarc!esc" and ('oll'-,('ql1('lllly hl'LI:ly LIJ('lll:,f'lv''',.

a'3 dcmandiIlg on the sC'Ilsibility of' the luv"r: tlJl' JUlllil!nr ('idl') il 1111' luv(' thal

sees heult of Ireland':-, reflcetioll in a:-.prilli; f)f' w;tll'l, alld thl' JI j!t-I tilJll :1/'('11'.1",

him of forgcUing ber (1.1~O-7)_ Sincc Tri..,tralll ('il/lrlll!, ('"c;qJl' hi" llJilld, III' ('aIl • I101l n(;r'd ill 1Il1ltllai aeelJs~tiolls ail cl ~('If'-al",()J'I,IJiill: - 3·1 -

[Tri..,traIll :] ••• IJIIL ~he 'II !lot corne to-ni:;ht. A Il 1I0! ~he i" n...,leep in Cornwall now, Var hf'll('I', h('r dr('am<, ~lJ'(' fair -- smooth is hel' bro\\'. • (1.300-3 ) alld

Il..,r, III L: l Sid; \Vith i!,lid 1 alll, alld failltwith travel-­ T:d\{, Illy balld -- d('al' TrÎ5Ll'am, look on me! (2.15-1 G)

'l'Il(' :-'1) bj!'ct,ivity of' J!:I...,~iollaJ~~ love is sllggcsted by the selfish concern ,of each

lo\,{'1' fo/' hi:-, 01' hl'/' OWll suf!prillg. The fundamental diffel'ence between this

and a J,!;{'lIf'I'O\l:-' type of' love b ~lIggcstcd, strcssing the point that passionate

Alle! yet tlH' 1I11l'l'at.or Îs Ilot impcrvious t.o the engaging aspects of this love.

Through his l:lIlg;llaJ-!:<', (Ille in his J'epl'esentatiun, he conveys his appreciation of

L!w})y, alld the' intellsÏly of this st(jt,e. Only with empathy and insight couid he

~iOll lie in il,., IIlllllitigatcd joy. This is communicated in many subtle ways. For

eXrLlllple, eVPIl Lh .. st.nlgg;le of meeting iIlicitly is given that certain intensity that

makes it char'minp; and ullique. Although it would seem at times in Tristram

ll1ld hCl/li thn! nn ab:1lldoned, passionate state is being derided, it does in fact

expose it.'3clf a:- ail extl'CIllC in a dialectical argument. There is the possibility,

howl'Vl'r, that in the midst of this dialectical construction lies a more œmperate

love. The nHlTatOI' is by no means averse to passion, but he cannat accept it in

S\ll·h ('(Jlleenl.l'aLio!l. 1 iP cannot recollcile to an irrationai fOl'm of emotionai

t'xprt'ssioll--he (':lIb il. i1 "dis<.'ll.'~('d ullrest" and an "unnaturai overheat" (3.135- • l))--but hr does not discount t.he joy and fine intensity that can l'esult from pas- - 35 -

sion .

The more se If-l)OSsessed love that. is dt>pict('d in Ihi" ptWIll is prrsl'ntC'd • also as an ext,rcl1l(,. It Î5 cmbodied in the qllÎr:::;('<.'n(, ti~ur(' nt' bl'ldt ot' Britt.:m)', In her bem'ing sh<, is patient, and exudC's a ::;l'll~t' ot' tr;1nquility. C;dl1ln('s~ 1't'l'-

meates Iseult of BI'Ïttany's love and this SN'IllS 10 ol1't'I' hi~ht'I' po,-:"ihiliIÎl's t{l

the notion of love'. Peac('[ulnrss and sC'J'('llily arr sll~!.';l's!t'c1 hy tht' 11\111('<1

colours and the objcets which snrround her, :l~ wpll :l~ hy Illt' :lt'tivitit':-' ill \\'lIi('h

she is involvcd; yet one cOllles to s{'(' that th is type' or 11)\'(' i..., 1101 Il)(· rt',-:olll tioll

to the dialectical qllestion of the nature of lo\'('. Tilt' )l(WIIl tlt-liht'I';IlPly ptll'Ir:ty~

the other side of' her serenHy: the misery slip (,xpt·ri('IJ('t·~;. 'l'hi" i~ ;111 t''\pl()ra-

tion of the full range of implicatiolls in a ('()Il t't'pL lik(· '\':"111". Tht'rl' is :t ~H't'lIl-

result from this so calice! peaceful state of minci. ('allII lov(' b dt'pit'\'l'd in '1'71.<;-

tram and Isettlt as thoroughly Illild, \Vith Il()thill~ dYII:lIlIÏ(' (JI' Vi!>I':!II\. a!>ollt iL.

Iseult of Brittany exemplifies a 5tultifyillg ::-.tahilily ill Lh:l!, slJ(' i~ ~('/'II 10 rt'lIlaill • only in one sctting whilc Iseult of Ir'ela/Hl Ill()V('~ l'rom In·I,,"d ln COl'llwall 10 Brittany. She is often chamctcrizC'd by rold, ~II()W, ('al III 1)(':-;:', wliitt·,11':':-; :l1It!

paleness. Ali this suggcsts mildness and sPl'pllity, Hlld il, wOlllri ~('I'III :IpplOpri-

ate that Iscult of Brittany is rcf'cl'l'cd to cl1

Atlantic Sea" (1.1 Ü(»).

Tristram and Iseult, howcvcl', subtly givcs iLs Illon' tmllqllil lovI' :1 look or

wisclom and elevation. ln fact, Iseult of Brittany docs Ilot sePIlI ln Lakp pn.:,-

sJOnate. 1ove senous . 1y, an d .IS movccl "Wlt . 1 love l "1)y '1" riS t nWI:-',,, (l'I: 1 P (l' 1:-' l,1'1':-;:-' "

(1.207-9). She is rcferred to as a "guardiau", per:-,ollifying faith ill a calll: lovl',

and giving credit to its patient acceptancc of tllf' tllJrlllltlloll:-' alld 1,t'lIIJ)()J'ar'y

phenomenon of passionate love. 'l'Il(: qllieLr!r lov(' of bl'lllL (JI' Bl'it,t,ally i.., • elevated by the depictioTl of her ac; beiTlg above, and flot paifJ(:d by, tilt! im pal'!, - :H) -

or pa.'}::,ionaie love. J II the rl(~~cription of Iseult of Brittany confronted with a

p~J.<,siollat(! and langllishiTlg Tl'istrmn, ~hc is ligured thus:

• Not. with a look or W()lllld(~d pridc, A look as if' tlH! hpart ('0 III plaincd-­ IJ('/' look wn:-) likl' a ~ad ('1111)/,1('('; Th(, gaz{' or 011{' who (',lIl divine A P;l'jpf', :llId ~yllll':tt,h j',f'. (1.320-4 )

A IId y(·L, tlH! ~lJo\Vdl'Op hy the Ilotoriollsly frigid Atlantic can also be seen

III I!p\, lIli:-w\'llble, dC('ayill~ nlld 10llcly stnle, as she cndures her isolat.ed

(·Xbt,(·IIt:e. The /'c!,:>1.,o/'at.ivc power of Trist!'alI1's fantasies of passionate love

(1.1()!)-IO) hav!' IlO p,mlliei in Isellit of' Brittnny's l'cal Iife, hut rather serve as

:Ill :L1It,it.hesiH: t.here is only t>t.asb anù decay in the Iife of the y01lng pl'Încess.

Th(· l'('adpl' b 1.,01<1 l'epeat

"('!Jed:H ... Hllllk" (1.:32) but, ~he nlso sufTrrs from "deep fatigue" (1.37). These

sylllptom~ arc the oppo~it.c equals 10 the enervating effects of passionate love, • :llIcI slIggpsL a. cle{']) deJlI'ession. A hi!!.h PI'jc(' is paiel for the ealm ness of a qIlÎpt,pr, hl'Oodill~ lo\'p: "Joy has not round hel', nor evcr will--" (3.168). The

~()Ii1.l\d{' and ellllui of bcI' wiclowhood rccRIl Empcdocles: he actively sought

callll bilL ('0111<1 Ilot p:ly its hcavy priee; in 15eult of BriLtany, the reader sees a

Jll'I'~()n who is payinl!; iL.

lt. be(,oJl)('~ apparent that thcre arc no rasy answers 10 the dialectical ques-

lioll 011 t.h(· irlpal t~ JlP of love. Arnold found "gentll'ness [and] frl'edom from

passi()n" to be th(' lJlost dl'sirable in a person's state of mind (Frykman 47).

From t.his olle Wüuld C'Ollclude thnt the synt.hcsis of this question lies c10ser to

C:l11ll lo\'l'. hccRlIse in T1/.<;tram .. and Iseult one sees more to admire in its tran-

quility and it~ closeu('ss to the ideal of genel'al calmness; but ultimately one has

tü say t.ha!, the pOClll ('nds with more questions than fil'll1 ans",\, 1" on the merits • 01' n (':lllller love. 'l'hl' pOJ"trayal of the torturolls solitude that results from a ')- - ,). -

dispassionate love speaks of a dia\cctical question that is :1.. '" yl't lIlll'(·sol\'('li.

Marvel Shmiefsky COl1\'<'YS this sentiment ",hen hl' say:,; t.hat in '1'1'1.';/111111 /Iut! • Iseult "though Parts 1 and Il have shOWll that p:lssion b :1 joy who,,{' f',l'{)l\IHl~ are false, Part III docs not persu(l<\(> liS of il callll whosl' ~rollnds art' tnlt''' (:Hi).

The poem secms to a('knowkd~{' that tlll' sol<> principl{' Il pOil ",hich lo\'!'

operates can be neiLhcr passion nor devotioll~ yl't tht' ('Iusi\'t' pri1ll'iplt' t':\I1110\

be namet!. Ils natllre is hilltcd al. in tht· d(':-.('ription:-. or (h(' (WO !:-.t'1I1t0 n'''IH'l'- tively, sufl'ering J'rom love at, it6 c:drelllt·s: olle is toIt! or bt'lIl\, or BrittallY

"dying in a mask or youth" (~3.75), and of Ispult of In'lalld a~ havilll-!: "p;I:-.:-.t'd a

youth con~ulllcd and sad" (:!.5·1).

Under the guise of prescnting two typps of WOIllt'II, Trùi/mll/ llud IS(,/lfI ('xploJ'('s

opposing, moral valucs. The story of Tri:-.Lr:llll :111<1 III(' Lw() 1~,('1I11.', je, litt, idl':t1

way to explore dialectically the pos~ibililil'~ alld dt'p(1t in WOlllllllhood. 'l'hl'

ro les 0 f wom e Il arc c x plo rc cl, ail cl the pc)(' III ~t' ('111:-' 10 ~ Il gf',f'~ t tir :\1, /II 0 H' po:,:, i-

bilities exist than have COIllC tu light. Two WOIIIC'II illvolvf·d with thl' ~allJ(' 11I;11I

• and having the saille ]lallle IS a dial('('LÎ('al pl:l.vill~ fil'Id l'or v:tl'iOIlS Pt'l'till('lIt

questiolls. That is, the faet of the \'wo 18('IIIL<.., ;dl()w~ th" Pf)('1Il tn PX plo!"!' th!'

nature of WOI1lCIl froIll thc two obviolls P;II,Ir:-, LiraI, will ('V('IILlIirlly, O(\(' !to!'(':',

arrive at a truth. In a sense it cali cxploJ'(' LW(J sirl!'s 1)(' WOIII:JlrlIOOr! :tilt! 1I('vpr

lose sight of the notion of the wholf'IIPSS or a WOIII au a.<; il HI Irlti-dirrJ('II<;jollal

being. Moreovcl', the poem's conviction that

There were two Iseults who did sway Each her hour of Tristram 's day. (2.ô8-()!J)

gives it the forum, one man, to depict. t.he full l'auge of J'(!a,ttiofl;>, ellloli()J\~ l\.lId

the make-up of women. • The charactcrs of the two Iseult::;, which initially !->C(!HI III H1urked contra..,t, ~Ir(! ~!.()WIJ tIJ \H' tIlJ(':JIlTlily ~ilJ1ilar by the end of the pocm. Such contl'asts as

LIJ(' phy:-,j(';d 1'(';.1 IJI'f::-- of t/lf: two womcn arc drawll early on, For example, • bellit or Britt:tllY ha.., "goldf'11 rillg;lets on her shouldprs" (] ,2G) whiJe beult of JJ'(·lalJd'~ "r;tVI'11 Il:lir'' li(·..., ill "disordel'pd strpams" (2,IOï-8), 'l'Ile !llol'al quality

('('1('1;, t,h:tI, b-,Pldt, (lI ll'l:!alld wear!':> on her body arc cmphasizcd (2,10g-10) in

('OII1.la:,1. wi1.h I,h(, :,iJllpli('ily 01 1:-'('1111, or Bl'ittallY \\ho \\,(';11':-' ollly a gold clasp on

IlI'l' rolH', YI'L d('!~pill' Lh(':-'(, Vlsil)le contra.,,>!",,> the Lwo \Volllen are more similal'

Lhall i:-. ;11, fiJ:-'1, app:lIf'lIL. III UI(' ll1iddk of' the pocm. artel' hel' death. Iseult of

SI) h('alilll!: ill hl'I q1Jil't, now, So l'nf'/'c'L1y tlll' lill('!-' (!).pn's:-, )\ tl:l1l1J1lil. ;-,t'II]('cI ]()\,(·Jill(".,<." 11(·]' Ytlllll).',('1 11\':d'~, PII]'(;:-'(, grace. (2.143-6 )

'l'lib, 1 l't't'l, lIl(\ke~ tht, rr Ill"i a] point that outside of thcil' contexts as lovers of • TrbLI'HIll, the 1,\\'0 bClIlt .... a]'c ::.illlilar pCl'sons and only appeal' different as a "l'!:Hllt of tht' l'olc's tht'y ha\'(' a:-.:-.umed in theil' respective relations with Tris-

tram, To l'Iu('idat(· titi:-. poillt il. is llC'cessary ta examine marC' deeply the

lIatlll't':->, 1'01(':-" alld tilt' IWI'l'('pLiull 01' Dcing, of' the two principal fClllale charac-

tcr:-., The illvesLi).',:\t,iol\ \\ ill shed light on the pocm's dialcctic and also suggests

that a WOll\ al\'5 dillle Il:-.iollS are l'al' greater thun have been usually assumed in

Vidol'ian pO('(,I'~',

At, lirst glanee, Isc'ulL of' Ikittany seems La be the convcntional Victorian

WO III ltll. a I\lot.hn lUld wire dc\'oted La the inmatcs of her domestic environ-

!ll('Ilt. ~hl' nppl':m.; 10 hav(' :1 t'alm, scilless love for Tristram. and is infiniLely

p:tt.il'Ilt and kind to titis IOYl'r of Iseult of Ireland. lnitially slH' :lppears a one­ • dill1l'nsional ligure. bcult 01' Bl'ittany is portrayed as fulfilJing the raIe of - ~Hl -

devoted wire to Tristram and loviug IllothC'l' 10 hb ehildl't'II, ~ht' i~ d\:\r:H'tn­

ized as mild and Il Jl:lIll hitioll~: 1':\th('1' th:lll t[,:l\"{'\Iil\tl, thl' \\l\rld :\ .... hl'[' 1 III plll .... 1'~ • drive her, she is IK\rtrnycd as the duLiful wil'l' who :';l'l'I\l~ ~:lti~lil·d 1\l1,I't'ly "(;az­ ing seawarus mail.' :1 Il'agul'.; FIOIlI IH'I' !Ol\l'l,\ ~h()I'l,-Il\lil( (()\\l'r" ~ 1.1~-:)). ~ltl'

is also porlrnyt'd l'l'\w:lledly a:-. havillg ""Il()\\-\\'hi((' 11:11111·." tl.:ll. ;1\,71).

presumab!y il \Vay or ~ll)!.g;\.'~lin)!. a \\'0\\1:\11 1l1l:-'l\l1il'd b~ 111\' \\.\~:-. \lI Iltl' "1,lId.

The othC'1' ('olltl'pliOIl or bl'lIII or 1~l'it(:III~ i .... l'<'\'(·.lkd 111.11111\ (1t1()III'.h 1\('1'

imaginative Iif'e, :"JJlccifically throu~h her I('lalillf,!; ot' t Ill' tait- or 1\kllilI illld

Vivian. It is also iIlLill1:lted, !lo\\'('VPI", thl\lllf,!;h :1:-' Pl' ('1.' .., ni 111'1'111',· 111:11 :"'1\,'<1 I()

define her priol' to Tl'i~t.l'aJll'S dl·ath: tl}('sr ('OIl\P ln h!-(' Ol! :111 ill\"'II,·,1 qu:t1ily

in her widowhood. ~h(· i:-. (!t-::,nilwd ll!"' ~ll\ "orpltall dlild" (ltlll' 'lU) III \,.111, (lll,'

of the pocm, illciLin!-!, pity in the readt'r and l'Îtliryill)~ hl'!" ~"·('lIlillt·.lv t!1'\H'III!t-IlL

situation. COllsider, howevl'r, that thl' vpry "t:tI~, of l)('ill~ :111 orplt:111 whi('11

characterizes her as bein/,; pit,iful, is illv('I'!,('d lIlld 1)('('()I1)('~ HII :1."~I'1. 10 1)('1'

because it lllakc~ her ail indcpclId(,llL individllal who ('ail ('J)l11l1 (' i~,(jI;tli()11 altd • loss. Another tl'an"fo\'lJ\atioll thal, takes p\:\('(' ill Iw\' widow!t()od 1:, OH(' w!tit·!t makes Iseult of BriLtallY a so ('(lllpc! ~ingl('-pa!'('IIt.. Th('r('hy ~It,· 1"('('I:tilll'-. :t parI.

of her identity by Iwillg ail illdividllal who ('ail Illak(· Ill'(' (·ltildn'II h:lpp.v fOI 111'1'­

self, rather than f1\llillillg tllI' f'1I11el.ioll of I)('illg :l good IlIot.lll'\' ln Tli',LI:!III'~

children. And f'urtl!er, Is('ult or BrittallY's :-,t~I,...,i:-,--wlticlt i', il foll ln ):,('\lIt. of

Ireland's rnovemcnt or dYllUllli:::'lll--i:-, ulldellllilled wh(;11 (Jllf' di""('IjVI'I', (,h,~ va,...,!.

journeys that she makcs ill her Illilld, ill hel' ri('ll l'mILa,...,y li!',·, 111/';1('1. il. ('(jIJld IH'

to Iseult of' Hl'ittany in..,Lead of II(;\, (·ltil(I),(:11 t.h:.l LlJ(' !Jill \'idm d(,('hl!':,; "Hill, y011

see fairer in your !" (1.;;71). 011(; :-'1I11tl(' W:ly III wlli('11 111'1 v,Iliwl.ll

(through hcr cxpclicllce) i:-, cOJlveycrl i::, tbe atL(~l1ljJt ln wicl(~11 UtI' 1,l,lrltt,lrJllal

setting of "home" fol' Iscult of BrittallY. 'j'IIi!':> i:; ('lm('f,l'd IJy widr'lIill~ III'/ • domestic sUl'l'oundings, towal'd!':> the ('/Id of th(; pe)('fll, IJlIl.il t.I1 1'Y :1/'1' 11101'(' "Y jJ;IIl',ive and b~c()1JJ(> a plae!' WIH!I'(~ even hr:r mind is fïee to roarn the open

fjt Id--, of falll.a:-,y. • 'l'III' ~t/)J Y of M (!rlil1 alld Viviall b told by r~C'ult of BriU,any for rea"iom, that arl' <"_I·t'/lIill~,ly IlIO/(' ('(JIJlJ>kx th;111 1lf('l'cdy to /'('Iiev(~ her sn.dne~s. The choicc of

LIli·, jJ;,rt.i( 111;11 Illy tir i.., kllillg of thp ~ta!.e of Illilld of this prinripal chal'nctc!'. Tt

i', (1 /Ilvell L11:!I, ~ljJ{';lh of' i!,l('afn diJll(,II~ioll~ to a \\'OIlHlll ('ven if al. this point in

hi',forv (t.lll' lIlid-IlillC'I('('IILlI (,('/lfll!'y) it, (':ln olliv he a fallt~l.':>y. The story a\lows

1"('1111 (JI' 1~l'iLl:lJl'y 1.0 l'f'v(>;ll t.l1:Ll, sllp '> illc!('p

'-o(·t'II il! 111'1 "~lllIk ;11111 p:d('" d('lrj('~III()III' (1.-IS). Il ('\'PlI ~\lg~csb the j1o[:,sihility

t,lwL WOlllt'lI, ill ail Llw aridity Dr t.h('ir l'('~trid('d l'oies in lire, may weil hc

filldil!~ an ol\!.I('\. in illl:lgin:lliv!' lire. III her l';mtm,~' of thp life> of Merlin and

Viviall, IS('lIlt (JI' Hl'ltt.(llI~' C;lII ill\l(,l't lin J'('alily withill the falltasy itsplf. whell,

fol' ('Xarllpl<-, ~II(' ]'('v('ab Lhal. Vivian, while havilll!, a "whit.e" hand (3.174) also

lJa~, iL J'(,~t.illg "lllq~I()v(·d" (:L\7.S) and ":-;col'ed" (:LIÎ'l), :::,ymbolizinp; that a white

halld l':tll havl' a IIllldl I>roadel' defillitioll thnn tl10 limit0d one ascl'ibed ta Iseult • or Hi'ittany. Th(, l'art tl1at Vivian has cho:-;pll 1.11(, object of her devotioll rather t l!:1Il, Irkt' bellit 01' 13/ iLtally, havinp; hUII ('h()~('n, fUI'Lher suggcsts the possibility

ill \\'OIIl:IIl!tood wlterc lIoL jllsL Illilclncss, IJ1IL the 8.bility ta make detiberate

1(, i~ al. tht> end of the poem th8.t one realizes th8.t Iseult of BrittallY may

Ilot 1't'(·1 ('ntirl'ly fuliilled in her role as TrisLl'am's long-suITering wife. Shrnief­

:-.ky :-.hl('\\'(lly ()h~l'n'{':-. t118.t "the ultimatc, more myskl'iollS cause of her

sul1el'ÏlIg :-;('('Illb tü he SOIllC physical 01' psychological limitation" (37). It is pos­

:-;ihle tu ~{,t' ollly :11 the ('IHI of the pOClll 1,ha1. sile 111ight have round her l'ole as

all~t'I in (,he h()u~c sOll1cwhat limited, and, considrring the kiud of love she

rc('('j\'cd fmlll Trj~tl';lIl1, sIle eould indccd he "passing ,,,cary of his love" • (:L~~·I). Th J'Oligh hpl' fal1tasy lire Iseult of 13rittany conveys to the reader that - 1\ -

she does indeed realizl' that there art> mon' po::;sibilitit>~ III "olll:\IIhood thau

she can mtieulate li k rally. • In Iseult of lrcl:1nd the pos~ihility of':1 \\"1Il:1lI :1'-: :1 p:I~"i()n:ltt', "'(':)(11:11 IH'illf~ is cxplorC'd. Yet, Is('lIlt of ln'land i~ p:lint\'d :-,\ ll1p:,tl1<'ti(':tll~. Itlu('!t in tll\' :-':\llll'

\Vay that Tristram jo:; portrayed :\.'... :1 1lI:11I d''''('I\ il\\è, Ill' jlit~ 1\11' hi:-. ..,t.I1\', Halhl'I

than j)('in!!, (10pid{'(l as t\\l' sirf'I1, tlw "'piritll'I\ :111.\ ,'I!lutinl\:" :->1.\" (,\' 1:'('\111 (,1'

lreland--one th;lt is distillctly l'l'Ill :\I('--i~ :l<'kll()wll'd"pd. !\:(lt Clldy :11'(' h('1'

untrnditiollal trnitl"--pridr. qllÎck ",it, illljllll"i\('I\('''':'''--I\()! d"!li~~I:\t('d, 11I11 I"t'Idt

of Irelnnrl is ,tllowC'd thr fl'(, \' do III to ('X pif)\'(' t!J(, Illall.\' l'tl',',i I,il'tti("; (\\,('11 tll hl'!",

Thesc possibilitips ('OIl1P into \'if'w--m.. tlt!'\' dl) ill 1!J(, (':''-.(' nI' 1,.t'lIlt (lI' 1\ritt:llI\'-'

when the \'c:ld('1' is g;i\'PI1 the diaIPetic:\\ lW 1'''))('('\ 1\'\' or tll" I\\() \\'()lIlI'I1, :\Ild tht,

literary chamcters ('ont(' intn 1'0 ell:'" , !:-.PlIIL or 11('h".! i:--. J!0rll:'yt'd :l', :\ W(lIlI:11I

with chnracLcI'ÎstiC's that wOllld he ('l:l:-.sifkd ;\,'" III:N'llIillt', alld y('(, Lllt,y :\1(' ilOt.

portraycd as unaeceptablc. For example, :-.1](' i:-. porLl'ayl'd \Vith II() h(':-.i\.:I\.itlll or

derisioll by the Ilarl'atol' fIS d()lIlill(,(,l'jll~;, :ldVl'lIt.lll'()II'-., alld "1'l'()lld" (1 ;)S) 11I1\. • 110 les::, "fair" (1.57) for iL.

A have ail, ISPlilt of' lreland ha .... {'1I:t('IA'r! :1 di~till('t. ('1t:11I~~(, ill 1.1\1' 1,1 :HlitiC)\I:t!

l'Ole of women hy cX(,l'cisillp; hPI' judp;f'IlJ('IlL :I\ld l'n't'dnJlt ln ('II(H)',(" Tri',I! alti

in his misery a'3ks who the lady h-, tltat. ~tallds l,y lib :-.il'hjJl'd, :tlld lilJtlilli!, (Jill,

that ii is his wife he s~Hlly, y('L impnÎoll:-.ly, de('lal'l'''' "Ait' 1I0!. tlJ!' h('ldt, 1

desire". Certainly TI btl'alll's w:l...,ter! ~(}Ilditioll ;lIld t'}IIII('l\f"" 1('I\!'.ill~' incitA' piLy

in the l'cader, And yd, one callIlO!, !t('lp 1)111, ('ol!C,id('1 t.IJf' 1t\lIltili:tli(J/1 of t.l\(,

patiently attcllding yOllllg woman who h:\.'-. jll'-.t h('1'1I c']lll/'ll('d, 'J'hi,> ilJ('idr'lIl,

seem5 the bcgillnillg of' an expeditioll (1) titI' dialr·('I,j(';d p:lf,h (d' qlll·',!.il)/lill~ :t

valll<.' ::,y:"I..cJll th(lL has the po:-,::,ibility of 11J(lkillg \\rJIllt'11 H.,:,('I:.., :IW:Iit.iIli!,

flllfillmcllt. !JY tlF! ehoiee and dr!sirc: (JI' a Irl~\ll, Titi..., /'xIJI{Jr;tI,irdl ~/j("J f}tl' in • Iseult of Il'elalld who jar!> the ..,tal.us quo by viIJlating tllie, tradition ;l/td (l'II",ti(J1t- - ,12 -

ilrt,i('ld,lfp:-, till' ()J!PI(··,·.i\'(!rJ(!~~ of t,lw tradition I)y J'(·felrilll-!; to !1er murriccl state • ,l,'> "IH)IIIHj" (2.r;) Il (JlJI' je., t,o vi('w tJ](· lovp polio)] a,'-, <'Yl1lholir of Plllighten-

'1'1I('J(' i:-. /I() iIJlplll';dloJl ili III<' poelll thaL :-.iJe f{·I,I:-. :-.llI' Ira... t:lkell l'rolll King

1('('I:lilllilt~ 111'1 1lt'I.',()ldll J()d (;Il't('r hllvÎll1-!; drunk tJJ(' potion), and the uitilllate

(,('sLilllt)lly ln tlli:-. j ... 11('J 10\'1' f()r Trbtram ill~t('ad of Kin~ ~'larc.

1:-'('1111, 01 Ir<'I:llld \,illdi('a/(>:-, h('r:-,('II' f'urthC'l' hy Ilot acc('ptin~ t/}(' ster<,otyped

r()k ()l' t.h(· "ollrn \\0111:111". \Vhilp Tristram i:-. in the a~()ny of hic: L1cbcslod,

1:')('1111, of' lreblld, 1':11111'1' Ihall splflpssly sympathizing \Vit.h hie: sutf<,ring--Iike

1.... (>1111, of HritLa/l.v--i·, ]loI. :d'raid to Rrticulat,e 11er fppling ... of pain th:)!. have • rt':-,ulkd l'rolll tltt'Îl lo\'(' :drair. \Vhen Tri"t,rmn chille::-. ]:-,(>tllt of lJ'eland and dol'::-' !loI. 11('('(' pt. 111'1' .1." :--.ltt· j., (or h".,,> Iw ('0 III (' ). :md preSlllllC:-' tha(. slH' i .... fickle

:111<1 ('!I:lIlged h~ (,()\II'II~ lirt', sile replies ill1Illediatcly that if hel' long time in

court. ha,'" had :lIl~' ('fi ('('1 iL \\a:--. (0 nurturc her deep love fol' Tristram. and to

givl' thOllp,ht. to IIH' df(·et.... or lll'l' actions. She even goes so fal' as to contem-

pl:tl{' III{' ('quit:dlll'JI{';-''' (lI' lin loL iIl relat.io!l to Tl'istram 's:

Ah. 011 which, il' holh our lot.e: \Vere halancrd, \V:l~ illtl(,l'd Iht' Ill·a\'il·"t 1)Ill'tl('1l ihrowIl-­ Tlle(', :1 pillin~ (', il(' in tlly r()r('~t.. i\!('. :l ~l1liljll~ ql1('t'1l UpOti my thl'Ollc? (2.37-52)

:-;hp will by \lO Il1l':1IIS :\l'('('pl. Ihat her suffcl'ing is less legitimate than Tristram's, • :llld tll(')'('/I\' illlpli('itl~ :-.t:ltc::; th:l( /'C'malc cmotions are as credible and justifiable Iseult of lrC'land i~ gradually C'quatt'd \\ilh wHl! l~l'lllt or Hrit\:\I1y in Ihl'

dialectic in T1ïsllam and Iscl/lt :1.-- a \\":ly of ll'p,ililllizing ht'!" \'h:u':H'ln. l~l'l\lt nI' • Ireland is gin'Il ~O1l1l' or thl' fl'atul"l's ch:ll';\l'Il'rÎsti(' (lI' bl'Illt nI' 1\litt:llly. tht'\"l'b~ giving the f'Ol"llll'r Illon' dillll'n:-;ioll :I~ :l \\nlll:\ll thall :-.illlply :1 W:lllt,lll '1"1'1'11

who indul)l.l's lll'r p:l,,~i()n:ltl' lk~ir('~. For t'\:\I11plt-. \:-'(,Itlt (lI' l!"('hllt! dl",('lillt'c,

hersell' :l"C;; "",l1ilC'." and Tristr:l1H :lIso idl'Iltili('" lH'r p:\klll''''': Ihl<, ',l', \ \'~ 10

equatE' her phy~ic:"I~·. il! (hl' \'(':l

identification )2,Ol':-' f'urth('1" t.h

cal bcarillg bc!:!.ill~ to c('ho tltl' trait:-, or \:-'l,tllt. ot' l~rill:lIl~ \\'Ilt'II .... llt' (1:,('ltit ot'

Ircland) is jlorlray('d Cl:" "11111111>1('d. paIl' :\1HI :-.till" l~ (jO). ,\llti \\ Ill'Il 1"(,,,11. nI'

Il'e land te Ils Trisll':llll th at. "1 wi Il watc h tb l' (' ..... ()I) ( 11(' t.hy p:li Il'' ( ~ ,:m)

help but cali to lllilld I.... elllt or HlitLally "Illll:-,illl-!. l'lIl)!, :Ulti \\':Ikllill)..; 1:11('" (I.:{I:\).

In here one l'cels the ::.tl'lIggle (0 ::.yntl]('"ize (II(' dial(,ct.i(,:t1 illl:q.!,(' !lI' W()lll('Il.

Throughout the porLl'nyal of ]:-,('I1It. or 11'1'1a1ld, sl)(, I)('VI'I d('lli,,,, 11<'1' lov<,

for Tristram, bill i:-. 1101 1'l'llIl't.:1I1L 1,0 n..... ~('11 1)('1 1ll'J'{'I'iv('r1 l'qll:llil \' ill I~'I'JII:, (JI' • her emotions wit,hill t11eir pa.'::>!->iollate love ~üf:t;l'. III t.hb <.,l'll:-'l' 011" mllid lal)('1 Iseult of Ireland':-, love n.<" l'Olllalltic ill t.hal. "th(' ('s,<"('1I11:11 ÎlllI'III·,(· 01 1'()lll:lllt.i('

love is the same 011 ail Il'v(,h, of ('xpl'l':-,<.,il)lI; il, je, :t!WilyS tnw:ll'rI tilt' lil'('I':djUII or

the indiviclual" (Stall;.;e :2()()) .•JII~L il..... Tri~l.nllll Î:-, "1I1l11l:11111(,d" l,y IJi:, P:!,,:,jIJllal.(·

love, so i~ Iseult of Irelallù "1111\"Olllitlll'd" (i.(·. ill tlll' ('(>IIY('IILIIJllid :,1'11',1' or

womaIlhood) by havill(.!; dl'llllk l'rolll LIli' philtl(' thnt (l1l(Jw:, 111'1' ln ('XI"'li('Il('"

new possibilities in \vOlllallhood.

As a l'l'suIt of its ('Hort 1,0 syUJ('siz(' thl' two eoll('('Pt,~ or WOllll'll, t.llI' IHI('1I1

offers Vivian a.<' !,!lf' altpl'llativ(· t,o t1IP eOIlLl'adict,ol'y l'xt,rl'Ifll'~ t.l1:11. al(' 1'.(·ldt nI'

Brittany and bellit of Irrolalld. While' the Cwo belllt.~ :11"(' 1':'''('llti;dly .1";1<1, tlJl'

vital, Iively Viviun i::, ail alv'rnaliv(> tyP(!. III phy:.i(':d t('IIlI", Vivi:lIl i', il • compromise between the two bellI!.,> in that ~Il(~ hw., f('<1tlll(~:-' t,!J:tf, :1/(' ;Il III·i tJJI' 1 n,tIl'III'! of thf' :-'pl'ctI'UIIl. For eXlimple, she has "brown locks" (3.1ôS), which

dl) IIIIL ~t,alld :1 •..., ~.vlllll{Jli(· for ally r('lJlal(! stereo!'ype. The fact that her "l1ushed • dll·pk" (:Ll (i!)) :Hld ~l);l!'klillg l'y('~ are a r~slll!' of' phy~i('al cxertioll and not. likP h('ldt or ]n'I;lIlrl'~ "Ilot 1I11~II(>d (·IJPeh alld brillblIlt eyes" (2.1 ]7). a r('sult of her

1'111,/':'111111'11(, ill P:L<,<,i()ll. :-,ig,llifJ('~ IlOt. only IJpI' difl('J'(!I}('(> frolll thesc ('!1al':lctcl's of'

1'\ t/I'IIII"" 11111, "pp:!k" or \tivi:lll ':-. '-,piri LIIal t'r('('dolll whirh ~t.'\l\d" in rontrast ta

tll" /<"·Idl,<,.

TII:JI, Vivi:lll ('oJl"idi'l''' MI'r/in "bpI' ~tat,('ly !ll'iz('" (:1.17R) n.s opposee! ta TI'is­

Il :1111 aIl,] ],in!!" 1\'1:11'(' {'()Il:,idf'rilll-!; tlleil' \\'iv('~ their due, b rCllllil'kably Jifferent.

1\ titi \','t, ViVI:11l h IJy 110 1ll(,:lIl'-, pOI't.ntyecl (1.') a (,oIlt(,l1lptible ,,,omaJl: in fact,

1lf'1 11I'11:IVÎI)III i:-. :-.aid 1,0 have "the mOl'llin)!;'::, f'l'esh clear p;r{lec" (0.17g). It is

·,t l "\lllf~ LlI:tI. tlJ(' POI'IlI "/0;.. ,(,:-. wiLh a f\'llIalp c!J:1raeter rovillp; "wbit,hel' she will"

(:L:.!:.!:~) IJI'('au,,(' "~h(, was p:l.'.sing weHl'y" of a 1lI:1le characwr's love. This can be

1 ('"d :1.', :'dli!.g,t':,t.illg, :t :-'yllthC':-,i:-, of a WOIIl:-l/l':-, po:-,:-,ihilitic:-, in the wOl'ld. In the

illl :t~',(' (JI' Vivi:11l a WOl1WIl b t'I'l'P 10 makl' a cl!oicr (and ilOt, perish as a result of • it, lik(' ]"('\111, or 11'pl:Jlld) alld a<'\,llally ln lIo1lt'Î:-.h (tL~ implicd in Hw cm'efree W()l'd "[()Vt'" (:~.~~:n). The- l'C':lliLy, !JOWl'\'l'!'. th:1{, thi" image> of wornanhood is

ollly a /1O .., ..,,rJ/1' :dINII:llin in t.he dial(>ctÏC' i:-, made clcar hy the presence of a

Vivi:lll l.\I)(· ()lIly ill the ('ontt'x/' of' f'antasy in thb poem.

Ont' i~ illclillt'd to :I!!),('{' \Vith Pallii F. Baum t.hat Arnold's Tnstram and Iseult is

"('10,,('1' t,) dOllll':-.tÎ<' tl':l!-!;cdy than tl) n dramn l)(lS:JlOl1Ct' (~~()). And while it \Vould

\)(' correct, 10 :-.a)' that a lot of cmphasis is placce! on what is called "domesticity"

111 Ihi:-. plH'llI, ('()Il~id('r thl' l'e HSOlli ll/!;: tbis is donc as the rneans to express

1Il()~1 ('lIl,t'ti\'('I~' th(' di:tkcti~'al idPHS thnt. arc b('ing worked out through the

{'(}lIr:-'l' \lr tlIt' (}()('Ill. 'J'hi" legl'nd was rboscn fol' the opportunitics it offers to

rllIII iIl:llt' (lll kl'.\ di:tll'dil':ll idC':!s. 011 the issue of love, we arrive at no happy • \'t)I\('III~i'\lI"". ()l\t, ~~\l'~ t hl' } .."ly :l11d the' dreariness in bath passionate and calm love, and can therefore oiIcl' no other kind of Ion' t.hat, 011(' {'an f::ly will ht'

more successful. ln tcrms of moral valucs, t'xalllilll'd t.hroll!~h Ion', thl' \hWI\l • makes an cxaminatioll or Iwo kind~ or \\Ollll'Il ill t\\O dill'Pr('1l1 rnll, .... :llld clissects 1,hCS0 1,0 vic\\' thd!' III 0 1':11 \'ailles. Ail atklllpt is Illatl\' ln pOl'tr:\y \ï\'i:1\1

as a ~ynthcsis of t.he Iwo, hut. lll'eall~1' Î\!I·rlill :\Ild \ï\'i:lII'~ I()ve i ... IIt'\ 1'1' Ikliltt·d

a complek re::.olutioll is Bevcr \'ITatt'd. 'l'Il\' p\)di('~ ill '1'1/.'.111/1/1 (/lld /:.r'l/fI.

\\'hich are Al'Ilold's own eOIl(,l'ptioll (Hu('kkr I~.r»), ail' 1Illiqlll' ill IllI' di-.till('II\'I'

style they cl'cate, out are 10(' eelcetic to Iw \'al!l'd tlPfinith (' l'or titI' t'\ 1'I'I'" ... i(l1i

of the::.f' idpa::;. A bold :--1(')\ has b('(,1l t:tkl'II ill '/'1/.',/11/111 I//Id hr'ltl/ III 1'IIItl:I.\'

nature n~ ~yJllboli('. I1o\\('ver, olle cOllld hardI.\' "':I~' Ihal Ihl' \'Illll'('pl Ill' Il;11111'1'

b cntirely resolvl'd. IL b ol)\'iou::, thaL at. tilt' till}(' 11(' wlok '1'1I,~/l/1I11 (lIlcI IMltll

(cÎl'ca, 185:l) A mold \Vas ::,t,ill in t!J{' III id:--t. or Iti~, dl:dl'('IÎ(':l1 ('(lllrll~.Î(lll \l11 11l:llly

Issues. HI' is ncal'n \'0 L1lf' IH'!jillnill).!; or ili ... di:t1t·(,til':d jouI Ill',\' thall ln it:, ('1\11,

whieh will b(' c!OS(,l' to ct :-;YIILh('~i~ of' a llllllll)('!' or LI](' i~,:,tI(':: witll ",hll'II hl'

grapplc5. Sinn' t,hb b the :'\cl'ond or \.1\1' li,,\, I()ll).!; PO('IIl;-', il, i;-. (':-'IH'('kd 1.\1;11, !Ii:, • th'ught..'5 on the dialectical B aL li 1'<' of 1ll;lllY i:, ... llt,;, :ll't' ;1.'> ,\'1'1, tllIcll';II', l' l'tHil tltt' allalysis of the vicws Cxpl'cssed in l1ui/w1n ([/Id hctllt, A llloid :,tl'llg;gl('~ l'or tll/'

moment with many morc quest.ion!" tltall II('

• - 1 () -

Chaptcr 1: S'ohrab and Rustum

• III AI llOld':, COIII PO:-,itioll of' hb live long poem5, S'ohrab and R1/StUnt appcars to be a t1JrIlin~ poillt ill hb dial('ctical questioning. V/hile Empedncle8 on Elna and

T7l.'i/tfl11t (l1U! /,.,clI!1 :11 lic'ld:tll·rJ the PO(~t's c()Ilf'u~ioll cOIH'('/'nillg val'ious dinlcctical

Ijll!'stioll!:>, S'u/ol/II (//1" Hllhllllll would ~('('m 1,0 intimate t/H' heginning of astate

or p('ac'(' in hi:, Illilld. Tllf' ]lIWIll ('an hardly b(~ :-.aid tü pr('!)cnt J'(~s()lution:) to ail

or A l'IlfJld':-, , IJlJI, il. c]o('s show t/J(' OIlSC't, of' :l ('('rt:lill ('11IIll wherein

ail illdividlut! L('l~jll" III 111:11,(, p<'Hee with :-'('('lIlillgly 1IIlrl':-.olvahl(' i":;'3ues. The

slIhj('(,t,iv p rf':-,ollltÎOII:-' ln tl,c Amoldhlll di::llcctie dcv010ped in Soh1a!J and Rus­

film lire noL ('lilllal"li(', hllt they are sLepping ~Lones to further qu('stÎolling.

80hwfJ 1/1111 U Il •.,111111 \Va,<; pli blished in A rnold'!'- 1853 collection C'lltitlect sim­

ply, }'O('1II8. This l'ditio!l Wa." prd';lced hy wltat ifS known as the Hcface /'0 Poem13

(/85S). WhaL maki,':. thic., Jll'dace' l'cmarbblc is that in it Arnold puts aside • HmlJcdocLc8 on /j'Iutl alld <'lasse!:> iL as "podically faulty" (Pt~c 2()tJ). Ille Preface (1~5:~) is enollllow-,Iy :-.i~llilil'allL in t!Jp canon of' Arnold'::, work bccause hCl'e he

o\ltlill(,s hi:-. podi(·s. t'vLllly nitit:-; havI' noted that 8011mb and H1/btum is the

showpÎ<'('(' or ArJ]()ld'~ "Jl('w" poctics: Dwight Culler, for cxample, says sardoni­

cally thaL liA muld \\'i~ht'd iL ta be consideree! Exhibit A of his new poetical

(,l'l't'd'' (~()5). Arllold\ poctics is bm:>ee! primarily on the idca of simplieity, fol­

lowillg tl\(' n .. lllllple of che ancipllts. Esscntially it is a poeties that insists on the

substa.nce of poetry hein)!; of the highcst importance, and its formaI expression

\H'ing ~;(Ibordill:ltp.

AJld in thi~ li/!,ht il, i:-. interestillg to note that the Persian somee of Sohrab

al/d U /18IullI--Fird:1tlsi's Ill('die\'al poem--may have had its roots in Homer

(Huckkr l·l!)). III tlll' P(WIll the' ehal'::lCtE'l' Peran "Visa and the use of similes are • p;ood l':-":1lllpk:-. or ela~ ... it'al l'lrll1('nts. The elderly Peran \Visa is the - \ Î -

embodimellt or the llewly devcloped Arnoldiall poetil'::', lit' b (lili and \\'bt" • and he po::>scsst's :1 quiet and illlplieit kind or PU\\'l'I' (:Hi- Hi), :\ l\uli~ll\ rl'lI\il\i~-

ment raIller thall tlj(' ~trl'Ilgth ot' pow('r or thl' plt'~('Il\' 11(, ,':1111(", ".1 Illkl"',

stan, HO :;,\\'o\'d" (0\)). :md yd he wield" illll\lCll(,(' :llld ,'\1111111:11111-, 1''''I,,·,'t, ,\11

importallt nsppct, or Pt'I':ln \\ isa's Chal':1l'tI'I'iz:diull Î ..... hi" -,illl pli"ily \11' '\llill', Il

echoc::. tlH' siIlljllieity or "attire" or p()t'Iry lhal l!:I!, ('0111(' III Il(' :III (··, ..... (·Illi.d p:1I1

cio Lh ing:

And o'el' his chilly Iim Ils his wooll<'l1 w:,t, He passed, alld Lied hi::J ~:llld:lb 011 Ili:-. rect, And t,hrrw il "'hile cl():!k rOlllld llilll , , .. (!)()-!lH)

The clothes, like the verses, ml' sparsp ill orll:tIlIPIIL:!I,j()1! 1,111 d(1 illdt't't! :-,('l'VI'

theÎl' pUl'pose wpll of ('loLllillg a body. This ill:-.Lallc(' :I<'IIÎ('V(", :\1/11.\"'" :Iilll Ill' • conveying substaucl' withollt ail "abulldance of illll:-'(IHCÎ()II" (l'l:!(' :.!IO). II. speaks of a de~ile 1'01' c1ariLy of exprc::,::,ioll thaL wOllld 1101, ('(llItladi('1 LIll' II<,li()1I

that Peran "Visa i:-, a ~ylll !Jolie fj!!:lJl'(~ in ."'·oh Ta" ({?Id NUhfl/llI.

The sjmile~ ill :)ohrab a1ld UllstUnt arc the key Lo t./Jl' :-'(.1/'11/-,,1.11'> alld

weaknesses of iLs poetics. Tl}('y arc IIlHlly alld vari"d, rallJ..';illJ..'; 110111 t.11f' Il;tl,lllal

ta the symbolic and thcn t.o th(~ somewhat. o\l:-,elll'f·. 'l'Il(' Il;1t.IlI':tI c,iIII ilr"', ~lrf'

appropriate in Lhei" ricllIle[:).':> of descriptioll. Th<,y ill vole a ',l' JI<,f' or illlllJ('di:wy

and they tend t.o enhancc the l'eadeJ"~ involvcmcnt ill t,!w lIarrativ(', VI)/ f'Xillll-

pie within the de~cripti()11 of tljc IJ'LW!' scelle 011(' eOIII(~:-, U)Jr)1l th(~ j'IJII()wilJ)'.:

... aL ollce thcy l'II:-.h' cl TogetheJ', 3.<, two eagles Oll OIlP prey Come rushing down together ff'()fIl thC' cloud.." • One from t.he e8,'-./', ()lIC l'l'OBI the west. (17 J-1) - -18 -

'llti" "illlile aJlCJwl> the reader ta feel the force of the fray. He or she is engaged

III If)/' :-,flldy of' 1!IllllHIl lIat1!lC' ill thc~e ~imil~~. Another example,

• 11f' ~li()L(·, :llId H Il:-,tlllll all~w(~J"d llot, 1l11t hllJ'l'd 1lb ~r)('al'; dowlI 1"1'0111 thc shouldcJ', down it came, }\:-, ()fI :-'(Jlfll' 1':llliÏdi!;(' in II/(' corll a hawk\ That IOIlg; Il:1,<, IJ)\\'('J"d ill Lllf'

"11f·ab or Ul<' dr'l'fi dilff'],('II('es ill TJlotivation and consciousness in members of

LIli' !->;tll](' sp('cil'!->. Thcs(> iIl~ights into human action, the similes, give a dimen-

',ioll ln I.IIf' P0(>III Ihat, whik c::,<;entially 5imple in construction, is l'Ïch in an

i III :J!!;i Il li (i V(' :-'1' 1I~('. Si III i 1e~ of a III 0 re ::')'111 bo lie natu rc stan d fo r fu ndam e n tal

('!('!IIt'Il(.<,

lW/!(;d, th!' ~ill1 ile ::,crvc::, ta 5ym bolize the wlraI1.8. The best examples '.ire: the

"hYél('illth ~,illlile" (li31-U) which staIlds by itself as a symbol of the immense

!SI id alld e1lO1'1lI0U~ fl'ustr3tioll that Rustulll feels at thc senselcssl1E:sS of the

;Wt:lllfl lhat ha," .ill~L takeu placc; and tlte "cypres::, similc" (313-8) which is • n'prc~clILativc of ~ührab's youth as it l'cally \Vas. These ~imiles do not neees- '':!l'ily l' lIf'i('h the d('SCI'iption of actions, but thcy cio indced J'cpresent the mean-

ill).', hl·hilld a IllIIlIhl'l' of clclllen!.." in the poem.

The \\'(:-akl\l'~~('S in the ~)irn of simplieity and dil'ectness can be seen in the

1J1OJ'(' ob:-,cun' simiIPs in Soh1ab and Rustll'm. These similes are obscure in the

'-'Plht> thal they do Ilot f\llHIl the purpose of increasing descriptive power or

ll d{,(,pl'lIiIl!!; lllcaIlilq~. The l'riel! woman similc (302-308), for example, has too

\':I~tI(' a ('OIlIH'C'tioIl (0 the description it int€ncls to complement. The reader has

tlOlIhIP filldinp; the significancc of the COITCSpon(18nCC between Iithe thoughts of

t hl' ppn\' dl'ud)!;(' (307-8)" and "The unknown adventurous youth, who from

arar! C:llllt' ~l'('kin~ HustUlll . (300-10f' One cames to treat this sirnile as a • hircup ill tht' sl'lllantÏC' no\\' of the pocm. ln theil' stl'engths and weaknesses, the similes of Soll1ab and RtIStU71l show th~t l'pie or d:lssÏ<.'al dt'vil'l'S insertl'd

inta a poem cun sometimes work, alH\ sOllll'timl' .... rail :-':hlly. Thrm!!!.h :111 • analysis of the similes in Sohrab and Rl/sIl/ln rr:ldl'I'~ (':\11 :l:-;:-;{'~~ tilt' ~() call('d reso\ution that is on'cred in the di:1lc>ctical ~pht'Il' ot' po(,tic!-o. Th t' l't':-'llllltiol\

seems to accept that ligures of speech, a::; \\,pll as ot.he!' ('IPIIll' lit,.., whil'h ('(llltl"έ

bute to the expression of id

round in the construction or thr t'p1e, Ilo\\'('\'l'\", il. i~ ;\ \'('~()I \ltion t It:\t ill\ it\,~,

sorne criticism rcgal'dinp; the danger iIH'IlI'l'('d hy :lJ'tili('inlly ill\ ()kjl\~~ popf,j('

dogma at the CX)H'lIse of' t.he pOClll,

Sohrab and If I/stllm is writtcll in a llnif'()(,111 styl(' thnt S))(':\l,s ot' ]l1'O!-';1'l'ssinll

in what was callccl the' ltylJrid stylt's that ('hal'a('\nizL'd t.h!' f'arlil'I' IOIl).!, p()('Ll'y. III

th is poe III the (' x Jl\'('~::,i() Il "d raw [~l il.':> force . . . 1'1'011\ • •• \ Il (' 111:1 t k l'" il:, W:I:-'

prescribed in the ]Ju;jacc (1853) (Pt'tf(: ~(7). Tht' 11111>1'0"('11 ialllhi(' IlI'lIt:JIII('I,PI

shows a resolutioll in the conflict of style thnt poilll,,, ln :t ('('l'I.:1ill !->illlplkit.,V .

vVhatever awkwal'dllcs~ thcrc may he ill h'o/irab (fud HI/.~/IIIII :1', :1 l't'',IIIt. or !()O

• faithfu\ an adhcJ'cncc ta a new doctrine, the eVC'IIII('!->!-> or t.11C' !lo\\, (If' tlli~, !lW'11l

bespeaks an ease ill the poet, tIJal, \Va.') Ilot di:-,c'('\'Ilihle (·a,lif'l. '1'11(' 1111 pl

action of the poelll may weil IlIake for Icss richllcss, bilL LI)(' clill'il,y 01' plll'pOS('

tells of a poet who ie:;; comforlable, and 110 longf'I' l<)I'IllPld,('d wit.11 tllC' irlp:t of

poetry as a means of arliculatiIlg corn plex perceptiolls.

At the heart of the pocm the questions of identity and sl·lf d(·VI·loplflf'IIt., fate·

and free will are addre~sed, and OIlce agai/l, the l'Ok or llaLlln' alld iL') pl:J('1' ill

our lives. One of the central thcmes of 80lnau (lmi Un.~tnm b idf'1I1ity. 1"ll/llla­

mentally, identity is fOl'ged on two bases: there arc eleml'lILc, th:l!, :lJ'(' IfI'JI'(' (jIIL...

ward in nature, essentially, one's circumstanel's; and tè)('f(' aJ'(' illward (,I(·rII(~flf.,>

which make up a ~ignifîcant part of' onc's ~en~e of ~)('Ir--the~(! ~II'I' ('(J111 J!()llf' Tl 1.,> • which an individual hft'> crcatcd th rOllgh thoug;ht alld COllSeÎO U~IJI'~'-,. TIJI' Jll()f'I' - 50 -

bi:llaIH:(! bdwel!J) the~(; two facets, the firmer one's sense of identity. In Sohrab

and /{11.~tlLm {J[\(~ :-'f>es l.wo ver~ions of this delica~ balance. In Rustum one is • awar{' of' ;J1l ide! ntity I)uilt very 1l111ch on external sym bols of representation. The exj,('rnal natlll'f' of f{ustllm 'S charade!' is dcpicted in the cliché orientalist

II/I:lj.!;r: of' Jllxllry alld al)\lIldanec:

... llÏ~ IIIOl'llill!!; IJIl'al \V;I.'" done, but ~till 'l'hl' t,~dd(· "Iood J)(·fol'(, hilJl, char'gcd \Vith food-­ A :-,idl' of !O:I .... U·r! ~h('ep. :lnd eake:-:, of brcad, A Ild dark ~!;r'I'I'1l III ('1()1l~; :lnd th('I'(' RustUIll satc Li<;t!t·:-,<;, :11)1\ h(·ld :l f:l!r-()ll on hi~ wrj~,t, Alld playf'cl \\ith iL; (:321)-8)

This maLI'l'Ïnlist,j(' i!lIng(' a.<;sociatcd with Rustum confirms the worldIiness or

()1!l.wardl](,:-;~ of' hb jrh'lItity.

) 1i~ wHl'l'ior:-,hip i:-. whaL comp1'Ïses most if not aIl of Rustum's identity.

COl\ra!!;l', priel!', ::-,tr'('Il!!;th and a pionecring spirit have f:>haped the world's opin-

iOIl of hiln: e!:>scllti~llly ail this compl'Ïses the outward facet of his identity. One • is Ilot ~llrJ)J'is(>d tll('11 ta hcm' diHcrcnt people charactcrize Rustum in the same \Vay:

Perall \Vi:-,a: Htlstllm was in front of evcry fray. (80) GlIdul'/': (knowing of' Rustum's pride, he is sUI'e that Rustum) will fOl'get his wrath, and fight. (182) Rustulll himself: 1 am vast ... A nel il'Ïe' d; and T have sLood on fi any a field Neve!' was that field lost, 01' that. fol' savcd. (352-8)

H is takcn fol' gnUlkd that ltustum is this way and III ust be so. It is an identity

that h(> ha..-; wOl'ked ta constl'uct and to look for anything further would be like

betrayal. Even his cal'(" of Zal in his old age is performed by Rustum in the

pl'Oud nUllllH'1' of a \\'arl'io!' wallowing in self-pity because his past glories have • not, becn apPl'opl'iatrly valol'Ïzed. The extent to which Rustum has focussed on his outward identity is S('C'I1 in the fad t.hat h(' doe's nn! allo\\' ('\"l'Il tht' lelldt'r

memories of his past hnppin('ss in love to ~d in tlH' way nt' hi" (,-:;t:\h\i"h~·d idt'lI- • tity (G19-31). The ultimak physieality of H\I~t\lIll'S ~('nsibility. thl' rad that Ill' has buiIt his identity on nll th:1t is outward. is th(' s(':,1 th:ü hl' askl't\ hi-. chi!d to

be pricked with:

SolI rab: 1 tell thec J pl'iC'k'd UpOll t.bb arm l bcal' That scal whiC'h RlIs!ul\\ to Illy !l\o!hl'l' )!,:Wl' Thal, she' might priek il, 011 tll<' h:\IH' ~It(' hort',

Rather thall idcntify his chilcl l>y unythinp; 1'1llotiolnll Dl' llIoral. a phySÎ(,lll ~ylll-

bol seems to suflice fol' HustUlll. Ali thi ... (·)..pr('s,,('~ a dt'nial, 011 HII"LIIIII'S (lart,

of anyt.hing fUl,the!' in bis idf'lltity, :lllythill).!; that (,()IIL!'adi(·(." tll(' WI'II ('Oll-

struded outwarcl idcntity. I-tusLum, Lh;)L "pl'tllld èll\d hO:\;-'\,\'1l1 Ill;lll" (f,·t'2) i~,

clearly not a contemplative man and lacks illtuiLiOIl aile! (,ol\sl'ioIlSIlI':-'S of' hb

inncr being,

Sohrab, 011 the other hallll, whiIP ha\'illi!: "\Jill, his idf'lltiLy o\Jtwnrdly, still

• j., t~) seeks somethillg deepcl' that must h(' rOlllld ill thl' illll('l' s/'II' il' 11Î:-. ;df'lll,it.y

be complete. He act,ively s('cks that. part. of h',~ id('IJliLy wili!''' 1)(· k!loW:i illt.lli-

tively is incomplcte. Ile ha:-:; wOI'k('d nt l'~(,al)li:,llÎll~ his ollLward illlllj!p:

1 have shawn at my boy's years the courage of a man, (11-1:»

And he tackles the matter of his inner self' with the saille feroeity and dC'I,erllli-

nation with which he is outwal'dly idcntified: "bill, who cali he'/! t,h(~ li()lI'~ ('111,/

From ravening, and who govel'll~ HusLu rn'f, :"Oll? " (!)J-\)~). Suhl'ab, how(!v('I', j,>

detel'mined ta complele this balanee of hb id(:lll,ity bf:f:allc,e hi:, imjtiJll'1.., 1,1'11

him that being an accomplbhed wardor and favolll'ed amolJg bb peers b flot

neal'ly enough for his inner sense of contentmeJlt: there f'(~lJlaiJl<' a gap tItHt}lf' • fi lIst fill. lt is ironie that the POPTfI shn1l1d ~d,triblJt(! tJH~ "eypre~s sim i](/' ~n - .5:J. -

Sr)l! rab becau~(! il i'J 1 r~fJl'e::,entative, ill it.s associations of c\oistered intcrnaliza­

tioB, of S()hrab'~ ('OJILI'lIlplativp Ilaturf' and the awakened con~ciousness' of his • illllPl' 1)(~ÏJlg. JI(, i..., aClIl p ly a\V:lJ'(~ that he bas yet t.o detE'l'rnine the full exwnt of his idPJd.ity, and })(' ('VI'1l f'1Ir1alli';CrS his life tA) fill that gap. Even Peran \Visa

/I

CII'Hdy, j(klll.ity aPIJ(':lI~ ln 1)(' :=,omethillg more than just the external image

portl ~ly(·d IJ.\' LlJ(' JlldividlJa! mld helcl by the worlcl. ln ,'30h7ab and R1lstum one

:-,l'I'~ I,hl' l'J'IJ('i:tI 1J:J!:1I1('(' or the~e \'wo sicles in a human being.

Vi('\\'~ ,t!JOllt the ::,(,11' are exprc~::,ed distinC't/y iIl Soh1ab and Ruslum. In Cul­

II/n' mil! A 111I1,.h1l ( 1 Xfi7) A l'J)old dbellss('s the ide:ls of the bcst self and thE'

()l'dillar~f splf :\'-, bpill)..'; thl' ide~11 :lIld thl' act.nal statps of \)('ing of people, l'espec­

l.ivl'ly. OIJvil)lIsl,v t.ll(· lIotioll i~ tilHt Olle' f,l!ollid :sl.J'ive for the domination of the

I)(':-.L :-;('11' wi/,hill olJ(':-,('If. In •...,·o/l1ab and Hllstlltn these notions arc loasely embo­

dipd in t.!1I' /'wo plÏlI('ipal ('linJ':H't0!'S. Hll~t,\1111 concel'l1s himself with the

"1I1:l<'ltill(')'Y" (/)l~(.' ,1(711) of ::-'l'llïlOod \\I}(,1l he (,lllpha.'3iï,(,~ only his extel'llal lire

• allcl ail hut !->t\h(h\('~ illIlC\' developm('nl.. Ile appeal'S tü give no thought to his illlH'J' lif'p or th(' well-lollIHledncs"i of his charac(.eJ·, Sohrab has by no means

))(\l.dp('t,('d thp dp\,('lo!JlIlPllt of t.hat. part of hilllspif that 1ll1lst fUJ1rtian within a

worldly ('Ollte'xt; hllt he has also coll(,(,l'I1ed hi11lsplf with the developrncnt of his

innel' self. A~ Bucklel' oh:;erves, "Soltrah and Rustum occupy very difTerent

places 011 th(' :-,p(·('trulIl of human existence" (154). And it is Sohrab who in

t.he l'Ild )';uidt':-. HustUlll tü himsclf, as it were, and shows Rustum the inner lire

t.h al (' x bt<.; i li t' :lC" pt' l'SO Il.

III t.h(' pOl'1lI it, b cJcal' that Sohrab posscsscs a high dcgree of sensitivity to

bis OWII j'Pt' Iillgs. as Wl'Il a." to th08<:' of others. This depth of perception and

purity of unde\'st:lnding brin~s la 111 ind Arnold's words in Culture and Anarchv • thnt "hy OUI' ll('st self wc an.' unitcd, impcrsonal, at hm'mony" (pee 443). In his developed consciollsness. Sohrab has C\'t'akd a tint' :-'('11:--1' (lI' the prill('ipk~ of

authorHy that guide his illstinC'ts f()!' kiIldlH'~-"'. l'OlllP:I:-.-...illll. rt'~pl'l't. :\lld t:\\llillal • love. It is also this incl'('a:.:;cc! ulldl'I'~tandill[!; 1hat alln\\ -... ~()hr:,h ln :\l'k llo\\'kd[!;l' l'ather than fcel thl'<.'atclIccl hy ",hat j.., !t'1It!PI' 01' ('()Il"idl'l'l'd 1't'lllillÎIII' in hi..,

his personality, and so--unlike H\\stUlll--S~'t'..., ll()t(l1\l~ to l't'IlOlllll'l' ill hi~ l'l'm-

upon sceing; 1{1l:,1,1I111 i::- Ihal, "llope tîlkd hi:-- :-,oul" (:HlI). '\lld tll(lll)~lt III' (,;tllll\lt

articulate th l' certain :"ollldhill)!; t.hal he ('(,t'b, hl' dt':-.i:-.L... fr()1\l kdlill~', l~ll .... tltl\l

even when Il(> ha,':i the Oppol'LulliLy (,t:211tl), Ill' \'\\1\'1''''''''(''' 111:11 II<' \':\l\ JIt'/I'('/llf'

something emotiollal and ~piritllal wit.hin hiltl .... (,II' 11t:1I, i:-. 11I

... whcll l SC{> thcc, wrath r()r~ak(", III \' :'0111. Thou say'st, thon art. lJOt, HlI:-,Llllll; (IC' it::-,ol Who art thou th(,l1, lltat ('an:-1t::-.o lülwh lIly :,olll?

But ncvcl' \Va.'" IllV IH'ar\' \'hi" tOllch'd Iwj'ol'f'. • Arc they l'I'OIlI h(:avcll. tllf'St' ~ofL(,lIirl)!.<, of LIll' l)('al'l,'/ ( 1:) 1- 7 )

This dcpth of b(!Jl::.ihility Illakc:-. Sol! rai, L1l(' ('oll:-,('ioll:-' jJl'I:-.()n t1lilL hl' h. 011('

who under~tall(b the ~igllijÎ<':1I1('(' of" COJlllllullio!l \Vith o/IP':-. ()\VII illlll'I' liI'ing.

discover--and pl'otect--a p:;ycllic ~elr" (~81). 'l'hi:.. :-'1'll:-.iIJility {Jf' ""If' i~, wllaL :d<,o

gives Sohrab the undcrbtanùing allù t,.0lcl'ancc fol' l{U~tllJfl ':-, lad, (JI' C()II:-,r,ioll:-'-

ness.

Rustum has a J'clatively ulldeveloped uIldersta.Jldin~ of' t1l1' iIIlJl'/' liff', fi/III

functions only 011 thc pragrnatic Ievr~l of COIlJ'a~e, witrrior:-,hIJJ, If)y;J!Ly dllt! !Jbli-

gation. This calls ta mind Arflold'~ ordillary ~(df wllir'll i;-, (jllill' ;!IJ',f)I'IH,ej wi1.lr • the "machinel'y" of life':-, acLivities rather t,],all it..<, IWH'e:-,<,: "(Jill (·vf·ry(];,y ·.r:lV('~) ... ~IJ'(; ~(;vmtt,(;, jJ(;J~ollal, al \Var" ( !JfJC 14;3). Hustum is out of touch with

• fl'w "tirlill).!> IJI' J"~I~' :c,1'1J<'P withilJ his ~oul with rpf!;ard:-- ID Sohrab. In spit.e of Jwarillg calh rlOrJl with/l) llirn~(~If, in aIl hb pridc Itll:-.ttrlll b ~keptÎr'aI and ::,uspi-

,d<'() IIlalli!'('~,L L1)(·lIl<..,plv(·<.., ill Iii .... COllvPl1tional and limiled perspect.ive of mascu-

IfI HIJ!->tllfll, pl'id(· tak(>~; the· placp of any finer fedings he may sense. His

fil~t, ill..,l,ill<"t j<, (() 1)(' ~k('pli('(ll of' (,hr'~H' ('motions. ln the in~l,an('e when he feels

a, "dr'p}! pity" ill hi~ "Otll ,Il the sight of Sohr:th, and when Sohrab reads to him

(·llloti()ll:tlly. })(' (':IIJ orJiv ":Iy to iJirll~clr ~Il::,piciously:

Ah 111(', 1 11111"(' wll;lf titi" ."()tl!l~ fox lllay fl1l'{l!1! !t'aJ:..,!', wily, I,O;)."!!'"l, al'(' th('~e TarLar Loys. (3.17-8) • ;\ llcl f.liis ~1I"pi«i()1I l'~ :dlo"'l'd 1.0 blossom into rage, until finally Rustum

Eit.lll'I' LllIlli ~ II dt 1'('IIOIIIl('/, Lhy vauni, and yicld, 01' ('h(' (h~ J,OIlI':-' ,,11:111 ~tt'!,\\, thi" ~:lnd, till win(Js Blt'~l<'h tlWIII, Il)' 0\ II~ \Vith hib f-l11ll!lH'r flood:::;, (hll~ in "\lllllll('l' \\:l"h tlwlll (Ill fl\\'ny. (:37:>-8)

Jt apJlC:ll'S t.hat 1{1l..,(ttrtl l'(,:\C(:'' tD t.he disturbing feelings awakening within him-

!'oplf with eêl. ..,in alld I1\UI'l' l'Hill iliRI' emotions like anger and hostility. Rustum

('\'t'Il aIl huI, 'HIlllit,.., that he dc:!1..:; \Vith emotions, not in un analytical or intros-

l'l'diVt' Illatl\l('l', ht/t in a pl'iddt/I \Vay. He says ta Sohrab: "ail the pitY l had is

).';{)tl(';/H('('all~{, thou Il:1 .... ( "h:lIlll'd III l' bcfoJ'C' both the host.':>" (167-8).

H U!'ot Il 1Il'::-, pt' l':>\)n :di (y :llld h(' havio r arc very II1 u ch in COll trast tD Sohrab's.

Thb l'<.)l\tra:-.t b (·ll\':lp .... \ll.\tl·d wl'll in .A mro!lah Abjadian'~ accurate observation • that "1) l\I'itl~ ('()Ill hat, l':I~(' Ill'ht'S !{lIst.um tD action, while affection urges Sohl'ab - ,)0) -

to know the eider \\'arrior \\ithollt lightin),'; hi III " (If)), HllstUllI. h(l\\('\ t'I'. dOl':-­

not sec that the!'e is more to hU\ll:\Ilit~ \llllil. Ihrou~h hi:-; 0\\ Il !ack nI' \'\ll1:-.· • ciousness. he delh'e!'s the rabl hlo\\' ln ~()hr:lh. Il i" allllost :1:-> if :-;ollr:d1':-' d(·:\th hae! to 0('('111' for Hustl1l1l 10 :\\\ :lk{'1\ ln hi.., 0\\ II 11I1Il'1' ht'illf.'" A lit! il 1'-' 1\\11 (1111~

th!'ough Sohrah's d(':lth. hlll Ihl'oll;',h hi" l'nr)è;i\'('IH''''''', tll\dt'!'~1;1IIdi1l1~ .llIti killd­

ne::,s that \w g\lidvs H\\"t\llll 10 tilt' jI.lllt 01' hi-, il\l\\'l Il\'ill~ :1\\11 il:-. e\i~,\t'II\'\'. In

a sen~(' Sohrah 11('1[1:::' I\tI'-,IUIll 10 hi" \!(·:-.l ~('Ir Il\ :l1\\:I~'-, I\('ill~~ :1\11(· III '-,('(' tltt'

best self in H.lIS(,UIll. III !lb lin;t!l'\l!(1!'laIÎ()lI III 1\11':111111 III "(hl ~~Il':lt d('('(b"

(77:3) ;:-.)ohrah dearl.\' 1lI('al\~ (:llId 1{1l~llII11 Illld('I:-.I;lllll:-. !t(' d()('~, Il

grcat deeds of warl'Îor:-:-) the gn'nt. d(·('d~ of ('Olllp\t-IP 11\1111;111 b(·illf~:-',

Superimposed on the hattle \\'hi('h l':t~(.:-. Oll Ih(· (hw, '-,:Illd', i~, tlt(· I:tr~('l' hatLl('

of rate and fJ'ce will. IL 'IS 1''X:lll1il)('d ill :\ tli.dl'(·li(·:d 111;111111'1. '1'11(' 1"<':\111'1' j.,

thrown baek and forLll !JCCWCCIl th(' Lw() lIoLiol\:-- throllj.dl

poem. The ironie weight or t.ll(' l'lId of' lit<· 1>:11,111'--:1 f':ttlll'!' IIlIkl!()WIIII',ly killilll'.

his own sOll--i!:> ~1'('aL Tite ollly 1'('('ol!r'ili;i1i()11 fOI a IH'r'.oll \\':tf(,llillf', ~.1j('h

• tl'agedy h,; to toay with Solll'ab thuL il. \VW, laL!.'d 10 ()(·(·III. 1~11t, W:I.', iL:' S(dll'lIl,

chose to seck Ollt n.l1~1,l1m, alld fi1ilill~ lita\.. \0 l'II).!,:I).!,I' il! ('Omh;l\. tlt;II, III i).';1 il,

make him kIlOWIl 10 his raCher. QIlf'sLÎolIs or Llris Il:11,111'<' O!'1.I·11 11I:llIi!'I",1. UI('III­

selves through Lhe course of the pOCIll. or <:()III~,1' I.h('y ;11(' III'VI'I ;111:--\\'1'1('1\

fully: 1>11t the l'cadel' i:-- pl'escllted with a 1(·~()llIti()Jl I.It:II, i~, (·()IIIj'{)11.:1LI(·. II. i"

l'esolvcd LhaL eVl'fl in Lire face or rat~' t!lI' ...,11 ('llgt.1t of (lIl(":-' volit.j()11 j •• ill Ill) W:I'y

climinisll<:d, but rHthcl the Cwo rore(~s nlld li p(·a('I·llll ('()('xi<;l)'II('I'

From Sall1al! and Hw,ln1n olle gel.. , Ut<' illl\)I'I',><,ioli (JI a lil/ll I)t'Ii('/' ill r'lU'.

Sahra1J ::,peak:-:, of "The doolil whieh at Illy hÎllir W'I.'> WliU,I'1I dOWII III Ill'iIV('II"

(700-10). At fll'!?t thcl'c i!:> the irnpli('aLioli tlJat JI111/11111 I)(·ifl~~ ;lJ/, d,.llIding

themselves with the tllOllght that th,·y bav(' ('0 Il 1.rrJ 1 ill titI' L'l:lfld r](",Îgll whi('Jr • unfolds with such power alld conviction. '\'!tl:r<' ,J!'!' li III ('c,. !t1)WI'YI'I, wl!l:1l I)JlI: - f>G -

ll'cl-, t11at l'al.!! i" illclfecLive 1,0 live by, and one has the urge, therefore, to

illl !JlJé,f' rJ('I~()II:d will on t/J(' C'irclIrnstances of lire. A good example of this • ()('('Ill:' wb('/l SollndJ ill desjl(JlldelJey lament..., to Peran Vvisa that, "So long 1 II()Jwd, 1,,11, bill! 1 II(!\'(!)' filld" (;):5). Tlri~ ellgcndel'~ the notion that one :::;hould

Ilot wall, :I/ld hop/', IJIII L11:1I if, i~ wi:.pl' to d('I'('l'mir\(' the outcome of events by

TIJI' f,lai,l 1)1' 111()ll~ht, tll:1I. 1)(· !-!;: Il \ n~ a dcpietion of the f;tl'cngth of the force

(',dll·r] l'at,(· ('V('111,1I:1IIy ;llriv('~ ;lt, the id('a of :::.hapillg fate by onc's own frec will.

'l'IIi" id('" i" ('111 !J()di(·rI ill 11l;IIlY ('\;llllP!c'!-> ill the jJOPlIl. As when Sohrab makcs

LIli' wPÎl!;hty d(·(·i..,ioll of' hn:-;LI'Jlilll!; his ()Pc,il'c hy ~ssuming responsibility for his

, , . hilL J Will ehallellf!;p fOl'th thp hravest Pprsian lords To 11\('('1, n\<', man to man; jf l jlre\'nil. HllS(.1I1l1 will !->lIrely lIear il,; if l fall-- ... Llj(' dl';l!j 1\1'('" !lO (llll', clairn no kin. (,1)5-9)

• This kind or a dlOi('(' imp!i('f' thnt thol1~h fal<:' will dctcrminc the outcome, a j)('I'~()1\ h,t'-, él c!JoÎce tn ('0111,101 the Cil'Cllll1sLal\ces of his 01' her fate. Here

~1)lll'ah j.., :-'111'<' Lh:lL hl' c;lIllloL live' ill pra('e lInlil 11(' hns tried al. Icast to find out

wltl'thl'l' 11(, i~ 11I('allt to 1II('!'t his faUH'I'. Inc!ccd he i", sure of his dcsil'e--''I seek

Oll<' mail" (·In)--htll, !t(' Illust do mol't' tü he 5111'(' of his fate. And Sohrab

lIlakl'~ il ('10;\1' ,,!Jal 11(> will ilOt. l'r~L "unmurmuring" (72) in his tent while rate

mnkps a (lPeisiol1.

'l'hi.., t.re;tt.lllplI t, of fat.c in t.he poelll finally calTies the l'cader to an interest-

Ill!" poillt. Il ('011\ Jl('ls llilll 01' her to nsk whpther OllC'S dcgrce of frec will is a

fUlIcli()1I of' l)('r~(\lJality or Lelirf. IL \\Oltld scelll that Pel'an \Visa would like

~\,hr:"\ to k\'t'p his pean' until ::-\1('h t.iml' as th(' fnted meeting OCC11rs if it is • III l':lll 1 t{l. But he sr es that Sohrab's rcstlcss spirit will Ilot let him rest and r.~ - ,li -

Peran \\'isa cventually tells Sohrab how to go ahout hl'in~ill~ on :l Illl'l'tinl!; whl!

his fathcr:

• Seck him in pl'~U'C, and carry to hi:-. :\rm!'. o Sohrah, curry ail UIl\\'o\lllded son! (ili-ii)

emphasized {':let. that Ill' is old and hb t.hinkim, tr:l

power of a f'orf'{, 1\1' C:\IIIlO( :--('(':

Oh, whcreJol'e (heat. ollr youth, il' th us il. be, Of one SltOl (, jo.\', olle Ill~L. ()J1(' plra:--allt , il' (;()c! .... , (:ot!" (';11'1'1(,;;:-, or ()III do, Il!l'/ (10-:),1)

• ideaof fate it. devclojli'd Ull·oll~ho\lt. .",'o/l1a!J mlll Hu,.,IUIII. IL i;; iflilially l'I(·:o/'II(,(·d as an illcvitability or li p('rs()I1'~ lif(·, H.>"; S()hrllh'~ ('iJ(·lllll"I.;III('(·~ :llId J'f'J'l11l

WiSl1's advicc ~C(,lll to illdicat,('. Tltloll!!,11 S()ltl'i1"'~ :-.!,rPIIg,L11 (JI' 11I'1''-,ollltliLy, how-

CVCI', the iJea, of a PCI'!->OIl'S l'l'ce will is devf>lo!>l'd, IIlltll ()III' lIl'I'IVI':. :11, titi' ('lId

at a kind of rcsolntioll wh(,\'(~ rate and l'l'ce ('\toi('(' ('all lilld tltl'I\' Id:lf'l' in ('olllhi-

nation a'3 a guidill),.'; JllillCipl(' of' hlllllHIl IÎff>. Tlli:-. /'l':-'() 1li Li

the questioll ill tl}(· Arlloldiall dialcctk; but iL IIlay weIl IH' II )""olJllltÎr)/J tltaL

allows the poet to rnove O!l in hi., llIldel'~taTldilll!; (JI' tlt!' Il,dllll' ul' LIlI' IllIiV('/':JI',

Th rough t hi!'> l'e.so lu tin Il A l'IlO Id cali Jlo~tlJ 1a tp tlt :d, a Iw t,1,1' J' Il Il d"1 '. (,;111 di Il).!, f) f :-'1" 1l'

may givc Olle a bettc!' ulldcl::'~;llldill)!; of t,he Ill1iver:-,e (ill wllÎ<,1t l'P'(' will ('aIl 1)1'

exercised within the (,()IJt!~\t of' fat/~). • Sohrab and RU8lunL b evidcllcc of aIl arrival at a rc:-,olutioll of !-lOI t') wÎthi li th(! - 58 -

('OI)(:('PI, or rl~lI,lJr(' in which il, is necessarily autonomOlJS because it is transcen-

d('IIL Trall'-,('('llrI( Ill, LIHtt is, ill the sense that iL d()e~ not dCJlcnd on hnman • ('(I/I('(ï,tiOIl:-' ln ('lIa('l, iL.,; OWll exbkncc. Dy the same token humal1 heings tran- ~c'('rrd Il;11,11[""(' I;JtJJl'I' t,lr(lll :-,Ltllnbling and IralLing at it!:> olJtw

Sylvi;j Ihil('y Shurlllllt m'tÎC'ulaLes this point nicely when she C01l1pa\'('s the two,

;dikl' 11/1 III :111 n;d,Il!''' (Il1d pxu>rnal 1JatllI c--hoth bOllnd by t.hc· ,,:1 li 1(' va"!' 1;1\\,,,, yet, law:-,

III Ot,\lI'l W()/,c!", Il)(' :--pil'itllal llatllre of people causcs thclll ta transcend through

IIld.IJJ'(· 1':1(,111'1' t.ltall tv nature. Titis idc:a wus hintA.·d

'fil.'lt7111/1 1/1/1[ /''''(,1111, hut. ulltil .",'o/l1ab and H'llstllln, it \Va.:, Ilot fully ïocussed. In

!.II(' l':Irlin PO('lIl:-. it. wotlld ~('Clll t.hat nat.mc \Va." uIlyi('lding, in faeL cruci on the

()JI(' halld, and y('(, a :-'()IIJ'(,(' of solne(' on the other. A ~ym bolie view of nature

\Va ...., a (,()lIlprOlllÎ:-.c· t,o Lhb, :Jlld :-,t..ill, an inadeqlla\,(' ::'YIlLhe~is. llllLil Sv/na[) and • UIl ...,f1I'1I1 (llfc'J'cd the p()~it.ioll Lita!. t!lere can be tnUl::5cenclencc for both people alld lIat.III·('. Tlri:-. :-;pe:\k~ of a comin!,'; to lA'rms wit.h the ollt.er, natllral wOl'ld and

:J p(·r:--oll':-. 1'01(· ill it. [Il .....'o/nab and Hl/sIum :l (·ollcept.ion of' natll)'C h:1'3 been

d('vel<>])('d in ",lIich il. l'llllctioll:-:' aut,olloIllOIlS]Y in relat.ion ta the livcs of human

lH'iIl g::,. Shurhut.t. lll:î"l'~ a ~()()d poillt about, thb when she 5tates boldly that

"Thl')l' bllo II:trIll()J1~ !)('!\\l'l'Il lIlall :me! lIat.ure. Nat.ure is amoral, fickle, cruel.

t\lall i:-. :-.eparat{·d l'rO!ll Il:lt1lJ'(' by hi:-- moral consciousness" (103). This is dep-

ict(·d t Il rOll).!. !. :t Il Illll!l('/' of d('\ icc::., and III uinly thmugh reprcsentations of

Ilatlll'<' alld l'l'opl(' fllllt'liollillg sim ultallC'ollsly but inclcpcndentlYi and also

t hrout!,h tilt' t1~1.' of ~illl ik::-. that pl'ogre::-.sively brillg across the point..

N:ltUI'l' Î!:' autollomOllS in ...... 'o/i1(lb and R~lstum for a laq~(' part and similari- • ties t haL are round art' ~imilaritics of function and not l'epresentations of correspondence. For eXril11ple. the lirst four lines or the pOt'Ill:

And the first gl'<'y of' mOl'lIing lill'tllhe t':~l. And the fog l'ose O\lt ot' t Il(' 0\ Il~ ~ll'(,:lln. • But ail the Tartal' l':11llp a\()J)~ II1\' ~tl'l':)Jn Was hush\1. and still the Ill('l1 \\l'\'(' plllll)2.<,t! in ~It'l'p: (1-1)

speak of autollnmOtlS t'lIllcti()llilll', 011 tilt' p:\I't. (lI' thl' IlH'11 :\1\11 thl' ri\'('I', Th:\1

is, the river is (I('l,ill)2; :1;-' iL ~h()llld ;lI. d:\\\'Il. :lIld :-on :Irt' thl' III('I\. 'l'hl' ('llIplt:\"j-,

hcl'c if:, on the Îlldl'(ll'lldplIc'(' or III<' :\l·ti()Il~, or tll(' 1\\(1, III th(' lilll'~ '"l'illdill!',

ane! followin!!, lille 101. tl\(' :\ut01\Ullly h 1\\:lllil\'"ll'd III tilt' n·pl\'''I·\It.:II'\lll\ \11'

l1atlll'C [10.; somewhaL illeidl'Iltal i1\ \i'1'1I\'-' or 1l111ll:\11 ;\(·liVlli('~ .. III Illb ('\:11111'1<-

the sun shilles 5trong;ly. ('kal'~ t.hp t'og, :t\\d ~() Oll. 'l'Il<' "Tal'l:lI' 1101",('1\11'\\"

the otller halld are (l<:~('l'ihed as Iilill!.!; il110 t.ll(, OpPIl phill. ~p('lllil1~d\' ()hlivillll',

of the SUI'l'OIlIHlill!!; a('t,ivit.il'~ o!' 1\:ILlIrl'. 'l'Ill' 111(·('l.il1)2. ul' hlllll:I" :tlld Il:lIlllf' j"

bcst encapslllated in the

boat/Cl'Ossing; the stn'l1lll in ~l)1l1111<')", ~('I':tPl'~ !.I1(' 1:1Ild" (17-1!1), Titis dPSf'l'ip-

tion b approp)"iat~ bVl'flll:-'(' il, S(,l'I1l;-. t~l 1'11l1)ody t.11I' r()(·;.,ist,('Il(·(' or 1111111.111

• beings and the nalural world ill the »0('\,':-, III illtl: ;\:~ Lw() ('Il1.it,i(':, :->1'l'apillJ.!; h.v

cach othel'.

Thcre ftrc a llull11Jcr of :-:;imiles in So/trab and /('1/,',111111 tha\' p{\rLI:ly lIaLIII';11

imagery, and the progre:-,::,ioll of' the c:ollceptiofl of naLIII'C'. /)l'~,pif,(· irl1:tJ.';(·l'y I.It;tI,

still toys with the idea of Wttt1!'(, B.<' ~yIIIIJ()li('--a." WII('I) "LIt(· ..,1.;11''' to,d, l'al't.jin

that uI1llalural cOllflict" (480-1 )--there i~ au indi(':ll,ioll th:l" •..,'ohrab and Nus/nUL j~)

moving bcyond thb df'linitioll. Tlti~ illdir·:ttiOIl '·{)lfll·~. ill tlJI' glll:." lJr ::irllilt.:.

that involve naturai imugery but actllally lIl()('k alld ql\f'!-,t.ilJlI Ut/' :-.yrllll{Jlk in

nature: artel' Solmlb 3l'tieulates the lo~!-' or ;1 lovpt! {JIll' IIY liI·f",(·I)I.III~ t.llf' 1·la-

borate "eagle sim île" (.557 -.S7 3), j{ us tll III 1'(' pl j (>'~ wi th (' Il H ntl'Lf'l'i '-, Li (' <,el) l'Il: "w Il ~I t • prate is this of fcathel'~ and rcveTlg/'Y" (f)7ï). AIIO!,llf'l ~.l,l'il-ilJ~ ',illlill' of Lhi:. - GO -

.,YlllboU:-'1I1 or the rallcn and dying until one reads the self-conscious statement,

"..,0 Soll/'ab lay" (üJ8). The ~c:lr-awal'ene:;,') of tIli!:, sLatement at the end of sa • ('II':uly :-'YIJJi>oli(' a IIHtLll'al ~)ilJlil(·. llIak(':-, olle ~u'->pect thp purity of the purpose. TIJI' j,IJldJj(':''-, al, 1,jJ{' r'lId of tllC ~illlih' illdicates Lhat il. i:;, much more than

lIitlll/'al ~,yIJll)()li~)III, alld is rathc'" a /,ppref>P/lLatioll of' the complex sentiments

LlJaL r'IIIIJody L11f' (Jli~~ill:-ll (;n!ck myth. The fact that the 111 Yth is clcarly sym­

IJI/lir' of ;1 Il;Ll.llr:1I ('11'111<'111, is irndpvHIlL 1,0 the PlIl1)()~e hcre. Ivlore Lü the point

h 1.111' 1!'1('VillJ('(' (JI' t."(~ :-,illlil(' in Sohrab and H'I/.~tlllll, alld the phrase that is

p!;\('(·d :-,() d,'lilH'/'atdy al, the elld of' it: "~O ~()hrilb lay"; iL is a r1car indication

Ih:\I. 1111' ;-.,lr:Ji~htJ()l'\vard SiIllilC' i~ lllueh mOI'!, thall symbolie, that iL speaks of

lilI/Hall q\Jalit.i('~ and (,llloLioll~, :1.<'" poillted Lo by appropriate natural imagery.

'l'hl' fi Il al Il}ltill'ai im:1[!;(l of th(> pü('111 t.hollgh Ilot strict]y a simile functions

:LS III('t:I-:-,illlÎl" j,o t11<' pntil'(, prf'C'cdillg action of t.he poem: human beings have

IIld t.lwi .. dow/ll'}dl, Lh('ir i'('jllVClla(,Îon, (,(,C'., "But the lJ1ajes(,ie river [floats] on"

(:''Î7;», 1II;lkill~ tlie IIIt,illl:lt,f' statcnH'/lt, in th(' jlr)('111 fol' th(' disconnec\'rdncss of • t h(' lIal1ll'id wOlld \Vith h u man adivities. Thb III aI'vcllolls 1)(IS~3g,C shows how in .""(J/I/ah (fI/ri Ul/~tll/II 111(, cUllceptioll of nature has ('\·olvpd. But n."> Joseph \,yarren

HI':\I'1l ,tl'l-!.lli'0. t li i.., idea hl\.'.. illdeed long bep/I prcval('nt in A l'1wldian nature

Jlli('t l'y: "\\'Idl(' A l'lIolr! illdicateE> sevc'I'al di/l'ne Il t Ics'3ons to be lcarned from

nallll't', il. i:-. :dmo'-.t, illv

whkll l'orIlI." tli(' poillt. of his dQMI'\.lIl'(," (398). Nntul'c is llO longer the confus­

ill}!; cOlle('p!. it W;l.'" in 1~'1Il1Jcd()cl(>s 011 Etna; and it goes 1wyond being experi­

Jl\(,llkd \\ itll :l," :l 0ylll bolie item as in TnsllG1Il and Ise1.dl. Herc, nature is far

rro III il (' i Il ~ '1 t JI) Il Il 1(' sn III (' i li (' a.

Th('J'(' j:., :l :..('11:..(' 01' grcakr comfort as nature is described in Sohtab and RustU1n.

III thi:-. jllH'IIl 1I:1t Il l'l' tr:lI1~el'llds the sym bolic and stands for itself, in ail its • :\llt()1I01l1~. Il I:Ü~t'S it~ power in its stride and neither overshadows human - () 1 -

actions nor is it sl\L~(,J'\'i(,lll ln th('1l1. The l'oh, 01' hUIll:\n \ll'il\~;-;; in Ihi~ ~('hl'llI:\

is cncapsulatrd niC'cly 1Iy Shnrhut.t. whel\ slH' ~:1~~ t!lat "AI'IH,ld Ill'Iin \'d Ihat • one could br spiritu:dly rCIll'\\'('d hy n:1tl\\'l' ",ithout bl'ill~ Il:lt\lll''~' 1'.10'>1 l'rit'Ild. without feeling a kinship "ith natuI'p" (~H)). It b as if in tilt' 1:1:->1 ~r(,:11 111\'1:11'11\11'

of the poem in whit'h thl' pO\\0rl'\l1 Oxu:-. :-.tl't':11II 1'1111 .... 011 t

home", the "bri~ht alld tr:\Il<\\lil ... Aral Sea" l~~)IO-:.!). tll\' ;1\I\!lllllllltllh Ill)\\' p\

the river goin!; it;s 0\\'11 \\ ay to it~ dl'sir('d dl'~tilla\'ioll i:-- IIH' li Il:11 ~,I:I\t' l1\t'1I1 III

Sohrab and Hll::;{1l111 that, Il:11,111'(' Il:\." bl'('11 1'('lp;ISl'd l'r()11I lit" irlt><.(lllilillii nI'

dialectical cOlllliet. With :111 eOllsidp!'l'd. il is LI\(, li!',,!.

which one can l'l'el, nllll()~(, Lallgibly,:l. se 11:-'(' or 1)(';1('(' alld !'<,:-,()ltlli()11 \\'itldll Ih,'

poet, •

• - 52 -

Cha.pter 5: M erope and Balder Dead

• K('lIlldh Allou di"lIli",:-'I':-' Arnold':,> Merope (c. 1857) and Balder Dead (c. 1854)

:1:, "Illalill'I"",:", 1I111Iiti,·,," (:tlllOld, IOSS 22), yet thesc two poems hold lin impor­

t:1I1L pla l '(' ill Lhl' i\ Illoldia" di~ll(~(·ti(', as il, devcloped ovel' t/w conrse I)f his five

IOIlf.!; PO!'III'" H,)tll )l')l'Ill:-' d('al with dialceUcal issu(>~. The fil~t iss1Ie roncerI1S

IIlor;tI \ ;tl1JI''> ;llld \\ I)I'J'(' tllC'y ar!' pI:ICf'r! in the scheme of humnn Iife. Is moral

:tIlLholity IO(':J1,('r! ilJ ('xtc~rn:d f'nckJl;" Iike convention, tradition, alld myth? Or is

il, IO('atl'd illkrllallr. in illdivid1lnl judgement. good sense and compas~ion? The

c,('('ollil i"'''dli' d(·alt. \\ ith ill tltc:sc pocms is tied in to the conclu~ion drawn from

th(· /il':-'L. Ir (J11f' i .... to a."':-'I1I1I1' that the source of authority lies in c8,rh indivi­

dllal, t1W/I il, j.., :-,ar!· to bay that iL is the better judgmeIlt~-th~ best sclf--of cach

P"I'!-,Oll that ('OIl..,LI·llI'h :} \ altll' systJ'1I1 withill which ail people can exist contenir

l·dly. 'l'hi:::. be.,t ,:>('11' i:-. explorcd in its varions manifestations in Mel'ope and • Ua{r/t'I/)(;(/II. FOI'IIl:!1 ('()II~idel'atiol1:::', ta which 1 shall !"etuJ'll laLe!" in the chapter, \'0111<1 be ealkd allullin b~lIe with which the two poems deal.

1Il hot Il tlt(':-,(' d 1':11 Il atie 1l()('IlI~ tltl' dia\ectical inquiry iuta the question of values

i~ plll':-'lIl'd, Tilcy ~e('1Il to aekllo\\'ledgc lhat, as Amold would come to lament in

('Illil//(; (/'/Id A llli/l'I!!/, ail "adeq Il:lt{' centre of authority" can no longer be found

(in ~()('ip(,~) (jlL'(' t t~) .. III Ha/der Dead and Merope therc are complex moral

:-.it,llation .... H.'> weil :"\s choi('(,~ to he made between relativistic values and ones

th:\t :lI'l' :d)~olutbt. In oOJ('r \\'ords. authority in this decision is sought. Begin­

llill~ in ....,'011111 li (Jlld H IlSlllm. a Sotd'C'(' of authority is sought internally and this

('(llltilllll'S ill tilt' la~t t\\O of his long pocms. In botl, the moral values are

pl'e!:'('llt<'d in tlH' r;uise of an absolutc cthic, as well as values that are more ('ela­ • ti\'btÎ<'. ln exploring these lwo kinds of I1lorality, a moral system emerges that is largely internai, and based on 1,\1(' lwst inl<>ntions of whirh humans :m' capa-

ble. As H. F. Lowry says of Arnold: "i\lor:dity \\as 10 him ... [t.Ill'] mnintain- • ing of one's integrity, the pr<.'scrving of 01lp\, own l'SSP\lre" (:~[»). This tr:l1lsi- tion is depicted in moral am higuities. and, in (,:1eh pOl'lll, in t.ht' t,hollp,ht~ and

actions of its prot.ng,onists.

ln both poemf. tbc\'c cxist~ an absollltist c-thir. IL is t'o11lprb('t! or tradi-

tional values that haye always bcen :ll'C'epted, The valul'::-' a\"(' a:-.:-.!'rtt'd in thl'

cha\'acters and in their ex pcctation::. of lif(', Odin in /laldcl [)t'ad :lIld t,III'

Chorus in J\1 e1'ope best repres(,]1L ah"oluti"lll. 1n ('()n~()lillg 1hl' )!;()d" aholl 1

Balder's death. Odin says that "rat.e sPI, ~.;p:d, Ih:lI, ~o hi~, 1'11<1 IIIW,I 11(''' (I.~;)),

thereby implying that, fate is an ah~oh\tl' dt'!'Ï:-.ÎOll thaL C:l1l\lO\' 1)(' qlll".. t.iollt'(\.

Odin accepts this way of thinking and (·XJlt'{'(." Ih:l\. tht' otlH'I'S d() Ils w('11. ~illli-

lady, the Chorus in l\1erope also has troubl(' filldill~ \.1](' source' or flllt.hol'Ït.y in values:

Power fails the I11rrl1 hilllself ln lix di~LilJ('L1v • The cause which drcw him tü hi" d('('d, . And stamp himsclf, thcreaftpr, har! 0] )!;()od.

The mosl (LIe bad, wi<:.e 111('11 hm'!' "(Iid. Let the best lIde, the)' ::.ay :l)!;aill. ((H!l-;):{)

Eventually, for lack of a firm anSWCI', thcy COIIIC! t.o rcdy OJl "Ï,(,lIH alld plll'('

thoughted justice" (688) for value d('ci"iolls. 'l'bpir rc'liaJ\('(' 011 tht, ~()ds SI'P/lIS

te be their only altemative because they re"lizl' t1w!' "M 1lC'\1 i:-, t1\1'J'(' whic'h !.III'

seajConceals l'rolll man, who cannot pllllllb il." r!r!pt.h:-," (ri~~-:1).

The questioning of the absoluk moral orcier ()('C'111!1 in lJOth POC!IIl:-'. III

Merope il, begins with the titlc chHracter her:-,plf' ql)("·,1.iollillV, tlll' (·:-,ta,blislr(!d

value Systèul. While the Chorus is largely convincill!!; 1.0 Mr'J'opl', thf'OlIl-';h a (:C'r-

tain intuition or iIlSight she corn(>f> \'0 qlle~tioll thi!1 J'C'li;I/I('(' Ol! ('Xl/'f /Ially dev- • isecl absolutcs. She considerfJ tlrat artel' havill!!; illl IIJl'r:ol'd !J(;I:,,·lf il! 1,11(· - rA -

;J!'CC'IIIl:d (·t,hir· of !'>eekillg revenge, she came sa close to destroying her own life

Il,)' /Ilhtab·/dy killillp; her 1'>on:

• BI:;II" wiL/w:-.,<:', :-"('c, mark weil, Oll what a head My Iir~t 1'>troh of revellge hml nearly fallen! (1223-4)

'l'III' (' "Iotioual :-,llod:: of this incidcnt brillgs ta light for her the possible flaws in

;1 V:tllll' ~:y~,Il'/// Imc,(·d 011 extl'rllal prill(·ipl(·~ that miç;ht have' very internaI, or

1"'(':111"(' :-,11(' i:-, t.1r!' t01'1l :-,wayill~2, fig;\ll'l' \\ ho !'Iillld::-, al, thp c(>ntl'c of the conflict

:1111/ (':1/1 :-"'(' ).;{)or! in IJoth :-,idcr::." (ClIallcr 22-1-1»). Thi5 lemb her to que::.tion the

FIOIII t,!\(' lir:-.,t-wJ'()ught vengeanc\.' b bol'l1 i\ IOIl)!, :-.,\II'ee:-.,:-.,ioll ur cri1lles. )<'J'(>slt hlood Ilows, calJing for Llood. /<':11,11(·1':-", :-"Oll:-', ç;r:tndsoJlr::., art' ail 0//(, (kath-d('alil1f!; vl'lIgcful train. (1251-5)

• V/'Il)!.,f':lJj(·(' al .... o Il))(!r>rlics the qlJcstioning of the estahlished moral order in !Jaldl'r I>('ad, heç;illllil1l!, with Odin's thrrat that:

Il,Y Ill{' :-.,11:\11 \('1lf.';C':lI1C(· Oll the Illurderer Lok, Tlj(' l'oP, t.hl' :!C(,Il!-oC'l', whotn, t.hoUf h Gods, wc hate. Hf' :-.,tridly C;lI(·d for, in t.he appointcd clay. (1.37-9)

This h('('OIIl('!-o t.1t(· survivalist cthic in which Odin implicit.ly declares that aU's

fa/1' 1t/ /0/1(' alld Will. 1IC' plans 1.0 storm lIel! and rcpossess Balder. However, this

waninl' pt,hic i... qlll'!:-tiOIlC'd by Fr0{l who introduces reason and fairness:

Hu\. lI('h illln i\:illl'hl'illl (,hou thl'rw'st Al1d ~;l\'· ... t Ill'i nilH' IIl\li)!;htcd world~ to fuIe, A q \1 (' (' Il. ; 1ll d (' 11\ Il i rt' () n' r a Il th e de ad. That.l'Illpirl' \\ilt thou no\\' invade, light up lin d:ll'kll(· ...... t'IOIll hel' gr:1Sp a subject tBar? • TI'Y il: hlll 1. t'Ol' Olle, will Ilot applaud. (3.276-81) - G5 -

She questions the sCC'lllingly straightforwHrd l'thil' of l'l'Yl'Il)!,l' fol' :1 \\l'Ull)!, dnl\l'.

seeing the faet that yet anothcr wrong is donc in the :let of It'\'('n).!,l' il~t'\r. FI't'a • seems to understand thal moral valu('s }lI'(' Ilot hl:wk l1lted !Jeron' ~\Ih!"('!'ihil\)!, to a \':1111('. Thl'I'l' j.., ptl..,,,ihl~· :lll

implication in thb th al, o Ill' h:\:-; to t.111'11 in\\ :ll'd !llld <,X;llIlilll' ('()I\,,('il'IIl'I' :lIld

motive before an m'tion b takeIl, l'athel' titan :\l'\'t'ptillf!, :Ill 1')o.krll:t1 l'Ihil' for

that action.

1I1eroJ1e and ]Jaldcl J)cad also eXalllll1t' th(' l'l'Ialivi:-.lil' ('11<1 ul' Ih(· 1\1\)1':11

spectI'um, ln the {'OI'I1lPI', the l'Phllivp llat1lrp of vahl('o.; io.; ht'~1. :11 til'It\:tlt't\ h~'

Polyphontes ",hell hl' ('0111 pal'c':::, III unlPr to killill~:

MurdCI'!--hul wll:lt 1." IIlIlI' gain or h:\tl'l'd 1:1k<'~ a li!'('. Vve cali il, III Il \'(!t-I'. ('III"h hilll, hl':\l1d hi" 11:\1\((', But whcn, rOI ~(lI11C' gl('ê\t p1lhlic' (';llI~C'. :Ill ;\1'111 Is, witho1l1. I()vc' or Il:11('. :111"tel'l,I,\ l'ai·,pd Again~t a !>()\\'l'I' (',('Ill pt l'l" >Ill C'(lllllll()11 ('h('('k~, Dangcl'()l1~ ln :111. 10 1)(, 11I11 I.hll" :\111111(,"- • Banks any Ill:ll1 \\itlt 111\ll'dl'l' ~\l(.1t :\11 :\('1,'1 (~()\-~()~)

be followed blindly 1)('('all~p it, i~ p():-,~ihl(' t1tPy do Ilot 1'1':\...,011 d""plv l'III>I'J',II III

like mind, Frea ill ]Joldcl /)car/ /,('('b LhaL I\othill)!; i.., ~() al)~()IIIII' tll,IL II, l', 1101

ùpen ta rclativbLic rC,).C;Olllllg, Slip b db('l1~'-,illg Bald(·I"~ dC'aUI (:llId Il'I,li('v;t!)

with Hoder WhCll ~h(' r-,ay~:

But fate with~talld .... , ,lIlei law.., l'()rhiel tlli" \Vay. Yet in my !'oCCI'(;\' milld Olt(' \Vay 1 kIlOW, Nol' do 1 judge if' il, ~hal1 Will or l':\il; But III lIch IlltlS!' r-,t,jll 1)(' tIÏ(' d. whic\t :-,11 ,dl but l'ail. (1,1~7-:W)

In this sentiment sile cxprc:-,::,e~ her b('lief that vallle~ are ,dl J'('bd,iv(' ln lfIoLiv('

01' circlllllstance, alld tllat ln accep!' a11ytllÎllg :1.'-, :tlJ"olll(,(! i~ III Il(J!, W,I' ail (JI' • one':; human power:; ill t,]u' ::,crvic(' 01' 1l1()rality. - GG -

It i~ lJjJ/ia/'l'llt Ly llOW that a gleat deal of moral ambiguity surfaces in these

two p()el1J~; tlli':. '-"':;:J.;(,é)t,~ a l1Jovemcnt in the Arnoldian dialcctic to a point • wlle/(' IIIOf'(t! V;J!lI( .... ail' el{J.'.,c,ed as ncithcr absolut~ nOI" relative. The fluidity alld allll)j~llity of 1I101':t1 V:d'lf'C, al c displaycd in both poP ms; 1>111, thcy (\J"e morc

(·J(·ady :JI ti(·IJ!:tI,(·d il! A1('}()7}(~. JII JJaldc1 Dcad the challenge tn the estahlishcd

llloJ"al (JI

(I('('('pt falJ' ;1.', il, h:I:, 1)(,('11 v,iv('11 t,o t.!l<'lll--each dare:,; to challC'llgc it b~r searching

roI' :1 \Vay ln OVnLlll'1I the' \('J"di(,t tl13t Balder is 1l0W dC'ad. lhldcl' himsclf qucs-

Ljoll~ (,1)(' :If'('('ptf'd V;dll('~ or Id,; (,()JltC'mporal'ies WhPll he opts io stay away from

t!r(,jl w()l'ld :111<1 w;,il l'Ill "tilll('~ ho;:, alicn" (2.50) to his way of thinking. In

A/Cl0TH', 011 tlH' (J1!t"1 !ralld. (III' !lIol'nl amhiguity, like the poem itself, is artic\1-

l:d.l'd ill tI Li)!.II!., ~LIll('LIIJ'('d wa\': t.hl'Ollgh Iitenll'y allusions, language, actions,

alld ll!JO\'(' ail, tlll()ll~h ('hal'l\ckrization, Moral Hmhiguity is cxprC'ssed in a • lit('l'lll,\' :llIlI~,i()1l wlt<'11 1\ rnold l'ef'('I':'> (n Shakespcare's fJam/cf and the young

1\ nd lill (lly kl';IIJ't' wilh :Ill l';tmc:;t praye" 'ro hi .. ;1\'('Il~~ill~ ~Ir:ld(', alld t.() t.he' Gods Who Illldn (':11111 \\';11('11 !2,lIilt.y d('pdc, of men 'l'() [.!,lIid(' 0111' \ l'Il[!,V:lll('(' 10 :t prosperous closc. (72-5)

'l'Il<' illl pli('it 1l1(,~~.:li2,(' hl'n' i,; that the Îst>UC of morality is equally am biguous in

!luth plny::-, A IId hoLlI a.':ik sim ilar questions of values, the basic one being: is

CI:mdi\ls (alld ht'I'l' Polyph()ntps) morl' guilty for murdering the king, or Ham-

kt (alld h(ll't' j\('pyt,II~) rOi' III urJcrmg a relative?

L:llIgllag(' b :Illotlrn way il! whic!J moral amhiguity is expres'3cd in ,MeTope.

1"0)' (1.\.:llllpk, the jll\tapositioll of words that are morally wcighty as weil a'3

'-,(,(,/llilltdy ('()Il(I':1di('«)I'Y Il'Ild", ail alal'lning impression. Therc is fol' instance, a • SI'n(Pll('(' ,III W l'IIC 11 tH'1 \\on1" s vengeance "lano " prosperous " OCCUI' '1,1III le same - tii -

phrase, as in "1'0 guide our vengeaneC' tü :l PI\)::'\WI\lUS l'I(l~l''' tif);. ,\ lI~OIl!'

playing close rcp;ard to the lanp;lIap;e ot' this !'O('lll \\nult! tind tlli" killd .,\' jU\t:\ • position a bit disllll'binp;. That :lctions (':111 \1(' lll"l':l!l~ :\1l\ hi~,ll(111'-. ;\l'l' l'nilltl'd out

(91-J). 11(' S('('lllS ::.ure that "Idlv Ilvr ;ldi(lll:-' 111:1\ Ill' ,"1111'1'1(', tl\('~ ('(l\1ld :\1"11

oe intcrpreted C'lltilCly dillercIltl~ alld tht'l'P!'OII' Il(' c1(,tlilll('lIt:d. ('It:II:W\t'liï,I

ail itb 11llidiLy alld IlIl('crLaillly or V,t1I1('~. l'lillcip:dl,\, tl\l' ('II:II:lI't('1 (lI' 1\1('11'11(' l',

lllarked by her moral waverÎnj,!;, ~() (,0 ,,!)(':\k. :\I\d in titi';, Ollt' ('oHld ~,:\\' Ih:\! ',!JI'

sym bo!izes t.he t,rall~i(,ioll hC'(,weeIl ail :ll)~,()llItl'-.l ('Llli(' :llld (lI\(' LIt:tI, i', 11101'1'

inlemalized. This trait is C'xcmplijjed l)('nllt.ifllll~· ill ivlpl'()PI' will'Il ~llI' sa.\':-; ClV!'1'

POlypltOIl tc·~' dead body:

Over tby (;Ol'p,:-c--[I] tl'illlllph Ilot, IlI'it!tt'l' 1110111'11- For l filld \\'orth in lhee, Nonc, ::.ilj('C a lwof'old wlou!' l'eii!:lI~ ill ;dl. (I!JK!HJ 1)

The inh('!'PIlL alll hip;uities ill bolh P()(,I1I~ poillt IIp tll(' f';j('1. t.1t;11 LIlI' !'xi~lLill~'.

viewed as a, Inllnlerel' alld thel'efore a, Jler~ofl of' klll illt(~Il\'i()lI, :tlld y(;\, t,ll/'(),,~h

same \\'ay 13alder'~ rate of' havill~ dkd a.l!rI IJef'1! '-,(~IIt, ln 1\(,1:1'", l'I'allll ',('('m:.., al.

fil'st a calamity l() ail, iIlCllldill[.'; tlj(' l(~ader, A~ 111(' 1j ()I'III \J1'()~r,II"",(,'" II(jW('VI'I,

one can sep tltal dIe mattel' is 1101, al, ail tltat (,1('(11' Cil!,: Haldn ill r,wL !Jld'(·r:, Iii • satisfied, III llot!l VJ('IJl;'" ail l'thie i~ l)(~illg; dev(doped that evolves from the absolutist

(Irj('II' :,(,<1 OIJ ('x1J'r/lal }d)so)lIte~) tü Olle that is more illdividualistic (focussed • OlJ iJlI('rlJ~tI jIJd!!,PIIJ('IJt). One ~(:('~ a Illlmber nI' ill~tall(,('S ill both pocms where ;1 IWJ'-,fJIUti v~dll<' :-,y~U~Jrl b hejlJ)!; bllÏlL. III nalder f)carl thb transition can be

"('('IJ ilJ tlm'(' t"\ulnlctJ:r:-,: Frea, llela, Hnd, TllO:-'!, ::oiÇ;Ilifi cantly, Balder. Frea's

Iw" di"tJ;tll~I,IJf, '011, J J()rI(~J', 1.11:11, "l'aLe with::otalld..," (I.I :27). Bill, she is willing ta

Il''(, /J('J' OWII jlldç;('/III'IlL whell :-ohe :-,llOW:-O Iludf'/' the "ro(Jd which Icads to Hela's

J'(';III1I" (1,1:1:,), dl'('idillg; her::>t'If Lllat, contrary to l'at.c, lctrievillg; Balder is worth

II tl',V. '1'1lll" :-.111' }t!'"iVl'ly \l"'P~ 11er own judgemcllt, ill value dcebiolls b apparent

ilJ Lh(~ "('(' lit' wlwJ'(' Odin expn'::-,ses his intention ta retJ'Îeve Balder by force.

\Vldl(, <,III' "111.11', t bt, J'< VCllÇ;C i:-. H('ce ptcd in the lllOl ality of the gods (in this

(';I;.,C :Ji~:,ill"t )'()k), ~,Ij(' i:-, !tot af'r:tid ta exelcisc her judgcment and her sense of

f:lir pby Ily ()PJl()~ill~ Odill'~ dt'('bioll and pointiIlj2; out chat. "11cla holds by l'ight

• ('ll'al' th;ll. it 1·()llI:lil\ .... ('I\ough l'e}J.':>OIl and güodnc~s to be the basis of her values. 11(·h, b,\' tll(' salll!' token, does indeed sec the ab~olute tCl'ms of hel' pos-

~(,~~i()1l or 1bldl'I' alld call in faet justify them. Sile exercises personal discre-

liOl1, l!o\\,('\,('I'. \\'hl'II :-ohe givc::, the gods a (')lnllee Lü win l3alùcr back. The fact

lhaL Lili:-. ~tl:lk~it' !llOYl' ha.':> 110 guaralltees ~how~ that rallier than accept abso-

111ft· krJll~, ~II!' i~ willilll-!, lo sUhlllit tü the rad thaL c\'cryollc SllOUld have a fair

('11:111('('. Ill'Ia':-. individu:t1 r!pci...,ioll not just to accept hel' victol'y but rather ta

g,ive tht' ).!;o.j:-, il li~htillb ('II alt <.:c , as it wcre, ~peakt. of personal initiative and

Înkl"llal jlldgl'llll'llt in \':11111' deci:-.iollS,

A IId lin:t\l~'. Baldn. He makes a sigllillcant staternent about his internai,

pl'l'soll:ll ~l'I or \'alllt's when he declares that. he \Vould actually prefer ta stay • 11 l'al 1 1I1111'1 t 1H'n' .1" :1 l' 1l:lIlge .III t 1le l'1 f E' 0 f " carnage,""" wa!', an d "b l'Cl'1" S th a t h e - G,) -

has left. He portra)'s the dilIerell\.'l' of his OWIJ valul' ~~"lt'lll \\ \1('11 hl' :-;:l~~ Ihal

''1 am long since \\'ear~r of )'our storm" (~{.50:q :md Ih:\1 ",hat \\p\lld :-"'('11\ IlIOn' • suitable io him arc "tiIl1('!:o ks:" alil'n to :1 ~J1iril mild" l;UlI:!). l\-tltl!'\' :-'l'('~ 1IIl' possibility of <1nolht'r :-;ct or Y:1111(,~ :\11<1 tIH'I'<'fol'l' ('II\'j"j(lll" "\ 1111tl1"1 11":1\ l'II"

cedcnce "The tempc~t or th(' Iattl'!' lhy:-. [111\1"1 Iwl ~\\'l'pt./Alld t!tn tJIllII ~i)'.!tl

[disappear]" (3.5:23-:2J). l3ald('1' ('llvi"jol1s:t lll'W :--.)':--.11'111 :1." tH'ill!', 111

than the old, and hl' S('COIIl'::> lo l'l'el t.1t:l!. ()1I1~' ":1 "111:111 J ('Jllll:Ilt1" (:{ !)~:,) (lI' Iltl'

old world belong.:; in tlw ne\\' (he In}l)' hl' rdl'rrill~ to thl' lllO!,I' ('Jdi~h!.('Il('d

charactcrs of the old worl

pl'Oblem \Vith lire as iL b; he ~illlply tillds the jH'I'('('pt.i()lls or tlll' (H'opl!' ~III'-

l'Oundin~ him Ln bl' Iju(':--.tioll:lbk .

ln MeroJle, bot.h Î\1cropf' and !'olypl!ollks dbpl:ly :l 1II()1':t1 ~.\.:tlld:lrd tha\. • goes beyond the accep«'d llIol':dit.y or t.h('11' day, :-;howill!-'. (,h:l(, :--;()Il\!' tholl\',hl. :111.1 individual jUdg,ClllC'IlL have g,OJle iilt~) t.llI!ir v:dlle (jpci:-.iolls. Ml'IO(H' IIlakl's a

good case fol' her per:-,olllll ~LlIllhlld:--. of vaille, tlraL :-Iw 1'1'(,1:-, Il.lVI' 1)('1'11

violated, when ~hc Splll'll~ PolyplJollLe:--;' 01]'(>)':-, of' jle~,,'(':

[1] am Meropc, 1I1y III III t!('ICc! Ill:l:-.tn'::, wifl'j And Lltou art PolyphonIe"" lir:... \' Iii" frif'lld, And then ... lJi:. 1IIIIr

1)(;!'~()l1al :-,t,allrl:1! d" }llId .illd~!}·llj{' Ilt."> i~ finally artic\Jlated when she chooses • Il 1II Il allity llJlt! Jo\'(' ()\ 1'1 Vf'lli!,l'\lll('(', ~t:l1,ill~ her opinioJl thnt t.he former is more "1111' t,/t;11l LIu' bit Il'1':

HilL V('II)..',I':IIII'I' Inl\ (,1" ill :1 dall/!,eroll:-' way, »()1)j,11' of' j..,. 111,,11111 'lI' l'it,,, alld ~J1arcs FOI :111 will) P:I',..,. jJll!",]II'I' ;lIld rtl!'~lI(>d-- (580-2)

Tltl'{)II/!,1l 1I('1 V:lli()ll~ :1I't,!OIl', ~l('j'()p(' Illakes il, clear LlJat the justice of the Gods,

\\llil·11 je. ('\1 1'111:11, 1I1,1,\' Illll Ill' ('llolIl!;h. IIer'3pcf'ch and (,lIloLions 8(,PII1 1,0 illlply

\\'(·11 IllolJ).!,hl {JIll \ :"11(' :-.\~t(·JlI t11al, i.... Ilot relati\ i'::

~,('1I11Ï1l(' ill jl... d('l"lt .lllil ill\Pllti()II~. Ile a.%C'rt." that "tl1(>l'e are guilty deeds,

\\ltidl 1(·;t\,('/TJw Jl:llid tllat d()(·~ tlte))] )..!;lJilLles~" (1713-H) implying that in his • val III' :-,y~L('lli IllOI.t1lly j-, III olt' thall a black and whit.c iS5ue; iL is Olle that FrOlll LilI' jdl',I;-, (':-"PI'(':-,::,('d ill thc::ic two last of Matthew Al'llOld's long

P{)('lll~ il, i .... Ilot dillil'Idt lI) Iï'aliz(' thaL the maL\,cr of values within the Amoldian

di:dl'('lic Il:1.'-. ('(JII\!' ln :1 1'('~()I\lti()1l of il" own; one that says that values are noL

(·\.tnllally illlpO:-,(·d alld LbcJ'l·j'ol C a!J::,o!1lt.i;-,(, in flavour, buL l'aLiter, internally

~~(·Il\'l.\t('d and dl:ll'.\\'tnizl'd h~ .\ dt'pll! of thought and illdividual judgell1cnts.

III I)otl! POPIIIS moraliLy b t!epirt('d :1.'-, a pClsonalized occurrence. This is mas!'

appan'llL \\ 111'11 thl' d\'(,I('('~ or tll!' ).!,od:-. arc put asidp (in bath pocms) in favour

01' p('r:-. fl1l1ctioll lIloinly on the stl'ength of

Il adili\)ll ralltn thall 011 jl('/';:,oll:ll Sl'I'utÎlly all,1 judg,cIllcnt. The Arnoldian

di:d('('(k h( \(' \'(""uh (':'-' for it:-.elf tllat wllile IH'Îther C'xtleme is effective, human • jlld).!,l'Il11'llt 1ll:l~ he tll(' IH'st 1l1C:1Il:" or ('~t:lhlishiIlg ~yst(,llls of Il1orality. Arnold - -;- 1 -

does Ilot indeed seem to preSUlllC that he Il:1:-- I('~uln'd thl' Il lli\' n:--,l 1 q\ll"·.(i\lll (lI'

mOI'ality; in his OW11 scheme, ho\\'e\'er, Il(' il:1S m:ldt' Iwact' ",ith tilt> di:lIl'l'til':\1 • question of valu('!':-. He has l'st:lblished 1\11" himsl'Ir chat tht' :lIls\\el' i~ by 110 means in black or whit<.> , but that in tlll' 11l:111('r ot' vnlul's, tl!nl' e,i:-.\ variull"

shnùes or f';1':ly.

Very closely Lied to the subjrd, ot' ,ahH'~ i:-. ,\rllold'" I1ntÎ111\ or tll<' bl':-.I :-'1,11'.

This link i::, b:1')cd ill thl' illtelll:lliït'd V:dlIl' :-',\:-.1\'111 thal 1\.1:-' lu l'{·I~ (JII titI' 1)(';-,1

in human beillR~ bein).!; a.<;scr(.t'll. III :1 kltl'l' ur ~('pt('llll)('!' IS III \rIl()ld ',:lÏd IIt:II,

the "one Ilat.ut·al craving," that he had wa .... 1101 "('01' prnl\l\llld IIt(IIl).'.ltt; •• llli).'.hty

spiritual workillg,s, ete. etc" I,ul a di:-.IÎIl(·t :-'l·{·ill).'. or Ill\' \~:Iy :1:' Llr :I~, tll~' ()WII

nat.ure is ('OllCC'I'1ll't! , , ," (Lclf('/.~ lIO). 'l'hi .... :-.hu\\'", 1 1'1'('1. IIi·, l·ull\,\(,t.i()11 (hal.

cach hUlIl:tn l)('ill~ C:UI filld withill IIi III or 111,1· ... 1,11' till' 11I1t-111:t1 ',(I1I!,,'I' 01 :lIltl"ll'­

ity that is bcing sought CVCI'~rw,,(,I't', III l':I<'\., ill ('1111111(' 1I1It! ,11I1I1t'hl/, AIII()ld

assel'ts that "our h('~t ~clf ill:-.pil'(,~ faitll, :llId is ".Ip:d>l,' (d' :dlol dill~', :1 ~"'ri()II~,

pl'Îllciple of autholil.y" (fJUe: 'H-I). 'l'hi" ill'ldif':-' LIt.1I Illi:, :,(1111('(' <)1' :llltlloliL.v i:1

• intcrnalizeu a'J failh Lhat. Ollf> l::i .... to Il''''' ill\\:lld ln filld Il LIli' h,",1. as alld '1'11:11,

self is so closely Lied 1,0 ail illtf'J'II:llizl'd \:t!111' ',y:-.tA·11I 1', pili. j'nl'w:tl'd ill 1.11('~w t.W()

late poems III the portrayLiI of' di~till(,t. ('h:11 :\('1.1'1 i<,LÎ(';' 1.1t:". ";111 1)(' ('h,,<,pd IllIdPI

two heading:=:.: the f1exibility of LlH' Iw,,>t. ;-.(·11' :llld Lltl' f>{J\l-IILi:d (JI P()',:,il)ilil,y th:",

lies with the' be::,t, f>elf, Tite c1nuf!.ctni:-.tie:-. dl'pil'll'

to an intel'll alized valllP :-,y:-,tclll arp thoc,,· w Iti('11 ('IIIIHJlI V 1,1\1' fi" J, i 11IIiLy {JI' t.Ii1'

best self. This is ll1allif'e:-'[,f>r! in the d(~pth, tlt(JIIf.',ltt.f'ldllf'<,<" :l!ld l':liJ'III""1 (JI' :-,01111'

of t.he charactl'l':-' in !;oth PO(~IllS.

Bot.h the depth as weil as th(~ tholl~IJtJIIIIle~'J l.hat dr;l\v (Jill, 1.111' f11'xiIJ!lity in

these characlJ;l's an' cOlllpleted by tbeir iIH'J'('(l.,>Pt! (·OII',I;iIJll:-.JII·;,', wllidl h:l:, 111/<1\

in thelll a sell;-'c of f'airllf'c,s. III AIeTOllC iL i', ~,(;I;II 1)(",1 ill l'rJlypJJIJ/J!r';) wIJ()<)( • political calClllatioIl" are e:-,selltlally logical élIld Wl':.(~, ;1I1'! t.1I('y ill f;J('t, almo..,t - 72 -

dllllillÏ"/1 M('I'()I)(:'~ \'v()l'ds wllich appear emotional and relentless in comparison .

MI'I'Jjll' 11 1'1':;/:11', l!(J\\,«Vél', ('an lw considered to be a pel'son of raised conscious­ • ll(!:~~ Whéll :,llI' tlÎf'~ V(!l'y hard to formlllate a new kind of value system against lllf' 1,1 ;Lflil.i r w:J1 f()rcI':; or t11f' Chorub, AepyLus anù Laias. She cannot fully arti­

('11IHt/' t.IW,I' III'W V:tlllé'-., J!l'I'hap'-. hf'callse they lack a, vocab\llal'~' l'or thcir new-

11("0', /lIIL il, i" (+(11' l'rolll her aLLell1J>Ls thaL slH' feels sOlllcthillg lacking in the

(J/d W;IY:, 1)1 .Îlldl2,"IIl{'IlL.

III /lutrin Ih(Jt! Haldn's (]('veloped COnSelOl1bIH.'SS eomes in the form of a

;J Lk III JI 1, Lu :--,: 1 \' l' h i III ri () III 1 1(> l:t l :; rc a 1III • IJ C III C Il t i 0 Il b to H (' rI n 0 cl th a t "F' 0 r

d'lllhl('-lIlilll!{,d ('V('I' W:IS th(, '-.('(,dl Of Lok, and dOllhl0 :ln' the gifts they give"

(2.~n J-~.n. HilL h(' ~h()\V:-, a :-,troll!!; sellbe of fair play wh('n he béncls a gift ta

Odill l'p!!;:lJ'(!li's<; of tlll' OIlLCOllJC of his (Odin's) aUcmpt.s: "'1'0 Odin, ta my

l'aLhn, Lak(' thi:--, l'ill)!,,1 î\'lf'llIol'ial of III 0, wheth01' ~:\,\'cd or no" (2.~7{1-5). This

:-,I]O\\'~ a Ç,('lltlill(' a\l('l'\,ÎulI, Olle that is entirely just and disÎnterested, and that is • \\'ol'LlIY of' :1 ()(' 1';--'011':-; 1){'c,1, :;('11'. III additioll tn fl(':-.ibiliLy of characLer, the Lest self that is beillg built up in

(,ht'~(· t \Vo PO('III" i" ('h:ll :lc!u!"iz(,d by an intrillsic se nse of poten tial or possibility.

This tl':lit j" 111;11 "et! hy (,()l\lTl:1':>sioll in some of L1w eharactcrs, as weil ae:; by

tlH'ir :l:,:pil':ltioIlS (n Irii!,lll'I' idc

1I10;--'t. :-.tlikitl~, t'l':ttltl'(' or tilt· potenLial in human beillg,;:::. b (·\pre:::.scd in fvlcrope'::,

illllat<.' co III p:l....,~ioll :lIJd in (,uitiv(' sellse of justice and faÏf'ness whcn she admits

Polyphullti';--, l':ltlllO(, oe repl'Ouchcd for his esteem of her privacy and mourning

in \Vilie" :--.!Je h:l" h('<, Il " ., 1lever f'ailcd-in oncc/Through twcuty yeal's .•.It

tllïfi-ï) ..\Ild ~hl' i" trllt' to her gratitude whell ~hc \\arns lIim to avoid being

IllUrdl'l('d tll·Jl). 11('1' l'OlIlpa.'-'sioIl is gCIluine wheu sile f:>ays to her enemy, • "! li ty t Il) 0.,(' 1l': 110 lit' Il t't' ds rOIll p:l.')sio Il III 0 rc" (17 G1). And on c caIl se e that he r -,) - ,~) -

kindness and compa.ssion are touc!lIo·d by :l S('IlS(' of fairllp,,-; \\'11t'1l -;IH' snys t()

the dead Polypholl tes at the end of the pOClll: It , •• 1 t l'iUIll ph lIol! On'l' t,hy • COl'pse •..It (U)88-~)). ln this she also shows hcl' 1't'alizatioll th,lt "'l'hl' ultÎl\latt' justice of Pol~'pholltes' t!p:lth , .. I·psult[s] J'rom h\llll:l11. :\IId Ilot di\·ilH'. I()~i('

and motivation" (Zietlo\\'. ,\/f/ope 75).

The hcst ('xal1l pie of a compa.ssionatp ('h;1(':1('I('I' in !J,lldel /)('(/(1 i:-; 111'1a.

Though sIle seClllS (JuiLL' abso1ut,i~t in m()~1 of 1lt'1' V:IIII('S, :-.lll' "ho\\:-. ;1 ('Olll pa .... -

sion worthy of the hcst self of h11lllan bein)!;s. II.:s eJp:II' t.ltal :-.I\(, Il:1,'' :1 rail' :llId

individualizcd value systelll ",hc1l :-;11(' C

Hear, how to Heavcll may Balder !>t> IPstored. Show me thl'oug,h ail thl' wol'!d th!' :-.if!;ll:-' 01' )!,l'i('r! Fails but one thill~ (,0 gril'v!', h('l'<' IbldC'r :-.tops!

Let Gods, men, brIlL('r-, !Jew('ep hilll; pl:mf:.. alld :-.t.OIIl'S! SO shall 1 know the 1(l~L W:l.':5 <11':11' illd('('d, And bend my he art, alld give Idm biU·k 1,0 l!cav('11. (:!.2aa- • 40)

She admits clearly thaL sile 1:,; willing Lo be eOlllpa.ssiolla1.p if 1I<'l' eOllditioll 1-; met.

The calmness that is a fcatme of the pote Il tin.! of th(' lH'sL s(·lr is displ:tYl'd

in the pel'sonality of Balder. He is chal'aC'Ü'l'izpd hy Odin tll1lS:

But fl'Om tlly 1i]J~, 0 Pa.!d(>l, Iliidlt 01 rI;IY, Heard no OIlC ever an illjllIÏOt\;, \\'01 d 1'0 God 01' 1-1 eJ'(\, Illlt tholl kr:pu·<.,t 1);1('1: The other::-., iabolll'llllS to (·(dllpO"'f' thf'ir brawls. Be ye thc.:11 killd, a.':> Baldn too wa:, kill(l! (:~.8:S-7)

He is portrayed by oLhel'~ 1..0 IJe tom piI.c,sioIlHlP, illld 1.0 have· Im)I! I!.II t j)'y to • many hearts (3.112H, l/11ff). Ile b il wr:II-liked charackr '."ho r:lJlb,)rli,.:-, tlw - 71 -

UJ(' !Jo pr~ tlt~jL i.., pantllf'1 1,0 tllb calm is Balder's contentedness with "al! the

:-'ObH'é d(~atlt allows" (:LtlrHJ). Ile seems to aspil'e to the highcl' ideal of a life in • whieh valll(~:-' alld J;('ople are more in keeping with his expectation~ and his way of' thill kiJl~:

•• , 1 ;tU (> 1 1ri LI j(' ('0 Il r~r' or (\~f'.." ,Ill ri III Y I:Jtp rl'tlll'll 10 light, IJI tilll('S ll'~'" alil'll 10 ;\ ~jlil'it mild, III II('W-I('('OVCI (·d !-,(·at...." Llle happicr clay. (;1..1)] 0-14)

1\aldl'l' d()('!-> Ilot 'I!..,k lo() 1111l(:!l--1)(' ollly ask, to live 111 a world of the best selves

of pwplP. Clllln pllh IL h('~t wheJl Iw says that "Like Plato's philosopher, he

[( Ihldpr)] wOllld l'l'tir!' 1I11c!f>r LIlI' shelter of a wall and not emerge 'til the

:w('olld A s)!;Hrd" (Cldln, l !JI):) ~:!~),

'l'II(' lillkill!-', or lIlorality tü the bcst self is a typically Arnoldian idea in that

Il(' ('()Jlf'rollh Ill<' llr>ljOIl of' 1l1()/'(lIity ill a dcep and charact.eristically multi-

dilll(·Il:-.i(lIl;!1 !";I." 1IÏ() Il , Thb view illlplic:'> that only the best self in a human • Iwill~ is able tn cJ'('a\{> ail illlp l'lIali ZN! value system and challenge the esta- hli ... I)('c! orr!n with illdividual jlldp;CIIIPIIL. The qualitics of fiexibility, as weil as

Lh()~(' thaL J!()J'l.r:\y \,I!(, pol('lILial ·'llggP ... tcd in tll(' best self of people, àre astutely

ollt.lil}('d in c!tal a('(.(' l' trait" that l'mlloely thcsl'. For example, Merope is the

l'1Il!JodiIllPIlL or her P0l'IlI'::; "~hirtillg; confiicts and disjunction" (Zietlow, l'.Ierope

7~), TI!olll:'.,h Ll!p\'l' 1" IIII1CI! Lh:!!. i~ ordinary in thc charackl's of bath poems,

~C)III(' () l' t 11(' ]lI'lIICljl:\., 1 P1 :\Y('J'.'- (()1 ('\.jlr('ss s('ntllllcnts. tlatl are "b"ctwr, an cl cl 0

questiO!l the Illolïtlit)' th:lt. b in existence. In fact, thesc characters secm quite

t'l'l'l' to dpdd<' 011 a (,Ollr~(' of action without any external or absolute guirl.ance.

BlIL t.he "IlP\\' \\'orld" or syskm is by no mcans clcarly articulated. This dimculty

is Ill's(, ('xelllplilied Il)' llodcr's ail but impossible task of travelling to Hela's

rl':lIIll: "... hl' l!lllSt tJ'cad a dark untravellcd l'oad'' (1.143). The journey is • ::-OIlH·l!O\\ madt'. 110\\,('\'(,1', and the h-;t t\\'o of Arnold's five long poems close - ~ t) -

on an optimistlc not~ on the dialt'rtit'!ll qUl'stinll or llH"'r:11 valut'~. This i" by nn

means aIl absolute l'csolutioll. but, thc!'l' is n ('t'l't:lill 1'l':1<'(' to iH' had i1l thl' r<'ali- • zation that the question of values i~ mon' 01H'n and lit')., ibk t,han it appl':m; al first glanre.

FOl'lll in .Mc1'011e and JJa/del J)ean is Y('l'y Ill\lt'It :1 di:llp('\il':d 1''\ pI'rillH'llt t hat i·.

brave in its intent bilL tlIll'c::301ved in il:-. I("'lllt. Th\' pl'I'1I1i~t, (\f' t.h(· ('\1)('1 itlll'lll

is that fOl'Ill lIns a place in p(wties. And ill :\!'lI(lld'~, Il()(,tk', it Illt':lflt:l l,rilq~itlt"

togethel' into one cohcr('nL whol(' thl' lH':\llly, .1 .... \\(·11 :\ .... tIlt' idl':I:' IIt:d \Il'('dl'd Il)

be conveycd. j\!crojJc and /Jalde/ f)('od :,!I()\\ LIt(' ('\tl'I'IIII", lu \\ Ili, Il tilt' 1'01111 (lI'

poet!',)' cau C).,LClld, and withouL leadill).!, (0 :t d('lillitt' ('OllCIIl::.io!l. \\'11:11 ;\ rt\\lld

does is huilcl a dirtlrl't:cal s!.ruc(,Il\'(' \\'itltill II\(' Lw() IH)('1l1~, c.:1\()\\ill!~, ill (\11(', :111

extl'cme WhCl'l' [OI'lU Lakes ove!' (i\f/'107J/'). :1I1d in tIlt' olhl'!' Ilo\\' l'orlll (':111 1)('

significanUy oycrshadowl'd (lJoldcl f)carl). 1,'10111 aIl :\('·,L1\1'ti(' p()illt. 01' vil'w,

Balder Dead is clenrly more appealing thall "tC/OjH'. Ir 011(' i~; 10 vi('w tlrb k('hll­

ically, howevcr, both are cqually intnc:-,tin).!; ill tha/' 1':l('h It:l..... a df'liniU' ('(llll('llt

• thaL is ta !Je cOllllllunicateù alld each fias li

relation of thc ac:::.LhcLic lo the t('('hnieally dr('('tiy(' will II

A1eropc is wriLteIl in the Gl'cck stylP; a:-> Al'liuld :->1,:11'('<1, liÏ~, ilill'llt.i()lr W:I'; I~J

glve. reacl'" Cl' s a SpeClTl1Cn. 0 f' L1 Je \VOl' Il( ('l'f':tf(,( Il>,V t 11(' ('tll'l' l'.. 1111:q',III:d,r(JII .. "

(Tinker & Lowry 3Q8). In t.his 11Î1lI't('eIlLI!-('I'IlLIII'Y ~1)('('illll'll IL \Volrld ;11>1>/':1/

that form takes over for tire larg('~L palt. and :-'1:(·killJ!. 1)111. t.I11' ('1)1111'111, (',111 ~,()IIl~'­

times be difIicult. Arnold himsp\f shid in :t 11'1.1(·1' tll:lI, "1'1'llpll' d,> Ill)! Il U 1\1' 1'-

stand what a tcmptiltioJl t1wre is .•• Ij) tr:III"j'f'1 y0111' 0IWI';lIi(Jn..., II> (\ l'l'J.!;IOII

where form i::, eV(~J'yLhillp;. ]>crr(~cLion of a ('('1 taill killd 1J111y t.IJ1'I (. 1)(· atl.'IÎIl(·d ..

. "(Tinker & Lowry :3!Jü). IL b perfection of a di0tillct ki)JIl. alld il j" ('rrlig;lrtl'Il­

ing ta see the 1TI ail Il!; r ill which the ('(~adel' illt('nl('f,c, wiLll 1/1(1 forlll, :1:, \V(·II a.c, 1/1 • judge the suceess or railure or Arnold's ex 1)(; l'i III 1'111. wi1.b j()I'lP ill ,~!"1f17)e, 11. i<~ a 7 () -

hi" :-,ay that "!l1erope p"ocl!

J'(;p,,()d1Jf: I' ~I;, f'aitld'lllly a.s possible n ~}JecilJ1(!1l of Greek tragedy in order to • lldv:lJlI'(' tlw illf,r·II(·('1,ual deliver31lce of' t1J(~ agi' than from his poetic instinct to lld:lfJt Uw old III t,h(~ JJ(~W in a fn>e, subjective, alld creative manner" (Bright 56).

Tlli c, :t1II!\\", (JII(' fn hold fh(· opillio!l that Merope WH.'" writ.ten by Arnold as a cri­

tif' 1':1111('1 t.h:111 :\'. :1 PO('\"

011(' nI' t111' ill<;1.;1JI(·ps in M e1O]JC in which tllP Hudience is made qui te cons­

(·jOllc, (If tllf' 1'0 J'Il 1 of Ihi' j>O(·tl'y h(' 01' she j" n'arling ie; the prÎmal'y speeches of

11(,j,VpI1/lllt /H , :tilt! Î\·!f'J'ope. Af'tpl' Polypholltes ha.c; dclive'l'ed his eloquent appeal

ff) 1\1('/(>1)(' ()" thC' J(·lativi:-,ti<.: llature of valuc~, ~/lel'ope replies wit.h a wel\­

('Oll"tl'll('\'f'd 1'('1111\'\;11 which climaxes \Vith, "Thy crown condemns thee, while thy

IIl/lv,I/I' :t1h()lv(·..,--"(:{:~2), Bc('nl1~c of the mcthodical and J'hetorical nature of

11<'1' 1'1'1'1,\ tlt(· :lllrli('II('(' j:.., IIlndc aClltc'ly n\\';1J'(' of t.IH' fo!'m of her speech, unlike

III!' C'1:lIil,\' :Llld lIo\\ with whicll J>()lypholltc~ ~Jlok(·. In Mcropc's speech there is

t.h(· di:.tilJ(·t r('(·lill~ of !>II'IIC(,IJI'(' and bal:1llc(> of c,f'lltcnccs as in a dcbate. The • r('c,ol\atill~ IH':d~ or !.Il<' rh::tltm in which she S\)(>\11\" obsc\lres the rcason of her :11').!;11111(·Ilt.", Indvl'

IL ilia,\' 1)(' tltal, the (kll~ity or Polyphontes' :-;peecb Imc, t.aken it." t,QII on the

J'radt'I', !>(l (h,,( I)y t.he tillle he or she gels (0 ;V. ,ope's speech form is the most

alldible. COl1tPllt, is ov(')'-shr.dowed once a~ ,,1 !Il Listances where description

hl'('()IlH'~ ~l1h()rdillal<>d (0 form a.c; in lines 1-33 1d 31-55; or as in lines 338-384

ill which Il)(, ('\('h:IIl~(' i!'> highl~r rhetorical and aSStlllH'S (,he f'ormllinic ftavour of

b:II1('1' n)' d('h:I('. Thi~ hJ'il1~~ to minci Amold's idea thaL one of the offices of

jl(W( l'~ I~ "In ('0111 ]l0"'\' and l'k\'atl' the iIl inti by a suc,Lnined tone, numerou:; allu­

"IOIl!>, :md :\ hl':md ~t~I(·" (LCtlC1S 100). lt is possible that he aclhcred to this

ide" III 0 l'l' tit!,htl~ th,1I1 he t:-hould hayc 111 Alelope becausc it seems that this • ")!,ralld :-.(~It·" hl\(,~ tltl' JlOl'l11 :111 ni!' of having been stifled. - 1 1 -

The 1'onu of l\Je/o7Ic. ho\\'n'er, does h:1\'l' at ka:-.I (l1\(' J't'd(·l'I11ill).', r~':lll1l'\',

This is the Chorus of the p(wm jplay. Ils dialop,ul' i:-. a phy"il':t! :uld P"~ ~'I\\,l\l~i- • cal break from th(' l()lI~ :111<1 i111(' I1S(' sp('('chl's of Polypl!olllP" :11Id \\l'I

as cathartic. The Chorus. \\'ith iLs strophe .111d :l1IIi:-.ll(lldll'. \1(\11-...... \\'('11.

engendering di{fel'enl ~''\I)('('t:\tions in a l'('ad('1'. 'l'Il(' Yn:-'l' boIt!" t hl' :I\h'llti\lll (lI'

the reader ,,'hen ut.teJ'('d h~' Llle Cl1oru" 1110 l'l' th:l1l il do!':-. ill :111,\ 1)lbn il1lt'I:l(,-

tion in lHero}Je. The Chorl1s Ill:1Y \\'pll 1)(' tll(, :-':1\ Îlle, 1'..1':1\'1' 11\ thi" \ ('1 ',l' CO!'111

because \Vith the111 1,11('1'(' i" 110 hint or :1I'lili('i:1lil~' (lI' \\'1)lldl'1I11 1 ",', Il 11('11 Ibl'~'

speak. 111 a(ldition 10 il." :-'\1('('(''':-; \\ith the (\h()rll~, tlti:-- \'('l'~.. o(' 1'()1'1l1 dOI':-' intll'('''

have it moments, 110\\,l'\'(,1' l'ew, and they OCClU' pril\\:trily wl\l'Il UIlI' ht'l'(l1!\(':-'

quite il1volved in t!J(' slol'y. 0110 (·xmllplc· i:-. AC'pytlls' spl'('('11 \\'h('" hl' li 1':-.1, S('(':-;

Merope:

And look, to meet thp1l1, t.liaL on('. J..!;I'ipl'-plul1{!,<,d )1'01'111, Severer, pa'\cr, ~ti1\,(>li('J' th:111 t,!Jey :111, A golden cil'cleL 011 IH'I'

And yet one call f'nirly ~H'y th:1I whik it, "1I1ll~ ;dollg; ill pla('e:-" !.lti ..... i:, 11()1. ;1 vn:.I'

form without its jerks alld :-,pllII,(·rillg;:-,. Arllold is of' tJ](' opi"j()11 111:11. :l PI)P!.':,

highest achievemcnt occurs whell hoth eOlleeptioll and f'XIJl'I"·; ..... ioll an' POf'til':11

because il, \Voulel appear that he ~a('l'jfi(:('d cOllceptioll t() expI'P~,:-.i(JII, fI. j<, Il!)!. In

say, howevel', that hi:-, coJlceptir)f) or 11111/lHlliLy is lost ill Mf;1()/";, (JI",\' Lh:II, il, b

dimcult ta gra.,,>p.

Balder Dead prc~cllt:-, ail tlltirt'ly Jill'crellt Vf~r:-'I()Jl ()l' AI'Jjf)ld\ f!'J(,t,i(':i. Il,

would seem that in Lltb potl/I j\ l'lIold ;1;':-'(:1'1.,:> Iri:-, !Jf;lid tll(J!, tlJf: c)1.ly t.Ilirl!~ fUI • his Lime is poetry of "~reat plaillllf':-'s or sP(>(;C;ll" (Ldl(~1.~ I~·l). III HolrI';1 IJI'od - 78 -

Th,. fOrlIJ {JI' t1J(~ pof'tJ'y j<, (!lll,il'ply ullobtrllsive, and its most ol1tstanding featllre

is iL." flexi IJility. J t i~ ill a blallk verse that allows fOI" 111 Ileh movement in its • f 1I11('t,ioll'-,. 1'01 ill'.blll('(' if. all(J\ ... ·~ fol' poignant 5pecchc~, Iilce thosc of Hela (~()~II.) ;Illd 1J 1'1"111 <>1/ (IkOIl.). And bcyond moving spcechc~ il nllow" for cer­

Lai II '>lw(i;LI (·fI('ch. ;1..., il, WU(', IH,(! Lok'::, powcl'ful faI'lncr-dop; simile (fj-20) and

t!J(' ofl r('fwal.r!c! ('11:IIII,..likl' IPl'I';till "\\'hom, thou!,!;h Gods, we haLe" (1.:38,1.11,

J()J'lt! i:o will'Il il. w()rk'> ill 111(' ~('l'vi('(' of pllrp descriptive Wl'itillg:

A lld :111111:11 11\'1"1. :11l.! :dl \\ idl()11!, lire. wept. And :1'> ill willtl'I. \V111'11 tll(' fIO..,','> break l1P, i\ f will Il l " 1·11t!. 1,(· 1() Il' 1111' ~'/II'ill!.!, 1JI')!;in::" A IId :t \\':11 JII \\1',>1- \\ illd hl()\\ ...... :lIlc! thaw sd:,; III j\ ft (' 1 : III Il 1 ) 11 1 •1 rli i PI) i 1I~, ,(, 1 1 1\ d i ~ Il (, ; II d III ail III(' !'()II .... h. ,llld 1111' :-,()lt-~lre\V1l SIlOW (1IId"1 1111' Il'''1'', l', d!i,I,hl t IIÎ('k \Vith hol{''-o. A 1\11 l'I'() Il 1 tlj(' hOII!.',II'''' tlll' :>lIowloads shuflle clown; Alld, ill jjl,ld, ',1"/1111" 'I) Ill<' sOllth. dark plots or /-!,l':I','> P('('P IlIII :111.1<1 '>lllle'llllding SIlO\v, 1\ 11<1 \l'idl'Il. ,11101 III<' ,'l':I''dllt'--. h('(l!'(, b glnc1- So (,111'0111-';11 t)J(' world \Va:> 1)(';11'(1 a. dripping noise ()r :tli tlIill)2.--' \1'f'l·pill).', to Inille, Balder lJllC'k; • And t!Jel!' 1'(·11 joy IIIJ1lI111I,. (;ods to hear. (3.30G-20)

Anlold 011('(' ,>aif) t.l1:1I 11I1)(kl'll P()('tl'y Il1l1<,t he the "magister vitae" of its Ume

ail d tha\.

Lh(, lallgu:\I;{'. ~t.\ 1" :111.1 g,t'llcl'al procccdings of a poctI-y whicIJ hn:. SlIch:lll il1ll11C'Ilse ta~k ta pcrform, must be very pl:tiIl, dit'l'd :111.1 ~('\'(,I(': :Ind il 1ll1l~t. Ilot lose itsrlf in pmts and cpisodC's :\lld ()\'II;UIlC'lltal work, b1\t must. press for­ \\':\rd~ to tll(' \\!tlllt'. (Lct!('/ ..., 1:!1)

1le :-;('('Il1~ 10 dl ('ct, t.hi:-; b !l(/IdCI Dcad in that. the strong message of its state-

III t'nI Oll lIulll:lllit.y ('oilles a(,I()~S ulloht.r1\si\'Cly hut c1early. Like Balder, the

IllH'Ill says ib pil'(,(, quidly but H"lIllr. The idea is certainly not. lost in the

('xpl'('s~ioll ill Illis pOl'Ill. :lI\d llC'itlwl' i... th(> porm C'l1tirrly fOl'mless. lt could be • :l1'~ll('d, ho" ('\'('1', t hat wh a! J'Ol'lll it hn ... lad~s rÏchness in its unobtrusiveness. . :-!l -

ln these two poems AnlOld is l"')'pl'rill1Clllin~ \Vith rOl'lll:11 "lt'itl'tUI'(' in pP\'­

tl'Y, but in a contl'ol:ed manlH't' and ",ith ('onlldrllCC', 'l'hough \ln~l1l'l' \lI' n J"pso­ • lution, he trics his C'xlrl'lI1cly dillerc'Il1 forllle; wilh 1 hl' ('o!t\'ictillii Ih:\t Ihl'~ :\l'li­ culatc' the dialcctie of po('üe formai ::-.lrlll'tll\'(', Ik \\ hllll'·ltl':\lll'dh :''l')\I~ 1'01'1\\

lü dOlllin;ü(' ~ontcnt in Mno/lc. :llId ill Ihi" \\:\~ :-':\('1 ili"l':-' thl' l'llllllllllllil',ltillll (lI'

what al'(, SOIll(' worlhwhilc, j,ka", ln ",\! CldJ)(' :\I\d tl\l' 1 \",til'" (li' l.ik\':II'~'

l{c\'ivali~Ill." MichaC'lllrig,ht i::. (lI tl1(' O\llllil)1\ IIl:lI "'\IIlOld'" Illl'I' l'Ill' 11ll' (;I\'pk

lcd him ta l'cproduce it as exa '11,''- as p()~:-,ihll'. :llId ill ~.()

allowance l'orthe infusion of hl:-,owll:-.oltl" (;>7),III)\\"\'('\'. A\'lIold Il:\s~::lill that

"when you adopL this or that 1'01'111 yOll lllll,,1 :-.al'l'iti('(, 1IIIICl1 ln Iltl' "11:,('1\1 bll'

and that f01'1ll in rctul'Il for admirahle (,11,,('\:-. d('Ilt:II\l\:-' illlllll'll:,(' ~,:\(,Iiti\'(,:,"

(Letlcl's81). Contcnton the oLlH,r hnnd i:-, :111()II'I,d tn c!(lIllill:II(' ill /ltlfdn J)t'lId,

In this poem one !'(~('alls Al'llold's :';('I\(ÎIlli'llt I.h:lI, "11I:11.1.!'1' i:-, tl\l' ('>"PI'l,:;"j()J\ or

the richncss of [a po('L'~1 miIld" (!./(~II('I'; )()()) 1II'(':\li'-.(' 11I'1'l' \V(' lintl :1 ('(IIJ('('lltla­

tion on mattel', and secondal'Y alet'llt.io1) Lo (,\]>)'('~"i()11 (lI' "ly\(', My vi/'w i~; that. • ncithcr cxtrcmc work::> I)('causc tht' ridlll('~:-' or (l()('t,I',v ('()Ill(':-' 1'1()1I1 t,IJI' ~lIl>tI(, but crucial illtcrplay beLwccll fOl'm and conLl'flL,

MeTope and }]alder Dcad, the last two of A J'fl()ld'~ liv(' 1()11~~ !>(){'III:-'. (':11' Ilill'dl,v

be called nullitics, Each in ils OWI1 way ~1)(,r1c, liJ2;lrt. 011 :-,O/JII' :-.Îf',llili(':I1It. q'II'~;­

tions in the Al'lloldiflll dialedic. Th(· ql(C'<..,Lioli nI V:t1II1'" i', dl,:t!1 Wit.ll, ;1111\ :1

syntllC:-'Î:::. of :o,orU., j:-, rcacllcd wherC' ()lllw:Il"] 1()1'1f1~, IJI' :11I1.!t'JIÎly :11 1 111)/ ('IIt.ill,lv

rcjectcd; but l,hey

judgement ill r'l'f':tt,illg a sy:-.tefll of IIICJI:d \":t1IJ('S i'" ('IIIJlII;I,izr,t! ï III' 1j11(",t.j(J':,

exarnincd in Mel0]JC arc ('Il(,L by (;1111(·1' ill hlWfJ/liOII/JL /t"I1,'"m: "111

a GI'~ek tragedy t,1}(' \'al"e<.., ,11<' relativ(:Jy l'Ir~al', thl' i' ',1((' Î', ',II;II!,I\' d('filll'd, and

t,hc ellcet dp\l(,Il(]<, lJjJOII tll(' iwvit;Jbl<- aIld !'OI'<':,!r;ldfJ\\'rr! \v(,IIIIIt' qllLIJf 1,))1' • catastl'OjJ!Jc, BilL herc tlw valtll~;, art~ IlOt, dea!', alld titi' IIli.r 1(" 1.1:lll11 1 dl !Jr'/Id', - ~() -

11\111\1 111 1' \v(II'Lill); (Jill ()f 1I1f' prol)lf'I!)" (2~:5). Mel'()p(~, howevel', goes about

tld, vl'ry Il'IJL;llivel'y, Balder, UIl tlJf' othel 11<1IId, h l)ulder ill his manner, more • ',1IJ'I' JI,. j .. (J'IL;IIII I)f IIJ(' IJ(';'1. ,,1,11' j/l rH'op11' :llld 111<11 t!J(' realizaLÏon of people iiI' 1111·il' IJI"'I, :-(;/VI':-' will Ild{f' thl' \\,()rld w" jd(>~t1j<.,l.j(· :t.c, he (ano many) imagine

il, IIJ Lr., Il,t/d(·, i:-, ",11/(' ("I()ll~11 10 W:lit l'or (hi:, lilil(>. The BcsL Self it,:-,elf is

, \ ,d'li ( ri jll Illl':'f' tW() IJlJf'III'~ }Jt'J!wpe., :-\:-. li 11)<':111'> of di:-,:,('('(,ing il, to show ils

11·:dll\ ill 1111111 :111 l)('ill~"" IL j:-, f').plorl'd ill il.", di"'('J'I'II' p:lrL<., and elJamcLeristics in

di/II·!'f·ll!. p('opll' ill Ulf! POf'III"'. Formally, th('~(' two JlO('IIlS are experimental.

Th Il';1<11'1 j, PlloC,I'lllpc! wjlll L-vo exln'lIlP<.,: 011(' \\,11('1'( j'Ol'Ill b felL éteulely in

1111' rl';ldil\~~, ;llld IJI)(' wlil'/'(' iL i:-. l'('lt Ilardl,\ "l :111. III l\/C/lJ!JC one is forced to

dl':d witll :1 \'I·I.\' ',l.lkt VI'I'SI' 1'01'111 wl.(,lI tryillg; (0 1I11c!C'I'':l(alld \Vha\' is a very

('(Jlllp('lIillf~ dl;IIIl:t; :tlld ill noldcl Dead the rcader 1)(,C'OIlH'S awal'(, that while the

\'('/",1' <-,1",11' ()I Lhi~, dyll:lll1ic' lJaIT:lLiv(' ie., qllitp fiPxihli', IH'rhaps it. lacks a richness

tlt:iI :1I1I,(,t.<, LIli' PO('111 :\.'" :1 w!toll' due 10 tlll' UI10IJtl'1l'.. ivCIIPS:-' of the forlll, Not

;dl i:-'!-;lI<'~' H)'(' lIl's dpalt wiLh in Balder flt.:Clcl :Llld MelO/Je Illnke t.lie:,,(' pO('Il1S mol'c wOl'thwhile t.han they have been

1-',1\'1'11 ('l'I'dil roI' ill 1111' p:!.'-ol.; éllld :\.<.:; wc ha\'(' secn, they make a significant contl'i­

IHIIÎ\l11 10 (IJ(' :-.t \Id~' or the Arnoldian dialcetic.

• - ~ 1 -

• This bibliogl'è1phy i,,- di\'i(k·d into l\\() main pa\"t~: l):\rt 1, inl'!\ldl'''- :\11 1'l'l1ll:11 ~ texts of 1\1attllC'w AI'II(lld: 1':11'1:2 (,ol1lain:-; ail ~t'\'oIHl:ll': t\'\I;,. Tlti-, "('1",,<1 P:I\'t is sub-dividecl iIlW thll't.' "-l'cliol\": 1. ~C'I\('\':\l st\ld\('~ in 1\1:11111(·\\ \rllldd: '2. l'eadings uf p.u,til'lIhl' PU('1I1": alld :L nthel' \\()l'J...... This hihliograph: ('()1l1:lill .... \\01 k .... citl'd :11\<1 \\ork .... ('()ll~\llt('d.

PART 1: PRfMAHY TEXTS

Arnold. Mau,ht'w. Complctt' ]J/OaC Ilo!l.,) 1';<1. H II. SlIp!'r, 10 vob, AIII1 :\rIHl!: Illli\'('I.,ily of 1\;1ie1lÏg;:llI PI'l·:-, .... , 1!l()()·77.

Lettels1848-/888 Ed, (ieol').!,c W,E. Hu:-.sell. New YOI'k: r\'I;I('1l1ill:lll. IHDf).

Matthew Amold, Ed. James Gl'ibble. London: Collier Ma('llllliall. 1 ~lI\7,

Mer01JC, (to wInch 1,<, (/JJ!lnu!rr! ti,t: I-.,'!t:c//a of SOIJ/lOdes) 1':rl .. 1. ('hlll'I()11 (~()I­ • lins. Oxford: Clarpndoll 1>/'1':-;<-;, 1!)()(). New Poetns lSL ('(1. LOlldo)): Mncmillall, 1 HG7,

On thc Clas5ical 'J,ad/Iton Ed, H, Il. Super. A Il Il AI'IH)I': 'l'Il<' 1I11·IVI'!:,il.y ()l' Michigan pJ'(~"'s, 1 ~JG().

Poel1yand ClIl/CI'Jm of Mattltew Allwft! Ed. A. Ih"I!!,IIL CIIII,,!. HIJ:,IAlIJ: Houghwn Milllill , HW!. Cit,ed (1.'1 jJ{!!C(lb('d fo! ail pl'O;"f' (i1.:lfiull' .)

Soh1'ab and 1I1I.5l1/1/I and Ofllf:' jJOWIS Ed. J. Collill!, CH:,!.I(·III:III. [\;l'\'J YU!\;: M acm il! aIl. 1n()~>.

The Lelle]','} of Matthew ,11lwld fI) Art/nl1 Ihl'11t (:Iouf//' 1-;<1. /1/)\\';11 d l''f/I',I,'! Lowry, Oxford: Clarelldoll Pl'e~'-" 1 !J:~~, (;ilf>t! a.'-, /, dfu.',.

Poems of A1at/hel/! Al1lOld Ed. ['('1J1I(,1I1 Allo!.L. l\J(·w Y()lle Lf)!I~~fI}(III') . • Greell, 1<)65. (lJ~ed fi))' ail !J()('IIY ('jt:diIJlI"'.) ------~-

A IIfJLt, K(·IIW1JI. • Il' f!.1olllu /l'11/IJ/rl ],')Ilr]OIl: ],OJlgmaJJ5, Green, 191)1).

------, (·d. !Vul('l!: (I/Id ///('1/ /11/1'1. (/1 0 III/ri !v!aUhew Arnold London: Bell, Hl75.

A JUni, CJI;1J J, .• , "Arrl()J,J :llld TI'IIII,"'I)IJ: TJJI' J,'Ji).',llt of VieLoriall Lyri('i~1I1 as Context of tVl0r!"III1',JII," ('111111'>111 ~():~ (lll7,'\): :2~I-:W().

;\ Il dl' r~,() Il, \ V,II ! l' 11 1), 1\1(/111'1'/11 ,II/111ft! III/ri Ih/' (:11/8.'-./1'0/ '!,0t!i1101/ AIlIl Arbor: U of rvlichigan P, 1!l fi;L

1h 11111, 1';1\111 J". 'f't'Il SI Il r//I'.'> III ,f,(' IJodl!l of \I(//I!tCIII Amold NorLh Carolina: Duke Univer­ ;-,iLv J 'II";~', 1 !);)~.

1kighL, Îvl il·II;\I' 1. "Mc}()Jlt~ alld 11l1' 1'()(>1Î('s of Li1:€l'at,y Revivalism," 11~e Anwldian 1;-J( 1 ) (K7 j'KR): ,I()-;J'K .

1~ l'Il \\' 1\, l'; dIV: 1\ d h: j Il () 1 ; III • Mllllhl'/[I,tl/wlil l ,<"'ïlldlj III ('vII/lu,t Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1948. Hl\ck!(>J", \\'illi:ulI K 0/1 Il/t' nil'hll {If 1\ll/lIlu Il' ,l''IO/rl New York: New Yod:: UP, 1082,

HIII'i!:1I111, l';d\\'ill H. "Th\' 11\l1l1:\1l1~111 or j\1:lLlIlt'w Arnold," Symposwm'2 (lU31): 85-112.

('I1:\llIl)('r:-;, KI" Malt/II'I/I 'bno/d, 1,"::tl/r1!) Oxfo]'d: Clnl'('lldol1 Press, 1947,

('11;11111)(']':"', .lall('. "And Thlls \\'l> lIalf-Î\lel1 Stl'l1gglP: Spirit.ual ]ncomp)et.e!1C:ss in the Poetry ul' Ilopkill:--, Arnold :uld Bl'o\\nilli!." "Irtonans 111.'Jtlfute Jomnal]O (lg81- ~~) : 1 1:{- 1 ;~ 1.

('()l1l1ill~, ~idll(,y Î\ l, H, Matthcl/' tllJO/1I and Ilis ('I/I/r .... Atltcns: Ohio UP, 197..J.

"Î\\ :\t t h('\\' ;\ l'Ilolll'.., 1~f):l Pl'dacc: Its Ol'igin ano Aftel'math," Victorian Stu­ • (!Ic' .... -; ( I!)(i ; ). ~:~:{-(i:L \...,.) - \" ~) -

Culler. A. Dwight. Imaqmalll'c RC

Dean, Paul and J.lcquelillc John::-oll. • "'\Vandt'rius; HC'l\\C('ll 'l\\() \Vnl"ld~''': 0.httl1\·\\' '\rllnld III Lilllho." /)/lIhlllll [f/lIl'ClSI!!} Journal () l \\)7~): b7-ï~.

DeLlUl:.~MII/ ..... /'II' ..... c'lIlc·d 10 li' /l'ho Id " Altlck CnI111llbu>-,: Ohio :-;tat(' UJl. IOst: 1\l7-~~1.

------, cd. J\1atthclL' A1Jlu/d (.,1 ('o//ecl/OIJ of ('lll/('u/ 1~\ .... I1II,"') l';l\d<'\\'()()c! ('Iill ... , N.I: Prr'lltic(' liaI\. I07:L

DOlIgb.... ])cIlIli .... l't\'l aulH.'w j\ mold anù the C1'Îtical ~p·lrit.," l~'lIyllhlt :-I/lId1l·,., [)\) ( 1\l7 ri): :ll-l­ !)::!.

Dllllill, II(.'Il1'~ (:11:11'1(·::" Al/toM Ihe ]Jot'l Lonclon: Howe:; l'\: Ho\\'( ...... 1!l(j~.

FrvklllHll. Erik . . "JJllkr Xuowlcdgc" and "U1/COIII/llc/'ahll' I/II//e" 1\ '/1/(;/1/(/111' SllIdll of ll/J/l/cll'.·. TOlIJa1d.~ L1fe t/l Matthew All1old's IJOt:!I!1 18.{!J-lh'5:'.' Stol'!-; !toi Ill: IIIIÎvt'r:-.i­ ta\.it. (;()t!t('bl1r~(,Il:-.is, l!HiG. • Gate!':>, Lnvi:-. l':. 77l/cc Sll/Ihe.,> in Lllcmlllrc New York: IV!:L('llIill:lJl, IH!)!).

GoU,i'ri('d, !,('Oll. AIallhew All/Old and tlte U01tWll!tcs. /'olldoll: !{ollt.!t>dgc· .'V 1\/'g:\l1 P:I1I1, ln (j:L

HOllan, Park. A! a tthew Amolri A [-1fe New York: M cC l'a\V Ilill, I!lX 1.

Jamc::" D. C. Matthew Auto/d and lhe Decime of h'llql,''/, !:OI/lf/1IIIf:/,.'"'' LOlldrJll: Oxl'ord UP,1f)()I.

Johnson, \Vpnd(dl Stacy. The VVU'CS of Mal/hew A1nold, An h\)I/.~ 1/l C'lIlU'/M!L Nt·w Il ;IVI'II: YlIl(· U p, l nf) 1.

Knoepflm ache!', (T. C. "Doyer Revisited: The 'v\'OI'

\~;)dd'·II. \Villi;1111 .'\. MIl/lllof' 117/1I)/t! il ,"l"rlv of jJI)CllC TC1llpCramc71l tH V1ctorzan England HIIJ(,11l i lljzlflll: IIlr!i811~1 UllÎV(;I'C:Îty Prp !'><." 1nô7.

\1IlÎI. ""llll( th. • "'\111''\<\ :111r! 111(' V;('lol';:11I Uilr-lJllll;t,";1! 'Jïlf; })engnl1l New \V12tlllg Ed . . Ililili LI 11111:111. LIJIJ(lolJ: 1'(;f1.E;lJill Booke.,. 1047: 1(J.5-1();~.

1'( Il i1J'., 1) .1\ 1./. "j\/lII>ld :llillllll·I,'lJllc1i()11 nt' Lit(,l'aLllIC," HL 11 lB (HJ51): 267-309,

U111",1. /\11:111. 111/1I1t!\ /'111'/1/ 1.111111',111/1(;" IJdl;IIIO}'I': .John .... Ilopkill!) \lp, }Ç)()O,

1:(1\\('11. j\';(JIIIl:1 "llln,i'JiI .llld 1lllit\ ill i\1:tt,tl]('\\ Arllold: '/'\\,(} J>a."~ages fl'om the Yale \1'-.." '/II( .I/IIO/d,lll;;" (1~)7!)): J(l-If).

St:III1'.'" C. 1:(>111'11. 'J'hl' f'(lf'l (h 1l1l1l1(1IJ1~f Np\\ .lnspy: l)ril1('plol1 UP, lUG7.

'1';11 "1'1. ('. 1'.. :llld Il. 1,', Lowry. 'j'fl(' /'o('/I!llIf (\./(/11111'1/1 A1'1Iold il CommClIl(l1Y London: Oxford UP, 1950.

T()II"I'" "iIH'I'111 L, .. 1 tllh/IOf/III],1I11 of ,\!attl!('1J) Ar1/old Uni\'(']'~ity Park: Pennsylvania State tIIlIV\'I"it.\, l'II'C,',, IOil.

TlilliIIK,l,j('IJI'I !II 1/1/1, t'II' IllIo/d l\1'W York: Columbia Univer:;;ity Pre5s, 1940.

S(·etiOll :!: 1l(·:tdiJ1~ of Particular Pocms

!\ h.hrlî:lIl, 0\ III Ioll:dl. ":\111,>1.1 :llId ~()hrah III \Vasteland," Vt'ctollans 11l,stitlltc J01lrnal8 (1979): (i! ~\l.

Il :Il 1 i .... \ li 1. \ Il 1( Ji 1\' . "'\ill()ld. I\(::lh and th(· Ideologies of Empcdoclcs on Etna," in his Vt'ctonan !'(l, t" (/"d '.'O/lllllltll' 1'(}(,1II8 1l2tcrtc:rtuahty and ldcology Charlottesville: UP ,d'\il",ilill. lll\l(): lb-l::;,

LI':I\'\, 1\:11 l, Il 1 1>':1 ,c, "1~1'ltI! ,'1 1~lilt:lll\ \ !'\ t' \\ Int('rpll't:ltion of ~datthew Arnold's Tristram il Il d /" l' 1/ !t" \ 11 t01/ ri 1/ l '(1 t'lI il J 8 ( l!) SCl): 1-22 .

i\IC(;:IIIII. ,1"11'111(' .1 ";-"I:llth,'\\ \\ 11I)ld :l\ld Ihe ('ritÎ('al ~pÎrit: The Three Te:-..ts of Em7)edocles 01/ /"{I/u." III III .... \ l,t,l/llIlI ('OIl71('ct/OllS Charlottesville: UP of Virginia, • 1\J~\): 1 Il>- 1Î 1. Shmicfsh, f.-l:\l'\\'l. ".AI'l1~)ld·:s Attl '1l1jll to '1':\111(' a ~11Il'\\' Calkd P,t~::-i\JI'," \ Id()l/tlll l'octt.ll 1 ( HiS 1): :11- 1;).

Ulmer, \\ïlli:llll, .\. • ''Hom:mti,' in Amolli'!" Tl/sl/tInl II/III S/lIdlt'... III ~\,)d\'lllil~ 1.'wl/lt," T(,I(/,~ [,I/C/lIIII/C and 1,(///(/1/(/(/(':!7 (Sprillf!; IIlS;»).

Zictlo\\', Pnlli. "["~liltlr(' :llld 11Ik~,lil\' in l\1:\ttlt(,\\, Arl1old':., J\!t'/OIIC." ;'[od!'", 1 (/1/9 11111/1' Qlinder! li \ 1n~:!): li, -~ li.

"Il c ,ll'<1 Ill]! ll J1 1!('('

Section 3: 001<'1' \V(H'ks

Acton, }-1. B. "Hegel, Ceol).', \\ Il h(' l!1l I·'ri('dl'ich." J~'IlI'!lrI()I'('t1/(/ of 1'/1/101'(1)/11/ 1·:1\ P;"t! Ed\\'8rd~. S \ob. ]\('\\ York: Ma(,lllillall, I!}()Î: ·t:{;)-I;)I.

Afanasyev, Viktor (; 1 ig()r~ ('vi('11. Dwlecllrol !liaI< //(/h~1I1 New York: Illl('rll:iI,inll:t1 PIlI,ji~,Ij('I". l!lSï.

Altick, H.ichard D. v'1dorwn J1co]/lc (l/ul I

Be n th am, .Je rr III y. From "The J::lliollak or \{('ward," ill V,e(OIltLll j'()eI/11 /111ft J'(JI II/'.'; \';<\',. Waller E. llollg,htoll alld C. Hoberl SLaJlge. BO':JLoll: JIf)II~llfnll ivlifllill Company, H)(i~: ~ 1:1-.'-: 1 J.

Bradley, A. C. "'i'he LOllg PU('lll III tlJ(: A).!;c or W()ld~\VOltll" ill ()JJouJ L/'I'!I/I/::, 11/1 /'od/II New York: St.. 0.'1 ~II Lill ':-, 1'1'(><"<", 1q(j:): 177 -:.W;).

Ch apm ail, H.aylll () Il' 1. The Vtc!O/UlI! Dehlllr: N<:w York: Ha:.,ic Ho()ké>, 1 ()().;.

Coope r, .J. C. An 1I111'iI/{licd J~'/l(.llrl()llcdlll of '11 OIld unt a ! S1j1llf}ol,') LOIlr!IJ/I: '1'11;1111'''' ;llld Hllcl':>OIl Lvl.. 1(J7~.

Dellletz, Peter. • Mal./', Ellqel.., (l1I(! lite J)oct.) Chj('av;o: U ()f' Cllj(;:Ii!.'1 P, 1(J.')(J. - H (j -

,j1'1~(':tIl~r;ltld(', j{oLI'I'1.. L'rlfu:allh"(;fJII1M: .""JI \\'{)od, N.J: ;\ bln" 1088.

dl'HI)II).',('IIII'III, !JI IIi'" • I,ollc /J,/Iu; IVL"/nl/ !t'o"r/ ;'\PW York: Schokcn Books, 108:3. dl' ViiI"), ;\ /)U/IIll/ll1 ft nf ,'<'I"tlJ('j., ill/ri 1II/III/c1y :\lII~terdalll: North-llollalld Puhli~hillg ( ;()., 1Il7 1.

1';;lJ~II'lllII, 'l'1'I'l'Y. l'''('IIII~ '1 Yu' 01 'I :\liJlIII':lpolis: li of i\·linHc!':>ota P. ] O~tL

111(/1/1.',/11 fll/dl,l/n(1I11 ('111'('18111 London: !v1et,hIlClI, 1!)7G.

(;1':111, (;(·I:dd. 1)0('//1(// ,...,'I(fI,·IIII'II! (Jill! ('11f/ra! J)ogma Evanston, III.: NOl'thwestcrn DP, 1!J70.

Il,''1:1111, A,I.!IIII' 1/1'111'\. "011 S(JIIII' Id' tlll: ('It.lI:t('II·li"t.ic,> of' iVlodern Poctl'Y," in \'1cfollan Poei1y and l'odll','; ";Ih. \Valfl'J l';, IloIJ).!,!It.oll (Jnd G. Hobcl't StangC'. Bo':>toll: Hongh­ I.() Il i\ '1 i 111 i J 1 ( ; () 1" 1). III y, I!) Il.''I' S 11-:- ~ fi 1.

11 () \1 g; Il t,< ) Il , \Va Il P J' ,,; '/YI(' \ 'u'/01/a Il /0'111/1/1 n} ,\1 1/11/. 11\8U-1870 New H av e 11: Yale OP, ln 57. • 11()IIg;hLoll, w, 1':. :111./ (;, 11, ~LIJle;(', Ed::-. \1 If I01la Il l'li dl!1 Il IId l '(}d/l',~ Bo~toll: Hough ton Mi fIl in, 1068 .

.Ialll(·;-'Oll, Fred, je. !If (ll.l1MII Il IId FO/lt! l'rillc!'tnn: J>rillc0ton () P, Hl7l.

.Iolt IlSO Il , If~. D. Il. The Alu;1I VI.'>/Oll of FIClollCln J'octry Princeton: Princeton UP, Hl52.

),t':I\'i·" I·'.H, 'l'lIe ('01l11l1V71 i 'l/lInll! LOlldon: Chatto & Windus, 1952.

Î\ 1illn, .1. I! illl". 'Jïlf' Ih.,a IJ/u'a 1 Il III (' of (,'0,( Fm: lVII/elccntil Centul'Y Wnle1·s. Cam bl'idge i\1 \. Il:\1 \ :lrd Ill'. 1!l():L

N()J'lIL11I. l\idLlrd. IIC'I/d. 1\/111./ IlliriO/l/ledlc' Il f)cba!e Bl'ighton:Hal"vestel', HISO,

l'illl\.\l'\l. Tl'rry 1).

/1 (' Il C l',~ J) III 1c' cliC 'ni (' F.I p/a 1/(/ liOll of Possib il ity Ph il adc lph ia: TC' Il1 pIe UP. • l!)~~. - ~Î -

Punter. D l:1yid. Blake. llegel and Dw/cclic, Amsterdam: Hodopi. Hl~::! .

Tat('. Allen. 01/ thc LI/nit.... " of Poet,y :5clcrtcd 1~\S(/y8, /!)~>,""-/!).(,,,,' N('w York: ~\\'all(lw. • 1\) 18.

Thompson. l)('HYS. The l!scso! Port,y Camhridg;(': C:llllhl'idg(' llP. In7~.

Tillotson, Grofl're\'. C/lt/clslIll/lId illc NI1Ic[c,;nf.'1 nelltlllil L()lIdoIl: A thIOIH'. ln;)\.

Vicinus, Martha. SufTer a/ld be Stdl \-\fonte'/! t1I the \'/(,/O/lflll .\qt' HI()()l\lill).';tol\: Indiana \11', H)7~.

Young, G. M. V'lctvrial/ England P01lrazt of an Arlc London: Oxford U P, 1Will. •

•