A Legend of Old Persia and Other Poems

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

22322

Title

A Legend of Old Persia and Other Poems

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A collection of lyrical verse tales and poems set against exotic backdrops from Old Persia to the Roof of the World. Blending fantasy, romance, and philosophical reflection, this volume explores themes of mortality, artistic creation, and the enduring human spirit through rich imagery and rhythmic storytelling.

Summary up to 500 words

A. B. S. Tennyson's *A Legend of Old Persia and Other Poems* presents a rich tapestry of Victorian-era poetic imagination, weaving together fables, legends, and meditations on the human condition. The collection opens with "Altruism: A Legend of Old Persia," a fable where a son defies the ancient custom of abandoning frail elders in caverns, only to discover his father's surprising vitality, challenging societal norms of waste and duty. Other narrative poems include "The Enchanted Gipsy," a tale of a girl cursed by a witch's pool, and "The Roof of the World," where a hermit descends from the mountains to serve humanity after witnessing the fragility of life. "The Poet and the Lily" serves as a meditation on art and loss, depicting a poet who mourns a destroyed lily by singing of nature's enduring beauty. The volume explores themes of solitude and nature through "The Tramp," a wanderer who finds solace in the natural world and dreams of classical mythology, rejecting the transient struggles of the human world for the timeless realm of art. Conversely, "Alexis" depicts the tragic downfall of a ruler consumed by lust and madness, while "The King's Cloak" offers a dramatic moment of sacrifice where a king leaps from a precipice to save a boy, losing his cloak but gaining honor. "The Knight and the Witch" weaves a spellbinding romance that transcends life and death, binding a knight to a witch through a powerful spell. The collection concludes with reflective poems on solitude, the passage of time, and the nature of happiness. "Alone" laments the pain of abandonment and the harsh reality of a life lived in isolation, while "The Happy Ones" celebrates those who endure fate with dignity, finding meaning even in sorrow. Other pieces, such as "The Wind and the Hills" and "The Earth," contemplate the enduring mysteries of nature and history, suggesting that while human empires and gods fade, the earth remains just and eternal. Through these diverse voices, Tennyson creates a cohesive work that balances the fantastical with the deeply personal, exploring the boundaries between reality and dream, and the enduring power of love and art against the backdrop of mortality.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Poetry