large/803/reviews_wilde_0709_librivox_64kb_mp3/reviews_84_wilde_64kb_8
large/803/reviews_wilde_0709_librivox_64kb_mp3/reviews_84_wilde_64kb
English
803
The ancient world seems to have come to life again for our pleasure. Of a work so large and so coherent, completed with no less perfection than it is conceived, it is difficult by mere quotation to give any adequate idea. This, however, may serve as an example of its narrative power. THE ANCIENT WORLD SEEMS TO HAVE COME TO LIFE AGAIN FOR OUR PLEASURE OF A WORK SO LARGE AND SO COHERENT COMPLETED WITH NO LESS PERFECTION THAN IT IS CONCEIVED IT IS DIFFICULT BY MERE QUOTATION TO GIVE ANY ADEQUATE IDEA THIS HOWEVER MAY SERVE AS AN EXAMPLE OF ITS NARRATIVE POWER
auberk on which rests this strange fate: that he who wears it shall save his own life and destroy the life of his land. Thiodolf, finding out this secret, brings the hauberk back to the Wood-Sun, as she is called, and chooses death for himself rather than the ruin of his cause, and so the story ends. But Mr. Morris has always preferred romance to tragedy, and set the development of action above the concentration of passion. His story is like some splendid old tapestry crowded with stately images and enriched with delicate and delightful detail. The impression it leaves on us is not of a single central figure dominating the whole, but rather of a magnificent design to which everything is subordinated, and by which everything becomes of enduring import. It is the whole presentation of the primitive life that really fascinates. What in other hands would have been mere archaeology is here transformed by quick artistic instinct and made wonderful for us, and human and full of high interest. S A MAGICAL HAUBERK ON WHICH RESTS THIS STRANGE FATE THAT HE WHO WEARS IT SHALL SAVE HIS OWN LIFE AND DESTROY THE LIFE OF HIS LAND THEODOLPH FINDING OUT THIS SECRET BRINGS THE HAUBERK BACK TO THE WOOD SUN AS SHE IS CALLED AND CHOOSES DEATH FOR HIMSELF RATHER THAN THE RUIN OF HIS CAUSE AND SO THE STORY ENDS BUT MISTER MORRIS HAS ALWAYS PREFERRED ROMANCE TO TRAGEDY AND SET THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACTION ABOVE THE CONCENTRATION OF PASSION HIS STORY IS LIKE SOME SPLENDID OLD TAPESTRY CROWDED WITH STATELY IMAGES AND ENRICHED WITH DELICATE AND DELIGHTFUL DETAIL THE IMPRESSION IT LEAVES ON US IS NOT OF A SINGLE CENTRAL FIGURE DOMINATING THE WHOLE BUT RATHER OF A MAGNIFICENT DESIGN TO WHICH EVERYTHING IS SUBORDINATED AND BY WHICH EVERYTHING BECOMES OF ENDURING IMPORT IT IS THE WHOLE PRESENTATION OF THE PRIMITIVE LIFE THAT REALLY FASCINATES WHAT IN OTHER HANDS WOULD HAVE BEEN MERE ARCHAEOLOGY IS HERE TRANSFORMED BY QUICK ARTISTIC INSTINCT AND MADE WONDERFUL FOR US AND HUMAN AND FULL OF HIGH INTEREST
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