As a World Would have It
Alcestis, returned from a great sleep, pleads with her King, Admetus, to look at her, speak to her, and show whether he is glad that she lives. He remains cold and distant, and she fears that he either no longer loves her or mourns her as though she were still dead. When he finally answers, he acknowledges that she is alive and beside him, yet speaks as one who has ceased to be merely a man. Alcestis realizes that he loves her but has been unable to prove it through his eyes or touch. Waiting at his knees, she hears him explain himself; then he turns to face her, and their exchanged look restores her trust, faith, and love. She embraces and kisses him, rejoicing in his arms, and asks why he suffered so long and could not trust her. She reflects that people suffer through what they cannot understand, and that no man can understand her willingness to give everything, descend to Tartarus and silence, die, and let him live.
By Edwin Arlington Robinson · First published 1897 · Genre: Narrative Poetry, Dramatic Poetry, Mythological Poetry · 827 words
First lines
ALCESTIS
SHALL I never make him look at me again?
What this Textopian page supports
As a World Would have It is listed on Textopian as a poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson, dated 1897 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Edwin Arlington Robinson
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Narrative Poetry, Dramatic Poetry, Mythological Poetry, Classical Reception, Tragedy
- Length: 827 words
- Structure: 1 section, 55 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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- Work identity for As a World Would have It by Edwin Arlington Robinson
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Narrative Poetry — The work recounts a crucial episode in the myth of Alcestis and Admetus through verse, combining action, dialogue, and emotional development.
- Dramatic Poetry — Its scene-like construction, sustained dialogue, named character, and intense confrontation give the poem the form and force of a condensed verse drama.
- Mythological Poetry — The poem reimagines the classical Greek myth of Alcestis, who returns from death after sacrificing herself for her husband Admetus.
- Classical Reception — Robinson adapts ancient Greek subject matter for a modern literary audience, emphasizing psychological realism rather than heroic spectacle.
Tags
poetry · American literature · modernist poetry · lyric poetry · narrative verse · philosophical · psychological · tragic · melancholic · irony · human nature · isolation