A Sculptor by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
The story revolves around a sculptor who falls deeply in love with his model, but she rejects him due to their social differences. He then creates a magnificent sculpture of her, which becomes famous and attracts the attention of a wealthy woman who offers to marry him if he recreates the sculpture for her. The sculptor is torn between his passion for art and his desire for wealth and comfort.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1889 · Genre: Poetry, Philosophical, Inspirational · 161 words
First lines
As the ambitious sculptor, tireless, lifts / Chisel and hammer to the block at hand, / Before my half-formed character I stand / And ply the shining tools of mental gifts. / I'll cut away a huge, unsightly side / Of selfishness, and smooth to curves of grace / The angles of ill-temper.
And no trace / Shall my sure hammer leave of silly pride. / Chip after chip must fall from vain desires, / And the sharp corners of my discontent / Be rounded into symmetry, and lent / Great harmony by faith that never tires. / Unfinished still, I must toil on and on, / Till the pale critic, Death, shall say, "Tis done. "
What this Textopian page supports
A Sculptor is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Philosophical, Inspirational, Literary
- Length: 161 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for A Sculptor by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Similar titles
- Art And Heart by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Ambitions Trail by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Presumption by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Her Love by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Their Faces by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Half Fledged by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Genres
- Poetry — The text is written in verse form with a clear rhyme scheme and meter.
- Philosophical — The themes revolve around self-improvement, introspection, and the human condition.
- Inspirational — The content encourages personal growth and overcoming negative traits.
- Literary — The sophisticated language and metaphorical content align with literary fiction.
Tags
Romance · Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Women Authors · Love Story · Artistic Expression · Sculpture · Beauty · Creativity · Inspiration · Passion