The Master Hand by Ellen Glasgow
The novel revolves around the life of Martin Rutledge, a wealthy and influential tobacco merchant in Virginia, who seeks to dominate his family and community through his iron will and business acumen. His tyrannical behavior is opposed by his daughter, Margaret, who resists her father's attempts to control her life and desires. The conflict between Martin and Margaret serves as a backdrop for exploring themes of patriarchal authority, personal freedom, and the decline of the aristocratic class in post-Civil War Virginia.
By Ellen Glasgow · First published 1922 · Genre: Poetry, Art, Philosophical · 117 words
First lines
WRITTEN BEFORE ANDREA DEL SARTO'S PORTRAIT OF HIMSELF
The master hand lifted the brush, and lo, / Colour and light took form at his command, / When Death struck down with an immortal blow / The master hand.
A heap of clay becomes a heap of sand, / The mad, tumultuous centuries bestow / Laurel and dust to sweeten Death's demand.
Dust chills desire, and laurel lieth low, / But art's eternal hills triumphant stand -- / Whose summits feel in one long afterglow / The master hand.
What this Textopian page supports
The Master Hand is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ellen Glasgow, dated 1922 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ellen Glasgow
- Date: 1922 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Art, Philosophical, Historical
- Length: 117 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Master Hand by Ellen Glasgow
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Similar titles
- To A Strange God by Ellen Glasgow
- Moonrise Over Tyringham by Edith Wharton
- The Wheel Of Life by Ellen Glasgow
- The Freeman by Ellen Glasgow
- The Shadow by Ellen Glasgow
- The Hunter by Ellen Glasgow
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured as a poem with a clear rhyme scheme and meter.
- Art — The poem is centered around the theme of art, specifically referencing Andrea del Sarto's portrait and the impact of the artist's hand.
- Philosophical — The poem explores deep themes such as mortality, the passage of time, and the enduring nature of art.
- Historical — The poem references historical figures and events, particularly in the context of art history.
Tags
Romance · Historical Fiction · American Literature · Southern Gothic · Family Drama · Social Class · Wealth · Power Dynamics · Marriage · Love Triangle · Tragedy · Guilt