The Visit by Ernest Dowson (1900)
Ernest Dowson's The Visit is a story of love, loss, and redemption. It follows the story of a young man, John, who is struggling to come to terms with the death of his beloved wife, Mary. After her death, John is left alone and heartbroken, and he decides to visit her grave in the hopes of finding some solace. At the cemetery, John meets a mysterious woman, who claims to be Mary's spirit. She tells him that she has been watching over him since her death, and that she still loves him. She also reveals that she has been granted a single wish, and she wants to use it to bring John and Mary back together. John is hesitant at first, but eventually agrees to the woman's request. He and Mary are reunited, and they spend a beautiful day together. However, the reunion is short-lived, as Mary must soon return to the afterlife. Before she leaves, she gives John a gift: a single white rose, which symbolizes their love and the hope that they will be reunited again someday. The Visit is a touching story of love, loss, and redemption. It is a reminder that even in death, love can still exist and that hope can still be found.
By Ernest Dowson · First published 1900 · Genre: Romance, Drama, Poetry · 285 words
First lines
AS though I were still struggling through the meshes of some riotous dream, I heard his knock upon the door. As in a dream, I bade him enter, but with his entry, I awoke. Yet when he entered it seemed to me that I was dreaming, for there was nothing strange in that supreme and sorrowful smile which shone through the mask which I knew. And just as though I had not always been afraid of him I said: "Welcome."
And he said very simply, "I am here."
What this Textopian page supports
The Visit is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ernest Dowson, dated 1900 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ernest Dowson
- Date: 1900 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Drama, Poetry, Fiction
- Length: 285 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Visit by Ernest Dowson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Visit?
- How does this short story by Ernest Dowson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Romance first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Girls Lamentation by William Allingham
- Brooding Grief by D. H. Lawrence
- Piano by D. H. Lawrence
- The Dying Of Francis Donne by Ernest Dowson
- The Tavern Of Last Times At Box Hill Surrey by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- A Lament by Charles Kingsley
Genres
- Romance — The Visit is a story of unrequited love, as the protagonist is unable to express his feelings for the woman he loves.
- Drama — The Visit is a story of emotional turmoil, as the protagonist struggles to come to terms with his unrequited love.
- Poetry — The Visit is written in a poetic style, with vivid imagery and lyrical language.
- Fiction — The Visit is a work of fiction, as it is a story that is not based on real events.
Tags
drama · poetry · romance · melancholy · loss · nostalgia · society · identity · yearning · transience · human experience · Victorian literature