Lydia Dick by Eugene Field (1897)
The story revolves around Lydia Dick, a young girl who lives with her mother and brother on a farm. The family faces poverty and struggles to make ends meet. Lydia's mother dies, leaving her and her brother alone. They face further hardships, including the loss of their farm. Lydia takes on various jobs to support herself and her brother, eventually finding work as a servant in a wealthy household.
By Eugene Field · First published 1897 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric, Classical Literature · 526 words
First lines
When I was a boy at college, / Filling up with classic knowledge, / Frequently I wondered why / Old Professor Demas Bently / Used to praise so eloquently / "Opera Horatii."
Toiling on a season longer / Till my reasoning power got stronger, / As my observation grew, / I became convinced that mellow, / Massic-loving poet fellow / Horace knew a thing or two
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse, employing rhyme and meter typical of poetry.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal feelings and reflections on love and admiration for Lydia Dick.
- Classical Literature — The poem references classical themes and figures, particularly Horace, connecting to ancient literary traditions.
- Humor — The playful tone and light-hearted subject matter contribute to a humorous interpretation of the characters.
Tags
American Literature · Humor · Satire · Poetry · Whimsical · Fantasy · Children's Fiction · Imagination · Playful · Nonsense Verse · Rhythm · Rhyme
What this Textopian page supports
Lydia Dick is listed on Textopian as a short story by Eugene Field, dated 1897 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Eugene Field
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric, Classical Literature, Humor, Romanticism
- Length: 526 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Lydia Dick by Eugene Field
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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