The Platonic Bassoon by Eugene Field
The poem tells the story of a bassoonist who falls in love with a girl and decides to abandon his music career to be with her. He becomes unhappy and realizes he made a mistake, but it's too late. The poem explores the themes of love, sacrifice, and regret.
By Eugene Field · First published 1893 · Genre: Satire, Romantic Comedy, Fantasy · 3,948 words
First lines
All who knew the beautiful and accomplished Aurora wondered why she did not marry. She had now reached the mature age of twenty-five years, and was in full possession of those charms which are estimated by all men as the choicest gifts a woman can possess. You must know that Aurora had a queenly person, delightful manners, an extensive education, and an amiable disposition; and, being the only child of wealthy parents, she should not have lacked the one thing that seemed necessary to perfect and round out her usefulness as a member of society.
What this Textopian page supports
The Platonic Bassoon is listed on Textopian as a short story by Eugene Field, dated 1893 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: 1893 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Romantic Comedy, Fantasy, Social Commentary, Literary Fiction
- Length: 3,948 words
- Structure: 1 section, 59 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Platonic Bassoon by Eugene Field
- 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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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Platonic Bassoon?
- How does this short story by Eugene Field fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Satire — The book critiques societal norms regarding marriage and gender roles through humor and exaggeration.
- Romantic Comedy — The central plot revolves around Aurora's absurd love for a bassoon, blending romance with comedic elements.
- Fantasy — The anthropomorphism of the bassoon and the surreal nature of Aurora's love create a fantastical narrative.
- Social Commentary — The story reflects on the perceptions of women and men in society, particularly regarding marriage and relationships.
Tags
Humor · Satire · Poetry · Whimsical · Fantastical · Absurdity · Playful · Witty · Irony · Social commentary · Cultural critique · Nonsensical