To the Unknown Goddess by Frederic Manning
To the Unknown Goddess is a novel by Frederic Manning that explores themes of love and loss in a small English village during World War I. The story follows the lives of several characters, including a young woman named Mary who falls in love with a soldier named John. As the war progresses, their relationship is tested by separation and tragedy. Throughout the novel, Manning uses vivid descriptions of the natural world to convey the emotional depths of his characters. The book has been praised for its poetic language and powerful insights into human nature.
By Frederic Manning · First published 1923 · Genre: Poetry, Symbolism, Mythology · 165 words
First lines
Gross, sensual faces herded; and then you / With magical wide eyes came. Eyes that kept / The mirth of dews at dawn in them, and slept / To the tumult of the street. They held the blue,
Sweet, flowering spaces under pines; and knew / Cropped lawns, where naked dryads dancing leapt / To the clash of golden cymbals, while there crept / Furtively on white bellies through the dew,
To glut on grace, ambiguous fauns, whose eyes / Burned glittering with desire: until the horn / Of the moon turned ashen; and through the still trees / The lithe shapes feed: and dawn brimmed up the skies / With winey gold, and walked upon the corn;
And murmuring through the vines came gleaming bees.
What this Textopian page supports
To the Unknown Goddess is listed on Textopian as a short story by Frederic Manning, dated 1923 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Frederic Manning
- Date: 1923 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Symbolism, Mythology, Pastoral, Romanticism
- Length: 165 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for To the Unknown Goddess by Frederic Manning
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Poetry — The text is structured in verse form with a focus on imagery and rhythm, characteristic of poetry.
- Symbolism — The use of symbolic imagery such as 'dews at dawn' and 'golden cymbals' suggests a deeper meaning beyond the literal.
- Mythology — References to dryads, fauns, and other mythological elements indicate a connection to mythological themes.
- Pastoral — The depiction of natural scenes like 'flowering spaces under pines' and 'cropped lawns' aligns with pastoral themes.
Tags
mythology · spirituality · feminism · identity · self-discovery · cultural exploration · historical fiction · philosophy · love · sacrifice · mysticism · adventure