A Discouraging Model by James Whitcomb Riley
The poem presents a bleak and hopeless view of life, where the speaker feels trapped and unable to escape their circumstances. The tone is melancholic and despairing, with no sense of optimism or redemption. The language is simple yet powerful, conveying a sense of desperation and frustration. The overall effect is one of emotional intensity and psychological complexity.
By James Whitcomb Riley · First published 1879 · Genre: Poetry, Romantic, Artistic · 254 words
First lines
Just the airiest, fairiest slip of a thing, / With a Gainsborough hat, like a butterfly's wing, / Tilted up at one side with the jauntiest air, / And a knot of red roses sown in under there / Where the shadows are lost in her hair.
Then a cameo face, carven in on a ground / Of that shadowy hair where the roses are wound; / And the gleam of a smile O as fair and as faint / And as sweet as the masters of old used to paint / Round the lips of their favorite saint!
What this Textopian page supports
A Discouraging Model is listed on Textopian as a poem by James Whitcomb Riley, dated 1879 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: James Whitcomb Riley
- Date: 1879 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romantic, Artistic
- Length: 254 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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- Work identity for A Discouraging Model by James Whitcomb Riley
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse, with a focus on rhythm, rhyme, and vivid imagery, characteristic of poetic expression.
- Romantic — The themes of beauty, admiration, and idealization of the subject align with romantic elements.
- Artistic — The text references artistic elements such as painting and modeling, emphasizing aesthetic appreciation.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Humor · Satire · Social Commentary · Critique of Society · Discourse on Morality · Philosophical Themes · Existentialism · Absurdity · Dark Humor