John Roberts
The poem explores the theme of love and loss through the eyes of a man who has lost his beloved wife. It delves into the emotional turmoil he experiences after her passing, highlighting the pain and longing that accompany grief. The speaker's emotions are raw and honest, conveying the depth of his sorrow.
By John Greenleaf Whittier · First published 1828 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Biography, Religious Literature · 8,319 words
First lines
Thomas Carlyle, in his history of the stout and sagacious Monk of St. Edmunds, has given us a fine picture of the actual life of Englishmen in the middle centuries. The dim cell-lamp of the somewhat apocryphal Jocelin of Brakelond becomes in his hands a huge Drummond-light, shining over the Dark Ages like the naphtha-fed cressets over Pandemonium, proving, as he says in his own quaint way, that "England in the year 1200 was no dreamland, but a green, solid place, which grew corn and several other things; the sun shone on it; the vicissitudes of seasons and human fortunes were there; cloth was woven, ditches dug, fallow fields ploughed, and houses built. " And if, as the writer just quoted insists, it is a matter of no small importance to make it credible to the present generation that the Past is not a confused dream of thrones and battle- fields, creeds and constitutions, but a reality, substantial as hearth and home, harvest-field and smith-shop, merry-making and death, could make it, we shall not wholly waste our time and that of our readers in inviting them to look with us at the rural life of England two centuries ago, through the eyes of John Roberts and his worthy son, Daniel, yeomen, of Siddington, near Cirencester.
What this Textopian page supports
John Roberts is listed on Textopian as an essay by John Greenleaf Whittier, dated 1828 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: John Greenleaf Whittier
- Date: 1828 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Biography, Religious Literature, Social Commentary, Memoir
- Length: 8,319 words
- Structure: 1 section, 73 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for John Roberts by John Greenleaf Whittier
- 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 John Roberts?
- How does this essay by John Greenleaf Whittier fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The narrative is set against the backdrop of the English Civil War and explores the life of a yeoman, providing insights into the historical context and societal norms of the time.
- Biography — The work recounts the life and experiences of John Roberts, detailing his personal struggles, beliefs, and interactions with historical figures.
- Religious Literature — The text delves into themes of faith, nonconformity, and the Quaker movement, reflecting the religious tensions of the period.
- Social Commentary — The narrative critiques the social and religious hierarchies of the time, highlighting the struggles of dissenters against established authority.
Tags
Biography · Poetry · American Literature · 19th Century · Autobiographical · Historical Fiction · Free Verse · Narrative Poetry · Autobiographical Novel · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery · Social Commentary