Narrative and Lyric Poems (Second Series) for Use in the Lower School

In Short

This textbook is an annotated collection of classic English poetry selected by the Ontario Department of Education for public school examinations in 1914. It features iconic narrative, lyric, and ballad poetry by major writers such as Alfred Tennyson, George Gordon Byron, Walter Scott, Robert Browning, Oliver Goldsmith, and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The anthology tracks themes of heroic sacrifice, romantic devotion, historical tragedy, and moral duty. Its enduring appeal lies in how it frames timeless verse with clear scholarly notes, offering a complete portrait of early twentieth-century literary education.

The Story

The volume progresses through a structured sequence of narrative arcs, divided between junior and senior curricula. The journey opens with Tennyson's narrative of Enoch Arden, a devoted husband and sailor who leaves his wife Annie and children to seek fortune abroad. Cast away on an island for years, he returns to find Annie remarried to his childhood friend Philip, who has supported his family. To preserve their quiet domestic joy, Enoch keeps his survival secret until his dying breath. The collection then shifts to Arthurian myth in Tennyson's Morte D'Arthur, chronicling the wounded King Arthur as he instructs Sir Bedivere to return the magical sword Excalibur to the lake before Arthur is borne away to Avilion.

Moving from legendary battlefields to historical suffering, Byron’s The Prisoner of Chillon reveals the tragic solitary confinement of a political prisoner watching his brothers perish around him in a damp dungeon. Scott’s ballad Rosabelle recounts a fair maiden’s doomed voyage across a stormy firth, foretold by a mystical fire glowing over Roslin Chapel. In Tennyson's Enid, the brave knight Prince Geraint grows unfairly suspicious of his wife Enid's loyalty. He subjects her to a grueling journey through the wilderness in her meanest faded silk dress, demanding total obedience while she silently maintains her profound devotion until her steadfastness wins back his absolute trust.

The anthology shifts toward speculative romance with Tennyson’s The Day Dream, retellings of the Sleeping Beauty legend where a long-dormant palace is awakened by the arrival of a destined Prince. Philosophical narrative emerges in Goldsmith's The Traveller, as a wandering narrator surveys European nations—from the simple pleasures of the Swiss mountains to the social ease of France—reflecting on how liberty, luxury, and governance shape human happiness. Browning’s Love Among the Ruins sets a quiet romantic reunion against the silent, grass-grown ruins of an ancient empire that once sent forth millions of soldiers, concluding that quiet affection outlasts historical glory. The anthology ends as it began, balancing tragic isolation, romantic loyalty, and civic reflection across centuries of poetic storytelling.

How It Unfolds

A husband departs for his family Enoch Arden leaves his wife Annie and young children to sail the seas for a better living. Philip, a prosperous local friend, stays behind to provide for the family and send the children to school.

A castaway returns in secret After years stranded on a distant shore, Enoch arrives home to find Annie remarried to Philip. He watches their warm, lit window from afar and chooses to remain dead to them rather than shatter their peace.

The last knight obeys his king King Arthur, mortally wounded in his final battle, commands Sir Bedivere to hurl Excalibur into the water. Bedivere hesitates twice, entranced by the sword's beauty, before finally fulfilling the vow.

A prisoner watches his brothers fade Chained to a stone pillar in Chillon's dungeon, a martyr watches his beloved younger brother wither away. Left entirely alone, the prisoner loses all count of time in total darkness.

A prince tests his wife's devotion Misinterpreting a fragment of her speech, Prince Geraint orders Enid to put on her oldest faded dress and follow him into the wilderness. Enid obeys without complaint, enduring the harsh trek until her loyalty is proven.

A sleeping kingdom revives A fairy Prince breaks through a century of overgrown thorns and enters a silent palace. At his arrival, the enchanted sleep lifts, and the entire kingdom resumes its long-interrupted life.

The People

• Enoch Arden: A hard-working, resolute sailor who wants to provide a better life for his children. Struck by shipwrecks and long exile, he ends up broken and solitary, choosing self-sacrifice over reclaiming his former life.
• Annie: Enoch's devoted wife who suffers years of poverty and uncertainty after his disappearance. She resists Philip's quiet wooing until she is broken down by sorrow and convinced Enoch is lost.
• Philip: A wealthy, kind-hearted childhood friend who loves Annie deeply. He acts with noble restraint, putting Enoch's children through school and waiting years before seeking Annie's hand in marriage.
• Enid: A patient and loyal noblewoman whose husband misjudges her fidelity. She endures harsh treatment and exile without anger, remaining unwavering in her affection.
• Geraint: A brave knight whose deep love for Enid turns into sudden, jealous mistrust. His insecurity drives him to test her devotion before realizing his mistake.
• The Prisoner of Chillon: A devout martyr imprisoned for his father's religious faith. Having lost all his brothers to the damp cell, he emerges permanently scarred by his long confinement.

In Its Own Voice

"When you came in my sorrow broke me down; / And now I think your kindness breaks me down;"

Annie expresses her overwhelming grief and gratitude when Philip offers to support her children during Enoch's long absence.

"I call’d, and thought I heard a sound— / I burst my chain with one strong bound, / And rush’d to him:—I found him not,"

The lone prisoner of Chillon reacts in desperate terror as he realizes his last remaining brother has died in the dark beside him.

"Shut them in, / With their triumphs and their glories and the rest! / Love is best."

The narrator in Browning's poem contrasts the forgotten violence of an ancient empire with the quiet, enduring value of human affection.

What It's Really About

The collection centers on the tension between personal sacrifice and duty. Across the selections, characters are defined by how they bear unearned suffering—whether in the dark cells of Chillon, on a deserted island, or along a dusty trail in faded clothes. The poems question the nature of heroism, showing that quiet endurance and selfless choices often outweigh martial glory or worldly power.

Another major theme is the contrast between transient human ambition and lasting devotion. Kingdoms fall, ancient cities turn to grassy ruins, and great armies disappear, yet love, faith, and simple human kindness persist. The editorial annotations reinforce these moral lessons, guiding students toward civic duty, noble character, and emotional restraint.

Why Read It Today

This compilation appeals to lovers of Victorian literature, classic narrative poetry, and historical pedagogy. It offers a clear, structured gateway into some of the most celebrated verse in the English language, supported by helpful historical and linguistic annotations. Reading it feels like sitting in an early twentieth-century classroom, uncovering how literary taste and moral education were cultivated over a century ago.

Readers should be prepared for period challenges. The text contains Victorian sentence structures, archaic vocabulary, and formal poetic meters that require patient reading. Additionally, romanticized depictions of gender roles and chivalric ideals reflect the early 1900s school curriculum. Yet, the emotional core of these stories—grief, loyalty, heartbreak, and resilience—remains instantly accessible to modern readers.

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