The Death of Saul and other Eisteddfod Prize Poems and Miscellaneous Verses

In Short

This collection gathers the competitive and miscellaneous verses of a dedicated Welsh poet, centered on the narrative of King Saul’s tragic downfall. Beyond the title poem, the work acts as a mosaic of Victorian-era sentiment, covering elegies for lost friends, social commentary on industrial hardship, and lyrical observations of the Welsh countryside. It has survived as a poignant time capsule of the Eisteddfod movement—a competitive cultural tradition—revealing both the grandiloquent style of the period and the intimate, often melancholic, inner life of a writer striving for public recognition.

The Story

The collection begins with a defiant preface regarding "The Death of Saul," a poem originally constrained by committee rules to two hundred lines. The poet describes his frustration at having to prune his work, likening the process to encasing a "delicate muse" in a "straight waistcoat." He presents the full, restored version as a testament to his original vision. This narrative arc follows the biblical King Saul as he loses divine favor, finds his faith replaced by "dreary, dark despair," and attempts to consult the Witch of Endor. The poem captures the king’s descent, culminating in his tragic suicide on Mount Gilboa, where he falls upon his own sword after being wounded by archers.

Following this central tragedy, the book transitions into a series of prize-winning poems and miscellaneous verses that shift the focus from ancient kings to contemporary, lived experience. The collection explores "Palm Sunday in Wales," celebrating the tradition of garnishing graves with flowers, before shifting into deeply personal elegies. These tributes honor friends and family, such as Nash Vaughan Edwardes Vaughan, and intimate losses like the poet’s beloved Clara. The tone remains elegiac, reflecting on the brevity of life and the persistence of memory.

The final segments move into broader social and political commentary. The poet laments the harsh realities of the working class in "Song of the Silken Shroud," which juxtaposes the luxury of a ballroom with the exhaustion of a dying seamstress. He writes with sharp moral conviction about the "Iron Throne" of industry, the importance of education, and the hypocrisy of a world that condemns the individual criminal while ignoring systemic suffering. The collection closes with lighter, occasional verses—riddles, lighthearted songs, and advice—that soften the previous severity. The narrative arc concludes with a personal note on the poet’s early successes, reflecting on the encouragement he received from mentors that fueled his lifelong commitment to verse. It is a progression from the grand, epic failure of a king to the quiet, dignified struggles of the ordinary person, framed by the poet’s own journey through the competitive world of the Eisteddfod.

How It Unfolds

The struggle with constraints The poet introduces his work by explaining the necessity of expanding his prize-winning piece, "The Death of Saul," to its original, uncurbed length. He defends his creative process against the "restrictive tastes" of committees that seek to impose artificial limits on poetic expression.

The biblical fall The narrative shifts to the plains of Shunem, where a disgraced King Saul faces the Philistine army in a state of spiritual exile. He wanders into the dark cave of the Witch of Endor, where the ghostly voice of a dead prophet confirms his inevitable and tragic destruction.

The landscape of mourning The book pivots to the Welsh countryside, using the ritual of "Flowering Sunday" to bridge the gap between the living and the dead. The poems here focus on the cycle of nature and the somber, decorative customs used to honor those lost to time.

The industrial critique The poet turns his eye to the contemporary social fabric, critiquing the exploitation of workers in the West End and the tensions between masters and men in the mines. He uses the imagery of the "silken shroud" to highlight the human cost of fashion and industrial progress.

The final reflection The collection closes with a series of personal meditations, ranging from the death of a young surgeon to the simple joys of a quiet life. The poet ends by documenting his own history with the Eisteddfod, affirming the value of the encouragement that sustained his long career.

The People

The central figures represent a spectrum of human frailty and ambition. King Saul is the quintessential tragic figure, a man of power who, once stripped of divine guidance, finds himself reduced to necromancy and despair. He is defined by his isolation and his inability to reconcile his pride with his inevitable failure.

In contrast, the "sempstress" of the industrial poems represents the silent, suffering humanity of the Victorian age. She is a nameless victim, whose labor feeds the vanity of the wealthy while her own life is drained by the requirements of the "silken shroud." She serves as a sharp moral counterpoint to the powerful figures of history.

The poet himself emerges as a distinct character: a man who values "honest sources" and the quiet dignity of a "cot" over the fleeting fame of the court. He is a critic of the "cringing spirits" who bow to power, yet he remains a deeply sensitive observer of those around him. He is defined by his desire for "Approbation" and his belief that even the smallest life—like a fly burned by a gaslight—holds a lesson in the "mute majesty of woe."

In Its Own Voice

"As o'er the earth a darkling cloud appears, / And grows in blackness till the scathing shaft / Comes forth with swelling thunder, so the cloud, / Black unto bursting with the wrath divine, / Hung o'er the head of Israel's erring King."

The poet describes the encroaching doom of Saul, using the metaphor of a gathering storm to mirror the king's spiritual isolation.

"The blow was unkind; but Heaven knows best: / I felt that my loss was to thee a blessing; / For I knew, when I laid thee down to rest, / I was giving an angel to angels' caressing."

Writing of a lost loved one named Clara, the poet attempts to find solace in the promise of a celestial afterlife.

"Your boddice a hearse; every stitch a curse; / Your skirt a silken shroud."

This haunting refrain serves as the song of the seamstress, highlighting the grim reality hidden behind the glamour of a ball-room.

What It's Really About

The work is a meditation on the tension between ambition and integrity. It asks whether true greatness can be achieved through "self-inherent power" or if the individual is always at the mercy of divine or social forces. It explores the conflict between the grand, historical narratives—the fall of kings and empires—and the quiet, cumulative weight of personal grief. Central to the book is the argument that art serves as a moral barometer; it is a "Fane of Learning" meant to elevate the human condition. The poet consistently returns to the idea that success is a hollow vanity unless tempered by "rare integrity," suggesting that the real measure of a life is found not in the "Iron Throne" of achievement, but in the compassionate recognition of the struggles of others.

Why Read It Today

Readers who enjoy the ornate, rhythmic language of nineteenth-century poetry will find a compelling rhythm here. The book captures a specific, earnest Victorian sensibility—the feeling that one’s life should be a moral example, and that poetry is the proper vessel for such proclamations. It feels like stepping into a nineteenth-century parlor, where the atmosphere is thick with both the heavy incense of funeral rites and the bracing, idealistic air of social reform.

Modern readers should be prepared for the period’s penchant for grandiosity; the poet does not shy away from long, sweeping descriptions or the moralizing tone characteristic of his era. Some readers may find the references to specific nineteenth-century events—like the Crimean War or local Welsh Eisteddfod politics—require a bit of patience, but the poet’s warm, accessible voice bridges that gap. The themes—the loss of a child, the struggle to make a living in a cold city, and the desire to be remembered for one’s character rather than one’s station—are timeless. If you enjoy poetry that wears its heart on its sleeve and takes its responsibility as a cultural witness seriously, you will find this collection to be an honest, deeply human artifact that rewards close reading.