ight? Note the dramatic
introduction of Judas. What effect did his appearance have on the
saint? How was the latter reassured? Give reasons why Judas felt
impelled to tell his story. Tell the story. Does he praise or belittle
his act of charity? Why does he say "that _chance_ act of good"? How
was it rewarded? Explain his last expression. Was he about to say
more? If so, what? What effect did Judas's story have on Saint
Brandan? Why? What is the underlying thought in the poem? Discuss the
form of verse used and its appropriateness to the theme. [165]

THE FORSAKEN MERMAN

"The title of this poem inevitably brings to mind Tennyson's two
poems, _The Merman_ and _The Mermaid_. A comparison will show that, in
this instance at least, the Oxford poet has touched his subject not
less melodiously and with finer and deeper feeling.--Margaret will not
listen to her 'Children's voices, wild with pain';--dearer to her is
the selfish desire to save her own soul than is the light in the eyes
of her little Mermaiden, dearer than the love of the king of the sea,
who yearns for her with sorrow-laden heart. Here is there an infinite
tenderness and an infinite tragedy."
--L. DUPONT SYLE, _From Milton to Tennyson_.

Legends of this kind abound among the sea-loving Gaelic and Cymric
people. Nowhere, perhaps, have they been given a more pleasing and
touching expression than in Arnold's poem. Note carefully the dramatic
manner in which the pathos of the story is presented and developed.

=6. wild white horses.= Breakers, whitecaps.

=13. Margaret.= A favorite name with Arnold. See _Isolation_ and _A
Dream_ in this volume.

=39. ranged.= See note, l. 73, _The Strayed Reveller_. (wander
aimlessly about.)

=42. mail.= Protective covering.

=54.= Why "down swung the sound of a far-off bell"? [166]

=81. seal'd.= Fastened; fixed intently upon, as though spellbound.

=89-93. Hark ... sun.= In her song Margaret shows she is still keenly
alive to human interests, temporal and spiritual. The priest, bell,
and holy well (l. 91) symbolize the church, here Roman Catholic. The
bell is used in the Roman Church to call especial attention to the
more important portions of the service; the well is the holy-water
font.

=129. heaths starr'd with broom.= The flower of the broom plant,
common in England, is yellow; hence, _starr'd_.

In his work on Matthew Arnold, George Saintsbury speaks