HISTORY.
The poem takes immediate hold of the events given in the early chronicles. The time when the story begins is stated only in a general way; but as the Mayflower began her return voyage April 5, 1621, the phrase, “In the Old Colony days,” stands for April 4th of the same year. The names of the three principal characters are mentioned in Bradford’s History of Plymouth Plantation as names of immigrants on the Mayflower. In regard to the instance of the rattlesnake-skin challenge sent by Canonicus, the time of its occurrence has been shifted in the poem from January, 1622, when it really took place, to the date when the poem opens. The incident is historical, and has been brought in almost in the exact form in which it is recorded. The real occasion for the Captain’s expedition (488) was to rescue the neighboring settlement of Weymouth, which was threatened by the Indians in March, 1623. The chronicles mention the details of the encounter very much as given (745-815); also the trophy brought back by the Captain (818, 819). May 12th is mentioned as the date when the first marriage in the colony took place. The poet’s description of the ceremony (936-939) is based upon Bradford’s History:
“May 12th was the first mariage in this place, which, according to ye laudable custome of ye Low Countries, in which they had lived, was thought most requisite to be performed by the magistrate, as being a civill thing, upon which many questions aboute inheritances doe depende, with other things most proper to their cognizans, and most consonant to ye Scriptures, Ruth 4, and no wher found in ye Gospell to be layed on ye ministers as part of their office.”
These are the main incidents that form the groundwork; but in addition to these there are numerous minor touches, names and facts from the old records, all which go to build up the narrative into a faithful historic picture.
Such is the portrayal of Standish and his previous service in Holland. He had fought in Flanders (25) against the Spaniards (28); he had charge of the military organization in the Colony (46-93). The Indian names mentioned in 53 are found in the chronicles. The death of Rose Standish (136) is also mentioned. Other names and facts that in one way or another are matters of historic record are the “Psalm-book of Ainsworth,” printed in Amsterdam (231, 232); the seven houses of Plymouth (392); Wat Tyler (415); the Elder and his Words (442, 443 and 457); Stephen, Richard, and Gilbert (547); the Field of the First Encounter (606). “In autumn the ships of the merchants” (825)—this refers to the Anne and the Little James, which arrived in Plymouth in the autumn of 1623. “Still may be seen” (846): the descendants of Alden still own the lands where his house stood, in Duxbury.
I.
State what you can about the locality where the Pilgrims landed and settled. Give a description of it as you think it appeared to the immigrants in December, 1620. Could it have been an inviting place? How does this locality look in the spring, say early in April?
II.
State in what way the value of the poem as such would be changed if it were not connected with a historic event as momentous as that of the founding of the Plymouth Colony. What, then, besides the story of the three principal characters is there in the poem? State, with reasons for your views, which you regard the more significant,—the story as such, or the historic picture it presents.
III.
Find details in the poem that you regard as particularly faithful to history. Find touches that illustrate historic statements like this: “The pioneers [Puritans] were rugged, strong, and inspired by an unshakable faith in their mission in the New World.” (People’s History of the United States.) See, for instance, line 599. Point out several examples of the customs, habits, and views depicted that are historic in the same way. Quote lines portraying the religious character of the Puritans; their faith in their mission. Cite passages depicting the hardships of the preceding winter. Find strongly visualizing touches portraying their condition as settlers. Also instances showing their relations toward the red men.
IV.
What length of time is covered by the narrative? Point out the events in the first and the last part that fix the time. What difference do you find if you take the actual history of the events as the basis for computing the time?
THE ACTION.
The poem presents an artistically finished story, in which the action begins with a statement of a definite issue, and moves on through complication and suspenses to a complete solution. Hence it is well adapted for the study of plot.
Every carefully constructed story begins with the presentation of an issue so contrived as to seize upon and arrest the attention of the reader. Something of momentous consequence to one or more of the characters is pending. The interests of the hero or the heroine are threatened by the interests of other characters. A collision between two opposing characters is unavoidable. The hero steps forward and enters upon a career clashing with the traditions and customs of his surroundings. His ambition sets up an aim and a purpose that cannot be attained without the risk of life or fortune. A struggle, at any rate, is impending and inevitable; and in the first situation of a well-constructed story the special nature of it is placed before the reader.
At this point the action begins. It seizes upon the attention of the reader by causing him to project his thoughts forward in anticipation of the action completed, the solution of the problem. As he follows the story his interest in the struggle is heightened by finding obstacles that challenge the very best powers of the hero and the heroine, and test to the utmost their strength and courage. These obstacles give rise to situations fraught with special points of interest, rousing curiosity or giving glimpses of character or the secret workings of the soul which the composure of ordinary life does not afford. In the course of the story there are subtle touches or character hints which endear the hero to the reader. At this stage it is something more than a struggle waged between comparatively unknown forces—a strong human interest is added, so that the reader conceives strong wishes and consummations of his own with reference to the outcome.
In a story there are several positions that determine the plot and mark the stages of the progress. These form the basis of its structure; and in the study of the plot they are very serviceable as points of departure. Thus we may recognize the point where we have sufficient introductory data to state the problem, or in other words, to formulate the issue. At what point do we feel prompted to wish for any certain kind of result to the struggle? What is the nature of the obstacles that aggravate and complicate the struggle? Do they rise subjectively out of the hero’s character, or are they brought in through the counterplay of other characters? At what point and through what occurrences does the story seem to point to a definite outcome? Through what means is the reader again led to entertain doubts and misgivings? In what way is the main problem solved? Is the struggle ended so that we feel that everything involved in the issue is fully terminated?
In lines 85 and 86, John Alden’s hopes and desires are indicated, and we wonder, How shall he speed, and is the consummation to be such as he desires? Another step is reached in 155, where the action is complicated by an obstacle placed in his way. At this stage we have an opportunity to note a bit of the writer’s art if we observe the effect that this turn of events has. It certainly adds to the interest. But how? In the first place, we are anxious to know whether this obstacle will, against our wishes, cause the hopes of Alden to be frustrated. If we are in doubt as to whether it takes hold of us in this way, we have but to note that we are not content to leave the story at this point. In the second place, we are curious to know how Alden will acquit himself pleading with Priscilla in behalf of a rival suitor. And again, How will Priscilla receive the proffers of the Captain? The situation to which we immediately look forward has many elements adapted to seize strongly upon the reader’s attention. It will primarily be momentous in the fortunes of the principal characters; and it will, further, have features that in various other ways interest people. Up to this point Alden’s character has been developed in such a way that we are sure he cannot summarily set aside or ignore his promise to the Captain. The commission entrusted to him is bound to create a violent conflict in his mind between love on one side and friendship and conscience on the other. This conflict will be visually exhibited in the coming interview with Priscilla. In whatever way the interview as such terminates, we see that a series of interesting consequences must follow from it: as, for instance, Alden’s report to the Captain, the mood induced in the latter, and his subsequent course of action. Again, it cannot pass without resulting in some sort of counteraction on the part of the other two, thereby giving rise to situations that will tax all their loyalty and resourcefulness.
I.
What assurance have we that Alden will not attempt to ignore or evade his promise (245-248)? In what way is the situation made more intense by Priscilla’s welcome (251-253)? How does the preliminary conversation increase the difficulties of Alden’s errand? In the manner of delivering his message, is he influenced mainly by a sense of his obligation to the Captain or by the sentiments he entertains towards Priscilla? What is the dramatic effect of his abrupt departure? In what respect was the interview conclusive? At the close of the situation do we feel that the difficulties in Alden’s way are lessened or increased? How did Alden seem to feel in regard to this?
II.
What part of Alden’s report was the main cause of the Captain’s wrath? Had Alden anticipated the effect that his report would have? How does the arrival of the messenger (426) affect the plot? Is the incident of the council a part of the main action, or merely an episode? Why was it necessary at this stage that the Captain should be removed from the presence of the other two (484)? What personal interests of the various characters are pending or threatened at this point of the story?
In what way is the central action still in a state of suspense after the Captain’s departure? Show how the suspense is to be accounted for by the disposition and character of Alden. In what way are the occurrences that take place during the Captain’s absence invested with interest (824-900)?
IV.
What is the decisive moment in the story? Explain the effect it will be likely to have on Alden and his course of action. In what way is the preceding situation a preparation for this moment? How does the poet make plain to us Alden’s previous sense of restraint as well as his present sense of freedom?
V.
What is the purpose of the information given in 949—“Long had it stood there,” etc.? What difference would it have made to one of Alden’s disposition if the person had presented himself before the ceremony? Could the action be regarded as quite complete without the reconciliation of all the main characters?
THE CHARACTERS.
Miles Standish and John Alden are introduced together, for the reason, no doubt, that the traits of the one may serve to set off those of the other. Miles Standish is a soldier by nature; and a lifetime spent in camp and field has brought out the soldier spirit in him in all its completeness. The character of John Alden is less marked, though it is made sufficiently intelligible, first by his employment as scribe and correspondent of the colonists, which leads us to infer that he was better fitted for the occupation of the scholar than for the struggles of the pioneer; secondly, his youth and delicate complexion are mentioned, and we gather that his physique is not robust nor hardened. The Puritan predominates in John Alden as the soldier does in Miles Standish. The latter attributes the saving of his life to the good steel of the breastplate, while the former attributes it to a direct interposition of the Lord in slackening the speed of the bullet. We feel that if Alden had been left to spend an anxious hour or two alone, he would have turned for consolation to the Bible and not to “the ponderous Roman.”
The Captain is a man of strong personality and firm integrity. He is an organizer of the colony’s defense; his voice prevails at the council; he is a resolute and able defender, who rises equal to emergencies of sudden and imminent danger. He is also capable of entertaining sentiments of tenderness (58-60) and magnanimity (949-973). Yet the author has indicated that, in the conventional sense, he is not to be taken as the hero. The personal description of him (11) points to this; so also his almost ludicrous inconsistency (36-115 and 163-168). His avowed affection for Priscilla could not have struck deep roots in his heart, for only two or three months have passed since he sustained the loss that made his life “weary and dreary” (36). Moreover, this matter could not have been upper-most in his mind very long, for he would then have observed that Alden had frequently gone on a lover’s errand in his own behalf (252-258). Neither could his inclinations have been very ardent, for while Alden is gone he spends the hours without anxiety, absorbed in the campaigns of Cæsar. He misunderstands and underestimates the sterling nature of Priscilla when he thinks that the winning of her is largely and mainly a matter of phrases (169) and elegant language, “such as you read of in books in the pleadings and wooings of lovers.” All this helps us to become reconciled to the Captain’s discomfiture.
John Alden is the most typical Puritan of the leading characters. His tendency towards a fatalistic view of life and to self-accusation seem almost too strange to be accounted for by any doctrine or belief. As a Puritan he had been brought up and trained in submission to his elders, which may partly explain his lack of self-assertion. His position as a dependent in the household of Miles Standish made him more ready than he otherwise could have been to go on the Captain’s delicate errand. There are situations in which we find Alden insufficient (182, 558, 559). He has little opportunity, in so far that the part assigned to him is mainly passive. Yet there are possibilities of stern manhood in him; and, with reference to the main issue, he is certainly strong in those very respects where Miles Standish is weak.
Priscilla presents a contrast to the other two. She is full of healthy, joyous life. Neither the sternness of her associates nor the hardships of the pioneer life that she had experienced had been able to detract from her cheerful, buoyant disposition. During the winter she had become an orphan, and yet she appears to have been potent as a ray of sunshine amid the gloom and distress incident to the condition of the colonists. The fact that she is a trifle more frank in her conversation with John Alden than strict conventional form would require detracts nothing, but rather places her among such ideals of women as Miranda, Imogen, and Elaine.
I.
In the first eighty lines designate the means used in describing Miles Standish. Which reveals his character most effectively—the author’s direct description of him, his talk, his weapons, or his books? Are there any details in this description that you would like to see altered if the Captain were to be the hero of the story? The Miles Standish of history is said to have been thirty-six years at this time; in what direction has the poet changed his age? Why?
II.
What position of authority does Standish hold in the colony? Why has the poet made him and Alden household companions (15)? What character-contrast in 25-33? Why should the maxim of line 37 be reiterated (114)? How does the Captain’s inconsistency (164) affect the tone of the narrative? Is the reply in 168 to the point? How does the Captain’s reliance on phrases and elegant language change our opinion of him?
III.
How does line 398 square with lines 173, 174? What had been the Captain’s state of mind during Alden’s absence? What effects measure to us the degree of his anger after having listened to Alden’s report? What motives induced the Captain to start in pursuit of hostile Indians (486)? Hoes this expedition seem to have been most likely to insure the safety of the colony? What evidence have we later on of the Captain’s magnanimity? As he is not in the conventional sense the hero of the story, what purpose, from the point of view of the action, does he serve?
IV.
In the character portrayal of 1-86, which are the main points of contrast between Miles Standish and John Alden? What appears to be the age of Alden? In describing him, why does the author use more poetic terms (17-20) than he does in the case of Standish? Was Alden commissioned by others of the colonists to write letters for them? What single fact makes clear the sentiments he entertains towards Priscilla? Had they been acquainted before they left England?
V.
How can we account for Alden’s yielding to the Captain’s request? What other courses of action were open to him? “Then made answer John Alden” (181)—continue here, and in half a dozen lines write the answer you think he should have made. After leaving the Captain, what motives hold him to the fulfillment of his promise (185-248)? Was his blunt manner of delivering the message (288) deliberate, or was he so overcome that he could not do it otherwise?
VI.
What exactly is the cause of his distress as told in 339-342? Comment on the frankness of the report he submits. Should he not have attempted to explain and to set himself right? Interpret the mood visualized in 558, 559. Does he seem to have a sufficient reason for “thinking to fly from despair” (562)? Would it be a better story if Alden had been given an opportunity for active heroism? What in his character is most admirable?
VII.
Did Priscilla belong to those Puritans that had lived for some years in Holland (269)? What suggestions have we regarding Priscilla before lines 223-238? In the description (223-238) what traits are made most prominent? Explain in what respect her disposition seems to be in sharp contrast to that of Alden (293-338). At what point and under what conditions does Priscilla’s influence show itself most powerful? What do we learn of her from her words in 667-680? At what point in the story and in what way is her character most exquisitely drawn? Which of the three characters had passed through the saddest experiences since the landing at Plymouth?
THE COURTSHIP OF MILES STANDISH.