Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-01
COMMENCEMENT
CONTINUED from page 81
w. T.. THOMAS,
LOc al NJ IA n n ger.

parsonages. Moreover the various con-
dtions Of human nature in its growth
from brutality to an ordered klnguoibs
that which saves or looses true HE, the
general desires and tendencies o. man,
the temptations whic beset him. the wise
and unwise view Of the goal Of life, the
love which saves. the love which ruins.
the religious passion which leads ariRHt
and that which leads astray. are sym
boiized before us in number Oh other
personages episodes and events, invented
by Tenuyson.
Iancelot of all the characters in the
Ilylls plays the strongest art IN his
sphere he is ethical II naracter Is
modern 1t Is one of our time out
wardly Lancelot is ArthuYs dearest and
best friend Upon him. since he Is the
kgreatest of all the knights and controls
fhe largest clan. rests haf the strength
I.ancelot loves his king, but from that
khere crops out an irrepressibie
Eeser-N>elling weakness. He loves At
thurs Neen and takes away her love OF
the AkinK Tennysonsl although condemn
Mig mi }kunpardonable love. says there
MAS sof ething inevitable in 1t. Lanceiot
|xaM filA he was wrong. He knew that II
|16ar ~ &al for him to love Guinevere-
to3he with remorse he starts out IN
krcNpof the Holy Grail. saying to him
|Xif SIT | can but see this holy thing.
ny SIN may be plueked out OF my heart.
b TennySon aScribeS the oredklHS up u
Ffhe round table 10 TWO causes, impurity
and the religion set forth in the Holy
Grail. In these causes Tennyson pours
forth his feelings upon Two social prop
lens. HE looked, and in the direst llgnt
upon the growth off, sensuailty, on the
Indifference to purity, on the looSenfnS
OF the marriage vow, on the unehaste re-
suits OF luxury of life as one of the worst
evils and perhaps the worst which can
aftiict Individual and national life. The
sin of I.ancelot and Guinevere which ne
takes care to represent as induced by a
by unbroken faithfulness and which does
not therefore wholly destroy the nopie
elments in their characters is neverthe-
less the primal cause of the ruin that fol-
lows" Tennyson does not excuse Them
because they love faithfully. On the con-
trary he brings ruin back upon them and
by so doing he sends forth an ethical
message for our society.
In the Idyll. 1.-The Last Tournament
the climax has been reached. Arthur
round table. once so strong. powerful,
is on the eve of destruction. The inev-
liable has at last come. Lancelot .as
umpire OF the Just. disregards the law
lessness OF The tourney. When all Is mn
ished Lancelot cries 1.-The glory OF our
round tai BILE is no more.
'Arthur's work has failed, love. friend
ship his ideals, have also broken down.
Upon him, the unsuspicious. eNer-trust-
ing, king. falls all the grief for the sins
of others. He has remained faithful to
his wife through all. His chastity is per-
Meet. His honor unstained. His moral
kourage is as great as his physical cour-
we Add to this absolute courtesy, gen
less, pity. forgiveness for the fallen.
kllffsh joy in the fame or glory of 9th
.nd we see the perfect knight of
son. 1t is an ideal, but an ideal to
Ale poet desired us to aspire and 10
oh he thought possible"