The Daffodil Fields

Project GutenbergProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.6

Word count: 105K words
Chapters: 11

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Daffodil Fields by John MasefieldAuthor: ,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Nov 23, 2012

Editor's review

This is The Daffodil Fields, a long narrative poem by the English poet John Masefield, released by Project Gutenberg as a public-domain English electronic book. Masefield later became British Poet Laureate; his verse combines sea imagery, rural atmosphere, and narrative drive. Taking a pastoral scene as its title, the book is suited to observing how early twentieth-century English narrative poetry weaves landscape, human fate, and lyrical tone together. The electronic edition has no modern introduction or notes, and the reading focus is on verse rhythm and narrative movement rather than plot suspense. For readers of English poetry it offers a sample of Masefield's middle-period style; for researchers it is convenient for searching stanzas and comparing versions. Readers who prefer short poems or modern free verse may need patience with the long narrative structure.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with some experience of English poetry who want to know Masefield's narrative verse
Literature students studying early twentieth-century English poetry and pastoral themes
English literature lovers who enjoy rural landscape description and can accept the pace of a long poem
Learners who need public-domain English poetry texts for translation or prosody practice

Not a good fit for

Beginners who still struggle with English reading and need line-by-line notes
Readers who prefer short poems, modern poetry, or strongly plotted fiction
People who want only a quick plot summary and are unwilling to invest time in a long poem

Reading tips

Read through once without looking up words to grasp the narrative direction and overall tone, then return to difficult lines
Read aloud section by section, paying attention to Masefield's rhythm and rhyme; this is easier than silent reading
Note recurring pastoral and natural images and observe how they change with the characters' circumstances
For research, compare with Masefield's other poems to see how his narrative and lyrical language differ

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is The Daffodil Fields a long poem or a novel?

It is a long narrative poem, not a novel. The Project Gutenberg record classifies it under English literature, by John Masefield; read it by lines and stanzas rather than understanding the plot through novel chapters.

What honor did Masefield receive?

John Masefield was an English poet who later became Poet Laureate, a matter of public literary history. The electronic edition itself does not include a biography or award note; readers can consult authoritative literary references for his background.

Does the electronic edition have notes and an introduction?

No. Project Gutenberg public-domain ebooks usually provide only the text, and this page is mainly the project introduction and bibliographic information; allusions, place names, and period background in the poem must be researched by the reader.

Is it suitable for learning English?

It suits close reading of poetry once you have a foundation, but is not suitable for beginners. The long poem's language is condensed and its syntax flexible, so use a dictionary and read aloud; if your goal is everyday English, choose plainer materials first.

Comments

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