"Behold!

Behold! Ernest is himself the likeness of

the Great Stone Face!"

Then all the people looked and saw that what the deepsighted poet said was true. The prophecy was fulfilled. But Ernest, having finished what he had to say, took the 5 poet's arm, and walked slowly homeward, still hoping that some wiser and better man than himself would by and by appear, bearing a resemblance to the GREAT STONE FACE.. NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE: Twice Told Tales.

HELPS TO STUDY

We may

A short story may be very brief but it must be complete. analyze it by asking the questions Who? What? Where? Why? Who are the persons of the story? What are the events or deeds that it tells? Where does it take place? Why was it written, with what purpose? Some short stories put the emphasis mostly on the Who; they present persons and interpret characters. Other short stories tell us chiefly of actions; they emphasize mainly the What. Others describe some place or scene, and these answer chiefly the question Where? Still others are written to illustrate a moral lesson, they impress us most with their Why.

Now any short story must answer all four questions, for it must have persons, plot, place, and purpose. But a short story must be both brief and complete, therefore it will usually give clear prominence to one element, its answer to either Who? What? Where? or Why? In this story by Hawthorne, the persons, plot, and place are all important, but the chief value of the story lies in its moral lesson or purpose.

I. 1. What picture do you get in the first paragraph? 2. What was the Great Stone Face? 3. Who carved it? 4. Why was it a happy lot for children to grow up in the presence of the Great Stone Face? 5. Who was Ernest? 6. What story did his mother tell him?

learn from that teacher?

7. Describe his childhood. 8. Who was his teacher? 9. What did he 10. How did the teacher look upon Ernest? 11. What synonyms are used for the word face? 12. Select all the words which suggest nobility of character.

II. 1. What great man now appears in the story? 2. Why was he called Gathergold? 3. Who was Midas? 4. Describe Gathergold's palace. 5. What did Ernest hope from Gathergold? 6. Describe Gathergold's face. 7. What action showed his character? 8. How was Ernest cheered in his disappointment? 9. Select all the expressions used by Hawthorne to describe Gathergold's wealth.

III. 1. How old is Ernest now? 2. What do the people of the valley think of him? 3. What has become of Mr. Gathergold? of his palace? 4. What new person is introduced? 5. Describe the reception to the General. 6. What humor do you find in Hawthorne's description? 7. In what way did Old Blood-and-Thunder fail to meet Ernest's hopes? 8. Which was the greater man, Gathergold or the General? Why? 9. How was Ernest again cheered in his disappointment? 10. Select all the words and phrases used as synonyms for the Great Stone Face. 11. Explain the exact meanings of the following words applied to the General: commander, veteran, warrior, general.

IV. 1. Describe Ernest in middle age. 2. What beautiful figure is used to describe his life? 3. Trace the development of his character from childhood to middle age. 4. What new candidate appears to test himself by comparison with the Great Stone Face? 5. Compare him with the earlier candidates. 6. What brings him back to the valley? 7. Do you think he really had "no other object than to shake hands with his fellow citizens" "? 8. Describe his arrival. 9. What resemblances does Ernest at first see between the Statesman and the Great Face? 10. What is lacking in Old Stony Phiz? 11. Why is Ernest's disappointment greater than before? 12. How is he again comforted?

V. 1. How is Ernest described in old age? 2. How has he advanced toward true greatness? 3. Is there any suggestion in the first

paragraph as to who the man of the prophecy is? 4. What other native of the valley is now introduced? 5. With what beautiful words does

Hawthorne describe the poet and his poetry? 6. What did Ernest think of the poet? 7. What did the poet think of Ernest? 8. Select one sentence which explains how the poet has failed.

toons, rugged.
place? Why? 5.

VI. 1. What scene is described in the first paragraph? 2. What words suggest color? 3. Find synonyms for nook, stern, tapestry, fes4. Is Hawthorne's word or your synonym better in its Who was first to recognize Ernest's likeness to the 6. What words does Hawthorne use to describe the poet's power of recognizing truth? 7. Who of all the characters, excepting Ernest, came nearest to fulfilling the prophecy? Ernest receive the people's acclamation that he fulfilled the prophecy?

Great Stone Face?

8. How does

Review Questions. Read the whole story through rapidly. Notice that the story falls into six parts. 1. The Prophecy and Ernest's childhood; 2. Mr. Gathergold, or Ernest's boyhood; 3. Blood-and-Thunder, or Ernest's young manhood; 4. Stony Phiz, or Ernest's middle age; 5. The Poet, or Ernest's old age; 6. The fulfillment of the Prophecy.

1. Who are the persons of the story? Who is the chief person? 2. What happens in each of the six parts of the story? 3. Where is the story placed? 4. Describe the valley, the mountains, the Great Stone Face. 5. What different kinds of greatness are represented by 6. In what order are these presented?

8. How did he become so?

7.

9. How

11.

the persons of the story? In what way was Ernest great? did the Great Face aid him? 10. Why was the story written? Does it show the road to true greatness? 12. In the following men who lived in Hawthorne's time, can you see any possible resemblances to the persons of the story: General Winfield Scott, Daniel Webster, Edgar Allan Poe, Ralph Waldo Emerson. 13. Can you name any person in real life who has become great by striving to live up to an ideal?

For Study with the Glossary: I. majestic, Titan, prophecy, veneration.

II. In the old fable King Midas turned all he touched into gold. The tale is told in Hawthorne's The Golden Touch. portico, variegated, harbingers, beneficence, benignant, benign.

III. meditate, sentiment, counterpart (person or thing that closely resembles another), cloud vesture (cloud garments), sylvan, vista, illustrious, verdant, veteran.

IV. tranquilly, imbibed, involuntarily, phiz (an abbreviation of "physiognomy," face), cavalcade, buoyantly (buoyant means able to float; note the figurative use), barouche.

V. obscure, romantic.

VI. assemblage, tapestry, festoons, verdure, hoary.

You should be familiar already with many of the short stories of Hawthorne: "Little Daffydowndilly" is in the FOURTH READER of the EVERYDAY CLASSICS. "The Pine Tree Shillings" and "Sunken Treasure" are in the FIFTH READER, "Hercules and the Golden Apples" is in the SIXTH, and "The Gray Champion" in the SEVENTH READER. Hawthorne often builds up a story about a symbol, as when he takes the Great Stone Face as a symbol of the ideal of greatness. A symbol is some physical object used as a sign or representation of a moral quality. You will find it interesting to compare this story with Ruskin's "King of the Golden River" (FIFTH READER), where there is a similar test of moral virtue. The "Story of the Caskets" (SIXTH READER) from Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, gives in dramatic form the tale of another test of moral quality, there by means of the choice of the caskets instead of by resemblance to the Great Face.

In Hawthorne's longer stories or novels, the House of the Seven Gables, and The Scarlet Letter, he also employs symbols to typify moral truths. An account of his life and a portrait are given on pages 75 and 76 of the FIFTH READER.

If

THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET

ACT FIRST. SCENE I

Elsinore. A platform before the castle.

Francisco at his post. Enter to him Bernardo.

Ber. Who's there?

Fran. Nay, answer me. Stand, and unfold yourself.

Ber. Long live the king!

Fran. Bernardo?

Ber. He.

Fran. You come most carefully upon your hour.

Ber. 'Tis now struck twelve.

Fran. For this relief much

Get thee to bed, Francisco. thanks. 'Tis bitter cold,

And I am sick at heart.
Ber. Have you had quiet guard?
Fran.

Ber. Well, good-night.

you

5

Not a mouse stirring. 10

do meet Horatio and Marcellus,

The rivals of my watch, bid them make haste.

Enter Horatio and Marcellus.

Fran. I think I hear them. Stand! Who's there?

Hor. Friends to this ground.

Mar.

And liegemen to the Dane. 15