This story is unique among William Morris’s tales in The Oxford and Cambridge Magazine as the only
one with a contemporary setting. The narrative style is similar to that of his other
stories. Like most of the stories in the Magazine, this one centers on a dream, or a vision.
The narrator, a scorned lover, holds the eponymous letter, from his friend,
and imagines a life of nursing his hatred for Mabel, the lover who scorned
him.
Like Fulford’ story The Two
Partings, this story incorporates a poem . This poem would
later be included in The Defense of
Guenevere (1858), under the title “In Prison”
(LeMire xxvii).
This collection contains 1 text or image, including:
The Oxford and Cambridge Magazine text
Scholarly Commentary
Guest Editor: PC Fleming
Introduction
This story is unique among William Morris’s tales in The Oxford and Cambridge Magazine as the only one with a contemporary setting. The narrative style is similar to that of his other stories. Like most of the stories in the Magazine, this one centers on a dream, or a vision. The narrator, a scorned lover, holds the eponymous letter, from his friend, and imagines a life of nursing his hatred for Mabel, the lover who scorned him.
Like Fulford’ story The Two Partings, this story incorporates a poem . This poem would later be included in The Defense of Guenevere (1858), under the title “In Prison” (LeMire xxvii).
Printing History
First printed in The Oxford and Cambridge Magazine , April, 1856.