“In this narrative Mr Robinson not only proves by reason of thought and substance his position as the greatest of all living American poets, but also by the supreme consciousness and evocation of beauty.” W. S. B.
+ Boston Transcript p9 Je 12 ’20 1350w + Cleveland p86 O ’20 80w
“The verse moves with dignity and attains at times even a detachable beauty, and yet the memorable lines are comparatively few—for this author.”
+ − Dial 69:103 Jl ’20 120w
“It has no pictorial exuberance. Scarcely a line could be quoted for self-sufficient imagery. For the rest, the beauty of the poem is a low-keyed, intense but quiet beauty of cadence and rhythm. Its matter speaks with restraint and with completion. Its power lies in the immanence of its people and their struggle with their fate.” C. M. Rourke
+ Freeman 2:164 O 27 ’20 550w
“The verse of ‘Lancelot’ is as athletic and spare as an Indian runner, though it walks not runs. At the same time, he varies his verse in admirable accord with situation and character. Since Browning there has been no finer dramatic dialogue in verse than that spoken by Lancelot and Guinevere and no apter characterization than the ironical talk of Gawaine. One must go out of verse, to George Meredith and Henry James, to find its match. But Mr Robinson has the advantage of verse.” C. V. D.
+ Nation 110:622 My 8 ’20 650w
“Edwin Arlington Robinson can say more in two lines than most poets can in several verses. His vision is somber; it is marked by an uncompromising consistency in the handling of eternal values.” H. S. Gorman
+ New Repub 23:259 Jl 28 ’20 1150w