Angel In Disguise

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T.S. ARTHUR INTRODUCTION: Timothy Shay Arthur, born on 6th June 1809 near Newburgh, New York, famously known as T. S. Arthur — was a popular 19th-century American author. T.S Arthur was one of the leading voices of the 19th Century Temperance Movement. He wrote numerous short stories, journals and homilies which appealed to the middle-working class Americans giving him his fair share of popularity. He is most famous for his temperance novel Ten Nights in a Bar-Room and What I Saw There (1854), which helped demonize alcohol in the eyes of the American public. His story ‘Angel In Disguise’ begins with the death of an alcoholic peasant leading to misery of her orphaned children.

BIOGRAPH: Born just outside Newburgh, New York, Arthur lived as a child in nearby Fort Montgomery, New York By 1820, Arthur's father, a miller, had relocated to Baltimore, Maryland, where Arthur briefly attended local schools. At age fourteen, Arthur apprenticed to a tailor, but poor eyesight and a general lack of gratitude for physical labour led him to seek other work. He then found employment with a wholesale merchandiser and later as an agent for an investment concern, a job that took him briefly to Louisville, Kentucky. Otherwise, he lived as a young adult in Baltimore. Smitten by literature, Arthur devoted as much time as he could to reading and fledgling attempts to write. By 1830, he had begun to appear in local literary magazines. That year he contributed poems under his own name and pseudonyms to a gift book called The Amethyst. Also during this time he participated in an informal literary coterie called the Seven Stars (the name drawn from that of the tavern in which they met), whose members also included Edgar Allan Poe

PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS: The 1830s saw Arthur mount a number of efforts to become a professional author and publisher. All failed, but collectively they gave Arthur numerous chances to hone his craft. In 1838 he co-published The Baltimore Book, a gift book that included a short tale contributed by Poe called "Slope." Toward the end of the decade, Arthur published in ephemeral format a novel called Insubordination that in 1842 appeared in hardcover. In 1840 he wrote a series of newspaper articles on the Washingtonian

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Temperance Society, a local organization formed by working-class artisans and mechanics to counter the life-ruining effects of drink. The articles were widely reprinted and helped fuel the establishment of Washingtonian groups across the country. Arthur’s newspaper sketches were collected in book form as Six Nights with the Washingtonians (1842). Six Nights went through many editions and helped establish Arthur in the public eye as an author associated with the temperance movement. 1840 also saw Arthur place his first short tale in Godey's Lady's Book. Called "Tired of Housekeeping," its subject is a middle-class family who struggle to supervise recalcitrant cooks and servants. Encouraged by his success, Arthur moved to Philadelphia in 1841 to be near the offices of America’s most popular home magazines. He continued to write tales for Godey’s and other periodicals. Almost yearly he issued collected editions of his tales and published novel-length narratives as well. He also authored children's stories, conduct manuals, a series of state histories, and even an income-tax primer. Interested in publishing a magazine under his own name, he launched (after several aborted efforts) the monthly Arthur’s Home Magazine in 1852. Helped by a very capable assistant, Virginia Townsend, the magazine survived until several years after Arthur’s death in 1885. The magazine featured Arthur’s own tales and other original fare, as well as articles and stories reprinted from other sources. In 1854, for example, Arthur published, apparently with permission, Charles Dickens' Hard Times. 1854 was also the year Arthur published Ten Nights in a Bar-Room. The story of a small-town miller (perhaps based on Arthur's father) who gives up his trade to open a tavern, the novel’s narrator is an infrequent visitor who over the course of several years traces the physical and moral decline of the proprietor, his family, and the town’s citizenry due to alcohol. The novel sold well, but insinuated itself in the public consciousness largely on the basis of a very popular stage version that appeared soon after the book. The play remained in continuous production well into the 20th century when at least two movie versions were made. Arthur died in 1885, aged 75, at his home in Philadelphia; his death was attributed to "kidney troubles". He is buried at The Woodlands.

CRITICAL APPRECIATION: Arthur attained great popularity while he lived, but was not well regarded by the era’s literati. His old acquaintance Poe, for example, wrote in Graham's Magazine that Arthur was "uneducated and too fond of mere vulgarities to please a refined taste." An unsigned article in 1873 claimed that "the world is the better for his having lived" and his social reform writings, while also admitting that "men of literary

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pretensions take pride in sneering at Mr. Arthur's writings, and declaring that they never read them". Conscious of his own lack of brilliance, Arthur thought stories should impart beneficial life lessons by means of plainly written, realistically depicted scenes. Though often marked by moralism and sentimentalism, Arthur's writing at its best— as in Ten Nights in a Bar-Room—is both brisk and poignant. Arthur's ideas may seem simplistic or even oppressive today, but many readers in his time found him relevant, helpful, reassuring, and compelling.

NOTABLE WORKS:  PERIODICALS: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

The Young Men's Paper(1834-36) The Monument (1838–39) Arthur's Magazine (1844–46) Arthur's Home Magazine (1852–1898) Graham's Magazine (1849)

 TALE COLLECTION: 1. The Widow Morrison: A Leaf from the Book of Human Life (1841) 2. Six Nights with the Washingtonians: A Series of Original Temperance Tales (1842) 3. Tired of Housekeeping (1840) 4. The Mother (1846) 5. The Orphan Children: A Tale of Cruelty and Oppression (1850) 6. The Tried and the Tempted (1851) 7. The Iron Rule; or, Tyranny in the Household (1853) 8. The Angel of the Household (1854) 9. The Angel In Diguise(1851) 10. Saved as by Fire (1881)

 STATE HISTORIES EDITED BY ARTHUR: 1. The History of Virginia from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time (1852) 2. The History of Pennsylvania from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time (1857) 3. The History of New York from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time (1858) 4. The History of Kentucky from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time (1858) 5. The History of New Jersey from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time (1858)

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AN ANGEL IN DISGUISE ~A SHORT STORY BY T.S. ARTHUR

BACKDROP: ''An Angel in Disguise'' is a short story written in 1851 by American author T.S. Arthur. The story is set against the backdrop of a poor rural village. It's the kind of place where everyone has problems of their own. Everyone tries to be good while living within their means. The village is set to be a dark and gloomy place. T.S Arthur was a great proponent of the “Temperance Movement“, a 19th Century puritanical movement against alcoholism which sought to curb the ‘evils’ of liquor. The extent to which Arthur was obsessed with the idea can be gauged by the fact that he built his entire literary career by writing against alcoholism. It is within such context that T. S Arthur is writing the story. The children are orphaned because of the death of the alcoholic mother, whose deaths is to a large extent caused by intemperance. The story opens with the lines: “Idleness, vice, and intemperance had done their miserable work and the dead mother lay cold and still amid her wretched children. She had fallen upon the threshold of her own door in a drunken fit, and died in the presence of her frightened little ones.” An Angel in Disguise is therefore a social commentary which not only shows the consequences of a social ‘problem’ but also hints at how the results of the problem can be mitigated: by the love and kindness of people who are willing to take responsibility of the innocent lives that have been destroyed by the alcohol problem Angel in Disguise also acknowledges the fact that most of the actions undertaken by people are based on self interest and that there is a certain degree of hypocrisy lodged between people’s actions and their intentions. The hypocrisy of the society is revealed the day after the mother’s death when John and Kate are quickly adopted by farmer Jones and Mrs. Miller respectively for the cheap labour they bring along with them and by the virtue of which they can be ‘of use’. Maggie however is abandoned by all. Their hypocrisy is revealed in the chasm between their explanation for adopting the kids and their intention behind it. The story was written at a time (1851 to be exact) when the U.S was trying to implement certain legal reforms like a ban on alcohol and the establishment of Child Labor Laws.

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Strong Biblical influence which marked the T.S Arthur’s formative years is also visible in this story.

SUMMARY: An Angel in Disguise is a short story by T.S Arthur which beautifully demonstrates the power of love in a situation of hopelessness. Written in the voice of a third person omniscient narrator, the story makes a strong case for compassion towards the downtrodden and tries to draw a clear connection between love and happiness. The story opens with a very graphic representation of misery and helplessness. A woman has died in poverty (presumably due to disease and alcohol abuse), surrounded by her wretched children. The news of her death quickly spreads in the village and the neighbours hastily gather around her dead body, bringing along some food and clothes for her orphaned children. The narrator shows how pity moves the villagers to action and goes on to state that “Death touches the spring of our common humanity.” Three children are orphaned by the death of their mother: John, Kate and Maggie. John, the eldest, is a boy of twelve. Kate, about ten to eleven, is an active and a bright girl. Maggie, the youngest, is hopelessly diseased. She had been handicapped after having fallen from a window two years earlier, injuring her spine. The villagers discuss what should be done about the children and they all agree that the little ones must not be left to starve. Finally, farmer Jones adopts John and Kate is adopted by Mrs. Ellis. Though it may seem like a commendable act on their part, their decision to “adopt” the children, their decision is actually based on self-interest as shall be seen later in the analysis of the story. Nobody comes forward to adopt poor Maggie and some suggest taking her to the Poor House. Finally, it is the wheelwright Joe Thompson who, unable to resist Maggie’s pleas, lifts her up in his arms and heads home. He’s sure that his wife, a childless woman, will resist his choice of adoption but he decides to take Maggie anyway. On reaching home, he and his wife have a heated argument over Maggie’s adoption. The wife strongly resists the adoption of an invalid child. However, Thompson passionately defends the child and speaks on her behalf with such force that Mrs. Thompson finally agrees to keep her for the night. Joe gives the example of how Jesus loved little children and makes a fervent appeal to his wife:

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” Look at her kindly Jane; speak to her kindly. Think of her dead mother, and the loneliness, the pain, the sorrow that must be all her coming life.” He leaves Maggi to Mrs. Jones’ care before going to work. Upon his return, he doesn’t mention Maggie but instead asks for the supper. He goes to meet the child and is struck by her tender voice and the gratefulness of her tone. During supper, Mrs Thompson brings up the topic of Maggie and asks him what he is going to do with the child. Joe replies very tactfully, pretending to be surprised: ” I thought you understood me that she was to go to the Poor House.” Mrs. Thompson looks strangely at her husband and drops her eyes. She then prepares some meal and takes it to Maggie who eats it with great pleasure: “Is it good?” asked Mrs Thompson, seeing with what keen relish the food was taken. The child paused with the cup in her hands, and answered with a look of gratitude that awoke to life old human feelings which had been slumbering in her heart for half a score of years.” Mrs Jones is clearly touched and we will see that her attitude towards the child is changed forever. The next morning at breakfast time, in response to Joe’s statement that he must see the Guardians of The Poor House concerning Maggie, Mrs Thompson remarks that they will keep Maggie for a day or two longer. However, Joe never visits the Guardians of the Poor on Maggie’s account, for in less than a week Mrs Joe Thompson has become so attached to Maggie that she would rather herself go to the Alms house than send Maggie there. The story ends on a happy note explaining how Maggie acted as an object of love to bring happiness in the house of Joe Thompson, especially in the life of his wife which had so far been an unhappy one, for being without a child, she had nothing to love and care for out of herself. Maggie thus becomes a ‘precious burden’ to the Thompson family- an angel who had come to his house disguised as a sick and miserable child, and filled its dreary chambers with the sunshine of love.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS SETTING:

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The story is set in a village where a poor woman ,who was hated during her lifetime by nearly everyone in her village, dies while intoxicated and leaves two daughters and a son behind to fend for themselves. The villagers pity these children and the oldest are taken away by new families, but the youngest, Maggie, who is crippled is left alone because nobody wanted to deal with her disability. The scene shifts to Joe Thompson’s house when he takes Maggie with him to his house. When Joe brings Maggie home in his arms, his wife is enraged that he has brought the ‘sick brat’ in her home. But soon the sweetness of that sick child , looking ever to her in love, patience and gratitude is like honey to her soul, and she carries her in her heart as well as in her arms, a precious burden. Maggie stays in this house for ever. And Maggie becomes a blessing for the Thompsons. She is an angel in disguise

Third person narration: The story is narrated in the third person by an omniscient narrator. The author introduces us to some characters by direct characterisation. For example he comments on the drunken woman directly - “ This woman had been despised , scoffed at, and angrily denounced by nearly every man, woman and child in the village.” The narrator has a bias towards the children of the dead woman, especially towards Maggie, due to her predicament of being an orphan whom everyone is reluctant to take in. the narrator demonstrates this bias when he describes Maggie as having ‘sad eyes’ and a ‘patient face’.

Tone: The tone of the tale is a melancholic one. A woman whom none cared about previously has passed away, and the townspeople suddenly act as if they are mourning. This tone continues as the narrator reveals that the children are orphans and especially when none of the townsfolk are willing to take little Maggie in. Once, when Thompson takes Maggie to his house, the tone shifts from melancholy to hope. Finally when Mrs. Thompson realizes that Maggie is a blessing to the couple, the tone ultimately shifts to loving and being optimistic for the future.

STYLE: The story is written in a traditional style. The narrator, in the third person controls the whole narrative. He acts as a commentator and a controller. As the purpose of the story is didactic, he refers to the bible to reinforce his idea. The language used is simple and straight forward. There is a variety of sentences to make the narration interesting. Though the language is mostly denotative, the writer uses certain figures of speech which lend charm to the story. For instance, death is

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personified. Maggie is described as a ‘precious burden’, which is a beautiful use of the oxymoron. The biblical allusion to Jesus called ‘The Saviour’ is significant. By alluding to Jesus and his teachings, the husband in the story is able to convince his wife about the necessity to be kind, generous and helpful. The story moves from one point to another smoothly and ends on a note of hope.

PLOT : The plot of the story runs as follows: Introduction: the introduction of the story is the first paragraph. The author prepares us to the development of the events and characters. “Idleness, vice, and intemperance had done their miserable work…” these words prepare us for awful events. Exposition: It is a part of the story in which the scene of the action and the leading personages are introduced to us. In a small village a terrible woman dies from intoxication right in front of her three children. Even though everyone in their town hated the woman, they all felt pity for her in passing. Two of her children, John and Kate, were quickly adopted the next day by townsfolk because they were healthy. However, The woman's third child, Maggie, had been sick and bedridden for a long time and was not wanted by anyone. Development of the events: Everyone felt awful for Maggie and the best idea anyone had was to send her to the poor house. One brave and generous man named Joe Thompson decided that he could not leave her to the poor house and took her to his own home. His wife, Mrs. Thompson, did not agree with his act of kindness and told him to talk to the owners of the poor house by the end of the night. Instead of arguing with his wife, Joe told her that he was just letting her stay at their house for the night. Although he was never going to, Joe said that he would talk to the guardians of the poor house the next day. Joe went to his shop in town and came back to find that Mrs. Thompson had been talking to Maggie while he was gone. With high hopes, Joe waited until they were done talking to find out whether or not Mrs. Thompson had a change in heart. Denouement: It is the release in the text which always follows its culmination. It is the moment when Mr. Thompson sees that Mrs. Thompson speaks with Maggie. He feels that his wife loves her because she does not want to give her to the poorhouse. Conclusion: It is the final part of the text. After how many days, Mr. Thompson didn’t see the Guardians of the Poor and never saw them. Decides to let Maggie stay and live with them at their house. And we see that in such words: An angel had come into

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his house, disguised as a sick, helpless, and miserable child, and filled all its dreary chambers with the sunshine of love”.

CHARACTER SKETCH: MAGGIE: Maggie is the youngest of her family and is tragically crippled from falling from a window two years ago. She is unable to leave her bed unless carried in someone’s arms. It shows that she is weak and helpless. Maggie symbolizes innocence and helplessness because she cannot survive without love and care of someone else. Maggie turns out to be a blessing to the Thompson house because she gives Mrs. Thompson a purpose. She brings joy into the sad life of the Thompsons. In fact ‘ an angel has come into his house disguised as a sick helpless child, and filled all its dreary chambers with the sunshine of love. She always says ‘Sir’ when she talks to Joe Thompson. She is very polite and humble. Maggie’s character illustrates the main theme of the story that humans cannot survive without other humans to love and care for them. JOE THOMPSON : Joe Thompson the wheelwright is a loving caring and kind-hearted person he loves children and likes their company. Although Joe looks rough in exterior, he has a Tender Heart. When nobody would take Maggie the crippled child and leaves her alone because nobody wants to deal with her disability, he takes pity on her and decides to take Maggie with him even though he knew that his wife wouldn't accept this. He has a great understanding of his wife. When she asks why he has brought that sick brat to her home, he does not reply, but gives her a look that is pleading and cautionary. Then to calm his wife down, he refers to the Bible in which it is mentioned that the Saviour rebuked the disciples who did not receive and love the children. He exhorts his wife to be kind to her and treat her gently. The voice of this strong, rough man shakes and he turns his head away to hide his moist eyes. His words have the desired effect and a soft feeling creeps into his wife’s heart.

JANE THOMPSON : Mrs Thompson who happens to be childless is a woman without compassion kindness and sympathy. She is not a woman of saintly Temper. She became vinegar tempered and heart-less, but after the arrival of Maggie into her house and her life .. She found something to love out of herself and all the motherly feelings which were buried within were brought out. And she started love and care again. She is no

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longer ill tempered and irritable. The sweetness of Maggie is like honey to her soul, and she carries her in her heart as well as in her arms.

THEMES IN THE STORY: EVILS OF ALCOHOLISM: One of the key themes in this story, and a popular one at the time, is the sorrow and societal burden created by drunkenness. One important issue raised by the campaign for the banning of alcohol was the huge numbers of men who neglected the needs of their families in favor of drinking in bars and taverns. T.S. Arthur was a very popular writer in the 19th century. He wrote stories for popular ladies' magazines such as Godey's Lady's Book, the most widely read American monthly magazine during the second half of the 19th century. Eventually, Arthur edited his own Arthur's Home Magazine, writing stories with uplifting and moral messages, including ways to combat the evils of alcohol. In ''An Angel in Disguise,'' this theme takes perhaps a more tragic turn, as the mother is the one falling prey to the charms of drink, leaving her three children home alone and neglected. We can assume the two older children did what they could to care for Maggie in the absence of anyone else.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Books: 1.Treasure Trove : A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories By Evergreen Publications 2. Treasure Trove : A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories VOL-II SHORT STORIES WORKBOOK By Evergreen Publications

Websites: http://sittingbee.com/an-angel-in-disguise-t-s-arthur/ https://englishsummary.com/angel-disguise-ts-arthur/#An_Angel_in_Disguise_Theme https://study.com/academy/lesson/an-angel-in-disguise-theme-analysis.html https://englicist.com/notes/an-angel-in-disguise

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https://www.litbug.com/2018/12/13/summary-and-analysis-of-an-angel-in-disguise-by-t-sarthur/ https://theliteraryamateur.wordpress.com/2017/01/20/an-angel-in-disguise-by-t-s-arthur/ http://yatskova.blogspot.com/2014/12/complete-stylistic-analysis-story-under.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Shay_Arthur https://brainly.in/question/3415076 https://brainly.in/question/3488736