"Tell as a Marksman -- were forgotten"

By Emily Dickinson
[Analysis]
Tell as a Marksman -- were forgotten [1]
Tell -- this Day endures [2]
Ruddy as that coeval Apple [3]
The Tradition bears -- [4]
Fresh as Mankind that humble story [5]
Though a statelier Tale [6]
Grown in the Repetition hoary [7]
Scarcely would prevail -- [8]
Tell had a son -- The ones that knew it [9]
Need not linger here -- [10]
Those who did not to Human Nature [11]
Will subscribe a Tear -- [12]
Tell would not bare his Head [13]
In Presence [14]
Of the Ducal Hat -- [15]
Threatened for that with Death -- by Gessler -- [16]
Tyranny bethought [17]
Make of his only Boy a Target [18]
That surpasses Death -- [19]
Stolid to Love's supreme entreaty [20]
Not forsook of Faith -- [21]
Mercy of the Almighty begging -- [22]
Tell his Arrow sent -- [23]
God it is said replies in Person [24]
When the cry is meant -- [25]
Poem 1152 [F1148]
"Tell as a Marksman -- were forgotten"
Analysis by David Preest
[Poem]
Emily claims that William Tell would not be remembered today as a 'Marksman' if it were not for the 'humble story' of the apple, that
being more memorable than some 'statelier Tale.' Readers who know the story can skip the next dozen lines. Those who do not know it will
shed a tear for Tell's dilemma.
Gessler, the Austrian governor of Switzerland, had hung his 'Ducal Hat' on a pole and ordered passers-by to bow to it. William refused.
Gessler at first threatened Tell with death, and then thought it would 'surpass Death' to promise to release Tell if he first shot an apple from
his son's head. Tell was 'stolid' or deaf to the appeal of Love to save his son. Strong in Faith and begging a merciful God to help him, he
shot the apple from his son's head. God, Emily concludes, responds to heartfelt prayer.
With conventional punctuation there would be a full-stop after 'Death' at the end of line 18.
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