destroyer destroyer epic poem composed origins poem traced school boy days begin write poem finished composing age destroyer completed travelled portugal poem finally published publisher suffered poor sales half copies sold poem divided books irregular stanza structures lines poetry story describes group work destroy family attempt prevent prophecy future doom coming true young child named able escape slaughter hunts kill defeated great storm powerful magical ring comes possession ring travels middle_east find way defeat evil end able stay true guided prophet destroying uses poem describe myths heavy reliance repetition themes link myths based islamic theology action mechanical instead possible moral truths drawn plot main character purported muslim story actually takes place thousands years islam ancient critics gave work mixed reviews strong morality work quality poetry critics felt lack strong lyrical structure use middle eastern myths poem background basis wishing write long poems came private reading literature attending boy summer completed writing began working started work shared sources travelled burton continued write poem called romance time soon travelled portugal april planned finish send england publication july able complete poem october poem edited ready publication served agent selling book finished continued work fixing end poem january receiving suggestions friends portugal went war france spain left country returned england june poem published copies sold half revised edition published poem poem book work irregular lines poem deals group live sea muslim god champion conquer pre prophecy kill family unknown able escape harm mother flee desert arrive ruined city dies raised leader named find alive members goes find location arrives stopped sand storm magic ring lost finds ring grants great power demon comes steal ring stopped young boy allows demand information family killed time passes pastoral life plans marry daughter decides duty prohibits actions leaves fulfill destiny tricks tries steal ring failed attempts tries convince harness ring magic power bring harm instead argues use magic general realises evil attempts kill fails magic storm comes destroys travels past baghdad ruins find angels know magic searching runs evil warrior offers city travel cave individual punished snakes constantly eat brain tries stop continue travel dwelling finds evil attacks ring protects claims magic reason lives decides rid ring pit resume fighting soon thrown pit able ask angels needs defeat enemies simply told faith travels land owns great garden paradise invited feast people unwilling alcohol taken dancing women seek point longer tolerate flees shortly leaving discovers women attacked man wanting way revealed woman captured saving determined stop ends killing following praised sultan wanted kill decides marry finish marriage dies left grave mourning spirit appears begins claim god young warrior comes able recognise spirit vampire killing vampire real comes guide onwards travels look mountain wandering meets old woman casts spell sent land evil sultan sister knows killed killed seeks kill remove finding joins returns ring telling turn darker powers leaves attempts user magic kill ring protects tries user magic witnesses goodness universe represents evil ways magic bring mountain able return search wandering snow comes font fire sleeping trapped inside turns placed father murderers family old worn comes asks simply kill end misery denies request angel death tells die uses chance try stab steps killed god fate feel pity scene leaving able come valley directs continue way spirit asks end misery refuses commit vengeance travels onwards arrives small boat waiting taken river sea away magic ring taken cave lead domain travels cave meets warrior rocks travelling meets guards gate shooting arrow eye able proceed forward meets able knock away quickly moves forward find powerful sword father sword flames covers flames causes area filled light try attack defeats voice asks wishes simply gives prophet destroying evil idol destroys cave themes story depicts suffering essential completing destiny purpose describe myths resolving moral problems story instead moral lessons formulaic events focus awards given emphasis actual incidents moral events backed pages notes describe references traditional myths creatures incorporated story terms structure plot keeps allow easy flow incidents instances plot supplanted myths found descriptions story reliance repetition themes plot times attained paradise turns false followed death woman gone end awarded entrance true paradise seeking figures guide tale equally repetitive little result plot instances added story emphasise evil magic power emphasis magic hides moral achieve goal moral submission quests actions arbitrary repetitive away islamic truth found actions images father magic sword symbols effectively reinforce moral themes events represent minority plot rarely relied early story contrary heavily represented magic ring protect little explanation works moral statements tied use poem able portray scenery events strongly descriptive manners manner takes away meaning effect terms religious imagery islam poem similar thought morality religious images lose power removes mystical aspects including stripped symbol harmony life terms divine dual entity representing preservation representing destruction evil opposite good explained merely plot critical response pointed readers enthusiastic considered morally sublime english poems young favorite poem followed lead verse narratives anonymous review september claimed complete monument taste man raised given books sort irregular lyric unlike verse sense worth present readers tissue coarse texture fill pages specimens mercy single example taken random better rest followed october anonymous review argued matter lamented times like present work letters rarely reviewed ground proper merits consideration romance critic feel rule good writing observed work passed late collins persian erroneous manners irish review continued tells excuse ears agree sins youth like traded long brought lyrical rhyme heroic blank verse reasons obvious recommend esteem faults reader thanks amusement information anonymous review january stated story incident miracle speech spell god statue destiny magic movements human hopes fears human desires vivid sympathy men offers scope review concluded loss interest poem sustain apparent characters compensated busy variety picturesque imagery striking originality parts later editor submitted review october edition claimed belongs sect poets established country years looked believe chief champions author brought judgment discharge office words nature tendency helped disciples school originality led discussion flaws originality persuaded rare mere alteration new poets abandoned old models certainly admitted able discover created model continued discuss flaws british romantic poets returning argued subject poem ill chosen conduct little sketch story readers easily perceive consists altogether wild extravagant openly sets nature probability defiance action imitation rational criticism choice succession incidents followed december review said work art imperfect announced power artist artist powerful rested fame imperfect production author calls romance called lyrical story told ode directly gallery successive pictures descriptive like figures landscape painters lost scene appear objects review concluded style variety epic poetry offers example favourite school acquired employed stunning impression style gives pain believe especially mere english scholars comparison art narrow confined falls limits pleasure cause luxurious readers wider range tolerant taste claimed poem probably influential historically important long poems distinction provocative flamboyant pointed chief weakness plot firm principle progression hero posts stage mysterious stage sir authored destroyer symphonic poem based poem
Thalaba the Destroyer