Zarca

A Gypsy chief, Fedalma's father. A man of lofty and resolute purpose, capable of putting the claims of his people ahead of all personal considerations, he aspires to fuse together the scattered bands of Gypsies in Spain and lead them to found a Gypsy nation in Africa. At the opening of the poem he is held prisoner by the Spaniards in Bedmar, where he sees the beautiful Fedalm.a, the Duke's betrothed, and recognizes her as his long lost daughter, who had been stolen in childhood by marauding Spaniards. Revealing himself to her, he sets before her the claims of her race and so works upon her with his force and eloquence that she agrees to leave Duke Silva, whom she loves devotedly, and to escape with her father and devote herself to the welfare of her race. After Duke Silva, unable to bear the loss of Fedalma, follows her to the Gypsy camp and for her sake joins the Gypsy band, deserting his post at Bedmar, Zarca, and his Moorish ally, El Zagal, attack and capture Bedmar. Zarca shows some moderation in his victory, although he condemns the inquisitor, Father Isidor, to death, and when Silva, frantic at Father Isidor's death and the thought that the loss of the town is due to his desertion of his post, stabs Zarca, the Gypsy protects him and will not allow his people to harm Silva. Dying, Zarca lays upon Fedalma the solemn duty of taking his place in the leadership of his people. Frederic Harrison has suggested that some traits in the character of Zarca were drawn from Dr. Richard Congreve, the Positivist leader. (See article in the Positivist Review, vol. 10, p. 160.) Congreve himself once declared that the Spanish Gypsy was a "mass of Positivism".

<em>The Spanish Gypsy</em>

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