2.3 The Inchcape Rock
Activity Sheet No.1
Q. Read the extract and complete the activities given below.
No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,
The Ship was still as she could be;
Her sails from heaven received no motion,
Her keel was steady in the ocean.
Without either sign or sound of their shock,
The waves flow'd over the Inchcape Rock;
So little they rose, so little they fell,
They did not move the Inchcape Bell.
The worthy Abbot of Aberbrothok
Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock;
On a buoy in the storm it floated and swung,
And over the waves its warning rung.
When the Rock was hid by the surge’s swell,
The Mariners heard the warning Bell;
And then they knew the perilous Rock,
And blest the Abbot of Aberbrothok.
A1. Web
Complete the web giving the expression
of calmness.
A2. Give reason
Abbot of Aberbrothok was called worthy. Give its reason.
Ans: Abbot of Aberbrothok was called worthy because he had placed the bell that was the signal of the presence of the Inchcape rock under the water. The bell helped the sailors to keep their ships away from rock. The bell saved their life as well as ship.
A3. Personal response
List the risks of journey by sea.
Ans: List of probable risks of the journey by the sea:
1) Encounter with sea animals.
2) Bad weather.
3) Sinking of ship due to collision with rock.
4) Attack of pirates.
A4. Poetic device
Write two examples of the figure of speech- 'Repetition' from the extract.
Ans: a) No stir in the air, no stir in the sea.
b) So little they rose, so little they fell.
A5. Poetic Creativity
Add your two poetic lines to rhyme with the first two lines.
So little they rose, so little they fell,
They did hot move the Inchcape Bell.
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Ans: So little they rose, so little they fell,
They did not move the Inchcape Bell.
It was the thing they wanted to tell,
To avoid to meet the deadly hell.
Activity Sheet No.2
Q. Read the extract and complete the activities given below.
The
Sun in the heaven was shining gay,
All things were joyful on that day;
The sea-birds scream’d as they wheel'd round,
And there was joyaunce in their sound.
The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen
A darker speck on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walk'd his deck,
And fix'd his eye on the darker speck.
All things were joyful on that day;
The sea-birds scream’d as they wheel'd round,
And there was joyaunce in their sound.
The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen
A darker speck on the ocean green;
Sir Ralph the Rover walk'd his deck,
And fix'd his eye on the darker speck.
He
felt the cheering power of spring,
It made him whistle, it made him sing;
His heart was mirthful to excess,
But the Rover's mirth was wickedness.
HIs eye was on the Inchcape Float,
Quoth he, "My men, put out the boat,
And row me to the Inchcape Rock,
And I’ll plague the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”
It made him whistle, it made him sing;
His heart was mirthful to excess,
But the Rover's mirth was wickedness.
HIs eye was on the Inchcape Float,
Quoth he, "My men, put out the boat,
And row me to the Inchcape Rock,
And I’ll plague the Abbot of Aberbrothok.”
A1. Pick out
Pick out the two lines from the extract that show the joyful atmosphere.
Ans:
Pick out the two lines from the extract that show the joyful atmosphere.
Ans:
1) The Sun in
the heaven was shining gay, All things were joyful on that day.
2) The sea-birds scream'd as they wheel'd round, And there was joyaunce in their sound.
3) He felt the cheering power of spring, It made him whistle, it made him sing.
A2. Intention
Write the intension of Ralph to sail near the Inchcape Rock.
Ans: Ralph was jealous of Abbot of Aberbrothok. He wanted to defame him. So he decided to reach near the Inchcape rock to do his wicked work.
Give your any one experience of journey by sea.
a) Write rhyming words of each stanza.
Ans: Rhyming words:
2) The sea-birds scream'd as they wheel'd round, And there was joyaunce in their sound.
3) He felt the cheering power of spring, It made him whistle, it made him sing.
A2. Intention
Write the intension of Ralph to sail near the Inchcape Rock.
Ans: Ralph was jealous of Abbot of Aberbrothok. He wanted to defame him. So he decided to reach near the Inchcape rock to do his wicked work.
Give your any one experience of journey by sea.
Ans: I went to
Alibagh from Mumbai by Ship last year. It was really amazing experience. I
enjoyed the beauty of the sea. Birds were flying behind the Ship. The passengers
were throwing various food items towards the birds. They caught it easily. It
was a memorable Journey which I always like to share.
a) Write rhyming words of each stanza.
Ans: Rhyming words:
1. gay - day,
round - sound,
2. seen - green,
deck - speck,
3. spring -
sing,
excess - wickedness,
4. float - boat,
rock - Aberbrothok.
b) Write rhyme scheme of the first stanza.
Ans: Rhyme scheme: a a b b
Add your two poetic lines to continue the theme of the stanza.
He felt the cheering power of spring,
It made him whistle, it made him Sing;
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Ans:
b) Write rhyme scheme of the first stanza.
Ans: Rhyme scheme: a a b b
Add your two poetic lines to continue the theme of the stanza.
He felt the cheering power of spring,
It made him whistle, it made him Sing;
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Ans:
He felt the
cheering power of spring,
It made him
whistle, it made him sing;
He wanted to spend
good time,
In the beautiful sunshine.
In the beautiful sunshine.
Activity Sheet No.3
Q. Read the extract and complete the activities given below.
The boat is lower’d, the boatmen row,
And to the Inchcape Rock they go;
Sir Ralph bent over from the boat,
And he cut the bell from the Inchcape Float.
Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound,
The bubbles rose and burst around;
Quoth Sir Ralph, "The next who comes to the Rock,
Won't bless the Abbot of Aberbrothok.
"Sir Ralph the Rover sail'd away,
He scour’d the seas for many a day;
And now grown rich with plunder’d store,
He steers his course for Scotland's shore.
So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky,
They cannot see the sun on high;
The wind hath blown a gale all day,
At evening it hath died away.
A1. Flow chart
Complete the flow chart describing activities given in the extract.
Ans:
A2. Give reason
Ralph cut the bell from the Inchcape Float. Give its reason.
Ans: Ralph cut the bell from the Inchcape Float, because he thought that the bell would save no more ships and the seamen would no longer bless the Abbot.
A3. Personal response
Give your reaction about Ralph's behaviour.
Ans: I am surprised reading about Ralph's behaviour. He cut the bell from the Inchcape Float only due to the jealousy. It was bad and immoral act. He created threat to the life of many seamen to defame the good person Abbot.
A4. Poetic device
The boat is lower’d, the boatmen row.
(Name and explain the figure of speech. Find another example of the same from the extract)
Ans: Figure of speech: Alliteration - The sound of letter ‘b’ is repeated.
Another example: a) Sir Ralph bent over from the boat.
b) Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound.
A5. Poetic creativity
Add your two poetic lines to rhyme with the given line.
The wind hath blown a gale all day,
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Ans: The wind hath blown a gale all day,
I wanted to out to play
As it was the month of vacation called May.
Activity Sheet No.4
Q. Read the extract and complete the activities given below.
On the deck the Rover takes his stand,
So dark it is they see no land.
Quoth Sir Ralph, "It will be lighter soon,
For there is the dawn of the rising Moon."
"Canst hear," said one, "the breakers roar?
For methinks we should be near the shore."
"Now, where we are I cannot tell,
But I wish we could hear the Inchcape Bell."
They hear no sound, the swell is strong,
Though the wind hath fallen they drift along;
Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,
"Oh Christ! It is the Inchcape Rock!”
Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair,
He curst himself in his despair;
The waves rush in on every side,
The ship is sinking beneath the tide.
But even is his dying fear,
One dreadful sound could the Rover hear;
A sound as if with the Inchcape Bell,
The Devil below was ringing his knell.
A1. Gist
Give the gist of this extract.
Ans: Ralph along with his seamen heard the roaring sound of the waves breaking against something. So, they felt they should be near the shore. Ralph regretted that the Inchcape Bell was no more, as it could guide them in this situation. But no sound was there. The tides were strong. The Rover and his team were drifting along with the ship. Suddenly the vessel got a jerking. They all realized that the vessel had hit the Inchcape Rock.
A2. Explain
Explain the meaning of the line:- ‘The devil below was ringing his knell.’
Ans: The line ‘The devil below was ringing his knell' has the Biblical reference here that it was as if the Devil was ringing his death knell and calling him to the Hell for his evil deeds. The rover was suffering from a hallucination the moment his ship was sinking and he was sure to die. He could hear the bell ringing under the sea, as he was feeling guilty for cutting it and guiding other people to danger.
A3. Personal response
‘The evil doer digs a pit for others but falls into the same.’
(Give your opinion about this concept.)
Ans: I agree with the statement ‘evil doer digs a pit for others but falls into the same’. This is, surely, a form of natural justice. In the poem ‘The Inchcape Rock’ the Abbot placed a bell on the rock to save people, but the rover cut it down to fulfill his ill-desires. So, it was almost on the cards that he himself will eventually be a victim of his own deed. The poet has the same message to convey to the readers.
A4. Poetic device
Name and explain the figures of speech used in the following lines.
1) Oh Christ! It is the Inchcape Rock!
Ans: Apostrophe: Christ is personified and directly addressed.
2) One dreadful sound could the Rover hear.
Ans: Inversion: The words are not in a correct prose order. The correct prose order is - The Rover could hear one dreadful sound.
A5. Poetic creativity
Compose a four line poem describing the sea.
Ans: I like the sea of my city
It increases the curiosity
I treasure these precious moments spent on it
That gives me energy to remain fit.
Appreciation of the poem-:1
Q. Write an appreciation of the poem using the following points.
a) Theme of the poem b) Poetic device
c) Background of the poem d) Special feature
Ans:
a) Theme of the poem:
The poem shows us how jealousy is an incurable defect of human Character. People get jealous at others' success and achievements and pay the price themselves. It does not make them any better-positioned in achieving something similar, but harm them in many ways.
b) Poetic device:
The rhyme scheme used in the poem is 'a a b b’. The figures of speech used here include alliteration, inversion, apostrophe and personification. All these increase the beauty of the poem.
c) Background of the poem:
The poem shows the beautiful atmosphere of the sea. It also deals with the threat in the form of Inchcape rock that can destroy the ships. The poem has thus sea background.
d) Special feature:
It is a didactic poem. A didactic poem always delivers a moral teaching or lesson for the mankind. This poem also has one, though not directly but through a legendary tale. By its form, it is a ballad. Using the natural objects to suggest the tone or mood is a popular technique in literature, especially in poetry. Here the poet has employed the fixed air, calm sea, steady ship and the quiet waves to depict the calmness in the first two stanzas of the poem. The poem also shows the jealousy of person which causes the destruction of his life.
Appreciation of the poem-:2
Q. Write an appreciation of the poem using the following points.
a) Title of the poem b) Language c) Message d) Your opinion about the poem
Ans:
a) Title of the poem:
The poem ‘The Inchcape Rock’ has taken as its title the name of the legendary rock which is the centre of all the events. The rock had caused a lot of shipwrecks previously. Then the good Abbott tied a bell to that rock to warn the passing ships of the danger of the rock. Later the villainous Ralph cut the bell from the rock to help his own cause of looting the ships in danger of the rock. And in the end, the villain gets punished when his own ship hits the Inchcape rock and he dies. So we see, the entire story revolves around the Inchcape rock. So the title of poem is just and apt.
b) Language:
The language used in the poem is clear and live. It presents the live picture of events. The word picture is aptly created by appropriate words. The language contains few new words that are essential to create the real picture of the story.
c) Message:
The poem ‘The Inchcape Rock’ delivers the message that one should not willingly cause harm to others. If they do, they would be punished in the end. In other words, it’s “As you sow, so shall you reap."
d) My opinion about the poem:
Robert Southey's poem ‘The Inchcape Rock’ is a didactic poem where he narrates the legendary story surrounding the Inchcape Rock. It shows the jealousy and its harsh impact. I like the story narrated in the poem. It is a thought provoking and good poem.
Extra Activities
Q.1. Write the rhyming words of each stanza.
Ans:
Ans:
I Stanza : sea - be, motion - ocean
II Stanza : shock - rock, fell - bell
III Stanza : Aberbrothok - Rock, swung- rung
III Stanza : Aberbrothok - Rock, swung- rung
IV Stanza : swell - bell, Rock -Aberbrothok
V Stanza : gay - day, round - sound
VI Stanza : seen - green, deck- speck,
VII Stanza : spring - sing, excess- wickedness
VIII Stanza : float - boat, Rock- Aberbrothok
VII Stanza : spring - sing, excess- wickedness
VIII Stanza : float - boat, Rock- Aberbrothok
IX Stanza : row - go, boat-float
X Stanza : sound - around, Rock- Aberbrothok
XI Stanza : away - day, store- shore
XII Stanza : sky - high, day - away
XIII Stanza : stand - land, soon - moon
XIV Stanza : roar - shore, tell - bell
XV Stanza : strong - along, shock - rock
XVI Stanza : hair - despair, side - tide
XII Stanza : sky - high, day - away
XIII Stanza : stand - land, soon - moon
XIV Stanza : roar - shore, tell - bell
XV Stanza : strong - along, shock - rock
XVI Stanza : hair - despair, side - tide
XVII Stanza : fear - hear, bell - knell
Q.2) Select the appropriate figure of speech from the box given below and complete
the table. [Metaphor, Alliteration, Repetition, Personification, Inversion,
Simile, Apostrophe, Onomatopoeia]
Ans:
Q. Spot the error
1) Wrong: I and you brought the car.
Right: You and I brought the car.
Right: You and I brought the car.
2) Wrong: I've read the two first chapter.
Right: I've read the first two chapters.
Right: I've read the first two chapters.
3) Wrong: She married with Mike.
Right: She got married to Mike.
Right: She got married to Mike.
4) Wrong: Be satisfied from.
Right: Be satisfied with.
Right: Be satisfied with.
5) Wrong: I come here for learning English.
Right: I come here to learn English.
6) Wrong: He is very careful for his health.
Right: He is very careful of his health.
Right: He is very careful of his health.
7) Wrong: A year consists from twelve months.
Right: A year consists of twelve months.
Right: A year consists of twelve months.
8) Wrong: The mountains are covered by snow.
Right: The mountains are covered with snow.
Right: The mountains are covered with snow.
9) Wrong: I am studying about law.
Right: I am studying law.
Right: I am studying law.
10) Wrong: I am learning a course
Right: I am taking a course.
Right: I am taking a course.
11) Wrong: I learned a lot with this course.
Right: I learned a lot from this course.
Right: I learned a lot from this course.
Understand the
poem:
The Inchcape Rock by Robert Southey
is a ballad. It tells us about the legends of the Inchcape Rock, a reef in the
North Sea about 18 km off the east coast of Angus, Scotland.
The story is about the good Abbot of Aberbrothok and the devilish Sir Ralph the Rover. The Abbot achieved the great feat of installing a bell on the dangerous Inchcape rock that had previously caused many shipwrecks. His bell rang during the storms and issued an alert for the passing ships. So, the sailors knew where the rock was and could avoid the danger of an accident. They blessed the Abbot for his good work.
But it was the Rover who felt jealous at the fame of the Abbot and planned to cut down the bell from the Inchcape rock. And so he did. This Ralph the Rover was actually a sea-pirate. So he needed to destroy the bell to accomplish his desire to rob more ships by putting them in danger. But finally he himself was the victim of the Inchcape rock. One day his ship was left in the midst of storms, lost the direction and crashed against the rock. Thus the Rover was punished for his sinful work.
Here the poet Robert Southey delivers a message through his poem: ‘As you sow, so shall you reap'. So the poem ‘The Inchcape Rock' is didactic in nature like most of Southey's poems. The poem is a bit long as the ballads should be. It consists of seventeen stanzas of four lines each. The first two and the last two lines of each stanza rhyme with each other. The rhyme scheme is 'aa bb' for each stanza.
The story is about the good Abbot of Aberbrothok and the devilish Sir Ralph the Rover. The Abbot achieved the great feat of installing a bell on the dangerous Inchcape rock that had previously caused many shipwrecks. His bell rang during the storms and issued an alert for the passing ships. So, the sailors knew where the rock was and could avoid the danger of an accident. They blessed the Abbot for his good work.
But it was the Rover who felt jealous at the fame of the Abbot and planned to cut down the bell from the Inchcape rock. And so he did. This Ralph the Rover was actually a sea-pirate. So he needed to destroy the bell to accomplish his desire to rob more ships by putting them in danger. But finally he himself was the victim of the Inchcape rock. One day his ship was left in the midst of storms, lost the direction and crashed against the rock. Thus the Rover was punished for his sinful work.
Here the poet Robert Southey delivers a message through his poem: ‘As you sow, so shall you reap'. So the poem ‘The Inchcape Rock' is didactic in nature like most of Southey's poems. The poem is a bit long as the ballads should be. It consists of seventeen stanzas of four lines each. The first two and the last two lines of each stanza rhyme with each other. The rhyme scheme is 'aa bb' for each stanza.
