The Tower of Refuge in Douglas Bay, on the south coast of the Isle of Man, was begun in 1832 with the backing of Sir William Hillary, founder of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. It sits atop St Mary’s Isle, a notorious hazard for shipping at the time, and was stocked with food and fuel for those cast adrift in the sea; happily, the diminutive but striking castle had the effect of preventing further disasters, and it has never had to be used.
Introduction
This famous story is regarded as a fable by many but it is a very early one, being already established only a century or so after the time of King Canute (Cnut), who reigned from 1016 to 1035. It is important to be clear that Canute was not trying to prove he could ‘turn back the tides’. He was trying to prove that he couldn’t.
AT the high-point of his reign, King Canute ordered his throne to be set upon the seashore as the tide was coming in, and then addressed the rising waters.
‘You and the land on which my throne is standing are subject to me. No one has ever defied my royal commands and gone unpunished. I command you, then, do not rise on my land, nor dare to splash either limb or robe of your lord!’
The sea however continued its customary rise, disdainfully splashing his feet and legs.
‘Let all the world’ he said, skipping backwards, ‘know that the power of kings is a vain and trifling thing. No king is worthy of that title except that King whose commands heaven, earth and sea obey, according to eternal laws.’
After this, Canute never again wore his crown upon his head, but set it upon an icon of the Lord’s crucifixion, in praise of God the Great King.
Translated from the Latin
From ‘Historia Anglorum: The History of the English People’ by Henry of Huntingdon. Follow this link for the Latin and also for a different translation, by Diana Greenway.
For a very different attitude to the sovereignty of Creation, see Xerxes Scourges the Hellespont.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Précis
In the early 11th century, King Canute placed his throne on the beach, and commanded the rising tide not to invade his realm. When it took no notice, Canute drew the moral that a king’s power is not as great as some think. Thereafter, he left his crown hanging on an icon of Jesus Christ, as the only true King. (60 / 60 words)
In the early 11th century, King Canute placed his throne on the beach, and commanded the rising tide not to invade his realm. When it took no notice, Canute drew the moral that a king’s power is not as great as some think. Thereafter, he left his crown hanging on an icon of Jesus Christ, as the only true King.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, because, besides, despite, if, may, whether, who.
Archive
Word Games
Sevens Based on this passage
Suggest answers to this question. See if you can limit one answer to exactly seven words.
Variations: 1.expand your answer to exactly fourteen words. 2.expand your answer further, to exactly twenty-one words. 3.include one of the following words in your answer: if, but, despite, because, (al)though, unless.
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 God. Subject. Which.
2 Heaven. High. Throne.
3 Rise. Robe. Say.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
lvs (7+4)
elves. leaves. levies. lives. loaves. loves. olives.
laves. lavs. levees. luvs.
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