‘Christ is risen from the dead / By death trampling down death, / and giving life to those in the grave’ (Easter acclamation). A sixteenth-century icon of the resurrection of Christ, showing the ‘harrowing of hell’, releasing Adam and Eve. The icon was painted by Markos Bathas (1498-1578).
Introduction
In a sermon for Easter Day, Abbot Elfric (955-1010) reminded his congregation that the people of Jerusalem thought it would be a miracle worthy of God for Jesus to step down alive from his cross. A miracle, yes; but not so worthy of God as the one he then performed.
THE Jews called out to Christ, fastened to the cross, saying that ‘if he was the King of Israel, he should descend now from the cross, and they would believe in him.’*
Had he descended from the cross and not borne their mockery, then without question he would have set us no example of his fortitude; but he did remain there, did bear their mockery, and did show fortitude.
However, he who would not break away from the cross rose up from death. It was more of a miracle to rise up from death than to break away alive from the cross; it was mightier to break death in pieces by his resurrection, than to cling to life and descend from the cross.
When they saw that despite their mockery, he did not descend from the cross, but waited there for death, they supposed him vanquished, and his name snuffed out. But in the event, by this death his name ran through all the earth.
From a Sermon on Easter Day by Elfric, Abbot of Eynsham (955-1010) as given in ‘Homilies of the Anglo-Saxon Church’, edited by Benjamin Thorpe. The translation below is based on Thorpe’s.
See Mark 15:29-32.
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.
Archive
Word Games
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 Do. Mighty. Set.
2 Bear. Break. Event.
3 See. Snuff. They.
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.)
Adjectives Find in Think and Speak
For each word below, compose sentences to show that it may be used as an adjective. Adjectives provide extra information about a noun, e.g. a black cat, a round table, the early bird etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Mighty. 2 Alive. 3 Cross. 4 Broken. 5 Lifeless.
Variations: 1.show whether your adjective can also be used as e.g. a noun, verb or adverb. 2.show whether your adjective can be used in comparisons (e.g. good/better/best). 3.show whether your adjective can be used in attributive position (e.g. a dangerous corner) and also in predicate position (this corner is dangerous).
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Run. 2 Show. 3 Remain. 4 Question. 5 Break. 6 Name. 7 Believe. 8 Wait. 9 Call.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
x
0
Add
Your Words ()
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