Introduction
‘The Passing of Arthur’ is the last of twelve poems forming ‘The Idylls of the King’ by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Mortally wounded in his victory over Mordred, Arthur now prepares to depart for the Isle of Avilion (Avalon), and has some last words of counsel for Sir Bedivere, the only surviving Knight of the Round Table.
“I HAVE liv’d my life, and that which I have done
May He within himself make pure! but thou,
If thou shouldst never see my face again,
Pray for my soul. More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.
“For what are men better than sheep or goats
That nourish a blind life within the brain,
If, knowing God, they lift not hands of prayer
Both for themselves and those who call them friend?
For so the whole round earth is every way
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.
“But now farewell. I am going a long way
With these thou seëst — if indeed I go
(For all my mind is clouded with a doubt) —
To the island-valley of Avilion;
Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow,
Nor ever wind blows loudly; but it lies
Deep-meadow’d, happy, fair with orchard lawns
And bowery hollows crown’d with summer sea,
Where I will heal me of my grievous wound.”
Précis
At the close of Tennyson’s poem about the legendary King Arthur, the King is preparing to sail to the island of Avilion, where he hopes to be healed of a mortal wound. As he parts from the loyal Sir Bedivere, he asks the knight to pray for him, reminding him that prayer is what raises man above the animals. (59 / 60 words)
At the close of Tennyson’s poem about the legendary King Arthur, the King is preparing to sail to the island of Avilion, where he hopes to be healed of a mortal wound. As he parts from the loyal Sir Bedivere, he asks the knight to pray for him, reminding him that prayer is what raises man above the animals.
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: although, because, despite, may, or, since, whether, who.
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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. 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 Deep. Island. Loud.
2 Rain. So. Well.
3 He. Like. Summer.
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.
frng (5)
faring. fearing. firing. freeing. fringe.
