Introduction
In his biography of Rudyard Kipling, Sir George MacMunn drew attention to the impact on Kipling’s work, in prose as well as in verse, of the Authorized or ‘King James’ translation of the Bible, published in 1611 under King James VI and I. MacMunn reminds us that reading the King James Bible out aloud is one of the best and most proven ways for a writer to gain an appreciation of good English — and good stories.
ANYONE familiar with Kipling’s work cannot but be struck with the remarkable frequency and the way in which Old Testament names, stories, plots and analogies are introduced, always with striking effect. Apart from the glory of the Book itself, Kipling, as a great master of the more expressive English, was a lover of its rhythm and measured phrase.
It has been said that only those who have had to read the Old Testament aloud when young ever get the true cadence of the English tongue into their minds and ears, and that all writers of good prose have had this training. Since the great scholars of the Authorized Version — the “Book that made England” — wrote at perhaps the best period of the polished language — the “Sanskrit” of Anglo-Saxon — it is not to be wondered at. But since the Testaments, from a literary point of view, contain some of the best “short stories” of the world, there was this reason also for that omnivorous diver into the written word to know the Bible from cover to cover.
By
Sir George MacMunn
1869-1952
From ‘Rudayrd Kipling: Craftsman’ (1938) by Sir George MacMunn (1869-1952).
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 his biography of Rudyard Kipling, Sir George MacMunn drew attention to the debt Kipling owed to the Bible. Like many other great writers, he said, Kipling had been encouraged to read the peerless King James translation out aloud from a young age, and it had given him a feel for good English and for a good story.
(58 / 60 words)
In his biography of Rudyard Kipling, Sir George MacMunn drew attention to the debt Kipling owed to the Bible. Like many other great writers, he said, Kipling had been encouraged to read the peerless King James translation out aloud from a young age, and it had given him a feel for good English and for a good story.
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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, although, if, must, or, otherwise, unless, whereas.
Archive
Word Games
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
Polish.
There.
Writer.
2
Analogy.
Authorize.
Say.
3
Make.
Not.
Testament.
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.)
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1.
Well.
2.
Book.
3.
Point.
4.
Plot.
5.
Train.
Show Suggestions
For each word above, choose one or more suitable
meanings from this list.
1.
Something to read.
2.
Mark out points on a graph.
3.
The primary issue.
4.
A retinue of attendants.
5.
Aim e.g. a gun at a target.
6.
Coach in a skill or habit.
7.
An area of earth, especially for growing or building things.
8.
Indicate a direction.
9.
A string of railway waggons.
10.
Reserve a place or ticket.
11.
Sharp.
12.
A deep hole providing water.
13.
Not badly.
14.
A long coat-tail dragging behind the wearer.
15.
The events of a novel or film.
16.
A particular spot.
17.
A conspiracy.
18.
A unit of score in e.g. tennis.
Many words can serve as noun or verb depending on context: see if you can prove this with the examples below. Nouns go well with words such as the/a, or his/her; verbs go well after I/you/he etc..
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1
Book.
2
Phrase.
3
Reason.
4
Mind.
5
View.
6
Read.
7
Strike.
8
Point.
9
Wonder.
Variations:
1.if possible, use your noun in the plural, e.g. cat → cats.
2.use your verb in a past form, e.g. go → went.
3.use your noun in a sentence with one of these words: any, enough, fewer, less, no, some.
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.
dts
(10+1)
See Words
audits.
dates.
deities.
diets.
dotes.
dots.
duets.
duties.
edits.
idiots.
adits.
Post Box
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Grok
: Ask Grok
You are welcome to share your creativity with me,
or ask for help with any of the
exercises on Clay Lane. Write to me at this address:
nicholas@claylane.uk
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