LESSON 11 Lines 424-505 Comments When Miles Standish and some of the men went ashore to locate a good place for the Pilgrims to settle, they found ten bushels of corn that had been buried by the Indians. Later, the colonists paid the Indians for the corn. When he went to quell the insurrection of the Indians, Miles Standish took with him only one-half his army. This army consisted of sixteen splendidly trained men. The colonists lived in fear whenever Miles Standish was away from the settlement; they had not made treaties with all the Indian tribes, and unfriendly Indians were more likely to attack them during the absence of "the little white captain." Over them gleamed far off the crimson banners of morning; Figures of Speech In lines 441 and 442, what figure of speech? Questions 1. Why was it that Miles Standish was summoned to the meeting and not John Alden also? 2. Sum up the losses, both actual and imminent, that confronted John Alden on April 4th. 3. Interpret: God had sifted three kingdoms to find the wheat for this planting, 4. By what right did Miles Standish demand charge of the challenge of the Indians? 6. Had the Pilgrims a righteous cause with regard to the Indians? 7. What opinion of Indians did Miles Standish hold? 8. Why did Miles Standish take only a part of his army on the expedition against the Indians? 9. How much time elapsed between the reception of the challenge and the march of the army? 10. Mention some of the domestic cares of the Pilgrims that modern progress has lightened. The climax, or turning-point, of the poem is the determination of John Alden to remain in the colony. All Pris cilla's soul is revealed in her face as she sees John Alden place his foot on the side of the boat. It is this look that withholds him from taking the fatal step. The captain of a merchant vessel was called the Master. Down to the Plymouth Rock, that had been to their feet Into a world unknown, the corner-stone of a nation! Figures of Speech Do you find any example of personification in lines 506 to 572? What figures in the lines for scansion? Questions 1. How did the Pilgrims begin the day? 2. What warning was contained in the "signal-gun of departure"? 3. For what were the Pilgrims entreating the Lord so fervently? 4. Why did Miles Standish decide not to renew the discussion with John Alden? Do you think it would have been well to renew it? 5. Interpret: Thinking to drown in the sea the ghost that would rise and pursue him. 6. Why was Priscilla unconscious of all that was passing at such an important moment? Do you think she "divined his [John Alden's] intention"? 7. What made John Alden change his mind about returning in the Mayflower? 8. How would the nature of the poem have been changed, had not John Alden reversed his decision? 9. The happiness of how many lives would have been destroyed, had John Alden failed to see things aright? 10. Write a paragraph describing the Mayflower as she stood ready to depart. "So after we had given God thanks for our deliverance, we took our shallop and went on our journey, and called this place The First Encounter." -Young's Chronicles, page 159. This is the Eastham shore, where the Pilgrims and the Indians first encountered. The Mayflower was still anchored in Provincetown Harbor, and Miles Standish and some of the men had gone ashore to search for a place to start the settlement. Comments The return of the Mayflower severed the last tie that bound the Pilgrims to their old country, home, and friends. There is a familiar picture, "The Return of the Mayflower,' which is popular in America. Sometimes the whole future of a nation, a business, an enterprise, or a person, rests on the decision of a moment. Priscilla had no natural protectors; this made John Alden feel that she needed him. O strong hearts and true! not one went back in the May- Figures of Speech Find an example of apostrophe and personification combined in lines 573 to 626. Do you see a metaphor? Questions 1. Are all the crises in life met after grave thought? Do you know of any important events that needed quick intuition for their happy settlement? Are grave questions generally dealt with rapidly? |