TSD CB VIII Eng The Inchcape Rock

Subject: English Topic: The Inchcape Rock Grade: VIII
Textual Answers:
1.
a) The Inchcape Rock is a rock that lay hidden in the sea off the east coast of Scotland.
It sometimes remained hidden under sea water during the high tide.
b) The mood in the first few stanzas is of happiness and peace. It is peaceful and calm.
The day is bright and sun is shining. Everything looks just perfect.
c) The Rover cut off the bell that warned the sailors of the Inchcape rock. This bell was
placed by the Abbot of Aberbrothok. The Rover did so because he was jealous of the
popularity of Abbot of Aberbrothok or simply wanted to make life difficult for him.
d) The Abbot was a really kind hearted, good man who placed the bell on the Inchcape
rock so that whenever there was a storm with surging waves, the bell rang which
made sailors realise that there was a danger ahead. Rover was a jealous, wicked
robber who cut off the bell from the rock so that no one could bless the good Abbot of
Aberbrothok for his great deed. Rover was selfish. Little did he know that he had dug
his own pit and not one for others to fall into it.
2.
a) i. Sir Ralph was in despair because his ship was sinking and he could do nothing
about it.
ii. The ship was sinking because it had struck against the Inchcape Rock.
iii. Sir Ralph was a wicked man who cut off the bell that warned people against the
Inchcape Rock. Once during a storm in the sea, his ship crashed against the
same rock. Thus, he was very well responsible for his own fate.
b) i. The words ‘the breakers roar’ mean the roaring of the sea waves, i.e., the
sound made when the sea waves break on the shore. The breakers roar
normally signifies a high tide when the sea waves surge up and down with a
great force.
ii. The sailors are speaking in the above stanza. They are sailing to the Scotland
shore.
iii. The sailors wished that they could hear the Inchcape Rock. The ringing of the
bell would have indicated the presence of the perilous rock and thus saved the
ship from colliding with it.
Language
3. a) i) wealth – rich, plunder’d store
ii) movement – surge, scour’d, lower’d, bent, steers, drift, rush, sinking, ringing
iii) flew – wheel’d
iv) bright – (sun) shining
CB/VIII/1718 The Inchcape Rock page 1 of 3

b) Rhyme scheme in the poem is aabb.
c) i) Repetition – So little they rose, so little they fell,
ii) Alliteration – When the Rock was hid by the surge’s swell,
iii) Personification – He felt the cheering power of spring (Spring cannot cheer but
humans are able to cheer.)
4. Student specific
Summary/Explanation/Notes:
Stanza-wise Summary & Explanation
In the first stanza of the poem the poet describes the calmness of the sea. The air, the sea,
the ship – all were still. The sails of the ship were getting no motion from the wind. Its keel
was steady in the ocean.
The second stanza describes the mild sea waves. The waves were rising and falling so
little that they did not make any sign or sound. The waves were gently flowing over the
Inchcape Rock without moving or ringing the bell.
The third stanza is about the bell. The ‘good old Abbot of Aberbrothok’ positioned the
Inchcape bell there on the Inchcape Rock. During the storms it floated on a buoy and rang
wildly swung by the high tides to alert everyone that the dangerous rock was there.
In the fourth stanza, the poet tells us how the bell guided the mariners in the bad weather.
The seamen could not see the Rock as it stayed hidden under the high waves during the
storms. But they could hear the ringing bell and went away from the perilous (dangerous)
rock. So the bell saved their lives. Then the seafarers blessed the Abbot for his good job.
The fifth stanza delivers a cheerful atmosphere, as it generally happens before every
disaster. On a particular bright day everything looked joyful. The sea-birds were whirling
over the sea and screaming in joy.
In the sixth stanza of the poem Sir Ralph is introduced for the first time. On that fine day,
the buoy (an anchored floating sign to show the reef) on the Inchcape Rock was clearly
visible, as it was a blackish spot in the green ocean. Sir Ralph the Rover went onto the deck
of his vessel and gazed at dark spot of the buoy.
The seventh stanza deals with Ralph’s feelings and thoughts. He was delighted at the
good spring atmosphere. He was making whistling sounds and singing in joy. He was
actually overjoyed. But no one knew that a sinful thought in his mind was behind this
happiness.
In the eighth stanza the Rover himself speaks and reveals his desire. His eyes were fixed
on the floating buoy on the Inchcape Rock. Sir Ralph the Rover ordered his crew to take the
boat to the Inchcape Rock. Then he says that he is going to plague (kill or destroy) the good
work of the Abbot of Aberbrothok.
The ninth stanza describes that the Rover’s men took the boat to the Inchcape Rock. There
he bent over the boat and cut the bell from the Rock.

The tenth stanza pictures how the bell was sinking down making the bubbling sound.
Bubbles rose and burst around. Sir Ralph was happy thinking that the bell would save no
more ships and the seamen would no longer bless the Abbot.
In the eleventh stanza Sir Ralph the Rover then sailed away from the rock. Thereafter he
had robbed and looted many ships which met accidents crashing to the Inchcape Rock. He
is now a rich man with all the looted treasures. And today he is going to the Scotland shore
with his ship.
The twelfth stanza describes the gloomy atmosphere on the day the Rover is sailing to
Scotland. The sun is hidden behind the thick fog. Strong winds were blowing all the day,
and now, in the evening it has stopped blowing.
The thirteenth lines continue the gloom. The Rover is now on the deck of his ship. They
can’t see land as it is very dark. Sir Ralph assures that the moon will appear soon and so
there will be light.
In the fourteenth stanza one of Ralph’s men says that he hears the roaring sound of the
waves breaking against something. So, he hopes they should be near the shore. He also
regrets that the Inchcape Bell is no more, as it could guide them in this situation
Answers for teacher’s reference:

Repetition: No stir in the air, No stir in the sea.
So little they rose, so little they fell
Alliteration: The ship was as still as still could be

Without either sign or sound of heir shock
Metaphor:
A sound as if with the Inchcape bell
The devil below was ringing the bell
Personification: The ship was as still as she could be

Her keel was steady
Her sails from heaven received no motion.

TSD CB VIII Eng The Inchcape Rock

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Subject: English Topic: The Inchcape Rock Grade: VIII

CB/VIII/1718 The Inchcape Rock page 1 of 3

CB/VIII/1718 The Inchcape Rock page 2 of 3

Answers for teacher’s reference:

Alliteration: The ship was as still as still could be

Personification: The ship was as still as she could be

CB/VIII/1718 The Inchcape Rock page 3 of 3

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