Remembering Raleigh
On this day in 1618, Sir Walter Raleigh, explorer, adventurer, courtier and great writer, was beheaded at Whitehall. See the Death section of this for the story. Then read his last poem, written, it is believed, on the night before his death. They knew how to die - and live - and write - in those far off times.
# posted by Nige : 9:02 AM
6 Comments:
At October 29, 2007 10:33 AM,
Bryan Appleyard said…
So true. One has the impression everybody was so much more intelligent then.
At October 29, 2007 11:28 AM,
Andrew K said…
And this intelligence manifested itself by chopping off this great man's head?
At October 29, 2007 11:40 AM,
Peter Burnet said…
I don't know about more intelligent, but at least they spoke English back then.
At October 29, 2007 4:40 PM,
elberry said…
A time when a gentleman, rather than just being wealthy, was also expected to write poetry, play & appreciate music, ride, look good in tights & kill. A time when the public thought of Shakespeare, Marlowe etc. as entertainment rather than as tedious.
Imagine a time when the 16th C equivalent of a chav could follow highly-convoluted syntax & neologisms by ear alone, and thought of this as a good night out.
At October 29, 2007 8:50 PM,
Susan B. said…
Was it Raleigh who wrote that poem about "three things there be that prosper up apace" -- and it was the young man, the gallows tree, and the hemp to hang him with?
Poor old Walt -- should have been himself he was worried about.
At October 29, 2007 9:08 PM,
elberry said…
He wrote one side of a very good pair of poems with Marlowe:
http://poemsandprose.blog.co.uk/2007/05/31/come_live_with_me~2365045
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