The Inchcape Rock Summary

The poem 'The Inchcape, Rock is written by Robert Southey. He was a great and famous English poet. The title of this poem, 'The Inchcape, Rock,' was taken from a rock [ the Inchcape Rock] in the ocean between Scotland. This poem tells us how dangerous this Rock is and how many boat accidents are caused by it. To control the number of accidents per day with this Rock, a person named 'the holy abbot of Aberbrothok placed a bell on Inchcape Rock. This Bell rings regularly with air and water; this way, the sailor gets the warning signal that Inchcape Rock is nearby. Enough decrease in the number of accidents had been noted after the setting up of the Bell at the Inchcape Rock. But a pirate 'Sir Ralph the Rover' felt jealous of Abbot because he placed the warning bell on the Inchcape rock, and everyone blessed him. He took out the warning bell from the Inchcape rock. Now, we will understand the summary given below.

No stir in the air, no stir in the sea,

The Ship was still as she could be;

Her sails from heaven received no motion,

Her keel was steady in the ocean.

Explanation: The poet told us there was silence, with no waves in the sea or the wind blowing. And therefore, the ship stays still in the sea. The poet personified the ship by using 'she' for it. He said, 'Her keel was steady in the ocean.' This means that the keel was not showing a slighter movement. The lower part of the ship is called a Keel. This part of the ship must be powerful as all weight of the ship is settled on the keel only.

Without either sign or sound of their shock,

The waves flow'd over the Inchcape Rock;

So little they rose, so little they fell,

They did not move the Inchcape Bell.

Explanation: The poet said that the waves slightly moved upon the Inchcape rock as slightly as it did not make a little sound. They slowly raised a little and then fell; because of their slow speed and lower height, they could not move the Inchcape bell, so the Bell did not ring.

The worthy Abbot of Aberbrothok

Had placed that Bell on the Inchcape Rock;

On a buoy in the storm, it floated and swung,

And over the waves, its warning rang.

Explanation: The great man, Abbot of Aberbrothok, thought that if a storm came into the ocean and waves broke the Inchcape rock, then this Rock would be drawn under the sea. Nobody could see, and indeed it would make an accident. And this is the reason he placed a bell on the Inchcape rock. So the Bell rings, and the sailor\mariner gets the signal of danger.

When the Rock was hid by the surge's swell,

The Mariners heard the warning Bell;

And then they knew the perilous Rock,

And blest the Abbot of Aberbrothok

Explanation: This good deed of the great Aberbrothok helped sailors and warned them about the upcoming big Rock in the seas. This happens whenever waves touch the Bell situated on the Rock. And every time sailors get notified about the danger, they bless the Aberbrothok for this good deed.

The Sun in the heaven was shining gay,

All things were joyful on that day;

The sea birds screamed as they wheeled around,

And there was joyanuce in their sound.

Explanation: In the next paragraph, the poet mentions the beauty of the weather. He said on that day, the Sun was brighter, the sea birds were screaming with joy, and the environment was very peaceful.

The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen

A darker speck on the ocean green;

Sir Ralph the Rover walk'd his deck,

And fixed his eye on the darker speck.

Explanation: Sir Ralph, the Rover, was on the boat, and the Inchcape bell was far from him. It seemed to be a darker spot. Sir Ralph, the Rover, put his eyes on the Inchcape bell.

He felt the cheering power of spring,

It made him whistle; it made him sing;

His heart was mirthful to excess,

But the Rover's mirth was wickedness.

Explanation: He enjoyed the weather; it made him whistle with joy and sing. His heart was full of extra happiness. This happiness of him was in a negative sense.

His eye was on the Inchcape Float;

Quoth he, "My men, put out the boat,

And row me to the Inchcape Rock,

And I'll plague the Abbot of Aberbrothok."

Explanation: He ordered his men to put out a small boat and take him forward to the Inchcape rock. He wanted to remove the Bell because he was unhappy with the abbot of Aberbrothok who placed the Bell, and that is why he said, 'I will plague the abbot of Aberbrothok.'

The boat is lower'd, the boatmen row,

And to the Inchcape Rock they go;

Sir Ralph bent over from the boat,

And he cut the Bell from the Inchcape Float.

Explanation: His men obeyed him and put out a small boat. Sir Ralph sat on the boat, and his men took him straight to the Inchcape rock. When they reached there, sir ralph bent a little and cut the Inchcape bell.

Down sank the Bell with a gurgling sound,

The bubbles rose and burst around;

Quoth Sir Ralph, "The next who comes to the Rock,

Won't bless the Abbot of Aberbrothok."

Explanation: The Bell sunk into the ocean by producing a gurgling sound. Some water bubbles formed around it and, after that, burst slowly with some sound. Sir Ralph said, 'The next who comes to the Rock would not bless the abbot of Aberbrothok. This means the next person coming here would not bless the abbot because he would die by striking the Inchcape rock.

Sir Ralph the Rover sail'd away,

He scour'd the seas for many a day;

And now grown rich with plunder'd stores,

He steers his course for Scotland's shore.

Explanation: After that, he returned to his ship and sailed away. He remained in the sea for many days and robbed each ship because he was a pirate. And now he has become rich with a massive pie of precious ornaments and money. He thought they should now return to their whereabouts on Scotland's shore.

So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky,

They cannot see the Sun on high;

The wind hath blown a gale all day,

In the evening, it hath died away.

Explanation: The weather changed immediately when they returned to the shore. Fog spread everywhere, and they could not even see the Sun. The high blow could be easily felt. In the evening, these strong winds ultimately stop.

On the deck, the Rover takes his stand,

So dark it is they see no land.

Quoth Sir Ralph, "It will be lighter soon,

For there is the dawn of the rising Moon."

Explanation: Sir Ralph stood on the boat's deck, searching for the shore. But he was unable to see anything because of the darkness. He made several efforts to console his companions to keep calm. He said it was night now; after a while, we could see everything considering the Moon.

"Canst hear," said one, "the breakers roar?

For methinks, we should be near the shore."

"Now, where we are, I cannot tell,

But I wish we could hear the Inchcape Bell

Explanation: A man said we cannot even hear a little sound. Indeed, we could hear a little sound if we were at the shore. But now, this ocean is still without any noise; we do not know where we are. But I wish we could hear the Inchcape bell.

They hear no sound; the swell is strong,

Though the wind hath fallen, they drift along;

Till the vessel strikes with a shivering shock,

"Oh, Christ! It is the Inchcape Rock!"

Explanation: They did not hear any sound, and still, they were moving forward with the help of air and water. Even the waves were not so strong, but suddenly their ship struck with something. Its vessel strikes with a shock. All they screamed together with fear - it was Inchcape rock. Our ship strike to the Rock.

Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair,

He curst himself in his despair;

The waves rush in on every side,

The ship is sinking beneath the tide.

Explanation: Sir Ralph sat down on the ship and tore his hair. He regrets his deed. He was responsible for his death as he cut the Inchcape bell. Slowly the water started to fill in the end of the ship, and ultimately, the ship started to sink.

But even in his dying fear,

One dreadful sound could the Rover hear;

A sound as if with the Inchcape Bell,

The Devil below was ringing his knell.

Explanation: When the ship sank into the water, sir ralph heard the Bell, like the Inchcape bell. Devil rang the knell below the water to make him remember his guilt.