Explaining My Own Fallen King (Part 3) – Mad Chaos: March 19, 1999

Explaining the Fallen King

Beginning now with the explanation for ‘A chapter from disgraced kings fallen grace’ let me begin with the rhetorical explanation. Beginning with the heading, ‘Chapter’ signifies the importance felt and given to the Sonnet, thus it is a dramatic piece. The ‘Disgraced King’ is seen as a King who has been humiliated by the turn of events and his ‘fallen grace’ yields to the fact that he has been defeated of his grace in some way, namely war. The heading in basic rhetoric speaks how the King has been debased and humiliated with such epic character that it must be like a chapter.

A Pun in the First Line

Beginning with the first line of the Sonnet, there is a word play within the character’s speech. ‘Seine’ in line (1.1) in modern terms is a fish net that captures fish at sea and thus in this terminology the line reads ‘What has my eye captured that my heart could not’. The play on words is that the word ‘Seine’ and ‘Seen’ are alike in sound and thus, the pun also speaks ‘What has my eye seen that my heart could not’.

In the first and proper use of the word ‘Seine’ the line shows his loathing to attack the castle with force but need to do so because his heart could not win the castle peacefully through a treaty or discussion. His heart (Being a noble one) could not persuade the foreign King of the castle (Let us say he be French) into any agreement so that his Old English people would not live hindered. In the second instance where we use word play on ‘Seine’ to make it appear as ‘Seen’ the Lord speaks differently but with the same conclusions respectively.

In this similarity of words the Lord means to say that he had strategized a plan of attack in his mind’s eye. The bombarding and besieging of the castle he had foreseen but he was hesitant to attack what was his Old England. The Lord couldn’t bear to attack his Old England that was taken from England’s vassals but he didn’t want to taint England by besieging it. Thus, his heart was telling him not to attack but his wit was telling him he needed to attack because the enemy now occupied his home.

Putting both meanings together, because of his love for England that his heart was for he decided to ask for a treaty of some sort with France. When that was denied the plan in his mind to attack that his heart forbid had become a reality and therefore, he attacked the England he loved to get it back. You realize now why I didn’t want to get to this explanation part, that one line has taken nearly a whole page of text, phew…

Old England and the Sun

Adding to the first line, the Lord (Who was one of the other Lords of England in other regions) had besieged the main castle of Old England (1.2). The setting for the Sonnet is indeed outside of the castle as the besieging is taking place, before he makes his attack on the castle. He speaks of Old England in a manner from the heart, knowing it had been taken away from him as he ‘Wist’ Old England’s son.

Here another pun exists as the word ‘Son’ referred to as ‘Sun’ means to say that England was a vibrant, exuberant and lively place before it was taken over by the attacking party, that being France. The use of the word ‘fair’ depicts the Old England as having been a fair and promising place, a good place of business and settlement. The use of the word ‘Ought’ shows the Lords will and obligation to remember Old England as it was and for that pig-headed nature (If you will) the duty to remember the Old England pushes him forth.

Peasants Revolt Inside

Because this Lord places himself on such common ground with the Old England the peasants of that England whom still dwell amongst the defeated castle decide to rebel for his cause (1.3). Without the Lord attacking they had no voice but now with the attacking party of England to regain its heart back they too took their heart in their hands and held it forth. Thus, the French army that is defending against the outside defense and repelling attacks does get smite from the rebelling commoners.

The use of the word ‘Varlet’ is termed for the defending King as the Lord sympathizes with his position. The peasants that revolt are seen as low, mean rascals who do not betray him but abate him. The King’s ‘Wanton despot’ shows the attacking Lord’s views that the King has been careless in his powerful rule over his region of England.

This also shows the hidden humor that the Lord sees in his English peasants revolting within the castle walls and for the King to be beaten with a double edged sword, that is the humor. The French are being attacked by the commoners of Old England because they do not want the French governing them (1.4). As any slave would detest their master the English commoners who had been phased into French rule do not like the forceful rule they have been put under and do not want what is.

Talking to Time

The Lord in the second quatrain starts to soliloquize about time and asks questions that need no answer. The format of rhetorical speech I am using I cannot remember the right name for it but a question not in need of an answer but only used to pepper the Sonnet is what I used. Dramatizing the length of the siege he speaks as if to time himself (1.5) by saying he has behaved to time as it has been steadily wearing thin.

Time’s wearing skin depicts the walls that are being battered down through the siege and as it takes time and pondering for the Lord, he speaks how he is patient and behaves. The Lord is no fool to rush into battle as he shows he has waited patiently by bearing the full force of his attack onto the shoulders of time (1.6). Thus, the Lord means to say that the brunt of the attack has taken time as time wears the attack on his shoulders.

Optimistically, the Lord now speaks of how he feels that time is burdening the King within the castle and making him anxious with the hour (1.7). To the besieged King it shall feel like time is creeping up on his evident conclusion and as the commoners and the Lord is attacking at the same time it feels as if time is attacking him from all sides (Besetting him).

‘The bloodier knave’ is obviously the King as he is being attacked and he’s not being the attacker. The ‘Knave’ portion of the sentence refers to the King being tricky by cowering himself and dishonest by not fighting like a brave man or giving himself up nobly. Thus, the King for hiding is seen as a rascal throughout, most probably a young rascal who has defeated the Old England with his father’s Vassals.

The King is so bombarded by his attackers and beset by time that it feels to him as if ‘All of England’ (1.10) are now chewing upon him, figuratively speaking. Taking the knave portion a step further, he is now seen as a runt that depicts his being a young King to a more notable degree. All of England are now turning on the King and it might even note that the French guards and defenders have either yielded to the attack or some of them themselves have betrayed the King for their own life.

The King as a Caged Lion

Ambiguous sympathy that the Lord gives for the King is quickly turned into a brave and confident speech in the third quatrain. The King is seen as a powerless lion (1.9). Where his paws have been blunted by the attacking army, by the commoners revolt and the proposed betrayal of his army. His power signified by ‘Sharp Wit’ devours none and thus, it is not feared.

The king is trapped without any chance to retreat and thus, his ability to defend himself being so weak is weakly feared (1.10). Once again in this same line a remark is made about his youthfulness and it seems that he has run out of his youthful puff by defeating the castle beforehand. The Lord sees that the King is weak as he has spent all his rage in defeating England’s castle so the Lord takes comfort knowing that he is not only cornered and cowering but he has no rage left, he has only cowardice.

There was a moment when the King did put on a brave face (1.11) to repel the new attack but since everyone turned against him his doing was undone. His bid to defend the castle was destroyed as the Lord uses a simile to explain the King’s besetting. He notes that even the bravest face will come undone as the castle walls of England that so rigid and seemingly resistant have done so.

A Pun on Arch Aged

Line (1.12) is all composed in alliteration, the basis of my creation for this epic Sonnet. There are two meanings to this line where if you read it word for word it would not make too much sense. Rather, the sense is made in the pun of the last two words ‘arch aged’. To use these words in their domestic meaning would be to say that the King is so sick with fear (represented by anxious and ailing) that he is having a problem with his heart and thus, he is keeling over.

‘Arch-aged’ simply means that like an old man, his back is curved by age but in this instance he is quickly aged by his fear that would soon kill him if he was not found. Showing anxiety for fear that any second he will be caught this distress brings out the ailing in him. His heart pounding, his pondering the death of his life, not being brave, cowering, his heart giving way to fear and of all that worry, it seems that his keeling over is like that of old age.

The second meaning to this pun would be to slur the two words together so it would represent ‘Are Caged’. Thus, this pun gives more emphasis on the fact that the King is caged and being a coward rather than a lion he is anxious for his fate and feeble from the thought of it.

Mercy in the Couplet

The last couplet speaks more receptively to the King and shows true compassion. The King’s will to hold back and keep from giving up or show any action (As duly noted in ‘Forbearance’) makes the attacking Lord angry (1.13). The Lord sees his act as cowardly and the use of the word ‘Prude’ which means too modest or proper in conduct indicates the Kings ability to be a wet blanket, so to speak. His prude nature teaches him not bravery or courage and doesn’t allow him a leg to stand on.

This also shows that he is incapable in being a righteous King and links with his ‘wanton despot’. With the attacking Lord furious of the King’s dastardliness he bids him mercy in the form of relinquishment (1.14). He speaks that if the King gives himself up he shall only be a slave to time, to no other and he will be set free.