In the days of Edmund Spenser

By Carl Muller

Edmund Spenser was born in London in 1552. His family were aristocrats and understood the value of a good education, but were too poor to give Edmund one. He was enrolled at the Merchant Taylor School as a “charity pupil” who even, after he went to Cambridge, had to work his own way, and was called a Sizar.

He made friends, the most picturesque and influential being Gabriel Harvey, who was somewhat older. Gabriel bullied Spenser, loved him, introduced his to great lords and ladies but was, in turns, both proud and jealous of Spenser’s success, so much so that towards the end, he gave Spenser bad advice that Spenser had sense enough not to follow.

In his days, English versification was in an un settled state. There were changes in pronunciation and the silencing of the final “e” that caused Chaucer’s melody to be lost. Nobody could understand how to convert Chaucer’s line:

When that Aprille with its shoures soote
Until Shakespeare put it into modern English:
When proud pied April dressed in all it’s trim

Harvey told Spenser that the best that could be done was to adopt into English Poetry the metrical systems of Greece and Rome, based on the length of time it takes to pronounce them. With Harvey to prod him, Spenser tried to write English verse in quantity.

The result was a sorry one, and would have continued to be so had not Spenser left Cambridge in 1576, having taken his Master’s degree.

For three years, Spenser lived in Lancashire where he fell in love with a lady, Rosalind, and wrote, party in her honour, twelve pastoral poems (also called bucolics) that were called The Shepherd’s Calendar.

With this, he fixed the science of English Verse and delighted everybody - except Rosalind who never showed him any affection. But Spenser was thereafter called “The New Poet”, distinguished from Chaucer, “The Old Poet.”

In 1579, he came to London and met up with Gabriel Harvey. The merit of his poems soon found him on good terms with Sir Philip Sidney, Sir Walter Raleigh, Lord Grey of Wilton, the Earl of Leicester and Queen Elizabeth herself.

The Queen even ordered her treasurer, Lord Burleigh, to pay Spenser 100 pounds sterling, but Burleigh told the Queen that the sum was too much, and did not pay. This led Spenser to write this verse to the Queen:

I was promised on a time
To have reason for my rime;
From that time unto this season
I received nor rime nor reason.

We still have that last phrase in our speech when we wish to tell of something unaccountable. We say it is impossible to accept or understand it for it has “neither rhyme nor reason.” Also, if someone attacks you, defames you, criticizes you, or does something against you that you have not deserved, you would say that he did this or that “without rhyme or reason.”

Spenser was then made private secretary to Lord Grey and both men were sent to Ireland to quell a rebellion. They restored order there and this was to be a very important period in Spenser’s life, which I will deal with next.

The Big Match

by Padmasiri De Silva

Navin heard the clapping. It was slow and measured and he saw the ball going over the boundary line. The square cut was his favourite shot, and he practised it for a long time under the guidance of his coach Mr. Frank Silva.

Navin looked toward the pavilion, and saw the beaming face and the appreciative look given by his coach who was watching him practising in the college ground. He played forward to the next fast ball, sent by Senaka and walked back to the pavilion allowing another batsman to be at the wicket.

They were practising for the big match to be played in the following week, and Mr. Frank Silva, the coach and the Principal were both keen to see the college winning the match. Last year they lost by a few runs.

Navin did not play for the “Big Match” although he had played in a number of inter-school tournaments. He had shown steady progress, both in batting and fielding. When they played in Colombo last month. Navin took a spectacular catch running to his left and jumping at the on-coming ball almost at the boundary line.

The prolific run-getter at the wicket from the rival school looked in disbelief and Navin was cheered by all. This catch was the turning point in the match and his school won the match.

Navin was picked to play in the big match, but had to compete with two other boys, Sajith and Nimal, who were both good. All three of them had not played in the big match. Sajith was an all-rounder and Nimal a steady batsman.

However, Navin thought that he was better than both of them and was confident that he will be included in the team. Mr. Frank Silva had told him that he would be selected if he kept his present form.

Navin was a poor boy, the son of a municipal labourer, and he was determined to get out of the poverty trap that engulfed his family by becoming a good cricketer.

He and his sister were sent to school amidst many hardships and Navin used the cricket boots of a friend who had left school, as he did not have money to buy a pair of himself. Navin also lacked nourishing food, but he had an uncle who was a fish mudalali and their household received a regular supply fish, which kept him adequately nourished. He was strong lad, and he used to run regularly on the beach.

His mother also prepared “Kola Kanda”, and prepared meals from jak fruit, plucked from their garden. Navin told all his friends and relatives that he will be playing for the big match and requested them to be present to see him playing.

He was very particular in inviting Sandya, one of his distant cousins for whom he had a tender spot. Sandya was a lissome attractive lass with an engaging smile. She also liked Navin, but as Navin was the son of a labourer, Sandya’s father, a bank manager frowned on their relationship.

He was not a welcome visitor at Sandya’s place. However, Navin thought that if he became a good cricketer the parents would like him to have a relationship with Sandya.

He was aware that becoming a good cricketer was the passport for a good job. He dreamt of becoming someone like Sanath Jayasuriya, or Tendulkar. He had pasted their photographs in his bedroom.

Navin, however, did not neglect his studies. He had obtained good “O” Level results and was studying for his “A” levels in the commerce stream. If he did well in both studies and sports, he was sure that he could get a ‘bank job’.

He knew that he would not be able to pursue a university career, as his father, did not earn enough to send him to the university. On the other hand, many of his relatives who had passed out from the university were languishing at home without proper jobs.

The day of the big match dawned and Navin got up early in the morning. He washed at the well, dressed up in his white shirt and trouser, and packed his bag, which contained an additional casual shirt and trouser as well as his cricket boots.

His mother had prepared “Kiri bath”, and with an encouraging “Hope you will score a century”, remark from his beaming younger sister, Navin was ready to go out to the college grounds where the match was scheduled to be played. He paid obeisance to both his parents, and, his father promised to bring his friends to cheer Navin.

On his way to the school grounds, he saw some of his relatives who smiled and encouraged him by saying “Putha, play well. We are coming to see you play.” The cricket ground was gaily decorated and the students were trekking in slowly. Most of them were in a jubilant moods as they were collecting money and going about in decorated vehicles with loud music.

The day of the big match was the special event for the residents of the town, and many workers in government and mercantile office has applied for short leave to watch the match.

Navin entered the cricket grounds and saw a few of his friends in the team who had already turned up and were going towards the dressing room. Navin also was going towards the dressing room when he saw Mr. Frank Silva coming in. Mr. Silva beckoned Navin and took him to a side.

As he watched Mr. Silva’s face, Navin sensed that something was wrong. “Putha,” he told Navin, “Don’t be disturbed. The selection committee last night decided that you will be a reserve and, although I was insisting that you should be included, the Principal wanted Sudath to play instead of you. However, don’t worry. You may still get a chance to play if someone gets injured.”

Navin felt dizzy, and he thought that he would collapse but he steadied himself by holding on to the door of the dressing room. “All my dreams and hopes are shattered”, he thought. He will be leaving school at the end of the year and he had not played for the big match! Navin walked out of the dressing room, and tears were welled his eyes. He walked towards the entrance to the playground and he saw the selected players practising. He could see the schoolchildren from both schools streaming in.

“What a calamity,” he thought. “What will my relations think? I have told everyone that I will be playing for the big match and now I have been left out”.

Without his knowledge, he had now walked a fair distance, and has passed the entrance to the playground. Tears were flowing freely, and he was afraid that someone would notice it. He thought of Sandya and her friends who would be there to see the match. “Is it worth living?” he thought.

“I will not be able to face my relatives who will jeer at me tomorrow, and I will be the laughing stock of the town!” The railway line was close to the playground and Navin was determined to end it all. “Just jump in front of the express train and then I will not have to face anyone,” was his foremost thought.

“My mother will cry only for a few days and they will give a dana to the priests and after a few months I will be forgotten,” he thought. The school will mention about his death in the assembly and his friends - his real friends, will be sorry for him.

With this thoughts Navin was coming close to the railway track, and he heard the distant sound of the express train approaching. “Well, it is only a few more minutes and I will be saying good bye to this life.” I have lived for 18 years and life was not rosy for me. It will never be rosy for me again, mused Navin, now very close to the railway track.

Suddenly, he felt a strong hand on his shoulder and heard a familiar tome, “Putha, what on earth ate you doing here?” his father’s brother, Gunapala Uncle, a government clerk asked him.

He was pulled back strongly from the railway track. Navin uttered a plaintive cry and cried on the shoulder of his uncle, relating his non-inclusion in the team. “So, just because you have not been selected to play for the big match, you are contemplating suicide?” his uncle admonished him. His uncle took Navin to the 100-year-old famous temple close by and was accosted by the chief priest Ven. Bodiwansa Thera.Navin’s uncle, Gunapala, related the episode to the Thera, who had heard many similar stories during his period as a bhikku for more than 60 years. He knew from experience the turmoil in the young boy’s mind. “Putha,” he said. “Let me chant some pirith first and then speak to you.” He said. The mellifluous voice calmed Navin, and once the thread was tied, he felt an instant calm. “I know how you feel, you know about Kisa Gothami and Patachara. You are aware of the people who were killed during the Tsunami. You were lucky to escape because your house was on a hillock, but how many of your relatives died. So dear Putha, just because you were deprived of a chance to play in a cricket match, should you contemplate suicide?” The priest’s words were now having a soothing effect on Navin, and he felt ashamed of what he had contemplated. “Go back to the ground, watch the match, and cheer your friends like a good obedient boy,” the priest requested Navin.

Navin walked back to the playground with Gunapala uncle. As he entered the playground, the match was in progress. His school was fielding and as he was going towards pavilion, a small boy saw him, and with a cry, “Here is Navin,” ran towards the pavilion. Navin wondered why the boy was making the remark and was about to enter the dressing room from the rear entrance when his coach, Frank Silva came dashing towards him. “Where did you go Navin?” he asked. “We were searching for you frantically. Kumara has got dengue fever and didn’t turn....! Now put on your boots and get to the ground.

We sent Saman in your place, and he missed a catch! Everyone was asking why you were not sent in place of Kumara.” The play stopped for drinks and Navin went to field, happy and determined.

As he scored another boundary to reach his century, Navin heard the deafening roar from the stands and the “Papara Bands” playing. He heard the shouting, “Navin,” “Navin,” which brought tears to his eyes. He embraced his partner, Ravi, who stayed with him for over 3 hours enabling him to complete his century, and waved his bat acknowledging the cheers of the spectators including Sandya.

Baudelaire - ahead of his time

The father of modern criticis , Charles Baudelaire was a 19th century French poet, translator literary and art critic. Born in Paris in 1821, he was the son of Joseph-Francois Baudelaire and Caroline Archimbaut Dufays.

Baudelaire and his mother lived together in the outskirts of Paris since his father died in 1827.

Baudelaire began his education at the College Royal in Lyons, transferring to the prestigious Lacee Louis-le-grand when the family returned to Paris in 1836. It was during this time that Baudelaire began to show promise as a student and a writer. He bagan to write poems, which were not well received by his masters at that time, who felt that they were examples of precocious depravity, adopting affections that they deemed unsuited to his age. Moods of intense melancholy also developed and Baudelaire began to see himself as being solitary by nature.

In 1841 his mother sent him on ship to India, hoping the experience would help reform his bohemian urges. He left the ship, however, and returned to Paris in 1842. Upon his return, he received a large inheritance, which allowed him to live the life of a Parisian dandy. He developed a love for clothing and spent his days in the art galleries and cafes of Paris. He experimented with drugs such as hashish and opium. He fell in love with Jeanne Duval, who inspired the “Black Venus” section of Les Fleurs du mal.

By 1844, he had spent nearly half of his inheritance. His family won a court order that appointed a lawyer to manage Baudelaire’s fortune and pay him a small “allowance” for the rest of his life. To supplement his income, Baudelaire wrote art criticism, essays, and reviews for various journals.

In 1847, he published the autobiographical novella La Fanfarlo . His first publications of poetry also began to appear in journals in the mid-1840s. In 1854 and 1855, he published translations of Edgar Allen Poe, whom he called a “twin soul.” His translations were widely acclaimed.

In 1857, Auguste Poulet-Malassis published the first edition of Les Fleurs du mal . Baudelaire was so concerned with the quality of the printing that he took a room near the press to help supervise the book’s production. Six of the poems, which described lesbian love and vampires, were condemned as obscene by the Public Safety Section of the Ministry of the Interior. The ban on these poems was not lifted in France until 1949.In 1861, Baudelaire added thirty five new poems to the collection. Les Fleurs du mal afforded Baudelaire a degree of notoriety; writers such as Gustave Flaubert and Victor Hugo wrote in praise of the poems. Flaubert wrote to Baudelaire claiming, “You have found a way to inject new life into Romanticism. You are unlike anyone else [which is the most important quality].”

Unlike earlier Romantics, Baudelaire looked to the urban life of Paris for inspiration. He argued that art must create beauty from even the most depraved or “non-poetic” situations.

Compiled by Ishara Mudugamuwa

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