Incident Of The French Camp (Poem)

Unit 6 – Poem

Incident of the French Camp

Robert Browning

Warm Up

Have you played chess or watched the game carefully?
Now identify the chess pieces and complete the table below. Discuss the role of each piece in the game.

From ancient India to the computer age, the military has used chess as both a metaphor and even as training for warfare. Chess began in 6th Century in India as a 64-square board game, called Chaturanga, precisely modelled on the military forces of the day.

Before you begin to listen to the poem, let’s know about the interesting background of the incident of the French camp.

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821) was originally an officer in the French army who became the army chief and a legendary warrior, later known for his military skill and genius.
The poem ‘Incident of the French Camp’ narrates an actual incident in the war in 1809 between France and Austria, led by Napoleon.
Napoleon was standing on a little mound, eagerly looking towards Ratisbon. His mind was oppressed with anxious thoughts and he said to himself that all his ambitious plans would come to nothing if Lannes failed to storm Ratisbon.

The Poem

You know, we French stormed Ratisbon:
A mile or so away,
On a little mound, Napoleon
Stood on our storming-day;
With neck out-thrust, you fancy how,
Legs wide, arms locked behind,
As if to balance the prone brow
Oppressive with its mind.

Just as perhaps he mused, ‘My plans
That soar, to earth may fall,
Let once my army-leader Lannes
Waver at yonder wall’, –
Out ’twixt the battery-smokes there flew
A rider, bound on bound
Full-galloping: nor bridle drew
Until he reached the mound.

Then off there flung in smiling joy,
And held himself erect
By just his horse’s mane, a boy:
You hardly could suspect –
(So tight he kept his lips compressed,
Scarce any blood came through)
You looked twice ere you saw his breast
Was all but shot in two.

‘Well’, cried he, ‘Emperor, by God’s grace
We’ve got you Ratisbon!
The Marshal’s in the market-place
And you’ll be there anon,
To see your flag-bird flap his vans
Where I, to heart’s desire,
Perched him!’ The Chief’s eye flashed; his plans
Soared up again like fire.

The Chief’s eye flashed; but presently
Softened itself, as sheathes
A film the mother-eagle’s eye
When her bruised eaglet breathes:
‘You’re wounded!’ ‘Nay’, his soldier’s pride
Touched to the quick, he said:
‘I’m killed, Sire!’ And, his Chief beside,
Smiling, the boy fell dead.

About The Author

Robert Browning (7 May 1812 – 12 December 1889) was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of the dramatic monologue made him one of the foremost Victorian poets. He was born in Camberwell, a suburb of London on 7 May 1812. He was educated mainly at home, but he attended a short course in Greek at London University. His poems are known for their irony, characterisation, dark humour, social commentary, historical settings and challenging vocabulary and syntax. He developed a unique form of conversational, unrhythmic verse. The collection ‘Dramatis Personae’ and the book-length epic poem “The Ring and the Book” made him a leading British poet. By 1881 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to literature, a literary society called Browning Society was established.

Glossary

• stormed – sudden violent attack
• Ratisbon – (German Regensburg) a city in Austria
• mound – hillock / hill
• out-thrust – extended forward
• fancy – imagine
• prone – inclined downward
• oppressive – harsh, domineering
• mused – thought deeply
• Lannes – Duke of Montebello, a general in Napoleon’s army
• bridle – the head gear used to control a horse
• compressed – pressed together
• anon – soon
• flag-bird – the imperial eagle on the French flag
• perched – sat on, rested
• sheathes – covers

1. Fill in the blanks

Choose words from the box and complete the summary of the poem.

Box: dramatic, valiant, determination, admiration, victory, resistance, mound, conquered, soared, wounded, softened, pride

The poet Robert Browning narrates an incident at the French Camp in the war of 1809 between France and Austria, in a dramatic version. He describes the brave action of a valiant soldier, whose heroic devotion to duty and his determination in it is inspiring and worthy of admiration.

During the attack of the French army on Ratisbon, Napoleon was anxious about the victory. Austrians were defending Ratisbon with great resistance and courage. Napoleon was watching the war standing on a mound near the battlefield.

All of a sudden a rider appeared from the closed smoke and dust. Riding at great speed, jumping and leaping, he approached the mound where Napoleon stood. As he came closer, the narrator noticed that the rider, a young boy, was severely wounded. But the rider showed no sign of pain and, smiling in joy, jumped off the horse and gave the happy news of conquest to the emperor.

He exclaimed with pride that the French had conquered Ratisbon and he himself had hoisted the flag of France. When Napoleon heard the news, his plans soared up like fire. His eyes softened when he saw that the soldier was severely wounded. Like a caring mother eagle, the emperor asked if he was wounded. The valiant soldier replied proudly that he was killed and died heroically.

2. Comprehension Questions

Answer the following questions in one or two sentences each.

a. Who do you think is the narrator of the poem?
b. Where was the narrator when the incident happened?
c. Who took the city of Ratisbon by storm?
d. Where was Napoleon standing on the day of attack on the city of Ratisbon?
e. Describe the posture of Napoleon.
f. Who came galloping on a horse to Napoleon?
g. What does the phrase ‘full galloping’ suggest?
h. Why was the rider in a hurry?
i. What did the rider do when he reached Napoleon?
j. Why did the rider keep his lips compressed?
k. Where did the rider plant the French flag after Ratisbon was captured?
l. What was Napoleon’s reaction on hearing the news of victory?
m. When did the narrator find that the boy was badly wounded?
n. Why did Napoleon’s eyes become soft as a mother eagle’s eyes?
o. How did the young soldier face his end?

3. Literary Devices

Rhyme Scheme

Mark the rhyme scheme of the poem.
The rhyme scheme for the first stanza is:
a b a b

Alliteration

“Alliteration is the repetition of the same consonant sound in successive or nearby words.”
Example:
Let once my army-leader Lannes
Waver at yonder wall’

Find two more instances of alliteration.

Synecdoche

“A figure of speech in which a part is made to represent the whole or vice-versa.”
Example:
You know, we French stormed Ratisbon.
Here, the word ‘French’ refers to the country and not the army.

4. Read the lines and answer

a)
Legs wide, arms locked behind,
As if to balance the prone brow
Oppressive with its mind.

i. Whose action is described here?
ii. What is meant by prone brow?
iii. What is his state of mind?

b)
‘You’re wounded!’
‘Nay’, his soldier’s pride
Touched to the quick, he said:

i. Why did the boy contradict Napoleon’s words?
ii. Why was his pride touched?

c)
A film the mother-eagle’s eye
When her bruised eaglet breathes

i. Who is compared to the mother eagle in the above lines?
ii. Explain the comparison.

5. Explain with reference to context

i. Then off there flung in smiling joy,
And held himself erect

ii. ‘I’m killed, Sire!’ And, his Chief beside,
Smiling, the boy fell dead.

iii. To see your flag-bird flap his vans
Where I, to heart’s desire,
Perched him!’

6. Long Answer Questions (100–150 words each)

a. The young soldier matched his emperor in courage and patriotism. Elucidate your answer.
b. What is the role of the young soldier in the victory of the French at Ratisbon?
c. Napoleon was a great source of inspiration to his army. Justify.

Parallel Reading

The Drum

John Scott (1731–83)

I hate that drum’s discordant sound,
Parading round, and round, and round:
To me it talks of bleak plains,
And burning towns, and ruin’d swains,
And all that Misery’s hand bestows,
To fill the catalogue of human woes.

Some words have been left out. Fill in the missing words on listening to the reading:

• pleasure
• liberty
• ambitious
• foreign lands
• discordant

Adieu to a Soldier!

Walt Whitman

ADIEU, O soldier!
You of the rude campaigning, (which we shared,)
The rapid march, the life of the camp,
The hot contention of opposing fronts–the long manoeuver,
Red battles with their slaughter,–the stimulus–the strong, terrific game,
Spell of all brave and manly hearts–the trains of Time through you,
and like of you, all fill’d,
With war, and war’s expression.

Adieu, dear comrade!
Your mission is fulfill’d–but I, more warlike,
Myself, and this contentious soul of mine,
Still on our own campaigning bound,
Through untried roads, with ambushes, opponents lined,
Through many a sharp defeat and many a crisis–often baffled,
Here marching, ever marching on, a war fight out–aye here,
To fiercer, weightier battles give expression.