Classics Retold

This is a direct quotation from the Book of Hosea in the king James version.  Ephraim was the leading tribe of northern kingdom of Israel.  In Hosea's prophecy, Ephraim stands for the whole kingdom.  The prophet laments that the people have become so devoted to idolatry that they refuse to repent.  The phrase let him alone is a sorrowful judgement. It means leave him to the sorrowful consequences of his own choice. He has become so stubborn that further warnings are of no use.  God withdraws His attempts to correct him.  It is one of the bleakest statements in Hosea, expressing the tragedy of a heart hardened against the truth.  Joseph Poorgrass is talking in his characteristic way sprinkling biblical quotations --- often apt, sometimes amusingly misplaced --- in his conversations.  Here he uses Hosea's words figuratively, not literally.  He means "if someone has firmly made up his mind, there is no use arguing with him.  Leave him be."...

The holy Hosea in scripture manner is not a standard recognised idiom. It is likely a stylized or colloquial expression most likely rooted in the Book of Hosea from Bible. The dialogue was rendered by Joseph Poorgrass as a parting bless to the newly wedded couple Bathsheba and Gabriel Oak.  When he says he will speak in a scripture manner, it means "Let me express myself in the language of the Bible as I am accustomed to do."  Joseph then quotes the prophet in Book of Hosea:  "I have married thee unto me for ever."  This is his way of giving the newly wedded couple a biblical blessing. Joseph Poorgrass is a simple devout farm worker.  Joseph does not quote the verse in its original form. In Book of Hosea these words are spoken by God to Israel, describing the renewal of covenant after estrangement and unfaithfulness.  Joseph applies them to the marriage of Bathsheba and Gabriel.  The quotation is especially apt because Bathsheba's life has passed throu...

Serpent and hautboy were two musical instruments frequently found side by side in Renaissance, Baroque, and early military bands. While different in appearance and mechanics, both played a crucial role in the evolution of modern wind and bass instruments.  Serpent:- A bass wind instrument dating back to the late16th century, shaped in a distinctive, snake-like double S curve. The serpent is a low-pitched lip-reed family wind instrument. It produces a deep mellow sound and was originally invented in 16th century France to accompany male voices in church plain songs. It was later adopted by military bands because of its robust volume and portability.  Hautboy: Also spelled hautbios, the name coming from French meaning highwood, referring to its high pitch and wooden construction.  It features a double reed mouth piece and was a prominent item 17th and 18th century orchestras and military marching bands. 

Incarnadine means a deep rich, crimson or blood-red colour typically used to describe the hue of raw flesh. It can be used to describe the hue of raw flesh, blood stains or the colour of flush.  The word has a famous literary history and an anatomical root: ° Word Origin: It traces back to the Latin word carn (meaning flesh). Originally in the 16th century, it meant pale pinkish flesh colour  ° Shakespeare's Influence:  Its modern definition of blood-red comes from a legendary line in William Shakespeare's Macbeth. After commiting murder, Macbeth laments that all of the ocean's water could not wash the blood from his hands, stating, "No, this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red." 

This is onomatopoeic expression of the excited state of Liddy's heart when she hears from Bathsheba that she is going to be married, that too to Gabriel Oak.  onomatopoeic expression imitates the sound and motion of something moving with repeated jolts and thuds. It is normally used to describe rhythmic uneven noise of a horse drawn vehicle such as gig or cart travelling over a rough country road. Instead of simply saying that the vehicle moved along, bumpity -bump creates images of noise and picture in the minds of readers. When Liddy hears of Bathsheba's marriage to Gabriel Oak she is excited.  Instead of plainly saying her heart beats quickly and heavily, she says my heart goes bumpity -bump. In onomatopoeic expressions the sound of word imitates the actual sound of thing or action it describes. Other examples include:- Buzz - the sound of a bee Hiss - the sound of a snake Bang - the sound of an explosion or slammed door. Tick-tok -  the sound of a clock Cuckoo - the b...

In Victorian England, surrogate was an ecclesiastical official who acted on behalf of a bishop, especially in matters such as issuing marriage licenses.  Gabriel Oak visits the surrogate's office to obtain marriage license. A marriage license was an alternative to having the marriage announced by banns on three successive sundays. By purchasing a license, the couple could marry sooner and with greater privacy. Hardy's brief mention of the surrogate's office indicates that Gabriel has obtained marriage license.  Marriage by banns was the ordinary and the least expensive way of marrying in the church of England during Hardy's time.  Before wedding, the banns (a public announcement of the intended marriage ) had to be read out aloud in church on three consecutive Sundays during the main service.  The announcement typically says: "I publish the banns of marriage between A and B.  If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined ...