Tag Archives: RKS British Literature

RKS British Literature: Hitler Did Not Betray Himself (John Fowles)

‘The human race is unimportant. It is the self that must not be betrayed.’ ‘I suppose I could say that Hitler didn’t betray his self.’ He turned. ‘You are right. He did not. That was the tragedy. Not that one man had the courage to be evil. But that millions had not the courage toContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Hitler Did Not Betray Himself (John Fowles)”

RKS British Literature: A Mad Lust Not to be Killed (John Fowles)

Desolation. Rubble, fragments of plastered wall, broken rafters, the yellow splashes of lyddite everywhere, The drizzle that had started again gleaming on the stones. On the skin of corpses. Many Germans had been caught in the houses. In ten minutes I saw a summary of the whole butcher’s shop of war. The blood, the gapingContinue reading “RKS British Literature: A Mad Lust Not to be Killed (John Fowles)”

RKS British Literature: The Brigadier and His Dutiful Wife (John Fowles)

I had long before made the discovery that I lacked the parents and ancestors I needed. My father was, through being the right age at the right time rather than through any great professional talent, a brigadier; and my mother was the very model of a would-be major-general’s wife. That is, she never argued withContinue reading “RKS British Literature: The Brigadier and His Dutiful Wife (John Fowles)”

RKS British Literature: Hatred of the Brabant and Flemish Mercenaries (Henry Gilbert)

The Englishmen hated these foreign invaders with a hatred too deadly for mercy, and as they shot them down they knew their arrows were loaded with vengeance for unutterable deeds of murder and cruelty committed upon defenceless women, little children, and unweaponed men, when these marauding wretches had spread like plague through the land underContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Hatred of the Brabant and Flemish Mercenaries (Henry Gilbert)”

RKS British Literature: The King’s Justice Worth No More Than a Roast Pippin (Henry Gilbert)

‘Softly, good marshal,’ replied Robin with a laugh. ‘Ye know who I am, and ye know that I reckon the king’s justice or his marshal at no more worth than a roast pippin. Thy justice!’. He laughed scornfully. ‘What is it? A thing ye sell to the rich lords and the evil-living prelates, while youContinue reading “RKS British Literature: The King’s Justice Worth No More Than a Roast Pippin (Henry Gilbert)”

RKS British Literature: A Great Fear and Dread of the Forest (Henry Gilbert)

The forest he had heard was a place of dread, for the other villeins had told terrible tales. Of monsters who flew by night and hid in dark thickets by day to snap up unwary travellers; of hills from whose tops at night the glow of fire shone forth, and within which little dark elvesContinue reading “RKS British Literature: A Great Fear and Dread of the Forest (Henry Gilbert)”

RKS British Literature: Who is Friar Tuck (Henry Gilbert)

‘Father Tuck is no hermit; he liveth not a wicked life as other false hermits do. He ever comes and solaces the poor in our village, and any good he can do if one is sick, that he doth for no payment. He is great of limb, and can fight well with the bow, theContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Who is Friar Tuck (Henry Gilbert)”

RKS British Literature: Robin Cleans Up the Marauding Band of Outlaws (Henry Gilbert)

Robin had had a very short way with these marauding bands of robbers, who made no distinction between rich and poor, but would soon rob a poor serf of his last piece of salted pork or bag of meal as a rich priest of his purse of gold. Whenever Robin learned of the hiding placeContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Robin Cleans Up the Marauding Band of Outlaws (Henry Gilbert)”

RKS British Literature: Little John Joins Robin and His Merry Men (Henry Gilbert)

‘Hark ye, seven footer,’ said Robin. ‘We are outlaws, brave lads who have run from evil lords. There are twenty-two of us. If thou wilt join us, thou shalt share and share with us, both in hard knocks, good cheer, and the best we can reive from the rich snuffling priests, proud prelates, evil lordsContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Little John Joins Robin and His Merry Men (Henry Gilbert)”

RKS British Literature: Who Shall Robin Hood and His Merry Men Beat, Bind and Set Free? (Henry Gilbert)

First, I will have you hurt no woman, nor any company in which a woman is found. I remember the sweet Virgin, and will ever pray for her favour and protection, and I will, therefore, that you shield all women. Look to it, also, that ye do not any harm to any honest peasant whoContinue reading “RKS British Literature: Who Shall Robin Hood and His Merry Men Beat, Bind and Set Free? (Henry Gilbert)”