Wednesday 21 October 2009

Dover Castle - Elsinore

The Great Tower has just been refurbished, changing the dour(!) grey stone interior into a colourful recreation of King Henry's time. Note to self (and Mrs K) - must go! See here for illustrations.
Dover Castle is a spooky place, and a good site for hallowe'en walks. Even the chimneys look like cowled monks, looking down on Castle Hill. Zeffirelli used the castle as Elsinore in his film of Hamlet (though he placed the sea on the right-hand inland side for artistic effect).

Along the coast, a flock of 20 crows mixed with the resident jackdaws to give a scene reminiscent of The Birds.
And occasionally two ravens fly by, maybe part of the family raised on the cliffs a few miles away? These two passed me by, and I'm not convinced that they' art sure no ravens'.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'


3 comments:

Warren Baker said...

I think Homer Simpson did that poem !

Mary said...

I do love English castles! I can't imagine living where you find so many of them. I guess you can't see a Raven and not think of Poe.

Kingsdowner said...

Warren, thanks for raising the tone :-)

Mary, we have three castles within about 5 miles - Dover, Deal and Walmer - lovely!