Explain: The devil below was ringing his knell

QuestionsExplain: The devil below was ringing his knell
Anonymous asked 7 years ago

Explain the above line from Robert Southey’s poem ‘The Inchcape Rock’.

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1 Answers
Staff answered 7 years ago

The rover was suffering from a hallucination the moment his ship was sinking and he was sure to die. He could hear the bell ringing under the sea, as he was feeling guilty for cutting it and guiding other people to danger. The poet has given the Biblical reference here that it was as if the Devil was ringing his death knell and calling him to the hell for his evil deeds. This is called poetic justice that Ralph the Rover deserved for his deeds.

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