Lochinvar

About the Author & Poem

Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832): A legendary Scottish novelist, playwright, and poet. He was an excellent storyteller who fascinated readers with his narrative poems filled with gripping action and stirring appeal.

The Poem: "Lochinvar" is a popular ballad that tells the story of a brave Scottish knight who rides to Netherby Hall to rescue his beloved Ellen. Despite being unarmed and alone, Lochinvar uses his courage and quick wit to spirit the bride away from her cowardly bridegroom. The poem is celebrated for its musical quality, fast-paced rhythm, and the classic theme of "only the brave deserve the fair."

I. Comprehension Questions

1. Who was Lochinvar? Why did he ride to Netherby Hall?
Answer: Lochinvar was a brave and faithful young knight from the West. He rode to Netherby Hall to claim his love, the fair Ellen, who was about to be married to a cowardly bridegroom.

2. What qualities of Lochinvar are highlighted in the first stanza?
Answer: The qualities highlighted are his faithfulness in love, his dauntlessness in war, his bravery (riding unarmed and alone), and his skill as a rider with the best steed in the wide Border.

3. What actions in lines 7 and 8 reveal his hurried movements?
Answer: He "staid not for brake" (thickets) and "stopp'd not for stone." He even swam the Eske river at a point where there was no shallow ford, showing his desperate haste to reach Ellen.

4. What qualities of the bridegroom are listed in stanza 2?
Answer: He is described as a "laggard in love" (timid and slow) and a "dastard in war" (a coward).

5. What evidence is there to show that the bridegroom was a coward?
Answer: When Lochinvar boldly entered the hall, the "poor craven bridegroom" was so intimidated that he said "never a word," leaving the bride's father to do the talking.

6. How did the bride's father receive Lochinvar? And what did he ask him?
Answer: The father received him with his hand on his sword, indicating suspicion and hostility. He asked Lochinvar if he came in peace, in war, or simply to dance at the bridal.

7. What answer did Lochinvar give the bride's father?
Answer: Lochinvar claimed that though his suit for Ellen had been denied, his love had now ebbed like a tide. He lied, saying he had come only to drink one cup of wine and lead one last dance with her.

8. What quality of love is highlighted by Lochinvar's Solway comparison?
Answer: He compares love to the spring-tides of the Solway River, which swell powerfully but also ebb away. While he says this to deceive the father, it highlights the intense and overwhelming nature of passion.

9. What other lies does Lochinvar tell Ellen's father?
Answer: He tells the father that there are many other maidens in Scotland who are far more lovely and would gladly be his bride.

10. How did Ellen express her love towards Lochinvar?
Answer: She kissed the goblet he drank from, and as she looked at him, she blushed and sighed with a mixture of a smile on her lips and a tear in her eye.

11. What was the impression of the bride-maidens about the pair?
Answer: The bride-maidens whispered that it would have been "better by far" to have matched their fair cousin Ellen with the stately and brave young Lochinvar instead of the current bridegroom.

12. What mixed feelings are brought out in stanza 5?
Answer: The stanza brings out the conflict of joy and sorrow: the "smile" represents her love and hope, while the "tear" and "sigh" represent the sadness of her forced marriage and the risk Lochinvar was taking.

13. What clues of his plan does Lochinvar give Ellen?
Answer: He gives her "one touch to her hand" and "one word in her ear" as they dance toward the hall-door where his swift horse (charger) was standing ready.

14. a. What brings a smile on Ellen's face? b. Why does she shed a tear?
Answer: a. The presence of her true love, Lochinvar, and the hope he represents brings a smile. b. She sheds a tear because of the pain of the situation and the fear that they might be separated forever.

15. Pick out all the adjectives that describe Lochinvar.
Answer: Young, faithful, dauntless, brave, stately, gallant, and daring.

1. "Love swells like the Solway but ebbs like its tide."
a. What is Solway? Answer: The river that separates England from Scotland, known for its powerful spring-tides.
b. Who does he speak this to? Answer: The bride's father.
c. Figure of speech? Answer: Simile.
d. Explain: He is comparing the rise and fall of his love to the natural movement of the river's tide to make the father believe his romantic intentions are over.

2. "Then spoke the bride's father... (For the poor craven bridegroom, said never a word)."
a. What did the father speak? Answer: He asked if Lochinvar came in peace or war.
b. Why the hand on the sword? Answer: He was ready to fight if Lochinvar intended to cause trouble.
c. Why didn't the bridegroom say a word? Answer: Because he was a "craven" (coward) and was terrified by Lochinvar's bold presence.

II. Paragraph Writing

Answer: Lochinvar uses several tactics to hide his true plan of eloping with Ellen. First, he arrives unarmed and alone, looking like a peaceful guest rather than a raider. Second, when confronted by Ellen's father, he gives a very clever speech claiming that his love has "ebbed" and he no longer seeks her hand. Third, he asks for very small, harmless favors: just one cup of wine and one dance. This deceptive humility puts the guards and the family at ease, allowing him to get close to Ellen and move her toward the exit without raising immediate alarm.

Answer: Lochinvar won Ellen through a combination of boldness and careful timing. After disarming the father's suspicions with his speech, he took Ellen’s hand to "tread a measure" (dance). While they danced, his stately form and her lovely face impressed everyone, even the bridesmaids. He used the dance to move her toward the hall door. In a swift moment, he whispered his plan, swung her onto the back of his horse (croupe), and leapt into the saddle. Before the clan could react, they were racing away, leaving the Netherby clan to a useless chase.

Answer: This statement is perfectly justified in the poem through the contrast between Lochinvar and the bridegroom. The bridegroom, though wealthy and backed by a clan, is a "laggard" and a "dastard" who cannot even speak for his own bride. He does not deserve Ellen because he lacks the spirit to protect or win her. Lochinvar, on the other hand, risks his life, riding through obstacles and facing a hostile hall alone. His bravery, devotion, and quick wit prove that he is the one who truly deserves the "fair" Ellen. The poem ends with the couple's successful escape, rewarding Lochinvar's courage.

III. Activities: Musical Quality

1. Repetition: The poem uses repetition to build rhythm, such as the frequent use of "so... and so..." (e.g., "So faithful in love, and so dauntless in war").

2. Catchy Rhythm: As noted in the text, the lines often have equal syllables and a balanced structure (e.g., the fifth line of stanza 1 has two parts with four words each). This adds up to a lively, musical pace that makes the ballad enjoyable to read aloud.

3. Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows an AABBCC rhyme scheme in each stanza, which contributes to its song-like quality and helps in memorization.