Flight of the Heron read-along: Part III chapter 5

[regshoe]

:D

That Night in the Hut.

Next week we'll read the first two chapters of Part IV.

Comments

[luzula]

Yes, that's true, it's in 'Cam Ye O'er Frae France'...but it doesn't mention her imprisonment.

Nice digging, finding the family crest! So it's definitely the same family, then. Some sort of cousin of Philip Windham, perhaps? Must be embarrassing for Keith...

[hyarrowen]

In heraldic terms, the lion means bravery, and the fetterlock stands for someone who redeems (ransoms or rescues) a prisoner. She didn't miss a trick.

[tgarnsl]

Honestly, Broster’s attention to detail astounds me, and the symbolism of the ring is not surprising even as it amazes me. Even the names would seem to be significant, with Ewen’s name meaning ‘from the mountains’ and Keith’s having something to do with woods or a battlefield, depending on what source.

[hyarrowen]

Hm, I got "yew-tree" for Ewen and "lord of the woods" for Keith - I hadn't picked up the other two meanings. I was happy enough with an arboreal connection for the two of them (possibly significant in a later chapter..?) but those meanings you've found are also quite fascinating and satisfying!

But. She was working at Oxford at the same time as Tolkien. I daresay some of that linguistic stuff osmosed across!

[tgarnsl]

Apologies for the late reply — that's also a fascinating meaning for Ewen, and would fit well with the cultural connotations of yews as associated with death, rebirth, and spiritual immortality.

[hyarrowen]

Ooh, I hadn't thought of the spiritual meanings! I didn't see the wood for the trees, as it were.

/tree fan