The Fall of Nineveh (poem) facts for kids
The Fall of Nineveh is a very long poem written by an English poet named Edwin Atherstone. He lived a long time ago, from 1788 to 1892. This poem tells an exciting story about a big war.
About the Poem
The Fall of Nineveh is one of the longest epic poems ever written in English and European literature. It has a "Prelude" (like an introduction) and thirty main parts, called "books." In total, it's over six hundred pages long and has more than twenty thousand lines!
The poem is about the ancient city of Nineveh, which was the capital of the powerful Assyrian empire. In real history, Nineveh was destroyed in 612 B.C.
Who Wrote It?
The author, Edwin Atherstone, was a "Romantic" poet. This means he wrote poems that often focused on feelings, nature, and grand stories. Even though he wrote many poems, plays, and two novels (Sea Kings in England and Handwriting on the Wall), he is not very well-known today.
How It's Written
Most of The Fall of Nineveh is written in a style called blank verse. This is a special way of writing poetry that doesn't rhyme. Each line usually has ten syllables, with a pattern of unstressed and stressed sounds.
Many famous English poets have used blank verse for long poems and plays. For example, William Shakespeare used it a lot in his plays, and John Milton used it in his famous poem Paradise Lost.
Sometimes, Atherstone also used a literary trick called alliteration. This is when words close together start with the same sound. For example, he wrote:
- Thus in her pride of power I see her now;
- Her swarming streets; her splendid festivals;
- Her sprightly damsels (from The Prelude)
Here's another example of the poem's style:
- But, to Assyria's king, no slumber came:
- In storm and darkness was his spirit plunged.
- Four days alone and speechless had he sat;
- By his great grief, as by a heavy flood,
- Borne down, and stunned. But, on that night, brief speech
- With Salamenes had he held; and learned--
- Then first had learned--of that disastrous fight,
- The dreadful whole.
- (Book Eighteen)
What's the Story?
The poem tells the story of a huge war. It's a conflict between the Assyrian empire and a group of nations they had conquered. These nations had to pay high taxes and send soldiers to the Assyrian king, Sardanapalus, who ruled Nineveh. They were tired of this and wanted their freedom.
So, they started a war for independence. After many battles, they won! They captured the city of Nineveh. However, the city was also destroyed by a powerful earthquake during the conflict.
Main Characters
Here are some of the important characters in the poem:
- Sardanapalus is the king of Nineveh. He is a strong person, but he isn't a good leader for his people. He stays in his palace even when battles are happening right outside the city. He also does very cruel things, like ordering many prisoners of war to be killed. He even planned to harm his own daughter, but she managed to escape. In the end, he sets his own palace on fire and dies inside.
- Arbaces is a Prince from the Medes, one of the nations fighting for freedom. He is very strong, brave, and wise.
- Belesis is a priest from Babylon, another nation fighting the Assyrians. He strongly believes that Nineveh must be defeated. He is also a very close friend of Arbaces.
- Atossa is the queen of Nineveh. She is Sardanapalus's wife and the mother of their daughter, Nehushta. When her husband leaves his soldiers, she bravely puts on his armor and weapon, gets into his chariot, and goes to fight in the battle herself.
- Salamenes is the main commander of the Assyrian army. He is Atossa's brother and King Sardanapalus's brother-in-law. He is a skilled soldier and commander. After he dies from his wounds, there is no one left to properly defend the city against the Medes.
