The Shepherd of the Ocean
The story revolves around a young boy named Philip who lives with his aunt and uncle in a small coastal town. He becomes fascinated with the sea and its mysteries, spending most of his time exploring the coastline and listening to the tales of an old sailor. As he grows older, Philip's fascination turns into a deep love for the ocean, and he eventually decides to pursue a life at sea.
By Edmund Gosse · First published 1908 · Genre: Biography, Historical, Non-fiction · 4,601 words
First lines
Three hundred years have gone by to-day since Sir Walter Raleigh was beheaded, in presence of a vast throng of spectators, on the scaffold of Old Palace Yard in Westminster. General Gordon said that England is what her adventurers have made her, and there is not in all English history a more shining and violent specimen of the adventurous type than Raleigh. I am desired to deliver a brief panegyric on this celebrated freebooter, and I go behind the modern definition of the word "panegyric" (as a pompous and ornamented piece of rhetoric) to its original significance, which was, as I take it, the reminder, to a great assembly of persons, of the reason why they have been brought together in the name of a man long dead. Therefore I shall endeavour, in the short space of time allotted to me, not so much to eulogise as to explain and to define what Sir Walter Raleigh was and represents.
What this Textopian page supports
The Shepherd of the Ocean is listed on Textopian as a short story by Edmund Gosse, dated 1908 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Edmund Gosse
- Date: 1908 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Biography, Historical, Non-fiction, Political
- Length: 4,601 words
- Structure: 1 section, 34 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Shepherd of the Ocean by Edmund Gosse
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Biography — The work provides a detailed account of the life, achievements, and character of Sir Walter Raleigh, making it a biographical piece.
- Historical — The work discusses events and figures from history, specifically focusing on the life and times of Sir Walter Raleigh and the historical context in which he lived.
- Non-fiction — The work is based on real events and people, and presents factual information about Sir Walter Raleigh and his era.
- Political — The work discusses political events and figures, including the political implications of Sir Walter Raleigh's actions and the political climate of his time.
Tags
Autobiography · Maritime · Victorian Era · Childhood Memoir · Sea Stories · Nautical · Family Relationships · Coming of Age · Religious Upbringing · Plymouth Brethren · Christianity · Spirituality