The Wreck of the 'Derry Castle'
A young man's life is ruined when he loses his job and becomes embroiled with a group of rough men who are involved in smuggling. He eventually gets on the wrong side of the law and is forced to flee, leading to a tragic confrontation at sea.
By Henry Lawson · First published 1908 · Genre: Poetry, Tragedy, Maritime · 214 words
First lines
Day of ending for beginnings! Ocean hath another innings, Ocean hath another score; And the surges sing his winnings, And the surges shout his winnings, And the surges shriek his winnings, All along the sullen shore.
Sing another dirge in wailing, For another vessel sailing With the shadow-ships at sea; Shadow-ships for ever sinking -- Shadow-ships whose pumps are clinking, And whose thirsty holds are drinking Pledges to Eternity.
Pray for souls of ghastly, sodden Corpses, floating round untrodden Cliffs, where nought but sea-drift strays; Souls of dead men, in whose faces Of humanity no trace is -- Not a mark to show their races -- Floating round for days and days.
What this Textopian page supports
The Wreck of the 'Derry Castle' is listed on Textopian as a poem by Henry Lawson, dated 1908 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Henry Lawson
- Date: 1908 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Tragedy, Maritime, Naturalism, Gothic
- Length: 214 words
- Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Wreck of the 'Derry Castle' by Henry Lawson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Wreck of the 'Derry Castle'?
- How does this poem by Henry Lawson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with a focus on rhythm, meter, and sound, characteristic of poetry.
- Tragedy — The themes of loss, death, and mourning are central, evoking a sense of inevitable doom and sorrow.
- Maritime — The setting and subject matter revolve around the sea and shipwreck, typical of maritime literature.
- Naturalism — The depiction of the ocean as a powerful, indifferent force aligns with naturalistic themes of nature's dominance over humanity.
Tags
Australian literature · Short story collection · Maritime fiction · Tragedy · Shipwreck · Survival · Adventure · Coming of age · Male protagonist · Isolation · Nature vs nurture · Class struggle