Nonsense Books · Chapter
VII explained
Mr.
What happens
Mr. Daddy Long-legs and Mr. Floppy Fly rush to the sea, find a little boat with pink and gray sails, and sail away across the silent main to the great Gromboolian Plain, where they play forevermore at battlecock and shuttledore.
Themes in this chapter
Adventure and Exploration
The characters set sail across the sea to a distant land, embracing a journey of discovery.
Nonsense and Absurdity
The spontaneous cry, the pink and gray sails, and the eternal game of battlecock and shuttledore embody Lear's whimsical nonsense.
Characters to notice
- Mr. Daddy Long-legs
Rushes to the sea with Mr. Floppy Fly and sails away to the Gromboolian Plain.
- Mr. Floppy Fly
Joins Mr. Daddy Long-legs in rushing to the sea and sailing away.
Key passages
“Then Mr. Daddy Long-legs And Mr. Floppy Fly Rushed downward to the foamy sea With one sponge-taneous cry”
Mr. Daddy Long-legs and Mr. Floppy Fly hurried down to the sea, crying out together in a sudden, spongy impulse.
Highlights the absurd spontaneity of their departure.
“And off they sailed among the waves, Far and far away: They sailed across the silent main, And reached the great Gromboolian Plain”
They sailed far away over the quiet ocean until they arrived at the vast Gromboolian Plain.
Describes their adventurous voyage to a fantastical destination.
“And there they play forevermore At battlecock and shuttledore.”
There they spend all eternity playing a game of battlecock and shuttledore.
Emphasizes the eternal, playful absurdity of their new life.