dual personalities

The DH and I were chatting the other day about the wreck of the HMS Birkenhead off the coast of South Africa in 1852. The wreck occurred in the wee hours of morning when the ship struck an uncharted rock that effectively cut it in two. It only took 25 minutes for the Birkenhead to sink. During that time, the captain ordered the 7 women and 13 children to be evacuated first, thus beginning a tradition that has continued down to this day.

What made the gesture particularly noteworthy was the behavior of the men left on the ship. After the initial evacuation of the women and children, when the captain ordered ‘every man for himself’, one of the officers realized that the order would create disaster as the men would swamp the lifeboats. That officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Seton, drew his sword and ordered his men to stand at attention while the ship sank. No one demured and all of them, Seton included, died so the others could live.

Rudyard Kipling immortalized the incident in his poem “Soldier ‘an Sailor Too”. Here are the relevant stanzas:

You may say we are fond of an ‘arness-cut, or ‘ootin’ in barrick-yards,

Or startin’ a Board School mutiny along o’ the Onion Guards;

But once in a while we can finish in style for the ends of the earth to view,

The same as the Jollies — ‘Er Majesty’s Jollies — soldier an’ sailor too!

They come of our lot, they was brothers to us; they was beggars we’d met an’ knew;

Yes, barrin’ an inch in the chest an’ the arm, they was doubles o’ me an’ you;

For they weren’t no special chrysanthemums — soldier an’ sailor too!

To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about,

Is nothing so bad when you’ve cover to ‘and, an’ leave an’ likin’ to shout;

But to stand an’ be still to the Birken’ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew,

An’ they done it, the Jollies — ‘Er Majesty’s Jollies — soldier an’ sailor too!

Their work was done when it ‘adn’t begun; they was younger nor me an’ you;

Their choice it was plain between drownin’ in ‘eaps an’ bein’ mopped by the screw,

So they stood an’ was still to the Birken’ead drill, soldier an’ sailor too!

We’re most of us liars, we’re ‘arf of us thieves, an’ the rest are as rank as can be,

But once in a while we can finish in style (which I ‘ope it won’t ‘appen to me).

But it makes you think better o’ you an’ your friends, an’ the work you may ‘ave to do,

When you think o’ the sinkin’ Victorier‘s Jollies — soldier an’ sailor too!

Now there isn’t no room for to say ye don’t know — they ‘ave proved it plain and true —

That whether it’s Widow, or whether it’s ship, Victorier’s work is to do,

An’ they done it, the Jollies — ‘Er Majesty’s Jollies — soldier an’ sailor too!

The incident became famous — justly I think — and reinforced the Victorian veneration of gallantry. But now, in the age of feminism, the women and children first rule has become problematic. After all, if women are equal to men, we can make the same sacrifices. We can’t be equal AND receive special treatment, can we? Is gallantry is passé? Hmm…something to ponder.

When I wasn’t discussing shipwrecks, I was either madly trying to prepare classes or recover from teaching them. No kidding, projecting one’s voice through a mask in a lecture hall is hard work, and this lady is old and out of shape. Anyway, such was the effect that I found myself unable to do much of anything by Friday, so I self-comforted by watching soccer videos on Youtube. There is something genuinely restorative about watching people who are really, truly the best of the best. The very existence of those who are better (e.g., John Piper of yesterday’s post) or just infinitely more talented than I am is somehow simultaneously comforting and invigorating. After coming across the truly great, one feels that there is hope for humanity. In this vein, I give you the GOAT (greatest of all time), Barcelona’s #10 Lionel Messi (follow the link. It wouldn’t let me embed the video). Even if you don’t like soccer (I don’t really follow it myself), you should watch the whole thing. He’s amazing — and a nice guy to boot.

Have a lovely weekend!