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Robert Lynd Captures a Beautiful Atmosphere in the Essay “Seaside”

"Seaside" is an essay by Robert Lynd (1879–1949), one of the well known Irish essayists of the twentieth century. He provides a befitting description of French Sea Coast along with it's setting- the Sea and the Travelers. In fact, this is the personal essay of the author who has been staying in a holyday resort nearby the French Sea Coast. The essay captures the beauty of the sea, the sand, and the sky.

 Lynd's prose is rich in sensory details and he portrays the sea as a source of inspiration and wonder. The festivity and the mood of gala permeate and pervade the entire atmosphere for the sea side. Not only the beauty of the sea side is minutely expressed but also that visitor’s activities are minutely put into account. Account of the individuals both human and nature are presented here. But here and there a note of sadness is plotting in the atmosphere. It is seen fisher women working hard for their lively hood. There are another instance of the unhappy grey haired father struggling hard to make his child walk but unsuccessfully. Accept these two spots of sadness the entire sea beach is burst with fun and various walking gaiety.

Robert Lynd's essay "Seaside" is a vivid description of a day at the beach. The essay captures the beauty of the sea, the sand, and the sky. Lynd's prose is rich in sensory details and he portrays the sea as a source of inspiration and wonder.

Robert Lynd starts by painting a beautiful picture of the sandhills next to the sea, which are teeming with butterflies. He then goes on to talk about the lush vegetation that grows there, almost as if by magic.

Moving on, Lynd describes the bustling scene on the beach, with families and children dressed in vibrant colors, just like the butterflies and vegetation. He talks about how everyone seems to be enjoying themselves, without a care in the world, whether they're flying kites, birdwatching or playing cricket.

In fact, Lynd's essay is a celebration of the simple pleasures of seaside life and the beauty of nature. His descriptions of the beach and the people who visit it are vivid and engaging, making it easy to imagine oneself there, enjoying the sun, sand and sea. There are different types of tourists in this spot. The industry bands are flying kites. Children taking exercise interacts in the game. Few are having different game – cricket, golf, casino, football, tennis etc. few are swimming and bathing. All the tourists are busy with their pet occupations- of various types of game. Lynd finds a sense of restraint and control in the celebration of joy. On the beach Lynd also find souveteurs, the life savers who are dutifully spying on the behavior of the swimmers and concerned with the safety of the tourists.

Lynd in his description of the natural setting of the beach is pictorial. On the seaside numerous butterflies with their particular grandeur and idleness flying over the sanddunes and sandhills. The colour of the butterfly rightly matches with the colourful garments that the tourists are wearing. So the scene is per excellent with butterflies, bees, flowers, insect bird and colourfully dressed visitors.

The pictorial quality of the essay is accompanied through the rhetorical devises. Lynd also provides enough charm, humour, ease and reflection in his essay. The setting is romantic and it is an unknown French coast. It is incomplete, if no French word is used.  So here is the usage – sauveteur, pledge, monsieur etc. Again, another noteworthy aspect of the essay is the way Lynd celebrates the simplicity of seaside life. He describes families enjoying picnics, children playing in the sand, and fishermen casting their lines. Lynd implies that these simple pleasures are the essence of seaside life and are what make it so enjoyable.

Overall, Lynd's essay is a tribute to the beauty of the seaside and the joys of a simple life. His use of literary devices and rich sensory descriptions make the essay an engaging and memorable read. But we cannot miss the very contemplative mood of the essayist Lynd who prefers philosophic calmness of the sea than these hustles and bustles. He concludes his essay by implicitly asserting his status as a philosopher when he confirms that he can:

"loll in the ocean as lazily as on the sandhills, and not even the blasts of the trumpets [sauveteurs] ... can perturb me out of my peace."


Ardhendu De

Ref:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wilson_Lynd
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Wilson_Lynd#Works


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  1. AnonymousJuly 23, 2024 at 1:56 PM

    What were the souveteurs doing on the beach?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousAugust 25, 2024 at 4:29 PM

      They are dutifully spying on the behavior of the swimmers and concerned with the safety of the tourists.

      Delete

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