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Excerpt ​

Excerpt from Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor, by R. D. Blackmore

If anybody cares to read a simple tale told simply, I, John Ridd, of the
parish of Oare, in the county of Somerset, yeoman and churchwarden, have
seen and had a share in some doings of this neighborhood, which I will
try to set down in order, God sparing my life and memory. And they who
light upon this book should bear in mind not only that I write for the
clearing of our parish from ill fame and calumny, but also a thing which
will, I trow, appear too often in it, to wit--that I am nothing more
than a plain unlettered man, not read in foreign languages, as a
gentleman might be, nor gifted with long words (even in mine own
tongue), save what I may have won from the Bible or Master William
Shakespeare, whom, in the face of common opinion, I do value highly. In
short, I am an ignoramus, but pretty well for a yeoman.

My father being of good substance, at least as we reckon in Exmoor, and
seized in his own right, from many generations, of one, and that the
best and largest, of the three farms into which our parish is divided
(or rather the cultured part thereof), he John Ridd, the elder,
churchwarden, and overseer, being a great admirer of learning, and well
able to write his name, sent me his only son to be schooled at Tiverton,
in the county of Devon. For the chief boast of that ancient town (next
to its woollen staple) is a worthy grammar-school, the largest in the
west of England, founded and handsomely endowed in the year 1604 by
Master Peter Blundell, of that same place, clothier.

Here, by the time I was twelve years old, I had risen into the upper
school, and could make bold with Eutropius and Caesar--by aid of an
English version--and as much as six lines of Ovid. Some even said that
I might, before manhood, rise almost to the third form, being of a
perservering nature; albeit, by full consent of all (except my mother),
thick-headed. But that would have been, as I now perceive, an ambition
beyond a farmer's son; for there is but one form above it, and that made
of masterful scholars, entitled rightly 'monitors'. So it came to
pass, by the grace of God, that I was called away from learning,
whilst sitting at the desk of the junior first in the upper school, and
beginning the Greek verb [Greek word].

Explanation ​

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from Lorna Doone ​

1. Context of the Source ​

Lorna Doone: A Romance of Exmoor (1869) is a historical novel by Richard Doddridge Blackmore, set in late 17th-century Exmoor, England, during the turbulent years of the Monmouth Rebellion (1685). The story blends romance, adventure, and social commentary, following the life of John Ridd, a yeoman farmer, and his love for Lorna Doone, a noblewoman raised by a family of outlaws.

The novel is framed as a first-person narrative, written in the voice of John Ridd as an older man looking back on his youth. The excerpt provided is the opening passage, which establishes the narrator’s humble, unpretentious voice, his social standing, and his purpose in writing the story.

2. Themes in the Excerpt ​

Several key themes emerge in this passage:

A. Class and Social Hierarchy ​

  • John Ridd identifies himself as a "plain unlettered man" and a "yeoman" (a freeholder farmer of moderate means).
  • He contrasts himself with "gentlemen" who are "read in foreign languages"—highlighting the educational and social divide between the rural gentry and the working class.
  • His father, though wealthy by Exmoor standards, is still a farmer, not a nobleman. The fact that he could write his name was a mark of some education, but John’s schooling was limited by his class.
  • The mention of "monitors" (elite students at the grammar school) reinforces the hierarchy even within education—John was never meant to rise too high.

B. Education and Its Limits ​

  • John’s modest education is a point of pride but also a limitation. He admits he is "thick-headed" (a term suggesting both stubbornness and lack of intellectual refinement).
  • His knowledge of Latin (Eutropius, Caesar, Ovid) and Greek is minimal, acquired only through translations—unlike true scholars who read them in the original.
  • The grammar school at Tiverton (a real institution, Blundell’s School) represents social mobility, but John’s removal from it suggests that farming, not scholarship, is his destiny.
  • His respect for Shakespeare and the Bible (the two books he admires) reflects a practical, moral education rather than a classical one.

C. Humility and Self-Deprecation ​

  • John repeatedly downplays his intelligence, calling himself an "ignoramus" (though he immediately qualifies it: "pretty well for a yeoman").
  • This false modesty is a rhetorical strategy—it makes him seem trustworthy and relatable, a man who does not overstate his abilities.
  • His defense of Shakespeare ("whom, in the face of common opinion, I do value highly") suggests that some educated people might dismiss popular literature, but John, despite his lack of formal learning, recognizes its worth.

D. Purpose of the Narrative ​

  • John states two key reasons for writing:
    1. "The clearing of our parish from ill fame and calumny"—he wants to defend the reputation of Oare and Exmoor, which may have been slandered (possibly due to the Doone outlaws).
    2. "I am nothing more than a plain unlettered man"—his simplicity is both an apology and a strength; he is not a polished writer, but his account is honest and direct.

3. Literary Devices & Stylistic Features ​

Blackmore crafts John Ridd’s voice with careful attention to dialect, tone, and narrative technique:

A. First-Person Narrative & Unreliable Narration ​

  • The story is told in retrospect, by an older John looking back on his youth.
  • His self-deprecating tone ("thick-headed," "ignoramus") makes him sympathetic, but it also subtly questions how reliable his memory is.
  • The phrase "God sparing my life and memory" hints that time may have altered his recollections.

B. Dialect & Colloquial Language ​

  • "I trow" (archaic for "I believe") and "albeit" give the narration a rustic, old-fashioned feel, reinforcing John’s rural, uneducated background.
  • "Seized in his own right" (legal term for land ownership) shows that while John is not highly educated, he knows practical matters (like land law).
  • "Make bold with Eutropius and Caesar"—a humorous understatement; he is not fluent but has dabbled in classical texts.

C. Irony & Understatement ​

  • "I might, before manhood, rise almost to the third form"—the word "almost" is ironic; he is proud of modest achievements.
  • "An ambition beyond a farmer’s son"—suggests that social mobility was rare, and John accepts his place without bitterness.
  • "The grace of God" that called him away from school implies that farming, not scholarship, was his true calling—a providential view of life.

D. Allusion & Cultural References ​

  • Shakespeare and the Bible—John’s two literary touchstones represent high culture (Shakespeare) and moral guidance (the Bible).
  • Eutropius, Caesar, Ovid—classical authors studied in grammar schools, but John’s reliance on translations shows his limited access to true learning.
  • Blundell’s School—a real institution, grounding the story in historical realism.

E. Foreshadowing ​

  • The mention of "some doings of this neighborhood" hints at future conflicts (likely involving the Doones).
  • "God sparing my life and memory" suggests that dangerous events will follow.

4. Significance of the Passage ​

This opening serves several key functions:

A. Establishing the Narrator’s Voice ​

  • John Ridd’s humble, straightforward narration sets the tone for the entire novel.
  • His lack of pretension makes him a reliable but flawed narrator, whose perspective shapes the reader’s understanding of events.

B. Introducing Class and Education as Central Themes ​

  • The tension between rural life and formal education is immediately clear.
  • John’s limited schooling reinforces the realism of a 17th-century yeoman’s life—most farmers would not have had such opportunities.

C. Creating a Sense of Place and Time ​

  • The detailed description of Exmoor, Oare, and Tiverton grounds the story in a specific historical and geographical setting.
  • The mention of the Monmouth Rebellion era (though not yet explicit) is hinted at through the social unrest and class divisions.

D. Justifying the Story’s Existence ​

  • John’s defense of his writing ("I am nothing more than a plain unlettered man") is both an apology and a declaration of authenticity.
  • He is not a gentleman scholar, but his firsthand experience gives his account value.

5. Closing Analysis: Why This Passage Matters ​

This excerpt is more than just an introduction—it is a microcosm of the novel’s central concerns:

  • Class struggle (yeoman vs. gentleman)
  • The value of plain speech over pretension
  • The tension between education and practical life
  • The reliability of memory and storytelling

John Ridd’s modest, earnest voice draws the reader in, making the romantic and dramatic events that follow feel grounded in reality. His self-awareness of his limitations also makes his moments of heroism and passion later in the story more compelling—because we see him as an ordinary man in extraordinary circumstances.

In essence, this passage sets up the novel as a "romance" (in the literary sense—a tale of adventure and love) told by a common man, blending historical realism with mythic storytelling.