““Casey at the BatCasey at the Bat””Ernest Lawrence ThayerErnest Lawrence Thayer

EpicEpic

Long narrative poemLong narrative poem

Formal, elegant languageFormal, elegant language

About a series of quests undertaken by a About a series of quests undertaken by a herohero

Hero embodies values cherished by the Hero embodies values cherished by the culture that recites the epicculture that recites the epic

Mock epic imitates old epic tales in a Mock epic imitates old epic tales in a comical waycomical way

Ernest Lawrence ThayerErnest Lawrence Thayer

Biography

““Casey at the BatCasey at the Bat””

The outlook wasnThe outlook wasn’’t brilliant for the t brilliant for the Mudville nine that day; Mudville nine that day;

The score stood four to two with but one The score stood four to two with but one inning more to play. inning more to play.

And then when Cooney died at first, and And then when Cooney died at first, and Barrows did the same, Barrows did the same,

A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of A sickly silence fell upon the patrons of the game.the game.

A straggling few got up to go in deep A straggling few got up to go in deep despair. The rest despair. The rest

Clung to that hope which springs eternal Clung to that hope which springs eternal in the human breast; in the human breast;

They thought if only Casey could but get a They thought if only Casey could but get a whack at that— whack at that—

WeWe’’d put up even money now with Casey d put up even money now with Casey at the bat.at the bat.

But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also But Flynn preceded Casey, as did also Jimmy Blake, Jimmy Blake,

And the former was a lulu and the latter And the former was a lulu and the latter was a cake; was a cake;

So upon that stricken multitude grim So upon that stricken multitude grim melancholy sat, melancholy sat,

For there seemed but little chance of For there seemed but little chance of CaseyCasey’’s getting to the bat.s getting to the bat.

But Flynn let drive a single, to the But Flynn let drive a single, to the wonderment of all, wonderment of all,

And Blake, the much despised, tore the And Blake, the much despised, tore the cover off the ball; cover off the ball;

And when the dust had lifted, and men And when the dust had lifted, and men saw what had occurred, saw what had occurred,

There was Jimmy safe at second and There was Jimmy safe at second and Flynn a-hugging third.Flynn a-hugging third.

Then from 5,000 throats and more there Then from 5,000 throats and more there rose a lusty yell; rose a lusty yell;

It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in It rumbled through the valley, it rattled in the dell; the dell;

It knocked upon the mountain and It knocked upon the mountain and recoiled upon the flat, recoiled upon the flat,

For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing For Casey, mighty Casey, was advancing to the bat. to the bat.

There was ease in CaseyThere was ease in Casey’’s manner as he s manner as he stepped into his place; stepped into his place;

There was pride in CaseyThere was pride in Casey’’s bearing and a s bearing and a smile on Caseysmile on Casey’’s face. s face.

And when, responding to the cheers, he And when, responding to the cheers, he lightly doffed his hat, lightly doffed his hat,

No stranger in the crowd could doubt No stranger in the crowd could doubt ’’twas Casey at the bat.twas Casey at the bat.

Ten thousand eyes were on him as he Ten thousand eyes were on him as he rubbed his hands with dirt; rubbed his hands with dirt;

Five thousand tongues applauded when Five thousand tongues applauded when he wiped them on his shirt. he wiped them on his shirt.

Then while the writhing pitcher ground Then while the writhing pitcher ground the ball into his hip, the ball into his hip,

Defiance gleamed in CaseyDefiance gleamed in Casey’’s eye, a sneer s eye, a sneer curled Caseycurled Casey’’s lip.s lip.

And now the leather-covered sphere And now the leather-covered sphere came hurtling through the air, came hurtling through the air,

And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty And Casey stood a-watching it in haughty grandeur there. grandeur there.

Close by the sturdy batsman the ball Close by the sturdy batsman the ball unheeded sped— unheeded sped—

““That ainThat ain’’t my style,t my style,”” said Casey. said Casey. ““Strike Strike one,one,”” the umpire said. the umpire said.

From the benches, black with people, From the benches, black with people, there went up a muffled roar, there went up a muffled roar,

Like the beating of the storm-waves on a Like the beating of the storm-waves on a stern and distant shore. stern and distant shore.

““Kill him! Kill the umpire!Kill him! Kill the umpire!”” shouted shouted someone on the stand; someone on the stand;

And itAnd it’’s likely theys likely they’’d have killed him had d have killed him had not Casey raised his hand.not Casey raised his hand.

With a smile of Christian charity great With a smile of Christian charity great CaseyCasey’’s visage shone; s visage shone;

He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the He stilled the rising tumult; he bade the game go on; game go on;

He signaled to the pitcher, and once more He signaled to the pitcher, and once more the spheroid flew; the spheroid flew;

But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire But Casey still ignored it, and the umpire said, said, ““Strike two.Strike two.””

““Fraud!Fraud!”” cried the maddened thousands, cried the maddened thousands, and echo answered fraud; and echo answered fraud;

But one scornful look from Casey and the But one scornful look from Casey and the audience was awed. audience was awed.

They saw his face grow stern and cold, They saw his face grow stern and cold, they saw his muscles strain, they saw his muscles strain,

And they knew that Casey wouldnAnd they knew that Casey wouldn’’t let t let that ball go by again.that ball go by again.

The sneer is gone from CaseyThe sneer is gone from Casey’’s lip, his s lip, his teeth are clinched in hate; teeth are clinched in hate;

He pounds with cruel violence his bat He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate. upon the plate.

And now the pitcher holds the ball, and And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go, now he lets it go,

And now the air is shattered by the force And now the air is shattered by the force of Caseyof Casey’’s blow.s blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright; sun is shining bright;

The band is playing somewhere, and The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light, somewhere hearts are light,

And somewhere men are laughing, and And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout; somewhere children shout;

But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty But there is no joy in Mudville—mighty Casey has struck out.Casey has struck out.

Reading CheckReading Check

At the beginning of At the beginning of ““Casey at the Bat,Casey at the Bat,”” why are the Mudville fans in despair?why are the Mudville fans in despair?

What happens when Flynn and Blake What happens when Flynn and Blake come to bat?come to bat?

What happens when the mighty Casey What happens when the mighty Casey comes to bat?comes to bat?

InterpretationsInterpretations

Beowulf is a typical Beowulf is a typical epicepic herohero in that he in that he is enormously strong and has come to is enormously strong and has come to save a kingdom. Find places where save a kingdom. Find places where Thayer makes Casey seem like a great Thayer makes Casey seem like a great epic hero.epic hero.

Epic heroes usually embody the values Epic heroes usually embody the values that their societies hold dear- traits like that their societies hold dear- traits like courage, humility, strength, generosity, courage, humility, strength, generosity, selflessness. What values do you think selflessness. What values do you think Casey embodies? Do you think these Casey embodies? Do you think these values are especially American?values are especially American?

InterpretationsInterpretations

The epics of ancient Greece and Rome are The epics of ancient Greece and Rome are marked by long, beautiful similes and marked by long, beautiful similes and metaphors. Ernest Lawrence Thayer also uses metaphors. Ernest Lawrence Thayer also uses figures of speech to describe Casey and the figures of speech to describe Casey and the ballgame in heroic language. The poem ballgame in heroic language. The poem includes includes similessimiles (comparisons of different (comparisons of different things using things using likelike or or asas), ), metaphorsmetaphors (direct (direct comparisons of different things, without using comparisons of different things, without using likelike or or asas), and ), and personificationpersonification (speaking of (speaking of something that is not human as if it had something that is not human as if it had human qualities). Find figures of speech in human qualities). Find figures of speech in lines 3, 6, 10, and 33-34. In each instance, tell lines 3, 6, 10, and 33-34. In each instance, tell what is being compared to what.what is being compared to what.

InterpretationsInterpretations

To elevate his language, Thayer often To elevate his language, Thayer often uses fancy words. Find examples of uses fancy words. Find examples of fancy words in lines 29, 37, and 39. fancy words in lines 29, 37, and 39. What simpler words could have been What simpler words could have been used that mean the same thing?used that mean the same thing?