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Park sang joon Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
The analyses of a text #1
The narrator recalls his adolescence.
He and his friend Steerforth stay at his old nurse's Peggotty's hometown.
They visit Peggotty's elder brother Mr. Peggotty's every night.
Tonight, the narrator founds Steerforth sit before the fire alone in Mr. Peggotty's house which is made of a boat.
Steerforh talks to the protagonist.
Steerofth fell for the fiance of Mr. Peggotty's nephew and adopted son.
..............................
There was a passionate dejection in his manner that quite amazed me. He was more unlike himself than I could have supposed possible.
"It would be better to be this poor Peggotty, or his lout of a nephew," he said, getting up and leaning moodily against the chimney-piece, with his face towards the fire. "than to be myself, twenty times richer and twenty times wiser, and be the torment to myself that I have been, in this Devil's bark of boat, within the last half-hour!"
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know what "his lout of a nephew" means.
2. I'd like to know what "the torment to myself" means.
3. And I'd like to know if "this Devil's bark of boat" means "this boat like Devil's bark."
Thank you in advance for your help.
He and his friend Steerforth stay at his old nurse's Peggotty's hometown.
They visit Peggotty's elder brother Mr. Peggotty's every night.
Tonight, the narrator founds Steerforth sit before the fire alone in Mr. Peggotty's house which is made of a boat.
Steerforh talks to the protagonist.
Steerofth fell for the fiance of Mr. Peggotty's nephew and adopted son.
..............................
There was a passionate dejection in his manner that quite amazed me. He was more unlike himself than I could have supposed possible.
"It would be better to be this poor Peggotty, or his lout of a nephew," he said, getting up and leaning moodily against the chimney-piece, with his face towards the fire. "than to be myself, twenty times richer and twenty times wiser, and be the torment to myself that I have been, in this Devil's bark of boat, within the last half-hour!"
[David Copperfield by Charles Dickens]
1. I'd like to know what "his lout of a nephew" means.
2. I'd like to know what "the torment to myself" means.
3. And I'd like to know if "this Devil's bark of boat" means "this boat like Devil's bark."
Thank you in advance for your help.
Top answer
1. I'd like to know what "his lout of a nephew" means. His nephew, who is a lout.
- 1.
- I'd like to know what "his lout of a nephew" means.
- His nephew, who is a lout.
- 2.
- I'd like to know what "the torment to myself" means.
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7 Answers
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1. I'd like to know what "his lout of a nephew" means. His nephew, who is a lout.
2. I'd like to know what "the torment to myself" means.A torment is somethng/someone who torments you.
He is tormenting himself.
3. And I'd like to know if "this Devil's bark of
2. I'd like to know what "the torment to myself" means.A torment is somethng/someone who torments you.
He is tormenting himself.
3. And I'd like to know if "this Devil's bark of
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1. Steerforth has apparently fallen hard for Peggotty's nephew's fiancee, who is happily engaged and pays him no heed. Steerforth is unimpressed with the nephew, whom he regards as a worthless lout, and indeed with Peggotty himself.
2. The woman's lack of interest in him has crushed his ego, and he is tormented by his infatuation for the woman and her complete lack of interest in him.
2. The woman's lack of interest in him has crushed his ego, and he is tormented by his infatuation for the woman and her complete lack of interest in him.
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Thank you, Clive, for your so very helpful answer. 
1. I'd like to know what "his lout of a nephew" means. His nephe
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No.
His lout of a nephew means his nephew, who is a lout.
His nephew of a lout means his lout, who is a nephew. This makes no sense.
His lout of a nephew means his nephew, who is a lout.
His nephew of a lout means his lout, who is a nephew. This makes no sense.
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Thank you, Clive, for your continuing support.
I didn't fully understand the structure and I'd much like to know it.
Then I
I didn't fully understand the structure and I'd much like to know it.
Then I
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his lout of a nephew is a dramatic way of saying 'his nephew, who is a lout'/
Perhaps we might think of it this way
his really applies to nephew.
lout of a is kind of adjectival ..
But really,it's just an idiomatic thing.
eg
an angel of a child
her tyrant of a husband
Perhaps we might think of it this way
his really applies to nephew.
lout of a is kind of adjectival ..
But really,it's just an idiomatic thing.
eg
an angel of a child
her tyrant of a husband
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