In today’s New York Times (3Mar2022) the ever-literary Maureen Dowd took note of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s speech in which the heroic president quoted Hamlet’s speech. To be or not to be. The answer said Zelensky is to be. He was choosing identity, courage, and survival. He was choosing to be a singular nation that would preserve a unique and ancient culture. It is worth fighting and perhaps dying for the endurance of a proud people that have survived oppressive occupations time after time.
Earlier in this terrible unfolding tragedy, Zelensky spoke to the assembled British Parliament. He echoed Winston Churchill’s courageous speech “On the Beaches.” Zelensky said to the House of Commons: “We will not give up, we will not lose…We will fight till the end at sea and in the air. We will fight in the forests, in the fields, on the shores, in the streets.”
Like in this moment for Ukraine, England at the time of Churchill’s speech was facing the possibility of a terrifying invasion from the continent that would destroy the distinct heritage of the British people. In 1066, England fell to the conquering French. Over the centuries, by grit and determination the English people and the English language itself overwhelmed the French occupiers and incorporated their language and culture into a new and distinctive culture and language. Churchill delivered his speech using the bold and basic words of English descended not from the French invaders but from the ancient Anglo-Saxon word-horde: “We shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills, we shall never surrender!” Melvin Bragg (2003 The Adventure of English) pointed out that each of the words in that memorable sentence is an Old English word. Only the last word is from the French: “surrender.”
England was choosing to be.
Two Strikes 