BLOG

PASSAGE-1

i. Who has been referred to as ‘I’ in the first line of the extract? Where do you think was he wandering?

i) The poet William Worthsword is referred to as 'l' in the first line of the extract .He was wandering all alone in the woods of the Lake District.

ii. What did the poet encounter while wandering? Where did he encounter them?

ii) The poet encountered a large number of golden daffodils. They grew beneath the trees along the edge of a lake.

iii. Why do you think the poet refers to the daffodils as golden?

iii) The daffodils were yellow and they were shining in the sun like gold.

iv. Discuss the importance of the following lines with reference to the poem:

“Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze”

iv ) These lines personify the beautiful daffodils. The poet sees the daffodils growing along the margin of a bay, and they appear to be dancing and fluttering in the breeze. These lines are important as it was the daffodils’ lively appearance that captivated the poet.

v. Which figure of speech is used in the following lines? How many daffodils do you think the poet saw? Give reason for you answer.

“When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils,”

v) The poet has used hyperbole. He saw a host of daffodils, which means there were nearly ten thousand of them. It is exaggeration/hyperbolic expression. He might have seen a few hundred of them.

PASSAGE-2

i. How are the daffodils compared to the stars?

(i) The poet uses a simile to compare the daffodils to the stars on the Milky Way. As infinite number of stars shine on the Milky Way, so a multitude of golden daffodils grew along the edge of the lake.

ii. What is the Milky Way? Why is it referred to in the extract?

(ii) ‘Milky way’ is a galaxy of stars that stretches like a band across the sky. It is referred to in the extract to compare the infinite number of stars to the infinite number of daffodils.

iii. What is meant by the margin of the bay?

(iii) The margin of the bay means the edge of the lake.

iv. State how the technique of using exaggeration heightens the poetic effect in the extract?

(iv)The poet has exaggerated the number of daffodils by calling them a crowd, a host and continuous as the stars on the Milky Way. It gives us a picture of infinite stars growing along the bank of the lake as far as the poet could see. The use of such exaggeration thus heightens the poetic effect.

v. Briefly describe the musical quality of the extract.

v) Daffodils are a lyric poem. Each line consists of eight syllables and the rhyme scheme is ababcc. Soft consonants have been used which gives a musical effect when read aloud.

PASSAGE-3

i. How did the daffodils outdo the waves?

i) The daffodils were more vibrant than the waves. The daffodils danced and fluttered and tossed their heads while the waves just rippled and sparkled.

ii. What is meant by jocund company? Which jocund company is the poet referring to? Why does the poet find it jocund?

ii) A jocund company means a happy and gay party. The poet found himself in the jocund company of golden daffodils and dancing waves. They all were jocund because they danced merrily without a pause.

iii. Which wealth referred to by the poet? Explain how the wealth was brought to the poet?

iii) The happy and beautiful scene made the poet happy. But this joy was not momentary. It was a joy forever. The memory of the scene made him happy again and again later. It was the wealth the scene had brought to the poet. The wealth was brought to the poet when he encountered the golden daffodils surpassing the beauty of dancing waves.

iv. What is the mood of the poet in the above extract? Which lines tell you so? Why is he in such a mood?

iv) The poet is in a happy mood. The lines 'A poet could not but be gay, In such a jocund company' tells us that he was very happy. The daffodils and the waves were happy and their happiness was infectious. It made him happy too.

v. With reference to the above extract, state why Wordsworth can be called nature poet.

v) Wordsworth loved nature. He liked to wander in woods, valleys and over the hills. He loved and admired the scenes of nature, and described them beautifully in his poems. So we can say ……..

PASSAGE-4

i. What happens to the poet when the he lies on his couch in a pensive mood?

i) When the poet lies down on his couch in a pensive mood, the memory of the scene of dancing daffodils flashes on his mind. He feels he is again in the company of happy daffodils and it makes his heart dance with them again.

ii. What is the ‘bliss of solitude’ referred to in the extract? How does the bliss of solitude take place?

ii) The bliss of solitude is referred to the paradise the poet finds himself in as soon as the image of golden daffodils flashes before his eye. The bliss comes to him in the form of the memory of dancing daffodils when he is alone, sad and in thoughtful mood.

iii. Explain the transition from poet’s pensive mood to his heart filled with joy.

iii) When the poet is lonely sad and in a thoughtful mood, he lies on his couch. But suddenly, the memory of the scene of the dancing daffodils flashes in his imagination. He feels he is in the company of the gay daffodils. His loneliness, sadness and melancholy, all vanishes. He is happy again. His heart is filled, with joy.

iv. With reference to the last two lines of the extract, state the influence that nature can have over an individual’s mind.

iv) ‘Nature’ is a healer. It is like a nurse. It gives comfort and solace. It removes sad and unhappy thoughts and fills our hearts with hope and joy.

v. Wordsworth says that poetry is “the overflow of feelings arising from emotions recollected in tranquillity.’ In this context, state how the poem shows the truth of his statement.

v) Wordsworth idea of poetry is that it originates from the overflow of feelings, recollected in tranquillity. This means that the poet observes some object. It sets off powerful emotions in his mind. The poet lets them sink into his mind. At a later moment, he recollects those emotions in tranquillity and produces a poem. The poem Daffodils clearly explains this definition of poetry. The poet saw a beautiful scene of dancing daffodils. He was filled with joy. At a later moment when he was alone (in tranquillity) he recollected that scene. He felt the bliss again and the result is this poem.

E F L 9800384400

E F L 9800384400

Analysis:

‘After Blenheim’ by Robert Southey is an anti-war poem that centres around one of the major battles of eighteenth century – the Battle of Blenheim. Written in 1796 in the form of a ballad, it offers deep insights on war and its consequences. The 1704 War of Spanish Succession, in which a coalition of forces including the English defeated the Franco-Bavarian army on the land of Blenheim, a small village in Southern Germany, supplies its ingredients. In fields around the Bavarian town of Blenheim in southern Germany, an elderly farmer named Kaspar sits in front of his cottage watching his grandchildren, Wilhelmine and Peterkin, at play. Peterkin is rolling an object he found near a stream. He takes it to Kaspar and asks what it is. The old man, who has found many such objects while plowing the fields, replies that it is the skull of a soldier who died in the Battle of Blenheim. Their curiosity aroused, the children ask him about the battle and why it was fought. The English routed the French, he says, in what later generations would call a great and famous victory. However, Kaspar is at a loss to explain the cause of the battle. He does know that thousands died in it—not only soldiers but also townspeople, including children. In fact, the fields were littered with corpses. But such terrible consequences are part of war, he says. They do not negate the glory of the victory. Wilhelmine then comments that the battle was "a wicked thing," but Kaspar tells her she is wrong. “It was a famous victory," he says. Peterkin asks what good came of the fighting. Kaspar says he does not know, but adds, " 'twas a famous victory.

Extract I

And the old man shook his head……..great victory.

i) Who was the old man? Who else were with him? Where were they?

Kasper was the old man. His grandchildren Peterkin and Wilhelmine were with him. They were sitting in the sun before their cottage door.

ii) Why did the old man shake his head and had a natural sigh? Who found the skull?

Kasper shook his head with a sigh to reflect his disappointment at the war that took place years ago only to devour innocent lives.

iii) Where was the skull found? Why does the speaker say that the skull was some ‘poor’ fellow?

The skull was found beside the small stream where Peterkin was playing. The skull belonged to one of the many innocent people who lost their lives in the tragic war. The poor fellow became a victim of the war.

iv) How common were the skulls there? At which place many of them could be found?

The skulls were a common sight there. Many of them could be found in the garden or in the field that Kasper used to plough.

v) What victory is referred to in the extract? Who was responsible for the victory?

The victory of England in the war of the Spanish Succession (1702-1715) is referred to here. Duke of Marlborough and Savoy’s Prince Eugene were responsible for this victory.

Extract II

Now you tell us what ‘twas…….what they fought each other for

1. Which topic is being discussed in the extract? Who were Peterkin and Wilhelmine? Whom was Peterkin questioning?

The cause of the war in which many innocent people were killed is being discussed here. Peterkin and Wilhelmine were innocent grandchildren of old Kasper. Peterkin was questioning his grandfather, Kasper.

2. in the context of the poem, what special significance do the adjectives young and little have?

The adjectives ‘young’ and ‘little’ are important to highlight the innocence and purity of Peterkin and Wilhelmine. It is through their innocence that the poet has condemned the war.

3. What is meant by ‘wonder-waiting eyes’? Which figure of speech is used here? Why did Wilhelmine look up with such eyes?

‘Wonder-waiting eyes’ is used for Wilhelmine, who was expecting to know the casue of the war from her grandfather. The figure of speech used here is alliteration.

She looked up with such eyes because she could not comprehend the cause of the war. It filled her with wonder. She anticipated getting a favourable answer from Kasper.

4. Who fought the battle? Was Peterkin given a satisfactory reply? What does the reply show about a common man’s attitude towards war?

The battle was fought between the English and the French forces. Peterkin was not given a satisfactory reply. Kasper did not know the cause of the war but still referred to the victory as great. It shows that a common man’s ignorance and complacency about the cause and purpose of war.

5. Give a brief character sketch of Kaspar.

Kasper was a farmer. He was loving grandfather as he spent time with his grandchildren and tried to answer their queries. Kasper was an old man, who was disappointed with the outcome of the war. However, he was complacent about the cause of war and had accepted the loss of innocent lives as the inevitable price of victory in the war.

Extract III

With fire and sword the country……at every famous country.

1. Which country is referred to in the extract? What is meant by ‘was wasted far and wide’?

The country referred to is Blenheim, which is the English name for the German village of Blindheim, situated on the left bank of the Danube River in Bavaria in Southern Germany. It refers to the death and destruction caused by the war.

2. What did the speaker say about the effects of the battle on his own family?

The speaker tells that during the war his father lived by a stream at Blenheim. As a result of the war, his father’s house was burnt which forced him to flee with his wife and child, Kasper. They were thus rendered homeless.

3. What is meant by ‘a childing mother’? Why do you think the poet specifically points out that ‘many a childing mother….newborn baby died’?

‘Childing mother’ is a phrase used for a mother expecting a baby. The poet specifically refers to the deaths of childing mothers and newborn babies to underline not only the horrors of war but also the irony of a famous victory.

4. What do the last two lines in the extract tell you about the attitude of the speaker towards the events that he is narrating? What are your feelings for the speaker?

The speaker has been conditioned by the prepatrators of war in such a way that he readily accepted the loss of innocent lives as the price for victory in the war. I pity for the speaker as he sighed at the sight of a poor fellow’s skull but his conditioning was such that he justified war.

5. by referring to the incidents in the poem, state how After Blenheim can be said to be an anti-war poem?

After Blenheim has a scathing criticism of the horrors of war. it shows that international diplomacy, politics and war are matters which are cut off from the lives of common men. In an outburst of praise for the heroes who won the war Old Kasper reveals the typical inability of an ordinary citizen to grasp the reason why the war took place.

Extract IV

They say it was a shocking…..a famous victory.

1. To whom does ‘they’ in the extract refer?

They refers to those who must have reported the entire battle scene and its after effects to Kasper.

2. Why do you think the sight was shocking even when the battle was won?

The sight was shocking because the war was won at the price of thousands of lives. The sight of many thousand bodies lying rotting in the sun was gruesome.

3. What is the tone of the last two lines of the extract? What, according to you, the poet wants to convey in these lines?

The tone is ironical and sarcastic. The poet wants to question the utility of waging a war, which causes destruction of both human lives and property.

4. What was the occupation of the speaker of these lines? How do you know about his occupation?

Old Kasper appears to be a farmer by profession. He lived in a cottage in a countryside, where there was a stream nearby and he mentioned that he used to find many skulls while ploughing the field. This indicates his profession.

5. State clearly how the poet creates an atmosphere of devastation caused by war in the poem.

The devastation caused by war is reflected through the following:

The presence of skulls all over the field,

Kasper’s family rendered homeless when Kasper’s father’s dwelling was burnt,

The deaths of expecting mothers and newborn babies,

The gruesome sight of dead bodies lying on the battle field and rotting.

Extract V

Great praise the Duke….famous victory

1. Who was Duke of Marlbro? Why did he win great praise?

Duke of Marlbro was an English General. He was the Commander of British forces in the War of the Spanish Succession. He was prised because he defeated the French forces.

2. Who was Prince Eugene? Why does the poet refer to him as ‘our good Prince Eugene?

Prince Eugene was an Austrian General, born in France. He is referred to as ‘our good Prince Eugene’ because with Marlborough, he defeated the French at Blenheim.

3. What ‘thing’ according to Wilhelmine was wicked? Do you agree with her comment? Give reason to support your answer.

Wilhelmine did not approve the praise that Duke and Prince Eugene received because she considered their act of killing innocent people in the name of victory was wicked.

Yes, her comment is appropriate as it is the common man who has to suffer where the politicians and the rulers escape and idly boast of wars.

4. State briefly the moral of the poem, After Blenheim.

The poem disapproves of any war as it brings with itself death, devastation, loss and grief. The poet conveys that great victories are rendered useless when everything else is lost.

5. What according to you is the relevance of the poem in contemporary times? Give reasons to support your answer.

The poem is relevant as it has a universal appeal. The poem is timeless and can be read irrespective of the time it was written. It is the common man and innocent children who suffer in a war. Modern politicians dismiss the deaths of innocent people in war by referring to them with the impersonal phrase: collateral damage.

The Bangle Sellers

1st stanza

The poem begins with the speakers introducing themselves as bangle sellers who sell their articles at the place that has temple. They call out to the people to buy their bangles. These hawkers describe their bangles as delicate, bright, rainbow-tinted circles of light. They advertise by questioning who will buy these bangles for their daughters and wives. It is important to note here that though the speakers of the poem are several, it appears as if there is a single speaker. This is due to the fact that they all have the same purpose and is thus seen singularly as a ‘class essence’. Also, the Bangles here are called lustrous tokens of radiant lives. It shows us the Indianans of the poem, where bangles are bought on special occasions and are associated with happiness and prosperity.

2nd stanza

The second stanza onward, the speakers talk of the kinds of bangles they have. Some of these bangles are suited for a maiden’s, that is, a young unmarried woman’s wrist. They are Silver and Blue in color said to be mountain mist. Some of them are ‘flushed’, that is pink and light red in color like flower buds growing beside a woodland stream. Still others are green and glowing like the transparent beauty of leaves that are newly born. In Indian society, bangles have an important cultural and religious place. Different colored bangles are worn by women at different stages of life. Blue, Silver, and Green are generally worn by young maidens. It is interesting to note that the poet here uses the words ‘flushed like the buds that dream.’ The word ‘buds’ here is suggestive of chastity. Buds that are dreaming present before us an image of young girls dreaming of marriage. In this stanza, the poet presents the stage of youth in a woman’s life.

Stanza 3

In the third stanza, the bangle sellers say that some of their bangles are yellow like ‘fields of sunlit corn‘. Bangles of this color are perfect for a bride on her bridal morn. Some of the bangles they have are bright red. They represent the flame of a newly turned bride’s marriage fire, that is, the passion of her newly made relation. The red bangles also stand for her heart’s desire. The bangles are ‘tinkling, luminous, tender and clear’. They express both her joy of starting a new life with her husband and the sorrow of leaving her parents behind. What we find striking is the use of the words ‘bridal laughter and bridal tears. These words convey the whole of a woman’s transition in life from a maiden to a wife and all the emotions attached with it in a single line. This stanza marks the transition of life from a maiden to a wife.

Stanza 4

In the final stanza of the poem The Bangle Sellers, the speakers continue to advertise their bangles. They shout that some of their bangles are purple and gold flecked grey. These are suited for a middle-aged woman who has ‘journeyed through life’. They are for her who has raised her children well, and has remained faithful to her husband and family. These bangles are, they say, perfect for she who has maintained her household with pride and ‘worships the gods at her husband’s side‘. In this stanza, the poet writes down what she perceives as the qualities of a good wife. Such a woman is truly deserving of the purple and gold flecked grey bangles in her eyes. Here we should pay attention to the word ‘sons’ used to mean off spring. While it could be a happy coincidence, it could also suggest the ingrained attitude of male preference in the society of Sarojini Naidu’s times. The poem, ‘The bangle Sellers’ is a celebration of the female life. It shows us the various stages of a woman’s life and attempts to represent the Indian culture and the role of bangle sellers in the traditional set up. ‘The Bangle Sellers’ was published in the 1912 collection of poetry called The Bird of Time: Songs of Life, Death and the spring. The poem depicts a group of bangle sellers who wander from town to town to sell their inventory. One of them becomes the narrator or the speaker of the poem.

Extract I

Bangle sellers are we……daughters and happy wives. 1. What is being referred to as ‘shining loads’? Who all are its prospective buyers?

The shining bangles that are being carried by the bangle sellers to the temple fair for sale are referred to as shining loads. Women of every age group are the prospective buyers of these bangles.

2. Bangle sellers could sell their goods anywhere. Why do they choose to go to the temple fair? Temple fair is the place which is visited by women of all age groups. Here the bangle sellers can sell their goods to ‘happy daughters and happy wives.’

3. Which figure of speech is used in the line ‘Rainbow-tinted circles of light’? Explain what is linked to the happiness of daughters and wives. The figure of speech used here is a metaphor as multi-hued bangles are compared to the radiant lives of ‘happy daughters and happy wives.’ The multi-colored bangles have been linked to the dreams, youthfulness and aspirations of ‘happy daughters and happy wives.’

4. Explain how the poet uses her descriptive skills to present facts. Give two examples from the extract. The bangle sellers go to the temple fair to sell bangles as women of every age would be present there. The poet’s descriptive skills are reflected in the way she has expressed the different stages in a traditional India woman’s life. For example, in a single stanza she had described bangles as ‘shining loads’, ‘rainbow tinted circles of light’ and ‘lustrous tokens of radiant lives.’

5. What role do the bangle sellers play in a traditional Indian set-up, according to this extract? The bangle sellers are the carriers of those ‘shining loads’ that glorify the idea of Indian womanhood. They try to convince buyers of the spiritual and symbolic importance of the bangles in the lives of ‘happy daughters and happy wives.’ The bangles are symbolic of different stages of womanhood.

Extract II Some are meeting for a ……..of new born leaves.

1. What type of bangles are befitting for a maiden’s wrist? Why are silver and blue colors compared to the mountain mist? Silver and blue colored bangles are befitting a maiden’s wrist. These bangles are compared to blue and silver mist of mountains as they symbolize the freshness and the beauty of young maidens.

2. In what way are the buds set to dream? What figure of speech is used in ‘the buds set to dream’?

The bangles are suitable for the bud-like young maidens who dream of their happy future. They dream of growing up and blossoming like beautiful flowers. The figure of speech is personification.

3. Give the meaning of: Some are flushed like the buds that dream On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream Some of the bangles have shades of pink of yet to bloom flowers on a woodland stream.

4. How are the bangles compared to the newborn leaves? The bangles suitable for maiden’s wrist are see in association with the freshness of ‘new born leaves’ or the clear dew drops on newborn leaves. The maidens like the newborn leaves or dew drops are pure, fresh and chaste. They are yet to see the world.

5. State the colors of the bangles meant for a maiden. What do these colors symbolize? Silver and blue colored bangles are meant for a maiden. These colors have their association with mountain mist or streams, which are fresh, beautiful and evolving.

Extract III

Some are like fields of sunlit corn……laughter and bridal dear.

1. What is being compared to ‘fields of sunlit corn’? Why? Golden or yellow colored bangles, suitable for a bride are compared to fields of sunlight corn. The corn fields- a proof of Mother Nature’s fertility are symbolic of the fertility of a young girl getting married.

2. What do you understand by the phrases ‘bridal laughter’ and ‘bridal tear’? With what have they been compared in the extract? Bridal laughter means the happiness and blissfulness a bride experiences while getting married. Bridal tear means sadness that accompanies a bride while leaving her parental abode. These phrases are compared to the bangles suitable for a bride, which are luminous, bright and tinkling. The bangles are symbolic of her entry into a new life.

3. Which figure of speech is used in these two lines? Explain with examples. Some, like the flame of her marriage fire, Or, rich with the hue of her heart’s desire Simile, in which a likeness between two different things is stated in an explicit way using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’. In these lines the golden and red colored bangles suitable for a bride are compared to the flame of her marriage fire and the love that she would experience in her new life.

4. Bring out the relevance of the line: Some like the flame of her marriage fire The color of the bangles suitable for a woman on her wedding day is compared to the reddish yellow flame of marriage around which the bride takes marriage vows with her groom. The flame-like color of bangles is appropriate to symbolize the flame of love in marriage.

5. Wedding becomes befitting occasions to wear bangles. In what ways does the poet associate bangles with a bride? The bangles worn by a bride in a traditional Indian wedding have spiritual and symbolic significance. Each stage of an Indian woman’s life is described according to the color of bangles suitable at that stage from a dreamy maiden to an excited bride and finally to a mature matriarch. The bangles that are suitable for a bride are golden colored like the holy fire around which the bride takes marriage vows with her groom. The bangles also have the color of ‘her heart’s desire’ which is suggestive of dreams and hopes of a newly wedded bride.

Extract IV Some are purple and gold…..her husband’s side.

1. For whom are the ‘purple and gold flecked grey’ bangles suitable for? Which phase of their lives is symbolized by these bangles? For a woman ‘who has journeyed through life midway’ and has gained experience and wisdom. These bangles symbolize that phase when the maiden turned bride becomes a proud mother and responsible wife. She has experienced all the aspects of being a woman.

2. Discuss the use of color imagery in the above extract.

Colors represent various moods and aspects of life. In the above extract, all the aspects of being a woman have been experienced. The colors chosen for the bangles are purple and gold flecked grey. Purple color indicates power, authority, pride and dignity and gold flecked grey, a sober color, indicates experience and wisdom. Thus, the woman wearing purple bangles has gained maturity, reared her children with love and at last has achieved the fullness of her role as wife and mother.

3. Explain briefly the following lines: Whose hands have cherished, whose love has blest? And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast, The lines are relevant to the concept of Indian motherhood. The bangle sellers attribute purple and gold flecked grey bangles to the mother who has attained maturity by rearing her children. The bangles are suitable for those hands that have cherished, loved, blessed and cradled her sons.

4. What special significance does the phrase ‘faithful pride’ hold in the above extract? ‘Faithful pride’ is a significant phrase in context of a woman who has ‘journeyed through life midway’; she has been a loving daughter, a happy bride; a responsible wife and mother. Her experiences have made her a perfect India woman. She has been productive and fecund for her family and thus ‘serves her household in fruitful pride.

5. Comment on the changes in the life of a woman vis-à-vis the color of her bangles. Rainbow-tinted bangles are symbolic of different shades of womanhood. The blue and silver colored bangles like the blue and silver mist of mountains; shades of pink of yet to blossom flowers or the clear dew drops on new born leaves are suitable for young maidens. The golden colored like the holy fire around which the bride takes marriage, vows and the golden colored bangles, compared to yellow sunlit corn fields are suitable for a bride. The purple and golden flecked grey bangles are suitable for a woman who has journeyed through life midway.

EFL 9800384400

Comprehension Passages

Stanza 1

Read the lines given above and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.

Explain with reference to context.

Answer:

These lines have been taken from the poem, ‘The Heart of a tree’ by Henry Cuyler Bunnar. The poet comments on the advantages of planting a tree. The poem opens with a rhetorical question asking the reader what does the planting of a tree signify. The poet emphasises that when a tree is planted the sun and sky share their bounty like a friend with the earth . The tree which rises high helps in originating cool breezes , a home which is close to heaven for the birds to nest in and nurture their young ones. The music created by the humming of birds and breeze is like a heavenly song and the poet reiterates that these are all the things that are created when a tree is planted.

Question 2.

Why does the poet call the tree a friend of sun and sky?

Answer:

The poet says that the tree is a friend of the sun and sky because it shares their benefits like a friend and helps to create cool breeze to lessen the heat of the sun and the glare of the sky.

Question 3.

What is the shaft of beauty, towering high?

Answer:

The small sapling grows into a tall and high arrow like tree which stands stately in beauty.

Question 4.

For whom is the home to heaven anigh ?

Answer:

In the tree that rises towards the sky the birds build their nests on the high branches which seem close to heaven.

Question 5.

What is meant by ‘the treble of heaven’s harmony’?

Answer:

The sound of the breeze rustling the leaves, the crooning of the bird to their young ones and the sound of the creatures in the twilight all mingle together and create music that seems like a combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes which produce a divine effect.

Question 6.

What three things are created when a tree is planted according to the poet?

Answer:

When one plants a tree the things created are a friend ,beauty, and music.

Question 7.

Pick out some figures of speech.

Answer:

The poet personifies a tree by calling it a friend, he uses euphemisms like home to heaven anigh, towering high and treble of heaven’s harmony. He uses metaphors like hushed and happy twilight.

Question 8.

Who is described as a ‘friend of sun and sky’ ?

Answer:

A tree is described as a ‘friend of sun and sky’.

Question 9.

Whom does a tree give shelter ? How ?

Answer:

A tree gives shelter to birds by allowing them to build their nests.

Question 10.

Which literary device has been used in the line: ‘In hushed and happy twilight heard’ ?

Answer:

The literary device used here as alliteration.

Question 11.

Explain: The treble of heaven’s harmony.’

Answer:

The high tone ‘treble’ of the song of the bird is symbolic of heaven’s harmony. It provides an atmosphere of calm and peace.

Question 12.

Towards the end of the poem the poet refers to the longing in the heart of the one who plants a tree. What is this longing ?

Answer:

This longing is for the growth of his country

Stanza 2

Read the lines given above and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.

Explain with reference to context.

Answer:

These lines have been taken from the poem, ‘The Heart of a tree’ by Henry Cuyler Bunnar. In this second stanza the poet continues eulogising on the benefits of planting a tree. The poet says that by planting a tree one ensures that there is cool shade and no dry spell as trees make sure it rains. The planting of a tree leads to new life to replace the one which has withered. The tree leads to a legacy that is the forest of the future and it adds beauty to the plains . The tree when planted as a sapling will one day grow into a tall towering tree and become a joy for everyone. The poet talks about the cycle of life that is very evident in the growth of a tree, which germinates in soil, grows and flourishes, then dies, decays and returns to the soil to support new saplings.

Question 2.

What is meant by the phrase ‘days to be’?

Answer:

This phrase is a reference to the future, the days which will follow.

Question 3.

Explain the line, “And years that fade and flush again.”

Answer:

Here the poet refers to the cycle of life which is never ending. Things bloom and then fade only to be born again to again bloom and fade or wither and die.

Question 4.

What is meant by the ‘forest’s heritage’?

Answer:

The new sapling planted will grow into a big tree which will be part of a forest and thus the legacy of the forest will continue.

Question 5.

How is it the harvest of a coming age?

Answer:

The future will see the tree in all its glory as a towering tree with a thick trunk which can be put to various uses by the future generations. The poet is here talking about transition from a tender youth to adulthood which is also a reference to the tree growing from a sapling into a tree.

Question 6.

Who is being referred to as the unborn eyes?

Answer:

The poet is referring to the future generations who are still unborn but will be bom in the future and will find pleasure in the sight of the tree which would have grown big in height by that time.

Question 7.

List two phrases which refer to the future.

Answer:

The phrases which denote future are- “days to be,’ and ‘a coming age.’

Stanza 3

Read the lines given above and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1.

Explain with reference to context.

Answer:

These lines have been taken from the poem, ‘The Heart of a tree’ by Henry Ciiyler Bunnar. In the final stanza the poet refers to It is the sapling as a thing that infuses life into the earth just like a heart. Whenever a heart is planted it will sprout into beaming life, and will create new life. Thus the person who plants a tree sees in it a symbol of growth, of regeneration and this shows his love for his family, for his society and nations. He who plants a tree believes in the growth of mankind, his neighbors, his nation. The man who plants a tree is likened to a man who plants a heart that pumps life. He thinks that planting a tree is like planting a new nation and it will bring peace and harmony to the Earth.

Question 2.

What motivates the man to plant a tree according to the poet?

Answer:

The poet believes that when a man plants a sapling he does so because he sees it as symbolic of growth and future life.

Question 3.

Does the man plant a tree because of his love of society and his nation?

Answer:

Yes, the man believes that if he plants a tree he will be planting a new nation.

Question 4.

How is the man holding the blessing on his neighborhood in his hand?

Answer:

The poet believes that the man who holds the sapling in his hand is actually in fact holding the growth of humanity in his hand because the tree is like a heart and will create new life on earth. The trunk is like a bridge; and the branches are a link to the cosmos. He will bring transformation and aid in the growth and prosperity of life on earth.

Question 5.

What is meant by a nation’s growth from sea to sea?

Answer:

The poet believes that the tree is symbolic and will lead to prosperity and peace in the nation. It will be a transition to peace and growth.

Question 6.

What is the reference to in the phrase ‘stirs in his heart’?

Answer:

The poet says that the feelings that are awakened in the heart of the man who plants a tree are feelings that hope for growth and transformation.

Project

Question 1.

What message is relevant to the present age in the poem?

Answer:

Though the poem was written many years ago when there was little importance given to ecology and environment yet it is relevant today also because it tells us that trees are an integral and important part of our ecological and economic growth and environmental well -being. In our times forests are being decimated for building houses, roads and bridges. Trees seem to attract none of our concern. But in the poem the poet draws our attention to the advantages of planting trees. He rightly says that one who plants trees, plants many things: beauty, peace, shade, harmony and good values.

He says that one who plants a tree:

Who in the hollow of His hand

Holds all the growth of all our land—

A nation’s growth from sea to sea Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.

Question 2.

Give two examples of alliteration from the poem.

Answer:

Examples are:

He plants a friend of sun and sky. (sound of ‘s’)

In hushed and happy twilight heard (sound of ‘h’)

Question 3.

What does the tree symbolise in the poem?

Answer:

The tree is used as a symbol of all the good in our lives. It symbolises peace and prosperity in our country and in the world. It teaches the vales of love and loyalty. It symbolises rich rewards for our future generations and represents a link of our present with the future. It stands a s a symbol of growth, prosperity and harmony.

Question 4.

Do you consider the title apt?

Answer:

The title of the poem is very apt and suggestive. The tree is the main focus in the poem and the poet refers to the heart of the tree. What kind of heart is it- it is generous, loving and magnanimous. It shows no discrimination based on colour or creed. It blesses all alike- all who take care of it and even those who neglect it. Whenever a tree is planted it turns the earth into a heaven and the poet rightly says:

The shaft of beauty, towering high:

He plants a home to heaven anigh.

Question 5.

Does the poet use the literary devices in the poem?

Answer:

Yes the poet uses metaphors, alliteration and imagery in the poem.The poet describes the tree metaphorically:‘a friend of sun and sky, ’ ‘the flag of breezes free. ’

He uses alliteration when he says: He plants a friend of sun and sky.

In hushed and happy twilight heard’

Visual Imagery is used in the poem: The shaft of beauty, towering high:, ‘the flag of breezes free. ’And auditory imagery is also used: ‘For song and mother-croon of bird.’

Question 6.

Why does the poet use repletion in the poem?

Answer:

Repetition is used to show how a person should feel after he/she plants a tree. The first line of the poem, “What does he plant who plants a tree?” is repeated three times, and is followed by, “These things he plants who plants a tree,” which is repeated twice, and on the last line it says, “A nation’s growth from sea to sea (new line) Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.” All put together it tells you that this man thinks that planting a tree is like planting a new nation and it will bring peace and harmony to the Earth!

Extra Questions

Question 1.

How has the poet described a tree earlier in the poem?

Answer:

The poet earlier describes it as a friend of sun and sky.

Question 2.

What social and ecological benefits of planting a tree does the poet refer to?

Answer:

The person who plants a tree not only ensures cool shade and tender rain but he also sows the seeds and buds for lush forests for the future generations to benefit from. He sows the seeds of development of the nation and the world.

Question 3.

In what sense is the tree ‘the harvest of a coming age’?

Answer:

The future will see the tree in all its glory as a towering tree with a thick trunk which can be put to various uses by the future generations. The poet is here talking about transition from a tender youth to adulthood which is also a reference to the tree growing from a sapling into a tree.

Question 4.

How does a tree planter do civic good?

Answer:

The planting of a tree makes the atmosphere fresh and pollution free giving peace and comfort not only to the one who plants a tree but to all and sundry. It makes the atmosphere pollution free and more congenial for all our neighbours and other people too.

Question 5.

Who holds ‘all the growth of our land’? Which land has the poet in mind?

Answer:

The poet might be referring to America but he is also talking with reference to the entire earth as our land or the land of all mankind.

Question 6.

Do you agree with the poet that a nation’s growth depends upon the wealth of trees? Why/why not?

Answer:

The tree is like a heart and will create new life on earth. The trunk is like a bridge; and the branches are a link to the cosmos. He will bring transformation and aid in the growth and prosperity of life on earth. The tree is used as a symbol of all the good in our lives. It symbolises peace and prosperity in our country and in the world. It teaches the vales of love and loyalty. It symbolises rich rewards for our future generations and represents a link of our present with the future. It stands as a symbol of growth, prosperity and harmony. A tree gives us seeds which sprout, and buds which bloom in times to come. It is a forest heritage as one tree leads to a whole forest in the future and a’ harvest of a coming age or in other words a reward and legacy for the future in the form of wood and a congenial environment. It is a link of the present to the future.

Question 7.

In what way is the poet relevant to our times?

Answer:

The poem is relevant today also because it tells us that trees are an integral and important part of our ecological and economic growth and environmental well -being. In our times forests are being decimated for building houses, roads, and bridges. Trees seem to attract none of our concern. But in the poem the poet draws our attention to the advantages of planting trees. He rightly says that one who plants trees, plants many things: beauty, peace, shade, harmony and good values. He says that one who plants a tree: Who in the hollow of His hand

Holds all the growth of all our land—

A nation’s growth from sea to sea

Stirs in his heart who plants a tree.