Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 2 The Cold Within 

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 2 The Cold Within – ICSE Class 10, 9 English

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Comprehension Passages

Stanza 1 and 2
Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 2 The Cold Within  1

Read the lines given above and answer the questions that follow.
Question 1.
Explain with reference to context
Answer:
These lines are from the poem, ‘The Cold Within’ written by James Kinney. The poem touches on how each of the people around the fire died because of the “Cold Within,” and because of their inability to accept each other. It so happened that due to an accidental or arranged event they were together on that bitterly cold night. However, they were not together willingly. Each had a stick and even if one would give his stick to keep the dying fire going they would have survived. But the first man did not give his stick due to racial prejudice as he notice that one amongst them was black. It was not the cold weather that killed them but the frigidity of their hearts led to their deaths.

Question 2.
What does happenstance mean?
Answer:
Happenstance means an event that might have been arranged although it is accidental.

Question 3.
Why does the poet use this diction?
Answer:
This use of diction is important because by saying that it is accidental, yet almost seems ,arranged, it gives the reader a sense that they are supposed to be there.

Question 4.
What is suggested by the use of the word trapped?
Answer:
The word trapped suggests that they do not want to be in the situation, but they cannot escape.

Question 5.
Explain the symbolism used by the poet.
Answer:
The poet uses symbolism to show that it was the coldness of their hearts which extinguished the fire of life. Fire, which symbolized hope and acceptance, might have saved the ,  characters but they refused to shun their prejudices and let it die thus sealing their wn doom.

Question 6.
What do the logs denote?
Answer:
The logs symbolize each character and how they “couldn’t bring [themselves] to give the fire” their wood in order to save all of them.

Question 7.
Which sin is hinted at in these lines?
Answer:
The sin of racial discrimination is hinted at. The first man does not give his stick because he does not want to save a black mart.

Question 8.
What does the phrase ‘six humans’ signify?
Answer:
By saying “six humans”, it is almost as if he is talking about all humans. If he would have said “people” then we might have different associations with the words.

Stanza 3,4 and 5
Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 2 The Cold Within  2

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

Question 1.
Explain with reference to context
Answer:
These lines are from the poem, ‘The Cold Within’ written by James Kinney. The poem touches on how each of the people around the fire died because of the “Cold Within,” and because of their inability to accept each other. The second man mentioned in these lines is a bigot and does not want to help the man who was not from his religion. The poor man did not want to help the idle rich while the rich man wanted to keep his wealth from the poor. They are consumed by the negativity of intolerance, envy and bitterness.

Question 2.
In stanza 3, why did the man refuse to use his stick of wood?
Answer:
The man refuses to give up his stick because of religious intolerance as he sees a man not belonging to his church.

Question 3.
Why did “the third one” refuse to use his stick of wood?
Answer:
The third one was a poor man in torn clothes and he did not want to give his stick as he envied the rich man his wealth and did not want to save the idle rich.

Question 4.
Why did the rich man refuse to use his stick of wood?
Answer:
The rich man thought of hoarding his wealth and wanted to keep his great amount of money away from the undeserving, lazy poor people.

Question 5.
Which is the symbol word used in these lines?
Answer:
The word used is stick.

Question 6.
To what purpose are the symbol words used repeatedly?
Answer:
The symbol words are used for emphasis.

Stanza 6,7 and 8

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 2 The Cold Within  3

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

Question 1.
Explain with reference to context
Answer:
These lines are from the poem, The cold within’ written by James Kinney. The poet talks about the feeling of revenge in the heart of the black man which prevented him from giving his stick to keep the fire going because he wanted to take revenge from the white I man. The last man avoided giving his stick because none of the others had given theirs.  The fire died and they too died of the cold, each a prisoner of the hate within, the coldness of their hearts which killed all of them. They all had sticks in their hands which they could f have given to keep the fire going but the hate in their hearts prevented them from helping others and so they too died on the alter of their frigidity and discrimination.

Question 2.
Why did the black man refuse to use his stick of wood?
Answer:
The black man saw his stick as a means to take revenge from the white man and so did not gove his stick.

Question 3.
What happened to the six humans? Why?
Answer:
The six humans died due to the cold. Their hatred for each other prevented them from giving up their sticks to keep the fire going and so they all died due to the cold. But actually it was the cold in their hearts which killed them.

Question 4.
What does this say about what prejudice can do to people and the importance of working together?
Answer:
Prejudice destroys not only our enemies but also us. The frigidness of people is what ends up killing them. This is important because this indirectly shows how fast arrogance, greed, and sin can “kill” us.

Question 5.
Analyse the title and whether it is appropriate.
Answer:
The Cold Within- is a good and appropriate expression. Cold-heartedness really is what killed the characters. This symbolizes their “coldness” and prejudices against each other. Eventually, this is what killed them.

Question 6.
Discuss personification as used by the poet.
Answer:
The use of personification is very artfully done. One line mentions “Death’s still hands,”suggesting that Death is a person who now essentially owns these six people.

Question 7.
Who are ‘they’ referred to here ? Where were they ?
Answer:
‘They’-refer to six men in a group.They were all caught in an extreme cold weather, sitting near a dying fire.

Question 8.
What were the logs in their hands ? What was their significance ?
Answer:
The logs in their hands were sticks of woods. These logs of woods needed to fuel the dying i fire, or these was no hope for their survival.

Question 9.
What was the obvious cause of their deaths ?
Answer:
The six men held their logs of wood back out of some prejudice. The fire died out, and they died of cold.

Question 10.
What do you mean by the ‘cold within’? How’it is responsible for their deaths?
Answer:
‘The cold within’ means the lack of warmth within,bom out of selfishness, greed, arrogance, etc. It is because of these negative feelings, ‘the cold within’, that they do not give up their sticks of wood which could have kept the fire burning and kept them alive.

Question 11.
What message does the poet want to convey ?
Answer:
According to the poet, the prejudice of race, religion or colour is sinful. We must rise above all prejudices to be kind, generous and helpful. We should not allow ourselves to be dictated by the ‘cold within’ which is self-destructive

Project

Question 1.
How does figurative language assist in conveying the theme and purpose of the poem?
Answer:
Figurative language plays a vital role in developing the poems theme. “Their dying fire in need of logs” literally means the fire that is keeping them warm, but also stands as a metaphor for their sinful souls. They are committing sins such as racism, envy, arrogance, revenge, and greed. By saying they need to add logs to the fire suggest that they need to help out someone other than themselves, or they will “freeze” to death. Opening up and not being greedy will warm there souls and will save them, unfortunately it has overcome them and is an impossibility.

Question 2.
Explain how diction is important in the poem with the help of an example.
Answer:
The line that Kinney starts his poem with is “six humans trapped by happenstance”. His diction in this line is very important to the overall theme of the poem. By saying “six humans”, it is almost as if he is talking about all humans. If he would have said “people” then we might have different associations with the words. Another curious use of diction is by saying “trapped in happenstance”. Happenstance means an event that might have been arranged although it is accidental. This use of diction is important because by saying that it is accidental, yet almost seems arranged, gives the reader a sense that they are supposed to be there. The fact that he says they are trapped suggests that they do not want to be in the situation, but they cannot escape.

Question 3.
Explain the importance of rythm in the poem.
Answer:
The rhyme of the poems sets up an easy read. This allows for your eyes to simply guide and take in Kinney’s message: the frigidness of people are what end up killing them. The rhythm is important to the theme of the story because it makes reading the poem faster. This is important because this indirectly shows how fast arrogance, greed, and sin can “kill” you.

Question 4.
Can we say that the poet has succeeded in conveying his point? How?
Answer:
James Patrick Kinney effectively portrays his point about hatred killing you by using diction, figurative language, and rhyme. His persuasion in this poem is really helpful in understanding the entirety behind his point. This poem really makes you think about yourself and the lengths to which you would go to either hurt someone else, or save yourself. Helping out someone you hate can be one of the hardest things that you have to face, and when you are put in that situation what would you do? Could you be brave enough to save someone you despise in order to save yourself? James Patrick Kinney has successfully used literary devises and narrative to project his point that prejudices control people’s lives and actions.

Question 5.
What is the tone of the poem?
Answer:
His tone seems condemning, scornful. Also, it seems to be warning you somewhat about the results of a cold heart.In the beginning, the poem unwraps as a story or a tale. The author uses negative language – ‘idle,’ ‘lazy’, ‘shiftless’.The people in this poem illustrate the coldness within and how destructive it is and how it works.

Question 6.
What is universal about the theme – that is, what can we all learn from the poem?
Answer:
One of the great challenges to our humanity is acknowledging and overcoming our natural tendency to think less of and discriminate against people who are different than us racially, ethnically, religiously or ideologically.Despite persistent rhetoric about prizing diversity, political debates often reflect disdain and contempt for those we disagree with and prejudices of all sorts are more readily stated. James Patrick Kinney in his poem“The Cold Within” reminds us what is at stake.

Question 7.
What point is the author trying to make?
Answer:
This poem had a very clear message conveys the message of the dangers, and even the futility, of discrimination and racism.The poet touches on how each of the people around the fire died because of the “Cold Within,” and because of their inability to accept each other. He wants to suggest to all humans to avoid prejudice as it would only bring one down and potentially cause our downfall. Discrimination cannot bring good, only the doom that awaited each of the unnamed characters in “The Cold Within.”

Question 8.
How does the poem relate to our study of the Diary of Anne Frank and the events of the Holocaust?
Answer:
The poem conveys how fast arrogance, greed, hatred and sin can “kill”. It consumes everyone irrespective of their caste, creed and colour. The Diary of Anne Frank also talks about discrimination and hatred and how it almost annihilated the human race. In the poem ‘The Cold Within’ it is the cold-heartedness really which killed the characters. This symbolizes their “coldness” and prejudices against each other. Eventually, this is what killed them.

Question 9.
What are the poetic devices (figurative language) in the poem? How do they contribute to the meaning/how do they effect the poem?
Answer:
James Patrick Kinney uses diction, figurative language, and rhyme to project his point that prejudices control people’s lives and actions.

The line that Kinney starts his poem with is “six humans trapped by happenstance”. His diction in this line is very important to the overall theme of the poem. By saying “six humans”, it is almost as if he is talking about all humans. If he would have said “people” then we might have different associations with the words. Another curious use of diction is by saying “trapped in happenstance”. Happenstance means an event that might have been arranged although it is accidental. This use of diction is important because by saying that it is accidental, yet almost seems arranged, gives the reader a sense that they are supposed to be there. The fact that he says they are trapped suggests that they do not want to be in the situation, but they cannot escape.

Figurative language plays a vital role in developing the poems theme. “Their dying fire in need of logs” literally means the fire that is keeping them warm, but also stands as a metaphor for their sinful souls. They are committing sins such as racism, envy, arrogance, revenge, and greed. By saying they need to add logs to the fire suggest that they need to help out someone other than themselves, or they will “freeze” to death. Opening up and not being greedy will warm there souls and will save them, unfortunately it has overcome them and is an impossibility.

The rhyme of the poems sets up an easy read. This allows for your eyes to simply guide and take in Kinney’s message: the frigidness of people are what end up killing them. The rhythm is important to the theme of the story because it makes reading the poem faster. This is important because this indirectly shows how fast arrogance, greed, and sin can “kill” you.

James Patrick Kinney effectively portrays his point about hatred killing you by using diction, figurative language, and rhyme. His persuasion in this poem is really helpful in understanding the entirety behind his point. This poem really makes you think about yourself and the lengths to which you would go to either hurt someone else, or save yourself.

Extra Questions

Question 1.
What brought the six humans together? Where were they?
Answer:
The six humans were brought together by chance. However it all seemed pre-arranged although it was accidental. They were trapped together and it was bitterly cold. It could be anywhere.

Question 2.
Is there any significance of the logs of wood in the hands of the six people?
Answer:
Yes each log is a symbol of a particular sin. Each log of wood is suggestive of a sin. If the logs of wood are put into the fire it would mean helping out someone , other than one’s own self. But if they are held on as they are, it means holding onto sins even beyond death. Each man’s prejudice- greed, envy, arrogance, revenge, spite, intolerance – are represented symbolically by the stick held by each man.

Question 3.
What could these persons have done?
Answer:
Each person could have relinquished his log to keep the fire going and could have saved each other from dying in the cold. Symbolically if they had rid themselves of their sins they could have kept alive the fire of faith and saved themselves from damnation.

Question 4.
The poet refers to a dying fire. Who were sitting beside it and why?
Answer:
The six men were sitting beside the fire to keep warm as they were trapped in a bitterly cold place .The poet refers to a fire which was slowly extinguishing’ as none of the six men were willing to keep it going by relinquishing their logs. Hence, the fire which was keeping them alive was dying and they too would dip from the cold.

Question 5.
Why did the men keep back their sticks?
Answer:
The men kept back their sticks and did not put them in the fire to keep it going because of the cold in their hearts. They were preys to the sins of racism, greed, intolerance, meanness, arrogance and discrimination.

Question 6.
Why was each man in the group unaware of self- destruction by his action?
Answer:
Each man was so consumed by hatred, racism, self-centredness, and arrogance that they remained unaware of the self -destructiveness of their action.

Question 7.
What killed the six men?
Answer:
The six men did not die because of the cold without. Rather it was the cold within their hearts that killed them. Their feelings of revenge, greed, hatred, selfishness, racism, intolerance and arrogance killed them. The poet emphasises the idea that it is the coldness within men’s hearts which leads to their death and doom.

For More Resources

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 3 The Bangle Sellers

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 3 The Bangle Sellers- ICSE Class 10, 9 English

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

EnglishMathsPhysicsChemistryBiology

Comprehension Passages

Stanza 1

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 3 The Bangle Sellers 1

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

Question 1.
Explain with reference to context.
Answer:
The lines given above are from the poem The Bangle sellers by Sarojini Naidu. This poem stands out as a social message that not only discusses the lives of Indian women but also the lives of bangle sellers. Although the poem focuses extensively on the stages in the life of women, it portrays the lives of the bangle sellers as well.

A bangle-seller talks about the various kinds of bangles he carries with him, and about the women that buy them. The poem describes the everyday life of bangle-sellers as well. The speaker of the poem is one such bangle seller and in the first two lines he describes what it is like to carry precious, ‘shiny loads’ of bangles to the temples, fairs and other such places where women can buy them. The third line is akin to a bangle seller’s cry for the sale of his bangles. He calls out to women who might buy these bangles. He thinks these bangles are the tokens of happy lives and happy marriages.

Question 2.
Who is the speaker in the poem?
Answer:
The Bangle Seller is the speaker in the poem. In the opening lines of the poem we see that it is Bangle Seller who says, “Bangle sellers are we who bear….. Our shining loads to the temple fair”. He describes himself and his bangles throughout the whole poem.

Question 3.
How are the bangles described in the first stanza of the poem?
Answer:
In the first stanza the bangles are described as lustrous, shining loads, rainbow-coloured, delicate and bright for happy daughters and happy wives.

Question 4.
What is referred to Rainbow-tinted circles of light ?
Answer:
The bangles are referred to as ‘Rainbow-tinted circles of light.

Question 5.
Explain the line’ lustrous tokens of radiant lives’.
Answer:
The bangle sellers invite people to buy their bangles by praising the qualities of the bangles. They say they are the shining gifts that promise happy lives in the future to the wearer of the bangles. He thinks these bangles are the tokens of happy lives and happy marriages.

Question 6.
What is the tone in this stanza? Quote.
Answer:
The tone is happy and joyful as evident by the line, ‘For happy daughters and happy wives

Stanza 2

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 3 The Bangle Sellers 2

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

Question 1.
Explain with reference to context.
Answer:
The lines given above are from the poem The Bangle sellers by Sarojini Naidu. This poem stands out as a social message that not only discusses the lives of Indian women but also the lives of bangle sellers. Although the poem focuses extensively on the stages in the life of women, it portrays the lives of the bangle sellers as well.

In stanza 2, the bangle-seller says that they carry different kinds of bangles, each catering to different types of women with different needs and preferences.
He says that some are blue and silver like the mist in the mountains, which are fit for a maiden’s wrist. Some bangles are of reddish hue like the flushed buds found along a stream. Some of the bangles glow like newborn leaves, owing to the dew and water from the stream. These are all representative of a young girl in her prime.

Question 2.
Explain ‘silver and blue as the mountain mist’
Answer:
This is an instance of a simile. Here, the color of the bangle is compared to the mist of the mountains. The bangle seller says that the blue and silver bangles are fit for the unmarried girls as they too are as pure and lovely as the mountain mist.

Question 3.
Mention the colours that are given or hinted at to describe the bangles.
Answer:
The colours are blue, silver, red and fresh green.

Question 4.
Pick out two simile from this stanza.
Answer:
The simile used here are

  1. Silver and blue as the mountain mist,
  2. Some are flushed like the buds that dream.

Question 5.
To what are the bangles compared?
Answer:
The bangles are compared to morning mist, flowering buds and new born leaves.

Question 6.
What stage of women’s life is referred to in this stanza?
Answer:
The stanza refers to the life of a young , unmarried girl.

Question 7.
Explain :

Some are aglow with the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves.

Answer:
Sarojini Naidu here compares the colours of the bangles to to the transparent glory of the new born leaves and flowers. The colours of the bangles are suitable for a unmarried girl, as they are as pure and fresh as new leaves.

Stanza 3

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 3 The Bangle Sellers 3

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

Question 1.
Explain with reference to context.
Answer:
The lines given above are from the poem The Bangle sellers by Sarojini Naidu. This poem stands out as a social message that not only discusses the lives of Indian women but also the lives of bangle sellers. Although the poem focuses extensively on the stages in the life of women, it portrays the lives of the bangle sellers as well.

Some bangles are of the colour yellow like sunlit com fields. They represent the happiness of a bride-to-be on the morn of her wedding. Then there are bangles which are flame coloured- red, orange; symbolic of a bride’s passion and desire, especially on her wedding night. These bangles are luminous and transparent, but also tender. The tinkling sound they make reminds one of the sound of a new bride’s laughter and the clear, tender finish of the bangles bespeak her tears as she leaves her childhood home for her husband’s.

Question 2.
The word ‘some’ has been repeated in the poem for a purpose. What is it?
Answer:
The word ‘some’ represents the different types of bangles in the poem.

Question 3.
Explain:

Some, like the flame of her marriage fire,
Or, rich with the hue of her heart’s desire,

Answer:
The red and orange bangles symbolise the brides passion and desire. They are luminous and transparent but also tender.

Question 4.
Pick a simile from the stanza.
Answer:
Some are like fields of sunlit corn,
Meet for a bride on her bridal morn,— This is a simile. Here the comparison is made between the yellow corn fields bathed in sunlight and the yellow coloured bangles.

Question 5.
Besides visual imagery the poet also uses auditory imagery.Pick out the lines.
Answer:
The lines are:
Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear,
Like her bridal laughter and bridal tear.

The tinkling of the bangles is compared to a young bride’s laughter and the luminosity of the bangles is likened to her tears.

Question 6.
Mention the colours of the bangles in this stanza. What do they represent?
Answer:
The colours are yellow, red and orange representing the brides happiness and desire on her wedding day.

Question 7.
The poet has used several expressions which form pictures in the readers mind “fields of sunlit corn” and “circles of light”. Pick out more such expressions from the poem.
Answer:
Limpid glory and flame of her marriage fire are some expressions used in the poem

Stanza 4

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 3 The Bangle Sellers 4

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

Question 1.
Explain with reference to context.
Answer:
The lines given above are from the poem The Bangle sellers by Sarojini Naidu. This poem stands out as a social message that not only discusses the lives of Indian women but also the lives of bangle sellers. Although the poem focuses extensively on the stages in the life of women, it portrays the lives of the bangle sellers as well.

The last stanza focuses on the life of a woman after she’s married. The bangles for these women are purple with gold and grey flecks. They are representative of a woman who is of middle age or who has reached the mid-point of her life, where she has reaped the rewards of her strife. This is the age when she has already bore sons and is proud of her life as she supports her husband, be it in life or when worshiping the household gods.

Question 2.
What is the ryme scheme of the poem?
Answer:
The poem is made up of 4 stanzas, consisting of 6 lines each. Each stanza is divided into a quatrain and a couplet. The rhyme scheme the poem follows is aabbcc.

Question 3.
What do the purple and grey colours of bangles signify in this stanza?
Answer:
In the final stanza the poet talks about the pride of a woman who has lived girlhood and bridehood and motherhood, and earned a position as a matriarch. It is the phase in her life when her struggles have borne fruit. Therefore, this stanza has the air of royalty and pride etched in it. That is why the colours chosen to describe the bangles for a matriarch are purple and gold. The specks of grey add the touch of maturity that comes with age.

Question 4.
Explain:

And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast,
And serves her household in fruitful pride,
And worships the gods at her husband’s side.

Answer:
These lines are referring to the woman who has now seen life as a girl and bride and now is middle-aged. The imagery here shows that she has borne sons and nourished and cradled them close to her breast. It denotes that she has diligently performed her duties as a mother.

Question 5.
The patriarchal system is referred in this stanza. Quote.
Answer:
The mention of the patriarchy is done in the following lines:

  1. And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast,
  2. And worships the gods at her husband’s side.

Question 6.
What’kinds of bangles have earlier been mentioned?
Answer:
Bangles of different colours have been mentioned earlier: silver, blue, pink and green for virgin maidens, yellow and fiery red for the bride.

Question 7.
What hues of bangles are cherished by a bride ? What are they symbolic of?
Answer:
A bride cherishes yellow and fiery-red coloured bangles. These colours represent her happiness on the wedding day (yellow) and her passion on the wedding night (fiery red).

Question 8.
Purple and golden coloured bangles represent motherhood. How?
Answer:
Purple and golden coloured bangles represent motherhood. These colours are associated with the feelings of pride and fulfillment in the heart of the mother.

Question 9.
What fulfills the life of an Indian wife and mother?
Answer:
Rearing her sons, serving her family and sharing the proud place of being by the side of her husband at religious rituals fulfill the life of an Indian wife and mother.

Question 10.
What in the passage will repel a modern woman?
Answer:
A modem woman will be repelled by the patriarchal notions inherent in the passage: gender discrimination and insubordination of women In the social and religious set-up.

Project

Question 1.
Analyse the use of imagery in the poem ‘The Bangle sellers’.
Answer:
Naidu incorporates nature and the various hues of nature to represent her subject matter. She covers all kinds of colours to present emotions like hope, happiness, desire, love and pride. The after effect is a rainbow encompassing the different emotions felt by a woman in each passing phase of her life. Examples are as follows:

Some are flushed like the buds that dream
On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream,
Some are aglow with the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves                                       –

This represents some of the bangles by comparing them to the transparent glory of the new bom leaves and flowers..
Then again she writes: ‘cradled fair sons on her breast’- the imagery here shows that she has borne sons and nourished and cradled them close to her breast. It denotes that she has diligently performed her duties as a mother.

Question 2.
How does Sarojini Naidu allude to the patriarchal system of her times? Discuss.
Answer:
Although it is only alluded to in innuendos, the patriarchal ideology lurks beneath the surface of the poem. The women are described as either happy ‘daughters’ or ‘wives’. Every phase she passes is referred to by a man in her life, father, husband, sons. The woman in this poem is fit into boxes that limit their existence to being a possessed object of patriarchy. Even if this poem is ironic, it still discusses the ideas propagated by the patriarchal society.

Question 3.
Pick out words and phrases which are examples of visual and auditory imagery in the poem.
Answer:
The poem consists of two types of imagery, they are a. Visual Imagery and b. Auditory Imagery.The Phrases; “shining loads”, “circles of light”, “silver and blue as the mountain mist”, “flushed like the buds that dream”, “Like fields of sunlit corn”, “like the flame of her marriage fire”, “Purple and gold-flecked” – all come under the Visual Imagery’. The Auditory Image which is used to indicate the sound of worn bangles is ‘tinkling’

Question 4.
Does the poem have feministic overtones?
Answer:
Yes, the poem give ample scope for feministic explanation. As in the final stanza the vital role assigned to women is explained with a tinge of irony.

Whose hands have cherished, whose love has blest,
And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast,
And serves her household in fruitful pride,
And worships the gods at her husband’s side

Question 5.
Pick out aparadox from the poem.
Answer:
The paradox ‘bridal laugh and bridal tear’ intensifies the attachment with the different colors of bangles to indicate the different moods and different phases in woman’s life.

Question 6.
Explain the use of figurative language in the poem.
Answer:
Many splendid metaphors are used to describe the colors of bangles. Rainbow-tinted circles of light, Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear, Similes are also used; Some are flushed like the buds that dream, Some are like fields of sunlit com, Silver and blue as the mountain mist.maiden, bride and the woman who has journeyed the mid way of life; these words explain the important stages in a woman’s life and the importance the role of the bangles would play.

Question 7.
What are the five words used in the poem to describe the role of a middle-aged woman?
Answer:
The words are- blest, cherished, cradled, worships and serves

Question 8.
Comment on the feminine elements in Naidu’s poetry.
Answer:
The poetry of Naidu reflects feminine sensibility with regard to her choice of words, passion and imagery. Armando Menezes remarked rightly: She had a woman’s love of words. They are not, to her, just convenient instruments of expression, they were things: Precious, lovely things, like jewels. Sarojini Naidu was careful regarding the selection of words that lent grace to her poetry and helped her to convey her inner most feelings. We find in her poetry various aspects, relating to the use of words, which she employed to express her thoughts in charismatic tone.

Extra Questions

Question 1.
What-is meant by,’ rainbow tinted circles of light? What kind of literary figure is  it?
Answer:
The phrase, ‘rainbow tinted circles of light’ refers to multi-coloured bangles which are in bright colours like the rainbow. The poet uses this metaphor for bangles and their diverse hues.

Question 2.
What are these bangles for? Why has the poet repeated the word happy in the last line here?
Answer:
The bangles are for maidens and wives. The poet has repeated the word happy as an oblique reference to the lives of these people who live a poverty stricken life and cannot be as happy as they appear to be. The bangles are happy tokens for happy lives

Question 3.
What colour bangles are preferred by virgin maidens?
Answer:
The virgin maidens prefer silver and blue bangles.

Question 4.
What rhyme scheme is followed in the poem?
Answer:
The rhyme scheme followed in the poem is aabbcc, which is a couplet for. It is mainly responsible for the melodious effect and fast rhythm.

Question 5.
Who is the narrator? What has been described earlier?
Answer:
The narrator is a bangle seller . Earlier the life of the bangle sellers is described obliquely. The poor bangles sellers work hard , going from fair to fair to sell their shining load of bangles but inspite of this they are happy . They barely earn enough to make ends meet.

Question 6.
In which context is the expression, ‘mountain mist’ used here?
Answer:
The expression, ‘mountain mist’ is used to describe the silver and blue coloured bangles for the virgin maiden who appears as innocent and delicately beautiful as the mist in the mountains.

Question 7.
Explain:
‘Some are aglow with the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves.’
Answer:
In these lines the poet describes the bangles which are shining green like the fresh and vivid green of the tender, new born leaves.

Question 8.
Why does the bride have preference for yellow coloured bangles for her wedding morning?
Answer:
The bride prefers yellow bangles which are like sunlit com fields because this colour represents her happiness on her wedding morning and her secret longings.

Question 9.
Why has the red colour of bangles been compared to the flame of the bride’s marriage fire?
Answer:
The red and orange bangles symbolise the brides passion and desire. They are luminous and transparent but also tender.

Question 10.
Which literary device is used in the last two lines:
Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear,
Like her bridal laughter and bridal tear.
Answer:
The poet has used simile by comparing using the word like. He also uses paradox when he refers to the brides happiness on getting married( laughter) and sadness(tear) at being separated from her parents.

Question 11.
Why does the poet refer simultaneously to bridal laughter and bridal tear?
Answer:
The poet refers simultaneously to bridal laughter and bridal tear to bring to the forefront the dilemma faced by all brides when on one hand is the joy of marriage and on the other side the sorrow of leaving their parents. The poet highlights this paradox.

For More Resources

 

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 4 After Blenheim

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 4 After Blenheim- ICSE Class 10, 9 English

ICSE SolutionsSelina ICSE SolutionsML Aggarwal Solutions

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Comprehension Passages

Stanza 1 and 2

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 4 After Blenheim 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 ‘After Blenheim’ which is an antiwar poem in the form of a ballad. Robert Southey wrote and published it in 1798. It centers on the most famous battle in the War of the Spanish Succession. 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.

Question 2.
Who was playing on the grass near Kasper?
Answer:
His grandchild Wilhelmine was playing on the grass nearby.

Question 3.
What was Peterkin doing?
Answer:
Peterkin was playing beside a small stream.

Question 4.
What did Peterkin find?
Answer:
Peterkin found an object that was large,smooth and round.

Question 5.
Who was Peterkin?
Answer:
Peterkin was Old Kasper’s grandson and Wilhelmine’s brother.

Stanza 3 and 4

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 4 After Blenheim 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 ‘After Blenheim’ which is an antiwar poem in the form of a ballad. Robert Southey wrote and published it in 1798. It centers on the most famous battle in the War of the Spanish Succession. The old man, who has found many such objects while ploughing the fields, replies that it is the skull of a soldier who died in the Battle of Blenheim. He tells them that lie found many such skulls as a large number of soldiers had died in the war which was a great victory.

Question 2.
What did Old Kasper do when Peterkin came to him with the object?
Answer:
When Peterkin came to him with the object, old Kasper shook his head and sighed.

Question 3.
What did Kasper say?
Answer:
Kasper said that it seemed to be a skull of some soldier who had died in the great victory of the Battle of Blenheim.

Question 4.
What words show that there were many such skulls to be found there?
Answer:
Kasper comments that:

‘I find them in the garden,
For there’s many here about;” For many thousand men,” said he,
“Were slain in that great victory” which shows that many people had died in the battle.

Question 5.
What does the tone of Kasper’s words suggest?
Answer:
It is evident from Kasper’s answer that he was not upset about the death of thousands in the battle, rather the only thing that concerned him was that it was a great victory.

Question 6.
Why does the poet use a skull?
Answer:
Southey uses a skull, as it is the most unique part of the human body. This makes you recognise that the skull was once part of a human body that was ruthlessly killed, and again emphasises the pointlessness of war.

Stanza 5 and 6

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 4 After Blenheim 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 ‘After Blenheim’ which is an antiwar poem in the form of a ballad. Robert Southey wrote and published it in 1798. It centers on the most famous battle in the War of the Spanish Succession. 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 but he is complacent and says that everyone said that it was a great victory and that is all that mattered to him.

Question 2.
Quote the lines that show the children were curious about the battle and its outcome?
Answer:
The lines that show the curiosity of the children are:

“Now tell us what ’twas all about,”
Young Peterkin, he cries;
And little Wilhelmine looks up
With wonder-waiting eyes;

Question 3.
Did the children wonder about the reason for the war?
Answer:
The children asked Kasper as to why was the battle fought. They asked:

“Now tell us all about the war,
And what they fought each other for.”

Question 4.
Name the two opposing sides. Who won?
Answer:
The battle was fought between the English and French. The French were defeated.

Question 5.
Why does Kasper repeat the line ‘twas a great victory?
Answer:
Old Kasper continuously repeats this sentence as this is all he knows about the war. Although it is constantly mentioned that it was a great victory this is not what the poem is saying. Southey is using this phrase to emphasise the exact opposite, that it wasn’t a great victory.

Stanza 7 and 8

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 4 After Blenheim 4

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 ‘After Blenheim’ which is an antiwar poem in the form of a ballad. Robert Southey wrote and published it in 1798. It centers on the most famous battle in the War of the Spanish Succession.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.

Question 2.
What happened to Kaspar’s family in the war?
Answer:
In the war ,Kaspar’s house was burnt down and his father had to flee alongwith his wife and children.

Question 3.
What does Kasper’s attitude signify?
Answer:
Old Kaspar unquestioningly accepts the loss of innocent women and children in the Battle of Blenheim as one of the prices of the glorious victory. His complacent attitude is not unlike that of modern politicians who dismiss the deaths of innocent civilians in arenas of war by referring to them with the impersonal phrase “collateral damage.”

Question 4.
Explain the lines:

“With fire and sword the country round
Was wasted far and wide,’

Answer:
Old Kaspar tells his grandchildren that due to the war the entire countryside was ravaged. Many people were killed by the sword and their houses burnt to the ground.

Question 5.
Kaspar describes the horrors of war but how can his attitude be described?
Answer:
Kaspar can describe what the war was like at Blenheim, but he cannot explain why the belligerents went to war. Nor does he seem curious about the causes. All that matters to him is that Austria and England won a glorious victory. He seems complacent and uncaring about the inhumanities of war ,all that he is concerned with is that it was a great victory for his country.

Stanza 9, 10, and 11

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 4 After Blenheim 5
Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 4 After Blenheim 6

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 ‘After Blenheim’ which is an antiwar poem in the form of a ballad. Robert Southey wrote and published it in 1798. It centers on the most famous battle in the War of the Spanish Succession.

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.” The narrator does not know why the battle was fought, why thousands died, why his father’s cottage was burned or what good came of it but ironically it was a famous victory.

Question 2.
How does kasper justify the thousands of death in the war?
Answer:
Old Kaspar unquestioningly accepts the loss of innocent women and children in the Battle of Blenheim as one of the prices of the glorious victory. His complacent attitude is not unlike that of modern politicians who dismiss the deaths of innocent civilians in arenas of war by referring to them with the impersonal phrase “collateral damage.”

Question 3.
How does the poet describe the scene on the field after the battle?
Answer:
The poet poignantly describes the horrible and devastating effects of the war when he write:

“They say it was a shocking sight After the field was won;
For many thousand bodies here Lay rotting in the sun;

Question 4.
What is Wilheinien’s reaction to the description of the war?
Answer:
Wilhelmine is upset by the horrific effects described and 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.

Question 5.
How do the skulls symbolize the theme in “The Battle of Blenheim”?
Answer:
The skulls show how serious the loss of life was. They are treated without respect, just as the reasons for the war are no longer remembered. They represent the grandfather’s commitment to the cause of freedom.

Question 6.
In “The Battle of Blenheim,” why are Wilhelmine’s words “twas a very wicked thing” ironic?
Answer:
Wilhelmine’s words “twas a very wicked thing” are ironic because although she innocently is telling the truth, but her grandfather says she is wrong. She, a child will never understand issues of war and death but the poet makes her his mouthpiece to comment on war.

  Project

Question 1.
Define the following terms from the poem: rivulet, plough share (plowshare), yon, and childing.
Answer:
A rivulet is a small stream suggesting a beautiful and calm environment far removed from
the horrors of war. A plowshare is the main cutting blade of a plough, behind the coulter,

Question 2.
Research the Battle of Blenheim. Then write an essay defending Wilhelmine’s position that the battle was a “wicked thing” or Kaspar’s position that it was a “great victory.”
Answer:
The battle was fought near the village of Blenheim, in Bavaria, on the left bank of theriver Danube, on August 13, 1704. The French and Bavarians, under Marshall Tallard and Marsin, were defeated by the English and Austrians, under the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene. After thousands of casualties, and vast civilian destruction, the battle ended. It was arguably among the most important battles of the 18th century, and the  turning point of the War of the Spanish Succession.

Southey uses a skull, as it is the most unique part of the human body. This makes;  you recognise that the skull was once part of a human body that was ruthlessly killed, and again emphasises the pointlessness of war

After finding the skull, Peterkin immediately asks what it is. Kaspar tells him that it is part of the remains of a soldier who died at Blenheim. Wilhelmine then asks Kaspar to describe the war and explain its causes. Kaspar can describe what the war was like , at Blenheim, but he cannot explain why the belligerents went to war. Nor does he seem curious about the causes. All that matters to him is that Austria and England won a glorious victory.

Old Kaspar unquestioningly accepts the loss of innocent women and children in the Battle of Blenheim as one of the prices of the glorious victory. His complacent attitude  is not unlike that of modem politicians who dismiss the deaths of innocent civilians in   arenas of war by referring to them with the impersonal phrase “collateral damage.”

Question 3.
Why does the poet use repetition in the poem?
Answer:
The poet uses repetition as at the end each verse he repeats the ironic saying:“But ‘twas a famous victory.” Old Kasper continuously repeats this sentence as this is all he knows about the war. Although it is constantly mentioned that it was a great victory this is not i     what the poem is saying. Southey is using this phrase to emphasise the exact opposite, that it wasn’t a great victory. It is one of Southey’s most famous poems. The internal repetition of but ’twas a famous victory juxtaposed with the initial five lines of each stanza, establish that the narrator does not know why the battle was fought, why thousands died, why his father’s cottage was burned. The often-quoted closing lines are:

“But what good came of it at last?”
Quoth little Peterkin.
“Why that I cannot tell,” said he,
“But ’twas a famous victory.”

Question 4.
Can it be argued that this is an anti- war poem?
Answer:
The poet uses imagery to describe the soldiers in war who die fighting for the survival of kingdoms. Is this what human life has come to as a result of war? Worth nothing. The poet’s feelings about war is that they are catastrophically phenomenal, and leave hundreds of people without their homes, and without each other, completely destroyed. Wars affect everyone on a large scale. In ‘After Blenheim’, the poet repeats that the Battle of Blenheim was a huge and great victory for the English. He is saying that he believes that wars always end for one side in a great victory, usually achieved for a good cause but for the other side they are a total failure and the costs are huge. The poet poignantly describes the after effects

“They say it was a shocking sight
After the field was won;
For many thousand bodies here
Lay rotting in the sun;’ 
Wilhelmine even comments that the battle was “a wicked thing,”

Question 5.
Explain and discuss the themes in the poem.
Answer:
The poet has artfully woven in diverse themes into the poem. He speaks of Man’s Inhumanity to Man. War represents the worst form of human behavior and its cruelty to our fellow beings.: The skull Peterkin finds, as well as those that Kaspar regularly unearths while plowing, are mute testimony to the truth of “Man’s inhumanity to man” , a phrase originated by poet Robert Burns. The poem implies that the perpetrators of war cannot or will not suppress wayward ambitions that provoke a violent response. The children—as yet uncorrected by adult thinking—readily perceive war for what it is.

The poet also hints at Kaspar’s lack of curiosity as opposed to curiosity depicted by the children. After finding the skull, Peterkin immediately asks what it is. Kaspar tells him  that it is part of the remains of a soldier who died at Blenheim. Wilhelmine then asks Kaspar to describe the war and explain its causes. Kaspar can describe what the war was like at Blenheim, but he cannot explain why the belligerents went to war. Nor does he seem curious about the causes. All that matters to him is that Austria and England won a glorious victory.

Kaspar displays a sense of complacency in the face of the horrors of war. He unquestioningly accepts the loss of innocent women and children in the Battle of Blenheim as one of the prices of the glorious victory. His complacent attitude is not unlike that of modem politicians who dismiss the deaths of innocent civilians in arenas of war by referring to them with the impersonal phrase “collateral damage.”

Extra Questions

Question 1.
What tells the reader the serene atmosphere about old Caspar’s home.
Answer:
The seremne atmosphere about Kaspar’s home is conveyed by the fact that he was sitting relaxing in the sun and his grandchild was playing on the grass nearby.

And he before his cottage door 
Was sitting in the sun,
And by him sported on the green
His little grandchild Wilhelmine.

Question 2.
Why were the children confused about their grandfather’s claims about the war?
Answer:
The children were confused becuse he could not explain to them whwhy the war took place and what good resulted from it. All he could say to them was that it was a great victory

Question 3.
Whose family has been referred to earlier in the context?
Answer:
Old Kaspar’s family has been referred to. His house was burnt down in the war and his family had to flee.

Question 4.
Name Kaspar’s grandchildren? Why did the boy come home?
Answer:
Wilhelmine and Peterkin were the grandchildren. Peterkin came home as he had found a skull while playing.

Question 5.
What made the old man shake his head and sigh?
Answer:
The old man shook his head in sadness for the people who had died in the war.

Question 6.
What was the great victory? Who had won the victory?
Answer:
The Battle of Blenheim was a great victory and it was won by Austria and England.

Question 7.
Later, too, the old man uses the expression famous victory? Why?
Answer:
Old Kasper continuously repeats this sentence as this is all he knows about the war. Although it is constantly mentioned that it was a great victory this is not what the poem is saying. Southey is using this phrase to emphasise the exact opposite, that it wasn’t a great victory.

Question 8.
What do you think of the old man’s point of view?
Answer:
Kaspar can describe what the war was like at Blenheim, but he cannot explain why the belligerents went to war. Nor does he seem curious about the causes. All that matters to him is that Austria and England won a glorious victory. Old Kaspar unquestioningly accepts the loss of innocent women and children in the Battle of Blenheim as one of the prices of the glorious victory. His complacent attitude is not unlike that of modem politicians who dismiss the deaths of innocent civilians in arenas of war by referring to them with the impersonal phrase “collateral damage.”

Question 9.
Explain the expression, ‘wonder-waiting eyes.’
Answer:
The expression, ‘wonder-waiting eyes.’ refers to the surprised and questioning attitude of the grandchildren who wanted their grandfather to explain to them the reasons for the war and what good was achieved by it.

Question 10.
Why is the word ‘ cried’ used by the poet in the line, ‘It was the English, Kaspar cried’?
Answer:
The word cried is used ironically to tell the reader that although Kaspar keeps repeating that it was a famous victory won by the English yet he in his heart was sad at the futility and destruction of the war.

Question 11.
How was the great victory a personal tragedy for Kaspar?
Answer:
Kaspar’s house was burnt down and his father had to flee with his wife and children.

Question 12.
How was the country affected by the war?
Answer:
In the war not only did the soldiers die but many innocents, children and pregnant woman were also killed. Houses and fields of crops were burnt and people had to flee their homes to save themselves.

Question 13.
Do you agree with his justification of the war? Why/ why not?
Answer:
No I do not agree. War is a curse. War represents the worst form of human behavior and its cruelty to our fellow beings.: The skull Peterkin finds, as well as those that Kaspar regularly unearths while plowing, are mute testimony to the truth of “Man’s inhumanity to man”, a phrase originated by poet Robert Bums. The poem implies that the perpetrators of war cannot or will not suppress wayward ambitions that provoke a violent response. The children—as yet uncorrupted by adult thinking—readily perceive war for what it is.

Question 14.
There are two pauses when Kaspar tells Wilhelmine in the last stanza that it was a famous victory. Nay … nay…my little girl, quoth he.What do these pauses show?
Answer:
These pauses show that Kaspar was doubtful about the greatness of the war and the victory . But he was so used to believing blindly the popular belief that it was a great victory that he did not refute it although in his heart he did not believe his own words.

Question 15.
Comment on the contrasted viewpoints in the poem.
Answer:
The poet makes the children oppose Kaspar’s viewpoint that it was a great victory. Wilhelmine says the it was a very wicked thing and Kaspar refutes it. Dialogue is used to bring out the clash in the two viewpoints. The writer keeps it impersonal and like in any ballad the suspense is maintained in the tale. The open-ending makes it truly objective  and powerful simultaneously in its ant-war stance.

 For More Resources

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 8 Notes -The Patriot

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 8 Notes – The Patriot – ICSE Class 10, 9 English

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About the poem

Robert Browning’s ‘The Patriot’ is a brilliant piece of dramatic verse. It deals with the fickleness of public opinion and hero-worship. The same people who lift you up to the skies will also pull you down into the ditch. Even, in the midst of tragedy, the poem ends quite optimistically. Death is not the end of everything. The patriot hopes that since he did not receive his reward in this world, he will be rewarded in the other world. He feels safe in the hands of God. Thus the poem also becomes an expression of Browning’s optimistic philosophy of life. “God is in His heaven and all is well with the world.” This poem is a criticism of politics and people’s opinion. When a leader comes into power, people call him a patriot. When he is dethroned, the same leader is considered a traitor. This is the tragedy of modern politics. The leader in this poem fell a victim to the same state of affairs. When he came into power, people showered flowers at him as a patriot. But after a year, they declared him a traitor, when he was no more in power. They took him to the gallows. But Browning has ended his poem not on a tragic, rather on a next world optimistic note. It is a poem, which exposes the political changes in the third world countries in which patriots are branded as traitor in coups.

Central Idea

The central idea of the poem revolves around the rise and fall of one’s fortunes. The world is a dynamic, fickle and transient place. Here the opinions of people change rapidly, without lending much thought to justice and truth. The patriot is first hero worshipped and celebrated, but within a year he is taken down for execution. Justice is not meted out to him and he believes that real justice can only be delivered by God. By this he also creates a contrast between the fickle nature of the public and the divine nature of God.

Word Meanings

  1. Myrtle – a sweet smelling flower.
  2. Like mad – in great enthusiasm.
  3. Heave – breathe.
  4. Sway – rise and fall.
  5. Church-spires – tall, pointed structures on the top of church buildings.
  6. A year ago – it happened only a year back.
  7. Broke into a mist with bells – church bells rung to welcome the patriot.
  8. Rocked – shook.
  9. Repels – hateful.
  10. Yonder – that.
  11. Alack – alas.
  12. Leaped at the sun – tried to do the impossible.
  13. Nought – nothing.
  14. Harvest – reward.
  15. A year is run – a year has passed.
  16. A palsied few – few diseased persons, afflicted with paralysis.
  17. All allow – everyone admits.
  18. Shambles’ Gate – the gate leading to the place of execution.
  19. Better – better view of the execution.
  20. Scaffold – a platform where the criminal is executed by cutting of his head or hanging him by a rope.
  21. Foot – near.
  22. More than needs – unnecessarily.
  23. A rope cuts – the rope is so tight that it cuts both his hands.
  24. By the feel – from the feeling.
  25. Misdeeds – evil actions.
  26. Thus I entered – i entered the city as a hero.
  27. Thus I go – lam leaving as a disgraced prisoner.
  28. Collapse – die.
  29. Triumphs – victories.
  30. What dost thou owe me – what do you owe to me.
  31. Requite – reward.

Paraphrase

People welcomed the patriot back with pomp and ceremony. His path is laden with roses and myrtle, which signify love, respect and honour being showered on the patriot by the people. The residents of the town have clambered onto their roofs to get a glimpse of the patriot and welcome him home and showcase their gratuity. The house itself moves and sways with the weight and number of people. Even the church spires were decorated with fiery coloured flags. The bright colour of the flags made the church spires look like they were on fire and flames were engulfing them.

The ringing of the church bells infected the air and it seemed to be echoing the celebratory noise. The walls of the city, which were already on the verge of erosion, due to time, reflected the impact of the din created by the crowd. It seemed to conduct the tremors and move. The patriot tells the people how he doesn’t want all the cheers and applause, but wants the people to fetch the sun from the skies for him. He wants the power, glory, admiration and honour. He wants to live in their memories as an immortal hero. The crowd replies to his request with a query as to after this, what else does he require. He doesn’t want extravagant celebrations that can die down with time. He is looking for something more permanent. The sun is a symbol of immortality, power, honour and glory. Hence, the patriot asks the people to fetch him their sun from the skies. The answer of the crowd is reflective of their frivolous nature. They immediately ask the patriot what else he would require, other than the sun.

The patriot says that despite him asking the townspeople to get him the sun, in the end it was he who leaped for it and got it for the people, who he refers to as his beloved friends. “Alack!” or Alas indicates a tone of regret. The patriot mourns about how his deed has been repaid by the people. His “harvest” is what he has reaped, whereas what he had sown was bringing glory, power and honour to the people.

Summary

Like with many of Browning’s poems, this is a dramatic monologue being that the character is talking to himself in a ‘dramatic’ way. The poem tells the story of somebody’s execution in front of the public: for which he is being misunderstood and should not be killed. It relates very much to the fall of leaders who, like the patriot, are misunderstood and killed because of this.

The very title, ‘The Patriot’ is thought-provoking. A patriot is someone who fights/ works for their country. They love their country and wifi do anything for their country too.

The first stanza is used to set the scene of the poem creating contrasting setting. It starts with, ‘It was roses, roses, all the way’ which are known for being beautiful and a theme of love. However, the stanza describes how the ‘house-roofs seemed to heave and sway’ which suggest the setting is cramped with houses. This is our first signs of the poem being based in a town where people are living in poverty. This was common in the Victorian times which introduces a time to this poem too.

There is reference to a old tale of Icarus on the first line, ‘it was I who leaped at the sun’. Icarus attempted to fly by sticking feathers to his arm with wax. However, the closer he flew to the sun, the more the wax melted until he fell from the sky. Browning uses this story to introduce an ideology to not be too ambitious which unfortunately the patriot was. Throughout the whole of stanza, the patriot is reflecting and thinking . He states, ‘Nought man could do, have I left undone’. He feels he did everything he could have possibly done. We gather he also has power, ‘what I reap’ illustrating how he has collected his rewards from the work he has done.

Stanza four looks more at the setting again at how nobody is out to watch the patriot’s execution except ‘just a palsied few’. ‘Palsied’ is the term given to the old and riddled with disease. This juxtaposes against what the patriot has achieved in his life. We know he has power which is clearly not reflected with the amount and type of people watching his hanging. The people that are outside are gathering at ‘Shambles’ Gate’ which is a place people would congregate to watch public hangings. The public execution (which another name for it is ‘scaffold’) is starting to make the patriot lose all dignity.

This stanza carries on from where stanza four left off to describe the public humiliation the patriot is undergoing. Pathetic fallacy is used ‘I go in the rain’. As well as making the patriot wet it also reduces his dignity. The rain can also be seen to symbolise how the patriot is innocent as he is washed clean. As well as this, rain in general represents corruption creating a negative tense mood. This describes the public who are clearly corrupt for hanging somebody who has doing nothing wrong. He undergoes pain for the first time with ‘a rope cuts both my wrists behind’ and ‘For they fling…Stones at me for my year’s misdeeds’. We can tell he is coming close to the end as tension has been built through the weather and the change in behaviour of those watching.

The last stanza can be summed up as the stanza where the patriot finally dies. He comes to the conclusion that some people die from doing good, ‘In triumphs, people have dropped down dead’. At the very end, he refers back to religion to create a universal meaning to the poem, ‘Tis God shall repay: I am safer so’. He feels safe (even though he is dying) because he knows morally he has done right and God will see this. From this, he feels fairly safe that he will go to heaven and not hell (like the public want him to go). This links into Browning’s message for the poem who asks whether it is better to be out of the world of corruption where it will be more peaceful than to be in the world. This leaves the reader in a tranquillity of conscience to decide upon this deep ideology

Imagery is used extensively.Browning decides to open on the image of “roses”, because it connotes the love that our speaker would receive from the public. The idea of them being “all the way” suggests the interminable nature of the public’s devotion for him,

which acts an antithesis of his execution later in the poem. “The house-tops seemed to heave and sway’The heaving and swaying motion creates an image of overcrowding, emblematic of our speaker’s importance. It suggests that he is a celebrated figure – one that everyone wants to see.

The tone is significant in conveying the mood of the public.“A year ago on this very day” is significant as it diverts our attention to the past tense, “a year ago”, foreshadowing that something has changed. It develops the self-pitying voice of our speaker, and its unexpected placing at the end of stanza one is symbolic of the abrupt end to the public’s devotion towards the speaker. This symbolically abrupt change in tone accentuates the theme of ‘the fickleness of the public’ that Browning ensures embodies the narrative.

“And afterward, what else?” adds to the image of endless love that the speaker received from the public. Browning includes the voice of the crowd here to indicate that the speaker is not exaggerating, and it makes his fall from glory even more tragic. It also adds to the reader’s frustration at Browning’s ambiguity throughout the poem, as his narrative gaps mean that we don’t know what caused the speaker to go from being so respected and celebrated to being executed.

The line “Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun” is a mythical reference to Icarus suggesting that the speaker was overambitious and took a step too far. It also helps develop the characterisation of our speaker, as it suggests that it w’as his hubris that led. to him crossing the boundaries and consequently losing popularity.

“There’s nobody on the house-tops now” juxtaposes with the earlier image of the house-tops that would “heave and sway” with people. Browning manipulates time, bringing us out of the speaker’s retrospective of the past and into the present tense.

Use of pathetic fallacy, “I go in the rain” helps to add to the depressed mood, and could be argued to be emblematic of the speaker’s inner-cries and sadness.

Browning establishes a semantic field of pain in “cuts”, “bleeds” and “stones”. This juxtaposes starkly with the semantic field of love that had been established in the opening of the poem: instead of roses being thrown at him, now there are stones. This serves the sole purpose of accentuating the change in his status, and acting as a structural antithesis of the beginning of the poem.

The alliteration in the line “In triumphs, people have dropped down dead” where the ‘d’ sound adds to the overarching image of brutality-the brutality he is unfairly experiencing now for “triumphs”.

The poem ends on a religious metaphor-’Tis God shall repay: I am safer so”. It suggests that the speaker has now accepted his fate, and knows that he only has to answer to God now – not the fickle public. He feels “safer” with God, rather than in society. The idea of him feeling “safer” suggests he has no sins, nothing to worry about, once again, ending the poem on a rather innocent depiction of the speaker.

The poem has a symmetrical structure, with actions and setting from the first three stanzas being mirrored in the last three. However, the actions and setting have much more negative connotations within the last three stanzas (it’s a complete antithesis), which Browning uses to emphasise the tragic fall of this’patriot.

Browning also labels the stanzas with Roman Numerals. This helps guide the readers through the different stages of The Patriot’s life, while also making Browning’s narrative gaps more noticeable, as we realise that there are stages of his life being omitted.

The rhyme scheme of the poem is consistent and follows a strict ababa pattern. It is also significant that the rhyme scheme is asymmetrical, which subtly foreshadows the fall of our patriot.

The narrative is told from the first person perspective of The Patriot himself. His voice is retrospective and self-pitying. The voices of the crowd that Browning embeds into the poem help to characterise our speaker as truly honoured and admired, so it seems too fickle for the public’s opinion to change without reason. As a result, this makes us doubt the reliability of our speaker, who characterises himself as nothing other than innocent.

For More Resources

 

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 9 Notes – Abou Ben Adhem

Treasure Trove A Collection of ICSE Poems Workbook Answers Chapter 9 Notes – Abou Ben Adhem – ICSE Class 10, 9 English

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About the poem

Leigh Hunt based the poem, Abou Ben Adhem on a story in a French book, Bibliotheque Orientate, by Barthelemy d’Herbelot de Molainville (1625-1695). As the story goes, Abou Ben Adhem was a Muslim mystic, or Sufi, in Persia who was venerated as a saint after his death (circa AD 777). He is usually referred to in English-language religion and history books as Ibrahim ibn (or bin) Adham. Abou was the king of Balkh but later became sufi saint. Ibrahim ibn Adham gave up a life of luxury in exchange for a simple life devoted to his fellow man and to God. Ibrahim’s description of the moment of his, conversion to a new lifestyle appears in Tabaqat al-Sufiya, a book about Sufism by Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami, who died in AD 1021. The poem, Abou Ben Adhem, is written as a religious concept. It consists of 2 stanzas with each having 11 lines. It also contains some archaic terms. The poet uses rhymed couplet to communicate the ideas of love, peace and happiness through the poem.

About the Poet

Leigh Hunt was a central figure of the Romantic movement in England, but he was not, one of its great poets. However, he produced, during the first sixty years of the nineteenth century, a large body of poetry in a variety of forms: narrative poems, satires, poetic dramas, odes, epistles, sonnets, short lyrics, and translations from Greek, Roman, Italian, and French poems. His vivid descriptions and lyrical quality are noteworthy, as is his keen delight in nature, and he is a master of mood and atmosphere. But Hunt is the least philosophical of all the Romantic poets. Rather than having depth and passion, his poetry is imbued with the spirit of cheerfulness, which makes it pleasant but not great. In addition, most of his poems have commonplace themes such as friendship, patriotism, appreciation of nature, and they are usually too uneven and lax for excellence. Hunt was a man of varied talents, however. As a poet, he played a major role in freeing the couplet from the rigidity of neoclassical practice.

Hunt lived mostly in the world of poetry, painting, and music. Though he was shy and home loving, he had a natural gaiety and sprightliness and was a lively conversationalist. James Henry Leigh Hunt was born seventh in a family of eight. His father, Isaac, was a lawyer from Barbados, and his mother, Mary She well Hunt, was the daughter of a wealthy merchant of Philadelphia. After his schooling, Hunt served an apprenticeship as clerk to his barrister brother, Stephen, but disliked the work intensely. In 1805 his brother John started a weekly paper, The News. As drama critic for it, Hunt gained a reputation for being perceptive and impartial at a time when impartiality was rare.

On 3 July 1809, after several years of courtship, Hunt married Marianne Kent, daughter of a court milliner. Marianne was not intellectual, and she seems to have been extravagant, an incompetent mother, and, in later years, an alcoholic who embarrassed Hunt by borrowing money from his friends behind his back. Hunt’s most prolific period of poetical activity occurred in the years 1812 to 1820. After 1816 he had a close association with Keats and Shelley. Not only did the three visit frequently, but in 1817 Hunt and his entire family stayed in Marlowe with Shelley for several months, and in 1820 Keats, mortally ill with tuberculosis, stayed with Hunt for several months in his cottage at Hamp stead Heath.

The 1830s were most difficult for Hunt. His influential days as editor of The Examiner were past as were his heady days with the great Romantic poets, and his reputation was at its lowest ebb. He lived through the decade in poverty and poor health. Because of his straitened circumstances he was forced to move from a small house to a smaller house to a smaller cottage. He borrowed frequently from his friends and was, at least once, sued for not repaying a loan. In the mid 1830s Hunt wrote most of his best remembered lyrics, including “Jenny Kissed Me.” Toward the end of the decade Hunt finally became somewhat more secure financially. In the last decade of his life, Hunt’s literary activities and reputation had changed. He was no longer the vigorous reformer of The Examiner but a gentle essayist, poet, and critic. His reputation in America was at its height, as evidenced by the several editions of his works published there during the 1850s and the visits paid to him by American authors such as Nathaniel Hawthorne and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Leigh Hunt was clearly precocious, having published when only seventeen a volume of poems written between the ages of twelve and sixteen. He devoted his entire life to literature, writing several volumes of poetry, many essays, a handful of plays, and a novel, 5   as well as making other literary contributions as a critic, editor, and encourager of younger writers. But whether it was because he did not have the genius, which is likely, or whether  in order to provide for a large family, he simply had to write too hastily to write greatly,he never fulfilled his early promise, and, except for a few short lyrics, he seems to be little read today.

Central Idea

 Abou bin Adhem, a born prince, was a great saint who gave up a highly comfortable life for the service of mankind and love of God. The central idea of this poem is that God loves those who love their fellow men. Love of fellow men is the best type of worship.Abou Ben Adhem’s name was top of the list of those who loved their fellowmen. The poet through the example of’Abou bin Adhem’ teaches us to love our fellow men if we want to be blessed by God’s love. He, who is patient and thankful, is loving and gentle to God’s creatures, and returns good for evil, and subdues his passions and forgets his own self for others, will receive a great reward – the love of his Lord.

Word Meanings

  1.  Tribe – race, class, here the number of people like Abou.
  2. Increase – grow.
  3. Awoke – got up.
  4. Deep – undisturbed.
  5. Within – here with the circle of moonlight in Abou’s room.
  6. Like a lily in bloom – the angel is here compared to a lily in bloom to reveal his freshness and splendour.
  7. Book of gold – book having golden leaves.
  8. Exceeding peace – perfect calm and peace within that makes one bold.
  9. The presence – here the angel in the room.
  10. What writest thou? – what are you writing?
  11. The vision – the angel.
  12. The lord – god.
  13. Mine – my name.
  14. ‘Nay, not so’ – No, your name is not among those who love god.
  15. More low – more humbly.
  16. Cheerily – cheerfully.
  17. Pray – request.
  18. The – you.
  19. Write me – treat me.
  20. Vanished – disappeared.
  21. Wakening light – dazzling light.
  22. Blest – blessed.
  23. Lo! – behold.
  24. Led – headed, at the top.
  25. Rest – other names.

Summary

Abou Ben Adhem is a poem that portrays the heavenly feelings of a devotee or a strong believer. This poem clearly explains that the poet who addresses himself as Abou Adhem is a strong believer in God. He believed that not only loving God, but also loving people who believed in God is great.

In this poem, Abou sees an angel in his room one night. He does not get frightened or scared, for he had belief in God and believed angels to be messengers of god so he was happy. He just wanted to know what the angel was writing down. When he was informed that the angel was making a list of people who loved God, Adhem inquired whether his name was also included. But when he was informed that his name was not there, he did not feel dejected or sad, he only requested the angel to write his name in the list of people who loved God’s fellowmen.

When Adhem saw the angel the next day also, he enquired the purpose of visit and he was totally surprised and happy to know that his name was in the list of people whom God had blessed.

This poem clearly depicts the belief one has in God. We can love God only if we love our fellowmen, created by God. By loving other people, we could make the world a better place and forget and forgive one another. The poet has tried to convey the message that, we could make the world a better place to live in and how God would love it to be so. All holy books teach us the same theme -“To love one another”.

Hunt has beautifully pictured how each one of us should think and how when we start thinking for others; we are truly blessed by God for our deeds. Loving God is not meant only by saying, but it is our deeds that ultimately God would count, and for every good deed that we do, we are being noted in God’s book and being blessed.

Paraphrase

The poet relates an event in the life of Abou Ben Adhem. Abou was a Pious man. He was the leader of a tribe. He was loving and gentle to his people. He was selfless and did good to everyone.

He had a meeting with an angel who was writing the names of those people who loved God. Abou’s name was not in it.

Abou requested the angel to write his name as one who loved his fellowmen. The angel did so and vanished. The next night the angel came again into his room and showed him the names of those who had been blessed by God’s love. Abou Ben Adhem’s name was at the top of the list.

It means if you want to get God’s love, you should love your fellow beings. Abou was selfless and did good to everyone.

Critical Appreciation

“Abou Ben Adhem” is a poem composed by James Henry Leigh Hunt. The poet was a religious man trained in a Christian hospital. He wrote the poem while still in school. The poem Abou Ben Adhem is written as a religious concept. It consists of 2 stanzas with each having 11 lines. It also contains some archaic terms. The poet used rhymed couplet to communicate the ideas of love, peace and happiness through the poem.

The poem is talking about the religious escapades of a man known as “Adhem”. He sees an angel one night in his room but he remains unruffled. He does not feel scared since he has a firm belief in God. For him, seeing an angel is a happy thing. He is rather interested in knowing what the angel is writing down. The angel informs him that he was drafting a list of people who loved God. Abou wanted to know whether his name was also included. The angel tells him that his name was not on the list. Abou did not feel sad or dejected because of that. He requested the angel to write his name in the list of people who loved God’s creatures i.e his fellowmen. Later on, the angel came back with a list that had Adhem’s name at the very top.

In all, “Abou Ben Adhem” is simply a narrative poem. It tells the story of the man Adhem and his encounter with an angel. The poem sends a message about the power of love, faith and prayer. It shows how some people pray to God. Some pray to love God while others prayer to love their fellow men. In any case, the love of fellow men attracts God’s blessing.

Hunt wrote the poem in rhyming pairs of lines {couplets). In other words, line 1 rhymes with line 2 {increase, peace), line 3 with line 4 {room, bloom), line 5 with line 6 {gold, bold), and so on. All of the end rhymes are masculine rather than feminine. In masculine rhyme, only the final syllable of one line rhymes with the final syllable of another line. In feminine rhyme, the final two syllables of a line rhyme with the final two syllables of another line, as in ringing and singing. The poem also contains internal „ rhyme,” as in lines 1-3.

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, withiin the moonlight in his room

The meter of the poem varies. Most of the lines have ten syllables that frequently consist of five iambs, as in line 3 and 5.

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase!)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace,
And saw, within the moonlight in his room, (3)
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold:— (5)

In the following lines the poet uses alliteration and assonance in the poem.
Alliteration

Abou Ben (line 1)
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace (line 2) like a lily (line 4)
Ben Adhem bold (line 5)
“I pray thee, then (line 14)

Assonance

Ben Adhem (line 1)
deep dream of peace (line 2)
Making it rich (line 4)
And, lo! Ben Adhem’s name led all the rest! (line 20)