Kanthapura Representative of Indian Villages

  Kanthapura Representative of Indian Villages

Kanthapura is Raja Rao’s first novel written in English. In many ways, the novel is known for its merits.

The novelist chooses an imaginary village ‘Kanthapura’, situated on the slopes of the Western Ghat facing the Arabian Seas. Raja Rao did not select any city for the centre of action of the novel. Rather he picked a sleeping village ‘Kanthapura’. He knew it well that most of India lived in villages in that pre-independent period. He made this village alive with the best characterisation and narrative style adopted by him.

This novel can be read and understood at different angles and levels of its merits. In addition, it can be read and understood as the novel of the village Kanthapura that represents any Indian village of its times.

We find Kanthapura a microcosm of Indian villages.

In the very opening chapter, we have a very minute detail of its surroundings and also we have a glimpse of the whole village divided into quarters. The roads reaching this imaginary village are dusty and zigzag. The main cash crops of this area are coffee and cardamom, which are exported to England.

The society of Indian villages was caste-ridden in those days. Several other evils like child marriages, untouchability, maltreatment given to widows, gender bias, superstitions, illiteracy, dominance by the so-called upper castes, exploitation of the poor people, etc, also prevailed in Indian society.

We find all these social evils in Kanthapura also.

The whole village of Kanthapura is divided into quarters as the barriers in society. The people of the so-called upper castes like Brahmins were not supposed to mingle with the people of the so-called lower castes. If anyone dared to break the social set-up, he or she had to bear the brunt  (face bad consequences). Moorthy is a glaring example of this. He, along with his would-be generations, was excommunicated by the Shashtriji, who lived in a city and ruled over the Brahmins by his dictates.

But, Moorthy did not care for such big sharks of society and continued his efforts to make the people come out of their deep slumber of slavery and join Gandhiji's freedom movement. This was happening not only in Kanthapura but in other Indian villages also. Women also came forward to join hands with men to make India free from the Britishers. In Kanthapura, a women's group was formed to help the freedom fighters.

 Poverty prevailed in most quarters of Indian villages. We do find its reflection in Kanthapura also. Their dresses, food and huts tell the tale of their miserable life. Very few people like postmaster Suryanarayan, Patwari Nanjundia, Sidda, Waterfall Venkamma, Bhatta, and Patel Range Gowda are shown living comfortably in this novel. But the rest of the population of Kanthapura  lives in poverty.

Illiteracy and superstitions were found in any Indian village in those days of the 1930s. We also find illiteracy and superstitions in the people of Kanthapura.

Every village has a place of worship. The people of Kanthapura also had their temple of Kenchamma, their presiding deity. It is said that the goddess Kenchamma had long ago killed a demon and saved the people from his terror. Since then, the goddess has settled there as their saviour from any misfortune or disease. The people of Kanthapura are very religious and they worship their goddess with full faith. They organise ‘kathas’ and fairs to celebrate their festivals.

The condition of the labouring class has also been brought into focus in this novel. The people working at Skeiffington Coffee Estate is a proof of exploitation done to the poor strata of Indian society.

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Thus, on the basis of the above discussion, we may say that Kanthapura represents an Indian village on a micro level.

 

Important Lines from English Poetry-English Literature-UGC NET Exam

Poets & Pancakes-Ashokamitran-Class XII English-Flamingo

Poets & Pancakes

Q1.  What does the writer mean by ‘the fiery misery of those subjected to make-up?

   Ans. The makeup room had a lot of hot bulbs always burning inside and a number of mirrors to reflect the heat. It was really very difficult and miserable for the artists to sit there for make-up. There were no cooling systems in those days. So the artists had to bear all that.

Q2. What is the example of national integration that the author refers to?

  Ans. The members of the make-up department were from various parts of India. Anyone could be the head of the make-up room. Once there was a Bengali as the head of this department. He was succeeded by a Maharashtrian. His assistant was a Dharwar Kannadiga. So it was the best example of national integration.

Q3. What work did the ‘office boy’ do in the Gemini studio? Why did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed?  Or Who was the office boy? What was his duty in the make-up department? How did he join the studios? Why was he disappointed and frustrated?

  Ans. The office boy was a forty-year-old man. He wanted to become a star actor, a top screenwriter, or a lyric writer. His duty was to apply make-up for the crowd players for shooting. So he remained unsatisfied and criticized everyone he felt jealous of.

  Q4. Why did the author appear to be doing nothing at the studios? (2011)  How was the author’s job odd in the eyes of the other staff? How did they respond to this?
Ans. Asokamitran’s job at the Gemini Studios was to collect information from newspapers and magazines and to paste the cuttings in files for reference. The other members of the studios always advised him to do a better job.

Q5. Subbu is described as a many-sided genius. List four of his special abilities. Or  Who was Kothamangalam Subbu? How did he make all the other staff hate him?
Ans. Kothamangalam Subbu joined the Gemini Studios as a clerk and remained the same in the records. But in practice, he soon acquired the status of the No.2 at the studios because of his amazing genius and different skills. He did any work for his boss and ignored the rest. This made the rest of the staff envy him.

 Q6. Discuss Subbu’s identity as a poet. Why was he not known as a poet?
Ans. Apart from being an amazing director of movies, Subbu had the identity as a poet. The world of his time and later never recognized him as a poet yet he was a great unknown poet. He wrote poems in the simplest Tamil language and was able to recreate the classical poems in his own style.

 Q7. Subbu was excellent as an actor too. Discuss.
Ans. Subbu was a good actor. He was able to act better than the lead actors yet never wished to take any lead roles in any movie.
Q8. In spite of all the good qualities and readiness to be a host at any time, Subbu had only enemies. Why?
Ans. Subbu was good to everyone he met. He always spoke with them nicely. He fed his relatives. He excelled with everyone in the Gemini Studios. But he was hated by most of them just because he was so close to the boss of the studios.   

Q1. What was the hierarchy observed at the Make-up Room in Gemini Studios?

Ans.   A strict hierarchy in the Makeup Room

The writer says that a strict hierarchy was observed in the make-up department. The job of the chief make-up man was to apply make-up on the faces of the chief actors and actresses. The senior assistant applied makeup to the faces of the second-number hero and heroine, and the junior comedian did makeup to the main comedian and others of the same rank.

The responsibility of the ‘office boy’ was to apply makeup material on the people who were playing the role of the crowd. He would mix paint in a giant vessel and slap it with a brush on the faces of the people hurriedly. It was done to hide every pore or patch on the face to make it look presentable according to the set-up norms. The mention of a separate office boy in the make-up room shows the large size of the Gemini Studios.

Q2. Write something about Ashokamitran’s job at the Gemini Studios.

Ans. Ashokamitran says that his duty in the Gemini Studios was to sit in a small room. The writer would sit in his desk and make cuttings of the important news-items and collect them in a file. People usually thought his job to be insignificant. So some people would take pity on him and deliver to him a long lecture on the necessity of getting a real job.

Even the ‘boy’ in the make-up department made Ashokamitran aware of the fact that his literary talent was being wasted on that petty job. The writer would every time pray for crowd shooting. It means that only crowd-shooting could save him the boy of the makeup department.

 

 

HTET- Haryana Teacher's Eligibility Test-Level 3_English Grammar

HTET-Haryana Teachers' Eligibility Test-Lecture 2-Sample Questions-Engli...

HTET-Haryana Teachers' Eligibility Test-Lecture 2-Sample Questions-Engli...

My Last Duchess-Qs-Ans-As a Dramatic Monologues

 ‘My Last Duchess’ is Robert Browning’s one of most famous poems. It is a dramatic monologue.

A dramatic monologue is a poem in which the speaker, who is like a protagonist as we have in dramas, is placed in a critical situation. The poet remains aloof (separated) from him. The speaker reacts to the difficult situation and thus lays bare his soul. He reveals his character to the readers or the audience. The presence of a listener or the interlocutor is also felt and it makes the situation dramatically.

In this poem, the Duke of Ferrara is the speaker, whose wife is no more now. He is a widower and wants to marry the daughter of a neighbouring Count, from whom he also expects to receive a rich dowry. The Count has sent a messenger (an envoy) to negotiate with the Duke.

The Duke takes the messenger to have a glimpse of his picture gallery. Actually, the Duke is the product of the Renaissance period that originally began in Italy. He has immense love for art.

In the whole poem, the Duke keeps on speaking to the silent listener, and in this way, he reveals his inner self. He is greedy, possessive, jealous, cruel, and despotic by nature, though he loves art and beauty also. His speech also brings about the innocent and simple nature of his previous wife, whom he killed by strangulating her just because she did not follow his strict ‘code’ of conduct while behaving with others.

 

My Last Duchess-Qs-Ans-Robert Browning-Use of Irony

 Comment on the use of irony in the poem. Illustrate your answer with examples from the text.

Ans. Robert Browning has very beautifully used irony in the dramatic monologue My Last Duchess. The Duke’s ironical utterances (words) help the poet to make characterisation more lively and effective. At the explicit level, the Duke seems to appreciate the qualities of the Duchess, but internally, he is disapproving of them.

After describing the beautiful face of the Duchess, he proceeds to speak on her simple heart,  which easily impressed. He says She had/A heart …too soon, made glad/Too easily impressed…

The Duke continues saying that she liked everything and her eyes went everywhere. After all, she was a Duke’s wife and she should have had control over her feelings. Here, the reader comes to know how class conscious the Duke was –Actually, he was a jealous husband He was unable to bear his wife’s looking at others and appreciating their small courtesies. This is apparently (clearly) ironic and satirical as well. He is unable to tolerate her straightforward behavior with others. 

Finally, the Duke gets her precious wife killed. See the cruel irony hidden in the lines: This grew and-I gave commands/ Then all smiles stopped together.

The Duke's hypocrisy and greed come to the fore when he ironically hints at his intention of getting a huge dowry from the Count in the marriage. He hints and indicates to the messenger very cleverly that his sole purpose is to marry the Count's daughter. He adds further that the Count is well known for his generous nature and so, he would not mind his reasonable demand for dowry. Thus Robert Browning uses irony very intelligently in character-building in his dramatic monologues.

 

My Last Duchess-Qs-Ans-The Duke's Character

 The tyranny, pride, and greed of the Duke have been shown in sharp contrast to the good nature of the Duchess. Explain.

 Or The Duke’s Character

Ans. The poem” My Last Duchess’ is in the form of a dramatic monologue. It very beautifully depicts the contrast between the characters of the Duke and his former wife, the Duchess.

The Duke’s character has been an epitome of the evils like tyranny, pride, and greed, while the Duchess has been shown as a woman full of human values like kindness and sympathy. Let’s discuss both of these characters; in sharp contrast to each other.

The Duke’s cruelty and tyranny come to the surface when he talks to the envoy about his previous wife, the Duchess.

First of all, we find the Duke’s possessive nature,  which makes him a despotic husband.

The use of the possessive adjective ‘my’ in the line ‘‘That's my last Duchess” shows his possessive nature in the very beginning. He considers his wife his personal property.

The Duke did not allow an ordinary artist to execute the work of painting the portrait of his late wife. He willingly engaged a monk, who is supposed to have won over his physical desires. Here also, we may say that the Duke was a man of jealous nature. He did not like other men to have a close look at his wife’s beautiful face. He appears to be a tyrant, who did not allow his wife the very basic freedom of life.

Indirectly also, the Duke suggests to the Count’s messenger that he would like strict discipline from his would-be wife while behaving with ordinary people. He was not at all democratic in his ideas. He did not believe in the goodness of a human heart. That is the reason why he could not appreciate the inner beauty of the Duchess.

The Duke was also class-conscious. He believed in social discrimination while his wife believed in equality. She had a simple and innocent heart.

‘Then all smiles stopped together: This single line of only ‘five words’ contains “the tragedy of a whole life” in a little space, says Robinson, a famous critic. It means a lot. When the Duke could not further tolerate the duchess’ liberal behaviour with others, it may be guessed clearly that he passed orders to kill her. In this way, her smiles were stopped forever. Thus we see

The Duke also exhibits several Renaissance qualities that surely are appreciable. First, he admires the portrait of his wife. It shows his love for art. After that, the Duke starts moving downstairs. The messenger gives the Duke way, but he tells him politely that both of them would go together downstairs.

As the Duke starts to step down, he indicates to the messenger to see a bronze statue of Neptune. He tells the messenger that it was a rare piece of art carved by the famous sculptor Claus of Innsbruck. Thus, it shows that the Duke has a great love for art.

But his greed, hypocrisy, possessive nature, jealousy, and cruelty overshadow his qualities.

 

 

 

The Making of a Scientist-Richard Ebright-Class X English

Know Then Thyself-Alexander Pope-Questions-Answers-English for B.A. II S...

The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role by Nani Pakhivala

 The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role by Nani Pakhivala

Short Answer-type Questions (word limit: About 30-40)

Q1. Justify the title ‘The Ailing Planet’.

Ans. The Earth has become an ailing planet. Its environment is being polluted. It has become very difficult to breathe in this polluted air, particularly in big cities. Environmental pollution has created so many problems for the vegetation and millions of creatures living on the earth. The earth’s temperature is rising up. Climatic changes have further aggravated (worsened) the situation. Its natural resources are depleting day by day.

Q2. What is the ‘Green Movement’?

Ans. The ‘Green Movement’ refers to the activity that is continued together by people to change or improve the present situation by means of united efforts. It is called Green because in this movement much stress is laid on planting more and more trees.

Q3. What is the significance of the Green Movement?

Ans. This movement was founded in New Zealand in 1972 and with the help of so many agencies, awareness among people has spread. Now, we think of ourselves as partners on the earth, not the sole owner of it. We have to share this earth with other creatures and the vegetation also.

Q4. What is scientific temperament?

   Ans. Scientific temperament refers to the characteristic of a personality that affects mood or behaviour. The word ‘scientific’ refers to the careful and systematic or reasonable approach to achieve some aim.

Q5. What is ‘Sustainable development’?

  Ans. This is the development in which natural resources are used by keeping in view the share of the coming generations in them. They are not used blindly, rather efforts are made to preserve and increase them for future generations.

   Q6.  What does the notice 'The world's most dangerous animal' at a cage in the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, signify?

  Ans. It emphasizes the fact that man is responsible for making the earth an ailing planet. Man’s activities are making the survival of millions of living beings and vegetation on the earth impossible. That’s why; he has been called the world’s most dangerous animal. The notice at Zambia Zoo is a constant reminder to humans of his guilt to dominate the whole of the earth.

Q7 What awareness and wisdom have dawned upon Man now?

   Ans. Man has now realized his folly (foolishness) and a sort (kind) of wisdom has  dawned (became known) upon him. It has made a shift (change) in his thinking, which was based on dominating (controlling) everything, every creature on the Earth. Now, it is based on partnership, sharing the planet with all the creatures & vegetation on it. Now, man is not the ‘sole’ owner of the earth.

Q8.  What is the significance of the question “Are we to leave our successors a scorched (damaged by heat) planet of advancing (increasing) deserts, impoverished made weaker or worse in quality:) landscapes and ailing environment?’ raised in the first report forwarded by  the Brandt Commission?

Ans. In a way, the commission has raised a voice against all human activities which are constantly (continuously) endangering the earth along with all its treasures (resources) . We are cutting trees to fulfil various needs. The environment is being polluted by us. We are polluting and endangering so many birds, and animals on land and in water. We will have to stop all these activities to make the earth a better place to live.

Q9. What are the four principal biological systems that form the global economic system, according to Mr Lester Brown,?

   Ans. Mr Lester Brown points out in his book ‘The Global Economic Prospect’ that there are four principal biological systems on the earth. These are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands. These four biological systems form the global economic system.

   Q 10. What do the four biological systems of the global economic system provide us?

   Ans. These four systems fulfil our basic needs including food. They provide all the raw materials for industries, except the synthetics, which are derived from minerals & petroleum.

Q11.  What does the writer mean to say when he quotes the statement, “forests precede (came before) mankind; mankind follow.”?

   Ans. It lays stress on one thing before mankind took birth on the earth's planet, forests were already there on it. Mankind came thereafter, maybe, after a very long time. But after that, human beings started exploiting (recklessly cutting) forests for their personal use in such a way that it disturbed the whole ecosystem of the earth.

Q 12. How does the increase in population at a high rate pose a big hurdle in the way to the country’s progress?

   Ans. He says that if the population continues increasing at the present rate, the development becomes meaningless and its speed may also decrease. Until population control is given the topmost priority, the hope for a better condition in life would die in their hungry hutments (group of huts).

Q 13. In the words of Mr Lester Brown, “We have not inherited this earth from our forefathers; we have borrowed it from our children.” What does he mean to say in this context?

   Ans. Mr Lester Brown wants to lay stress the fact that we all human beings must care for the health of the earth. It is not something that we got from our ancestors in inheritance. But we have borrowed it from our coming generation. We will have to keep and use it as we do in case of the borrowed thing. We do not try to harm a borrowed thing in any way. So we will not harm the earth also.

  Q14. What ‘shift’ has occurred now in our views towards the earth?

  Ans. The shift in our outlook to view the earth as a living organism, that has its own metabolism and vital processes that need to be respected and preserved.

Ans. The earth’s principal four biological systems are fisheries, forests, grasslands and croplands.

These are the four pillars of any country’s economic growth. But, these four pillars are on the verge of collapse. Forests are being cut to use wood for so many purposes. Croplands are becoming infertile day by day. Farmers are using chemical manures. Grasslands are getting transformed into a barren wasteland. Overfishing is being practised by the protein-hungry world. Forests are the shelter house for so many animals, big and small. The earth’s fertile land has started changing into deserts. Human activities are responsible for causing various types of damage to the ecosystem of the earth. It has to be stopped at any cost in order to save this planet.

Q2. How are forests helpful to us? What is their present condition?

   Ans. Forests are one of the four principal biological systems that form the economical growth of a country. But unfortunately, these are being cut at a very fast speed.   Forests are helpful to all of us in many ways. They provide timber, fuel, fruits, medicine, and shelter to animals. The most important function of trees is to provide us with a free of cost supply of oxygen. They save us from heat and bring rain which is necessary for all the vegetation on the earth. All living beings need water to drink; without it, life is impossible on earth. But, unfortunately, we human beings are not fully aware about the importance of forests. But the Green Movement has done a lot of work in making people aware of saving the earth from all these dangers.

 

Q3. Discuss the statement, ‘The choice is really between the control of population and perpetuating (making permanent) of poverty.’

   Ans. Our Government has two options: (1) to control the fast-growing population (2) to make poverty the country’s permanent feature. 

If the population is not controlled, it would bring so many other problems associated with it. It is truly said that overpopulation is the mother of many other problems, like unemployment, rise in prices, increasing crime rate, traffic jams on the roads, long queues everywhere, crowds in markets, crowds in classrooms, need for more houses, etc. No single problem quoted above may be dissociated from over-population.

  Over-population is the cause of poverty also. If maximum people of a country remain unemployed, they will not be able to educate their children properly. In this way, poverty will find a permanent place in the huts of the poor section of society.

(C)Important Passages (Textual) for Comprehension

 Passage 1

  ONE cannot recall any movement in world history which has gripped the imagination of the entire human race so completely and so rapidly as the Green Movement which started nearly twenty-five years ago. In 1972 the world’s first nationwide Green party was founded in New Zealand. Since then, the movement has not looked back.

Q1.What is Green Movement?

 Ans. Making the earth green but growing more and more trees is called the Green Movement.

 Q2. What special thing did this movement do in world history?

Ans. It caught the attention of the entire human race very quickly.

Q3. Where was the Green party first founded?

 Ans. In New Zealand.

Q4.  Write the synonym of the word ‘gripped’.

Ans. ‘caught’

Q1. Name the title of the lesson and its writer.

Ans. The title of the lesson is: The Ailing Planet: the Green Movement’s Role and its writer is Nani Palkhivala

Passage 2

 We have shifted — one hopes, irrevocably — from the mechanistic view to a holistic and ecological view of the world. It is a shift in human perceptions as revolutionary as that introduced by Copernicus who taught mankind in the sixteenth century that the earth and the other planets revolved around the sun. For the first time in human history, there is a growing worldwide consciousness that the earth itself is a living organism — an enormous being of which we are parts. It has its own metabolic needs and vital processes which need to be respected and preserved.

  Q1. What was the mechanical view of the earth in the past?

   Ans. It was to view the earth as a dead planet that is to be used to fulfil human needs without paying attention to preserving its treasures.

Q2. What ‘shift’ has occurred now in our views towards the earth?

   Ans. The shift in our outlook to view the earth as a living organism, that has its own metabolism and vital processes that need to be respected and preserved.

Q3.What did Copernicus teach mankind in the 16^th century?

 Ans. He taught mankind that the earth and the other planets revolved round the earth.

 Q4. Which word in the passage has the following synonym ‘ changed ‘

 Ans. ‘Shifted’

Passage 3

In the zoo at Lusaka, Zambia, there is a cage where the notice reads, ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’. Inside the cage there is no animal but a mirror where you see yourself. Thanks to the efforts of a number of agencies in different countries, a new awareness has now dawned upon the most dangerous animal in the world. He has realised the wisdom of shifting from a system based on domination to one based on partnership.

Q1. What notice is placed on a cage in the zoo?

Ans. It reads ‘The world’s most dangerous animal’.

Q2. What does the notice refer to?

Ans. It refers to Man, as the world’s most dangerous animal.Q3. Q3.Why is Man called the world’ most dangerous animal? Ans. Man considers being the ‘owner’ of the earth and the boss of all the creatures found on it. It does not hesitate to do cruelty on any creature and destroy anything that belongs to the earth.

Q4. What new awareness has dawned upon the most dangerous animal in the world?

Ans. He has realised that he is not the owner and the boss of the earth. He is a partner with millions of other creatures and vegetation on the earth.

 Q5. Use ‘dawned upon’ in your own sentence.

 Ans. Suddenly an idea dawned upon me.

Passage 4.

Article 48A of the Constitution of India provides that “the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country”. But what causes endless anguish is the fact that laws are never respected nor enforced in India. (For instance, the Constitution says that casteism, untouchability and bonded labour shall be abolished, but they flourish shamelessly even after forty-four years of the operation of the Constitution.) A recent report of our Parliament’s Estimates Committee has highlighted the near-catastrophic depletion of India’s forests over the last four decades. India, according to reliable data, is losing its forests at the rate of 3.7 million acres a year. Large areas, officially designated as forest land, “are already virtually treeless”. The actual loss of forests is estimated to be about eight times the rate indicated by government statistics.

 Q1. What does article 48 A of the Constitution of India say?

Ans. It says that “the State shall endeavour (try) to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.”

 Q2. What causes anguish to the writer regarding the laws?

Ans. It is a fact that the laws are neither respected nor are they enforced in India.

Q3. What social evils does the writer talk about in this passage?

Ans. The writer talks about casteism, untouchability and bonded labour and these are still present in our society.

Q4. What does the recent report of our Parliament’s Estimates Committee say?

Ans. It says that India is losing forests at the alarming speed of 3.7 million acres a year. The actual loss is about eight times the rate indicated by the government.

 

              

The World is too Much with Us by William Wordsworth-Qs-Ans

  The World is too Much with Us by William Wordsworth

Questions-Answers-The World is too Much with Us by William Wordsworth

Very Short Answer-type Qs (one word-a phrase-a sentence)

Q1. According to the poet, what is man's attitude to nature?

Ans. Man’s attitude to nature is indifference (lack of interest).

Q2. Who were Proteus and Triton?

Ans. They were Greek and Roman gods of Nature.

Q3.Why does the poet want to become a Pagan?

Ans. He wants to become a Pagan to worship the gods of Nature.

Q4. What does the poet mean by stating ‘the world is too much with us?

Ans. It means that man has become too attached to the material world.

Q5. What are we ‘out of tune with?

Ans. We are ‘out of tune' with Nature.

Q6. What is the ‘sordid boon’?
Ans. Lust (extreme greed) for possessing material things is a sordid boon.

Q7. Who is the Pagan according to the poet?

Ans. A non-Christian is a Pagan according to the poet.

Q8. What does the poet glimpse and what is its effect on him?

Ans. The poet has glimpses of the gods of Nature, Proteus, and Triton and it makes him happy.

Q9.What does the poet mean by “the world’ in the first line?

Ans. It means worldly possessions.

Q10. Identify the rhyme scheme used in this Sonnet?

Ans. The poet has used the following rhyme scheme in this poem: abba, abba, cdcdcd.

Q11. How has materialism affected us?

Ans. It has made us slaves to material possessions.

Q12. ‘It moves us not’. What moves us not?

Ans. The beauties of Nature do not move us.

Q13.How do we waste our powers according to Wordsworth?

Ans. We waste our power in getting and spending money on material things.

Q14. What does Wordsworth say he could do if he were a Pagan?

Ans. In that case, he would have a glimpse of the gods of nature.

Q15. Why can't we make nature a part of our life?

Ans. As we are all the time busy with material pursuits, we cannot make nature a part of our life.

Q16. How, according to the poet, is ‘the world’ too much with us?

Ans. We are all the time busy with material pursuits; earning and spending money on material things.

Q17.Sonnet is of two types. Out of these two, which type of Sonnet is Wordsworth’s poem ‘The World is Too Much with Us’?

Ans. This poem is based on the Petrarchan sonnet.

Q18. How many lines are there in a Petrarchan Sonnet?

Ans. It has fourteen lines.

Comprehension Exercises:

Answer the following questions in 20-30 words each:

Q1. According to the poet, what is man's attitude to nature?

Ans. Man’s attitude to Nature is indifference. We have made ourselves detached (cut off/separated) from Nature. We are every time busy earning and spending money. We have no communion with Nature. We cannot afford separation from it. If it happens, harmful effects on the earth can be felt or seen.

Q2. Who were Proteus and Triton?

Ans. The poet mentions the ancient Greek and Roman mythical gods Proteus and Triton in this poem. Proteus would be seen emerging from the sea and Triton would be blowing his curled conch-like horn. In this way, he would not feel lonely and sad at all in the company of Roman and Greek gods.

Q3.Why does the poet want to become a Pagan?

Ans. The poet declares that he would prefer to be a Pagan rather than be affected by the growing materialism in the world due to the first phase of industrialization in England. He would be ready to renounce his religion ‘Christianity’ which advocates for only one God. He would like to follow the religion in which Nature is worshipped. This stanza reflects Wordsworth’s deep love for Nature. This is the reason why the poet wants to become a pagan.

Q4. What does the poet mean by stating ‘the world is too much with us’?

 Ans. The poet means to say that human beings have become more attached to material things. He expresses his deep concern over people’s growing love for worldly things. Man has become a slave to the god of money, Mammon. He appeals to all of us to give up Mammon worship and start loving Nature. At that time, industrialization had just started showing its impact on human minds.

Q5. What are we ‘out of tune with?

Ans. The poet says that people are out of tune with nature. He says that people do not feel attracted by the beauties of nature. The poet quotes examples of some beautiful scenes of Nature. It all shows that Man has become very much indifferent to the beauties of Nature. They are in disharmony with the world of  Nature.

Q6. What is the ‘sordid boon’?

Ans. Actually, the poet has used ‘too much in the title of the poem ‘The World is too much With Us’. We have a clue here to explain the meaning of the paradox ‘sordid boon’. It seems that the poet does not have much objection to people’s limited love for material things. Then it is a boon for them. But when they have crossed limits and got too much involved in their love for material things, then it becomes sordid. Hence, the meaning of the paradox is ‘a sordid boon’.

Q7. Who is the Pagan according to the poet?

Ans. A pagan is a worshipper of nature. Ans. He believes in many gods and goddesses of nature. But this word was also used as a ‘non-believer of God’ or a non-Christian person. This is because a Christian believes only in one God.

Q8. What does the poet glimpse and what is its effect on him?

 Ans. The poet has glimpses of the ancient Greek and Roman mythical gods Proteus and Triton. Proteus would be seen emerging from the sea and Triton would be blowing his curled conch-like horn. In this way, he would not feel lonely and sad at all in the company of Roman and Greek gods.

Q9.What does the poet mean by “the world’ in the first line?

Ans. In this poem ‘the world’ means the greed for material things. The people of the world have become too much involved in possessing material things. They do so by earning lots and lots of money. In this process, they have become indifferent to Nature. They worship only the god of money, that is, Mammon.

Q10. Identify the rhyme scheme used in this Sonnet?

Ans. The poet has used the following rhyme scheme in this poem: abba, abba, cdcdcd.

It means the first line rhymes with the fourth line, the second line rhymes with the third; the fifth line rhymes with the eighth while the sixth one with the seventh; the ninth line rhymes with the eleventh and thirteenth; the tenth line rhymes with the twelfth and the fourteenth.

 Answer the following questions in about 150 words each

Q1. What does the poet think about the way a man treats nature? How does he express his thoughts and feelings on this topic in the poem?

 Or Summary of the poem ‘The World Is Too Much with Us’

Ans.   The poet thinks that we have made ourselves detached (cut off/separated) from Nature. We are every time busy earning and spending money. We have no communion with Nature. He means to say that God has created Nature for all the creatures on the earth. So Nature belongs to us and we also belong to Nature. We cannot afford separation from it. If it happens, harmful effects on the earth can be felt or seen. We have given our hearts to material things. It means we have started loving them. He expresses his deep concern over people’s growing love for worldly things. Man has become a slave to the god of money, Mammon. All the diseases and mental discomforts are due to our love for material things. As a great worshipper of Nature, the poet appeals to all of us to give up Mammon worship and start loving Nature.

To prove his love for nature, the poet declares that the Pagans in ancient times lived healthier life. It is because they were always connected to nature. They were nourished in the lap of nature. So, all qualities of head and heart, like patience, love, peace, hard work, etc. automatically got imbibed into their personality. This is the reason why the poet wishes to become a pagan and have the glimpses of gods of nature.

Q2.The sonnet is a criticism of life in this modern mechanized milieu. Comment on the assessment of this fine.

Ans. The sonnet is really a criticism of life because William Wordsworth makes a strong case of criticism against life the people had started living in the nineteenth century under the effect of industrialization and scientific progress. The case is still applicable in this modern mechanised world today also. We don’t have any time to ‘stand and stare at a beautiful object of nature. The love for material things has made us blind to natural beauty.

We have made ourselves detached (cut off/separated) from Nature. We are every time busy earning and spending money. We have no communion with Nature. He means to say that God has created Nature for all the creatures on the earth. So Nature belongs to us and we also belong to Nature. We cannot afford separation from it. If it happens, harmful effects on the earth can be felt or seen.

Man has become a slave to the god of money, Mammon. All the diseases and mental discomforts are due to our love for material things. As a great worshipper of Nature, the poet appeals to all of us to give up Mammon worship and start loving Nature.

To prove his love for nature, the poet declares that the Pagans in ancient times lived healthier life. It is because they were always connected to nature. They were nourished in the lap of nature. So, all qualities of head and heart, like patience, love, peace, hard work, etc. automatically got imbibed into their personality. This is the reason why the poet wishes to become a pagan and have the glimpses of gods of nature.

Q3.How does Wordsworth employ Greek mythology and other devices to portray the materialistic mind of modern man?

Ans. After reading and understanding the poem, we all come to know how William Wordsworth feels hurt to see his fellow Christians getting too attached to materialism. They have started wasting much of their time and energy in earning and spending money. In this way, money has become a curse for them. It is the root cause of all of their ailments.

To depict the materialistic mind of modern man, the poet uses Greek mythology. He tells us how in ancient times the Greeks used to believe in Pagan gods. They believed in and loved every object in nature. They used to have glimpses of Pagan gods like Proteus and Triton rising from the sea. He uses beautiful imagery from Nature to make the readers feel and think about how nature blesses every human heart.

 

The poet creates a very beautiful word picture using personification of the sea and the moon. The poet uses a straightforward image of the sea in female form exposed to the view of the moon. The second image that emerges in the poet’s mind is that of the winds huddled together like sleeping flowers. The poet uses a simile of sleeping flowers for the winds that have now huddled up together as if in the position of sleeping.

  In the end, the poet declares that he would prefer to be a Pagan rather than be affected by the growing materialism in the world. He would be ready to renounce his religion ‘Christianity’ that advocates for only one God. He would like to follow the religion in which Nature is worshipped.

Q4. The poet prefers paganism to worldliness. Discuss.

Ans. William Wordsworth’s love for Nature is known to all of us. He wrote so many poems to show his great love for nature.

In this poem, his immense love for Nature makes him announce that he would prefer to be a pagan rather than a believer in a religion that restricts (stops) him from loving gods of nature, like Proteus and Triton.

In ancient Greece and Rome, people believed in so many gods and goddesses. So they were called Pagans. But in Christianity, only one God is worshipped. Nature is also blessed with them in so many ways.

The poet further says that people of his times have become slaves to materialism. They have stopped loving nature. They have detached themselves from the beauties of nature.

   The poet does not want to become too lost in materialism. The poet also declares that he would like to be a Pagan than continue following the outdated religion in which he was brought up. He would not stop loving nature even if his religion forces him to do so.

 

 

 

Verses from English Literature-Quotable Lines from English Poetry-Who wr...

The Making of a Scientist-Summary-Robert W Peterson-Class X English

Mijbil the Otter-Qs-Ans-Gavin Maxwell

 Lesson 8. Mijbil the Otter

Q1. Describe Gavin Maxwell’s experience with the otter in the aircraft.

Ans. Gavin Maxwell wanted to take the otter, Mijbil, to London. But the aircraft authorities suggested to Maxwell to put Mijbil into a box. It should not be more than 18 inches. The air hostess advised the author to keep the box on his knees. But the otter was out of the box in a flash. He disappeared somewhere under the seats. There was a hue and cry in the aircraft. A woman cried, “A rat, a rat!” The writer tried to catch it. But his face was covered with curry. He had to return to his seat. But still, his eyes were searching for the otter. After some time, Mijbil sat on the author’s knees. It began to nuzzle his face and neck. Thus it was taken to London.

 Q2. When did the author decide to have a pet otter instead of a pet dog? How did he get one? How did he carry him to England?

Ans. The author’s pet dog had died It was then the author decided to keep an otter as a pet. His friend told him to go to Iraq to get an otter. . By chance in 1956, he had to go to the Southern part of Iraq. Then the author went to Basra to get his mail. After getting his mail on the fifth day, the author went into his room to read the mail. There he saw two Arabs sitting on the floor. They had an otter in a sack. Actually, those two Arabs were sent by the author’s friend. In this way he got an otter. The author booked a seat on a flight going to Paris. Luckily he got a seat in the front row. Mijbil was packed into a box. From Paris, he reached London along with the otter.

Short Answer-type Qs.

Q1. What experiment did Maxwell think Camusfearna would be suitable for?

Ans. The experiment was about keeping an otter as a pet.  He thought that Camusfearna was surrounded by water. Otters love to play in the water. So the writer thought to bring an otter and keep it as a pet in place of a dog.

Q2. Why did Maxwell go to Basra? How long did he wait there and why?

Ans. Maxwell went to Basra to get his mail and answer it from there. He had to wait for five days in Basra to get his mail. It was because of a religious holiday and some problems with the telephone lines.

Q3.What happened when Maxwell took Mijbil to the bathroom? What did it do two days after it?

Ans. Mijbil was very happy in the bathroom. It started playing in the bathtub. It was jumping and rolling in the water. It spent half an hour enjoying in the water of the bathtub. After two days, it escaped from the bedroom and entered the bathroom to play in the water.

Q4. How was Mijbil to be transported to England?

Ans. British Airlines did not allow Maxwell to take Mijbil in the flight. Then he booked his seat on another flight going to Paris. From there he reached London. But he had to pack Mij into a box of eighteen inches.

Q5. What game had Mij invented?

Ans. Mijbil invented a game on the damaged suitcase. Its one side was up making a slope. Mijbil put the ball at the higher end of the slope. It rolled down to the full length of the suitcase. It repeated it and discovered that it would be its pet game.

 Q6.What happened when the box was opened? Or What did the Otter (Mij) do to the box?

Ans. When the author opened the box, there was a shocking scene. Mijbil was covered with blood. He had torn the lining of the box to shreds. In that process, he got injured.

Q7. Why was the otter named ‘Maxwell’s otter? Or why is Mij’s species known to the world as Maxwell’s otter?

Ans. Since Maxwell made this species of Mijbil, the otter, known to the whole world, it was named ‘Maxwell’s otter’.

Q8.What group of animals do otters belong to?

Ans. Otters belong to a comparatively small group of animals called Mustellines. Other animals of this species are: badger, mongoose, weasel, stoat, mink, and others

Q10. What guesses did the Londoners make about what Mij was?

Ans. They made several guesses about Mizbil. Some called it a baby seal or a squirrel. Others called it a walrus, a hippo, a bear cub, a beaver, or even a leopard that had changed its spots. All that made the writer amused.

Q11. What did the author give to the air hostess?

Ans. The author gave a packet of fish to the air hostess. It was the food for Mijbil to eat during the flight.

Q12. What were Mijbil’s favourite toys for his pastime? How did he play with them?

Ans. Marbles were his favourite toys for his pastime. He would lie flat. Then he took two or more marbles and moved them up and down on his flat belly with his paws.

Q13. What toys did Maxwell purchase from Mijbil’s native place?

Ans. Ping-pong balls, marbles, rubber fruit, and a terrapin shell were Mijbil’s toys that Maxwell purchased from his native marshes.

Q14. What are compulsive habits? What are Mijbil’s compulsive habits according to the author?

Ans. The habits which force one to do some activities, again and again, are called ‘compulsive habits. Like children, Mijbil also did such activities. It would jump onto the boundary wall of a primary school and then run on it. It was in front of the writer’s flat in London.