Namma Kalvi 12th English Poem Study Material 217900
Namma Kalvi 12th English Poem Study Material 217900
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1) “A creeper climbs, in whose embraces bound
No other tree could live”.
i. Which tree is referred to in the above lines?
Casuarina is referred to in the above lines,
ii. How does the tree survive the tight hold of the creeper?
The tree is so strong that it bears the tight hold of the creeper.
iii. Why does Toru Dutt use the expression ‘A Creeper Climbs’?
Toru Dutt uses the expression because really a creeper climbs on the casuarina tree.
2) “The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the bough among----”!
i. Who is the giant here?
The casuarina tree is the giant here.
ii. Why is the scarf colourful?
The scarf is colourful because it is made of crimson coloured flowers.
3) “Fear, trembling Hope, and Death, the skeleton,
And Time the shadow, “and though weak the verse
That would thy beauty farm, oh, fain rehearse,
May Love defend tree from oblivion’s curse”
i. What does the poet mean by the expression ‘May love defend thee from oblivion’s curse?’
The poet means that the tree should not be forgotten.
ii. What does the expression ‘fain’ convey?
‘Fain’ means eager. The poet is eager to make the tree holy.
iii. What does the poet convey through the expression ‘Fear, trembling hope’?
The poet hopes that the memory of this tree will live on in her poem as the memory of trees
celebrated by Wordsworth has lived on in that poet’s work.
4. “Like a huge Python, winding round and round
The rugged trunk, intended deep with scars”
What is meant by wicked?
Find out the alliteration word?
i. What looks like a python?
The creeper looks like a python.
ii. What did the trunk have on it?
The trunk had deep scars on it.
iii. Identify the poetic device employed here?
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5. “Whereon all day are gathered bird and bee;
And oft at nights the garden overflows
With one sweet song that seems to have no close”,
i. Who gathered on the tree?
Birds and bees gathered on the tree.
ii. What happens at night?
At night the garden seems to overflow with a sweet song which has no end.
iii. Where did the creatures gather?
iv. Pick out the alliteration.
POETIC DEVICES
Read the poem once again carefully and identify the figure of speech that has been used in each of the
following lines from the poem.
a) “All the world's a stage” - Metaphor
b) “And all the men and women merely players” - Metaphor
c) “And shining morning face, creeping like snail” - Metaphor
d) “Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,” - Metaphor
e) “Seeking the bubble reputation” - Metaphor
f) “His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide” – Alliteration
g) “and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble” – Metaphor
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4. Shining like furnace .. It describes an adolescent’s sparkling skin and radiant appearance. Metaphor
5. Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,- Metaphor
6. Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel, - Alliteration
7. Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice,- Metaphor
8. With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,- Imagery
9. And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts - Assonance
10. With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;- Imagery
11. For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, - Consonance
12. Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”- Repetition
Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow.
a) “Then a whining school by with his satchel
And shining morning face creeping like snail
Unwilling to go to school”.
i. Which stage of life is being referred to here by the poet? Page 93
The second stage, the school boy is being referred to here by the poet.
ii. What are the characteristics of the stage?
In this stage the boy goes to school with his bag.
iii. How does the boy go to school?
The boy goes to school with his bag unwillingly. He moves towards the school as slowly as a snail.
iv. Which figure of speech has been employed in the second line?
Simile is employed in the second line.
b) ................... “Then a soldier
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like a pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth”................
i. What is the soldier ready to do?
The soldier is ready to quarrel. Here ‘quarrel’ means argument.
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ii. Explain ‘bubble reputation’.
‘Bubble reputation’ refers to glory that is short lived like a bubble.
iii. What are the distinguishing features of this stage?
In this stage the soldier is full of promises. He has a beard like a leopard. He tries to gain honour
and he is quick to take up any argument. Even at the risk of his life he tries to achieve reputation
which is as short lived as bubble.
c) “And then the justice
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d
With eyes sever and beard of formal cut
Full of wise saws and modern instances”;
i. Whom does justice refer to?
Justice refers to man in his fifth stage.
ii. Describe his appearance.
He has a fair belly and he has become fat from eating chicken. He has a serious look and a formal
beard.
iii. How does he behave with the people around him?
He behaves with the people around him as a learned man.
iv. What does he do to show his wisdom?
To show his wisdom he quotes many proverbs and modern instances.
Additional
Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow.
a) “All the world’s a stage,
And all men and women are merely players
They have their exits and their entrances”;
What do exits and entrances denotes?
Find out the figure of speech used here?
i. What is the world compared to?
The world is compared to a stage.
ii. According to the poet what are men and women?
According to the poet men and women are players on the stage.
iii. What are the exits and entrances?
The exits are deaths and the entrances are births.
b) “With spectacles on nose and pouch on sides;
His youthful hose, well sav’d a world too wide”
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What does pouch mean?
1. All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players:
They have exits and entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
(a) What does the poet mean by the terms ‘exits and entrances?
Ans. In this line ‘exits and entrances’ symbolise death and life respectively.
(b) What parallelism has the poet drawn between the stage and the world?
Ans. Stage is a platform in a theatre where actors perform their act. Similarly, life is a also a theatre where men
and women play their part and die.
(c) Which figure of speech has been used in the second line?
Ans. Figure of speech used in second line is ‘Simile’.
3. At first the infant Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms Then the whining schoolboy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail.
(a) How is the life of a person like an infant ?
Ans. As an infant a man is totally dependent. Crying and vomiting milk in the nurse’s arms.
(b) How does a schoolboy appear ?
Ans. A schoolboy appears to be sulking and unwillingly carrying his school bag to the school.
(c) The schoolboy is depicted as ‘shining’ and ‘whining’? Why?
Ans. Since he is a small boy, his face is shining and whining depicts his unwillingness to go to the school.
4. All the world’s a stage And all the men and women merely players;
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,
His acts being seven ages.
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Ans. The first stage of man is of childhood an infant who cries and vomits in his nurses arms. He is helpless and
depends on others for his every need. The next stage is of a school boy who carries his school bag, goes to school
unwillingly and slowly like snail. At this time his face is always scrubbed and shining. But he is not a very willing
student, he keeps whining and complaining.
Read the sets of lines from the poem and answer the questions that follow.
1) “… I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
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That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and know not me”.
i. What does Ulysses do?
Ulysses meets people and talks to them about the laws.
ii. Did he enjoy what he was doing? Give reasons.
He did not enjoy what he was doing. His main goal was to travel for adventure. He called his
people a savage race.
2) “Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
Gleams that untravell’d world, whose margin fades
For ever and for ever when I move”
i. What is experience compared to?
Experience is compared to an arch through which one can see the unknown world.
ii. How do the lines convey that the experience is endless?
When we see through the arch, the end fades away and immediately a new sight emerges. So
the experience is endless.
3) “Little remains: but every hour is saved
From that eternal silence, something more,
A bringer of new things; and vile it were”
i. How is every hour important to Ulysses?
Ulysses wants to utilise whatever time is left with him. So every hour is important to him.
ii. What does the term ‘Little remains’ convey?
The term ‘Little remains’ conveys that only little time is left with Ulysses because he is already old
4) “This is my son, mine own Telemachus,
To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle
Well-loved of me”,
i. Who does Ulysses entrust his kingdom to, in his absence?
In his absence, Ulysses entrusts his kingdom to his son Telemachus.
ii. Bring out the significance of the ‘sceptre’.
Sceptre is the decorated staff carried by kings. It is a symbol of kingly power.
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Sailors are ready to accept any situation on the way. They have positive attitude.
9) “I will drink
Life to the lees; All times have enjoyed
Greatly, have suffer’d greatly both with those”
i) How does Ulysses want to live?
He wants to live his life to the fullest.
ii) Describe the experiences of Ulysses.
Ulysses has enjoyed greatly and suffered also greatly.
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10) “For always roaming with a hungry heart
Much have I seen and known; cities men
And manners, climates, councils, governments”
i) How did Ulysses go around?
He always went around with a hungry heart. He wanted to explore new places.
ii) What did Ulysses come to know out of his vast travel?
Ulysses came to know different cities, their men, manners, climate and the types of governments.
11) “Well-loved of me, discerning to fulfil
This labour, by slow prudence to make mild
A rugged people, and thro’ soft degrees”
i) Who is well-loved of Ulysses? ii) What is the labour mentioned here?
Telemachus, his son is well-loved of Ulysses. The labour mentioned here is ruling the people
UNIT 5 A FATHER TO HIS SON
Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow.
Metaphor.
Life is like a fertile soil. We can make our life fruitful by being gentle and taking life easy.
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Yes. Being in solitude helps a strong human being to introspect and make final decisions.
ii) Identify the figure of speech in the above line. Transferred Epithet
No, it is not a shame to be a fool at times. But follies should not be repeated.
One learns some lessons from every folly and hopes not to repeat anyone of the folies.
f) “ - - - - - - - - - Free imaginations
g) Pick out the alliterated words from the poem and write.
And this might stand him for the storms - stand – storms
Without the desire to earn sufficient money, one cannot satisfy one’s basic needs for survival.
Too much money has left men dead before their burial.
The poet thinks that instead of being one among many, his son should stand different if it is natural and easy.
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ii) What condition does the poet lay for being different?
i) Why does the poet advise his son to have lazy days?
The poet advises his son to have lazy days for finding his deeper motives and inherent talents.
ii) What is the figure of speech employed in the first line? Transferred Epit.
Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow:
The phrase, ‘prone brow’ means eye brow inclined downward. It conveys anxiety and concern.
The boy felt proud to die for his country. So he contradicted Napoleon’s words by saying that he
His pride was touched to the quick when Napoleon said that he was wounded.
The concerned mother eagle sees her bruised eagle that breathes painfully. Likewise Napoleon
i. Why did Napoleon think that his plans that soared might fall to earth?
Napoleon was anxious about the result as Austrians were defending Ratisbon. So he feared that
ii. Why did the young soldier keep his lips compressed?
The young soldier kept his lips compressed to prevent the flow of blood from his mouth.
Perched him”!
SET-2
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
21. There was a little private gate
A little wicked wicket gate
(a) What is the poetic device used in the second line?
(b) Where was the private gate?
22. And the enemy half a mile away
They seemed no threat to us all
(a) Were the soldiers scared of the enemy?
(b) How far were the enemies away from the castle?
23. With our arms and provender, load on load our towering
battlements, tier on tier.
(a) What does the poet mean by ‘tier’?
(b) What were there with them?
24. Like a huge python, winding round and round
The rugged trunk, indented deep with scars
(a) What is a python?
(b) What is the figure of speech employed here?
25. ……………………………..and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the boughs among,
Whereon all day are gathered bird and bee;
(a) What attracts birds and bees?
(b) What kind of imagery is used in the second line?
26. And oft at nights the garden overflows
With one sweet song that seems to have no close
Sung darkling from our tree, while men repose.
(a) What kind of imagery is used in the first line?
(b) Comment on the poet’s love for detail.
SET-3
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
21. For what, we thought, had we to fear
With our arms and provender, load on load
(a) Why were the soldiers confident that they were safe?
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(b) Pick out the alliterated words.
22. Unknown, yet well known to the eye of faith
Ah, I have heard that wail far, far away
In distant lands, by many a sheltered bay
(a) What does the ‘wail’ denote?
(b) What is the poetic device employed here?
23. All the world’s a stage
And all the men and women merely players
(a) What is the world compared to?
(b) Which figure of speech has been used in the second line?
24. Like a huge python, winding round and round
The rugged trunk, indented deep with scars
(a) What is a python?
(b) What is the figure of speech employed here?
25. Thro’ scudding drifts the rainy Hyades Vext the dim sea: I am
become a name
(a) What is meant by Hyades?
(b) Identify the figure of speech employed here.
26. You’re wounded! ‘Nay’, his soldier’s pride
Touched to the quick he said:
(a) Why did the boy contradict Napoleon’s words?
(b) Why was his pride touched?
SET-4
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
21. “Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,
So smooth and high, no man could win”.
(a) How safe was the castle?
(b) What was the firm belief of the soldiers?
22. Unknown, yet well known to the eye of faith
Ah, I have heard that wail far, far away
In distant lands, by many a sheltered bay
(a) What does the ‘wail’ denote?
(b) What is the poetic device employed here?
23. All the world’s a stage
And all the men and women merely players
(a) What is the world compared to?
(b) Which figure of speech has been used in the second line?
24. “The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the bough among----”!
(a) Who is the giant here?
(b) Why is the scarf colourful?
25. “Yet all experience is an arch wherethro’
Gleams that untravell’d world, whose margin fades
For ever and for ever when I move”.
(a) What is experience compared to?
(b) How do the lines convey that the experience is endless?
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SET-7
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
21. Is second childishness and more oblivion
sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything
(a) Which stage of man is referred to here?
(b) Give the meaning of the word, ‘sans’.
22. Legs wide, arms locked behind
As if to balance the prone brow.
(a) Whose action is described here?
(b) What is meant by the phrase, ‘prone brow’?
23. A creeper climbs in whose embraces bound
No other tree could live.
(a) How dose the tree survive the tight hold of the creeper?
(b) Pick out the words in alliteration.
24. Tell him to the different from other people
if it comes natural and easy being different.
(a) What are the poet’s thoughts on being different?
(b) What condition does the poet lay for being different?
25. We could do nothing, being sold
(a) Why couldn’t they do anything?
(b) Why did they feel helpless?
26. Little remains : but every hour is saved
From that eternal silence, something more
A bringer of new things and vile it were
(a) How is every hour important to Ulysses?
(b) What does the term ‘Little remains’ convey?
SET-8
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8
21. The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the bough among
(a) What is the poetic device employed in the above lines?
(b) Why is the scarf colourful?
22. There was a little private gate
A little wicked wicket gate
(a) What does the wicked gate mean?
(b) Mention the figure of speech used here.
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23. A film the mother – eagle’s eye
When the bruised eaglet breathes .
(a) Who is compared to the mother eagle?
(b) Explain the compassion.
24. For his shrink – shank and his big manly voice
Turning again towards childish treble, pipes
(a) Pick out the alliterated words. (b) Explain ‘shrink - shank’.
25. That ever with a frolic welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine and opposed
(a) What do ‘thunder’ and ‘sunshine’ refer to?
(b) What do we infer about the attitude of the sailors?
26. Tell him time as a stuff can be wasted
Tell him to be a fool every so often
(a) Why does the poet suggest that time can be wasted?
(b) Write the poetic device employed in the above lines.
SET-9
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
21. How can this shameful tale be told?
I will maintain until my death.
(a) Whom does ‘I’ refer to?
(b) What is the figure of speech used in the first line?
22. What is that dirge - like murmur that I hear
Like the sea breaking on the shingle - beach
(a) What does the poet compare the murmur to?
(b) Mention the figure of speech used here.
23. All the world’s a stage
And all the men and women merely players
(a) Why does the poet compare the world to a stage?
(b) Write out the alliterated words..
24. Though scudding drifts the rainy Hyades
Vexed the dim sea : I am become a name
(a) What is ‘Hyades’?
(b) Mention the figure of speech employed in the above line.
25. The growth of a frail flower in a path up
Has sometimes shattered and split a rock
(a) What does a frail flower do?
(b) Write out the words of alliteration in the second line.
26. Legs wide arms locked behind
As if to balance the prone brow
(a) What is meant by prone brow?
(b) Write the words of alliteration.
SET-10
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
21. You know we French stormed Ratisbon
(a) By whom was Ratisbon stormed?
(b) What is the figure of speech used in the above line?
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SET-11
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
21. Oh then our maze of tunneled stone
Grew thin and treacherous as air
(a) What is meant by ‘treacherous’?
(b) What is the figure of speech used in the first line?
22. Up to its very summit near the stars
A creeper climbs, in whose embraces found
a) Who embraces whom?
b) Mention the poetic device used in the first line.
23. Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow
(a) What does ‘woeful ballad’ mean?
(b) Mention the figure of speech.
24. One equal temper of heroic hearts
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
(a) Explain the second line.
(b) Write out the words of alliteration in the first line.
25. Tell him to be alone often and get at himself
And above all tell himself no lies about himself
(a) Does the father motivate telling lies?
(b) What is the poetic device employed here?
26. Let once my army-leader Lannes
Waver at yonder wall
(a) Who is Lannes?
(b) Write the words of alliteration.
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SET-12
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
SET-13
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
21. All through the summer at ease we lay,
And daily from the turret wall
We watched the mowers in the hay.
i) Who does ‘we’ refer to?
ii) How did the soldiers spend the summer days?
22. The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the boughs among
i) Who is the giant here?
ii) Why is the scarf colourful?
23. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress eyebrow.
i) Why is the lover sighing like furnace?
ii) Why is the ballad woeful?
24. Death closes all: but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
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Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
i) The above lines convey the undying spirit of Ulysses. Explain.
ii) Pick out the words in alliteration in the above lines.
25. “Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.”
i) How should one face life?
ii) Identify the figure of speech in the above line.
26. Legs wide, arms locked behind,
As if to balance the prone brow
Oppressive with its mind.
i) Whose action is described here?
ii) What is meant by prone brow?
SET-14
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
SET-15
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
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SET-16
Read the following sets of poetic line and answer any four from it. (4×2=8)
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