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प्रश्न
What is Ulysses’ clarion call to his sailors? How does he inspire them?
उत्तर
In the third part of the poem, Ulysses makes a clarion call to his hearty compatriots (i.e.) mariners. They have been with him both during ‘thick and thin’ or thunders or sunshine. Similar to Ulysses they possess “free hearts and free foreheads” (i.e.) their hearts and brains are unburdened by domestic cares and responsibilities. They had frolicsome time fighting along with Ulysses against great warriors and Gods in the past. Ulysses does not want to live in the memory of glory. He believes they need not waste away their precious time in nostalgic memories just recounting their escapades to the younger generation. They can really do ‘ something of noble note’ before the end. He is conscious of the impending death in old age. But he tells it is not “too late to seek a newer world”.
The many “voices of the ocean” call out to the mariners to resume the voyage. Ulysses is not content with having earned a name for himself. He has seen many countries and acquired knowledge of various cultures. Those experiences are not to be taken as accomplishments. They are just an ‘arch leading them to an “untravelled world” and constantly sailing to the ever-expanding horizon. He does not want his compatriots to miss even an hour which could provide them novel experiences in their voyage. He persuades his compatriots to gather at the port as the sails are already puffing up welcoming them all. Their life would be one of fulfillment only when they venture out into the unknown on the seas. He uses emotional bait to his mariners. He highlights the probable outcome of their voyage. They might reach the “Happy Isles” (i.e.) great paradise and meet Achilles, their war hero. No matter how much strength they have, they still have some “strength of will” left to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
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संबंधित प्रश्न
Have you ever visited a fort or a castle?
Why does the narrator say that the enemy was no threat at all?
Read the poem again and complete the summary using the words given in box.
Stanzas 1–3
‘The Castle’ by Edwin Muir is a moving poem on the (1)______ of a well guarded (2)______ The soldiers of the castle were totally stress-free and relaxed. They were (3)______ of their castle’s physical strength. Through the turrets they were able to watch the mowers and no enemy was found up to the distance of (4)______ and so they seemed no threat to the castle. They had (5)______ of weapons to protect them and a large quantity of (6)______ in stock to take care of the well-being of the soldiers inside the castle. The soldiers stood one above the other on the towering battlements (7)______ to shoot the enemy at sight. They believed that the castle was absolutely safe because their captain was (8)______ and the soldiers were loyal.
| half-a-mile | watching |
| castle | brave |
| ration | capture |
| plenty | confident |
Stanzas 4–6
Even by a trick no one but the birds could enter. The enemy could not use a (9)______ for their entry inside the castle. But there was a wicket gate guarded by a (10) ______ He (11)______ in the enemies inside the famous citadel that had been known for its secret gallery and intricate path. The strong castle became(12)______ and thin because of the greedy disloyal warder. The (13)______ was captured by the enemies for (14)______ The narrator (15)______ over the (16)______ of the useless warder and also decided not to disclose this (17)______ story to anyone. He was (18)______ and wondered how he would keep this truth to himself. He regretted not finding any (19)______ to fight with the (20)______ called ‘gold’.
| lamented | shameful |
| wicked guard | bait |
| let | gold |
| weapon | citadel |
| weak | disloyalty |
| helpless | enemy |
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
With our arms and provender, load on load.
Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.
A little wicked wicket gate.
Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.
Grew thin and treacherous as air.
Does nature communicate with human beings?
“And they have their exits and their entrances” - What do the words ‘exits’ and ‘entrances’ mean?
Describe the second stage of life as depicted by Shakespeare.
How does a man play a lover’s role?
Which stage of man’s life is associated with the ‘shrunk shank’?
Pick out the word in ‘alliteration’ in the following line.
“and all the men and women merely players”
Shakespeare has skilfully brought out the parallels between the life of man and actors on stage. Elaborate this statement with reference to the poem.
Complete the summary of the poem, choosing words from the list given below. Lines 33 to 42
Ulysses desires to hand over his (1) ______to his son Telemachus, who would fulfil his duties towards his subjects with care and (2) ______. Telemachus possesses patience and has the will to civilise the citizens of Ithaca in a (3) ______way. Ulysses is happy that his son would do his work blamelessly and he would pursue his (4) ______for travel and knowledge.
| prudence, kingdom, quest, tender |
Pick out the lines which convey that his quest for travel is unending.
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
There lies the port the vessel puffs her sail
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
… I mete and dole
Unequal laws unto a savage race,
That hoard, and sleep, and feed, and
know not me.
- What does Ulysses do?
- Did he enjoy what he was doing? Give reasons.
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
That ever with a frolic welcome took
The thunder and the sunshine, and opposed
- What do ‘thunder’ and ‘sunshine’ refer to?
- What do we infer about the attitude of the sailors?
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
- Though made weak by time and fate, the hearts are heroic. Explain.
- Pick out the words in alliteration in the above lines.
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
How dull it is to pause, to make an end,
To rust unburnished, not to shine in use!
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
To follow knowledge like a sinking star,
Beyond the utmost bound of human thought.
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs:
the deep Moans round with many voices.
What happened to the people who wanted too much money?
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
“Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.”
- How should one face life?
- Identify the figure of speech in the above line.
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
“Life is a soft loam; be gentle; go easy.” And this too might serve him.
- Why does the poet suggest to take life easy?
- Identify the figure of speech in the above line.
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
..........Free imaginations
Bringing changes into a world resenting change.
- How does free imagination help the world?
- Identify the figure of speech.
Pick out the alliterated words from the poem and write.
And this might stand him for the storms
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
and guide him among sudden betrayals
and tighten him for slack moments.
Explain how the poet guides his son who is at the threshold of manhood, to face the challenges of life.
