Question

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

The trees are in their autumn beauty, The woodland paths are dry Under the October twilight the water Mirrors a still sky; Upon the brimming water among the stones Are nine-and-fifty swans. The nineteenth autumn has come upon me Since I first made my count; I saw, before I had well finished All suddenly mount And scatter wheeling in great broken rings Upon their clamorous wings.

1. In which season is the poem set?
2. What is the significance of the number "59" in the context of the poem?
3. What does the phrase "the trees" in the second stanza represent symbolically?
4. What is the state of the sky in the poem?
5. For how many years has the poet been counting swans?
6. Which word serves as an antonym of clamorous’?
   1. vociferous
   2. raucous
   3. boisterous
   4. tranquil

Answer 1

1. The poem is set in the autumn season, as indicated by the falling leaves and the time of year when the swans gather at Coole Park.
2. "The trees" symbolize the changing seasons and the passage of time, as indicated by the leaves falling from them, which serves as a contrast to the swans' apparent timelessness.
3. The swans might symbolize beauty, grace, and the constancy of nature amidst the changing seasons. They could also represent a sense of longing or nostalgia, as the speaker reflects on the passage of time.
4. At the beginning of the passage, the speaker perceives the swans as part of a serene and beautiful autumn scene. By the end of the passage, the speaker’s perception shifts as the swans suddenly take flight, creating a sense of dynamic movement and perhaps a realization of the fleeting nature of their beauty.
5. The swans are initially described as being on the "brimming water among the stones," suggesting a calm and tranquil scene. Then, the speaker observes the swans suddenly mounting and scattering in "great broken rings upon their clamorous wings," indicating a sudden, loud, and energetic movement.
6. tranquil