English
Tamil Nadu Board of Secondary EducationHSC Science Class 12

‘Ulysses is not happy to perform his duties as a king.’ Why? - English

Advertisements
Advertisements

Question

‘Ulysses is not happy to perform his duties as a king.’ Why?

Short Note

Solution

Ulysses is not happy to perform the ordinary duties of a king mainly because his heart is in voyages beyond the horizon. He is bored with the task of enforcing law and order and giving reward and punishment to a savage race.

shaalaa.com
Poem (Class 12th)
  Is there an error in this question or solution?
Chapter 4.2: Ulysses - Exercise [Page 131]

APPEARS IN

Samacheer Kalvi English Class 12 TN Board
Chapter 4.2 Ulysses
Exercise | Q 2. a) | Page 131

RELATED QUESTIONS

Who had let the enemies in?


How did the enemies enter the castle?


Read the given line and answer the question that follow in a line or two.

A foothold there, no clever trick

Could take us dead or quick,

Only a bird could have got in.

  1. What was challenging?
  2. Which aspect of the castle’s strength is conveyed by the above line?

Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,


Our captain was brave and we were true


I will maintain until my death


Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.

Our only enemy was gold,


What is the creeper compared to?


Describe the garden during the night.


Why is the casuarina tree dear to poet’s heart?


Does nature communicate with human beings?


Identify the figure of speech used in each of the extract given below and write down the answer in the space given below. 

“A gray baboon sits statue-like alone’’


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.

“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. At first the infant,

Mewling and puking in the nurse’s arms;
Then the whining school-boy, with his satchel
And shining morning face, creeping like snail
Unwillingly to school. And then the lover,
Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad
Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier,
Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,

Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon’s mouth. And then the justice,
In fair round belly with good capon lin’d,
With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,
Full of wise saws and modern instances;
And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts
Into the lean and slipper’d pantaloon,

With spectacles on nose and pouch on side;
His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide
For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice,
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes
And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all,
That ends this strange eventful history,
Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

  1. “All the world's a stage”
  2. “And all the men and women merely players”
  3. “And shining morning face, creeping like snail”
  4. “Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,”
  5. “Seeking the bubble reputation”
  6. “His youthful hose, well sav’d, a world too wide”
  7. “and his big manly voice, turning again toward childish treble”

Read the given line and answer the question that follow.

And then the justice,

In fair round belly with good capon lin'd,

With eyes severe and beard of formal cut,

Full of wise saws and modern instances;

  1. Whom does justice refer to?
  2. Describe his appearance.
  3. How does he behave with the people around him?
  4. What does he do to show his wisdom?

Why did Ulysses want to hand over the kingdom to his son?


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.

  1. Though made weak by time and fate, the hearts are heroic. Explain.
  2. Pick out the words in alliteration in the above lines.

Explain with reference to the context the following line.

I am become a name; For always roaming with a hungry heart


Explain with reference to the context the following line.

....you and I are old;

Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;


Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.

Lines 1-25

The poet Carl Sandburg gives a vivid description of a father’s worldly (1)______ in directing a son who is at the threshold of his (2) ______.

Here the father motivates his son to be like a hard(3) ______and withstand life’s (4)______ and sudden betrayals. (5)______is like a fertile soil. We can make our life fruitful if we are gentle, and take life as it comes. At times(6)______ overtakes harshness. The growth of a (7)______can split a rock. One should have a (8) ______and strong will to achieve. Greed for(9)______has left men dead before they really die. Good men also have fallen prey in quest for (10) ______money. Time for (11)______is not a waste. When you seek knowledge never feel ashamed to be called a(12)______for not knowing, at the same time learn from your (13) ______and never (14)______it.

deep desire manhood gentleness mistakes easy
leisure fool life money repeat
tender-flower rock challenges wisdom  

Lines 26-44

Do (15)______often, and do not hesitate to accept your shortcomings, avoid(16) ______to protect self against other people. Solitude helps to be (17)______and(18) ______ are taken in silent rooms. Instead of being one among many, be (19)______, if that is your nature. The son may need lazy days to find his (20)______abilities, to seek what he is born for. He will then know how free imaginations bring (21)______to the world, which (22)______ change. During such resentment, let him know that it is time for him to be on his own, and (23)______to achieve like Shakespeare, the Wright brothers, Pasteur, Pavlov, and Michael Faraday.

changes introspect inherent work resents
white lies creative final decisions different  

‘A tough will counts.’ Explain.


What has twisted good men into thwarted worms?


How would his being alone help the boy?


Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.

Antithesis- It is a literary device that emphasises the idea of contrast.


Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.

Tell him to be a fool ever so often

and to have no shame over having been a fool

yet learning something out of every folly

hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies

  1. Is it a shame to be a fool at times?
  2. What does one learn from every folly?

How according to the poet is it possible for his son to bring changes into a world that resents change?


Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.

The poet Robert Browning narrates an incident at the French Camp in the war of 1809 between France and Austria, in a (a)______version. He describes the brave action of a (b)______soldier, whose heroic devotion to duty and his (c) ______ in it is inspiring and worthy of (d) ______. During the attack of the French army on Ratisbon, Napoleon was anxious about the (e) ______. Austrians were defending Ratisbon with great (f) ______and courage. Napoleon was watching the war standing on a (g) ______near the battlefield.

All of a sudden a rider appeared from the closed smoke and dust. Riding at great speed, jumping and leaping, he approached the mound where Napoleon stood. As he came closer, the narrator noticed that the rider, a young boy, was severely wounded. But the rider showed no sign of pain and smiling in joy, jumped off the horse and gave the happy news of (h) ______to the emperor.

He exclaimed with pride that the French had (i) ______Ratisbon and he himself had hoisted the flag of France. When Napoleon heard the news, his plans (j) ______up like fire. His eyes (k) ______when he saw that the soldier was severely wounded. Like a caring mother eagle, the emperor asked if he was wounded. The (l) ______soldier replied proudly that he was killed and died heroically.

determination result dramatic
pride admiration softened
wounded mound victory
conquered soared valiant

Describe the posture of Napoleon.


Explain the following line with reference to the context.

‘I’m killed, Sire!’ And, his Chief beside, Smiling, the boy fell dead.


Explain the following line with reference to the context.

To see your flag-bird flap his vans Where I, to heart’s desire, Perched him!’


Share
Notifications

Englishहिंदीमराठी


      Forgot password?
Use app×