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Question
What is the creeper compared to?
Solution
The creeper is compared to a lady love.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Have you ever visited a fort or a castle?
Who had let the enemies in?
How did the enemies enter the castle?
What was the ‘shameful act’?
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 |
They seemed no threat to us at all.
Read the poem and complete the table with suitable rhyming words.
All through that summer at ease we lay,
And daily from the turret wall
We watched the mowers in the hay
And the enemy half a mile away
They seemed no threat to us at all.
For what, we thought, had we to fear
With our arms and provender, load on load,
Our towering battlements, tier on tier,
And friendly allies drawing near
On every leafy summer road.
Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,
So smooth and high, no man could win
A foothold there, no clever trick
Could take us dead or quick,
Only a bird could have got in.
What could they offer us for bait?
Our captain was brave and we were true…
There was a little private gate,
A little wicked wicket gate.
The wizened warder let them through.
Oh then our maze of tunneled stone
Grew thin and treacherous as air.
The cause was lost without a groan,
The famous citadel overthrown,
And all its secret galleries bare.
How can this shameful tale be told?
I will maintain until my death
We could do nothing, being sold:
Our only enemy was gold,
And we had no arms to fight it with.
lay | hay |
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
A little wicked wicket gate.
Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.
Our only enemy was gold,
You visit your school after several years. As you cross the banyan tree at the entrance, cheerful memories fi ll your mind. Fill the bubbles with your memories.
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
Dear is the Casuarina to my soul;
How does a man play a lover’s role?
Bring out the features of the fourth stage of a man as described by the poet.
Explain the following line briefly with reference to the context.
“They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,”
Explain the following line briefly with reference to the context.
“Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”
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;
- Whom does justice refer to?
- Describe his appearance.
- How does he behave with the people around him?
- What does he do to show his wisdom?
Introduction
The poem ‘Ulysses’ is a dramatic monologue that contains 70 lines of blank verse. Ulysses, the King of Ithaca, gathers his men together to prepare for the journey and exhorts them not to waste their time left on earth. Ulysses has grown old, having experienced many adventures at the battle of Troy and in the seas. After returning to Ithaca, he desires to embark upon his next voyage. His inquisitive spirit is always looking forward to more and more of such adventures.
Complete the summary of the poem, choosing words from the list given below. Lines 44 to 70
Ulysses beckons his sailors to (1) ______at the port where the ship is ready to sail. His companions who have faced both (2) ______and sunshine with a smile, are united by their undying spirit of adventure. Though death would end everything, Ulysses urges his companions to join him and sail beyond the sunset and seek a newer (3) ______, regardless of consequences. These brave hearts who had once moved (4) ______ and earth, may have grown old and weak physically but their spirit is young and (5) ______. His call is an inspiration for all those who seek true knowledge and strive to lead (6) ______ lives.
world, thunder, meaningful, gather, undaunted, heaven |
Pick out the lines which convey that his quest for travel is unending.
Why did Ulysses want to hand over the kingdom to his son?
What could be the possible outcomes of their travel?
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
Death closes all: but something ere the end,
Some work of noble note, may yet be done,
Not unbecoming men that strove with Gods.
- The above lines convey the undying spirit of Ulysses. Explain.
- Pick out the words in alliteration in the above lines.
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.
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
List the roles and responsibilities Ulysses assigns to his son Telemachus, while he is away.
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
Tell him solitude is creative if he is strong and the final decisions are made in silent rooms.
- Can being in solitude help a strong human being? How?
- Identify the figure of speech in the above line.
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.
What did the rider do when he reached Napoleon?
Why did the rider keep his lips compressed?