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प्रश्न
Napoleon was a great source of inspiration to his army. Justify.
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उत्तर
The poem “Incident of the French Camp’ by Robert Browning’ narrates an actual incident in the war in 1809 between France and Austria, led by Napoleon. In this poem, the poet brings out the clear vision that Napoleon was a great source of inspiration to his army through many incidents. During the attack of the French army at Ratisbon, Napoleon was defending Ratisbon with determination. He was standing on a mound near the battlefield because he eagerly wanted to know the result of the war.
He had his neck out-thrust with legs wide and arms locked behind. It shows that he was standing majestically. Outwardly he did not reveal any sign of worry or tension. Undoubtedly, we came to know that Napoleon was a great inspiration to his army, when even a young soldier who was not in the army, worked for the country. A young French soldier got inspiration from Napoleon. He participates in a dangerous battle.
Even though he is mortally wounded, he rides his horse at a fast gallop back to the emperor to report that the battle has been won. As a king, Napoleon heard the news his plans soared up like fire. Suddenly, he became like a caring mother eagle, when he saw that the young soldier was severely wounded, He asked if he was wounded. We will surely admire the action and feelings of Napoleon who acts as a perfect king, caring and affectionate person, brave leader, etc. These all make others get inspiration from him. No doubt he was a great source of inspiration to his army and his people too.
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संबंधित प्रश्न
Have you ever visited a fort or a castle?
What was the ‘shameful act’?
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
A little wicked wicket gate.
Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.
Oh then our maze of tunneled stone
Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.
Our only enemy was gold,
Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.
The casuarina tree is tall and strong, with a creeper winding around it like a (1) ______. The tree stands like a (2) ______with a colourful scarf of flowers. Birds surround the garden and the sweet song of the birds is heard. The poet is delighted to see the casuarina tree through her (3) ______. She sees a grey monkey sitting like a (4) ______on top of the tree, the cows grazing, and the water lilies (5) ______in the pond. The poet feels that the tree is dear to her not for its (6) ______appearance but for the (7) ______memories of her happy childhood that it brings to her. She strongly believes that (8) ______communicates with human beings. The poet could communicate with the tree even when she was in a far-off land as she could hear the tree (9) ______her absence. The poet (10) ______the tree’s memory to her loved ones, who are not alive. She immortalizes the tree through her poem like the poet Wordsworth who (11) ______the yew tree of Borrowdale in verse. She expresses her wish that the tree should be remembered out of love and not just because it cannot be (12) ______.
| python | statue | nature | casement |
| nostalgic | lamenting | impressive | forgotten |
| giant | consecrates | springing | sanctified |
How does the creeper appear on the tree?
To whom does Toru Dutt want to consecrate the tree’s memory?
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’’
Discuss with your partner the different stages in the growth of man from a new born to an adult

What is the world compared to?
How does a man play a lover’s role?
Which stage of man’s life is associated with the ‘shrunk shank’?
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,”
Pick out the word in ‘alliteration’ in the following line.
“and all the men and women merely players”
Complete the table based on your understanding of the poem.
| Stage | Characteristic |
| crying | |
| judge | |
| soldier | |
| unhappy | |
| second childhood | |
| whining | |
| old man |
‘He works his work, I mine’ – How is the work distinguished?
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
For always roaming with a hungry heart
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
To follow knowledge like a sinking star.
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
Yet all experience is an arch wherethrough
Gleams that untravelled world, whose margin fades
For ever and for ever when I move
- What is experience compared to?
- How do the lines convey that the experience is endless?
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
……for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.
- What was Ulysses’ purpose in life?
- How long would his venture last?
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.
Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.
Repetition- It is a figure of speech.
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.
How did the young soldier face his end?
Literary Devices
Mark the rhyme scheme of the poem. The rhyme scheme for the first stanza is as follows.
| With neck out-thrust, you fancy how, | a |
| Legs wide, arms locked behind, | b |
| As if to balance the prone brow | a |
| Oppressive with its mind. | b |
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
Legs wide, arms locked behind As if to balance the prone brow Oppressive with its mind.
- Whose action is described here?
- What is meant by prone brow?
- What is his state of mind?
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
‘I’m killed, Sire!’ And, his Chief beside, Smiling, the boy fell dead.
What is the role of the young soldier in the victory of the French at Ratisbon?
