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प्रश्न
Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,
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उत्तर
- Reference: This line is from Edwin Muir’s poem “The Castle”.
- Context and Explanation: The poet says these words while flaunting the invincibility of their strong castle. They could watch the movement of enemies from the turret wall and shoot down the enemy at a distance of half a kilometer. They had a stockpile of arms. Their granary was full to sustain the people in the event of a siege. Only a bird could have got into the castle. So, the enemies did not seem to be a threat at all to the soldiers.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
What thoughts come to your mind when you think about a castle? Add your ideas to the list
moat, huge buildings, soldiers, weapons ______,______.
Have you ever visited a fort or a 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 |
Bring out the contrasting picture of the castle as depicted in stanzas 3 and 5.
Read the given line and answer the question that follow in a line or two.
All through the summer at ease we lay,
And daily from the turret wall
We watched the mowers in the hay
- Who does ‘we’ refer to?
- How did the soldiers spend the summer days?
- What could they watch from the turret wall?
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.
- What was challenging?
- Which aspect of the castle’s strength is conveyed by the above line?
Our captain was brave and we were true
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
A little wicked wicket gate.
Why is the casuarina tree dear to poet’s heart?
To whom does Toru Dutt want to consecrate the tree’s memory?
Why is the last stage called second childhood?
Complete the table based on your understanding of the poem.
| Stage | Characteristic |
| crying | |
| judge | |
| soldier | |
| unhappy | |
| second childhood | |
| whining | |
| old man |
Who does the speaker address in the second part?
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
Thro’ scudding drifts the rainy Hyades Vext the dim sea...
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
For always roaming with a hungry heart
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.
He works his work, I mine.
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
The long day wanes: the slow moon climbs:
the deep Moans round with many voices.
List the roles and responsibilities Ulysses assigns to his son Telemachus, while he is away.
What are the poet’s thoughts on ‘being different’?
Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.
Repetition- It is a figure of speech.
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.
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
and guide him among sudden betrayals
and tighten him for slack moments.
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
Brutes have been gentled where lashes failed.
Where did the rider plant the French flag after Ratisbon was captured?
