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प्रश्न
What is the role of the young soldier in the victory of the French at Ratisbon?
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उत्तर
In “Incident of the French camp” the speaker describes a boy serving in the army of Napoleon as the army attempts to capture a city known as Ratisbon. As Napoleon stands “On a little mound”, he waits anxiously to know the outcome of the battle. Then a badly wounded young boy rides towards the emperor, jumps down from his horse, reveals that the French have taken the city, and then falls dead at Napoleon’s feet. The boy’s action can be regarded as heroic for a number of reasons.
He serves in the army, even though he is only a boy. 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. Even though his wounds are horrible, he behaves with great physical energy.
He calls no attention to his wounds and asks for no help. He raised the French flag in the conquered city. He takes pride in the fact that his wounds are mortal and he dies smiling. Apparently, he feels that he has served his emperor and nation and so he expresses no regrets about his death and he died heroically with a smiling face.
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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 ______,______.
Why were the secret galleries bare?
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 |
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
With our arms and provender, load on load.
Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.
Grew thin and treacherous as air.
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 |
What is the world compared to?
What has Ulysses gained from his travel experiences?
How would Telemachus transform the subjects?
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
And drunk delight of battle with my peers;
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.
Little remains: but every hour is saved
From that eternal silence, something more,
A bringer of new things; and vile it were
- How is every hour important to Ulysses?
- What does the term ‘Little remains’ convey?
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
This is my son, mine own Telemachus,
To whom I leave the sceptre and the isle Well-loved of me,
- Who does Ulysses entrust his kingdom to, in his absence?
- Bring out the significance of the ‘sceptre’.
How would the poet’s advice help his son who is at the threshold of the manhood?
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 hard; be steel; be a rock.”
- How should one face life?
- Identify the figure of speech in the above line.
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.
Yet learning something out of every folly
hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
He will be lonely enough
to have time for the work
Where was Napoleon standing on the day of attack on the city of Ratisbon?
What does the phrase ‘full galloping’ suggest?
Why was the rider in a hurry?
When did the narrator find that the boy was badly wounded?
Why did Napoleon’s eyes become soft as a mother eagle’s eyes?
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
‘You’re wounded!’ ‘Nay’, his soldier’s pride Touched to the quick, he said:
- Why did the boy contradict Napoleon’s words?
- Why was his pride touched?
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
Then off there flung in smiling joy, And held himself erect
