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प्रश्न
Which line is repeated in the poem? What is the effect created by this repetition?
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उत्तर
The line, “We are proud and feel so tall” is repeated often in the poem. This establishes beyond a doubt the poet’s pride in the dignity of labor and pride of hard work experienced by ordinary folks in life.
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संबंधित प्रश्न
Guess what friendly words these two gentlemen exchange when shaking hands.

Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
‘But now they only laugh with their teeth, While their ice-block-cold eyes…’
- Who are ‘they’?
- Explain: ice-block-cold eyes
- Identify the figure of speech used here.
Explain the following lines with reference to the context.
I want to be what I used to be.
Explain the following with reference to the context in about 50–60 word each.
I am just glad as glad can be That I am not them, that they are not me…
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
They do not ever in their dealings…
Why do accidents usually happen in the playground? Give your own examples and explain
Explain the following line with reference to the context in about four to five sentence each.
Have I not reason to lament
What Man has made of Man?
Read the following line and identify the figure of speech used in each extract.
And ‘tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes.
How does the poet feel while enjoying the beauty of Nature?
The poem is set in a ______.
The poem speaks of ______.
A French proverb goes thus: ‘The dog may be wonderful prose, but only the cat is poetry.’ You may have observed that all animals possess a number of unique qualities. Fill in the columns with words and phrases associated with each of the following animals.
| DOG | CAT | WOLF | ELEPHANT |
Which law does Macavity break?
What is Macavity expected to be doing after committing a crime?
Which two characters does the poet refer to as examples of wicked cats?
Read the poem once again and complete the summary using the words given in the box.
‘Macavity – The Mystery Cat’ is a humorous poem, where the poet T.S. Eliot describes the mysterious (a) _______of a shrewd vile cat. He commits a crime at every possible opportunity. He is an elusive master (b)______who leaves no evidence after he commits a crime. Even the Scotland Yard, the London (c) ______ agency is unable to arrest him. The Flying Squad is (d) ______ because every time they rush to the crime spot to seize Macavity, he is not there. He breaks the human law as well as the law of (e) ______. He baffles even a (f) ______ with his powers of levitation. Macavity appears tall and thin with (g)______ eyes. He is always preoccupied with some serious (h) ______. His coat is dusty and his (i)______are unkempt. Macavity is a (j) ______in the guise of a cat. He appears to be outwardly (k) ______ but his actions disprove it. Macavity loots the (l)______, ransacks the jewel-case, and breaks the (m)______glass but wonder of wonders he is not to be found anywhere there. He is always a mile away from the scene of crime, happily relaxing or doing difficult (n) ______ sums. He is clever at making up an (o) ______every time he plots a crime. All the notorious cats are nothing but the (p) ______Macavity, the Napoleon of Crime.
| larder | whiskers |
| respectable | criminal |
| devil | thought |
| sunken | division |
| agents | detective |
| alibi | desperate |
| fakir | qualities |
| gravity | greenhouse |
What are the mysterious ways in which Macavity acts?
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
He always has an alibi, and one or two to spare
Read the given line and answer the question that follow.
We are proud of the position we hold; humble as we are
- What is the speaker proud of?
- How is the speaker both humble and proud?
- Pick out the alliteration in these lines.
Read the given line and answer the question that follow.
Honour is a property, common to all: In dignity and pride no one need to be poor.
- Who are considered rich?
- What is their asset?
Discuss the following topics in groups of five and choose a representative to sum up the views and share them with the class.
To succeed in life, one must have a single-minded devotion to duty.
The historical background:
The poem is an extract from William Shakespeare’s play King Richard the Second. The play is based on true events that occurred towards the end of the 14th century.
Richard II was crowned the King of England in the year 1367. He continued to be the British Monarch until 1399, when he was deposed by his cousin, Henry of Bolingbroke, who crowned himself King Henry the Fourth in the same year. Shakespeare’s play is a dramatic rendition of the last two years of King Richard II’s life. In this brief span of time, he was ousted from his royal position and sent to prison, where he died in captivity.
The following extract is set in the Coast of Wales. King Richard and some of his followers awaited the arrival of the Welsh army [after facing defeat at the hands of his cousin, Bolingbroke], of about 10000 warriors. But to their shock and surprise, they received the message that the army was not coming to their rescue. His followers tried to boost their King’s courage against the news, only in vain. When Richard came face to face with the reality of his terrible fate, he spoke the following verse, famously known as the “Hollow Crown” speech in theatrical circles. In it, King Richard is reminded of the power of Death that overshadows everything else, including the power of rulers, and renders them as powerless as any commoner at a moment’s notice.
What do the three words, ‘graves, worms and epitaphs’, refer to?
Who is Bolingbroke? Is he a friend or foe?
What are the various functions and objects given up by a defeated king?
Explain the following line with reference to the context in about 5 to 8 line:
All murdered – for within the hollow crown
That rounds the mortal temples of a king Keeps Death his court, …”
Working with your partner, discuss the following adages and share your views with the class. You may need to give your ideas and justify your point of view. Remember to take turns while making your presentation/short speech.
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown
Read the poem once again carefully and identify the figure of speech that has been used in each of the following line from the poem:
“How can you say to me, I am a king?”
Pick out the alliteration from the following lines:
“Comes at the last, and with a little pin…”
