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प्रश्न
Based on your reading of King Richard’s speech, answer the following questions in about 100 - 150 words each. You may add your own ideas if required to present and justify your point of view.
Who does the future generations remember easily - the victor or the vanquished? Give reasons. Also, cite relevant references from King Richard’s speech.
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उत्तर
Unusually future generations remember victors. But there are rare instances of just rulers falling due to the conspiracy and greed of an aggressor. On such occasions, future generations remember the vanquished. A Shiva devotee king was very generous. His enemies entered his kingdom under the guise of Shiva devotees in saffron clothes and slew the king and captured his kingdom. Alexander, King Richard was a just ruler. He was loved by his subjects and loyal nobles. He was defeated by his rebellious cousin simply because he wanted to be a king. When Richard was thinking about the welfare of his subjects, Bolingbroke was secretly raising an army to dethrone him.
People who are mad after power resort to unjust means. So, British subjects respected and loved the vanquished but were helpless and defeated Porus who had fought so valiantly and wanted to be treated with respect befitting a king. Alexander himself respected him and returned his kingdom and sealed a lifetime friendship with him. From King Richard’s speech one understands that he was good at heart but in the strategy of war, he was not good. Like a crooked end of a straight walking stick, a ruler has to have some secret deals with neighboring countries to be protected during a crisis. Bolingbroke turned out to be a more assertive and Shrewd king. But people would remember a just and noble person more even if defeated.
“Nobility of spirit has more to do with Simplicity than Ostentation, Wisdom than Wealth, Commitment rather than Ambition.
APPEARS IN
संबंधित प्रश्न
What do you associate with the title of the poem?
What happens to the poet when he visits someone for the third time?
What pleasantries does the poet use to fake cordiality?
What does the poet long for?
The poet does not wish to exchange position with the runners. Why?
According to the poet, what contributes most to the injuries sustained by the athletes?
Everybody is special and everybody is a hero. Each one has a story to tell. In the light of this observation, present your views.
Would you like to exchange your place with someone else? Why/why not?
What sort of encouragement should an athlete in India be given? Give a few suggestions.
Do you go for leisurely walks? If you are a city-dweller, what or who would you expect to see on your way?
Complete the summary of the poem by filling in the blanks with the words given below.
The poet, in a relaxed state of mind, is sitting in a (1) ______. He reflects on how his mood brings (2) ______thoughts, which are inevitably followed by (3)______ones. He feels connected to all of nature, and senses an inherent joy in all (4)______. He has faith in the fact that all the primroses and periwinkles around him (5)______ the air they breathe. He feels that every bird in the grove moves with (6)______. As the twigs catch the breezy air, they do so with the same pleasure (7)______ all life on earth. This joy of nature seems to be heaven-sent. Nature’s holy plan is to offer joy and peace to all forms of life on earth. The poet’s pleasant train of thought slowly leads to the sad reflection of how mankind alone has wrought sorrow and (8)______ upon itself. He firmly believes that man is meant to spend his days blissfully taking part in the vitality and joy surrounding him in (9)______. He therefore concludes rhetorically, emphasizing that he has good reason to (10)______ the distress, man unnecessarily brings upon himself.
| creations | abundance | savour |
| pleasant | suffering | grove |
| lament | pervading | sorrowful |
| ecstasy |
Read the lines given below and answer the question that follow.
And ‘tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes…
- What is the poet’s faith?
- What trait of Nature do we see here?
Read the lines given below and answer the question that follow.
If this belief from heaven be sent,
If such be Nature’s holy plan.
- What does ‘heaven’ refer to?
- Why does the poet call it ‘holy’?
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.
Read the following line and identify the figure of speech used in each extract.
What Man has made of Man?
Does Nature affect a person’s thoughts and feelings? Explain.
How do people bring grief and sorrow to one another?
The poem is set in a ______.
People admire some of these animal qualities. What are they? Have you noticed some of them in yourself or in others? Share your views with the class.
Read the given lines and answer the question that follow.
And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard’s.
- What seems to be a challenge for the Scotland Yard?
- Why do they need his footprints?
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard’s
Give four instances where the poet has used alliteration in the poem.
What does ‘hillock’ refer to in the line ‘Every hillock has a summit to boast!’?
Why does the speaker say ‘Everest is not the only peak’?
Creative Activity
- Write eight words you associate with success.
- Use the words to write eight lines that mean success to you or how success makes you feel.
- Arrange your lines into a poem.
- Share your poem with the class and post a copy on the notice board.
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 does the crown of rulers stand for?
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:
“Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king!”
Pick out the alliteration from the following lines:
“Comes at the last, and with a little pin…”
Based on your reading of King Richard’s speech, answer the following questions in about 100 - 150 words each. You may add your own ideas if required to present and justify your point of view.
Death has been cited in many ways in this monologue. Identify the poetic devices used in those references.
