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महाराष्ट्र राज्य शिक्षण मंडळएस.एस.सी (इंग्रजी माध्यम) इयत्ता १० वी

Read the following poem and write an appreciation of it with the help of the given points in a paragraph format: The Pulley When God at first made Man, Having a glass of blessings standing by; - English

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प्रश्न

Read the following poem and write an appreciation of it with the help of the given points in a paragraph format:

The Pulley

When God at first made Man,
Having a glass of blessings standing by;
Let us (said He) "pour on him all we can":
Let the world's riches, which dispersed lie,
Contract into a span.

So strength first made a way;
Then beauty flow'd, then wisdom, honour, pleasure:
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all His treasures
Rest in the bottom lay.

For if I should (said He)
Bestow this jewel also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts instead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature.
So both should losers be.

Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlessness:
Let him be rich and weary, that at last,
If goodness lead him not, yet weariness
May toss him to my breast.

  • The title of the poem       (1)
  • The poet                          (1)
  • Central idea/theme          (2)
  • Rhyme scheme                (1)
  • Figure of speech              (1)
  • Special features               (2)
  • Favourite line/lines         (1)
  • Why I like/don’t like the poem    (1)

Read the 'The Pulley' poem and write an appreciation of it with the help of the given points in paragraph format.

You can use the following points while appreciating the given poem.

  • Title and Poet
  • Rhyme Scheme
  • Figure of Speech
  • Theme/Central Idea (At Least 2 to 3 lines)
आकलन
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उत्तर १

The title of the poem is ‘The pulley’. The poet is George Herbert. The central idea of the poem is the reason for man's continual restlessness all his life. According to the poet, this is because God with held the quality of rest from man, so that man's thoughts would ultimately turn towards God, his creator. Each verse of the poem has five lines. The rhyme scheme of each verse is a-b-a-b-a. The chief figure of speech used in the poem is Metaphor. The 'glass of blessings' signifies the sum of all human qualities bestowed on man. The quality of 'rest' or 'Contentment' is implicitly compared to a ‘jewel’. This is a poem with a message. And the message is that however, rich we may be or whatever the abundance of qualities we may have, we must always turn our thoughts to God and thank him for the many blessings he has bestowed on us. My favourite line in this poem is 'Let him be rich and weary, This brings out the paradox of man's nature so well. Even the richest man in the world finally gets tired and experiences discontentment. This is what God intended for man. I like this poem very much because it teaches me not to be self-satisfied and contented but to always remember and thank God for all the blessings he has bestowed on me.

shaalaa.com

उत्तर २

Appreciation of the Poem ‘The Pulley’

The title of the poem is ‘The Pulley’, and it is written by George Herbert.

The central idea of the poem revolves around God’s creation of mankind. The poet describes how God granted humans various blessings such as strength, beauty, wisdom, and honor. However, He deliberately withheld “Rest” to ensure that humans do not become self-sufficient and forget God. The idea is that human beings, despite having everything, will always feel restless and ultimately turn to God for peace and fulfillment.

The poem follows the ABABA rhyme scheme, which gives it a smooth and rhythmic flow.

One of the significant figures of speech in the poem is Metaphor, where "The Pulley" symbolizes the way God draws humans toward Him through restlessness and weariness. Another important figure of speech is Personification, as God is given human-like qualities, such as speaking and making decisions.

The special features of the poem include its metaphysical nature, where deep philosophical and religious ideas are expressed through simple yet powerful imagery. The poem uses a conversational tone where God is depicted as directly speaking about His creation. It also conveys a moral lesson that true happiness and peace can only be found in devotion to God.

My favorite lines from the poem are:
“Yet let him keep the rest, / But keep them with repining restlessness.”
These lines emphasize that even with wealth and worldly pleasures, humans will always feel restless and seek God’s comfort.

I like this poem because it presents a thought-provoking idea about human nature and our connection with God. The metaphor of the pulley beautifully conveys how God ensures that humans always seek Him despite having all worldly possessions. The poem’s message is both philosophical and spiritual, making it deeply meaningful.

shaalaa.com
Unseen Poem Comprehension
  या प्रश्नात किंवा उत्तरात काही त्रुटी आहे का?
2018-2019 (March) Set 1

संबंधित प्रश्‍न

Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow:

All lovely tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink.
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) What is the thing of beauty mentioned in these lines?
(c) What image does the poet use in these lines?


Read the following extract a.nd answer the questions given below:
And we with our small vanities,
our controlled hunger for climbing
and getting as far as everybody else has gotten 
because it seems that is the way of the world:
an endless track of champions
and in a corner we, forgotten
maybe because of everybody else,
since they seemed too much like us
until they were robbed of their laurels,
their medals, their titles, their names.

(1) What is the way of the world?

(2) Do you think the middle-class people are satisfied with 
their lives? Explain.

(3) Name and explain the figure· of speech in the following lines:  ''Since they seemed so much like us.''
(4) Pick out the expressions from the extract showing the failure of man.


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below: 
I ran into a stranger as he passed by
"Oh, excuse me please'' was my reply.
He said, ''Please excuse me too; wasn't even watching ·for you.''
We were very polite, this stranger and I.
We went on our way and we said good-bye.
But at home, a different story is told,
How we treat our loved ones, young and old.
Later that day, cooking the evening meal,
My daughter stood beside me very still.
When I turned, I nearly knocked her down.
''Move out of the way," I said with a frown.
She walked away, her little heartbroken.
I didn't realize how harshly I'd spoken.

(1) How does the poetess greet the stranger?

(2) Describe an incident when your mother was harsh at you.

(3) Write down the rhyme scheme of the first stanza.

(4) Pick out the line from the extract which shows the mother's anger.


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:

If you crave not for praise when you win   
And look not for sympathy while you lose 
If cheers let not your head toss or spin
And after a set-back you ofter no excuse.
You may be the person I am looking for.

If you accept counsel without getting sore
And re-assess yourself in the light thereof
If you pledge. not to be obstinate any more
And meet others without any frown or scoff.
You may be the person I am looking for.

(1) How should you behave when you are a winner and a loser?

(2) Do you agree with the poet's view about an ideal person? Justify your answer.

(3) Pick out an example of Antithesis from the extract.

(4) Pick out the words from the extract showing our stubbornness and expression of displeasure.


(B) Read the following extract and answer the questions given below: (4)
Is it the sword? Ask the red dust.

Of empires passed away;

The blood had turned their stones to rust,

Their glory to decay.

And is it pride? Ah, that bright crown

Has seemed to nations sweet;

But God has struck its luster down

In ashes at his feet.
Questions: 
1) What is the ultimate result of pride?          (1)
2)Do you think war victories really turn ‘glory to decay’ Why? (1) 
3) Pick out the rhyming pairs of words in the second stanza. (1) 
4) What message does the above extract convey? (1) 
 

Read the following extract and answer the questions given  below:

While I lay awake in bed,
God's still small voice came to me and said,
"While dealing with a stranger, common courtesy you use,
But the children you love, you seem to abuse.
Look on the kitchen floor,
You'll find some flowers there by the door.
Those are the flowers she brought for you.
She picked them herself, pink, yellow and blue.
She stood quietly not to spoil the surprise,
And you never saw the tears in her eyes."

(1) What did the mother think as she lay sleepless in the bed?
(2) According to you, why shouldn't we hurt the feelings
of others?
(3) Pick out any two pairs of rhyming words from this
extract.
(4) What kind of poem is this? What is its purpose?


But must I confess how I liked him,
How glad I was he had come like a guest in quiet, to drink at my water-trough
And depart peaceful, pacified, and thankless,
Into the burning bowels of this earth ?

(a) Who does ‘him’ refer to ? 

(b) What dilemma did the poet face ?

(c) Pick out and explain the figure of speech used in line 2.

(d) Explain : ‘burning bowels of this earth’.


Read the extract and do all the activities that follow: 

We used to think seven generations ahead
Now we have become selfish
Only thinking about me, myself and I
Only thinking in the present, not learning from the past.
We used to stroll barefoot through the overgrown grass,
Its morning dew tickling our feet
Now we step outside onto the rugged concrete
No more natural than the over-processed food we eat
We used to walk down the snow sprinkled trail,
Maybe catch a glimpse of a bobcat, playing eye tricks with its tail
Now there is only one type of bobcat we see
The one that is fur-free, clearing the pavement of all debris
We used to walk through a footpath in a forest of pine
The smell intoxicating our lungs and mind
Now the only smell to be found comes from plastic trees.
Swaying on my rearview mirror, labelled pine breeze
we used to watch the valley play hide and seek

A1. Web :
Complete the web with the things man used to do in the past:

A2. Poetic Devices :

'We used to walk down the snow sprinkled trail'
Name the figure of speech in the above line and find out another example of the same from the extract.

A3. Personal Response :
Write in brief your views about past and present lifestyle.

A4. Poetic Creativity :
'Now we step outside onto the rugged concrete No more natural than the over-processed food.'
Read the above lines and compose at least two lines of your own. based on the same theme.


Read the following extract and answer the questions given below:
Old women once
were continents.
They had deep woods in them,
lakes, mountains, volcanoes even,
even raging gulfs.
When the earth was in heat
they melted, shrank,
leaving only their maps.
You can fold them
and keep them handy:
who knows, they might help you find
your way home.

Question
(1) For what purpose did the old women leave their 'maps' behind them?

(2) How can old people be helpful to us?

(3) Name and explain the figure of speech in the following lines:
Old women once
were continents.

(4) Make a list of geographical expressions from the extract.


Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

I stand and look at them long and long.

They do not sweat and whine about their condition.

  1. The poet who has written these lines is ______.
    1. Robert Frost
    2. Carolyn Wells
    3. Walt Whitman
    4. Ogden Nash
  2. Who are ‘they’ referred to here?
    1. Animals
    2. Tigers
    3. Ananda’s friends
    4. Wanda’s dresses
  3. The poet looks at them long and long because he ______.
  4. Which word in the extract means ‘complain’?

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