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प्रश्न
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.
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उत्तर
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 IPs 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 on 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.
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संबंधित प्रश्न
‘Face is the index of the mind.’ Does this adage concur with the views of the poet?
Why does the poet prefer to buy tickets worth their weight in radium? Bring out the significance of the metal referred to here.
How does the poet establish the victory of common sense over ego?
According to the poet, what contributes most to the injuries sustained by the athletes?
Read the given lines and answer the questions that follow in a sentence or two.
Well, ego it might be pleased enough But zealous athletes play so rough…
- What pleases the ego?
- Why are athletes often rough during play?
Read the poem and answer the following in a short paragraph of 8–10 sentences each.
When officialdom demands Is there a doctor in the stands?
- Why are doctors called from stands by the sponsors?
- Why does the poet make such an observation?
Everybody is special and everybody is a hero. Each one has a story to tell. In the light of this observation, present your views.
Explain the following line with reference to the context in about four to five sentence each.
In that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts
Bring sad thoughts to the mind.
How do people bring grief and sorrow to one another?
The poem speaks of ______.
What scene in nature gives you pleasure? Talk for a minute describing a natural scene that gave you a lot of joy. What did you see, hear, smell or feel, that gave you joy?
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.
Which law does Macavity break?
Describe Macavity’s appearance.
Who does the Secret Service suspect when a loss is reported?
Mention any two qualities of Macavity.
Why is Macavity called the ‘Napoleon of Crime’?
Read the given lines and answer the question that follow.
Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw…
- Does the poet talk about a real cat?
- Why is he called the Hidden Paw?
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard’s
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
He always has an alibi, and one or two to spare
Why does the speaker say ‘Everest is not the only peak’?
Read the given line and answer the question that follow.
Defeat we repel, courage our fort;
- How do we react to defeat?
- Which is considered as our stronghold?
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.
Discuss the following topic in groups of five and choose a representative to sum up the view and share them with the class.
‘Success is not final, failure is not fatal.’ It is the courage and perseverance that counts.
Fill in the blank with appropriate word from the box and complete the statement suitably:
Alexander the Great, wished to conquer many lands and ______the entire world.
What do the three words, ‘graves, worms and epitaphs’, refer to?
What does the executor mentioned in the poem do?
Bring out King Richard’s feelings when he was defeated.
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
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.
How are eternal truths and wisdom brought to the reader here?
