Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
Can you call ‘The Castle’ an allegorical poem? Discuss.
Advertisements
Solution
The castle is doubtless an allegorical poem. The outward strength of the castle is matchless. It is fortified well. It has brave soldiers and large quantity of arms are stockpiled. The castle houses well stocked granary also. But the castle also conceals the ingredients of personal downfall within. If a person does not look within, their doom may be unstoppable. It is very difficult to protect oneself against greed, particularly the love of gold, instilled deep in the psyche of human beings. People say, “everything is fair in love and war.” People resort to anything to win in a war. Gandhi said, “the end never justifies the means.” But in times of war people stoop down to any betrayal to win. Thus, the castle is an allegorical poem.
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Why does the narrator say that the enemy was no threat at all?
Why were the secret galleries bare?
Why did the narrator feel helpless?
Human greed led to the mighty fall of the citadel. Explain.
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
The wizened warder let them through.
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 |
Does nature communicate with human beings?
What has Wordsworth sanctified in his poem?
The casuarina tree will be remembered forever. Why?
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
Unto thy honor, Tree, beloved of those
Who now in blessed sleep for aye repose,
What is the world compared to?
Describe the second stage of life as depicted by Shakespeare.
Which stage of man’s life is associated with the ‘shrunk shank’?
Shakespeare has skilfully brought out the parallels between the life of man and actors on stage. Elaborate this statement with reference to the poem.
Who does the speaker address in the second part?
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
And drunk delight of battle with my peers;
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
To follow knowledge like a sinking star.
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
I cannot rest from travel: I will drink Life to the lees:
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
I am become a name; For always roaming with a hungry heart
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles,
And see the great Achilles, whom we knew.
Where are the final decisions taken?
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
Tell him to be a fool ever so often
and to have no shame over having been a fool
yet learning something out of every folly
hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies
- Is it a shame to be a fool at times?
- What does one learn from every folly?
Pick out the alliterated words from the poem and write.
And this might stand him for the storms
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
Yet learning something out of every folly
hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies
Why was the rider in a hurry?
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.
To see your flag-bird flap his vans Where I, to heart’s desire, Perched him!’
What is the role of the young soldier in the victory of the French at Ratisbon?
