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Question
How can this shameful tale be told?
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Solution
- Reference: This line is from Edwin Muir’s poem “The Castle”. Context and
- Explanation: The poet says these words while describing the treacherous betrayal of the aged warden. He had taken gold and let the enemy in. The soldiers who were ready to lay down their lives to protect their castle were shamefully overpowered by the trick of the enemy and the greed of the warder. The soldier is reluctant to relate this shameful tale.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
What thoughts come to your mind when you think about a castle? Add your ideas to the list
moat, huge buildings, soldiers, weapons ______,______.
Where were the enemies?
Did the soldiers fight with the enemies face to face?
Who had let the enemies in?
Why did the narrator feel helpless?
Read the poem again and complete the summary using the words given in box.
Stanzas 1–3
‘The Castle’ by Edwin Muir is a moving poem on the (1)______ of a well guarded (2)______ The soldiers of the castle were totally stress-free and relaxed. They were (3)______ of their castle’s physical strength. Through the turrets they were able to watch the mowers and no enemy was found up to the distance of (4)______ and so they seemed no threat to the castle. They had (5)______ of weapons to protect them and a large quantity of (6)______ in stock to take care of the well-being of the soldiers inside the castle. The soldiers stood one above the other on the towering battlements (7)______ to shoot the enemy at sight. They believed that the castle was absolutely safe because their captain was (8)______ and the soldiers were loyal.
| half-a-mile | watching |
| castle | brave |
| ration | capture |
| plenty | confident |
Stanzas 4–6
Even by a trick no one but the birds could enter. The enemy could not use a (9)______ for their entry inside the castle. But there was a wicket gate guarded by a (10) ______ He (11)______ in the enemies inside the famous citadel that had been known for its secret gallery and intricate path. The strong castle became(12)______ and thin because of the greedy disloyal warder. The (13)______ was captured by the enemies for (14)______ The narrator (15)______ over the (16)______ of the useless warder and also decided not to disclose this (17)______ story to anyone. He was (18)______ and wondered how he would keep this truth to himself. He regretted not finding any (19)______ to fight with the (20)______ called ‘gold’.
| lamented | shameful |
| wicked guard | bait |
| let | gold |
| weapon | citadel |
| weak | disloyalty |
| helpless | enemy |
They seemed no threat to us at all.
Our only enemy was gold
Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.
Oh then our maze of tunneled stone
What is the first stage of a human’s life?
Bring out the features of the fourth stage of a man as described by the poet.
Explain the following line briefly with reference to the context.
“They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,”
Pick out the word in ‘alliteration’ in the following line.
“And one man in his time plays many parts”
Complete the summary of the poem, choosing words from the list given below. Lines 33 to 42
Ulysses desires to hand over his (1) ______to his son Telemachus, who would fulfil his duties towards his subjects with care and (2) ______. Telemachus possesses patience and has the will to civilise the citizens of Ithaca in a (3) ______way. Ulysses is happy that his son would do his work blamelessly and he would pursue his (4) ______for travel and knowledge.
| prudence, kingdom, quest, tender |
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What could be the possible outcomes of their travel?
Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
For always roaming with a hungry heart
Read the set of line from the poem and answer the question that follow.
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
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Explain with reference to the context the following line.
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
What makes Ulysses seek newer adventures?
Why does the poet advise his son to have lazy days?
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
Tell him time as a stuff can be wasted.
Tell him to be a fool every so often
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- Identify the figure of speech in the above line.
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
Yet learning something out of every folly
hoping to repeat none of the cheap follies
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
Brutes have been gentled where lashes failed.
Have you played chess or watched the game carefully?
Now identify the chess pieces and complete the table below. Discuss the role of each piece in the game.
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Where was Napoleon standing on the day of attack on the city of Ratisbon?
What does the phrase ‘full galloping’ suggest?
What did the rider do when he reached Napoleon?
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
‘I’m killed, Sire!’ And, his Chief beside, Smiling, the boy fell dead.
