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Question
How does the poem, Crossing the Bar, portray the poet's deep affirmation and faith in God?
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Solution
'Crossing the Bar' stands as Alfred Lord Tennyson's final published poem, symbolizing the poet's acknowledgement of death as a natural progression, marking the conclusion of one life and the commencement of the next. Embedded within the verses is Tennyson's profound and unwavering faith in God, illustrating the poem as a metaphor for transitioning from life to an afterlife.
The title "Crossing the Bar" serves as a metaphor, representing the boundary between life and death, where the poet envisions encountering God as he crosses this threshold. The poet expresses a positive anticipation of death, viewing it as an opportunity to meet the creator face to face.
Phrases like "see my Pilot face to face" emphasize the poet's desire to witness God upon crossing the bar. The imagery of putting out to sea signifies entering the realm of the afterlife, and the poet aspires for a serene and painless transition, represented by a smooth flow over the tide.
In this context, the sea serves as a metaphor for death's unknown and limitless nature. Despite the inherent uncertainty, the poet's unshakeable faith in God drives his fearless journey.
In essence, 'Crossing the Bar' emerges as a powerful poetic composition wherein Tennyson's adept use of metaphors conveys his acceptance of death and unwavering belief in God. Through these metaphors, he communicates the idea that death does not signify an end but rather a new beginning.
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About the Poet
Lord Tennyson (1809-92) was born in Lincolnshire. Poet Laureate for over 40 years, Tennyson is representative of the Victorian age. His skilled craftsmanship and noble ideals retained a large audience for poetry in an age when the novel was engrossing more and more readers. Tennyson's real contribution lies in his shorter poems like The Lady of Shallot, The Princess, Ulysses, The Palace of Art etc. His fame rests on his perfect control of sound, the synthesis of sound and meaning, and the union of visual and musical.
Personal Pronouns
Read the following conversation:
Malavika and Deepak are looking through some photographs of Malavika’s family.
Malavika : Now … this is my brother Shantanu. Shantanu is in Class VIII. Shantanu is brilliant at playing tennis. Shantanu is also good at singing. Shantanu sings a lot.
Deepak : Shantanu sounds interesting. I’d like to meet Shantanu. I’m looking for someone to play tennis with.
Malavika : Well … why don’t you come around tonight and meet Shantanu? My parents will be out. My parents always go out on Tuesdays.
Improve the above conversation by using suitable pronouns where required.
Six humans trapped by happenstance
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Each one possessed a stick of wood,
Or so the story's told.
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The first man held his back.
For on the faces around the fire,
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Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow:
Why does the poet use this diction?
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Nor had he where to rest his head.
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Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow.
Explain with reference to context.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in springhtly dance.
Read the lines given above and answer the question that follow.
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Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold,
And to the presence in the room he said,
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And with a look made of all sweet accord,
Answered, "The names of those who love the Lord."
Read the lines given above and answer the following question.
What did Abou Adhem ask the angel?
The angel wrote and vanished.
The next night, It came again with a great wakening light,
And show's the names whom love of God had blest,
And Lo! Bin Adhem's name led all the rest.
Read the lines given above and answer the following question.
Did the angel appear again?
To us the ashes of our ancestors are sacred and their resting place is hallowed ground. You wander far from the graves of your ancestors and seemingly without regret. Your religion was written upon tablets of stone by the iron finger of your God so that you could not forget. The Red Man could never comprehend or remember it. Our religion is the traditions of our ancestors — the dreams of our old men, given them in solemn hours of the night by the Great Spirit; and the visions of our sachems, and is written in the hearts of our people.
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Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
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This woman had been despised, scoffed at, and angrily denounced by nearly every man, woman, and child in the village; but now, as the fact of, her death was passed from lip to lip, in subdued tones, pity took the place of anger, and sorrow of denunciation.
Neighbours went hastily to the old tumble-down hut, in which she had secured little more than a place of shelter from summer heats and winter cold: some with grave-clothes for a decent interment of the body; and some with food for the half-starving children, three in number. Of these, John, the oldest, a boy of twelve, was a stout lad, able to earn his living with any farmer. Kate, between ten and eleven, was bright, active girl, out of whom something clever might be made, if in good hands; but poor little Maggie, the youngest, was hopelessly diseased. Two years before a fall from a window had injured her spine, and she had not been able to leave her bed since, except when lifted in the arms of her mother.
“What is to be done with the children?” That was the chief question now. The dead mother would go underground, and be forever beyond all care or concern of the villagers. But the children must not be left to starve.
Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
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Suddenly all the tension seemed to ebb out of my body as the truth of what he said hit me. Confidently, I drew a line a full foot in back of the board and proceeded to jump from there. I qualified with almost a foot to spare.
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Read the extract given below and answer the question that follow.
Suddenly all the tension seemed to ebb out of my body as the truth of what he said hit me.
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