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Question
Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.
Our only enemy was gold,
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Solution
Personification
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
Who is the narrator in the poem?
Why does the narrator say that the enemy was no threat at all?
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 |
Read the given line and answer the question that follow in a line or two.
Our gates were strong, our walls were thick,
So smooth and high, no man could win.
- How safe was the castle?
- What was the firm belief of the soldiers?
I will maintain until my death
Underline the alliterated word in the following line.
With our arms and provender, load on load.
Identify the figure of speech used in the following line.
Oh then our maze of tunneled stone
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,
Identify the figure of speech used in each of the extract given below and write down the answer in the space given below.
“ A creeper climbs, in whose embraces bound
No other tree could live. But gallantly
The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung......”
Fill in the blanks using the words given in the box to complete the summary of the poem.
Shakespeare considers the whole world a stage where men and women are only (1) ______. They (2)______the stage when they are born and exit when they die. Every man, during his life time, plays seven roles based on age. In the first act, as an infant, he is wholly (3) ______on the mother or a nurse. Later, emerging as a school child, he slings his bag over his shoulder and creeps most (4)______ to school. His next act is that of a lover, busy (5) ______ballads for his beloved and yearns for her (6) ______. In the fourth stage, he is aggressive and ambitious and seeks (7) ______in all that he does. He (8) ______solemnly to guard his country and becomes a soldier. As he grows older, with (9) ______and wisdom, he becomes a fair judge. During this stage, he is firm and (10) ______. In the sixth act, he is seen with loose pantaloons and spectacles. His manly voice changes into a childish (11) ______. The last scene of all is his second childhood. Slowly, he loses his (12) ______of sight, hearing, smell and taste and exits from the roles of his life.
| attention | treble | reluctantly |
| actors | maturity | reputation |
| serious | faculties | composing |
| enter | promises | dependent |
What is the world compared to?
“And they have their exits and their entrances” - What do the words ‘exits’ and ‘entrances’ mean?
Which stage of man’s life is associated with the ‘shrunk shank’?
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,”
Explain the following line briefly with reference to the context.
“Is second childishness and mere oblivion;
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”
Pick out the word in ‘alliteration’ in the following line.
“and all the men and women merely players”
Read the given line and answer the question that follow.
Then a soldier,
full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard,
Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel,
Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth.
- What is the soldier ready to do?
- Explain ‘bubble reputation’.
- What are the distinguishing features of this stage?
‘Ulysses is not happy to perform his duties as a king.’ Why?
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
....you and I are old;
Old age hath yet his honour and his toil;
Explain with reference to the context the following line.
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.
Every parent is anxious about the welfare of his/her children. Parents express their anxiety by advising them almost all the time. What kind of advice do you frequently receive from your parents? Fill in the bubbles. Tick the ones you like to follow implicitly and give reasons for the ones you don’t like to follow.
‘A tough will counts.’ Explain.
How would his being alone help the boy?
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
“Life is hard; be steel; be a rock.”
- How should one face life?
- Identify the figure of speech in the above line.
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.
Brutes have been gentled where lashes failed.
Where was the narrator when the incident happened?
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!’
