Question

Read the following extract and answer the questions:

‘Other men condemned to exile and captivity, if they survive, despair: the man of letters may reckon those days as the sweetest of his life.’

Bring out the contrast in the reactions of the two types of individuals in captivity.

Answer 1

People who are not engaged in intellectual pursuits may feel hopeless and despair when imprisoned or exiled. A person of letters, however, can use the time to read, think and write; this inner freedom may make captivity among the happiest and most meaningful periods of life.