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Question
The young soldier matched his emperor in courage and patriotism. Elucidate your answer.
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Solution
During the attack of the French army on Ratisbon, Napoleon was anxiously waiting for the result. He was standing on a mound with his neck out thrust, legs wide, arms locked behind, and with his balanced prone eyebrows. Then a young soldier appeared from the closed smoke and dust. He seemed to be a little boy. Though he was a boy, he wanted to fight for his country. He came galloping on a horse to Napoleon. He never minded his wounds. He knew that his emperor is waiting for the result. He was in a hurry to convey the news of victory to the emperor before his death. But he showed no sign of pain and smiling in joy. He jumped off the horse and informed the happy news. He announced that the French army had conquered Ratisbon and also he himself had planted the French flag in the marketplace of Ratisbon. As Napoleon always thought of his nation’s victory, the boy too thought of the nation’s victory. As Napoleon’s strategy led to success, the boy’s courage and patriotism also led to success. Thus the young soldier matched his emperor in courage and patriotism.
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RELATED QUESTIONS
Have you ever visited a fort or a castle?
Why were the soldiers in the castle fearless?
Did the soldiers fight with the enemies face to face?
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Stanzas 1–3
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| half-a-mile | watching |
| castle | brave |
| ration | capture |
| plenty | confident |
Stanzas 4–6
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| lamented | shameful |
| wicked guard | bait |
| let | gold |
| weapon | citadel |
| weak | disloyalty |
| helpless | enemy |
Our only enemy was gold
Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.
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| python | statue | nature | casement |
| nostalgic | lamenting | impressive | forgotten |
| giant | consecrates | springing | sanctified |
Why is the casuarina tree dear to poet’s heart?
Read the line given below and answer the question that follow.
“Fear, trembling Hope, and Death, the skeleton,
And Time the shadow”, and though weak the verse
That would thy beauty fain, oh, fain rehearse,
May Love defend thee from oblivion’s curse.
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- What does the expression ‘fain’ convey?
- What does the poet convey through the expression ‘Fear, trembling Hope’?
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Identify the figure of speech employed in the following line.
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Where are the final decisions taken?
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The poet says
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Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.
Antithesis- It is a literary device that emphasises the idea of contrast.
Here are a few poetic device used in the poem.
Repetition- It is a figure of speech.
Explain the following line with reference to the context.
and guide him among sudden betrayals
and tighten him for slack moments.
Fill in the blanks choosing the words from the box given and complete the summary of the poem.
The poet Robert Browning narrates an incident at the French Camp in the war of 1809 between France and Austria, in a (a)______version. He describes the brave action of a (b)______soldier, whose heroic devotion to duty and his (c) ______ in it is inspiring and worthy of (d) ______. During the attack of the French army on Ratisbon, Napoleon was anxious about the (e) ______. Austrians were defending Ratisbon with great (f) ______and courage. Napoleon was watching the war standing on a (g) ______near the battlefield.
All of a sudden a rider appeared from the closed smoke and dust. Riding at great speed, jumping and leaping, he approached the mound where Napoleon stood. As he came closer, the narrator noticed that the rider, a young boy, was severely wounded. But the rider showed no sign of pain and smiling in joy, jumped off the horse and gave the happy news of (h) ______to the emperor.
He exclaimed with pride that the French had (i) ______Ratisbon and he himself had hoisted the flag of France. When Napoleon heard the news, his plans (j) ______up like fire. His eyes (k) ______when he saw that the soldier was severely wounded. Like a caring mother eagle, the emperor asked if he was wounded. The (l) ______soldier replied proudly that he was killed and died heroically.
| determination | result | dramatic |
| pride | admiration | softened |
| wounded | mound | victory |
| conquered | soared | valiant |
Where was Napoleon standing on the day of attack on the city of Ratisbon?
Literary Devices
Mark the rhyme scheme of the poem. The rhyme scheme for the first stanza is as follows.
| With neck out-thrust, you fancy how, | a |
| Legs wide, arms locked behind, | b |
| As if to balance the prone brow | a |
| Oppressive with its mind. | b |
