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Question
Which two characters does the poet refer to as examples of wicked cats?
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Solution
Macavity is too clever to be caught and he is nowhere near at the crime spot. He is an enigmatic figure to even the specialized detective agencies.
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Listening Activity
Some phrases have been left out in the poem below. First, read the poem. Then, fill in the missing words on listening to the reading or the recording of it in full. You may listen again, if required
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O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stained
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And all the daughters of the year shall dance!
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Blossoms hang round the brows of morning and
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Till clust’ring Summer breaks forth into singing,
And ______strew flowers round her head.
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William Blake
Describe Macavity’s appearance.
Why does the poet say Macavity is ‘outwardly’ respectable?
What is Macavity expected to be doing after committing a crime?
Why is Macavity called the ‘Napoleon of Crime’?
Give an account of Macavity’s destructive mischief.
Read the given lines and answer the question that follow.
For he’s a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity
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Explain the following line with reference to the context.
There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair
But it’s useless to investigate…
Pick out all the pairs of rhyming words used in the poem.
Which quality does the speaker wish to nourish? What is his mission?
What does ‘Everest’ in the title stand for?
Read the given line and answer the question that follow.
We are proud of the position we hold; humble as we are
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Discuss the following topics in groups of five and choose a representative to sum up the views and share them with the class.
To succeed in life, one must have a single-minded devotion to duty.
The historical background:
The poem is an extract from William Shakespeare’s play King Richard the Second. The play is based on true events that occurred towards the end of the 14th century.
Richard II was crowned the King of England in the year 1367. He continued to be the British Monarch until 1399, when he was deposed by his cousin, Henry of Bolingbroke, who crowned himself King Henry the Fourth in the same year. Shakespeare’s play is a dramatic rendition of the last two years of King Richard II’s life. In this brief span of time, he was ousted from his royal position and sent to prison, where he died in captivity.
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Explain the following line with reference to the context in about 5 to 8 line:
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Read the poem once again carefully and identify the figure of speech that has been used in each of the following line from the poem:
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