Kendriya vidyalaya sangathan gurgaon region

Keats casts a lyrical spell with a perfect rhyme scheme of aabbcc.

Main points

1. 
   A thing of beauty is a joy forever.
   
2. 
   It does not pass into nothingness but its beauty keeps on increasing.
   
3. 
   It gives us sound sleep and good health;
   
4. 
   This world is full of frustrations, disappointments and dearth of noble people.
   
5. 
   These make our life gloomy and sad.
   
6. 
   But things of beauty remove the pall and sadness from our spirits.
   
7. 
   Nature is a constant source of happiness for human beings.
   
8. 
   The beautiful things are – sheep, daffodils, clear streams, musk roses and forest thickets.
   
9. 
   These things soothe and make us happy.
   
10. 
    Stories of heroes who have died in peace of war are also things of beauty and have a stimulating effect.
    
11. 
    But the beauties of nature are lovelier than all the lovely tales and are like the immortal drink from heaven.
    

Solved Questions

It’s loveliness increases; it will never

Pass into nothingness; but will keep

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing

1. 
   “A thing of beauty is joy forever, “Explain.
   

A thing of beauty is a source of joy that is constant, never ending. The beauty of a thing is eternal and it increases as time passes by. It will never pass into nothingness. It has a permanent impact on our minds.

A thing of beauty does not pass into nothingness because as the time

Passes beauty increases only. Beauty is eternal and it lives forever.
3. What does poet mean by “a bower quiet for us”?

The right order of the phrase “A bower Quiet for us” is a quiet bower for us.

The word quiet means calm, silent and peaceful. Beauty is like a shady grove

in which we can sit and relax or enjoy a sound sleep full of dreams. It

refreshes and re-energizes us.
B. Yet, in spite of all

Some shape of beauty moves away the pall

From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,

Trees old and young, sprouting a shady boon

For simple sheep; and such are daffodils

1. 
   What does “in spite of all” refer to?
   

The expression refers to all the pessimistic and negative thoughts that obstruct our way to happiness. In spite of the sense of hopelessness and gloom that overshadows and darken our way, we are able to find our happiness in the beautiful objects on nature.

2. 
   What according to the poet drives away the sadness from our life?
   

Beauty, in shape or form, helps in driving away the sadness and despair from the dark recesses of our spirit.

3. 
   What does the reference ‘simple sheep’ symbolize’?
   

Lambs and sheep are envisioned as the embodiments of innocent and serene beauty. Jesus Christ, as an apostle of peace, was a shepherd and was seen surrounded by his flock of sheep, his followers. The poet has made specific reference to the sheep as symbiosis of ‘divine beauty’.

C. We have imagined for the mighty dead;

All lovely tales that we have heard or read;

An endless fountain of immortal drink,

Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.

1. 
   Who are the ‘mighty dead’?
   

The ‘mighty dead’ refers to those great men and warriors who glorified death

by embracing it most gracefully and magnificently.

2. 
   Why does the poet make this reference?
   

The poet refers to the ‘mighty dead’ because beauty can be seen not only in

birth and growth, but also in a magnificent death.

3. 
   What ‘lovely tales have we heard or read?
   

A glorified and magnificent death gets recorded in the leaves of history, leaving

an indelible imprint on it. It remains an everlasting source of motivation to all

those who read or hear about such great men who achieved glory in death.

4. 
   What is referred to as an ‘endless fountain of immortal drink’?
   

Beauty, in all respect, whether in growth or in decay, is a perennial source

of motivation. It is an endless fountain from where we can drink the immortal

Elixir of life.

5. 
   Explain:”Pouring unto us from the heaven’s brink.”
   

Beauty is the greatest gift of God to man which has been showered upon us from

the heavens above. The beauty is eternal and everlasting in whose glory men or

earth bask and derive their perennial source of joy and happiness.

Short answer questions:
Q.1 List the things that cause suffering and pain.

Ans.There are many things that cause suffering and pain like sad and sorrowful days, cruelties, lack of noble qualities, unhealthy and over darkened ways that we have to follow etc.

Ans. John Keats is deeply in love with the constant beauty of the earth. He believes that man and nature are woven into an unbroken bond. The above line suggests the intensity and eternity of this bond. The beautiful things present in the nature around us are like beautiful flowers. We wreathe them into a flowery band that keeps us connected and attached to this beautiful earth.

Ans.We, as human beings, suffer from malice, despondence, lack of noble quality and so on. These things make our life sad and gloomy. The poet, however, feels that in spite of all these suffering, man has a hope to redeem himself and make him love life. This hope lies in the small beautiful things around us which provide happiness and joy through their sheer charm and beauty.

Ans. The ‘mighty dead’ refers to our forefathers who were powerful in their own ways and in their times. Their values and achievements made them ‘mighty’ great. They were great because of their grand, dazzling deeds. Thus, ‘grandeur’ is associated with our dead ancestors who are remembered for their good works.

Questions for practice:

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. 
   A thing of beauty is a joy forever
   

Pass into nothingness; but will keep

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.

1. 
   Does the poet believe that beauty fades away?
   
2. 
   What does the poet mean by ‘bower’ in the above stanza?
   
3. 
   What will beauty provide us with?
   

2. 
   Therefore, on every morrow , are we wreathing
   

Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,

Of all the unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways

Made for our searching:

1. 
   What according to the poet do we try doing every morning?
   
2. 
   Explain: `wreathing a flowery band to bind us to the earth’.
   
3. 
   What does the expression ‘spite of despondence’ imply?
   
4. 
   Why is there an ‘inhuman dearth of noble natures’?
   
5. 
   What makes our days gloomy?
   
6. 
   Explain: `unhealthy and o’er-darkened ways`.
   

3. 
   and clear rills
   

‘Giants the hot season; the mid forest brake,

Rich with a sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;

And such too is the grandeur of the dooms

1. 
   What does ‘clear rills’ refer to?
   
2. 
   How are they beneficial to mankind?
   
3. 
   Explain: `the mid forest brake`.
   
4. 
   What does ‘grandeur of the dooms’ imply?
   
5. 
   What contrasting aspects of life has the poet referred here?
   

Short Answer Questions:

1. 
   How does beauty sustain our life on the earth?
   
2. 
   What does Keats mean by the grandeur of dooms?
   
3. 
   How do we bind ourselves to the earth every morning?
   
4. 
   List the things that cause suffering and pain.
   
5. 
   What is the source of the endless fountain and what is its effect?
   
6. 
   What is the central idea of the poem?
   

• 
  Things of beauty-endless fountain of nectar.
  
• 
  They dispel darkness & sadness from our lives.
  
• 
  Beautiful things are in different forms-nature, heavenly bodies, art literature.
  
• 
  Man is inspired by beautiful things on earth to live happily
  

7. 
   What are the reasons for despondence in human beings?
   

**************

ABOUT THE POET:

Adrienne Rich was born in Baltimore ,Maryland ,US. She is widely known for her involvement in contemporary women’s movement as a poet and theorist . She has published nineteen volumes of poetry ,three collections of essays and other writings .A strong resistance to racism and militarism echoes through her work. This poem addresses the constraints of married life a woman experience.

VALUE POINTS

*The poet is a feminist and she addresses the ordeals of a married woman

*She spends good amount of time in embroidering panel of tigers prancing across the screen.

*The tigers are fearless creatures pacing elegantly and majestically. They symbolize the spirit of freedom. Aunt is the victim of male chauvinism

*Aunt Jennifer is so oppressed terrified that she finds it hard to pull the needle.

*’The Weight of Uncle’s Wedding band ‘ –expresses how victimized and oppressed she is .It implies that Aunt Jennifer has to work hard to meet his expectations.

*She spends her life in fear but she embroiders on the panel the fearless and courageous tigers to express her secret longing for a life of freedom and confidence

*Even her death does not end the problem and constraints which a married woman experiences.

COMPREHENSION SOLVED QUESTIONS

1. 
   Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen
   

They do not fear the men beneath the tree

They pace in sleek chivalric certainty.

Q1 . What does the expression Aunt Jennifer’s tigers imply?

Ans. Aunt Jennifer was embroidering a panel of prancing tigers. The poet refers to the tigers as Aunt Jennifer’s tigers because their her creation ,her work at art

Q2 What does ’prancing tigers ’symbolize?

Ans. Prancing tigers are a symbol of the spirit of the freedom within Aunt Jennifer which remains subdued. They also symbolize her fear of her male counterpart.

Q3 Why are they referred to as ‘denizens of a world of green?

Ans. The tigers are the dwellers of the green forest so they are referred to as denizens.

Q4. Why are they not afraid of the men?

Ans. They are not afraid of the men because they are not real. Even otherwise ferocious and tigers are never afraid of men.

Q.5 What qualities of the ‘tigers’ are highlighted here ?

Ans. Fearlessness and ferocity of the tigers are highlighted here. Aunt Jennifer’s nervousness and timidity are in sharp contrast to wild ferocity of the tigers who are not afraid of hunting men .Unlike Aunt Jennifer, the tigers fear nothing.
2 When Aunt is dead ,her terrified hands will lie

Still ringed with ordeals she was mastered by

The tigers in the panel that she made

Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid

Q1 How are the tigers different from her?

Ans. Aunt Jennifer is weak and can not even move her terrified fingers. On the other hand her tigers symbolize strength, power and speed.

Q2. What are the ordeals that Aunt Jennifer faced in her life?

Ans. . Aunt Jennifer did not lead a pleasant marital life. The hard and bitter experiences of her conjugal life lie heavy on her..

Q3. What does’ ringed with ordeals’ imply ?

Ans. Aunt Jennifer has been so victimized in her life that even after her death she remains trapped in the struggles of the spirit. She is a victim of gender injustice and oppression.

Q4. Is the society in any way affected by Aunt Jennifer’s death?

Ans. Since the society is male domineering , it shows no concern for Aunt Jennifer’s suffering ,even her death. The loss of her freedom is her individual loss. The society is not affected by it and state of women still remains the same.

Find even the ivory needle hard to pull

The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band

Sits heavily upon Aunt Jennifer’s hand .

Q1 How was she pulling the needle?

Ans. She was pulling the ivory needle with great difficulty.

Q2. Why do Aunt Jennifer’s fingers flutter through her wool?

Ans. Aunt Jennifer lives in constant fear of her chauvinist husband .She feels so nervous and terrified that her hands shake and flutter when she sits down to knit.

Q3. Explain ‘massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band’

Ans. The expression is symbolic of male authority and power. Matrimony binds the women physically as well as mentally, clipping her of her freedom of expression and independence . Likewise Aunt is trapped in gender oppression and feels herself burdened by the authority of her husband.

Q4. Why did Aunt Jennifer create animals which were so different from her own character ?

Ans. Aunt Jennifer and her created animals were quite different from each other .The old lady looked weak and frail but her tigers were a picture of strength, speed and grace .Though herself weak, she could create strong and graceful tigers through her art in the panel.

Q1. What do the tigers made by the Aunt symbolize?

Ans. The tigers made by the Aunt Jennifer symbolize the spirit of courage ,strength ,and fearlessness .Aunt Jennifer is the victim of male oppression ,expressed her crushed feelings in the form of art .So the tigers are the symbolic of the fear of male domination with which Aunt Jennifer suffers.

Q2 Why do you think Aunt Jennifer’s hands are fluttering through her wool ? Why is finding the needle so hard to pull?

Ans. Victimized by the overbearing and dominant nature of husband---tortured and suppressed by atrocious husband---terrified her and seems to have lost all strength and energy.

Q3 Explain ‘The tigers in panel------- proud and unafraid. ‘

Ans. Symbolized the unquestioned authority of man---- dispassionate and unconcerned attitude of the male towards women----never free from the oppressive authority of her male counterpart---Aunt tries to liberate in her art but cannot.

Q4. What will happen to Aunt Jennifer ‘s tigers when she is dead/

Ans. The created tiger of Aunt will not die when she is dead . They will survive her . They will go on prancing ,proud and unafraid . Aunt Jennifer will die but her creations are immortal .Arts always survives death.

Q5. How do Aunt Jennifer’s tigers look like?

Ans. The tigers ,made by Aunt on the screen ,are jumping and playing about without any fear of the men beneath the tree . They walk in elegance and style displaying the spirit of the courage ,fearlessness, strength and confidence.

QUESTIONS FOR PRACTICE

Q1 How is the poem a forceful expression of the evil of patriarchy ?

Q2. What ideology does the poem propound?

Q3. What ordeals do you think Aunt Jennifer is surrounded by?

Q4. The tigers are contrasting symbols . Do you think so?

Q5 What kind of married life did she lead ? Do you sympathize with her ?

Q6. What will happen to her tigers when she dies?

Q7. What impression do you form about the Uncle in the poem ?

VISTAS

THE TIGER KING

THE AUTHOR

Kalki was the pen name of the R. Krishnamurthy (1899 – 1954), and Indian freedom fighter, novelist, short-story writer, journalist, travel writer, satirist, poet, critic, and connoisseur of the arts. ‘The Tiger King’ is an enjoyable story and prime example of Kalki’s biting pen. It is poignant satire on the self-importance that the people in power assume.

Theme

It also makes a very earnest plea for the protection of the tiger. It is an indirect comment on subjecting innocent animals to the willfulness of human beings

This is the story of the Maharaja of Pratibandhapuram, who became known as the Tiger King. According to legend, when he was born, the astrologers proclaimed that having been born under a particular star meant that he would have to die. Hearing this the Royal Prince who was then only ten days old suddenly spoke, much to the astonishment of all those assembled there.

The prince said that it was common knowledge that anyone who took birth would have to die and that astrologers then replied that he was born in the hour of the bull and the bull and the tiger are enemies, and his death would be connected with a tiger. It was expected that the infant prince would exhibit some fear but on the contrary the prince growled, warning the tigers to take care.

When the prince came of age, and got back his kingdom from the British, he embarked on a mission to destroy the tigers completely in his kingdom. He was thrilled when he shot the first tiger, but the astrologers warned him that though he may be able to destroy ninety-nine tigers in the same way, he must yet be wary of the hundredth one. Tiger shooing was banned to all expect the king. Not even a British Officer who was keen to be photographed with a dead tiger was allowed the luxury!

When the king was short of thirty tigers to complete the shooting of a hundred tigers that he had wowed to kill, he encountered a strange dilemma. It was discovered that the tiger population of his kingdom had been completely depleted in the span of tem years that he had been shooting. This forced him to marry a princess whose father’s kingdom had forests that were the abode of tigers.

The king happily continued shooting tigers till he had ninety-nine tigers skin on his walls. Now he had to shoot only one more tiger but not a single tiger could be found! In order to keep the king in a good humor, the king’s Dewan decided to place a caged tiger that he had at home in strategic place. The king was overjoyed to shoot his hundredth tiger- only he did not realize that he has not actually shot it! He had missed his mark. However, the tiger was shot by a hunter and then the dead tiger was taken in procession through the town and buried. A tomb was erected over it.

The king having fulfilled his wow now turned this attention to his son who had just turned three. In his search for a very special gift for the child he chanced upon a wooden tiger, which he bought for him. While playing with his son a splinter from this crudely made toy pierced his right hand. Though he removed it with his left hand it developed into a wound and the infection spread to his whole arm. The very best surgeons who were called upon to operate on him could not save him and he died. Thus the prediction of the astrologers came to pass and it was the hundredth tiger that avenged the death of all the tigers that the kind had killed in order that he might live and also disprove the prophecy of the astrologers.

SOLVED SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. How did the chief astrologer react to the tiger king’s question about the manner of his death? How did the tiger king take it?

A. When the baby barely ten days old opens its lips in speech the chief astrologer was wonderstruck. He thought it to be incredible that the baby raised an intelligent question –to know about the manner of his death. The astrologer told that the prince was born in the hour of the bull. The bull and tiger are enemies. Therefore, death to him shall come from the Tiger. The tiger king growled, “Let tigers beware!”

2. Why was it celebration time for all the tigers inhabiting Pratibandapuram?

3. What did the Maharaja do when he stood in danger of losing his kingdom in refusing the British officer permission for tiger hunting?

4. What plan did the Maharaja think of to fulfill his vow to kill hundred tigers after the tiger population became extinct in his state?

5. What caused the death of the Maharaja?

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q1. “The operation is successful. The maharaja is dead.” comment on the

irony of the situation.

Value Points

• 
  The three famous surgeons were called from Madras to treat the Maharaja.
  
• 
  The whole incident is a satire on the life of rich and powerful people.
  
• 
  Everything in their life should be grand be it a disease, purchases or treatment.
  
• 
  So when the Maharaja got hurt by a wooden splinter, specialists from Madras were called
  
• 
  The surgeons discussed and debated for some time and decided to operate
  
• 
  At the end of the operation they said the operation was successful but the Maharaja was dead.
  
• 
  As if the procedure was important to them but life had no meaning for them.
  
• 
  The job of doctors is to save people and not highlight the technicalities of the treatment.
  
• 
  But here it was just that, poor Maharaja was relegated to a non entity whose life was not of much consequence to them.
  

Q2. It is understood from the lesson that the king was surrounded by people who obeyed him out of fear and there was a lack of good counselling from his ministers to run his kingdom for the good of the people. How important is it to have a good council of ministers for the good governance of the country?

• 
  Elected ministers should place the country before self.
  
• 
  The head should mercilessly remove the corrupt ministers.
  
• 
  There should be a strong judiciary
  
• 
  Law and order should be in the hands of honest officers.
  
• 
  Bureaucracy should be strong and transparent.
  

UNSOLVED QUESTIONS

Short Answer Questions

1. 
   What was the miracle that occurred soon after the birth of the Maharaja?
   
2. 
   What dangers did the Maharaja face in his hunt for tigers?
   
3. 
   What did the astrologer have to say when the Maharaja killed the first tiger?
   
4. 
   How did the duraisani behave on receiving the gifts? What idea do you form about her/
   
5. 
   After killing 70 tigers how did were the remaining tigers arranged?
   
6. 
   Who actually killed the hundredth tiger and why?
   
7. 
   How did the Maharaja celebrate his victory over the killing of the hundredth tiger?
   
8. 
   From where did the Dewan arrange the 100^th Tiger?
   
9. 
   How can we say that the Dewan was very resourceful?
   

1. 
   To kill the hundredth tiger, the Maharaja endangered his position. How did he save his throne?
   
2. 
   The title of “Tiger King” reflects the irony in the life and death of the Maharaja. Explain.
   
3. 
   What is the writer’s indirect comment on subjecting innocent animals to the willfulness of human beings?
   
4. 
   “The Tiger King”, is a satire on the conceit of those in power.” Do you agree with the statement? Elucidate.