Wild Lemons questions and answers

Wild Lemons by David Malouf Summary

The poem “Wild Lemons” is written by David Malouf. It is a metaphorical journey of the poet, whereas we will a real-life journey too.

About

  • It was first published in the collections named, “Wild Lemons” in 1980.
  • It was published for the second time in the collection named, “POEMS 1959 to 1989” in 1982.
  • It is a metaphorical journey of the poem, where we will get the real journey of the past also.
  • Poet’s native place was in Australia
  • Now, he had migrated to Europe
  • Here we will also find, the Diasporic concept, i.e., the feature of its are:
    • Migration – transferred from one place to another which we will see in the poem
    • Less Assimilation – to accept everything of the new place but the poet could not do it
    • Nostalgic order – to remember the past or native place , the poet was feeling nostalgic
  • The poet talks about both the past and present life in the poem

Summary

Through all those years keeping the present
open to the light of just this moment:
that was the path we found, you might call it
a promise, that the starting out among blazed trunks
the track would not lead nowhere, that being set
down here among wild lemons, our bodies were
expected at an occasion up head
that would not take place without us. One

Here the poet wanted to make us understand that, ‘all those years” are the years of the poet’s past life. He clearly said that he had kept the present as his main priority rather than, all those years of his past life.

‘that‘ which means a sense of distance is created. ‘that was the path we found‘ – he talks about the path he chose in the past to Europe to make his career and leave his native place. And the path he chose in his past, made him a promise that it will surely lead him somewhere, as every path had its destination.

the starting out among the blazed trunks – here blazed trunk symbolizes the poet’s hope or bright future in Europe. The trunk is blazed (shiny) because of the reflection of the sunlight on the trees. And the poet says that the blazed trunk tracks will lead him somewhere. “Blazed trunk” a visual image, a Keatians image is what we find here.

that being set down here among wild lemons – ‘set down‘ started his journey from Australia to Europe (in his memory). ‘wild lemons‘ indicates the people of Australia as they had already overcome their wild/hard time (overcome the post-colonial period). Now, the poet describes his present life in Australia (wild lemons).

‘our bodies… without us’ – here the poet talks about some occasion that is not going to happen if he does not visit his native place and to complete the ritual/ occasion he should visit Australia. (**The poet had not talked about clearly for which occasion he had to visit his native land).

proof was tough-skinned fruit among
their thorns; someone had been there before us
and planted these, their sunlight to be sliced
for the drinks( they had adapted
in their own way and to other ends); another

Here the poet describes the first proof of the tough-skinned fruit, i.e., the lemons. The lemons were the tough-skinned fruit there in the thorns, which had been planted by someone who had visited the place before us.

Here we also found an inner meaning to these lines, i.e., tough-skinned fruit is indicated as the skin of the Australian people who had faced and tolerated the torture during colonization. And to start the colonization the first person who visited to start colonization in Australia had planted his seeds of it.

was the warmth of our island, sitting still
in its bay, at midnight humming
and rising to its own concerns, but back,
heat-struck, lapped by clean ocean waters
at dawn. The present is always
with us, always open. Though to what, out there

Here, the island had been described as Australia (the poet’s native place). ‘bay‘ refers to the bay of oceans. Australia had been personified here, as it shows us human qualities, i.e., midnight humming. And it shows the concerns about the people suffering from colonizers and their torture.

But they are heat-struck, that is, when they remember the torture of the colonizer, they lapped (drink it ) like it never happened to them(Australian). They thought of a positive future even when they were in pain. An optimistic thought had been seen here by the poet through the word ‘dawn‘ which means a new beginning.

Maybe the past was not in control of them, but the present situation is always in their hands. As they can think freely, and move freely without thinking of any oppressor or torture they have to face anymore. The present is always with them with all the freedom.

in the dark we are making for as seven o’clock
strikes, the gin goes down and starlings
gather, who can tell? Compacts made
of silence, as a flute tempts out a few
reluctant starts to walk over the water. I lie down
in different weather now though the same body,
which is where that rough track led. Our sleep

But now, people out of habit do visit the café-bar to drink ‘gin‘ (colorless alcohol) at seven o’clock in the evening. When the Starling (a dark gregarious oscine bird) gathers and the ‘gin’ goes down the bottle, people enjoy their life fully and celebrate their freedom to the fullest.

Compact made of silence indicates ‘death‘. ‘silence’ is personified here. ‘stars‘ are symbolized to the people of Australia. So, the Flute (flying boat) is also compared with death here, and the poet says that as the reluctant stars attracts the flute across the water, likewise the death attracts the people of Australia.

But now, the poet lies in a different weather, that is, he had shifted to Europe from Australia, which the rough track led him to. But he is the same person with the same body.

is continuous with the dark, or that portion of it
that is this day’s night; the body
tags along as promised to see what goes.
What goes is time, and clouds melting into
tomorrow of our breath, a scent of lemons
run wild in another country, but smelling always of themselves.

Here the poet says, Our deaths(sleep) are continuous till the dooms day (the last day of the world’s existence). On the other day, he also wanted to say us that our death is continuous at the hands of the colonizer till the day colonizer is there. Or till the day there is day and night.

“day’s night” oxymoron (figure of speech) had been used here, that is two opposite are put together.

‘what goes‘ through these words the poet had tried to make us understand that, as human being our bodies, and our thoughts keep changing and we always keep wondering what’s next and what goes never comes back, that is, the time. But with an optimistic thought, we do look for a good future. Here ‘clouds‘ indicate hope, that is, hope for a better tomorrow. The obstacles that we are facing today, we will overcome them tomorrow.

‘a scent of lemons‘ means a piece of memory from the poet’s native place (Australia) is always there with him. He turns nostalgic whenever he smells of lemons or thinks of wild lemons. The smells of lemons always connect him with his native place and the memories return back making him feel nostalgic.

‘smells‘ – we find a Keatians image here.

Do check out the Questions and Answers – Wild Lemons

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For Your Lanes My Country by Faiz Ahmed Faiz Question and Answers

Here we have provided you, with “For Your Lanes My Country by Faiz Ahmed Faiz Question and Answers. Hope you all will find it helpful.

Table of Contents

Q1) Who is the poet of the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country”?

Ans) The poet of the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” is Faiz Ahmed Faiz, who was born in 1911 in undivided India. And died in Lahore in 1984.

Q2) Why was Faiz Ahmed Faiz, was jailed, and for how many years?

Ans) Faiz Ahmed Faiz was jailed by the government of Pakistan for the conspiracy. And was incarcerated (put behind metal bars- jailed) for four long years along with Sajjad Zaheer, one of the founders of the Progressive Writers Association and The Communist Party of Pakistan.

Q3) Whose “Lanes” had the poet talked about in the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country“ by Faiz Ahmed Faiz?

Ans) The poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz in the poem, ‘For Your Lanes, My Country‘ had described the ‘Lanes‘ of Pakistan. Lanes mean roads, i.e., the roads of Pakistan.

Q4) “I can sacrifice all I have” – Explain

Ans) The question quoted line is taken from the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Here the poet wanted to say to us that, he can sacrifice his life, his property, his everything but the customs (traditions) of corruption, fakeness, and negativity, but these days don’t let him do that.

Q5) Who are the ‘Lovers’ indicated in the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country“ by Faiz Ahmed Faiz?

Ans) The phrase ‘Lovers‘ is taken from the poem, For Your Lanes, My Country“ by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Here lovers are indicated to Faiz Ahmed Ahmed and his motherland, Pakistan. He had described here the love between his motherland and him. The poet had written it from the patriarchal point of view, i.e., his love for his own country, Pakistan.

Q6) “afraid of life and limb” – locate and explain.

Ans) The line “afraid of life and limb” is taken from the poem ” For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Here the poet wanted to tell us that whoever wanted to take a stand for justice for the country was afraid of the powerful, corrupted political leaders, and businessmen. They will destroy the life and break the limbs of those who will come to fight for justice for the country rather than supporting them in their illegal work.

Q7) “the bricks and stones are imprisoned,

and the stray dogs free to roam.” – Explain

Ans) The quoted lines are recollected from the poem “Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shiraz” by the Persian poet, Saadi. Through these lines, the poet wanted to tell us that the good people, who are compared to bricks and stones are imprisoned. The people who work hard, be honest, and struggle is imprisoned and tortured. But the bad people who are compared with the stray dogs are those who don’t do anything but also roam freely.

Q8) ‘apologists of tyranny’ – who are called this and why? Explain.

Ans) The phrase ‘apologists of tyranny‘ is taken from the poem, For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Through this phrase, the poet tells us about the supporters (apologists) of corruption. That is, in the name of politics and to do real judgments, people tend to become power seekers and corrupted, and as they become corrupted, they do things according to their needs. They don’t think about common or poor people. They do false judgments and don’t properly make a fair decisions.

Q9) ‘who can you ask justice from’- Justify

Ans) The line is taken from the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. The poet talks about the people who claim to be a supporter of people, a supporter of Pakistan but all they do is work according to the way they want. They say, they will do the right judgment for the people but they are the reason behind every problem of the common and poor people. So the poet says, to whom they will ask for justice. As the power holder had become a power seeker.

Q10) ‘but manage somehow.’ – who manage somehow and why?

Ans) The line is taken from the poem, For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Through this line, the poet wanted to say that, the people who are real and still worry about their motherland, Pakistan are there. They think about it day and night by remaining away from it but still caring for Pakistan. A sense of consolation is what we find here.

Q11) “my heart sees stars sprinkled in your hair,” – whose heart had the poet talked about and why?

Ans) The quoted line is taken from the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz“. Here the poet talked about the heart of Pakistan. Pakistan had been personified here and presented as a beautiful woman, with stars sprinkled in her hair. Here the poet wanted to tell us that, maybe he was in jail/prison behind the gratings/barriers in dark, but he knows that whenever he sees the lights through that gratings he hoped for better days in the future and everything will be perfect and life will restart with a new beginning. Here we can see the optimistic thought of the poet.

Q12) “I know your face would be bathed in dawn”- whose face and why?

Ans)The question quoted line is taken from the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz“. Here the poet talked about Pakistan’s face. “Dawn” symbolizes a new beginning. That means, after all the struggle and torture the country, Pakistan had faced, there will be someday when Pakistan will win the battle of corruption and all the negative things going on there. And whenever they will win this battle of fakeness, a new beginning, a new life, a new hope will start.

Q13) “I exist in the shadow of the prison walls” – Explain

Ans) The question quoted line is taken from the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz“. Here the poet says that he may be in the shadow, i.e., the darkness of the prison walls, but metaphorically he was out of it. He was thinking about good days and new life. He was having an optimistic thought her. Maybe they were in dark now but someday they will surely get the light.

Q14) “This is how we always grew flowers in fire

their defeat isn’t new, our victory isn’t new”- Explain

Ans) The question quoted line is taken from the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz“. Here flower is symbolized hope. Fire is symbolized by sufferings, struggles, hard times, etc. So basically the poet wanted to tell us here that they may have to tolerate the sufferings and struggle for their basic rights, but someday will come and they all will truly get their freedom. Here we can see the optimistic thoughts of the poet. That’s why he says, “their defeat isn’t new, our victory isn’t new”. Bad times will surely be overcome by good times someday, and they will win this battle.

Q15) ‘We are apart today‘ – who are apart and why?

Ans) The question quoted line is taken from the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz“. Here, ‘we’ are referring to Pakistan and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. That is they are apart today by the barriers, but the poet hopes that someday they will surely meet. And this separation is not for much time. They will be together soon.

Q16) ‘Separation for one night isn’t much.’- who said this and why?

Ans) The question quoted line is taken from the poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz“. The line was said by the poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. He said it because he was separated from Pakistan, by the barriers of prison. As he was captured by the corrupted people. And being an optimistic person he said this line, in the hope to get freedom as soon as possible. And for the country lovers like him, separation of one night isn’t much. He can die for his country too.

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For Your Lanes My Country by Faiz Ahmed Faiz Summary

The poem “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz is about the relationship of the poet with his motherland, Pakistan. And here we are going to describe the optimistic point of view of the poet toward his motherland. And the love towards his country, Pakistan. Here we have provided For Your Lanes My Country by Faiz Ahmed Faiz Summary

Table of Contents

Theme

  • Captivity
  • Patriotic
  • Optimistic
  • Nationalism
  • Partition turmoil

About

  • The poem ‘For Your Lanes, My Country‘ by Faiz Ahmed Faiz can be called an Ode, as it was written indicating Pakistan. And Pakistan had been personified by the poet in the poem.
  • It is also called a poem of captivity, as Faiz Ahmed Faiz wrote this poem when he was jailed for four years.
  • He was jailed by the government of Pakistan for conspiracy, along with Sajjad Zaheer, one of the founders of the Progressive Writers Association and the Communist Party of Pakistan
  • The poem was written in 1979

Summary

For Your Lanes, my Country,

I can sacrifice all I have

but the custom these days is

no one walks with head held high.

Here the poet wanted to say that, he can sacrifice wholly himself to his motherland, Pakistan, and its lanes (roads, routes). But nowadays the custom (traditions) had been changed. No one is faithful or true toward their country. And most of the people here are corrupted.

We have found an Alliteration here: “HEAD HELD HIGH” (figure of speech)

The lovers looking for each other must sneak out

afraid of life and limbs, and

Here the lovers are indicated to the poet, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, and Pakistan. Here, the love of the poet for his country, Pakistan is compared with the love of the two lovers sneaking out to meet and are afraid of getting caught. That is, they can’t raise their voice, nor they can do anything to protect it. Likewise, even if the poet wanted to raise his voice for his country, he can’t. As he was not that powerful to do it and stop the corruption and wrongdoings going on everywhere.

We found an alliteration here: ‘lovers looking‘

for them , a new order of the day now:

“the bricks and stones are imprisoned,

and the stray dogs free to roam“

For everyone, a new order had come where, bricks and stone, that is, the good people are imprisoned and the stray dogs, that is the bad people/ corrupted people are free to roam around and do whatever they wanted to.

((The quoted lines of the poem is taken from, the Mosleh al-Din Saadi Shiraz by Saadi, a Persian poet,1210-1290))

For the many apologists of the tyranny,

it’s enough that a few of your dear friends

have turned into power-seekers,

judges and plaintiffs.

Who can you ask to represent you,

who can you ask justice from?

Here apologists are referred to as the supporters of corruption. Here the poet wanted to say that, the person who is in power, who claims to be a supporter of Pakistan and does whatever is required to protect it has now become corrupted or a tyranny (a person in power uses his power in a wrong way). That is, the person who is in power and position, i.e., judges and plaintiffs(a person who starts a legal action against somebody in the court), has now become a power-seekers. Now, as they had become corrupted and power-seekers, the poet questioned Pakistan, who will now represent you and fight for justice, for you and your people.

We found an Anaphora here: ” Who” & “who“

But people do survive, away from you,

worry about you, day and night

but manage somehow.

Here, the poet says that there are still people who think about Pakistan and worry about it, day and night. And they manage to pass their days and nights somehow, afraid of being the victim at the hands of the corrupted people. We find a sense of consolation here, by the poet to his country, Pakistan.

When the prison gratings darken,

my heart sees stars sprinkled in your hair,

when I see light through these gratings

I know your face would be bathed in dawn.

Here, in this stanza, we will find the poet’s optimistic thoughts. He says, When he was in prison’s gratings (barriers= metal bars), it used to be dark inside it. But, when the poet used to see it through his heart, he can see the stars sprinkled in your hair, i.e., the hope. Here, your hair is indicated as the hair of Pakistan, i.e., Pakistan is personified here. Hair is symbolized darkness, and stars are symbolized light and hope. And Through these lines, the poet wanted to say that, When the poet used to see the lights through this barrier, he knew that the face of Pakistan will be bathed in dawn (symbolizing a new beginning or new hope). So, here poet hopes for good days for Pakistan after getting over the bad and dark phase.

Here we find an alliteration– “sees stars sprinkled“, “through these“, “be bathed“

In any case,

I live in imagined days and nights,

I exist in the shadow of the prison walls.

Here the poet says, he used to live in a dreamy world. He used to think about the good days. Maybe in the literal world, he was behind the prisoned wall but metaphorically he was outside it and hoping for the best and good days (optimistic thinking). Here, shadow indicates the darkness of the prison or the life of the Pakistani people.

Here we have found an Anaphora: ‘In‘ ‘I‘ and ‘I‘ (figure of speech)

This is how people fight oppression,

their ritual isn’t new, nor are my ways new.

This is how we always grew flower in fire,

their defeat isn’t new, our victory isn’t new.

Through these lines, the poet wanted to make us understand that, people have to tolerate their oppression and fight it back from within. And they are habituated to it. This isn’t a new process or ritual for them to tolerate oppression. But this had to be always the process to tolerate the oppression/pain. A sense of Ahimsa (Gandhian thoughts) is found here. In the hope that good days will come a day (optimistic thought).

By tolerating the pain and oppression by the oppressors only we can get freedom someday. A sense of hope is what the poet is trying to find here through the word flower. Here, fire indicates the destructive, painful, and helpless situation of the Pakistani people. So, the poet here is being optimistic and hoping for the good days to come and grow, flowers in fire. And defeat the oppressors or political leaders/corrupted people. As their defeat isn’t new and our victory isn’t new. In the end, we will surely get the victory and defeat the oppressors.

Here we have found Anaphora: “This” “their” “This” & “Their“

That’s why I don’t complain to the Heaven,

or make myself sad thinking about you.

Here the poet wanted to say to us that, he doesn’t complain to Heaven (Al-Mighty) for their oppressed condition. As he knows that they will overcome this situation someday. It is not permanent. And thinking about You (here, you indicate Pakistan) doesn’t make me sad as he knows that someday, everyone will overcome this situation and lead a good and tension-free life.

We found a Alliteration here: “make myself“

We are apart today, but tomorrow

we‘ll be together;

separation for one night isn’t much.

Here, the poet is talking like a lover, that may be for today they are separated but tomorrow they will reunite again, i.e., separation for one night isn’t much. Here the love of Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Pakistan is represented. That they are now been separated through the prison’s wall but they will get to meet someday after his punishment was over, i.e., after four years.

We found an Anaphora here: “We” & “we“

What if my rivals are riding high today,

their reign of a few days isn’t much.

Those who remain true to you,

understand what the daily turmoil really means.

In these lines, the poets said that maybe the rivals (oppressors or corrupted political leaders) are riding high today but their reign(kingdom) will surely fall someday. And the people who are still true to his/her own country, Pakistan, surely know that they will overcome this daily turmoil (confusion). They are optimistic throughout their life and hope for the best for their country.

Questions And Answers: “For Your Lanes, My Country” by Faiz Ahmed Faiz

A LEAF IN THE STORM BY LALITHAMBIKA ANTHARJANAM

A Leaf in the Storm by Lalithambika Antharjanam Questions and Answers

Here we have tried to put on all the questions and answers from the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam. Most of all, we have focused on the short questions and answers. Hope we all love it.

FOR PART2 Q/A, CLICK HERE – Questions and Answers- A Leaf in the Storm by Lalithambika Antharjanam, Part-2

Table of Contents

Q1) When was the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” got published?

Ans) The short story “A Leaf in the Storm“, by Lalithambika Antharjanam was published after the partition, i.e., after 1947 and in 1948.

Q2) Who was the most emaciated and outraged woman, out of the fifty women ‘reclaimed’ at the starting of the short story “A Leaf in the Storm”?

Ans) The most emaciated and outraged woman, out of the fifty women ‘reclaimed’ at the starting of the short story ‘A Leaf in the Storm’ was “Jyoti“.

Q3) Explain the phrase “From one prison to another?…” from the short story “A Leaf in the Storm”.

Ans) The phrase “From one phrase to another?…” is taken from the short story “A leaf in the storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam. Here the prison had been denoted to a refugee camp, i.e., a detention camp. Where refugees were kept after getting exchanged from one country to another, that is, from India to Pakistan and vice-versa.

Q4) From where did Jyoti be ‘reclaimed’ and shifted to, in the short story “A Leaf in the Storm”?

Ans) The character ‘Jyoti‘ is taken from the short story, ‘A Leaf in the storm’, by Lalithambika Antharjanam. Jyoti was reclaimed from Pakistan and shifted to India. She was reclaimed due to the bonded contracts between the governments of India and Pakistan after the partition.

Q5) What does the phrase “reunited with their lost children” means?

Ans) The phrase ‘reunited with their lost children‘ is taken from the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam. The phrase indicates that, when the 50 women, who were reclaimed by the government were put together in the refugee camp, they got to meet up with their lost relatives and known people from their areas. That is, they got the hope that they are with someone they know. They are not alone there, suffering and tolerating the side effects of partition. The refugees were happy to meet them and be with them. As despite of everything happening all around them, they got to meet some of their known people.

Q6) What was the full name of the character “Jyoti” in the short story ‘A Leaf in the Storm’?

Ans) The full name of the character ‘Jyoti’, in the short story ‘A Leaf in the storm’ was “Jyotirmoyi Devpal“. We came to know about it through a Sikh woman, who belongs to the same village, where Jyoti’s mother came from.

Q7) What did Jyoti order instead of ‘crumbs of bread’?

Ans) The character ‘Jyoti’, is taken from the short story ‘A Leaf in the Storm’ by Lalithambika Antharjanam. She asked for a gun, dagger, or a little poison instead of crumbs of bread.

Q8) “This woman must have gone mad”, which women had gone mad and why?

Ans) The question quoted line is taken from the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam. A lady volunteer stated this line, for Jyoti. As Jyoti went mad after she was offered the crumbs. She didn’t wanted live anymore and asked for a gun, a dagger, or a little poison. She got frustrated by the act of partition. And she was brutally violated during the partition. Also, she was pregnant and unmarried. So she wanted to end her life anyhow and acted abnormally/madly in front of the lady volunteer. The reaction was taken as normal as who will not behave like that in that kind of situation.

Q9) “She has indeed been a mother to the whole village”, who has been the mother to the whole village and how did she suffer from the act of partition?

Ans) The question quoted line is taken from the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam. The mother to the whole village was an “Old woman“, who had nine children of her own. From the nine children, she got fifty grandchildren. And she was indeed been the mother of the whole village, to both Muslims and Hindus. As she was a respected woman in her village. And it was her last wish to take her last breath in her village. So her family decided to stay on. But now she remains alone. Her children were killed and girls were abducted. Her house was gutted in front of her. She was just standing on a supporting stick watching her house burn down to ashes. Yet now she had to live alone as destiny had planned something else for her. She eats, sleeps, and talks but alone and in a refugee camp.

Q10) What was the condition of the Sindhi officer’s wife? What did fate store for her and her family?

Ans) The reference to the “Sindh officer’s wife had been taken from the short story “A leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika. When the family got to know about the partition and had been warned of the revolt, she took her three children with her and tried to run away with her family. But fate had something else for them. The tragedy took place, and her car was stopped. She was violated in front of her husband’s dead body, which was ripped open and scattered. Her children were killed and she can only see the bloodstain of them. But someone reclaimed her body, which was dead than alive. And alas, she was still alive chewing dirty and hard bits of chapati. Wearing torn saree, with her cheeks and breast swollen.

Q11) “She raised her eyebrows in question”- Who raised her eyes in question and why?

Ans) The question quoted line is taken from the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam. The question was raised by “Jyoti“. The question was raised as she wanted to abort the child, but the doctor insisted Jyoti to keep the child. She said the child was not the cause of love but hate and the inhuman consequences of rape and ignorance. So she wanted to abort the child and asked the doctor to do it. As the doctor was not ready to do it, Jyoti asked if he could destroy the child and save her life.

Q12)Describe the character of the doctor in the short story “A leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam.

ANS) The doctor that we see in the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam was a follower of ahimsa. He followed the path of his master Gandhiji in the direction of ahimsa, i.e., not believing in non-violence or killing anyone. He was severe for the poor or refugee people as he left his well-paying job to treat them. He was also a Vedantin, as his kind and moral words helped Jyoti to eat again and take care of herself as she was pregnant.

Q13) Describe the village scenario that we have seen in the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam.

Ans) The villages are described beautifully in the short story ‘A Leaf in the Storm’ by Lalithambika Antharjanam. In the camp, most of the people were villagers, they knew little things about politics. They all belonged to the beautiful land of five rivers, and sugarcane fields. Where buffaloes grazed in the field, and the wheat field swayed in laughter. Far away, a caravan of camels crawled towards the adjacent village. On every evening like this, these men had returned to their homes, humming tunes, their work tools balanced on their shoulders. But now, they had been hounded out of those houses, those ancestral homes they had inherited, and which they would have passed on to their progeny (upcoming generations). They had been thrown out of from that houses like stray dogs, hunted out of them like a wild hen.

Q14) “They cursed all the well-known leaders”- Who are the leaders here and why they had been cursed?

Ans) The leaders that are discussed in the short story ‘A Leaf in the Storm’ by Lalithambika Antharjanam, are Jawaharlal Nehru and Mohammed-Ali-Jinnah. The people had been cursing them, as they are the reason for the partition and all the happenings that are going on in their life. Because of their selfishness to get into a higher position, the people had to part away from their land and people. The leaders don’t suffer from the partition but the people do. So they curse the leaders.

Q15) Describe the conditions of the child that was found dead in the toilet?

Ans) The reference to the dead child found dead in the toilet, had been taken from the short story, ‘A Leaf in the Storm’ by Lalithambika Antharjanam. It was a beautiful child, round, gleaming, like a thick clot of blood. It was fair skin like the inhabitant of the territorial border. It had brown hair. On its neck was a bluish mark resembling a crescent (half moon). That is, somebody had killed the child by choking it through their hands. It was a newborn and still warm body that the scavenger dragged and put into his garbage. And no girl shred a tear for it and there was no case against anyone.

Q16) Describe the guest that had arrived at the camp and what did he announced?

Ans) The reference of the Guest, had been taken from the short story, ‘A Leaf in the Storm’ by Lalithambika Antharjanam. The guest had brought a well-known and appreciated message for the refugees. The guest had addressed the people under a big shaded tree. He said that young men should be prepared to accept abducted women as their mothers, sisters, and even as their wives. Jyoti did not listen to it carefully. The children that are born will be indeed the citizen of India, the first citizen of free India. But she listened about the children carefully.

Q17) Discuss the past life of Jyoti before partition.

Ans) The character Jyoti had been taken from the short story, ‘A Leaf in the Storm’ by Lalithambika Antharjanam. Far away in the prosperous village of Punjab to a well-to-do house, a mother was in labour. The doctor and nurses waited in hand, her relatives were anxious. The master of the house sat on the bed and fixed his eyes on the clock. They were waiting for the fruit of prolonged medical treatment and their virtuous deeds. Jyoti was born that day. She was the darling of her family and neighbours. She joined college despite the initial objections of her parents, whom she won over her charms. She shocked her people when she gave up her purdah. She loved freedom. That explained her refusal to settle for a marriage, which others considered desirable. The freedom she earned was not only for herself but from slavery for her community, indeed the whole human race. She wanted to free the boned, those who were enslaved by convention. She wanted to make them happy and contented. She hoped in vain that she could knit together a net of silver threads, that is, to take everyone together. She had also been in prison, without food and rest. And suffered police brutality for the upliftment of women. But this partition took everything away from her. And gifted her the reward of being pregnant but unmarried.

PART 2 – QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

A LEAF IN THE STORM BY LALITHAMBIKA ANTHARJANAM

A Leaf in the Storm Part 2

This is the continuation of the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharajanam.

CLICK HERE FOR –Part 1

PART 2

  • Fifteen were wearing the veil and was kept inside the lady’s wing in her(Jyoti) neighborhood
  • Qasim was the master of the house and a good friend of Jyoti’s father
  • Ayesha was Jyoti’s good friend and she gave them refugee.
  • Only Ayesha’s brother Ali thought otherwise and called Hindus the Kafirs and hated them.
  • Ayesha planned to keep the secret of the 15 women that are kept in the house from her brother Ali.
  • She also planned to send that 15 women to the refugee camp safely in her father’s bullock cart safely
  • As Qasim Sahib’s cart had been running for around fifty years on the same road and no one will doubt him
  • That night, a miserable journey inside the iron cage took place- one felt choked among the violent bumps and jerks
  • Loud slogans rent in the air… and were full of burning flesh smell
  • Ignoring all the things happening all-around Qasim Sahib was shouting, “Pakistan Zindabad… Allah-ho-Akbar” out of tension and fear. Also, so that no one doubts him.
  • The travelers thought that they were now out of danger. But, suddenly the cart was stopped.
  • Someone pulled out the bundles of hay from the cart, ignoring Qasim’s sahib’s protests and swearing.
  • And the fifteen women were dragged out from inside the cart. And one by one, those flowers fell.
  • Then Jyoti returns to reality from her memory of past
  • She thought how cruel life is. Overwhelming pain! What it could be- the agony of pain or dead?
  • She thought her mother had returned from the dead and said – “Jyoti, I too went through this. My mother and mother’s mother… In fact, all mothers”
  • Again she went back to the moment when she lay unconscious. An awful lot of men came into the cell with devilish faces… reddened fanatic hate and madness.
  • And was thinking about which of the faces will resemble (match), the face of her unborn baby
  • Jyoti felt a deep convulsion from within. She felt hot and thirsty. She breathed hard and her body shook in agony…
  • “HO! and so it ends”. – here Jyoti’s baby was born.
  • And her pain ends. But does the pain really ends here?
  • No one had notice Jyoti giving birth to a child as a lots of things were going on there, around the camp. As there were huge noises all around.
  • She was laying like a triumphant(happy) soldier, exhausted on the battlefied.
  • Her first instinct was to close the child’s eyes and choke it to dead
  • By doing that, she may coverup the misery and shame that she felt throughout this months of unwanted pregnancy
  • And bury it under the tree, as she didn’t wanted the scavenger to drag it to the garbage.
  • Jyoti got up and stretched her hands. She felt the mass of flesh, i.e., the child. It was warm and she can’t believe that she gave it the warm.
  • She hope the child looked like her. She wanted to see the child, its small eyes… just for once.
  • Jyoti felt the child’s feet and thought it wanted the refuge and the voice of the child appealed her to let it live.
  • The voice of the child was so tender and compelling that, it might woke up the camp, the whole universe and its creatures
  • She tried to covers its parted lips to shut its voice. But it was ticklishly smooth like the tender leaves
  • More then compassion, fear overcame her. As though somebody had forbidden her and said, “No don’t stifle(stop) that voice! It is not the voice of the individual, but that of the whole world”
  • As if everything was preventing her to not kill the child
  • Jyoti wanted to run away from this situation as she was confused with the emotions
  • At last, she wanted to keep the child around the green grass under the moon. As she had heard that the babies deserted (left out) by their mothers, were taken care by the goddesses.
  • Someone will spot the child in the morning and keep the child.
  • Maybe a mother who don’t have a child.
  • And again a doubt crossed her mind, that, if that woman had her own babies?
  • She got confused again.
  • It was difficult to cut off a bond so easily. The scar will remain.
  • The world will judge, give pain and trouble one’s life anyway.
  • Jyoti returned slowly. The child was still crying
  • The voice grow hoarse (heavier) and limbs began to limp. And there was no time to wait.
  • Jyoti took her child into her arms and warmed its forehead with caring it gently.
  • Her life- blood flowed like fresh milk – that is, Jyoti was overwhelmed by the feeling of motherhood
  • She walked towards the camp with her child. And the stars were beaming from the heaven.
  • Maybe they have resolved a complicated puzzle of emotions.

FOR PART 1, CLICK HERE – PART 1

QUESTIONS AND ANSWER OF – PART 1

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS OF – PART 2

A LEAF IN THE STORM BY LALITHAMBIKA ANTHARJANAM

A Leaf in the Storm Summary Part 1

The story is about the time when the partition of India was going on. And it got divided into two parts, i.e., India, and Pakistan. The countries got divided based on religion, i.e., Muslims were transferred to Pakistan, and Hindus and other all religion people to India. Here, in the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by “Lalithambika Antharjanam“, we will come to know about a character named “Jyoti“, who becomes the victim of the partition of India, which took place after getting the independence in 1947.

Table of Contents

THEME

The main theme of the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” are:

  • Partition
  • Violence

ABOUT

  • The short story “A Leaf in the storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam got published in 1948
  • The short story ‘A Leaf in the storm‘, was written in Malayalam by Lalithambika Antharjanam
  • It was later transferred to English by ‘Narayana Chandran’
  • The short story depict the story, when the partition of India took place and got divided according to the religion
  • The Muslims got transferred to Pakistan, which was in control of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, who become their leader after the partition
  • The Hindus and other religious people got transferred to India, which was in control of Jawaharlal Nehru
  • In this short story “A Leaf in the storm” we will find a character named “Jyoti“, who was transferred from Pakistan to India as she was a non-Muslim.
  • During exchanging the refugee camps, from Pakistan to India, she got brutally raped by several people, which she can’t recognize and remember.
  • And become pregnant
  • She was unmarried, but pregnant without knowing the identity of the father of the child inside her womb

SUMMARY

PART 1

  • From the starting of the short story, we can see that 50 women have been reclaimed by the government in exchange for 50 others.
  • The transport was ready and the women were exchanged, i.e., from Pakistan to India and vice-verse.
  • The women were looked after well in the refugee camps. And some of them were reunited with their lost children and relatives in the camp.
  • Only one woman (Jyoti) was sitting quietly in the corner of the refugee camp, was not eating anything, and rejected the crumbs of bread too.
  • She wanted to finish her life but not consume anything, so she demanded a gun, a dagger, or a little poison instead of crumbs of bread/food.
  • Many women in the camps were crying and sharing their baneful (harmful/destructive) lives.
  • There was an old woman in the camp, who had 9 children of her own and she got 50 grandchildren from them. She was a respected woman in her village and mother to all the Hindus and Muslims.
  • Her last wish was to stay in that village and take her last breath there only. So, to fullfill her wish her family stayed there, even after the partition.
  • But her children were killed and girls were abducted. Her house was gutted (burnout to the ashes). And now she is all alone eating, sleeping, and talking as she had to live.
  • Also, there was another woman, eating dirty bits of chapati. Her cheeks and breasts are swollen. Her clothes were torn. She was married to a big officer in Sindh.
  • She set back with her children as soon as the people were warned of the revolt. But tragedy overtook her car and she could only see the blood-stained hand of her children. She was violated in front of her husband’s dead body.
  • Her body was reclaimed by someone, she was brought from the railway track, which was more dead than alive. Alas, she was alive after suffering all this.
  • Coming back to Jyoti, she was not consuming anything in the last four days but still, her belly remains big. And her weak conditions was informed to the camp’s doctor.
  • The doctor tried hard to convince Jyoti to have some food as the life of the child is also important for this country.
  • But Jyoti was fully determined to abort the child, as the child was conceived in the consequences of inhuman rape and ignorance.
  • The doctor was a follower of ahimsa, so he didn’t want to kill that unborn child. And also he left his well-paying job to treat the refugees in the camp.
  • He tried his best and talked like a vedantin to convince her anyhow to not abort the child and said it is the destiny of everyone to go through this situation. But they will surely overcome the storm of partition that was going on
  • She then drank the milk. Maybe the doctor’s wise words or her zest for life made her do that. From that day she started having her meals properly
  • Jyoti’s full name was “Jyotirmoyi Devpal” a Sikh woman told it to everyone. As the Sikh woman and Jyoti’s mother came from the same village.
  • Different costumes, different languages…men, women, and children were increasing day by day in the camp.
  • She had witnessed many births, more deaths and different shades of human life in the camp
  • People used to gather under the big tree in the evening and talked about their life in their villages. They belonged to beautiful land of five rivers, sugarcane fields, wheats field, buffaloes grazed.
  • Far away in the desert caravan of camels moves the adjacent villages. And many more things were discussed there about their day-to-day life.
  • But they were thrown away from their own houses like the stray dogs
  • They cursed all the well-known leaders (here leaders indicate – Jawaharlal Nehru and Muhammad Ali Jinnah) for all the mishappening going on in their life.
  • Only a few people knew about her secret that is, she was unmarried and pregnant. And she was tensed that one day the baby growing inside her, will come out, willingly or unwillingly at any time.
  • The next day an unusual thing happened, Jyoti saw a lifeless body of a newborn infant lying in the toilet.
  • It was a beautiful baby, round, and gleaming, like a thick clot of blood. It had brown hair. And also a bluish color mark on its neck, that is, the mother had suffocated the baby to die.
  • The scavengers (toilet cleaner) dragged its still-warm body and put it into the garbage.
  • During the daytime, Jyoti used to stay in open places and at night she preferred to stay alone in the corner.
  • One day, Jyoti had terrible back pain and felt dizzy and she thought that this is the time to deliver the baby. But nothing happened. And nobody had doubted her. As it was normal in the camp to fall sick like that.
  • That day, a distinguished guest arrived. He brought a message with him, which was appreciated by all. He announced that, “Young men should be prepared to accept abducted women as their mothers, sisters and even as their wives” – Jyoti was not interested in this part.
  • “Those children are indeed the citizens of India, the first citizen of a free India”- But, Jyoti listened to it carefully with open ears.
  • Then Jyoti started thinking, about the fact, that the child that is going to take birth is not the result of love but, Hate. If the child wanted to take vengeance for her mother once it grows older or wanted to cross the border for that? and so on.
  • When Jyoti came back to reality, she saw that the guest had left, and so did the people around her. It was late at night.
  • She then got to her feet, hoping to go inside the camp from the dark yard at night
  • As it was cold her body was shivering and she couldn’t walk. She felt helpless and weak.
  • A pain, like a thousand bolts of lightning, enters her brain. And she was holding a tree branch to endure the pain, but for how long?
  • Meanwhile hazy memories of past came in her mind
  • In the village of Punjab, in a well-to-do family, a mother was in labor. The doctor and nurses were doing their things, the relatives were growing worried.
  • The master of the family was sitting on the bed, his eyes fixed on the clock. They all were waiting for the results of prolonged medical treatment and virtuous deeds.
  • JYOTI was born that day and she was the darling of her parents and relatives.
  • She joined college despite of initial objections of the parent, whom she won over her charm.
  • She also gives up the purdah (veil ritual) and shocked her people.
  • She loved her freedom, which explained her refusal to settle for a marriage that others consider desirable.
  • The freedom that she earned was not only for herself but for all the people who were bonded by the slavery of convention (tradition)
  • But that was not easy for her, she had suffered from police brutality, and for days she had gone without food and rest. Ignoring everything she had been just focusing on uplifting women.
  • And after all these efforts, this was her result! (unmarried still pregnant)
  • Again back into reality, she was suffering from extreme pain and fear. Her legs were growing weaker. Her whole body was sweating.
  • Was she about to give birth? She was questioning herself. Resting her head against the trunk of the tree, she took a deep sigh. She was exhausted.
  • Again, she went into frightening scenes from her memory….

TO BE CONTINUED… PART 2

A LEAF IN THE STORM BY LALITHAMBIKA ANTHARJANAM

Questions and Answers- A Leaf in the Storm by Lalithambika Antharjanam, Part-2

Here is the second part of Questions and Answers- ‘A Leaf in the Storm‘ by Lalithambika Antharjanam, PART 2

FOR PART 1, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS – CLICK HERE – PART 1

Table of Contents

Q1) Where were the fifteen veiled women kept and in whose house?

Ans) The reference to the fifteen women is taken from the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam. The women were kept in a confined room, far inside the lady’s wing of the palace, in their neighborhood, wearing a ghoshah veil. They were kept in the house of Qasim Sahib, who was a good friend of Jyoti’s father. And Ayesha was Jyoti’s bosom friend. And gave them refuge to stay.

Q2) What did Ayesha plan to transfer the women safely to the border or refugee camp?

Ans) Ayesha was Jyoti’s bosom friend and kept her and the other women refuge in her house. Keeping them safe from the eye of her brother, Ali, who supported partition and didn’t want Hindus to stay back in Pakistan. She and her father had a full-proof plan to transfer the 15 women, through the Qasim Sahib bullock cart. As Qasim Sahib’s bullock cart was running on the same road for the last 50 years. So, nobody will doubt that he was carrying 15 women in his cart.

Q3) Did Ayesha’s planned workout?

Ans) Ayesha planned a full-proof plan, to transfer the fifteen women to a refugee camp with her father’s help. Through their bullock cart, as her father’s cart was running on the same road for the last 50 years and no one will doubt him. But that night, a miserable journey inside the bullock cart took place. Inside the iron cage, one woman felted choked among the violent bumps and jerks. The air was full of the smell of burning flesh, and loud slogan rent in the air. Qasim Sahib also shouted the slogan of “Pakistan Zindabad…Allah-ho-Akbar”, so that no one can doubt him. The women thought for a while that they were safe but suddenly the cart was stopped in spite of Qasim Sahib’s swearing and protests. Loud thunderous laughter and wild shouts were there from the protester and the fifteen women were dragged out from the cart one by one.

Q4) How did Jyoti feel before giving birth to her child?

Ans) Jyoti was a beautiful woman, who was unmarried but pregnant. In the short story, ‘A Leaf in the Storm‘ by Lalithambika Antharjanam, we have seen that Jyoti felt as if the mother came, and whispered in her ears, ‘Jyoti, I too went through his, My mother and mother’s mother… In fact, All mothers’. Then she started thinking of the prison where she lay unconscious, trying to recognize the devilish faces, reddened by fanatic hate and frenzy! to which one of the faces will her child resemble. Then suddenly she felt a deep convulsion from within, She felt hot and thirsty. She breathed hard and her body shook in agony and her child was born and came into this world.

Q5) HO! and so it ends. Was it really the end? Explain.

Ans) The question quoted line is taken from the short story “A Leaf in the Storm” by Lalithambika Antharjanam. The line was said when Jyoti’s child was born. And the pain and agony she was going through during childbirth ended. But the writer says that, is it the end? As now the child and Jyoti had to go through a lot of humiliation, shame, and whatnot. Maybe the physical pain of Jyoti was ended but the mental trauma that she have to go throughout her life was just started.

Q6) Why the reference to ‘a triumphant soldier’ had been used in the short story ‘A Leaf in the Storm’?

Ans) The word triumphant soldier means – the soldier who had won the battle. Here the reference to the triumphant soldier had been used to indicate Jyoti’s situation after giving birth to the child. The child was born and she was laying on the lawn as if, a soldier was lying out of exhaustion after winning a battle.

Q7) What was Jyoti’s first instinct towards the child after giving birth to it?

Ans) Jyoti was totally exhausted when she gave birth to the child. And she had already planned to kill the child after giving birth to it. Her first instinct was to close her eyes, search her way to the child( as it was dark at night) and choke her child to death with her own hands. Thinking that, by choking the child to die, she might will bury the misery and shame she was going on throughout these months. And she will bury the child under the tree, as she doesn’t want scavengers to drag it away.

Q8) ‘O, how warm it is! – locate and explain.

Ans)The question quoted line is taken from the short story ‘A leaf in the Storm‘ by Lalithambika. This line had been used in reference to the child. After giving birth to the child when Jyoti touched the child for the first time, she felt a mass of flesh, which was warm. She questioned herself did her body give the child so much warmth? She started hoping that the child may look like her and wanted to see it, its small eyes, just for once, before killing it.

Q9) “Resolved a complicated puzzle”- locate and explain.

Ans) This is the last line of the short story, ‘A Leaf in the Storm‘ by Lalithambika Antharjanam. Through this line the writer wanted to make us understand that, Jyoti was really confused about the child, that is, what to do with it. But at last, when she touched the child for the first time and felt its warmth, then she wanted to see the child. The voice of the child melted her heart and she felt it was the most tender and compelling voice ever. She doesn’t want the child to get carried away with the scavenger’s waste in the dustbin nor she wanted it to give to someone hand, who already had a child of their own and discriminate among the child. So, when she felt the child, her motherly instinct didn’t let her kill the child, rather she took the child in her arms and went towards the camps. And the puzzle of confusion was solved and the stars beamed from the heaven as if the whole universe wanted the child to live in this world.

FOR MORE QUESTIONS AND ANSWER CLICK HERE- PART 1

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Sailing to Byzantium-Questions and Answers

We have tried to provide you with the best questions and answers from “Sailing to Byzantium” by WB Yeats. Hope you all find it helpful.”Sailing to Byzantium” is a poem by W. B. Yeats, one of the most prominent Irish poets of the 20th century. It was first published in 1928 as part of Yeats’s collection “The Tower.” The poem is considered one of Yeats’s most important works and is known for its complex use of symbolism and imagery. The poem reflects Yeats’s personal beliefs about art, life, and the afterlife, and explores themes of aging, death, and the power of art to transcend human limitations.

Questions and Answers

Sailing to Byzantium

BY WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS

Table of Contents

    1. Q1)When was the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” got published?
    2. Q2)What is the theme of the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by WB Yeats?
    3. Q3) HOW MANY STANZAS AND LINES ARE THERE, IN THE POEM “SALING TO BYZANTIUM”?
    4. Q4) WHAT IS THE RHYMING SCHEME OF THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM” BY WB YEATS?
    5. Q5) IN WHICH VERSE THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM” WAS WRITTEN?
    6. Q6) WHAT IS THE PRESENT NAME OF THE CITY “BYZANTIUM”?
    7. Q7) “THAT IS NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN” – LOCATE AND EXPLAIN?
    8. Q8) “THOSE DYING GENERATIONS” – WHO ARE REPRESENTED HERE AND WHY?
    9. Q9) “MONUMENTS OF UNAGEING INTELLECT” – EXPLAIN
    10. Q10) “AN AGED MAN IS BUT A PALTRY THING” – EXPLAIN
    11. Q11) “FOR EVERY TATTER IN ITS MORTAL DRESS”- EXPLAIN
    12. Q12) “MONUMENTS OF ITS OWN MAGNIFICENCE” – EXPLAIN
    13. Q13) WHY THE POET, W.B. YEATS IS CALLING THE SAGES IN THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”?
    14. Q14) “FASTENED TO A DYING ANIMAL”- WHO ARE REFFERED AS THE DYING ANIMAL AND WHY?
    15. Q15) WHY THE REFERENCE TO “GRECIAN GOLDSMITHS” IS USED IN THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”?
    16. Q16) WHY DID THE POET WANT TO BECOME IMMORTAL IN THE POEM, “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”? EXPLAIN THOROUGHLY.
    17. Q17) WHAT WERE THE MESSAGES THE POET WANTED TO GIVE AFTER BECOMING IMMORTAL, IN THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”?
    18. Q18) WHY WAS THE POET TRAVELLING TO BYZANTIUM, NOT ANY OTHER COUNTRY, IN THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”?
  1. Sailing to Byzantium central theme
  2. Power of art in the poem “Sailing to Byzantium”
  3. Religion theme in the poem “Sailing to Byzantium”
  4. Discuss the title “Sailing to Byzantium” By Yeats
Q1)When was the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” got published?

ANS) The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by WB Yeats. It was written in 1926. And got published in 1928 (i.e. after 2 years). It got published in the collection called “Words for music perhaps and others“.

Q2)What is the theme of the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by WB Yeats?

Ans)The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by WB Yeats. It got published in 1928. The main theme of the poem are –

  • Old-age
  • Imagination vs reality
  • Immorality
Q3) HOW MANY STANZAS AND LINES ARE THERE, IN THE POEM “SALING TO BYZANTIUM”?

ANS)The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by WB Yeats. It got published in 1928. The poem contains –

  • 4 stanzas – each containing 8 lines
  • as it contains 8 lines and more than 8 syllables in it, so we may call it, OTTVA RIMA.
  • The rhyme scheme – ABABABCC
Q4) WHAT IS THE RHYMING SCHEME OF THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM” BY WB YEATS?

ANS) The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by WB Yeats. It got published in 1928. The rhyming scheme of the poem is ABABABCC.

Q5) IN WHICH VERSE THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM” WAS WRITTEN?

ANS) The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by WB Yeats. It got published in 1928. It was written in –

  • Iambic pentameter
  • ottava rima
  • 8 lines, each containing 10 syllables in it
  • abababcc
Q6) WHAT IS THE PRESENT NAME OF THE CITY “BYZANTIUM”?

ANS)The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by WB Yeats. It got published in 1928. The present name of the city “Byzantium” is Istanbul, Turkey. This city is usually known for its artistry, holiness, and spirituality.

Q7) “THAT IS NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN” – LOCATE AND EXPLAIN?

ANS) The line “THAT IS NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN” is taken from the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by WB Yeats. Through this line, the poet wants to say that, Ireland was no longer a country for old people. Ireland’s people or the young generations do not care about the old ones. they are busy with their own lives and their sensuality.

Q8) “THOSE DYING GENERATIONS” – WHO ARE REPRESENTED HERE AND WHY?

ANS) The phrase “THOSE DYING GENERATIONS” is taken from the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by WB Yeats. The phrase “those dying generations” referred to the young generations or youth. through this phrase the poet wanted to say that, the young generations are lost in sensuality and their world of the living, ignoring the old people and their importance and knowledge. So, they just take birth and die without any immorality within themselves.

Q9) “MONUMENTS OF UNAGEING INTELLECT” – EXPLAIN

ANS) The questions quoted line taken from the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by WB Yeats. It was written in 1926 and got published in 1928. Through this line, the poet wants to make us understand that, the young generation, or youth, is neglecting the unageing intellect of arts. That is the old people and their experiences. Here, “monuments” are referred to the ‘piece of art’. So, the poet says, we are ignoring the basic knowledge of artistry, holiness, and spirituality by ignoring the unbeatable knowledge from our elders who had their life-long experiences with it.

Q10) “AN AGED MAN IS BUT A PALTRY THING” – EXPLAIN

ANS) The line is taken from the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by WB Yeats. It was written in 1926 and got published in 1928. Here, a “paltry thing” is referred to as an insignificant thing. Through this line, the poet wanted to say that an aged man is an insignificant thing to the young generations. The aged man is useless to them and they don’t care also about them. They are like the tattered cloth to them which is hung upon the sticks in the field, to keep away the crows. That is, they are no better than materials or things to the young generations which are of no use but a burden.

Q11) “FOR EVERY TATTER IN ITS MORTAL DRESS”- EXPLAIN

ANS) The line is taken from the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by WB Yeats. It was written in 1926 and got published in 1928. Through this line, we can see that the poet had compared the aged man to the “tattered coat”, i.e., an insignificant thing. But, the poet was waiting, to gain holiness, artistry, and spirituality in his soul, so that his soul could clap its hands and sing louder. And the “mortal dress” here signifies the human body. And after gaining all these things his mortal body will get importance and peace within itself.

Q12) “MONUMENTS OF ITS OWN MAGNIFICENCE” – EXPLAIN

ANS) The questions quoted line is taken from the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by WB Yeats. Here the poet, wants us to understand that the young generation has lost all the moralities of their lives, and is busy in their world of enjoyment and sins, where there is no place for holiness, artistry, and spirituality at all. They have created their own life and are busy with themselves. They give no importance to the old-aged-man and their experiences and knowledge. They ignore the reality of life and are busy in such a world where their no goaL, to achieve something to be immortal forever.

Q13) WHY THE POET, W.B. YEATS IS CALLING THE SAGES IN THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”?

ANS) The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by W.B. Yeats. Here, in the poem, we find a reference to “sages”. These sages are the sages of the “Ravenna Church” of Byzantium(at present Istanbul). The sages are called here, as the poet wanted to burn the complexity of his life. So, to burn it out, the poet wants the sages to come in the same way from the holy fire and perne (spirally) in a gyre (circularly), i.e., like the inspection of the hawk. And become free from every complexity and gain holiness, artistry, and spirituality at the end and become immortal.

Q14) “FASTENED TO A DYING ANIMAL”- WHO ARE REFFERED AS THE DYING ANIMAL AND WHY?

ANS) The line “fastened to a dying animal” is taken from the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by W.B. Yeats. Here, “dying animals” are referred to the human body, i.e., it is mortal and will be died someday. The thought of having a human body and he has to die someday, consumes his heart away. As he wanted to become immortal and though, his soul is attached to a human body, which is mortal, he can’t be living forever. But, then also he wanted to gain holiness, artistry, and spirituality so that his soul can sing and become the singer master of it. He wanted to gain immortality through it and did want to get the artifice of eternity.

Q15) WHY THE REFERENCE TO “GRECIAN GOLDSMITHS” IS USED IN THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”?

ANS) The phrase “Grecian Goldsmiths” is taken from the poem “Sailing to Byzantium” by W.B. Yeats. Grecian gold was used by the jewels of Greece, to make such an antique piece which was used to continue generation after generation, i.e., as a family legacy or tradition. It was so beautifully hammered and enameled (decorated) to keep the attention of the people towards it only. So, here poet wanted to become that antique piece and transform it into a gold bird made by Grecian’s goldsmiths and become immortal and continue its legacy generation after generation. And want to sing (tell) for the lords and ladies of Byzantium, about the past, present, and future.

Q16) WHY DID THE POET WANT TO BECOME IMMORTAL IN THE POEM, “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”? EXPLAIN THOROUGHLY.

ANS) The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by W.B. Yeats. Through this poem, we came to know about many such reasons why the poet wanted to become immortal. As we can see from the beginning of the poem, the poet wanted to get the attention of the youth but he couldn’t. He wanted to share his experience with them but the youth or young generations ignored him or the aged man. So, the poet decided to go to Byzantium and gain holiness, artistry, and spirituality, which will help him to get immorality in life and forever through his outstanding knowledge. He wanted to leave the human body and get transformed into a “Golden bird” to become immortal and share about people’s past, present, and upcoming future.

Q17) WHAT WERE THE MESSAGES THE POET WANTED TO GIVE AFTER BECOMING IMMORTAL, IN THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”?

ANS) The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by W.B. Yeats. It got published in 1928, in the collection “TOWER“. The messages, the poet wanted to spread after gaining immortality are holiness, artistry, and spirituality among the people of Byzantium. He also wanted to transform into a gold bird to keep the drowsy emperor awake and share with the Lords and women of Byzantium about their past, present, and future.

Q18) WHY WAS THE POET TRAVELLING TO BYZANTIUM, NOT ANY OTHER COUNTRY, IN THE POEM “SAILING TO BYZANTIUM”?

ANS) The poem “Sailing to Byzantium” was written by W.B. Yeats. It got published in 1928, in the collection “TOWER“. The poet wanted to travel to the city of Byzantium only, and not to any other country as people believed that, “Byzantium” (presently known as Istanbul) is the city of holiness, spirituality, and artistry. It was known for its calmness and pure environment. The city of religion and to gain immortality through it. So to gain all the intellect form of arts and spirituality he wanted to travel to Byzantium and get the transformation to become immortal.


Sailing to Byzantium central theme

The central theme of W.B. Yeats’ poem “Sailing to Byzantium” is the tension between youth and old age, mortality and immortality, and the spiritual versus the material. The speaker of the poem is an elderly man who yearns to escape the physical decay of his body and achieve a state of transcendence through art and spiritual transformation. He envisions the city of Byzantium, which represents a spiritual and artistic ideal, as a place where he can transcend the limitations of his physical body and achieve immortality through his art. The poem is a meditation on the nature of human existence and the human quest for transcendence and immortality, and it explores the tension between the transience of human life and the eternal nature of art and the human spirit.

Power of art in the poem “Sailing to Byzantium”

One of the central themes in “Sailing to Byzantium” by W.B. Yeats is the power of art. Yeats uses the metaphor of an aging man sailing to the city of Byzantium, which was known for its magnificent art and architecture, to explore the idea that art can transcend time and mortality.

The speaker in the poem, who is described as an old man, is seeking a way to escape the limitations of his physical body and achieve immortality through his art. He believes that in Byzantium, where there is a great appreciation for art and beauty, his creations will be valued and preserved long after he is gone.

Through vivid imagery and sensory language, Yeats conveys the idea that art has the power to transform the mundane and fleeting aspects of life into something enduring and eternal. For example, in the third stanza, the speaker describes the goldsmiths of Byzantium who “hammered out” images of birds that will “sing to men at all ages.”

Overall, the poem suggests that the power of art lies in its ability to capture the essence of life and to communicate that essence to future generations. It is a celebration of the enduring value of art and the human desire for immortality through creative expression.

Religion theme in the poem “Sailing to Byzantium”

Religion is a significant theme in “Sailing to Byzantium.” Yeats portrays a tension between the physical world and the spiritual world, with the latter representing the realm of eternity and transcendence. Byzantium, as a symbol of the spiritual realm, is contrasted with the physical realm of Ireland, which Yeats sees as decaying and transient.

The poem also touches on the concept of immortality, which is a key aspect of many religions. Yeats sees the physical world as corrupt and decaying, and he longs to transcend this world and achieve a kind of spiritual immortality through his art. This can be seen in lines such as “An aged man is but a paltry thing, / A tattered coat upon a stick,” where Yeats expresses his disdain for the physical limitations of old age and mortality.

Furthermore, Yeats draws on Christian and pagan imagery in the poem, suggesting that these two belief systems are not mutually exclusive. For example, the image of the golden bird is a symbol of the soul or the divine spark within us, which can be found in both Christian and pagan traditions. Yeats also references the Book of Revelation in the line “Every tatter in its mortal dress,” which alludes to the idea of the apocalypse and the final judgment.

Overall, religion in “Sailing to Byzantium” is presented as a means of transcending the limitations of the physical world and achieving a kind of spiritual immortality. Yeats uses religious imagery and symbolism to convey this idea, drawing on both Christian and pagan traditions.

Discuss the title “Sailing to Byzantium” By Yeats

The title “Sailing to Byzantium” reflects the central theme of the poem, which is the speaker’s desire to escape from the decaying, transient world of the physical realm and attain a sense of immortality through art and the spiritual world. Byzantium, or Constantinople, was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and a center of artistic and intellectual activity during the Middle Ages. The city was known for its beautiful art and architecture, as well as its religious significance, which makes it an ideal symbol for the speaker’s quest for transcendence.

The word “sailing” also implies a journey or quest, which underscores the speaker’s desire to escape the limitations of mortality and attain a higher state of being. The journey is not just physical, but also spiritual and artistic, as the speaker seeks to transcend the boundaries of time and space through his artistic creations. The title, therefore, captures the central theme of the poem and sets the tone for the speaker’s spiritual and artistic quest for immortality.


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I’M WIFE I’VE FINISHED THAT

The poem “I’m “wife”-I’ve finished that-“was written by Emily Dickinson in 19th the century. It got published in the collection: “POEMS”. The first line of the poem is taken as the title of the poem.

Table of Contents

About

  • The rhyming scheme of the poem “I’M WIFE I’VE FINISHED THAT” is AABBCCDDEEFF
  • The poem was written in the 19th century by EMILY DICKINSON
  • It was published in the collection – “POEMS” in 1890
  • Emily Dickinson was never a married woman but she wrote this poem through her experiences and observations. And imagined herself to be married.
  • In Emily Dickinson’s poems, we can usually see that, she never gave the titles to her poems, so the first line of her poems is taken as titles.
  • In this poem we have seen, the poetess used a lot of hyphens (–) and inverted commas (“”) to represent the anger or frustration of the poetess toward the patriarchal society. That is, how they force women to get married to protect themselves.

Theme

  • How a spinster need to get married to get protection in the society
  • Journey of a girl from spinsterhood (unmarried) to a married woman.
  • Sacrifice of her freedom

Summary

I’m “wife” – I’ve finished that-

That other state-

Here the poetess wanted to say that, now she is the wife, that is, she had finished being a spinster (stage of unmarried girl). Here, the word “wife” had been used to satirize the traditional people for their stereotypical thinking.

I’m Czar-I’m “Woman” now-

It’s safer so-

Here, Czar means- “Russian Ruler” or “King“. Here, “Woman” has been used as a symbol of maturity. She is not married but mature enough to fight her battles and struggles by leading her life like a king, with her experiences. And as she is married now she is safe from society’s taunts and odd behaviour.

How odd the Girl’s life looks-
Behind the soft eclipse-

Here, the poetess has described the life of an unmarried girl, who had to face, the odd behaviour, manner, and treatment of society. Their life is as dark as the eclipse, but married life is like a “soft eclipse” for the woman as they get protection from everywhere. Most of all they don’t get judged for anything happening in their life.

I think that Earth feels so

To folks in Heaven-now-

Here the poetess had compared the unmarried girls with “Earth” and married woman to “Heaven”. Emily says that Heaven (married life) is a glorifying place where women enjoy every right, freedom, and protection from the ill-treatment of society. Whereas, at the same place the spinsters (unmarried girls) have to fight daily for their rights, freedom, and taunts of society. Earth is represented as a harsh reality of the unmarried life in this patriarchal society, whereas, Heaven is represented as a saviour of women, that is, by getting married.

This being comfort-then

That other kind-was pain-

These lines are the continuation of the above para, where the poetess says that being married is comfortable to achieve a respected life and save their images from the eyes of the patriarchal society. And being unmarried or a spinster is a painful situation for them as their life becomes really difficult to live, they had to face humiliation, taunts, and odd behaviour of society.

But why compare?

I’m “Wife”! Stop there!

In the last lines, the poetess says, why compare her now, she is a “Wife” now. And she had finished being a spinster. So she says, “Stop there“, as she had stopped every means to get criticized by the people of the society. As she is married now.

Conclusion

In this poem, EMILY DICKINSON talks about the odd behaviour that society does with the spinster. The taunt, humiliation, and ill-treatment, they have to face in their day-to-day life. So to control that, the woman had to get married. But the question arises here, do they get freedom? The answer is no. As maybe, they are seen in a respected way and get protected from the eyes of society, but their freedom to study, to achieve something, to become employed, or to do something in life gets snatched from them. They don’t get to share their point of view. So, in the end, after getting married too, they had to sacrifice their dreams. So, lead your life according, as people will judge you anyway.

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Modern Fiction by Virginia Woolf Questions and Answers

MODERN FICTION

               In this article, we have covered “Modern Fiction” by Virginia Woolf’s questions and answers. Hope you are gonna enjoy this.      

Table of Contents

                                                               

Q1) WHAT DOES VIRGINIA WOOLF PRESENT BY HER SURVEY IN ‘MODERN FICTION’?

ANS) According to Virginia Woolf, in making of any of her survey, even in the freest and loosest, of modern fiction, people are taking it for granted as MODERN FICTION is somewhat an improvement to the old.

Q2) WHO ARE FIELDING AND JANE AUSTEN?

ANS) According to the essay Modern fiction, by essayist Virginia Woolf, the novelists, Henry Fielding did well, and Jane Austen even better with their simple tools and primitive materials. And their masterpieces certainly their writings have a strange air of simplicity, which we cannot find in today’s writings even after getting so many materials and information.

Q3) WHAT DOES THE ESSAYIST MEAN TO SAY BY THE ANALOGY BETWEEN LITERATURE AND MOTOR CARS IN THE ESSAY MODERN FICTION?

ANS) According to the essayist, Virginia Woolf, in the essay ‘MODERN FICTION’ we came to know about the analogy between the literature and the motor cars that in the course of the time we have learnt much about making machines/motor cars but we have not learnt/develop anything about how to make literature. We are still in the dilemma and we keep moving in different directions without any aim and come back to the same position again and again without any progress in the process. 

Q4) “WE DON’T COME TO WRITE BETTER” – WHO ARE REFERRED TO AS ‘WE’? WHAT DOES THE SPEAKER MEAN TO SAY HERE?

ANS) The essay ‘MODERN FICTION’ was written by Virginia Woolf. In the above question quoted line, ‘WE’ mainly refers to the writers, especially English Fiction writers. In this context, she said that we just write to keep moving literature in anyhow. She also referred to the context of making machines and literature, that we know lots of things in a few centuries of machines but the same thing can be claimed in the perspective of literature. But unable to understand anything people just move in a circular motion and reach to the point from where they had started.

Q5) WHAT DOES THE ESSAYIST MEAN BY THE PHRASE ‘LOFTY PINNACLE’ IN MODERN FICTION?

ANS) The phrase ‘lofty pinnacle’ is taken from the essay ‘Modern Fiction’ by Virginia Woolf. In the essay, lofty pinnacle refers to the advantage ground from where people can view their existing position on their way to get success. 

Q6) WHO ARE CALLED ‘HAPPIER WARRIORS’ AND WHY?

ANS) The phrase ‘happier warriors’ was taken from the essay ‘Modern Fiction’ by Virginia Woolf. Here in the essay happier warriors are refers to those writers who had completed their struggle and reached their success with their hard work. And their works were so famous that we cannot stop accomplishing them by whispering in envy that their fight was not so fierce for them as for us.

Q7) WHAT DOES VIRGINIA WOOLF MEAN TO SAY BY “HAPPIER WARRIORS”?

ANS) Through the phrase ‘happier warriors’ Woolf wanted to clear us that, people from the flat ground think that the famous personalities had reached their success without any struggle and hard work. But when we look from the lofty pinnacle, we can clearly see that the writers had really worked hard to achieve their goals.

Q8) “IT IS FOR THE HISTORIAN OF LITERATURE TO DECIDE” – WHAT IS TO BE DECIDED?

ANS) The question quoted line is taken from the essay “Modern Fiction” by Virginia Woolf. Through this line Woolf wanted to make us understand that, it is the historian of literature, who will decide that where are we standing in the prose fiction, i.e., in the beginning, or ending or standing in the middle as from the plain/flat surface little is visible to us.

Q9) “WE ONLY KNOW THAT….” – WHAT SHOULD WE KNOW AND WHAT DOES THE ESSAYIST MEAN TO SAY HERE?

ANS) The phrase is taken from the essay ‘MODERN FICTION’ by Virginia Woolf. Through this phrase, Woolf wanted to make us know that gratitude(praise) and hostilities(envy) inspire us. That is certain paths leads us to fertile lands and some path leads us to dust and dessert. And Woolf, the essayist here means to say that we need to take our chances to reach our goals and achieve our part of success.

Q10) “WE RESERVE OUR UNCONDITIONAL GRATITUDE” – WHO ARE REFERRED TO HERE AND WHY ARE THEY GIVEN UNCONDITIONAL GRATITUDE?

ANS) The above text is taken from the essay ‘Modern Fiction’ by Virginia Woolf. Here are the writers such as Mr Thomas Hardy, Mr Joseph Conrad and Mr William Henry Hudson for their wonderful and soulful writings.