Prasanna

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Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary in English by A.J. Cronin

Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary in English

Two Gentlemen of Verona is a heart-warming story of human relationships and family ties. In the story set in Italy against the backdrop of the Second World War, the two gentlemen of Verona, the brothers, Nicola and Jacopo, take care of their sister Lucia who is suffering from tuberculosis.

The boys are poor and wear shabby clothes. Their father was a famous singer and a hard worker who had died in the war. The boys willingly take on the responsibility of providing for their ailing sister, in the absence of their father.

While driving through the foothills of the Alps to Verona, the narrator was stopped by two small boys selling wild strawberries. The boys were dressed shabbily in old clothes that were too large for them. The two were dark-skinned and thin, with tangled hair and dark eyes, which had a serious expression. Though their driver tried to dissuade them from buying the strawberries, the narrator and his companion bought the biggest basket the boys had for sale because they were attracted to them. The boys were brothers. Nicola, the elder, was 13 and Jacopo, the younger one, was nearly 12. The next morning, the narrator found the two brother shining shoes outside their hotel. The boys told him that besides picking fruit and shining shoes, the two boys also worked as tour guides.

As the boys showed the narrator and his companion around the town, he noticed the boys were childish and innocent. But even though Jacopo was lively, and Nicola had a charming smile, both the boys appeared to be very serious.

During the week that the narrator and his companion spent in Verona, they often saw the boys who were always ready to do chores for the two men.

One night, they were surprised to see the boys in the windy and deserted square, resting on the stone pavement beneath the lights. It was nearly midnight, and though he looked tired, Nicola sat upright while Jacopo slept with his head resting on his brother’s shoulder. They were waiting for the last bus from Padua so that they could sell the newspapers.

The narrator was surprised at how hard the boys worked and when he questioned Nicola about it the next morning, he looked ashamed and tongue-tied. The narrator presumed the boys worked so hard and spent frugally as they were saving up to emigrate to America. Nicola expressed a desire to go to the States but said they had plans in Italy at the moment.

The narrator then offered help before he left for the United States on the following Monday. Nicola declined the offer, but Jacopo readily took him up on it and asked him if they could go to Poleta, 30 kilometres from Verona, in the narrator’s car. The narrator readily agreed to drive the boys there himself. He assured Nicola, who appeared to be angry with his brother that it wouldn’t be any trouble to do so.

The following afternoon they drove to the tiny village set high upon the hillside. At Poleta, Jacopo directed him to a large red-roofed villa, surrounded by a high stone wall. As soon as the car came to a halt, the two boys jumped out and telling the narrator they would be back in an hour, they entered the villa.

After a few minutes the narrator followed the boys inside. When he rang the bell, a nurse opened the door. He asked her about the two boys. She led the narrator through the hospital and stopped near the door of a little cubicle. Through the glass partition, the narrator saw the boys sitting next to a girl of about twenty who sat propped up on pillows listening to their chatter, her eyes soft and tender. He realised at once she was their sister from their resemblance to another.

The nurse told him that the children, who had lost their mother earlier, lost their father in the war. He had been a well- known singer. Shortly afterwards, a bomb had destroyed their home. As a result, the three children were left homeless and destitute. The children who had always known a comfortable and cultured life, suffered from lack of food and cold. For months they lived in a shelter they built with their own hands amidst the rubble. Then for three years the Germans ruled the city. The boys grew to hate the Germans. When the resistance movement began secretly, they were among the first to join. When the war was over, and there was peace at last, they came back to their beloved sister. Lucia, who had earlier been training as a singer had developed tuberculosis of the spine.

The boys did not give up. They brought her to the hospital. Lucia had been in the hospital for twelve months and was making good progress. One day she would walk and sing again. The boys, in the meantime, struggled hard to pay for her treatment.

The narrator went back outside and waited until the boys came out. Then he drove them back to the city. He did not let them realise that he knew their secret though he was very impressed by their devotion. War had not broken their spirit. Their selfless action brought a new nobility to human life and gave promise of a greater hope for human society.

Two Gentlemen of Verona Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Based on your reading of the story answer the following questions by ticking the correct options.

a. The driver did not approve of the narrator buying fruit from the two boys because
(i) the boys were untidy and poorly dressed
(ii) the strawberries were not fresh
(iii) they were asking for a heavy price
(iv) the driver did not approve of small boys who worked
Answer:
(i) the boys were untidy and poorly dressed

b. The narrator was most impressed by the boys
(i) desire to earn money
(ii) willingness to work
(iii) ability to perform many tasks
(iv) sense of fun
Answer:
(ii) willingness to work

c. Nicola was not pleased when Jacopo asked the narrator to drive them to Poleta as he
(i) did not want a stranger to become involved with their plans
(ii) preferred going to Poleta by train so that he could enjoy the scenery
(iii) did not want to ask anyone for favours
(iv) did not want to take help from someone he did not know well
Answer:
(iii) did not want to ask anyone for favours

d. The narrator did not go inside Lucia’s room as
(i) he did not want to intrude into their privacy
(ii) he thought that the boys would object
(iii) Lucia would not welcome a stranger
(iv) the boys wouldfeel he was spying on them

(e) The boys were the first to join the resistance movement against the Germans because
(i) the Germans had hurt their sister
(ii) the Germans ruled the city
(iii) the Germans had ruined their family
(iv) the Germans had destroyed their home
Answer:
(iv) the Germans had destroyed their home

f. The author did not speak to the boys on their return journey because
(i) he thought the boys would prefer to keep their secret
(ii) he thought the boys were ashamed of their sister’s condition
(iii) he thought they wouldn’t tell him the truth
(iv) he thought the boys might ask him for money for their sister
Answer:
(i) he thought the boys would prefer to keep their secret

Question 2.
What do you understand by the following statements?

a. “We do many things, sir, ” Nicola answered seriously. He glanced at us hopefully.
Answer:
Nicola tells the narrator when questioned by the latter that they don’t just pick fruit for a living but do many other things as well.

b. He coloured deeply under his sunburn, then grew pale.
Answer:
The narrator had commented on their frugal lifestyle despite the money they earned.
The boy was embarrassed by this.

c. He smiled uncomfortably. “Just plans, sir, ” he answered in a low voice.
Answer:
Nicola does not want to disclose to the narrator that they are not saving up for a trip to the States but to look after their invalid sister.

d. Yet in both these boyish faces there was a seriousness which was far beyond their years.
Answer:
The narrator sees integrity and self-reliance in their faces and in the way they work. He conies to realize that they are far more mature than their actual age.

Question 3.
Answer the following questions briefly.

a. Why didn’t Luigi, the driver, approve of the two boys?
Answer:
Luigi disapproved of their shabby appearance and did not want the narrator to buy strawberries from the boys. So, he also tried to convince the narrator would get better strawberries in Verona.

b. Why were the narrator and his companion impressed by the two boys?
Answer:
The narrator and his companion were attracted by the sincerity and honesty they saw in the friendly open faces of the boys. They were very impressed by the earnestness and genuineness they saw in their dark eyes.

c. Why was the author surprised to see Nicola and Jacopo working as shoeshine boys?
Answer:
The narrator had encountered the two boys Nicola and Jacopo the previous day as fruit-pickers and fruit-sellers. Therefore, he was surprised to see them working as shoeshine boys in the town square the next day.

d. How were the boys useful to the author?
Answer:
Nicola and Jacopo performed a number of tasks for the narrator including procuring a pack of American cigarettes, seats for the opera and the name of a good restaurant where they could eat. They also took him around the city to show him the sights.

e. Why were the boys in the deserted square at night? What character traits do they exhibit?
Answer:
The boys were in the square at night waiting for the last bus from Padua. They wished to sell the papers to the – passengers who came off the bus. This shows their capacity for hard work and their commitment. They were unmindful of their own tiredness or discomfort.

f. The narrator asks the boys, “Mustyou work so hard? You both look rather tired. ” The boys reply, “We are not complaining, sir. ” What do you learn about the boys from their reply?
Answer:
The boys worked hard and without any complaints despite their physical fatigue. This shows their sense of commitment and devotion. Their dignity and self-respect did not allow them to take help from anyone even though they had to pay for their sister’s treatment.

g. When the narrator asks the boys about their plans, they are evasive. Why don’t they disclose their problems?
Answer:
The boys were dignified and self-reliant. They did not want anyone to pity them. They wanted to discharge their responsibilities themselves, therefore they were evasive when the narrator presumed they were hoarding up their money to emigrate to the United States. They did not want him to know about their invalid sister.

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Journey to The End of The Earth Summary in English by Tishani Doshi

Journey to The End of The Earth by Tishani Doshi About the Author

Tishani Doshi (9 December 1975) is an Indian poet, journalist and a dancer based in Chennai. Born in Madras, India, to a Welsh mother and Gujarati father, she graduated with a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from the Johns Hopkins University. She received Eric Gregory Award in 2001. Her first poetry collection Countries of the Body won the 2006 Forward Poetry Prize for the best first collection.

Her First novel The Pleasure Seekers was published by Bloomsbury in 2010 and was long-listed for the Orange Prize in 2011 and shortlisted for The Hindu Best Fiction Award in 2010. She works as a freelance writer and worked with choreographer Chandralekha. Her poetry collection Everything Begins Elsewhere was published by Copper Canyon Press in 2013. Her most recent book of poetry, Girls Are Coming Out Of the Woods, was published by HarperCollins India in 2017. She writes a blog titled ‘Hit or Miss’ on Cricinfo, a cricket related website.

Journey to The End of The Earth Introduction to the Chapter

Before human evolution, Antarctica was part of a huge tropical landmass called the Gondwana land which flourished 500 million years ago. Geological, geographical and biological changes occurred and Antarctica separated and moved away, evolving into what it is today.

A visit to Antarctica gave Tishani Doshi a deeper understanding of the earth’s history, ecology and environment.

Journey to The End of The Earth Theme

Tishani Doshi’s visit to Antarctica, the coldest, driest and windiest continent in the world, aboard the Russian research vessel Akademik Shokalskiy, gave her a deeper understanding and a better perspective to the damage caused by human impact on earth. Antarctica, though unpopulated, has been affected and there is a growing concern for its half a million year old carbon records trapped under its ice sheets.

The ‘Students on Ice’ programme takes high school students to Antarctica to create awareness in them, the future policy makers, and helps students realise that the threat of global warming is very real.

Journey to The End of The Earth Summary in English

Humans, who have existed a mere 12,000 years, have caused tremendous damage and played havoc with nature. Population explosion, strain on available resources, carbon emissions, fossil fuels and global warming have all resulted in climatic and ecological imbalances that have affected Antarctica too.

The ‘Students on Ice’ programme, an initiative of Canadian educator, Geoff Green, takes students—the future policy makers—to Antarctica, to create awareness in them. A stark proof of global warming and environmental threats helps students attain a greater understanding of the earth’s ecosystems and biodiversity.

Journey to The End of The Earth Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
What was Akademic Shokalskiy? Where was it headed and why?
Answer:
Akademic Shokalskiy was a Russian research vessel which was heading towards Antarctica, the coldest, driest, windiest continent in the world to become a part of Geoff Green’s ‘Students on Ice’ programme.

Question 2.
Describe the author’s emotions when she first set foot on Antarctica.
Answer:
Tishani Doshi’s initial reaction was relief as she had travelled for over hundred hours. This was followed by wonder at Antarctica’s white landscape and uninterrupted blue horizon, its immensity, isolation and at how there could have been a time when India and Antarctica could have been a part of the same landmass.

Question 3.
How is present day Antarctica different from Gondwana?
Answer:
Gondwana was a giant amalgamated southern supercontinent. The climate was much warmer, hosting a huge variety of flora and fauna. Gondwana thrived for about 500 million years. Subsequently, when dinosaurs were wiped out and the age of mammals happened, the landmass separated into countries, shaping the globe as we know it today.

Question 4.
Why does the author say that to visit Antarctica is to be a part of history?
Answer:
It is only when you visit Antarctica that you realise all that can happen in a million years, where we have come from and where we could possibly be heading. We understand the significance of Cordilleran folds, pre-Cambrian granite shields, ozone and carbon, evolution and extinction.

Question 5.
Why does Tishani Doshi describe her two weeks’ stay in Antarctica ‘a chilling prospect’?
Answer:
Accustomed to the warm climate of South India, being in a place where ninety per cent of the earth’s total ice is stored was a chilling prospect—literally and metaphorically. It affected her metabolic and circulatory systems as well as her imagination.

Question 6.
Why does one lose all earthly perspective in Antarctica?
Answer:
The author compares it to walking into a giant ping-pong ball, devoid of any human markers. There are no trees, billboards, or buildings. The visual ranges from the microscopic to the mighty, from midges and mites to blue whales and icebergs.

Question 7.
Describe the brightness and silence that prevail in Antarctica during summer.
Answer:
Days go on and on in surreal twenty-four hour austral summer light, and an ubiquitous silence prevails, interrupted only by the occasional avalanche or calving ice-sheet.

Question 8.
Explain: ‘And for humans, the prognosis isn’t good’.
Answer:
The human civilisation has been around for a mere 12,000 years—barely a few seconds on the biological clock. Yet we have managed to etch our dominance over nature with concretisation, battling for limited resources, and unmitigated burning of fossil fuel. This has created a blanket of carbon dioxide around the world, which is increasing average global temperature.

Question 9.
Why is Antarctica a crucial element in all debates on climate change?
Answer:
Antarctica is the only place in the world that has never sustained a human population and is therefore, relatively ‘pristine’. More importantly, it holds in its ice cores half-million-year-old carbon records trapped in its layers of ice.

Question 10.
What was the objective of the ‘Students on Ice’ programme?
Answer:
The ‘Students on Ice’ programme aims to take high school students to the ends of the world. It provides them with inspiring educational opportunities which fosters in them a new understanding and respect for our planet. It offers the future generation of policy makers a life-changing experience at an age when they are ready to absorb, learn and act.

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The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Summary in English by Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Summary in English

Coleridge introduces his story by describing an old grey-bearded sailor who approaches three young men headed for a wedding celebration and compels one of them, the groom’s next-of-kin, to hear his story. At first the intrusion is resented by the wedding guest, but the young man is transfixed by the Ancient Mariner’s ‘glittering eye’ and can do nothing but sit on a stone and listen to his strange tale. The story is remarkable indeed, and the listener soon falls captive to the suspense building up, responding at first with fear and then with horror as the tale unfolds.

There was a little apprehension among the ship’s crew as they sailed clear of the harbours, bound for the open sea. At this point, hearing the music of the bassoon drifting from the direction of the wedding, the wedding guest imagines that the bride has entered the hall, but he is still unable to tear himself away from the Mariner’s story.

Several days out at sea, a storm arose and the Mariner’s vessel was driven before the wind in a constant southerly direction, headed toward the South Pole. As it entered, the ‘land of ice, and of fearful sounds, where no living thing was to be seen,’ a feeling of foreboding came over the helpless crew, and so it was with great relief that the crew eventually greeted the sight of an albatross, a huge seabird, flying through the fog towards them. The Ancient Mariner tells his listener, ‘As if it had been a Christian soul/We hailed it in God’s name.’ As it flew around the ship, the ice cracked and split, and a wind from the south propelled the ship out of the frigid regions, into a foggy stretch of water.

The albatross followed behind it. Everyone took this bird as a good omen, and the bird followed the ship faithfully as it returned northward. At this point a pained look crosses the Mariner’s face, and the wedding guest asks him, ‘Why look’st thou so?’ The Mariner confesses that he had shot and killed the albatross with his crossbow and brought a curse down upon them all.

The south wind continued to propel them northward, but somehow the old sailor realised he had done ‘a hellish thing’ and retribution would soon follow, in the form of loneliness and spiritual anguish.

The crew at first berated their mate for killing the bird that had brought the change in the breeze.

But as the ship made its way out of the fog and mist and continued on, they decided that it must be the bird that had brought the mist. Perhaps their shipmate had rightfully killed it after all.

The vessel sailed on northward until it reached the equator, where the breeze ceased and the craft was becalmed. The wind pushed the ship into the silent sea where the sailors were stranded, the winds died down, and the ship was ‘As idle as a painted ship/Upon a painted ocean.’ The men had no water to drink, it looked as if the sea was rotting and slimy creatures crawled out of it and walked across the surface.

The water looked green, blue, and white and creatures giving out light jumped in and out of the water, around the ship, creating an eerie atmosphere.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Answer the following by choosing the right option from those given below:

a. The Ancient Mariner stopped one of the three wedding guests because
(i) he wanted to attend the wedding with him
(ii) he wanted him to sit with him
(iii) he wanted him to listen to his story
(iv) he wanted to stop him from going to the wedding
Answer:
(iii) he wanted him to listen to his story

b. The wedding guest remarked that he was ‘next of kin ’ which means that
(i) he was a close relation of the bridegroom
(ii) he was a close relation of the bride
(iii) he was next in line to get married
(iv) he had to stand next to the bridegroom during the wedding
Answer:
(i) he was a close relation of the bridegroom

c. ‘He cannot choose but hear ’ means
(i) the mariner was forced to hear the story of the wedding guest
(ii) the wedding guest was forced to hear the story of the mariner
(iii) the mariner had the choice of not listening to the story of the wedding guest
(iv) the wedding guest had the choice of not listening to the story of the mariner
Answer:
(ii) the wedding guest was forced to hear the story of the mariner

d. ‘The sun came up upon the left, /Out of the sea came he; ‘This line tells us that the ship’
(i) was moving in the northern direction
(ii) was moving eastwards
(iii) was moving in the western direction
(iv) was moving towards the south
Answer:
(iv) was moving towards the south

e. The Wedding-Guest beat his breast because
(i) he could hear the sound of the bassoon
(ii) he was forced to listen to the Mariner’s tale when he wanted to attend the wedding
(iii) the sound of the bassoon meant that the bride had arrived and the wedding ceremony was about to begin and he could not attend it.
(iv) the sound of the bassoon announced the arrival of the bride and the start of the wedding ceremony
Answer:
the sound of the bassoon announced the arrival of the bride and the start of the wedding ceremony

f. The storm blast has been described as being tyrannous because
(i) it was so fierce that it frightened the sailors
(ii) it took complete control of the ship
(iii) the storm was very powerful
(iv) the sailors were at its mercy
Answer:
(iii) the storm was very powerful

g. The sailors felt depressed on reaching the land of mist and snow because
(i) there was no sign of any living creature
(ii) they felt they would die in that cold weather
(iii) they were surrounded by icebergs and there seemed to be no sign of life
(iv) everything was grey in colour and they felt very cold
Answer:
(iii) they were surrounded by icebergs and there seemed to be no sign of life

h. The sailors were happy to see the albatross because
(i) it was the first sign of life and therefore gave them hope that they might survive
(ii) it split the icebergs around the ship and helped the ship move forward.
(iii) it was a messenger from God and it lifted the fog and mist.
(iv) it gave them hope of survival by splitting the icebergs.
Answer:
(iii) it was a messenger from God and it lifted the fog and mist

i. The two things that happened after the arrival of the albatross were
(i) the icebergs split and the albatross became friendly with the sailors
(ii) the icebergs split and a strong breeze started blowing
(iii) the ship was pushed out of the land of mist and the ice melted.
(iv) the albatross started playing with the mariners and ate the food they offered.
Answer:
(i) the icebergs split and the albatross became friendly with the sailors

j. ‘It perched for vespers nine ’ means
(i) the ship stopped sailing at nine o ’clock every day
(ii) the albatross would appear at a fixed time everyday.
(iii) the albatross would sit on the sail or the mast everyday
(iv) the albatross was a holy creature
Answer:
(ii) the albatross would appear at a fixed time everyday.

k. ‘God save thee, ancient Mariner,/From the fiends that plague thee thus!- Why look’st thou so? ’ means
(i) the mariner wanted to know why the wedding guest was looking so tormented
(ii) the wedding guest wanted to know why the mariner was looking so tormented
(iii) the wedding guest wanted to know whether some creatures were troubling the ancient mariner
(iv) the ancient mariner wanted to know whether something was troubling the wedding guest
Answer:
(ii) the wedding guest wanted to know why the mariner was looking so tormented

Question 2.
Answer the following questions briefly

a. How did the ancient mariner stop the wedding guest?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner first held him with his skinny hand but once the Wedding Guest told him to ‘unhand’ him, he held him mesmerised with his ‘glittering eye’. ‘

b. Was the wedding guest happy to be stopped? Give reasons for your answer.
Answer:
The Wedding Guest was not happy to be stopped. He was next of kin of the bridegroom and wanted to attend the wedding.

c. Describe the ancient mariner.
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner was old and thin. His beard was grey. His eyes were shining and could mesmerise a person.

d. How does the mariner describe the movement of the ship as it sails away from the land?
Answer:
The Mariner says that one clear and bright day, they set sail. The ship left the harbour and sailed past the church, the hill and the lighthouse.

e. What kind of weather did the sailors enjoy at the beginning of their journey? How has it been expressed in the poem?
Answer:
The Mariner says that at first, they sailed South out into a sunny and cheerful sea which means that the weather was good. As they sailed South towards the Equator, the sun was directly overhead.

f. How did the sailors reach the land of mist and snow?
Answer:
When the mariners were several days out at sea, however, a terrible storm arose and the vessel was driven by the wind in a constant southerly direction, headed toward the South Pole.

g. How does the mariner express the fact that the ship was completely surrounded by icebergs?
Answer:
‘The ice was here, the ice was there, The ice was all around: It cracked and growled, and roared and howled, Like noises in a swound!’

h. How do we know that the albatross was not afraid of the humans? Why did the sailors hail it in God’s name?
Answer:
It was with great relief that the crew eventually greeted the sight of an albatross, a huge seabird, flying through the fog toward them. The bird soon became a familiar sight and came to the sailors call. The sailors revered it as a sign of good luck, as though it were a ‘Christian soul’ sent by God to save them.

i. What was the terrible deed done by the Mariner? Why do you think he did it?
Answer:
The Ancient Mariner shot the albatross with his crossbow. The Ancient Mariner killed the albatross for no reason.

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Ozymandias Summary in English by P.B Shelley

Ozymandias Summary in English

‘Ozymandias’ by P. B. Shelly is a sonnet describing the remnants of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses

II. The speaker describes a meeting with someone who has travelled to a place where ancient civilisations once existed. We know from the title that he is talking about Egypt. The traveller told the speaker a story about an old, fragmented statue in the middle of the desert. The statue is broken apart, but you can still make out the face of a person. The face looks stem and powerful, like a ruler. The sculptor did a good job at expressing the ruler’s personality and his disdain for others.

On the pedestal near the face, the traveller reads an inscription in which the ruler Ozymandias tells anyone who might happen to pass by, ‘Look around and see how mighty I am!’ But there is no other evidence of his strength in the vicinity of his giant, broken statue. There is just a lot of sand, as far as the eyes can see. The traveller ends his story.

The narrator recalls his encounter with ‘… a traveller from an antique land… ’. The word ‘Antique’ foreshadows future events in which the traveller depicts the ancient period of Ozymandias’ rale. The traveller describes the scene of the rain in lines 2-3. ‘Two vast and trunkless legs of stone /Stand in the desert.’ While the statue’s ‘… half sunk … shattered visage’ lay nearby. This portrays a mood of forgotten decay. The traveller uses negative connotations to describe the statue of Ozymandias—trankless, sunk and shattered to convey this mood. The narrator comments that this sculpture was once a symbol of pride and greatness, but now, it is no more than broken stone.

The narrator, then, goes on to describe the features of the statue’s face whose ‘frown and wrinkled lips… ’ give the impression that the subject was a cold, unforgiving man. The traveller compliments the sculptor on his fine work, ‘… its sculptor well those passions read… ’ The sculptor is commended for capturing the essence of Ozymandias’ personality in his work. The subject of the statue was a man, who sneered upon those weaker than him. Ironically, the sculptor’s hand ‘mocked’ him. However, his ‘passions’ have long become ‘lifeless’, and he himself, lies forgotten.

In the second line of the sextet, the traveller recalls the engraving on the statue. ‘My name is Ozymandias, king of kings/ Look on my work, ye Mighty, and despair!’ These two lines give the statue an identity and show the reader of the king’s pride. It is the climax of the poem, emphasised by the exclamation mark. He considers himself the ‘king of kings’. ‘Mighty’ begins with a capital M to give the impression that Ozymandias considers himself to be in the same rank as the Gods, he demands reverence from the Gods.

The last three lines of the poem communicate a melancholy tone, which contrasts sharply with the king’s speech previously. Ozymandias now stands amongst his work ‘boundless and bare/The lone and level sand There is irony in that Ozymandias felt that all shall ‘despair’ in face of his ‘work’ that has turned to dust. ‘Nothing more remains.’

Ozymandias Summary Questions and Answers

Question 1.
Answer the following questions by ticking the correct options.

a. The poem is set in
(i) the wilderness
(ii) an ancient land
(iii) a palace
(iv) a desert
Answer:
(iv) a desert

b. The expression on the face of the statue is one of
(i) admiration
(ii) anger
(iii) despair
(iv) contempt
Answer:
(iv) contempt

c. This poem throws light on the ________ nature of Ozymandias.
(i) cruel
(ii) arrogant
(iii) boastful
(iv) aggressive
Answer:
(ii) arrogant

d. The sculptor was able to understand Ozymandias
(i) words
(ii) expression
(iii) feelings
(iv) ambition
Answer:
(iv) ambition

e. The tone of the poem is
(i) mocking
(ii) nostalgic
(iii) gloomy
(iv) gloating
Answer:
(i) mocking

Question 2.
Answer the following questions briefly.

a. “The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed. ” Whose hand and heart has the poet referred to in this line?
Answer:
On the face of the statue of Ozymandias there is an expression of contempt. Though the statue is broken, the expression of the king reminds the viewer of the King whose heart bred such emotions and the hand of the sculptor who carved the statue.

b. “My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:” Why does Ozymandias refer to himself as King ofKings? What quality of the king is revealed through this statement.
Answer:
Ozymandias calls himself king of kings to show his power. These words show his arrogance and his contempt for others.

c. “Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair! ” Who is Ozymandias referring to when he speaks of ye Mighty? Why should they despair?
Answer:
The king refers to passersby through time who see the statue of the King. They should feel dejected because he is more powerful than even gods.

d. Bring out the irony in the poem.
Answer:
The irony in this is that all that remains of the mighty Ozymandias is this broken statue, and that this statue, which was intended to create fear, now only creates wonder because of its ruined condition. The inscription is a verbal irony, for the words are egotistical but are etched on a broken statue that no longer makes other rulers fear.

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My Mother At Sixty Six Summary in English by Kamala Das

My Mother At Sixty Six Poem by Kamala Das About the Poet

Kamala Das was bom on March 31,1934 in Punnayurkulam, Thrissur District in Kerala. She was one of f the India’s original and versatile writers. She spent her childhood between Calcutta, where her father : was employed and at the ancestral home in Punnayurkulam. The writings of her great uncle, Nalapat Narayana Menon and mother Nalapat Balamani Amma had a great impact on her.

She took to writing at an early age and continued even after marriage as she was encouraged by her husband to write. Her ? writings reflect exploration of a wide range of relationships from a woman’s point of view—a daughter, a wife and a mother. Her works are filled with a woman’s desire for self-expression and freedom.

My Mother At Sixty Six Introduction to the Poem

Though ageing is a natural process, yet the fear of separation from your loved and near ones is very painful. The poem talks about the feeling of loneliness that aged people experience and the feeling of guilt which their offspring experience for not being able to be with their parents in their old age. The poem also explores the feelings of melancholy and pain that a daughter experiences while leaving her mother, all by herself, at a ripe old age. The agony of separation is brought forward in this poem very explicitly. The poem, in a way, also sends a very strong message to the youth of today—do not be so busy in fulfilling your desires and wishes that you forget to take care of your elderly parents when they need you the most. At times, situation can be binding. But one should never forget to show one’s love, affection and concern for one’s parents.

My Mother At Sixty Six Theme

Fear of loss: The poem composed in blank verse expresses the anguish of a daughter over her mother’s advancing age and the fear of permanent separation from her. ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’ symbolises the fast paced life and the inevitable death of our childhood, youth and loved ones. The poet is agonised by her mother’s advancing age and fear of her imminent death.

Nostalgia: The poet is carried away by her childhood premonition of losing her mother.

My Mother At Sixty Six Summary in English

While driving from her parent’s home to Cochin, International Airport, Kamala Das notices her mother, who was sitting beside her, dozing with her mouth open. Her mother’s face was pale like a dead body. The expression on her face was clearly one of pain, borne out of fear of separation and old age. A sudden fear and pain crops up in the poet’s mind and she realises that her mother is old now and could pass away leaving her all alone. Though the realisation was alarming, it was hard to accept.

In order to drive her thoughts away from the agony and pain on looking at her mother’s colourless pale face, Kamala looks outside the car. The trees racing past and the speeding car were grim reminders that time has flown by. The joyous children playing outside represent youth, energy and life. All this probably reminded of her childhood when her mother was young.

After the security check at the airport, Kamala Das looks back at her mother standing a few yards away looking pale and grey like the winter moon. The poet senses a familiar pain and her childhood fear of the thought of losing her mother comes back. Overcome with sorrow and fear, she bids her old mother goodbye and keeps smiling to hide her real feelings.

My Mother At Sixty Six Summary Reference-to-Context Questions

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

1. Driving from my parent’s home to
Cochin last Friday morning,
I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with pain
that she was as old as she looked but soon
put that thought away, and looked out at Young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,

a. Name the poem and the poet.
Answer:
The poem is ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’ and the poet is ‘Kamala Das’.

b. Where was the poet going to and with whom?
Answer:
The poet was going from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. She was accompanied by her mother who was sixty-six years old.

c. What did the daughter notice inside the car?
Answer:
She noticed her mother looking pale and dull, and as lifeless as a dead body. She was dozing and her mouth was open.

d. In what state is the mother now?
Answer:
She is dozing open mouthed and with a pale face.

2. but after the airport’s
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile

a. Why does the poet ‘look at her again’?
Answer:
The poet looks at her mother for the last time before boarding the flight. She reassures herself about the well-being of her mother. She wished her mother goodbye in order to comfort her and leave on an optimistic note.

b. Does the poet share her thoughts with her mother?
Answer:
No, the poet does not share her fears and agony with her mother, but only bids her a cheerful farewell.

c. Why did the poet not share her thoughts with her mother?
Answer:
The poet did not share her thoughts with her aged mother because it would have unnecessarily disturbed her frail old mother. Moreover, her thoughts were caused by her fear of the unknown.

d. Give one reason for the poet’s ‘smile’.
Answer:
She wanted to assure her mother that they would meet again.

3. … she
looked but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,…

a. What did the poet realise? How did she feel?
Answer:
The poet was on her way to the airport when she realised that her mother was nearing her old age, and this feeling was hard for her to accept.

b. What did she do then?
Answer:
She tried to divert her thoughts by looking out of the car window.

c. What did she notice in the world outside?
Answer:
She noticed that some joyous children were playing outside which gave her some respite , from the thoughts of her ageing mother. The children represented youth, energy and life.

d. Which poetic device is used in the 2nd last line?
Answer:
Personification

4. … but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at young
trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,…

a. Which thought did the poet put away?
Answer:
The poet put the thought of looking at her ageing mother away.

b. What do the ‘sprinting trees’ signify?
Answer:
It is our common experience, whenever we travel by a fast-running vehicle, the standing objects appear to be running back fast. These sprinting trees in the poem signify how the young age of the poet’s mother passed so fast.

c. What are ‘the merry children spilling out of their homes’ symbolic of?
Answer:
The poet’s mother who is sitting beside her is dozing. Her ‘ashen’ face looks lifeless and pale like a corpse. On the other hand, children are gay and happy. They are moving out of their homes in large numbers. There is an image of happiness and spontaneous overflow of life.

d. Why are trees ‘young’ here?
Answer:
The poet establishes the contrast with the ageing mother inside the car and the sprinting trees are potrayed as young.

5. Driving from my parent’s
home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with pain
that she was as old as she looked…

a. Where was the poet driving to?
Answer:
The poet was driving to the Cochin airport.

b. Why was her mother’s face looking like that of a corpse?
Answer:
The-mother’s face was pale, lifeless and wan looking like that of a corpse because she had grown old.

c. What did the poet notice about her mother?
Answer:
When the poet looked at her mother, her mouth was open, her pale face was looking like a corpse. She realised that her mother had grown old.

d. What pain did the poet experience?
Answer:
She felt it painful to witness her ageing mother.

6. I saw my mother,
beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face
ashen like that
of a corpse and realised with
pain

a. Who does ‘I’ refer to ?
Answer:
‘I’ refers to the poet, Kamala Das.

b. What did ‘I’ realise with pain?
Answer:
The poet realised with pain that her mother was nearing old age.

c. Why was the realisation painful?
Answer:
Her mother’s approaching death was a hard fact for her to accept. The thoughts of separation from her mother made her feel sad.

d. Identify and name the figure of speech used in these lines.
Answer:
Simile: ashen like that of a corpse