FLAMINGO || A THING OF BEAUTY || JOHN KEATS

FLAMINGO || A THING OF BEAUTY || JOHN KEATS

   August 11, 2022       RSC

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A THING OF BEAUTY - 

                                                                                    --JOHN KEATS

ABOUT THE POET  ----- JOHN KEATS : 

    John Keats was an English  Romantic Poet. He was born in 31 October 1795 in London, UK. Keats was called an English of the second generation. The exact location where he was born is called Moorgate.  His parents were Thomas and Frances Keats. Keats was the eldest of the four sons of his parents. At the age of eight Keats lost his father. Again at the age of fourteen he lost his mother. Initially he was trained as a surgeon, but he devoted his life to poetry.  This poem is an excerpt from his poem 'Endymion' and is based on a Greek Legend.

    Keats is known a reputed poet since he composed some great poems like - On First looking into Chapman's Homer, Ode to the Grecian Urn, Ode to the Nightingale, Ode to Melancholy, The Eve of St. Agnes, La Belle Dame Sans Merci. In this poem the poet raises question whether beautiful things are worthless or not.

ABOUT THE POEM :

    

    'A Thing of Beauty' is known as an extraction from his poem "Endymion'. Here, the poet highlights that a thing of beauty is a perennial source of joy. Every person in this earth feels happiness when sees beautiful scenery, landscape and such other things. When one feels disappointed, beautiful sight may be a source of joy for him. He or she may feel relaxed. The poet says that beautiful objects of nature never makes anyone unhappy. Apart from such things, the necessity of The Sun, Moon, trees, streams, flowers etc are perennial source of happiness.  

A THING OF BEAUTY -Text

A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Its loveliness increases, it will never

Pass into nothingness, but will keep

A bower quiet for us, and a sleep

Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing

Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing,

A flowery band to bind us to the earth.

Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble nature, of the gloomy days,

Of all the unhealthy and o'er darkened ways

Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,

Some shape of beauty moves away the pall.

From our dark spirits, Such the Sun, the Moon,

Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon

For simple sheep and such are daffodils

with he green world they live in and clear rills

That for themselves a cooling covert make

'Gainst the got season: the mid forest brake

Rich with sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;

And such too is the grandeur of the dooms

We have imagined for the mighty dead;

All lovely tales that we have heard or read;

An endless fountain of immortal drink,

Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

DIFFICULT WORDS AND MEANINGS:

Bower: a pleasant place under the shade of tree.

Morrow : morning

Wreathing : weaving into a wreath.

Spite : Malice

Despondence : disappointment.

Dearth : lack or scant of.

Pall : covering

covert :shelter of bushes.

Rills : stream.

Boon : blessing

Brake : thicket 

Grandeur: magnificence

Brink : corner.

TEXTUAL QUESTION ANSWER :

THINK IT OUT 

 1. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.

Answer:

    In the poem the poet has mentioned various things of beauty. They are constant source of joy and inspiration. Among them the Sun, the Moon, trees and plants are important. Besides these, daffodil flowers, clear rills, the brakes with blooming rose are also remarkable.

2. List the things that cause suffering and pain.

Answer:

    The things which cause human suffering and pain are day to day disappointments, lack of noble qualities among beings, unhealthy and evil ways of living, sad spirits due to various factors and above all, lack of humanity.

3.What does the line 'Therefore are we wreathing a flowery band to bind us to earth suggest to you ?

Answer:

    The things of beauty makes our lives happier. Hence we feel attracted to such things of joy and constant inspiration. 

    As far as the above line is concerned it suggests that man has an emotional attachment with beauty. The things of beauty, indeed bind us with the nature and the earth as well. Gradually we develop  noble and close relation with the nature.it seems that we make flowery band to keep us bound with the earth..

4. What makes human beings love life in spite of troubles and sufferings ?

Answer:

    Yes, in spite of common troubles and sufferings human beings love life; for life is a unique gift to us. The healing touch of nature gives us remedy to all our troubles and anxieties. Moreover, nature's beautiful things remove the pall of sadness from our dark spirits and enlighten us to the core.

5. Why is grandeur associated with the 'mighty dead' ?

Answer:

    The mighty dead, as mentioned by the poet, performed heroic deeds and died bravely. They were none other than great leaders, soldiers, great kings of the past.

    However the word 'grandeur' is associated with them as they performed extraordinary deeds. Their works captivates our eyes even after a long time.

6. Do we experience things of beauty only for short moments or do they make a lasting impression on us ?

Answer:

    The things of beauty, undoubtedly, makes a lasting impact on us. They are, indeed, a source of inspiration for while we are in gloomy mood. Besides their loveliness always increases. Also their significance passes into nothingness. That is to say, they are the perennial source of joy and inspiration throughout our lives.

7. What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth?

Answer:

    The poet has used the image of endless fountain of immortal drink to describe the beautiful bounty of the earth. It is, however, like an overflowing fountain. It constantly flows from the edge of the heaven to our heart directly. Thus, we are blessed by the nature to a great extent.

EXTRA QUESTION  - ANSWERS:

1. What is bower ?

Answer

    A bower is  beautiful place under the shade of a tree.

2. Why is a thing of beauty a joy forever ?

Answer:

    As the beauty of such thing increases and never passes into nothingness, so a thing of beauty is a joy forever. 

3. What removes the pall from our dark spirits ?

Answer:

    The things of beauty which are found amidst nature, removes the pall from our dark spirits.

4. What weaves the flowery band ?

Answer:

    The fascinating things of nature like the Sun, the Moon, hills and streams, plants and flowers etc weave the flowery band on earth.

5. How has the poet presented 'Daffodils' in the poem ?

Answer:

    In the poem it is said that daffodils bloom among the green surrounding. They are found by the side of river, stream etc where they make a cooling shelter against the hot season.

6. What is meant by the 'mighty dead'?

Answer:

    The mighty dead means the people of power, name and fame, who once lived wealthy and sophisticated life in this earth.

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THE VOICE OF THE RAIN II NCERT CLASS 11 II

THE VOICE OF THE RAIN II NCERT CLASS 11 II

   August 07, 2022       RSC

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  THE VOICE OF THE RAIN

                                                      

ABOUT THE POET :  WALT WHITMAN:

    Walt Whitman was an American poet. He was born on 31 May, 1819. He was an essayist, poet, journalist. Whitman was known to be a humanist as well. As a poet he was very influential. He is known as the father of  free verse. This great poet is best known for his  'Leaves of Grass.' This famous work was published in 1855. One of his famous poems is 'Song of Myself. 'In his leaves of grass, Whitman celebrated democracy, nature, love and friendship.

        This famous poet died on 26 march,1892.

ABOUT  THE POEM : THE VOICE OF THE RAIN, A CRITICAL NOTE

   Rainfall is a natural phenomenon. Everywhere in this world  rainfall occurs due to seasonal changes. one day the poet asks rain what its identity is. It is strange that the speaker gets his reply also. It replies that it is the poem of the earth. Also it rises up  from every nook and corner of the earth towards the infinity and takes a vogue shape, which we call cloud. Then in due course it falls down and in its way it cleans all forms of dust and dirt as if nature takes bath. Thus, rain cleans the nature and comes down to its birthplace. Obviously, it gives life to nature and also rejuvenate it. Overall it purifies  our surrounding.

THE VOICE OF THE RAIN :: (TEXT)

        And who art thou ? said I to the soft falling shower,

        Which, strange to tell, gave me an answer, as here translated:

        I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain,

        Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and of the bottomless

        sea,

        Upward to heaven, whence, vaguely form'd, altogether changed,

        and yet the same,

        I descend to lave the drought, atomies, dust-layers of the 

        globe,

        And all that in them without me were seeds only, latent,

        unborn;

        And forever, by day and night, I give back to my own

        origin,

        And make pure and beautify it;

        (for song, issuing from its birth-place, after fulfilment,

        wandering

        Reck'd or unreck'd, duly with love returns.)

Word Notes::

impalpable : that cannot be touched

lave : bathe

atomies : tiny particles.

latent : hidden.

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

THINK IT OUT::

1. There are two voices in the poem . Who do they belong to ? Which lines indicate this ?

Answer:

    Between the two voices, one belongs to the poet and the other to the rain. 

    The first voice is that of the poet and he asks "who art thou?"

    The second voice is of the rain. It says, "I am the poem of earth."

2. What does the phrase "strange to tell mean ?

Answer:

    As the poet curiously asks the shower about its identity, it replied promptly to the poet's question. The reply was a wonder for him since he was shocked to hear the answer of the soft falling shower. So, he regards it strange to tell.

3.There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this ? Explain the similarity between the two.

Answer:

     In the third line of the poem, the rain says : " I am the poem of Earth." This implies that rain is the music of the earth. 

     In the last two lines of the poem :

     "For song, issuing from it's birthplace, after fulfilment, wandering , reck'd or unreck'd, dully with love returns."--- this also says about song and music.     

        Thus, in both the cases of song and rain, they go back to their origin, after fulfilment of purposes. They have different tasks. For instance, rain makes the earth clean and purifies it, whereas, song or music entertains as well as makes us happy. Thus we find similarity between the two.

4. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you have learnt in science.

Answer: 

    The poet has successfully brought out the cyclic movement of rain in the poem. With the increasing intensity of sunlight, water vapor from various water bodies on earth, rises up gradually and take the shape of cloud in the sky .Then after a period of time, it pours in the form of rainwater on the earth. While falling on earth it cleans and purifies the nature removing dust and dirt. This is of course scientifically proved. 

    Again, the cyclic movement of the rain which we read in science is also same. Even if we compare both the phenomenon, we do not find any basic difference.

5. Why are the last two lines put within brackets ?

Answer:

    The last two lines of the poem do not form part of the voice of the rain or that of the poet. They are, indeed, comments on the poem or on the nature of the music. So they are put within brackets. 

6. List the pairs of opposites found in the poem.

Answer:

    Day -- night

    Land -- sea

    Same --changed

    

ADDITIONAL QUESTION ANSWERS:

1. Where does the rain take form ?

Answer:

    The rain takes it's form in the upper layer of the sky.

2. How does the rain take it's form?

Answer:

    When the Sun continuously puts heat on water, water vapor rises above and form the cloud. It becomes heavy and finally it falls down in the form of rain.

3. what does the rain do in the earth ?

Answer:

    The rain drops falling down to the earth, removes the dirt and dust layers from the surface of the earth. It also gives life to the latent seeds and also gives life to almost every tree and plant.

4. what is strange to the poet?

Answer:

    The soft falling shower's reply to the poet that it is the poem of the earth - is strange to him.

5. What does the poet say about 'song' in the end of the poem ?

Answer:

    The poet says that a song, after issuing from it's birthplace, reck'd or unreck'd, goes back to it's origin.

IMPORTANT WORD MEANING :

Thou -- you

Eternal --heavenly

Vaguely -- not clear or distinct.

descend -- to come down

drought -- dry 

atomies -- particle of dust.

latent -- hidden.

     

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