प्रश्न बैंक - सह - उत्तर पुस्तक (Question Bank-Cum-Answer Book)
Class - 12
English Elective
1. A Lecture Upon The Shadow - John Donne
Q1. How do the shadows before noon differ from the shadows after
noon? What do the two kinds of shadow represent?
Ans-
The morning shadows are shorter. The shadows stand for the fear about others
knowing of their love. The morning shadows are blinding others from their love
and therefore are good shadows. The afternoon shadows grow longer; they are bad
shadows. They stand for fears about each other's loyalty and sincerity while
the morning shadows-fears are short-lived. The afternoon shadows would normally
grow longer throughout the day.
Q2. Love is described as light? What makes the poet talk about
shadows?
Ans-
The poet describes love as light. He says that the shadows are disguises and
pretences that the lovers put on so that others wouldn't know they are in love.
The morning shadows stand for fears about others knowing of their love, the
afternoon shadows stand for fears about each other's loyalty and sincerity.
Q3. Comment on the use of the image of the shadows for the idea
that the poet wants to convey.
Ans-
The image of shadows has been aptly used in the poem. The morning shadows are
walking behind the lovers. They are becoming shorter. Shadows are seen as
disguises. At noon time there are no shadows found. The lovers are at the
perfect time. Their love is in a sense perfect point. There are no secrets, or
shadows to hide their love from others or from themselves. The shadows that
appear in the afternoon grow longer throughout the day. The afternoon shadows
stand for fears about each other's loyalty and sincerity.
Q4. The poet seems to be addressing his beloved in the poem.
What is the message he wishes to convey to her?
Ans-The
poet wishes to convey to his beloved that she should love him sincerely. Their
love should be true and long lasting. It should not wither away with the
passage of time. They should have no differences between them. He wants to tell
her that once they reach the height of love, they must retain it. Though there
are ups and downs in every relationship, they must not let their love vanish.
Q5. Instead of 'A Lecture Upon Love' the poet calls the poem 'A
Lecture Upon the Shadow'. What is the effect that this has on our reading of
the poem?
Ans-
Instead of 'A Lecture Upon Love' the poet calls the poem 'A Lecture Upon the
Shadow'. The effect that this has on our reading of the poem is that we get an
image of shadow before our eyes. The title of the poem has aroused reached a
lot of curiosity in our minds. We as reader's want to know what sort of shadow
the poet is talking about. The Poet has tried to explain the essence of love by
defining shadows as a metaphor for the relationship between two people in love.
As in the case of shadows, their length is dependent on time and Sun's position
during the day, the same ideology is applied to the relationship of love in the
backdrop of intricate factors and circumstances such as emotional upheaval,
misunderstandings etc. between the two people. If the poet would have called
the poem 'A Lecture Upon Love', we would have considered it as an ordinary love
poem.
Q6. Why does the poet use the word 'disguise' in the poem?
Ans-
The poet has used the word disguise to convey the meaning of hiding the real
form. It symbolises false behaviour, mistrust or secret reasons that are found
between the lovers at the initial stage of love. He says that the shadows are
disguises and pretences that the lovers put on so that others wouldn't know
that they are in love.
Q7. Explain the phrase "westwardly decline."
Ans-
The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. After rising, the sun moves
towards the west gradually. In context to love, it signifies that love between
the lovers gradually declines. It means after sometime, love gradually loses
its excitement. When it has attained the zenith of love, the lovers doubt each
other's loyalty and sincerity.
Q8. What do you mean by the line "we doe those shadowes
tread"?
Ans-
The line "we doe those shadowes tread" means that when the lovers go
on the path of deep love, and they merge their identities into one and now they
are not separate but they have become one.
Q9. What is "loves philosophy"?
Ans-
"Love's philosophy" is that it keeps growing in its initial stage.
Then comes the stage when it reaches its peak. If it is not retained at this
height, it comes to an end. The shadows or differences in love bring its end.
Hence the lover and the beloved must not keep any shadows or differences
between them. They must trust each other and should be loyal.
Q10. What is the central idea of the poem? Explain.
Ans-
The poem 'A Lecture Upon the Shadow is an expression of Donne's philosophy of
love. He believes that initially, lovers have faith and trust for each other.
But those are reduced with the passage of time. Their honesty and loyalty get
weakened. They become disillusioned and disappointed with each other when their
expectations are not fulfilled. The poet believes that love should be constant.
True love neither diminishes nor ends. It is immortal.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Who is the poet of the poem "A Lecture upon the
Shadow"?
a.
John Milton
b. John Donne
c.
William Blake
d.
S. T. Coleridge
2. Who is 'I' in the first line of the poem?
a.
Shadow
b.
Poet's beloved
c.
Love
d. poet
3. What will the poet 'read to thee' in the poem 'A Lecture upon
the Shadow"?
a. A Lecture on love
b.
A Lecture on nature's beauty
c.
A Lecture on moral values
d.
A lecture on human beings
4. How many 'houres' have they(lovers) spent together?
a.
2 hours
b.
4 hours
c. 3 hours
d.
5 hours
5. What went along with the two lovers?
a. Shadows
b.
Their parents
c.
Their friends
d.
Police
6. To whom does the speaker/poet address?
a.
His father
b. His beloved
c.
His mother
d.
His friend
7. When do shadows disappear?
a. at noon
b.
at dawn
c.
at post-noon
d.
at fore-noon
8. What does 'infant love' imply?
a. Love at primary stage
b.
Man at primary stage
c.
Love at highest degree
d.
None of these
9. What is described as 'light' in the poem, 'A Lecture upon the
Shadow"?
a.
Shadow
b.
Sunlight
c. Love
d.
Torchlight
10. What state of love does 'noon' represent?
a.
Primary/infant
b. Absolute/highest degree
c.
Post-prime
d.
initial
11. What do you understand by "Disguise"?
a.
False behaviour
b.
Distrust
c.
Secrets
d. All of these
12. According to the poet, what do the shadows before noon
represent?
a.
The lover and beloved ones moving apart
b.
The absolute love
c. The lover and beloved coming together
d.
Longer shadows
13. According to the poet, what is the nature of true love?
a.
True love is beyond, time, location and circumstances
b.
True love has no degrees
c. True love does not change with the passage of time
d.
All of these
14. And his first minute, after noon, is
a.
Morning
b.
Noon
c. Night
d.
Evening
15. What is the theme of the poem, 'A Lecture upon the
Shadow"?
a.
Nature
b. Love
c.
Friendship
d.
Peacock
16. John Donne is a poet.
a. Metaphysical
b.
Romantic
c.
Pastoral
d. Neo-classical
JCERT/JAC English Elective प्रश्न बैंक - सह - उत्तर पुस्तक (Question Bank-Cum-Answer Book)
English Elective Contents
Short Stories | |
1. | |
2. | |
3. | |
4. | |
5. | |
Poetry | |
1. | |
2. | |
3. | |
4. | |
5. | |
6. | |
7. | |
8. | |
Non-Fiction | |
1. | |
2. | |
3. | |
4. | |
5. | |
6. | |
Drama | |
1. | |
2. | |
Novel | |
1. | |
2. | |
