प्रश्न बैंक - सह - उत्तर पुस्तक (Question Bank-Cum-Answer Book)
Class - 12
English Elective
5. Trees - Emily Dickinson
Q1. What imagery does the poet use to delineate summer's day
more picturesquely than any painter could?
Ans-
The poetess uses the imagery of different things from nature to delineate
summer's day more picturesquely than any painter. They are the images of the
wind playing through leaves and branches of trees, the miniature creature
producing musical notes in their sound and a tone of Psalteries in their tune,
the whimsical sun rising and hiding in its estate of clouds, rising to let the
orchards grow, birds sitting carelessly and snake sitting winding on the stone
and the blooming of buds into flowers.
Q2. What do you understand by 'Psalteries of summer'?
Ans-
The poet uses the metaphor of 'Psalteries of summer' to describe the
extraordinary musical charms of a perfect summer day. Psalteries are the
religious songs sung by the saints and hermits in praise of God. The poet is
captivated by the natural music which comes from the chirping birds, the rapid
beating of wings by bees and gnats and the sound of wind flowing through the
air and trees. These different sounds are so pleasing that the poetess compares
them to the Psalteries.
Q3. In which lines are creatures attributed with human
qualities? How does this add to the beauty of the Summer's day?
Ans-
There are some lines in the poem in which things from nature have been
personified by the poetess. These lines are- "A bird sat careless on the
fence One gossiped in the lane," "On silver matters charmed a snake
just winding round a stone," "bright flowers slit a calyx." etc.
These are the lines which have been attributed to human qualities and in this
way the summer's day has added an extraordinary beauty and charm.
Q4. How would you explain the image of the 'Hindered
Flags"?
Ans-
The poetess has described the opening of the calyxes of buds with the image of
the 'Hindered Flags.' The opening of the calyxes of buds with the opening of
the folds of flags when they are hoisted, is remarkable. The petals come out of
the calyxes and bloom into flowers on the stem. It is as if embattled troops
have hoisted their flags up. The waving of flag is compared to the waving of
flowers in air.
Q5. Why are the pronouns referring to the Sun capitalised?
Ans-
All the pronouns referring to Sun are capitalised because the poetess has
presented the Sun as Monarch or the Supreme power like God. The Sun is the
source of all life, growth and energy on the earth. Without the sun, no one can
expect life on the earth. No growth is possible without sun. So, all the
pronouns are capitalised as pronouns for God.
Q6. Give examples from the poem to show that great poetry is a
result of close observation of natural phenomena.
Ans-
'Trees' is a great natural poem. It is the outcome of the poet's minute observation
of nature. She made keen observations of natural phenomena and used them in her
poems. She minutely describes the branches and leaves waving in the summer
morning.
The
sweet notes of small creatures when the sun rises, hiding of the sun in the
clouds, sitting and chirping of birds and winding a snake along with the
blooming buds all are examples of close observation of natural phenomena which
Emily Dickinson has shown skilfully.
Q7. Who was Vandyke? Why does the poetess mention him in the
poem?
Ans-
Sir Anthony Vandyke was a great Flemish painter of nature. He used to make
portraits of nature. The poetess compares the beauty of his nature portraits
with that of live natural scenery on a summer day. The poetess proves that the
masterpiece of Vandyke would be mean in comparison to the glorious summer day
scenery.
Q8. What does the poetess say about the sun?
Ans-
According to the poetess, the sun is like a monarch who acts according to his
whims. He comes out of the clouds and sets in the clouds according to his own
will. He gives blessings to flora and fauna on the earth. The plants and human
life grow and groom when the sun continuously showers his blessings.
Q9. Why does the poetess say "They never yet did
satisfy?"
Ans-
The line shows that the poetess is well acquainted with the human desire to
hear sweet notes. Here through this expression, the poetess wants to convey the
idea that the sound produced by swarms of bees and crickets in the morning in
summer is extremely sweet. Their humming and flapping of wings produce such a
melodious sound that human ears want to hear again and again. They are never
satisfied in any way.
Q 10. Write the Central Idea of the poem.
Ans-
Emily Dickinson was a great nature poet. She has presented nature in vivid
forms. In the present poem, she describes a summer morning at its best. In the
morning, the trees are swinging with the blowing of breeze. The small creatures
are producing different sounds which seem to be different tunes. They are
producing sweet music which is more melodious than the religious songs.
The
sun seems to be the monarch of the sky as it appears and disappears at its own
will from the clouds. It is so powerful that orchards grow only when the sun rises
regularly. Birds and animals are basking and enjoying the summer sun. Bright
flowers are blooming from the buds and they are swinging on the stem and
spreading sweet fragrance everywhere. Thus, this summer scenery can be compared
with the portraits of Vandyke.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Who is the poet of the poem 'Trees'?
a.
John Milton
b.
John Donne
c.
Kamala Das
d. Emily Dickinson
2. Emily Dickinson was a/an ........... Poet.
a. American
b.
English
c.
Irish
d.
Australian
3. How many poems of Emily Dickinson in all, were published posthumously?
a.
1798
b. 1789
c.
1777
d.
1770
4. Poems of Emily Dickinson are characterised by:
a.
unconventional capitalisation
b.
extensive use of dashes
c.
unusual imagery
d. all of the above
5. The trees are compared to ………
a.
Flags
b. tassels
c.
cloud
d.
sun
6. Which figure of speech is used in the phrase 'The Trees like
Tassels'?
a.
metaphor
b. simile
c.
alliteration
d.
personification
7. According to the poet, trees are representative of
........... Creatures.
a.
strong
b.
clumsy
c. miniature
d.
monstrous
8. Which figure of speech is used in the phrase 'Enamoring the
Ear'?
a.
Simile
b. alliteration
c.
metaphor
d.
personification
9. The meaning of 'enamoring' is:
a. attracting
b.
annoying
c.
enduring
d.
cooling
10. According to the poet what shone whole at intervals?
a.
moon
b.
stars
c. sun
d.
all of the above
11. Who lets the Orchards grow?
a.
landlord
b. sun
c.
cloud
d.
none of the above
12. Who sits careless on the fence?
a.
squirrel
b. bird
c.
cat
d.
snake
13. Who is winding round a stone?
a. snake
b.
cat
c.
peacock
d.
none of the above
14. Bright flowers are compared to ....………
a. hindered flags
b.
tassels
c.
Summer day
d.
Estates of Cloud
15. Who is Vandyke referred to in the poem?
a. Flemish painter
b.
Russian painter
c.
Italian painter
d. French painter
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. | |
