प्रश्न बैंक - सह - उत्तर पुस्तक (Question Bank-Cum-Answer Book)
Class - 12
English Elective
3. Poems By Blake - William Blake
Q1. How are these two matched poems related to each other in
content? How is the human being depicted in the Song of Innocence and how is
he/she depicted in the Song of Experience? Do we find both aspects working in
an average human being?
Ans-
The two matched poems are related to each other because the two poems convey
the figure of four virtues that is mercy, pity, peace and love. In Songs of
Innocence, human beings are depicted as innocent and the virtues are divine
virtues which become very delightful but in Songs of Experience, man is shown
full of experience and these virtues are no more divine virtues.
Human
beings are tempted and trapped by vices and evil attributes.. According to the
poet these vices are natural to rise in the human heart. We find both the
aspects working together in an average human being because they take origin in
the human mind. The speaker in both the poems depicts human beings as a figure
of moral values having moral commitment to society with a bunch of virtues as
well as vices. We can find both the aspects working in an average human being.
Q2. How would you explain the lines
For
Mercy has a human heart,
Pity
a human face,
And
Love, the human form divine,
And
Peace, the human dress.
Ans-
The above line personifies virtues like mercy, pity, love and peace to human
beings itself. Through the above lines, the poet tries to convey the importance
of these virtues in human life. A heart with mercy, a face with pity, divine
love and if peace were human dress the world would be colourful and life on the
earth would be meaningful to humans. These virtues are the essence of life.
Through these lines, the poet tells how these virtues affect human life.
According to the poet, mercy resides in the human heart. It comes from within
spontaneously whereas pity is an attribute of face.It is an external expression
of the feeling of heart. Love is the divine essence itself in human form. Peace
is considered to be human dress or external covering of human beings. If man
has these virtues, it would be heaven on earth. The poet says that God cannot
exist apart from man. He is the creative and spiritual power in man and these
virtues are divine in nature.
Q 3. How do Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love get distorted in the
human brain?
Ans-
According to Blake, the fruit of deceit grows on the tree of intellect,
selfishness and cruelty along with hypocrisy. The union of these vices wrecks
the world. He recreates the myth of the tree of knowledge which gives falsehood
instead of truth and death instead of life. Thus, ironically, the poet shows
how love, pity, mercy and peace get distorted and they are used as a cover for
vices and evil activities. Blake goes straight to the heart of the matter by
showing how hypocrisy claims to observe these cardinal virtues.
Q4. Blake's poetry expresses one aspect of his multi-
dimensional view of human experience of mankind once whole and happy, now
fallen into discord and tyranny, from which it must be rescued. Explain with
reference to these two poems.
Ans-
The two poems explain the values which help human beings to lead a peaceful
life. Compassion to others was the motto of mankind in early decades and
mankind was content and happy during those periods but today the situation
changed completely. Selfishness has ruined love and compassion in mankind.
Blake has given two aspects of his poetry. In Songs of Innocence, he presents
happy and delightful experiences. There is a touch of divine virtues in these
poems that are mercy, peace, love and pity. Thus, he presents positive aspects
of human life. But on the contrary, in the Songs of Experience, he has
presented human beings continuously facing cruelty, tyranny, hypocrisy,
oppression and so on. Blake lays stress to rescue this negative aspect so that
we can save and serve humanity.
The Divine Image
Q1. How can you say that mercy, peace, pity and love are the
virtues of delight?
Ans-
Undoubtedly, mercy, peace, pity and love are the virtues of delight. They
always console man in distress, bring a positive change in human life and help
us to come out of misfortunes. When a man feels these virtues in his own
surroundings, he feels he is not alone but accompanied by God.
Q2. How does Blake equalise God and man?
Ans-
According to the poet, God has created man in His own image. So people should
give importance to the soul rather than the physical body. Human beings of the
whole world have the common human virtues or divine virtues. So God is not
different from these virtues. Thus, the essential attributes of both man and
God are the same. In the state of happiness, which Blake calls 'Innocence',
life is governed by these divine qualities. This way Blake equalises God and
man.
Q3. What is the message of the poem 'The Divine Image"?
Ans-
The poem 'The Divine Image' conveys the message that God and man are one, they
are not separated. We can have the reflection of God in human beings due to the
same virtues. We remember God for His divine virtues of mercy, pity, love and
peace. God has created His own image in man so man is also replete with these
virtues. Thus, God has embodied Himself in the human body.
Q4. What does a person do when he is in distress?
Ans-
When a person is in distress, he prays to God for mercy, pity, love and peace.
Man considers that God is an epitome of these virtues.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Who is the poet of the poem, 'The Divine Image'?
a.
John Milton
b. William Blake
c.
Kamala Das
d.
William Wordsworth
2. 'The Divine Image' poem is taken from the collection of poems
named-
a. Songs of Innocence
b.
Songs of Experience
c.
Leaves of grass
d.
The Flowers of evil
3. When do people pray?
a.
In their success
b.
In their happiness
c. In their distress
d.
In their struggle
4. What are listed as 'virtues of delight' by the poet?
a.
Mercy, Pity, Anger and Love
b. Mercy, Pity, Peace and love
c.
Mercy, Pity, Peace and Humble
d.
Mercy, Pity, Innocence and love
5. What do the virtues- 'Mercy, Pity, Peace and love' represent?
a. God
b.
Human beings
c.
Devil
d.
None of these
6. Where is mercy found?
a.
in Human face
b. in Human heart
c.
in Heaven
d.
in Hell
7. Pity is found in the-
a.
Devil's face
b.
Human heart
c. Human face
d.
Devil's heart
8. What is the human form of divine?
a.
Mercy
b.
Pity
c.
Peace
d. Love
9. is the garment/dress that envelops. humans.
a.
Mercy
b.
Pity
c. Peace
d.
Love
10. What is the theme of the poem 'The Divine Images'?
a. Humankind's relationship with God
b.
Role of Religion
c.
The battle between good and evil
d.
Birth and death
The Human Abstract
Q1. The poet calls the shade of the mystery tree to be thickest.
Why?
Ans-
The poet portrays a mystery tree in the poem The Human Abstract with the
thickest shade of it. The mystery tree symbolises that the different leaves of
the tree are full of conspiracies for different people. The shade of the tree
is considered the thickest because innumerable vices, wickedness and cruelty
breed in its shade. These vices bring death, decay and damnation to society.
Flies and caterpillars feed on this tree. It bears the fruit of deceit which is
red, juicy and sweet. The raven has made its nest in the thickest shade of the
tree. This tree exists in human mind.
Q2. What idea does the poet wish to convey through pity?
Ans-
The poet says that when we see one in misery, our heart is filled with pity.
Thus, pity is a sentimental aspect of humanity. Sympathy and empathy arises out
of pity in our heart. This feeling inspires us to help the people who are in
great need. According to Blake, pity would not have existed if God had not made
some people poor. When a man feels pity along with mercy for others, our world
would become a much better place to live in.
Q3. What does the poet wish to express through the line
"And waters the ground with tears"?
Ans-
The poet wishes to express through this line that the person who commits the
acts of cruelty on his fellow beings in society, begins to repent for his
misdeeds. He continuously commits sins until one day he realises about his
wrong doings and misdeeds. Then he finds no way for his actions other than
repenting and shedding tears of regret. He develops humility in himself. Thus,
the waters are the tears of repentance.
Q4. Write a central idea of the poem 'The Human Abstract'.
Ans-
The poem 'The Human Abstract' conveys the traditional values and virtues of
humanity are found in human beings. These virtues cannot dwell in isolation.
The poet says that Mercy and Pity would not exist without poverty and
unhappiness. The origin of Peace is fear. Then due to fear rises selfishness
and ultimately Cruelty which operates with great cunning and catches people in
its trap.
The
values like Mercy, Pity, Peace and Love become the breeding ground for Cruelty.
The poet depicts Cruelty as a conniving and knowing person; in planting a tree,
he lays a trap. His tree flourishes on fear and weeping. Humility is its root,
Mystery its foliage; but the growth is not natural. It does not reflect upon
the natural state of mind. Rather the tree is associated with Deceit, and its branches
harbour the raven, the symbol of death. We realise that the description has
been a glimpse into the human mind, the mental experience.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Who has written the poem, 'The Human Abstract'?
a.
Walt Whitman
b. William Blake
c.
John Milton
d.
Jhumpa Lahiri
2. 'The Human Abstract' has been taken from-
a.
Leaves of Grass
b.
The Flowers of Evil
c.
Songs of innocence
d. Songs of Experience
3. 'The Human Abstract' is a-
a. Metaphysical poem
b.
Romantic poem
c.
Pastoral poem
d.
Love poem
4. What would not exist without poverty?
a.
Mercy
b.
Love
c. Pity
d.
Peace
5. What would be no more if all were as happy as we?
a. Mercy
b.
Love
c.
Pity
d.
Peace
6. What does mutual fear brings?
a.
Mercy
b.
Love
c.
Pity
d. Peace
7. 'Of Mystery over his head', what does 'mystery' refer to in
the given line?
a.
Cruelty
b. Conspiracy
c.
Humility
d.
Peace
8. What are caterpillars and fly in the poem?
a.
Insects
b.
Peace lovers
c. Anti-social elements
d.
Followers of virtues
9. Peace has its own origin in mutual fear which allows the
growth of-
a.
Mercy
b.
Pit
c. Selfish love
d.
Peace
10. in The title 'The Human Abstract' refers to the human
personality which are hidden invisibly.
a.
Kindness
b.
Generosity
c.
Virtues
d. Vices
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. | |
