ENGLISH-1ST PAPER- POETRY(XII) POEM-1 ,2,3,4

Poem-1

                                                     Character Of A Happy Life                        -Sir Henry Wotton

                                                                                                                                    (1568-1639)

Central idea

“Happiness is the result of good conduct.”

“contentment is happiness.”

“Mercy, money invites misery.”

            In this poem the poet says that the good quality of really a happy man is his honest thought. He says that real happiness in merits like goodness, honesty, peace of mind, wisdom and self satisfaction. A happy man is the master of his passion. He is born and lives like a carefree man. His soul is clean and he has self-control in life.

He is religious and God fearing. He does not jealous to any one’s progress. He does not run after money. He never likes fails praise. He does not afraid of death.

He speaks always truth and never harms to anyone. With the help of such good qualities he passes joyful and peaceful life in this world. And he also gets the grace of God.

                                                 

                                                                      Explanation

1.Whose passion……………………………………………………………………….breath.

Reference: These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Character Of A Happy Life’ composed by Sir Henry Wotton, A Great Philosopher.

Context: Here the poet tells us about the good qualities of a man’s life. He is always be happy and has peace in life.

Explanation: The poet says that a happy man has full control over his strong desires-Love, Anger, Jealous, Worry and Hatred. These strong feelings are not the master of his life. He is always fearless. He does not afraid of death.

            He does not care for the love of king or the complain of common people. He welcomes both in the world. He passes a free life and there is no care in his life.

2. Who God ……………………………………………………………………………… friend.

Reference-context: Previous.

Explanation: The poet says that a happy man prays to God everyday. There is no selfish aim in his prayer. He worships God for taking his grace and blessing. He does not meet any gift or return from him.

            He does not like to harm anybody. He passes time in the company of a good books or a good friend. His joys and actions are harmless. Such a man enjoys true happiness in the life.

3. This man ……………………………………………………………………………… hath all.

Reference-context: Previous.

Explanation: The poet says that a happy man is a man of free nature. He loves freedom. He does not care rise or fall in life. Success does not make him happy and failure does not make him sad. He has self-control. So he is the master of his life. He may be poor in worldly wealth but he is the master of all the world in true sense, as he is rich in heart and well balanced.

Note: there is a fine use of oxymoron in the line-“And having nothing he hath all..”
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Poem-2

                                                          The True Beauty                          - Thomas Carew

                                                                                                                    (1594-1639)
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Central idea

“Beauty less in the eyes of beholders.”

“Charm strikes the sight but beauty wins the soul.”

“Beauty minus virtue is like a beautiful flower without smell.”

            The poet says that ‘The True Beauty’ is the beauty of mind and soul. It is founding the glorious quality of head and heart. It is ever lasting in the world. Love based on this beauty is permanent.

            While physical beauty is just physical charm. It becomes less with the passage of time. It inspires only lust not love. So the poet likes moral beauty and dislikes physical sweetness that is short-lived.

            So everyone should try to develop the beauty of mind and soul in life.

Explanation

1.But a smooth ………………………………………………………………………… or eyes.

Reference: These lines have been taken from the poem ‘The True Beauty’ composed by Thomas Carew, A Famous Poet Of Lyrics.

Context: Here the poet tells us that physical beauty is useless and moral beauty lives forever in the world.

Explanation: The poet says that moral qualities are necessary for the true beauty. Love without moral quality is nothing but lust.

He says that physical beauty is only skin-deep  but moral beauty has the real grace and glamour. Love based on this beauty is permanent. Time can never desire. The life of love is very long. A lovers feeling does not cool down to get such beauty in life.

Finally the poet says that if a woman has not pure heart, noble ideas and some good merits in her life. He does not like her physical beauty that is short-lived.

Note: Here the poet praises the beauty of mind and soul and wants to worship it in life.

2. He that………………………………………………………………………….. waste a way.

Reference-context: Previous.

Explanation: The poet says that a lover loves his beloved, only for her physical charm. He love her cheeks which are like rose. He also likes her lips which are as red as a gem called coral. He becomes very happy to see her eyes that are as bright as the stars in the sky.

            In this way he tries his best to maintain his fire of love strong. But as the time passes, his beloved becomes old and her beauty fades away. So the lover’s feeling also cool down.

Thus love based on physical beauty is short-lived. It is ruined by time. So its life is not long in the world.
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Poem-3

         On His Blindness                                -John Milton

                                                                                                                               (1608-1674)
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Central Idea

‘One His Blindness is a personal sonnet of John Milton.’

            It shows that the ways of God are just. The poet is very sad as he has become blind in a very early age. So he is unable to use his poetic talent in the active service of God.

            He complains that God can’t hope any service from him because he has taken away his eyes-sight. But soon he realizes his mistake. He feels that God does not want any return for his gifts. He is very powerful. He is the king of kings. He has many angels. They obey his order on the land and on the sea without taking rest.

Note: Man has no right to interfere in the ways of God.

Explanation

1.His state ………………………………………………………………………………. wait.

Reference: These lines have been taken from the poem ‘On His Blindness’ composed by ‘John Milton’ , A Famous Epic Poet.

Context: Here the poet thinks that God is almighty and he does not need any service of man. Only a man should do his duty and wait for the grace of God.

Explanation: The poet says that he wanted to serve God but he became blind. He complains to God for his inability. But soon his soul tells him that he has no right to say anything against the will of God. Man should not complain. God is very powerful and a king of kings.

            He has many servants(angels) when he commands something, these angels run on land and the sea. They do not stop until they complete the work. The people who do their work timely and obey the order of God, they also serve him in the best possible way. In this way the poet advises us that everyone should respect the will and ways of God. Whatever God does, it is in the favour of man.

Note: One must remain satisfied with one’s lost however bad it may be.
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Poem -4

An Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard                       -Thomas Gray

                                                                                                                            (1716-1771)

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Central Idea

‘Death is the final truth of life.’

            In this poem the poet has expressed his deep sympathy and love for the poor village people. They are taking permanent sleep(rest) in their small graves in country churchyard.

            The sweet morning air, the chattering of swallow, the cock’s only or horns of hunter will have no effect on the dead. The poet says that the rich and ambitious should not laugh at the poor. As ‘death is the end of our life.’ We should not be proud of our noble worth, position and wealth. All lead to one-End.

Even the most glorious people have to die in the world.

Explanation

1.The curfew tolls ……………………………………………………………………………… to me.

Reference: These lines have been taken from the poem ‘An Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard’ composed by ‘Thomas Gray’, A Great Romantic Poet Of Classical Age’.

Context: The poet stands in a country churchyard. Here he tells us about the end of the day and expresses his deep sympathy and love for the poor village people. They are no more in the world now.

Explanation: The poet says that the church bells are ringing. Its sound tells the poet about the end of the day.

The cattle are grazing in the grassland. The tired farmer is also returning home after working whole day in the field.

Darkness is increasing. Only the poet finds himself alone in the darkness of night.

2. Let not ……………………………………………………………………………… the poor.

Reference-context: Previous.

Explanation: The poet says that the ambitious people should not make fun of the simple and useful work of the poor persons. Their joys were simple. They did not know any certain things about their luck.

            The great and powerful person should not hate the poor people. The history of the poor villagers was short and simple. Poverty always came in their way of progress. He tells the rich people that they should be kind towards them.

Note: There is a fine use of personification in the line:

“let not ambition mock their useful toil.”

3. The boast……………………………………………………………………………… the grace.

Reference: Previous.

context: Here the poet tells us that nothing in life is permanent. All lead to die. The end of life’s journey is same of all- the rich and the poor, the high and the low.

Explanation: The poet advises to the rich people that they should not hate the poor. As death comes to all sooner or later. It is seen that people are proud of their high position in society. Some people are proud of their noble birth, beauty power and wealth. But all these things are temporary. Death is certain. It is the end of our life. It makes no difference between the rich and the poor. So we should not be proud of our power and wealth in the world.

All lead to one end-death.

Note: Nothing is immortal in this world.

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