answer
of the poem
Questions and
lite by charlotte Bronte class,8
Answers
Answer:
Answer the following question:
1. What do the sages say?
Ans. The sages say that life is not a dream.
2. What does the rain often foretell?
Ans. The rain foretells a pleasant day.
3. What should we do during joyful times in life?
Ans. During joyful times in our lives, we should enjoy it cheerfully and gratefully.
4. Who does ‘Our Best” refer to?
Ans. ‘Our Best’ refers to our loved one.
5. Why are the wings of hope ‘golden’?
Ans. The wings of Hope are golden because they are bright and strong to give us hope for the future.
Explanation:
Summary:
Life, believe, is not a dream,
So dark as sages say;
The poet Charlotte Bronte begins the poem by telling us that we must not believe what the sages (learned men) have said that life is a dark dream. She advises us not to fear or dread life.
Oft a little morning rain
Foretells a pleasant day :
Taking the metaphor of the morning rain which symbolizes sorry and despair, the poet tells us that even if there is a little morning rain, the rest of the day is a pleasant one. So also even if there are problems and worries in our life, our life is going to be lovely and pleasant.
Sometimes there are clouds of gloom,
But these are transient all;
If the shower will make the roses bloom,
Oh, why lament its fall?
In these lines, the poet takes the metaphor of the clouds of gloom which symbolizes sorrow and grief that are present in everyone’s’ lives. These showers are transient, they are temporary, they come for a short while, yet they make the roses bloom. So also in our life even if we have sorrow and grief, it will lead to joy and happiness. The poet then asks us a rhetorical question, ‘Why lament its fall?’ which means that if the showers make the roses bloom then we shouldn’t complain about the rainfall. So also if we have sadness and grief in our lives don’t worry as these will bring cheer and delight.
Rapidly, merrily,
Life’s sunny hours flit by,
Gratefully, cheerily,
Enjoy them as they fly.
Here the poet says that the happy moments in our life move very quickly and cheerfully. She advises us to enjoy these fast flying moments before they are lost forever.
What though death at times steps in,
And calls our Best away ?
What though Sorrow seems to win,
O’er hope a heavy sway?
The poet rhetorically says that even though death has taken away our loved one and our house is engulfed in sorrow, we should not be swayed away by grief and loose hope.
Yet Hope again elastic springs,
Unconquered, though she fell,
Still buoyant are her golden wings,
Still strong to bear us well.
The poet has personified Hope and says that Hope has elastic springs. It means that, just like elastic can stretch itself and just like when a spring is released it will jump all around, so also Hope stretches itself and jumps all around so that people can catch it. But alas! It was not conquered by anyone and so it fell. Its golden wings are still buoyant and strong. Though Hope has fallen, its golden wings that are buoyant and strong will help it bounce back. So we should never feel despair for Hope is there to guide and lift us up.
Manfully, fearlessly,
The day of trial bear,
For gloriously, victoriously,
Can courage quell despair!
In the final stanza the poet encourages us to be strong and fearless, for on the day of trial i.e. day of judgement ( in Christianity and Islam, it is the day of judgement when God will make His judgement about humanity) we all will be glorious and victorious and our courage will quell despair. We all will triumph!