English Notes Latest Questions

  1. Theme Due to agricultural losses and growing indebtedness, India has seen a daunting number of farmer suicides in the recent decade. Despite the efforts of state governments, this tendency continues to persist. The farmer’s decision is influenced by social, economic, psychological, and cultural factRead more

    Theme

    Due to agricultural losses and growing indebtedness, India has seen a daunting number of farmer suicides in the recent decade. Despite the efforts of state governments, this tendency continues to persist. The farmer’s decision is influenced by social, economic, psychological, and cultural factors. In the poem “The Farmer’s Wife,” Volga vividly depicts the consequences of a farmer’s demise on their wife and family.

    Central Idea

    This poem looks like a part of a letter from the farmer’s wife to him. She clearly expresses her sorrow about the helplessness of the situation, rather than grieving her husband’s death.

     

    The Farmer’s Wife Summary

    See less
  1. Imagery: A literary device that refers to the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory experience or create a picture with words for a reader. For example, “And nodding by the fire, take down this book” Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic mRead more

    • Imagery: A literary device that refers to the use of figurative language to evoke a sensory experience or create a picture with words for a reader. For example, “And nodding by the fire, take down this book”
    • Symbolism: Symbolism is using symbols to signify ideas and qualities, giving them symbolic meanings different from literal meanings. For Example, “grey and weak and full of sleep”
    • Consonance: Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line such as the sound of /n/ in “And bending down beside the glowing bars” and “And paced upon the mountains overhead”.
    • Personification: Personification is to give human characteristics to inanimate objects. For example, “Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled”, as if the love is human and it can move.
    • Enjambment: It is defined as a thought in a verse that does not come to an end at a line break; instead, it rolls over to the next line. Such as,

    “And paced upon the mountains overhead

    And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.”

    • Alliteration: A literary device that reflects repetition in two or more nearby words of initial consonant sounds. For example, the sound of /h/ in “And hid his face amid a crowd of stars”.

    When You Are Old Summary

    See less
  1. The poet has addressed this poem to his beloved, Maud Gonne, who never reciprocated his love. The speaker of the poem dramatizes his unreturned love by giving a future warning to the girl of the present day. He tells her that when she grows old, she will get flashbacks and memories and she will regrRead more

    The poet has addressed this poem to his beloved, Maud Gonne, who never reciprocated his love. The speaker of the poem dramatizes his unreturned love by giving a future warning to the girl of the present day. He tells her that when she grows old, she will get flashbacks and memories and she will regret the rejected love. The poem is full of a lover’s passion, intense feelings, and spirituality. It conveys a message that true love is indestructible and constant.

    When You Are Old Summary

    See less
  1. Climbing any mountain, or overcoming any difficulty is hard. However, when we get to the top, or reach our goal, we feel that we have conquered the world. No matter how tiring it gets, we must keep going till we reach our goal. Mountain Climbing Summary

    Climbing any mountain, or overcoming any difficulty is hard. However, when we get to the top, or reach our goal, we feel that we have conquered the world. No matter how tiring it gets, we must keep going till we reach our goal.

    Mountain Climbing Summary

    See less
  1. Conceit: An often unconventional, logically complex, or surprising metaphor whose delights are more intellectual than sensual. The poet uses water as a conceit for social injustice to the lower castes. Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or sRead more

    • Conceit: An often unconventional, logically complex, or surprising metaphor whose delights are more intellectual than sensual. The poet uses water as a conceit for social injustice to the lower castes.
    • Enjambment: The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.
    • Personification: A poetic device where animals, plants, or even inanimate objects, are given human qualities. For example,

    The water is witness

    Water Summary

    See less
  1. The writer recounts her childhood struggle beset with water. She condemns the state of the poor and downtrodden that are denied water. A contrasting picture is brought out where some people die without water while others are washed out by the Tsunami. She also comments on water being a bone of conteRead more

    The writer recounts her childhood struggle beset with water. She condemns the state of the poor and downtrodden that are denied water. A contrasting picture is brought out where some people die without water while others are washed out by the Tsunami. She also comments on water being a bone of contention between the states and countries. Ironically, the same violent and destructive water can sit innocently in a Bisleri bottle. The poet’s critical stance becomes more intense towards the end as she refers to a multinational market created for this unique commodity. So, water is instrumental in the struggle for equal rights and privileges.

    Water Summary

    See less
  1. Alliteration- It is the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Examples- “live and labour”, “Two things”, “stand like stone” Enjambment- It is the continuation of a sentence to multiple lines. The entire poem is made up of one sentence. This iRead more

    • Alliteration- It is the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words. Examples- “live and labour”, “Two things”, “stand like stone”
    • Enjambment- It is the continuation of a sentence to multiple lines. The entire poem is made up of one sentence. This is an example of enjambment.
    • Metaphor- A metaphor directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. Here, “froth and bubble” is used as a metaphor for life being temporary and uncertain.
    • Simile- A simile directly compares two things. Example- “Two things stand like stone”

    Froth and Bubble Summary

    See less
  1. The poet tries to express how uncertain life is by comparing it to froth and bubbles. But even if life is uncertain, we must always stick to our values. We should be kind and helpful, and always work hard to achieve our goals. Froth and Bubble Summary 

    The poet tries to express how uncertain life is by comparing it to froth and bubbles. But even if life is uncertain, we must always stick to our values. We should be kind and helpful, and always work hard to achieve our goals.

    Froth and Bubble Summary 

    See less
  1. Enjambment- It is the continuation of a sentence to multiple lines. Sentences in this poem span multiple lines and are therefore of this nature. Why God Made Teachers Summary

    • Enjambment- It is the continuation of a sentence to multiple lines. Sentences in this poem span multiple lines and are therefore of this nature.

    Why God Made Teachers Summary

    See less
  1. The main theme of this poem is the importance of teachers. Teachers shape our lives and guide us to become better people. We can grow and change the world around us to be a better place only because of the guidance and wisdom of our teachers. Why God Made Teachers Summary

    The main theme of this poem is the importance of teachers. Teachers shape our lives and guide us to become better people. We can grow and change the world around us to be a better place only because of the guidance and wisdom of our teachers.

    Why God Made Teachers Summary

    See less