ABOUT
THE POET
THE POET
·
William Blake
·
Born- 28 November 1757 London, Great Britain.
Born- 28 November 1757 London, Great Britain.
·
Death -12 August 1827 London,
Great Britain.
Death -12 August 1827 London,
Great Britain.
·
He was a famous painter ,poet and printmaker
.
He was a famous painter ,poet and printmaker
.
·
Notable Works-
Notable Works-
1) Songs of innocence
and experience
and experience
2) The Marriage of
Heaven and Hell
Heaven and Hell
3 ) Jerusalem
4 ) The Four Zoas
ABOUT THE POEM
I
love to rise in a summer morn,
love to rise in a summer morn,
When
the birds sing on every tree;
the birds sing on every tree;
The
distant huntsman winds his horn,
distant huntsman winds his horn,
And
the skylark sings with me.
the skylark sings with me.
O!
what sweet company.
what sweet company.
But
to go to school in a summer morn,
to go to school in a summer morn,
O!
it drives all joy away;
it drives all joy away;
Under
a cruel eye outworn,
a cruel eye outworn,
The
little ones spend the day,
little ones spend the day,
In
sighing and dismay.
sighing and dismay.
Ah!
then at times I drooping sit,
then at times I drooping sit,
And
spend many an anxious hour.
spend many an anxious hour.
Nor
in my book can I take delight,
in my book can I take delight,
Nor
sit in learning’s bower,
sit in learning’s bower,
Worn
thro’ with the dreary shower.
thro’ with the dreary shower.
How
can the bird that is born for joy,
can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit
in a cage and sing.
in a cage and sing.
How
can a child when fears annoy,
can a child when fears annoy,
But
droop his tender wing,
droop his tender wing,
And
forget his youthful spring.
forget his youthful spring.
O!
Father and Mother, if buds are nip’d,
Father and Mother, if buds are nip’d,
And
blossoms blown away,
blossoms blown away,
And
if the tender plants are strip’d
if the tender plants are strip’d
Of
their joy in the springing day,
their joy in the springing day,
By
sorrow and cares dismay,
sorrow and cares dismay,
How
shall the summer arise in joy,
shall the summer arise in joy,
Or
the summer fruits appear?
the summer fruits appear?
WILLIAM BLAKE
The poem “The School Boy” belongs to Blake’s “Songs of Innocence” and “Songs of Experience” .It deals with the
childhood and the natural world .First
the poem was published in 1979 edition in “Songs of Innocence “ but later on it was i
childhood and the natural world .First
the poem was published in 1979 edition in “Songs of Innocence “ but later on it was i
included in ‘Songs of Experience “
STRUCTURE OF POEM
The poem “The School Boy “ is of 30 lines .We
get six five line stanzas with a proper rhyme scheme .The poem rhymes as ABABB
get six five line stanzas with a proper rhyme scheme .The poem rhymes as ABABB
N.B.-
The poem prescribed for Cbse Class viii (Honeydew ) contains 27 lines .The lines which are
missing, are –
Or how shall
we gather what griefs destroy
Or bless the mellowing year.
When the blasts of winter appear.
The poem prescribed for Cbse Class viii (Honeydew ) contains 27 lines .The lines which are
missing, are –
Or how shall
we gather what griefs destroy
Or bless the mellowing year.
When the blasts of winter appear.
STANZAWISE EXPLANATION
STANZA -ONE (ONE)
I love to rise in
a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the sky-lark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.
a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the sky-lark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.
The speaker, a young boy , is mirthful in getting
g up in a sweet and beautiful summer morning ..Sweet singing of the birds thrills
and elates the boy .He likes the companionship of the hunters who move in the
wood searching for his hunt.He likes to enjoy the sweet melodious music of the
skylark.
g up in a sweet and beautiful summer morning ..Sweet singing of the birds thrills
and elates the boy .He likes the companionship of the hunters who move in the
wood searching for his hunt.He likes to enjoy the sweet melodious music of the
skylark.
STANZA –TWO (2)
But to go to
school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn.
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.
school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn.
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.
But whenever the boy thinks of
going to the school, all his enjoyment and mirth fades away .He does not enjoy
or learn anything under the cruel and fearful look of the teacher .Little kids
like the boy spend their day in utter anxiety ,dejection and dismay .
going to the school, all his enjoyment and mirth fades away .He does not enjoy
or learn anything under the cruel and fearful look of the teacher .Little kids
like the boy spend their day in utter anxiety ,dejection and dismay .
STANZA –THREE (3)
Ah! then at times
I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learnings bower,
Worn thro’ with the dreary shower.
I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learnings bower,
Worn thro’ with the dreary shower.
With a spiritless drooping
figure the boy does not pass hours in anxiety .He enjoys the lessons taught nor
does the way his teacher teaches .Bower refers to leafy shelter .And here ‘bower’ means to the school or the classroom
in which the feels imprisoned ..He does not enjoy any lesson imparted in a dull
manner.
figure the boy does not pass hours in anxiety .He enjoys the lessons taught nor
does the way his teacher teaches .Bower refers to leafy shelter .And here ‘bower’ means to the school or the classroom
in which the feels imprisoned ..He does not enjoy any lesson imparted in a dull
manner.
STANZA FOUR –(4)
How can the bird
that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy.
But droop his tender wing.
And forget his youthful spring.
that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy.
But droop his tender wing.
And forget his youthful spring.
The poet here brings the example of a bird. A
bird which is meant for joy and freedom
will never be sing in a cage .Likewise a child who is always under a situation
of fear will forget his childlike tenets
and drop down his wing of freedom and ecstasy. He will forget his childhood
innocence and activities .
bird which is meant for joy and freedom
will never be sing in a cage .Likewise a child who is always under a situation
of fear will forget his childlike tenets
and drop down his wing of freedom and ecstasy. He will forget his childhood
innocence and activities .
STANZA –FIVE(5)
O! father &
mother. if buds are nip’d,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip’d
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care’s dismay.
mother. if buds are nip’d,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip’d
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care’s dismay.
How shall the
summer arise in joy.
Or the summer fruits appear. –
summer arise in joy.
Or the summer fruits appear. –
In this stanza the poet gives a message to
the parents asking them some questions and acquainting to some situations .If
the buds are destroyed before blooming ; if the flowers are driven away by the
strong wind ; if the plants are stripped
of their branches and leaves , how will the summer become joyous and impart joy
for us or how will the fruits appear to
elate and thrill us ?
the parents asking them some questions and acquainting to some situations .If
the buds are destroyed before blooming ; if the flowers are driven away by the
strong wind ; if the plants are stripped
of their branches and leaves , how will the summer become joyous and impart joy
for us or how will the fruits appear to
elate and thrill us ?
TEXTBOOK SOLUTIONS
Working With The Poem
1. Find three or four words/phrases in
stanza 1 that reflect the child’s
stanza 1 that reflect the child’s
happiness and joy.
Answer-
The words or phrases that reflect child’s happiness are-
The words or phrases that reflect child’s happiness are-
1)
song of the birds 2)song of the Skylark 3) the sound of the hunters in hunting 4)
sweet company
song of the birds 2)song of the Skylark 3) the sound of the hunters in hunting 4)
sweet company
2. In stanza 2, the mood changes. Which
words/phrases reflect the
words/phrases reflect the
changed mood?
Answer-
The words or Phrases reflecting child’s mood are –
The words or Phrases reflecting child’s mood are –
1)
I drooping sit 2) an anxious hour 3) drives all joy away 4) cruel eye outworn
4) singing and sighing
I drooping sit 2) an anxious hour 3) drives all joy away 4) cruel eye outworn
4) singing and sighing
3. ‘A cruel eye outworn’ (stanza 2)
refers to
refers to
(i) the classroom which is
shabby/noisy.
shabby/noisy.
(ii) the lessons which are
difficult/uninteresting.
difficult/uninteresting.
(iii) the dull/uninspiring life at
school with lots of work and no play.
school with lots of work and no play.
Mark the answer that you consider
right.
right.
Ans-(iii)
the dull/uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.
the dull/uninspiring life at school with lots of work and no play.
4. ‘Nor sit in learning’s bower
worn thro’ with the dreary shower’
Which of the following is a close
paraphrase of the lines above?
paraphrase of the lines above?
(i) Nor can I sit in a roofless
classroom when it is raining.
classroom when it is raining.
(ii) Nor can I learn anything at school
though teachers go on lecturing
though teachers go on lecturing
and explaining.
(iii) Nor can I sit in the school
garden for fear of getting wet in the rain.
garden for fear of getting wet in the rain.
Ans-(ii)
Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and
explaining.
Nor can I learn anything at school though teachers go on lecturing and
explaining.
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