HSC English Appreciation of the Poem- 12th Std English
Appreciation of the Poem: 2.1 Song of the Open Road
Appreciation of the Poem: 2.2 Indian Weavers
Appreciation of the Poem: 2.3 The Inchcape Rock
Appreciation of the Poem: 2.4 Have You Earned Your Tomorrow
Appreciation of the Poem: 2.5 Father Returning Home
Q 3) B. With the help of the following points, write a poetic appreciation of the poem
- About the poem/poet and title
- The theme/ gist of the poem
- Poetic style/language / poetic devices
- Special features
- Message/values/morals in the poem
- Your opinion
2.1 Song of the Open Road
·
About the poem/poet and title
'Song of the Open Road ' is an inspirational and beautiful poem written by renowned American poet Walt Whitman. He is also called ' The Father of Free Verse '. This poem is taken from one of his famous poetry collections ‘Leaves of Grass’. The title of the poem is very apt and symbolic and suggests freedom.
· The theme/ gist of the poem
The theme of the poem is freedom. The word ‘free’ here
means being able to do anything he/she wants to do. The poet encourages the
readers to continue their journey despite troubles in life. The poet wants to go out from all restrictions.
· Poetic style/language / poetic devices
The poem contains four stanzas. The poem is written in free verse. The language of the poem is
simple and effective. The poem is a dramatic monologue. There are many poetic devices used in the poem such as
paradox, transferred epithet, repetition and metaphor.
· Special features
The poem is a dramatic monologue. The poet himself is the narrator
or speaker. The poet has put the last stanza in a bracket. It reflects the poet’s own
struggle in his journey of life.
· Message/values/morals in the poem
The poem gives us an inspirational message and teaches us to live a happy and optimistic life. We should believe in ourselves. Don’t expect anything from anyone.
· Your opinion
This
is an inspirational poem. It inspires us to explore the world by using our
abilities. We should take our life positively without any complaints or
regrets. The poet advises us to be happy with a positive attitude towards life.
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2.2 INDIAN WEAVERS
·
About the poem/poet and title
Indian Weavers is a short and meaningful poem written by a political activist,
feminist and a very famous Indian Poetess Sarojini Naidu. She is also
called The Nightingale of India. The poem is about three types
of garments that the Indian weavers weave at three particular times of the day.
Each stanza represents the three important events of life; birth (Childhood),
adulthood (young) and death( old). The title of the poem is very apt and
focuses on the life and works of Indian Weavers.
· The theme/ gist of the poem
Three stages of human life and the
life of Indian weavers is the central theme of the poem. The weavers weave three types of garments at three particular
times of a day which represents three stages of human life i.e. birth (
Childhood), adulthood (young) and death (old age).
· Poetic style/language / poetic devices
The poem is in question-answer format. The poetess asks questions to the weavers and weavers reply to it. The language of the poem is very simple, rhythmic and easy to understand. Poetic devices like Alliteration, Simile, Metaphor, Imagery and symbolism have been used. The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABB.
·
Special features
The poet has portrayed three stages of human life through three different stanzas. Colour imagery used in the poem is very significant as they indicate the moods related to the events. Effective use of images and symbols is one of the special features of the poem. The poem reveals the hard life of Indian Weavers.
·
Message/Values/Morals in the
poem
The message of the poem is that we all have to pass through three stages of life. Everybody who has taken birth is going to die. Unlike weavers, we must keep working and live happily. Death is the final truth of human life.
·
My Opinion
I think, the poem is inspirational
and conveys a beautiful message. The
use of simple language, birds and colour imagery made the poem
rather beautiful.
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2.3 The Inchcape Rock
·
About the poem/poet and title
The Inchcape Rock a ballad is written by
Robert Southey. He was one of the Lake Poets and Poet Laureate of England. The
poem is about the dangerous rock near the Scottish coast. Robert Southey was
inspired by the story of a pirate who cut the bell which was placed on The
Inchcape Rock by the Abbot of Aberbrothok. The title of the poem is very
suitable because the Rock is a central attraction of the poem.
· The theme/ gist of the poem
The central theme of the poem revolves
around the proverb 'As you sow, so shall you reap '. It is about Sir Ralph a
sea-pirate who removed the warning bell from the Inchcape Rock installed by the
Abbot of Aberbrothok. The Inchcape bell was very useful for the Mariners but
Sir Ralph cuts the bell in jealousy. Finally, the pirate became the victim of The
Inchcape Rock.
· Poetic style/language / poetic devices
The poem is a ballad. It contains 17 stanzas of four
lines each. The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABB. Poetic
devices such as alliteration, antithesis, inversion, metaphor, onomatopoeia,
personification, and repetition are effectively used.
· Special features
The poem is didactic in nature. Old English (Archaic) words like ‘blest’ ‘quoth’, ‘canst’ have been used. The poet has used symbolism in the poem. Besides, he used narrative techniques to enhance the effect of the poem. Beautiful verbal images of the calm atmosphere of the sea, the sun, etc. have been used in the poem.
· Message/values/morals in the poem
The
poem gives us a message that those who do wrong things will meet with due
punishment. The values will remain forever.
· Your opinion
I like this poem very much because the poem is like a moral story. It is didactic and it has current relevance too.
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2.4 Have You Earned Your Tomorrow
·
About the poem/poet and title
The poem ' Have You
Earned Your Tomorrow ' is an inspirational and thought-provoking poem written
by the well-known British American poet Edgar Guest. Edgar Guest is known as a
people's poet for his simple style and optimistic tone of writing. The title of
the poem is very apt and self-explanatory.
·
The theme/ gist of the poem
The theme of the poem is very
clear. According to the poet, you should live each day to help others and give a
small contribution to improve their lives. If you are able to help others and
kind enough probably you may earn your tomorrow.
·
Poetic style/language / poetic devices
The poem is in simple language and has
four stanzas of four lines each with rhyme scheme AABB. Poetic devices like alliteration,
interrogation are effectively used. The use of interrogation is prominent.
·
Special features
The special feature of the poem is
the pattern of rhetorical questions, simple language and the great message that
enables us to think.
·
Message/values/morals in the poem
The poet has conveyed a clear message
that is even the smallest good deed of one's part is enough to guarantee a
better tomorrow for oneself. We should realize our responsibility for the
society we live in.
·
Your opinion
I like this poem very much as it is
an inspirational poem. It gives a moral lesson of humanity. The poet suggests
that we must be kind and help others to improve their lives.
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2.5 Father Returning Home
· About the poem/poet and title
The poem Father Returning Home is written
by renowned poet Dilip Chitre. He was a well-known bilingual poet and
translator with remarkable work in Marathi & English. This poem is taken
from his famous work 'Traveling in a cage '. The poem
depicts the portrait of a suburban commuter/father / an old man and his dull, silent, monotonous daily routine.
·
The theme/ gist of the poem
The main theme of the poem is alienation and isolation. The poet shows the loneliness and isolated life of an old man in modern society. The painful loneliness of a father is a symbol of man’s isolation from the materialistic man-made world. Besides the generation gap between the father and his children is also a prominent theme of the poem.
This two
stanza poem is written in free verse, so it has no meter or rhyme scheme. The
lack of rhythm is symbolic of the poet's father's monotonous and dull life. The
language of the poem is simple and informal but full of many imageries and poetic
devices like simile, Alliteration and onomatopoeia.
·
Special features
The poem
is expressed through the perspective of a son. The poem has an autobiographical
touch. It is full of symbolic expression. The poem is divided into two parts.
In the first stanza, the father’s pitiable routine life is picturized and in
the second stanza, a forced alienation is reflected through the stale
food and lack of sharing.
· Message/values/morals in the poem
The message conveyed in
the poem is that old people are neglected and not cared for in modern
society. The generation gap has created disrespect for the elders in modern
society.
·
Your opinion
I
feel very sad about the father / an old man shown in the poem. I like the poem
for its today’s relevance.
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