Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Solutions Poem 1 Life

Poem 1 – Life

Tamilnadu Samacheer Kalvi 10th English Guide Life Textbook Questions and Answers

A. Read the following lines from the poem and answer the questions that follow.

1. Let me but live my life from year to year       

with forwarding face and unreluctant soul                                                                                                                              
(a) Whom does the word ‘me’ refer to?
(b) What kind of life does the poet want to lead?
Answer:
(a) ‘Me’ refers to the poet, Henry Van Dyke.
(b) The poet wants to lead a life facing every year with courage and willingness to do anything.

Additional:
(a) Pick out the alliterated words in the first line.
(b) What is the figure of speech used in the second line?
(c) What do you understand by the words, ‘forward face’?
(d) With what kind of attitude does the speaker wish to lead his life in the poem, ‘Life’ by Henry Van Dyke?
Answer:
(a) ‘Let, live, life’ are the alliterated words in the first line.
(b) The figure of speech is alliteration, (e.g. forward face)
(c) The words, ‘forward face’ indicates the courage with which one is ready to face anything in life.
(d) ’In the poem, ‘Life’ the speaker wishes to lead his life with a forward face and unreluctant soul. Hence the speaker’s attitude is optimistic.

2. Not hurrying to, nor turning from the goal     

Not mourning for the things that disappear                                                                                                                      
(a) Why do you think the poet is not in a hurry?
(b) What should one not mourn for?
Answer:
(a) The poet wishes us to live with courage and dedication without hurry.
(b) One should not mourn for the things that disappear.

Additional:
(a) Give the synonym for ‘mourn’.
(b) What is ‘goal’?
(c) Why do things disappear?
Answer:
(a) ‘Lament’ is the synonym for ‘mourn’.
(b) Goal is nothing but the aim or objective in this context.
(c) Things disappear because they are inconsistent and keep changing.

3. In the dim past, nor holding back in fear
From what the future veils, but with a whole
And happy heart, that pays its toll
To Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer
(a) What does the poet mean by the phrase ‘in the dim past’?
(b) Is the poet afraid of the future?
(c) How can one travel on with cheer?
Answer:
(a) The poet means that the past was very dull and glum.
(b) No, the poet isn’t afraid of the future.
(c) One can travel cheerfully with a happy heart.

Additional:
(a) What is meant by ‘veil’?
(b) Mention the figure of speech in the third line.
(c) Pick out the contrasting words in the above lines.
(d) Pick out the rhyming words.
(e) What is the rhyme scheme of the above lines?
Answer:
(a) A veil is a cover that is used to partially hide something.
(b) Alliteration – happy heart
(c) The contrasting words are ‘youth’ and ‘age’.
(d) The rhyming words are fear and cheer; whole and toll.
(e) The rhyme scheme is ‘abba’.

 

4. So let the way wind up the hill or down,
O’er rough or smooth, the journey will be joy
Still seeking what I sought when but a boy,
New friendship, high adventure, and a crown,
(a) How is the way of life?
(b) How should be the journey of life?
(c) What did the poet seek as a boy?
Answer:
(a) The way of life will not be smooth. There will be ups and down.
(b) Life should be joyful
(c) As a boy, the poet sought new friendship, a new adventure, and a crown.

Additional:
(a) Give the rhyme scheme.
(b) What is the rhyming word for down and boy?
(c) Pick out the alliterated words in the third line.
(d) When is new friendship needed?
(e) What is rough and smooth?
Answer:
(a) ‘abba’ is the rhyme scheme.
(b) The rhyming word for down is ‘crown’ and the rhyming word for boy is ‘joy’.
(c) The alliterated words are ‘still seeking’.
(d) New friendship is needed during boyhood.
(e) The way of life is rough and smooth.

5. My heart will keep the courage of the quest,
And hope the road’s last turn will be the best
(a) What kind of quest does the poet seek here?
(b) What is the poet’s hope?
Answer:
(a) The quest sought here by the poet is a courageous heart.
(b) The poet hopes that the end journey in life will be the best to cherish.

Additional:
(a) Pick out the rhyming words.
(b) What is meant by ‘road’s last turn’?
(c) Which word in the above lines indicate ‘life’?
Answer:
(a) ‘Quest and best’ are rhyming words.
(b) Life’s last phase is the road’s last turn.
(c) ‘Road’ indicates life.

6. In the dim past, nor holding back in fear
From what the future veils; but with a whole
And happy heart, that pays its toll – To Youth and Age, and travels on with cheer.
(a) Identify the rhyming words of the given lines.
Answer:
(a) Fear and cheer; whole and toll are the rhyming words.

Additional:
(a) Mention the two main stages of life.
(b) Pick out the alliterated words in the third line.
Answer:
(a) The two main stages of life are youth and old age.
(b) ‘Happy, Heart’ is the alliterated words in the third line.

 

7. Let me but live my life from year to year,
With forwarding face and unreluctant soul;
Not hurrying to, nor turning from the goal;
Not mourning for the things that disappear
(a) Identify the rhyme scheme of the given lines.
Answer:
(a) The rhyme scheme of the given line is abba.

Additional:
(a) Pick out the couplet in the above lines.                                                                                                                                                  Answer:
With forwarding face and unreluctant soul;
Not hurrying to, nor turning from the goal;

B. Answer the following question in about 80 – 100 words

1. Describe the journey of life as depicted in the poem by Henry Van Dyke.
Answer:
Henry Van Dyke, one of the greatest American short story writers and poets, has surpassed the act of writing skillfully. ‘Life’ is no doubt one of his priced literary pieces. This poem is a pinnacle of expressive embarkment on the quest of self-revival from the glum beats of monotony. It has a very deep and farsighted meaning held within it and this is evident from the very beginning of the poem. The poem is the poet’s own reflection on his life and tells his point of view on the more important things in life.

The poet advises readers from his life experiences. We feel that he is now an older man reflecting on his younger days. Through his words, he is explaining to us what he is taking away as most important to live is the best life possible. Life is too short to get caught up in the moment or worry about the past. On the other hand, it suggests that we look forward to what the future holds. We sometimes find ourselves brooding on the bad times and we forget about how much good there is in the future. The poet is making us understand this concept and be more aware of reality.

“Life is short and if we enjoy every moment of every day,
We will be happy no matter what happens or changes our way! ”

(OR)

Title: Life
Poet: Henry Van Dyke
Character: The poet
Theme: Life is just a journey. Let me live my life year to years.

Henry Van Dyke was a visionary American author. His poem ‘Life’ describes life taking on life in its truest form is an adventure. The poet describes life as an experience. It should be lived without hurry. We must have courage dedication and purpose.

We should not worry about the past and the future. The way of life will not be smooth. There will be ups and downs. We must embrace the present with happiness. We should face all with a smile. It seeks new friendship, adventure and experiences. We should have faith in our hearts. Be bold and you will lead a happy life.

(OR)

1. Life is an experience
2. Don’t worry about the past and future.
3. Live in the present.
4. Live with courage.
5. Lead life with a smile.
6. Have faith in life.
7. It will be the best

 

C. Based on your understanding of the poem, complete the following passage by using the phrases given in the box.

(Youth to old age, up or down the hill, to hurry nor move away, high adventure, joyful, mourn, looking ahead)

The poet wants to live his life (1) …………………. willing to do something. He neither (2) ……………….. from his goal. He does not want to (3) ………………. the things he has lost, not hold back for fear of the future. He instead prefers to live his life with a whole and happy heart which cheerfully travels from (4) ………………….. Therefore, it does not matter to him whether the path goes (5) …………………. rough or smooth, the journey will be (6) ………………….. He will continue to seek what he wanted as a boy – new friendship, (7) …………………. and a crown (prize). His heart will remain courageous and pursue his desires. He hopes that every turn in his life’s journey will be the best.
Answer:

1. looking ahead
2. to hurry nor move away
3. mourn
4. youth to old age
5. up or down the hill
6. joyful
7. high adventure

Life Summary of the poem

In this poem, life is described as an experience. One should live with courage, strong will power and dedication. Life should be lived without a hurry. The poet says forget the past and future. Live in the present with happiness which nourishes the youth and old. One should not mourn for the things that disappear. The way of life will not be smooth. There will be ups and downs. We should face all problems with a smile. Life will have’ various situations. We must be happy as it teaches us to grow and live. We should seek out new friends, adventures, and experiences which enrich us. We should have faith in our hearts. Be bold you will lead a happy life.

Life by Henry Van Dyke About the Poet :

Henry Van Dyke (1852 – 1933) was born in Pennsylvania. A nature lover and avid reader, he earned degrees from Princeton and served as a Presbyterian minister for more than 20 years. He eventually returned to Princeton and nearly for 20 years working as a professor of English with a bit of service as the U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg and the Netherlands in between. Henry is well known for his works, “ Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” and the Christmas stories,
“The Story of the Other Wise Man” and “The First Christmas Tree.”

Glossary:

mourning (v) – feeling or expressing great sadness
veils (v) – to hide or cover something so that you cannot see it clearly or understand it
crown (n) – a prize or position offered for being the best
quest (n) – a long search for something that is difficult to find
unreluctant (adj) – willing to do something (This form is generally not used but the poet has coined it for emphasis)