Final Assessment Eng Lit AK - Feb 2022

Q1
1. In what context has Antonio said the words given in quotation? Who quotes his words here?
Antonio has said these words at the time of bidding farewell to Bassanio, when the latter was
about to embank on his journey to Belmont. Salarino quotes his words here.

2. Give the meaning of:

(a) Slubber not business for fly sake, Bassani
Bassanio, do not spoil your plan for my sake.
(b) But stay the wry riping of the time.
But stay as long as it would be necessary to attain your objective.

3. What advice did Antonio give to Bassanio about the latter's stay in Belmont and his love
affair?
Antonio advises Bassanio to stay at Belmont as long as if would be necessary for winning Portia
and tells him not to bother about the bond. He advises Bassanio to be cheerful and devote
himself entirely to win his lady-love in a most suitable manner.

4. Describe how Antonio parted front Bassanio. What does it show about their relationship?
While parting. Antonio's eyes were filled with tears. He turned his face away and extended his
hand behind him. Then, moved by his fove, he held the hands of °Assam° and they parted from
each other. It shows that there is great love and affection between them.

5. What do Salanio and Salarino decide to do at the end of this scene?

At the end of the scene, Salanio and Salarino decided to look for Antonio and raise his low
spirits with some amusement.

Q2
1.Arragon speaks these words after opening the silver casket. He is in a mood of disappointment.
He came to woo Portia with one foolish head of his own.

2.The second head he got was from the silver casket. The scroll attached to the second head says
that the silver metal of the casket was tested seven times by fire. A mind which never makes an
error of judgment must be similarly tested seven times. Some people find their happiness in
shadows and unreality. Their happiness is therefore only shadowy and unreal. There are many
living fools whose foolishness is hidden by their silvery-hair because they have the appearance
of being vulnerable and wise. One of these is the fool’s head concealed in the silver casket.
Arragon will always have a foolish head. He should now leave as his chance is over.
3.The speaker chooses the silver casket. The motto of the silver casket appeals to the speaker. It
says ‘who chooses me shall get as much as he deserves. He feels that he deserves Portia because
of his inherited nobility.

4.After the departure of the prince, Portia says that there is another moth which has burnt itself in
the flame of the candle. These people, when they choose, the wisdom of their superficial
knowledge makes them look utterly foolish and lead them to make the wrong choice.

5.After the prince’s departure, Nerissa utters an old saying ‘Hanging and wiving goes by
destiny.’ It means that it is fate that decides what happens to one , whether one is to be hanged or
to be wedded. It implies that it is destiny that has saved Portia from two unsuitable suitors and it
is destiny that may give her a worthy suitor.

Q3
1.Shylock has made Antonio sign a contract which states that if he cannot repay the loan he will
instead repay Shylock with a pound of his own flesh. Shylock starts the speech by saying “To
bait fish withal”, referring to what he will do with Antonio's pound of flesh: he will use it as bait
to catch fish.

2.Shylock was mercilessly treated by antonio.Antonio spat upon him and called him a dog...you
can refer to the text Act 1 scene 3 i think soo...and Antonio borrowed an amount of three
thousand ducats for his dearest frnd bassanio risking his life ....Shylock said that if antonio is
unable to pay the three thousand ducats then he would take a pound of flesh from his body.

3.Jews believe in individual and collective participation in an eternal dialogue with God through
tradition, rituals, prayers and ethical actions. Christianity generally believes in a Triune God, one
person of whom became human. Judaism emphasizes the Oneness of God and rejects the
Christian concept of God in human form.

4.Shylock feels deeply pained by the inequality. He says when a Jew offends a Christian,the
Christian's kind and gentle reaction is revenge. So, if a Christian offends a Jew, the punishment
that the Jew will come up with,if he follows this example of the Christian,is revenge.

5.1. Shylock is angry - his prized possession - money, jewels, etc, have been stolen by his
daughter Jessica
2. Shylock feels betrayed - not only has his own daughter stolen from him, but has also eloped
with a Christian, in spite of being a Jew.
Q4
1.When the six people were found together there was a cold climate which was bleak and bitter .
It is extremely cold and the fire that is keeping them warm is dying. 2. The third man is the poor
man and he does not put his log to use to prevent the rich man from getting warm.

2.The third man who was a poor man did not put his log of wood because he saw that in the
group a rich man was also sitting. So he thought that the rich people always exploit us we do the
work and they earn money. We already have less things then why should I give my log of wood
to warm this idle or lazy rich. The poor man had the prejudice of class difference so he didn't
gave his log of wood.

3.The black man sees a chance to take revenge from the white man by not sharing his log to the
fire. Though he knows that by not offering his log he too may die. He cannot get rid of the
feelings of revenge. Unlike the other people, he steps back from offering his log on the ground of
maltreatment and atrocities done against them by the whites that may justify his feelings of
revenge to some extent because with the death of the white man his vices too die which is a
positive sign for mankind.

4.The title of the poem 'The Cold Within' is symbolic of the lack of warmth and compassion in
human beings. Six humans are caught against their will in a bleak and bitter cold, but none of
them uses the wooden stick each one has due to racism, envy, arrogance, revenge and greed.

5.Answers may vary.

Q5
1.In Sarojini Naidu's poem 'Shining loads' refer to the loads of colourful bangles that the bangle
sellers are carrying to the temple fair. People with happy wives and happy daughters are the
prospective buyers.

2.Although the bangle sellers could sell their goods anywhere, they choose to go to the temple
fair because in the temple fair there is a crowd and because of a temple, there are always more
women than men. Therefore, in a temple fair, the bangle sellers get their prospective buyers in a
large number.

3.The figure of speech used here is a metaphor as multi-hued bangles are compared to the radiant
lives of 'happy daughters and happy wives.

4.Silver and blue coloured bangles are befitting a maiden's wrist. These bangles are compared to
the blue and silver mist of mountains as they symbolize the freshness and the beauty of young
maidens.
5.In the poem 'The Bangle Sellers', the poetess is trying to convince readers of the spiritual and
symbolic importance of bangles in Indian culture. The poem glorifies the idea of Indian
womanhood. The poetess has described every stage of womanhood associating it with the color
of bangles worn by women in these stages. She begins describing the journey of womanhood
right from the young and tender age when the maiden wears bangles of silver, blue; pink and
shining green colors. These bangles are symbolic of the freshness, beauty and purity of a young
unmarried girl. The next vital stage described by the poetess is about the day when a girl
becomes a bride. She wears bangles that are red, golden and rich coloured. These are symbolic of
her heart's desire and hopes that she has for her new life. A middle-aged woman is the one who
has fulfilled all her responsibilities and duties with pride. She wears bangles that are purple and
gold-flecked gray depicting the journey that she has completed midway. She has been a dutiful
daughter, a happy bride, a faithful wife and a caring mother. She takes care of her household and
family with fulfillment and contentment. Thus, the poetess has beautifully-connected the
rainbow tinted bangles to celebrate the beauty and meaning of Womanhood.

Q6
1.The poet says the most important thing the poet has learnt, so far as children are concerned, is
to never let them near your television set, or better still, not to install that idiotic thing at all in
your house. The poet actually talks about the television addiction of little children. They neglect
their studies and outdoor sports for watching TV all the time. According to the poet, it kills their
imaginative and creative faculty of mind. So he suggests throwing the TV sets away from home
and installing a bookshelf in its place.

2.The poet sees that in every house the children are staring at the television screens. ... He is
upset because the kids are all staring at the television until their eyes popped out. They could lose
their ability to think creatively and they were not interacting with each other.

3.The poet strongly conveys the ill-effects of watching television on the minds of our beloved
tots. He says that watching too much television fills up the mind of the children with useless
facts, while at the same time, destroying their ability to create or understand the world of fantasy
and imagination.

4.The poet recommends reading books on adventure fantasy for the children. Such books would
entertain them. Reading books would sharpen their brain and it would help them think new
thoughts.
5.The poet advises the readers to throw away the television set and in its place install a bookshelf
and fill it with books. The central idea of the poem is that excessive TV watching is very
harmful. It should be replaced by reading books.
Q7
1.Muni often dreamt of setting up a small shop by putting up a thatched roof, spreading gunny
sack out on the ground, and displaying on it fried nuts, coloured sweets and green coconut for the
thirsty and hungry travelers on the highway.

2.The foreigner was dressed in khaki clothes just like in the policeman's attire. Muni feel the urge
to run when he first laid eyes in him because he thought foreigner as a police man who had come
to inquire about the murder that had happened there. So, in order to prevent him, he urged to run
away from him. The offer of 100 rupees stopped him from doing so.

3.The incident was that a body had been found mutilated and thrown under a tamarind tree at the
border between Kritam and Kuppam a few weeks before, giving rise to much gossip and
speculation.

4.Why did the offer surprise Muni? Soon after they met the foreigner offered Muni a cigarette.
He was surprised at the offer as he had had no offer of a smoke from anyone for years. The
nonchalant way the visitor offered him a free smoke was beyond his understanding.

5.Answers may vary.

Q8
1.After the mother's death, the chief question was "What is to be done with the children?" The
dead mother would be buried soon and she would be free from all the care or concern of the
villagers, but the children would starve. After considering the matter and having discussed with
his wife, farmer Jones decided to take John with him. Mrs Ellis who was looking out for a bound
girl did charity on her part by making a choice of Katy, although she was too young to be useful
to her. Only Maggie was left.

2.The villagers looked at Maggie with pity because she was thin and diseased. They showed
concern for the poor child and many mothers even brought cast-off garments and, removed her
soiled and ragged clothes and dressed her in clean attire.

3.The three children are left with no guardian and they cannot fend for themselves. ... The most
wretched among them was Maggie, the youngest child who is crippled for life due to a spine
injury that happened two years back. She is bedridden.

4.Maggie was confined to her bed because she had fallen from a window two years ago and she
had injured her spine and was unable to leave the bed on her own . The villagers decided that
Maggie must be sent to the poorhouse as her physical condition was not good . A poorhouse was
a sad place , but most of the villagers thought it to be suitable for Maggie because she was a poor
and diseased child.

5.Jane Thompson apparently decided to keep the child in her house as she was too weak and
helpless. But in reality, Jane developed a soft spot in her heart for Maggie. “The sweetness of
that sick child, looking ever to her in love, patience and gratitude” melted her heart. Jane “carried
her in her heart as well as in her arms, a precious burden.”

Q9
1.Maggie was glanced at with pity because she looked innocent but nobody wanted to take her,
as she was crippled for life. Maggie, the youngest child of the dead woman, looked pale and thin.
Maggie’s innocence and sadness attracted everybody requesting them to take her.

2.Life of Mr and Mrs Thomspson had been dark, cold and miserable because Mrs Thompson had
nothing to love and care for, and so became sore, irritable, ill-tempered, and self-afflicting in the
desolation of her woman’s nature. The sweetness of the sick child, looking ever to her in love,
patience, and gratitude, was as honey to her soul, and she carried her in her heart as well as in her
arms, a precious burden.After the arrival of Maggie, Joe Thompson’s life completely changed.
There was not a man in all the neighborhood who drank daily of a more precious wine of life
than he. An angel, disguised as a sick, helpless, and miserable child, entered his home and life
and filled all its dreary chambers with the sunshine of love.

3.T. S. Arthur’s story “An Angel in Disguise” is all about a little orphan girl called Maggie, Joe
Thompson’s compassion for the child and the joy and happiness she brings to the childless
Thompson family.

The little poor girl Maggie was left alone when her mother died keeping behind her three
children in the hands of their fate. Though two villagers agreed to take John and Kate, no one
showed any interest in Maggie, as she had been sick and bed-ridden for two years due to a fall
from a window.

Everyone suggested to take her to the poorhouse, but none cared to take the initiative. Joe
Thompson was the only man who couldn’t go home leaving the poor girl alone. He said to the
blacksmith’s wife —

“It’s a cruel thing to leave her so.”

The blacksmith’s wife suggested Joe to take her to the poorhouse and waited no longer. A vague
terror had come into Maggie’s thin white face just when she called out —
“O, Mr. Thompson! don’t leave me here all alone!”

Joe had some tender spots in his heart in spite of his rough exterior. He couldn’t reject the plea of
the little sick girl. He went to her and said —

“No, dear, You sha’n’t be left here alone.”

Then he took her home lifting her in her arms overcoming the fears of how his
‘vinegar-tempered wife’ might react on seeing her. Not only that, afterwards he convinced his
wife to treat the child with tenderness.

Thompson gave a whole new life to the girl, no doubt. It was a great example of selflessness and
compassion from Joe Thompson. And we know that good happens to people who do good.
Interestingly, Joe also knew and believed in the same theory. That’s why he said —

… whoever gave them even a cup of cold water should not go unrewarded … to be kind to her
for a single night; to make her life comfortable for a single night.

And we see, Thompson’s good work didn’t go in vain. Though initially his wife was not so
happy with the child, gradually she developed a soft corner for her. Maggie’s sweetness, her look
of love, patience and gratitude was like “honey to her soul”. The girl melted her heart which was
stoned for so many years in the absence of a child in the family. The loneliness of Jane
Thompson made her short-tempered and irritable, but Maggie’s love now awoke the human
feelings slumbering in her heart. The child brought joy and happiness to the whole family.

This only emphasizes that virtues like selflessness and compassion bring happiness not only for
others but also for oneself.

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