1.1 Where the Mind is Without Fear...

Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941)

Glossary Tagore thus sketches out the ideal form of freedom

and not merely political freedom that he desires for
Word
Meaning his country. He aspires to bring about an awakening
dead habit (n) old traditional rituals and in a country that is enslaved both, politically and
customs that are harmful intellectually.
dreary (adj) dull
Warming Up!
ever-widening forever broadening one's
(adi) outlook *1. Pair up with your partner and match the
tragments (1) small parts broken off terms with their given meanings.
separated from something Column A? Column B'
stream (n) a small narrow river Humanism Concern about an
thee (pronoun) you (old English form) action aimed at
protecting the
Phrase Meaning environment.
heaven of condition of total freedom of b Holding liberal
freedom i. Patriotism
good thoughts, good words views.
and good deeds, while
respecting those of others iii. Internationalism Quality of being
patriotic: vigorous
narroW division On the basis of Support for one's
domestic walls religion, caste, class and
colour in societies and
country.
iv. Liberalism State or process of
between countries of the world
being international.
stretches its arm aims at achieving a goal A rationalistic
V Environmentalism e.
tireless striving continuous efforts and struggle outlook towards
humans rather than
Paraphrase a divine Or

The poem, Where the Mind is Without Fear...?, has Supernatural one.
been written by the poet in the form of a prayer to Ans: (i - e), (ii - c), (iii - d), (iv - b), (v - a)
God for the true freedom of his country. The poet
wishes for his country to be free from the oppressive *2. Poems in English are of different types.
rule of the colonisers. Once the country is free, i Sonnet ii Limerick iii. Ballad
everybody would live fearlessly and have faith in iv. Elegy V Free verse vi. Epic
themselves. The poet visualises a nation where vii. Lyric viii. Humorous ix. Idyll
knowledge is accessible to one and all, since Taking the help of a dictionary / internet, guess
knowledge and education alone will lead the people and write the type of poem against its
from darkness to light. The poet wishes for a nation description.
caste,
where people are not divided on the basis of i. A long story-poem, often mythical
colour, creed, class, etc. The people of such a nation
of ii A short story poem with a message
would be truthful and would speak from the depth iii. A poemn of 14 lines
would
their hearts. In such a country, the people iv A song-like poem
would
give their best and work hard, which A poem with no uniformity of rhyme, rhythm
make them achieve their goal of
V.
ultimately etc,
perfection. It is the dream of the poet that he wants
of reason and not vi A poem set in picturesque, rustic background
his countrymen to have the power
He prays
io give in to age-old superstitious beliefs. vii. A sad poem, lamenting the death of a loved
so that they
to God to help his countrymen progress,
becorne individuals who are logical, progressive and one

God to viii. A 5-line short funny poem with a rhyme

have a broad-minded outlook. He requests scheme aabba
heaven of freedom,
Buide his countrymen into a ix. A poem written, just to create humour
where all that he has prayed for comnes true,
 Std. X: Perfect English Kumarbharati
Ans: A2, Complex Factual
Epic Ballad iii. Sonnet
1 Read the columns carefully and match the
iv. Lyrie V. Free verse vi. Idyll
Vi. Elcgy Viii, Limerick iX. Humorous expressions with their meanings.
Column A Column B
Note i. The head is held A fearless person
In this book, all the chapters have been divided into high
exnaCtN for better understanding. The source page i. Narrow domestic b Sincerity of heart
numbers of the etracts, along with their begining walls
and end have been given. However, in the question ii. Knowledge is free A person with
pper. the students will be given the complete
self-respect and
proud of

Extract possessing it
1V. Depth of truth d Narrow
mindedness
A1. Simple Factual V Mind is without e Education is given
1. Write down lines from the poem as a proof fear to all
for the following: vi. Stretches its arms f Dried up, infertile
1. Tagore wishes for a nation where people are land of sands
truthful. vii. Clear stream of Clear thinking
The poet would like everyone to work hard to reason
reach their goal and in the long run to reach viii. Dead habits h Aim at perfection
perfection. ix Ever widening i. Broadening the
1l1. The poet wishes that.everyone in his country thought and action outlook and
holds his head high in dignity. attitude
1V. The poet dreams of a nation where knowledge
should be free to all. Ans: (i c), (ii d), (iii e), (iv b), (v - a),
V
The poem is a 'prayer'. (vi h), (vii - g), (viii ), (ix i)
Ans: 2. Complete the following statements based on
i. "Where words come out from the depth of truth." the extract.
ii. Where tireless striving stretches its arms i. The poet appeals to Thee' to
towards perfection." #ii. The poet prays to the Almighty for
üi. "Where the mind is without fear and the head Ans:
is held high." 1.
iv. "Where knowledge is free."
guide his countrymen so that they can develop
a broad outlook
V "Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let
his country to awaken and experience the
my country awake."
exhilarating air of freedom
2 Complete the following statements based on 3. Explain the following phrases / lines from
the extract.
the poem.
The world is broken into fragments by i. 'narrow domestic walls
The poet compares reason to
Dead habits in the poem are compared to Ans: The phrase 'narrow domestic walls' means the
traditional or narrow-minded divisions on the
basis of caste, colour, class and creed that
Ajv, The Thee' in the poem refers to
Áns: exist in the society.
narrow domestic wals i. a clear siream Where words eome out from the depth of
the dreary desert sand iv. the Almighty truth.
Ans: The line Where words come out from the
Read the extract from line I to 1l on page 3 of depth of truth' means that
Iyour textbook and do the followiug activities. people must be honest in thought, word and
Where the mind deed.
b They should stand by the truth even when
let ny country awake."] 1
they face the most difficult of situations.
 Chapter 1.1: Where the Mind is Without Fear...
siii. "tireless striving" 49. Elabornte on the cffect the word where'
Ans: The phrase ircless striving' means making crentes nt the beginning of cach line of this
an ctlort to kecp on trving without giving up. poem.
irespectiveof the obstacles and dificulties. Ans: Thc use of the word where' at the beginning
'dead habits' of cach line crcates emphasis on the fact that
Ans: The phrasc 'dead habits' mcans the rituals and the poct is describing an ideal country. It
customs of the olden davs which arc followed creates u continuity of thought and links cach
of the factors that the poet describes into the
without thought and logic. whole idea of a hcavenly country.
State the context in which the poet uses the 10. Read the poem carefully and complete the
word w idening'. Suggest ways in which it table (on Pg. 5 of your texthook) after
can be made possible.
discussing in pairs. (The completed table is
Ans: Thc poct uses the word 'widening' for the given directlv)
thoughts and actions of the citizens of the Ans:
nation. He suggests that the AImighty can lead
the people forward in life by broadening their Concepts in Present Expected /
outlook. the poem situation ideal situation
i mind mind is full fearless mind
From what darkness of night should our of fear
nation awaken? head head is held
ii. head
Ans: Our nation should break free from the lowered due high with
shackles of the oppressive colonial rule which to shame pride
is like a dark, long night and breathe in the iii. knowledge knowledge knowledge is
fresh air of freedom. is expensive free and
and not accessible to
Complete the web-diagram to highlight the accessible to all
qualities that the poet wishes to inculcate in
all
his countrymen.
iv. words words are words are
(The completed web is given direc1ly) shallow and truthful.
Ans:
include meaningful.
indiscrimination flattery and and come from
fearlessness perfection lies a pure heart
V habit habits are habits are
Qualities to be
broad
ineulcated among pride irrational and progressive
mindedness based on and built
thecountrymen
myths and rational
hard work truthfulness logic superstitions thinking
vi. thought thought and thought and
and action action are action are of a
Ihe p0em is not meant for India alone.
based On progresSIVe
Justify. superstilious nature as they
alone
Ans: Tie poem s not mneant for India beliefs are based on
because of thc following reasons:
under rationality
I1 copcerDs ai! the countries which are
afi oppfcs)ve rule. . What attributes of Rabindranath Tagore
countrics. does the poem (prayer) retlect?
It talks about Ifecdom for all such
he nurds 9e speak should reflect the
Ans: The poem rellects the following attributes of
Rabindranath Tagore:
truth. Justify.
ADs: The pet ánts World lor hs COuntrymen keligious -
Wheu he rcaliSes that his countrvmen are in a
where they can spcak the tuth without any
hesitaljoD. He anty them o be trec ) every deep slunber ol ignornce, the poct composes
Sense of the w ord, so that theis words rellect a prayer lo the Almighty in the hope that his
nothing but the ruth. Jntervention will awaken them.
 Chapter 1.1: Where the Mind is Without Fear...
The central idea of the poem is
the poet's vision of freedom for his
about #3. State the wish of the poet.
He desires and prays for an overall
country. Ans: In the poem, the poet wishes for God to guide
of the people of the nation and not awakening his country to freedom from the oppressive
just for colonial rule and lead it to an intellectual and
political freedom. This poem is not only a
prayer to the Almighty, but also a message to moral awakening where its people are broad
minded, rational and proactive.
the countrymen to awaken from the bondages
of colonial rule. Activities
IMnemonic: A mnemonic, known as amemory Reading
device, is a learning technique that helps one to
remember a large amount of information with the 1. Read the short story written by
help of acronyms, rhymes, or a pattern of letters. Rabindranath Tagore The Kabuliwala' or
We have formed mnemonics for all the poems to The HomeComing'.
help the students remember the figures of Visit the website and collect more
speech given în all the poems. The mnemonic information about Rabindranath Tagore's
life and work.
for this poem is PRAM CAM.]
[Students are expected to attempt the above activity
Integrated Questions (based on the entire text) on their own.]
*1. Complete the following sentences using Writing
your own interpretation. *1. Almost every line of the poem begins with
1. When the mind is without fear and head
the word Where' and it expects the
unbowed, we enjoy freedom. idealistic country and countrymen. Now
i. When knowledge is free, every citizen enjoys work in a group of six students and
the right to and
compose your poem regarding Ideal
ii. We can prevent injustice when we School'. Begin your lines with the word
pull down discriminatory walls of caste, class, Where...
religion etc. Ans: Where the bells always chime
iv. Constant effort and striving leads to Where projects are submitted on time
V. Logical thinking and reasoning can put a stop Where teachers guide us and make us wise
to
Where together schoolmates play and rise
vi. Tagore appeals to God to make his country a
Where holidays are not such a pleasant sight
Such is our school, our only delight!
Ans:
INote: The above answer is for reference. Students
absolute ii. literacy and education can compose a poem on Ideal School' on
iii. social iv. Success
heaven of freedom
their own by taking cue from the above.]
superstitions vi.
*2. Imagine that you have to deliver a speech
*2. Fill in the blanks. on the occasion of Independence Day' or
Students should keep themselves aloof from
the 'Republic Day' in the school assembly.
Prepare a speech to deliver on 'India of my
When everyone will be literate. dreams'.
It is the social duty of every student of the
from
Use the following steps:
modern world to uproot i. Greeting and Salutation
societies. ii Self Introduction
iv, outlook and
Students must develop iii. Introduction of the topic
attitudes.
In the world of sycophancy, students must
iy. Elaboration of the topic with examples
V. Conclusion
vi. Thanking audience
Ans: Ans: India of my dreams
discrimination and narrow-mindedness
Good morning, teachers, chief guests and my
knowledge is accessible fellow students. I'm PurvaShah from Class X
ii. superstitious beliefs *B'. Today, I'm going to talk about "The India
iv. broad-minded of my dreams'.
V. speak the truth
Std,X: Perfect English Kumarbharati
*"ndia is the cradle of the human race, the
birthplace of human specech, the mother of
history, the grandmother of legend, and the
great-grandmother of tradition." These words
by Mark Twain perfectly represent the rich
cultural heritage, values and traditions of our
nation. There is a harmony in its chaos, which
forms a beautiful mosaic like no other country
in the world. In the past couple of centuries,
our country has gone from being one of the
greatest nations of the world, to a nation
engulfed in poverty and illiteracy.
However, I do believe that India's former
glory can be restored. I, therefore, have a
vision of an ideal India, where the country
would redeem its stature as the most
prominent nation in the world. It would no
longer be bound by the chains of corruption
and illiteracy. I wish that each and every
citizen would be treated equally, that is,
without any distinction on the basis of gender,
class, caste or religion. The people would live
in harmony and would actively perform their
duties toward the nation.
India has the potential to reform itself and I
dream that one day, it will pave the way for
the world to create a healthy balance between
development, humanity, and environment.
The India of my dreams would heal the world
from its present situation of OVer
consumerism and materialism.
Iwould like to end by saying that the moment
we learn from our rich past and adapt it to the
modern times, we would not only become a
strong country, but also an iconic nation.
Thank you all for your time añd I hope that if
we work together, we can definitely build
The India of my dreams'.

|P.S. Scan the given QR Code in

Quill - The Padhai App to view a
video that explains the Glossary,
Paraphrasc and Figures of Speech
encountered in this pocm
 Std.X: Perfect English Kumarbharati
ii.
Hopeful and optimistie- vi. Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit"
Rabindranath Tagore is aware that the Ans:
situation in the nation is bleak today, but he is a. Alliteration - Repeated sound d'
hopeful for a better tuture. b. Metaphor Indirect comparison made
iii. Concerned between 'habit' and 'desert sand'
The poet is concerned about the well-being of vii. «Where the mind is led forward by Thee"
the people of his country. He wants them to
Ans:
gainknowledge and progress in life. Metonymy 'mind' represents close
iv. Composes freely and from the heart - association with the 'citizen
Tagore uses free verse to write this poem,
which indicates that he is an individual who viii. *Into that heaven of freedom, my Father,
loves freedom - be it for himself, his thought let my country awake."
or his nation. The words flow from the depths Ans:
of his heart and possess the ability to touch a. Apostrophe - Direct address made to 'Father
the heat of the reader and transform it. (God)' who is not present there
A3. Vocabularvy / Poeti Devices b. Personification - Inanimate object country'
given the human quality of 'waking up'
1. Identify the Figures of Speech used in the
extract. 2. Find out the examples of Metaphor' from
i *Where the mind is without fear and the the poem.
head is held high" [Note: Refer A3 Q.1 iii (a), v (a), vi (b) from the
Ans: extract for this answer.]
Alliteration - Repeated sound of 'w' and 'h 3. Write the describing words for the following:
b Consonance - Repeated sound of 'd' ii walls
i. head
C.
Metonymy 'mind' and 'head' represent habit
close association with the 'citizen' iii. striving 1V.

Ans:
ii. «Where the world has not been broken up i head high ii narrow /domestic walls
into fragments" iii. tireless striving iv. dead habit
Ans:
a Alliteration Repeated sound of 'w' and 'b' Appreciation of the Poem
b. Consonance - Repeated sound 'n' *1. Write an appreciation of the poem in about
By narrow domestic walls" 12 to 15 senten ces with the help of the
iii.
Ans: following points.
a. Metaphor Indirect comparison between Title
narroW domestic walls 'narrow-minded ii. Poet
divisions in the society iii. Rhyme scheme
iv. Figures of Speech
0V. Where tireless striving stretches its arms V. Theme / Central idea
towards perfection"
Ans:
Ans: Appreciation of the poem Where the Mind is
without Fear
Consonance - Repeated sound 't' and 's
The poem, Where the Mind is Without
b Personification Inanimate object 'striving' Fear', has been written by Rabindranath
given the human qualities of 'being tireless'
and 'stretching itsarms' Tagore.
There is no fixed rhyme scheme in the
V. Where the clear stream of reasSon has not poem as it is written in a free verse format.
lost its way." The figures of speech used in the poem are
Ans: Personification, Repetition, Alliteration,
4. Melaphor Indirect comparison between Metaphor, Consonance, Apostrophe and
'clarity of astream' and 'reason Metonymy. An example of Alliteration from
Personification Inanimate object 'streamn of the poem is "lnto the dreary desert sand of
reason' given the human quality of losing its dead habit" as the sound of the letter 'd' is
way' repeated for poetic effect.