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Poetry 1 (the Brook)(Reference)
Poetry 1 (the Brook)(Reference)
1. THE BROOK
Alfred Lord Tennyson
About the Poet
Alfred Lord Tennyson, Ist Baron Tennyson, FRS (6th August 1809 - 6h October 1892) is
most illustrious of poets from the Victorian era. He was made Poet Laureate after the death one of the
of
Wordsworth and fulfilled the requirements of his position by writing a poem for every important Wil iam
in the country as well as in the household of the King or Queen of England. He was very particularoccasion
his writing and revised his work several times before submitting it for printing. Tennyson found about
the sourCe
OL is poems from many places, including nature as is seen in the poem, "The Brook'.
Theme
Tcn stanza of the poem highlights the Brook's progr ess to its destination that is revealed in the los
stanza, which is "the brimming river." and to the delivery of the theme and purpose of the poem, which
1S that "men may come and men may go, But I go on
forever.
In tnis poem, the poet compares the life of the Brook with that of the man. He says that the Brook when
COmes from haunted places is fresh and lively. It is compared to a man at hs young age. He behaves as
The is energetic and fresh. The Brook slows down when it reaches the plains which is compared to a
man who has the burden of his family, his job and surroundings. But the poet concludes that the Brook
1S immortal. Because it joins the mighty ocean and becomes a part of it but man is born to die and is
mortal. He compares different stages of Brook with that of the man. He uses a lot of attractive worik
describing its movement and sound. It is really a wonderful poem written by Tennyson.
Brook
Characters Astream flowing through the English countryside. It provides picture of pastoral delight It is
selfless and works to delight others and does not lose his cool even when passing over a rouch
|patch. It provides succour and joy to everyone coming in contact with it. It is undemanding.
nourishes growth of flowers along its banks, and provides variety to break the monotony of
|daily living.
Problem
Action
The problem that the brook faces is that its
journey from its starting point till the end Instead of remaining disappointed at the
is not one of smooth sailing. The brook
remains content in different situations and
Setting
The setting is along the course of a stream
frequent changes it has to make along
its course, the brook learns to enjoy the
orient its course and its flow accordingly. of water. It passes through a variety of variety and adjust accordingly. It leams
Besides having constantly adjusting its countryside and greenery. It provides various to regulate the pace of its flow and while
way through its course, the brook has to facets of natural beauty in the course of its it rushes through at some parts, it lows
provide water for irrigation, nurture plants flow. It passes through farms, cottages, gently through farms and villages.
and flowers to grow along its banks and under bridges and rough brambly patches
even make its way through bramble and of wild growth.
over rocks and pebbles.
Summary
The poet speaks in the poem in the first voice realize that it is a permanent fixture of the world,
making us understand that it is the Brook who is unlike mankind, which will just pass away once he
giving his ideas to us. Every stanza of the poem has lived his life.
talks about the way forward as if the Brook is the
In the first verse, the Brook describes its starting
journeyman. At the same time, tne poet stOps to place which is a body of water where several birds,
remind us that the Brook in its journey makes man like the coot and hern have formed their nestmg
Literature Textbook 247
grounds. From that point, which is on a
covered by hills, the high ground, Brook goes on forever. The path of the Brook is
Brook gushes downhill to
a patch of ground which is filled with ridges. reach an not a straight path either. It winds its way, finding
exit wherever it can and on its waters, float
of stopping its course, the Brook makes its Instead
finding gaps in between the ridges and way by blossoms that have fallen from trees and grows
area of village sSettlements. In its course.reaches an alongside the banks. Together with flowers, the
it flowys Rrook is filledd with varieties of fish that are living in
through twenty villages and reaches a
small town. the waters, particularly trout and grayling varieties
On the way, the Brook has been bridged by the of fish As the
waters are
villagers and tOWnspeople at fifty points but it foamy surface on the watergushing
to
ahead, there is a
be and on the waves,
continues to flow from beneath this engineering the silver beams of the sunlight fall. This makes a
structures.
delightful arrangement of colour on the Brook.
The little Brook moves on till it reaches a stretch Thereafter, the Brook
flows thrOugh a Iew larms
of farmland and makes its way along the side of and cultivated lands where there are
farmer Philip's farm. Thereafter, the land is not growing on its banks and hazel treesforget-me-nots
makes for a
so fertile and the river bed is a rocky stretch. The pleasant shade by the Brook's waters. Unlike the
water 'grind' their way across the pebbles with the earlier journey, in this part the Brook is virtually
Surface forming small waves because of the uneven Soundless and seems to slip and slide across the
surface below. countryside, while a group of swallow is seen flying
At this point, the countryside through which the and skimming across its waters. The sunbeams
Brook flows is one of natural variety. There are continue to look attractive as if dancing on the
stony embankments at some places and at others surface of the waters, as it falls in broken bits,
there are well-grown fields. There are also stretches because of the waves breaking the direct sunlight
of fallow ground through which the Brook flows into dancing bits of sunlight. In the silence of the
along. The growth on its banks as it passes through night, the sound of the moving waters of the Brook
the wilderness is, therefore, covered with weeds such is more audible as it is now flowing through a bed
as mallow and willow-weed, but instead of becoming of pebbles which slows down the movement of the
a dirty strip passing through, it seems to decorate its water and gives rise to a growth of watercress.
banks and becomes a picturesque setting, its sides Finally, it curves out of this lethargic stretch and
filled with natural growth. joins the river reaching its final journey. This final
At this point, the Brook seemns to be talking to jouIney again reminds the poet to mention that the
itself as it passes through the unkempt countryside Brook goes on torever while men's journey through
life has to end at some point.
thinking of the fact that men may come and go, the
Outcome
river.
In the final outcome, the Brook empties its waters into a river, merging itself into the flow of the
thereby obliterating its individual identity. After a long and hectic journey, the end seems to be relieving
goal.
and a feeling of achievement at having finished its course and reaching its
Word-Meaning
Haunts: places where people frequently visit; Coot: a type of waterBrimming:bird; Sally: to emerge all of
full of water: Ridges:
sudden: Bicker: flow down with a lot of noise; Thorpe: a small village; of water running over stones:
sound
mountain ranges: Eddyíng: spiral movement of water; Babble: the Grayling: a type
Fallow: the land left uncultivated to regain fertility; Mallow: plant with hairy stems;
edible nuts; Wilderness: waste land
of fish: Hazel: a small tree or bush with
248 Together wck English Communicative-9
CBSE TEXTBOOK EXERCISES
1. Since centuries, human beings have always been drawn to rivers, streams and other e.
sources of water. Can you think of some characteristics of a river that make it
mankind? fascinating to
(i)
Characteristics
Calming effect of a river that
(ü)
draw mankind
(ii)
Ans. Characteristics of ariver: (i) Lifeline of mankind(ii) Fulfils daily needs (iüi) Source of different
types of flora and fauna.
2. Here is a list of a few things. Can you tell how long each of them can live/exist?
(a) a dog (6) an elephant (c) a tree
(d) a human being (e) a star ) a mountain
(g) a river
Ans. (a) 10-13 years (b) 48 years (c) 50-75 years
(d) 75-90 years (e) 10 billion years () varies
(g) depends on several factors
4. After reading the poem answer the following questions.
The poet has used a number of words which indicate 'movement' and'sound'. Working with your
partner make a list of these words from the poem and complete the web chart.
(a)
Sally
Sparkle
Movement words
Literature Textbook 249
(b)
1. bicker
5.
Sound Words +(2.
5. The following is a flow chart showing the course of the brook. Can you ill in the blank spaces
with help from the phrases given below?
2. Pass through
1 valleys and 3.
towns
6. H5. 4.
(i) Chatter; Babble; Murmur 1. Alliteration-the occurrence of the same letter or sound
at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words
(ü) Men may come and men may go 2. Onomatopoeia-the formation of a word from a sound
but Igo on forever associated with what is named
(iüi) fairly foreland; with willow seed; 3. Inversion - reversal of the normal order of the words
foamy flake; golden gravel and phrases in a sentence
4. Refrain - a word, line or phrase that is repeated within
the lines or stanzas of the poem itself.
GCReference-to-Context Questions
1. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.
Icomefrom haunts of coot and hern;
I make a sudden sally
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.
(a) Who is »I' in these lines?
(6) Describe the stages of the journey of I.
(c) Where does the brook take its birth?
(d) What does the term 'sally' mean?
Ans. (a) I in these lines is the brook.
(b) T emerges from its source where birds, like the coot and hern, have built their nests. Itcomes
out into a stretch of countryside where ferns are growing and climb from the mountain into the
valley below.
(c) The brook takes its birth from a place where the water birds like coots and herons visit.
(d) The term 'sally' means to come out suddenly'.
2. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.
By thirty hills I hury down,
Or slip between the ridges,
By twenty thorpes, a little town,
And halfa hundred bridges.
(a) Who is slipping down the hills?
(b) Describe the landmarks of this journey.
(c) What does 'By twenty thorpses' mean?
(d) Give another word for thorpes'.
Literature Textbook 255
(a) The brook in the course of its iourney climbe from the
Ans. hills into the valley below.
(b) When the brook reaches the flat lands of the valey, it
its banks. It then passes through thiry e t
reaches a little town and along this course, it passes under fifty bridges.
(c) 'By twenty thorpses' denote small twenty villages where the brook flows through.
(d) Another word for "thorpes' is
'villages.
, Read the following extract and [CBSE2012]
answer the questions that follow.
Tl last by Philip's farm I flow
To join the brimming river
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.
(a) Where is Philip's farm situated?
(b) What does the phrase "brimming river' mean?
(c) What poetic device is used here?
(d) Explain 'Men may come and men may go'.
Ans. (a) Philip's farm is situated beyond a little town through which the brook flows.
(b) The river into which the brook flows is a body of water. This water is fast moving.
(c) The poetic device used here is 'personification'.
(d) It means that men take birth on this earth and later on depart from this world.
4. Read the following extract and answer the questions that follow.
With many a curve my banks I fret
By many a field and fallow,
And many a fairy foreland set
With willow-weed and mallow.