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Friday, December 19, 2014
Essay-02 My Three Passions by Bertrand Russel
Class Notes - English - XI - Elective - Woven Words - Essay:02
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
- Why does Russell call the three passions ‘simple’?The essay actually is the preface to Bertrand Russell's autobiography. Every human is driven by a force, a passion all her/his life. It keeps her/him going. Some desire money, other, fame. There are some who desire simple satisfaction. Bertie's desires that he chased through his life were simple as well. He was driven by passions that any ordinary man or woman might feel for. For one, he wished love and got it too; he believed that it brought ecstasy. He got married four times to tell. Second, he hungered for knowledge and of course we all seek for it. He was a mathematician, a logician, political activist and wrote vastly on philosophy and contributed to literature, for which he received Nobel Prize as well. Third, he shared "an unbearable pity for the suffering of mankind". He took a stand against World War 1 and Vietnam war. Any human will pity a suffering man or a woman for they have a heart and feel, and so did Russell. Russell was a man who did not lust after materialistic gains; he was born in a prominent aristocratic family of Britain and gave away much of what he inherited. He rose his voice in favour of suffragists and world government. He believed in free thought in religion and morals.
- Why has he compared the three passions to great winds?Russell compared his three passions to great winds as they were the driving force in his life. They directed his life and gave him the reason for his existence. These great winds are: the love, the knowledge and the pity for the suffering of the mankind. He found ecstasy in the first two that took him to heaven while the third brought him back to the earth with the practical reality. It appears from the words of the author, these are essential parts of his life. It was because of his passions, he found his life to be worth living and that he would gladly live it again if the chance were offered to him. So, his passions are like the great winds of his life directing him all along.
- What, according to Russell, is the importance of love in life?Bertrand Russell is of the opinion that love brings ecstasy in one's life. He believes that the bliss that love brings is so magnificent that he could sacrifice the rest of his life for this joy of few hours. It relieves one of loneliness of this world. Russell says that in love he has seen the heaven that the great saints and poets have imagined. Here, Russell has given a spiritual dimension to love. He reached beyond through love and it was pity that brought him back.
- How does Russell’s definition of knowledge differ from what is commonly understood by the term?Why is the quality of pity earth-bound while the other two passions are elevating?Knowledge is a treasure and Russell was a seeker of it. He craved to know and understood the Pythagorean power by which a number holds sway over the flux. He was a much learned man. He did believe that he achieved a little of it as well and yet he yearned for more. The understanding of the higher subjects, why the stars shine? He beseeched beyond all this and it in turn took him upward toward the heavens.
- Why is the quality of pity earth-bound while the other two passions are elevating?
Bertrand Russell had three passions governing his life all through. The first two being love and knowledge, which elevated him and took him higher to the heavens that great poets and saints have imagined. However, he said that the third one, i.e., pity, brought him back to the Earth, the reality. The pain in the echoing cries reverberated in his heart. All the sorrow in the wide world forced him to return to the Earth; the children in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old people that become a hated burden to their children. Russell was moved by the loneliness and poverty and pain that mocked human life. He imagined the ideal life of a human without any suffering and sorrow. So, he longed to alleviate the evil, however, he too suffered. He yet respected the human life and found it worth living and fought throughout his life against all evils. Bertrand fought against the Vietnam war and supported suffragists. Throughout his life he fought in favour of mankind to make this world a better place to live. - How have the three passions contributed to the quality of Russell’s life?The three passions, the great winds, in the Russell's life contributed immensely to its making. He found his life worth living and had he been given a chance, he would have lived it again. It were not just passions but the three vital virtues governing his life. These gave him directions and were behind all his actions. Bertrand Russell believed in love, knowledge and pity. Whether it was his relationships with women, or fighting against Vietnam war, his stand on Israel, or his support to suffragists it was always these three ideals that ruled all his actions.
Thursday, December 11, 2014
Arms and the Man - Notes for XI Elective English
Class Notes - XI - Elective English - Arms and the Man
Play Summary
Act II begins four months later in the garden of Major Petkoff's house. The middle-aged servant Nicola is lecturing Louka on the importance of having proper respect for the upper class, but Louka has too independent a soul to ever be a "proper" servant. She has higher plans for herself than to marry someone like Nicola, who, she insists, has the "soul of a servant." Major Petkoff arrives home from the war, and his wife Catherine greets him with two bits of information: she suggests that Bulgaria should have annexed Serbia, and she tells him that she has had an electric bell installed in the library. Major Sergius Saranoff, Raina's fiancé and leader of the successful cavalry charge, arrives, and in the course of discussing the end of the war, he and Major Petkoff recount the now-famous story of how a Swiss soldier escaped by climbing up a balcony and into the bedroom of a noble Bulgarian woman. The women are shocked that such a crude story would be told in front of them. When the Petkoffs go into the house, Raina and Sergius discuss their love for one another, and Raina romantically declares that the two of them have found a "higher love."
Theme / Central Idea of the Play
Characters in the Play
Captain Bluntschli: A professional soldier from Switzerland who is serving in the Serbian army. He is thirty-four years old, and he is totally realistic about the stupidity of war.Raina Petkoff: The romantic idealist of twenty-three who views war in terms of noble and heroic deeds.
Sergius Saranoff: The extremely handsome young Bulgarian officer who leads an attack against the Serbs which was an overwhelming success.
Major Petkoff The inept, fifty-year-old father of Raina; he is wealthy by Bulgarian standards, but he is also unread, uncouth, and incompetent.
Catherine Petkoff: Raina's mother; she looks like and acts like a peasant, but she wears fashionable dressing gowns and tea gowns all the time in an effort to appear to be a Viennese lady.
Louka The Petkoffs' female servant; she is young and physically attractive, and she uses her appearance for ambitious preferment.
Nicola: A realistic, middle-aged servant who is very practical.
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Essay-04 Tribal Verse by G.N. Devy
Class Notes - English - XI - Electictive - Woven Words - Essays:04
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
- Identify the common characteristics shared by tribal communities all over the world.The essayist identifies some common characteristics shared by tribal communities all over the world. The tribals live in groups that are cohesive and organically unified. They show very little interest in accumulating wealth or in using labour as a device to gather interest and capital. The tribals accept a world view in which nature, human beings and God are intimately linked and they believe in the human ability to spell and interpret truth. They live more by intuition than reason, they consider the space around them more sacred than secular, and their sense of time is personal rather than objective.
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What distinguishes the tribal imagination from the secular imagination?The tribal imagination is, according to the author, dreamlike and hallucinatory. It admits fusion between various planes of existence and levels of time in a natural way. These characteristics distinguish the tribal imagination from the secular imagination. In tribal stories, oceans fly in the sky as birds, mountains swim in the water as fish, animals speak as humans and stars grow like plants. In tribal imagination, stars, seas, mountains, trees, men and animals, can be angry, sad or happy.
- How does G.N. Devy bring out the importance of the oral literary tradition?
G. N. Devy brings out the importance of the oral literary tradition by referring to the richness of the works of the tribals that have been handed down from one generation to the other orally. He tries to bring home the point that though the literary compositions have been transmitted orally yet thematically and ornamentally they are very rich. The stories and songs that have come down to the tribals through oral tradition are unique. These compositions present the exclusive world view of the tribals. He points out that the wealth and variety of these works is very enormous. In order to show the importance of the oral literary tradition, Devy throws light on the various characteristics of the tribal arts. He shows that one of the main characteristics of tribal arts is their distinct manner of constructing space and imagery, which might be described as hallucinatory. Playfulness is another dimension of this tradition. Devy advocates that proper recognition should be given to the oral literary tradition in view of its variety and richness. - List the distinctive features of the tribal arts.
According to the essayist G. N. Devy, the tribal arts display many distinctive features.One of the distinctive features of tribal arts is their distinct manner of constructing space and imagery, which might be described as 'hallucinatory'. In both oral and visual forms of representation, tribal artists seem to interpret verbal or pictorial space as demarcated by an extremely flexible 'frame'. The boundaries between art and non art become almost invisible. In a tribal Ramayana, an episode from the Mahabharata makes a sudden and surprising appearance; tribal paintings contain a curious mixture of traditional and modern imagery.The tribal arts follow strict convention. Every tribal performance and creation has, at its back, another such performance or creation belonging to a previous occasion. The creativity of the tribal artist lies in adhering to the past while, at the same time, slightly subverting it.Playfulness is the soul of tribal arts. The tribal arts rarely assume a serious or pretentious tone. The tribal arts are relaxed and never tense.The tribal oral stories and songs employ bilingualism in a complex manner. - ‘New literature’ is a misnomer for the wealth of the Indian literary tradition. How does G.N. Devy explain this?
According to the essayist, the tribal Literature should not be called 'New Literature' as this has been in existence for many years. The songs and stories of the tribals have been transmitted orally and as these have not been written down so many people have been unaware of them. The essayist contradicts the views of the western literary critics who have termed tribal literature as 'New Literature'. He says that there is nothing new in this, what might be new is the present attempt to see imaginative expression in tribal language not as folklore but as literature and to hear tribal speech not as a dialect but as a language.
Monday, December 8, 2014
Essay-03 - Patterns of Creativity
Class Notes - English - XI - Electictive - Woven Words - Essay:03
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
- How does Shelley’s attitude to science differ from that of Wordsworth and Keats?Wordsworth in his poem 'A Poet's Epitaph' looks at science with a critical mind. Even in the poem 'Tables Turned' he praises nature and appreciates the beauty it gives to the humanity:
"Up! up! my Friend, and quit your books;"
"Enough of Science and of Art;
Close up those barren leaves;
Come forth, and bring with you a heart
That watches and receives."
Wordsworth requests us to be more inclined towards Nature because there is more wisdom in it. Keats in his poem 'Lamia' talks of two facets of human nature: one is sensual and other emotional. Keats calls philosophy destructive and pleasure unreal and calls them inseparable. However, it is not that one must take Wordsworth's and Keat's take as absolute. Shelley, for instance, is of a different opinion. For scientists it is best if they consider Shelley. A. N. Whitehead's testimony called Shelley's attitude to Science, an opposite pole to that of Wordsworth. He loved science, and was never tired of expressing in poetry the thoughts, which it suggests. Science symbolised to him joy, and peace, and illumination. - ‘It is not an accident that the most discriminating literary criticism of Shelley’s thought and work is by a distinguished scientist, Desmond King-Hele.’ How does this statement bring out the meeting point of poetry and science? A Desmond King-Hele, a British physicist, is the author of Shelley: His Thought and Work. He said that Shelley's attitude to science emphasises the surprising modern climate of thoughts in which he chose to live. Shelley describes the mechanisms of nature with a precision and wealth of detail. It is a perfect fusion of poetry and science. A scientist critically reviewing a poet's work on science. S. Chandrasekhar points out two examples from Shelley's poetry in support of what is said about him. He points out that in his poem Cloud, a creative myth, a scientific monograph, and a gay picaresque tale of cloud adventure are fused together. Then he cites an example from Prometheus Unbound, which has been described by Herbert Read as the greatest expression ever given to humanity's desire for intellectual light and spiritual liberty.
- What do you infer from Darwin’s comment on his indifference to literature as he advanced in years? Darwin, a great scientist, known for his work On the Origin of Species, enjoyed literature only until he was 30, as he said. He enjoyed poetic works of Byron, Coleridge, Shelley, etc. immensely. Shakespeare's historical plays gave him much pleasure. However, as he advanced in his age to reach the benchmark of 30, the charm faded and he began losing interest in pictures and music that once gave him great delight. He tried reading poetry and Shakespeare; however, he found it so intolerably dull that it nauseated him. It is surprising that the answer to this change is in Darwin's own statement. His mind had become some kind of a  grinding machine to process laws out of facts. It caused atrophy of that part of the brain on which higher tastes depended. It was hard for Darwin to infer it as well and, thus, his romance with literature died away.
- How do the patterns of creativity displayed by scientists differ from those displayed by poets? Poets are the bards celebrating the nature surrounding them. While, scientists are the ones to harvest nature and its mechanism and mark inventions. Poets such as Wordsworth and Keats criticise humans of exploiting nature. Whereas, scientists on the other hand utilize the given resources of nature to create and invent. However, it is not that there is an enmity between poets and scientists. Shelley said, undoubtedly the promoters of utility, in this limited sense, have their appointed office in society They make space and give time.Here we have Darwin, who enjoyed literature immensely, however, until he was thirty. He said later,' My mind seems to have become a kind of machine for grinding general laws out of large collections of facts but why this should have caused the atrophy of that part of the brain alone on which the higher tastes depend.Thus, it can be understood, while the poets celebrate the present and arrest it making it all immortal, the scientists create and invent leading us to a tomorrow, thus, marking a difference.
- What is the central argument of the speaker?In the essay patterns of creativity, S. Chandrasekhar tries to figure out the reason for the difference in the patterns of creativity among the practitioners in the arts and practitioners in the sciences. He did not answer it, rather, he made an assortment of remarks that bore the answer. He cites examples explaining how poets and scientists view each other defining the difference in their views. There are poets such as Wordsworth and Keats who are worshippers of nature, who believe that humans sabotage nature by the technological advancement. However, there are poets like Shelley, who do poetry on science. It is difficult to segregate the views and put them into water tight compartments. Darwin, for instance enjoyed literature immensely as it gave him utmost joy, but only till the age of 30. W. B. Yeats, in praise of Shelley's A Defence of Poetry, called it the profoundest essay on the foundation of poetry in the English language The author of the essay, Chandrasekhar wonders in the end that why is there no such A Defence of Science written by a scientist of equal endowment. Perhaps the answer to the question he knew already.
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
- ‘Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world’.Shelley in his famous essay, A Defence of Poetry, made the given statement. In his work, Shelley expressed his view on poetry and poets. The power of poetry and the beauty of it. It is true that poetry makes every thing immortal by arresting its enchanting beauty. It not just reflects, it has the power to ignite minds and bring change. Poetry inspires humanity. Like Shelley said, ? oets are...the mirrors or the gigantic shadows which futurity casts upon the present; the words which express what they understand not; the trumpets which sing to battle and feel not what they inspire; the influence which is moved not, but moves.It is poetry that bears the future and inspire minds. It beholds the past and mirrors the present as well. Poets are the subtle revolutionaries of our society. In fact, not just poets but all the great authors as well. They are the force that drive the society to newness and are moral critics. They participate in the society not just as viewers, but they keep a watch and express their criticism or appreciation through their work.
- Poetry and science are incompatible.There are two perspectives to every issue. While poets like Wordsworth and Keats condemn man of exploiting nature and moving towards science, Shelley is a scientific poet, who even in his poems like his Cloud. Shelley loved science and expressed it in his poetry.? It symbolised to him joy, and peace, and illumination. Charles Darwin, being such a great scientist was immensely fond of literature, especially in his youth. However, another scientist, Faraday, who was absolutely engrossed in his scientific experiments about electricity and made great invention. It is always difficult to conclude whether poets and scientists are compatible or not. There will be many such poets and scientists fond of science and poetry. While there will be many who are only concerned about their subject.
- ‘On reading Shelley’s A Defence of Poetry, the question insistently occurs why there is no similar A Defence of Science written by a scientist of equal endowment.’A person who is passionate about her/his subject is bound to praise it profoundly. The only difference might be in the medium of expression. While a poet chooses words to praise his subject, a scientist may choose an invention to express his passion. This is natural. Thus, it is so that Shelley came up with a writing piece and Faraday discovering the laws of electromagnetic induction and his discoveries led him to formulate concepts such as 'lines of force' and 'fields of force'. It is not that scientists do not defend their subject, Faraday did defend his discoveries by answering Gladstone that there was every probability of the government taxing the electricity soon. Just the medium one chooses to defend their subject matters.
APPRECIATION
- How does the ‘assortment of remarks’ compiled by the author give us an understanding of the ways of science and poetry?
[answer same as that of Q.5. Modify the answer accordingly] - Considering that this is an excerpt from a lecture, how does the commentary provided by the speaker string the arguments together?
- The Cloud ‘fuses together a creative myth, a scientific monograph, and a gay picaresque tale of cloud adventure’— explain.
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Thursday, November 27, 2014
Poem 01 - The Peacock - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words
Poem 01 - The Peacock
POEM COMPLETE TEXT
THEME
SUMMARY OF THE POEM
At the outset of the poem, the poet portrays the peacock's grandeur and loveliness. Throughout the verses, the poet anthropomorphizes the peacock as a male entity, referring to him as 'he.' The bird's piercing cry is difficult to locate, as it appears to emanate from an indiscernible source. The sound actually comes from the peacock, which can effortlessly fly to the top of a pipal or peepal tree, where it is often hidden. Against the verdant background of the pipal tree, the peacock's distinct turquoise hue (a combination of blue and green) glimmers. When it senses a human watching it, it moves its slim neck and darts away, leaving behind only a fleeting glimpse of its tail.
The poet now describes a small ritual for seeing a peacock that she has been advised to follow. One should sit on the veranda and immerse themselves in a book, preferably a cherished favorite. Once the reader is fully absorbed in the book's world, a blue shadow will descend upon them, and the wind will shift, subtly drawing attention to the surroundings. The atmosphere grows tranquil ("The steady hum of bees /In the bushes nearby will stop").
The peacock's cry, similar to that of a cat, will be audible ("The cat will awaken and stretch"), drawing attention. If spotted in time, the observer may catch a glimpse of the peacock. The peacock gracefully turns away, its tail feathers closed like shut eyelids, revealing violet borders and golden amber fillers. "It is the tail that has to blink" (the motion of the tail swaying is likened to blinking), but "the eyes are always open," and the patterns never fade. The observer will feel a sense of inner radiance and stillness that is deep and profound.
The scene's depiction highlights the difficulty of seeing a peacock (underscoring the bird's significance), as peacocks are revered, sacred birds that are not frequently encountered in the world. In Indian culture, peacocks are considered celestial and symbolize beauty and power.
UNDERSTANDING THE POEM
- Comment on the lines that make you visualise the colourful image of the peacock.The lines which help us visualise the colourful image of the peacock are as follows:“a flash of turquoise”, “A blue shadow will fall over you", “To shut those dark glowing eyes”, “Violet fringed with golden amber”.These lines give us a clear picture of the magnificent bird in all its glory.
- What are the cues that signal the presence of the peacock in the vicinity?A loud sharp call, flash of turquoise, a disappearing tail end, a blue shadow, the wind changing its direction and the awakening of the cat and its stretch are an indication that a peacock is in the vicinity.
- How does the connection drawn between the tail and the eyes add to the descriptive detail of the poem?The pattern on the tail of a peacock looks like eyes, but these eyes cannot be blinked. Rather the tail when contracted appears to give an illusion of blinking a lot of eyes together. This adds to the descriptive details of the poem.
- How does the poem capture the elusive nature of the peacock?The poem captures the elusive nature of the peacock by describing its activities that signal its presence indirectly. For example in the opening line of the poem we hear “His loud sharp call”, or we get a “glimpse of the very end of his tail” in the last line of the first stanza.If someone tries his best to get a glimpse of the elusive bird, he “might see the peacock turning away as he gathers his tail”.Such a description presents a very elusive nature of the peacock.
- The peacock is a colourful bird. How does the poem capture the various colours that its plumage displays?The poem captures the various colours of the peacock’s plumage by use of expressions like “turquoise”, “blue shadow”, “dark glowing eyes” and “Violet fringed with golden amber”. These expressions as we can see present the colours associated with peacocks very beautifully.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Poem-02 - Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words
Poem-02 - Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds by William Shakespeare
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no; it is an ever-fixed mark,
That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.
Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle's compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
PARAPHRASE OF THE POEM
Explanation
The poem is titled "Sonnet 116" and is a sonnet written by William Shakespeare. It is a love poem that celebrates the power and endurance of true love.
The poem begins with the speaker stating that true love is not hindered by external forces or impediments. The love described is not a love that changes with circumstances or that is affected by external influences. Instead, it is an "ever-fixed mark" that remains constant even in the face of adversity.
The speaker then goes on to compare true love to a star that guides wandering ships, emphasizing the importance and value of this type of love. The poem suggests that true love is a force that is not easily swayed by time or external factors.
The next stanza refers to the inevitable effects of time and aging, represented by "rosy lips and cheeks / Within his bending sickle's compass come." However, the speaker argues that true love is not subject to the same limitations and that it endures even in the face of aging and death.
Finally, the poem concludes with the speaker stating that if he is wrong in his beliefs about true love, then he has never written anything of value and no one has ever truly loved. This line reinforces the strength and conviction of the speaker's beliefs about love.
Overall, the poem celebrates the power and endurance of true love, emphasizing that it is a force that remains constant even in the face of adversity and the passing of time.
Imagery Used in the Sonnet 116
Sonnet 116 uses a variety of powerful and vivid imagery to convey the idea of enduring, true love.
In the first quatrain, the speaker uses the metaphor of a "marriage of true minds" to describe the nature of true love. This image evokes the idea of two people who are deeply connected and united in their love for one another.
The second quatrain uses a nautical metaphor to describe true love as an "ever-fixed mark / That looks on tempests and is never shaken." The image of a fixed mark or beacon that guides ships through storms suggests that true love provides stability and direction in difficult times.
The third quatrain compares true love to a star that guides lost ships, suggesting that love is a guiding force that leads people through the challenges of life. The image of the star is also associated with beauty and wonder, emphasizing the idea that true love is a precious and valuable thing.
In the final quatrain, the speaker uses the metaphor of Time as a "bending sickle" that inevitably takes away youth and beauty. However, the speaker argues that true love "bears it out even to the edge of doom," suggesting that it is an enduring force that remains steadfast in the face of aging and death.
Overall, the imagery used in Sonnet 116 emphasizes the strength, endurance, and guiding qualities of true love. By comparing love to enduring symbols such as a fixed mark, a star, and a beacon, the speaker creates a powerful image of love as a guiding force that can lead people through the challenges of life.
NOTES
UNDERSTANDING THE POEM
- ‘Constancy’ is the theme of the poem. Indicate the words, phrases and images that suggest the theme."an ever-fixed mark", "never shaken"; "Love’s not Time’s fool", "Love alters not", "bears it out even to the edge of doom" are some of the expressions that suggest the theme that love is permanent.
- Why do you think the poet has used so many ‘negatives’ to make his statement?‘negatives’ are an effective tool to prove one’s point. It highlights the other side of the coin to bring home the positive points of the statement very effectively. In this case the poet puts forward all the negative aspects that love is taken for, and then argues that love is something permanent and beyond physical beauty.
- What does the line ‘I never writ, nor no man ever loved’ imply?It implies that if the poet is proved wrong about these thoughts on love, then he will recant all that he has written, and no man has ever [truly] loved.
Poem 06 - Mother Tongue - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words
Poem - 06 Mother Tongue
ANALYSIS OF THE POEM 'MOTHER TONGUE'
Through this conversation, the poet personifies the reed, giving it human qualities to emphasize how the natural world is also connected to her language. The reed eventually agrees to give the quill, acknowledging that it, too, serves the poet's mother tongue.
The poem conveys a sense of urgency and pride in preserving the Dogri language. The poet’s mother tongue is portrayed as a “Shahni,” a wealthy and powerful figure, symbolizing the language’s importance and the numerous people who serve it, including the poet herself. This highlights the emotional attachment and respect the poet has for her language.
At a deeper level, the poem touches upon the loss of the original Dogri script, Sharade, which has been replaced by Persian and Devanagari scripts. This symbolizes the changes and challenges that languages face over time, and the poet's effort to continue writing in Dogri reflects her commitment to keeping the language alive.
In simple terms, the poem is about love, respect, and the need to preserve one’s language, even in the face of change.
SUMMARY OF THE POEM 'MOTHER TONGUE'
UNDERSTANDING THE POEM (Q&A)
-
The quill is the central element in the poem—what does it
symbolise?
The quill symbolises the Sharade script. A script is central to propagate and preserve any language. In this case the poet is eager to make a point for her mother tongue Dogri which was originally written in Sharade script but for reasons unknown happened to be written in Devanagari script. So she personifies the reed and requests it to give a quill and the reed instantly agrees to do so saying that it is also the servant of the Shahni like the poet herself and ready to serve her.
-
You notice a sense of urgency in the poet’s request—what is the
reason for this?
The reason for the sense of urgency shown in the poem is because of fast depleting base of Dogri language in its native speakers and the influence of other languages/scripts on it. The poet is concerned that if the Dogri speaking population is not ready to serve the Shahni(Dogri) then it will be too late to save the language.
-
How has the poet brought out her emotional attachment to her mother
tongue?
The poet has brought out her emotional attachment to her mother tongue in the form of this beautiful poem wherein she treats her mother tongue as Shahni(Queen) and the poet herself as a maid to the service of the queen. The emotional height is reached when the reed instantly agrees to cut its hand and give it away for the service of Shahni in the form of a quill.
-
Personification is a figure of speech that attributes human qualities
to inanimate things and abstract ideas. How has it been used in this
poem?
The poet has beautifully used the tool of personification for her mother tongue Dogri and its script Sharade. Dogri has been personified as Shahni(The Queen) and Sharade script has been personified as the queen’s maid in the form of a quill. The dramatization of the reed cutting its hand to offer for the service of the queen animates the entire poem and rouses the reader to stand up for the greater cause of saving/serving one’s mother tongue.
L-2 A Pair of Mustachios - English Elective Class XI Notes - Woven Words
Table of Content
Word Meaning of 'A Pair of Mustachios'
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Nouveau riche: People who have recently gained wealth, often perceived as lacking the refinement of old-money families.
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Commercial bourgeoise: Middle-class people involved in business or trade, typically seen as focused on material wealth.
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Blue blood: People from noble or aristocratic families.
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The bluff of a rascal: A false or deceptive act by someone who is cunning or mischievous.
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Asked sourly: Asked in a rude or unpleasant way.
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Goods and chattels: Personal belongings or property, especially movable items.
SUMMARY OF 'A PAIR OF MUSTACHIOS'
Despite initial compliance, the moneylender cunningly manipulates Khan by leaving one tip of his mustache upturned. This drives Khan to pawn his possessions in exchange for Ramanand lowering the other tip. Ultimately, Ramanand outwits Khan, making him give up all his belongings while subtly mocking Khan's obsession with status.
Through this light-hearted narrative, Anand critiques the rigid social hierarchies and the absurdity of placing excessive importance on superficial symbols of class.
UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT
-
What do you understand of the natures of Ramanand and Azam Khan from the episode described?
Ramanand, the grocer and the money lender, is quiet cunning and possess a servile nature that is fit for his business of selling groceries and money lending. He never gets angry but prevails on his customers like Azam Khan with cleverness and by provoking the so called pride. It is also evident that Ramanand regards his customers as always right at least in principle. So he always keeps his business first and pride secondary.
Azam Khan on the other hand is a victim of so called pride. He is still lost in the past glory of his forefathers. He is arrogant, full of anger and short sighted. He is ready to sell all his property for the sake of keeping Ramanand’s moustaches down, which was suitable to his(Ramanand) class. Obviously Azam Khan is living in his past. He is impractical, short tempered and doesn’t know what is good or bad for him.
-
Identify instances in the story that show the business acumen of Ramanand.
Ramanand is a good businessman. His business acumen is evident from the fact that he readily agrees to lower his moustache on Azam Khan’s request. But he lowers only one tip of his moustache just to cleverly provoke Khan to bring in more of his property for mortgage. Unlike Khan he never gets angry and keeps his business interests above all his priorities.
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Both Ramanand and Azam Khan seem to have very fixed views. How does Ramanand score over Azam Khan towards the end of the story?
Ramanand and Azam Khan have a fixed view regarding themselves and each other. They are part of the social milieu that believes in the categorization of people on the basis of their moustaches. Ramanand belonged to goat class while Khan sahib belonged to tiger class moustache. They are both in harmony with the fact that they should not trespass into each other’s boundaries.
Ramanand scores over Azam Khan at the end of the story by turning up the tip of his goat moustache so that it looked like a tiger moustache. This enrages Azam Khan and he is tricked into selling all his property to Ramanand.
TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT
A1. The author ridicules the rigid social class distinctions and the exaggerated importance placed on symbols like mustaches to signify status. Mulk Raj Anand uses humor to highlight how vanity and obsession with appearance lead to absurd conflicts, pointing out the silliness of such conventions.
A2. The references to the English people and British monarchy underscore the influence of colonial rule on Indian society. They also serve as a parallel to highlight that, like the British, Indian society is similarly fixated on maintaining social hierarchies and formal distinctions, even under foreign rule.
A3. The story conveys a message about the futility of holding onto outdated social symbols and norms. By showing how a minor issue like mustache style can escalate into a major conflict, the author criticizes the irrational pride people attach to their social identity, suggesting the need to abandon such meaningless divisions.
APPRECIATION
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Comment on the way in which the theme of the story has been introduced.
The theme of the story-mustachios has been introduced in a scientific but light manner. The opening lines describe the rigid habit of various sections of Indian society regarding wearing moustaches according to their class.
The writer is actually ridiculing the social mores which force people to live within false pride and put their honor and property at stake for something that has no value in the modern world.
The writer then moves on to narrate a story from his own village about Azam Khan and Ramanand. Azam Khan represents that class of society which is still living in the world of yore. Whereas Ramanand is the representative of the business class, which is always bent upon leeching people out of their money and property by hook or crook.
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How does the insertion of dialogue in the story contribute to its interest?
Inclusion of dialogues in a story enables the writer to express things in their actual perspective. It allows him to include words and expressions which a writer normally would not write on his own. For example when Azam Khan gets angry he says to Ramanand: “You know what I mean, seed of a donkey!” or “I tell you, turn that tip down or I shall wring your neck.
Such dialogues add a dramatic effect in the story and make it more lively and interesting.
LANGUAGE WORK
Q1. Nouveau riche and bourgeoise are French words. Collect from
newspapers, magazines, and other sources some more French words or
expressions that are commonly used in English.
A1. Some commonly used French words and expressions in English include:
- Déjà vu (feeling of having already experienced something)
- Fiancé/Fiancée (engaged person)
- Cliché (an overused expression or idea)
- Bon appétit (enjoy your meal)
- Entrepreneur (a person who starts a business)
- Rendezvous (a meeting or appointment)
Q2. Locate expressions in the text which reflect the Indian idiom, for
example, the pride of the generations of his ancestors.
A2. Expressions from the text reflecting the Indian idiom include:
- "Seed of a donkey!"
- "The pride of the generations of his ancestors"
- "The insignia of my order"
-
"Lentil-eating moneylender"
These expressions carry cultural significance and reflect common Indian linguistic habits.
Q3. We ‘draw up a deed’. Complete the following phrases with appropriate
words.
a. Keep one’s word
b. Make one’s will
c. Make ends meet
d. Take out a loan
e. Turn a deaf ear to
MCQs on "A Pair of Mustachios" by Mulk Raj Anand
1. What does the mustache symbolize in the story?
a)
Personal grooming
b) Social status
c) Religious beliefs
d) Age
of the person
2. What type of mustache does Khan Azam Khan wear?
a)
Goat mustache
b) Lion mustache
c) Tiger mustache
d) Sheep
mustache
3. Who is Seth Ramanand in the story?
a) A landlord
b)
A nobleman
c) A moneylender
d) A priest
4. Why is Khan Azam Khan offended by Ramanand's mustache?
a) It looks better than his own
b) It resembles a tiger mustache,
a symbol of nobility
c) It is not well-groomed
d) It is too long
5. What action does Khan Azam Khan take after seeing Ramanand's
mustache?
a) He compliments Ramanand
b) He walks away quietly
c) He
demands Ramanand to lower the tip of his mustache
d) He offers him money
6. What is the symbolic significance of Khan Azam Khan’s tiger
mustache?
a) His wealth
b) His noble ancestry
c) His profession
d)
His religious belief
7. How does Ramanand initially respond to Khan Azam Khan's demand?
a) He refuses outright
b) He insults Khan Azam Khan
c) He
agrees to lower one tip of his mustache
d) He laughs at the demand
8. What item does Khan Azam Khan first pawn to Ramanand?
a) A necklace
b) His ancestral house
c) His wife’s gold nose
ring
d) A family heirloom
9. How does Ramanand manipulate Khan Azam Khan after lowering one tip of
his mustache?
a) He raises the other tip
b) He increases the interest on the
pawn
c) He insults Khan Azam Khan
d) He refuses further dealings
10. What does Khan Azam Khan eventually offer to get both tips of
Ramanand's mustache lowered?
a) His entire property
b) More jewelry
c) His pride
d)
His son’s inheritance
11. What role do the villagers and elders play in the story?
a) They encourage Khan Azam Khan
b) They mock both Khan Azam Khan
and Ramanand
c) They act as witnesses to the agreement
d) They
remain silent
12. How does Khan Azam Khan feel after he pawns his possessions?
a) He is satisfied
b) He regrets his actions
c) He feels
victorious
d) He is indifferent
13. What is Ramanand's attitude toward Khan Azam Khan throughout the
story?
a) Submissive
b) Mocking but cunning
c) Fearful
d)
Sympathetic
14. What is the final outcome of the conflict between Khan Azam Khan and
Ramanand?
a) Khan Azam Khan gets his way
b) Khan Azam Khan loses all his
possessions
c) Ramanand is forced to leave the village
d) The elders
resolve the conflict peacefully
15. What does the story criticize through its use of humor?
a) The banking system
b) The British rule
c) The obsession
with social status
d) Religious intolerance
16. Who claims that Khan Azam Khan is an impostor?
a)
The peasants
b) The landlord and Ramanand
c) The village priest
d)
The five elders
17. What item is passed down through Khan Azam Khan’s family for seven
generations?
a) His ancestral home
b) A gold necklace
c) A tiger mustache
insignia
d) A family sword
18. What does Ramanand mutter as Khan Azam Khan walks away?
a) “My father was a Sultan.”
b) “I will never lose.”
c) “You
will regret this.”
d) “No one can defeat me.”
19. What is Khan Azam Khan's primary motivation throughout the
story?
a) To regain his lost wealth
b) To protect the honor of his
family’s mustache
c) To prove himself better than the landlord
d) To
become richer than Ramanand
20. How does the story end for Khan Azam Khan?
a) He
regains his wealth
b) He is ridiculed by the villagers
c) He loses
his possessions but keeps his pride
d) He reconciles with Ramanand
Answer Key:
- b) Social status
- c) Tiger mustache
- c) A moneylender
- b) It resembles a tiger mustache, a symbol of nobility
- c) He demands Ramanand to lower the tip of his mustache
- b) His noble ancestry
- c) He agrees to lower one tip of his mustache
- c) His wife’s gold nose ring
- a) He raises the other tip
- a) His entire property
- c) They act as witnesses to the agreement
- b) He regrets his actions
- b) Mocking but cunning
- b) Khan Azam Khan loses all his possessions
- c) The obsession with social status
- b) The landlord and Ramanand
- b) A gold necklace
- a) “My father was a Sultan.”
- b) To protect the honor of his family’s mustache
- c) He loses his possessions but keeps his pride