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The Soldier
Check out the topics covered in Chapter before you start your preparation. Improve your grammar skills with the help of Bihar Board Class 12 English Poem 6 The Soldier pdf links. The solutions for Bihar State Board Class 12 English Textbook are prepared by the English experts. So, if you follow Bihar Board Class 12 English Textbook Solutions you can cover all the topics in Poem 6 The Soldier. This helps to improve your communication skills.
A. Work in small groups and discuss these questions
Question 1.
Kings and rulers build ‘memorials’ in the memory of their near and dear ones. How do common men remember their friends and relatives who have died?
Answer:
Common people keep the memory of their near and dear ones alive in their hearts. Sometimes they remember them by their photographs, letters or some Other thing closely related to them.
Question 2.
You might have come across some lines of verse written on a grave or on a memorial. What is this called? What is its importance?
Answer:
This is called the epitaph. Its purpose is to perpetuate the memory of the dead person.
B. 1.1. Write T for true and F for false statements
(a) The speaker of the poem is a soldier.
(b) He is a French soldier.
(c) The soldier is very sad.
(d) He praises in England.
(e) He talks about his friends.
(f) It is a love poem.
(g) The poet is depicting the miseries of war.
(h) The poet expresses his indebtedness to England.
(i) The poem is a sonnet
Answer:
(a) T, (b) F, (c) F, (d) T, (e) T, (f) F, (g) F, (h) T, (i) T.
B.1.2. Answer the following questions briefly
Question 1.
Is the speaker afraid of death?
Answer:
No, the speaker is not afraid of death. He would be given a comer of the foreign field.
Question 2.
If at all he dies in the battle, how would he like to be remembered?
Answer:
If at all he dies in the battle, he would like to be remembered as an unforgettable soldier who never feared death. He would be given flowers of love and buried in some comer of land which is part of England.
Question 3.
How can ‘some corner of a foreign field’ be “forever England?”
Answer:
His (poet’s) grave will be in some comer of a foreign land. In that way, it will be “forever England”.
Question 4.
“In that rich earth, a richer dust concealed”. What does ‘dost’ stand for?
Answer:
In this sentence of the poem ‘In that rich earth a richer dust concealed’ for the mortals remains of the poet, after his death in the war-field. Dust also stands for those persons who avoid war and wanted to live a peaceful life. They never quarreled for anything.
Question 5.
What is meant by the phrase’A pulse in the eternal mind’?
Answer:
The phrase ‘A pulse in the eternal mind’ indicates a long-cherished desire. The poet wants to say that there must be a pulse in the eternal mind that works to avoid war.
Long Answer Questions
Question 1.
Do you think that the title of the poem is appropriate? Give reasons.
Answer:
The title of the poem is quite appropriate and meaningful. It revolves around the central theme of the poem which moves about a patriotic soldier who is airing (expressing) his keen desire of martyrdom.
Question 2.
Discuss the main ideas contained in the first eight lines, i.e., octave.
Answer:
Poet is watching (observing) the death of a soldier which happens so often in a Warfield. Poet wants himself to be laid to rest in that foreign land where he attains martyrdom. This place is as much part of England as he himself is. Poet expresses his indebtedness to his motherland.
Question 3.
What do you understand by patriotism? Is this a patriotic poem? Discuss.
Answer:
Patriotism means love and emotions for the country. It is the spirit to do anything for the welfare and security of the country. It is, of course, an
important factor indicating deep feelings for the motherland. It is also a great human character and a topmost point of all virtues. This is really a patriotic poem. Poet expresses his immense love and firm devotion towards England.
Question 4.
Give in short the summary of the poem, “The Soldier” in your own words. [B.M. 2009 A]
Or, Write a short note on the poem, “The Soldier”. [B.M. 2009 A]
Answer:
“The Soldier” is a beautiful sonnet composed by Rupert Brooke, a war poet, In this sonnet the poet describes the bubbling sense of patriotism of a soldier who goes abroad to fight for his country. An English Soldier is fighting in a foreign country. Life is uncertain in the battlefield. The Soldier says that if he dies in a foreign country, he will be buried there. He feels that the piece of land where he will be buried will always be England i.e. his country. It will always be England because he was bom and brought up in this country. The soldier expresses his gratefulness to his country for everything he got there – the road’, the flowers, the English air, the English river and sun rays. He also expresses his obligation to his country for giving him noble thought, happy dreams and laughter learned from his friends.
The soldier, therefore, wishes to be remembered after his death as a patriotic over of his motherland, which is England where he was bom and brought up. Even in his death, he would feel peace in his heart and proud of his noble act, because he died for his country. Since the poet himself was a soldier he successfully expresses in vivid language the feeling of a soldier. Patriotism is a common feeling but it certainly intensified in times of war and foreign aggression, when a person strongly feels his link with the soil of his nation which has marvelously been expressed by Rupert Brooke.
Question 5.
How many times does the poet use ‘England’ in the poem? What does it show?
Answer:
In the poem, the poet has used England four times and English two times. It shows his great patriotic feeling, zeal and ultimate desire to sacrifice his life for his beloved country.
Question 6.
How can you show that you love your country’?
Answer:
I will be ready to sacrifice my life for the sake of my country, wherever required. I will maintain the honour of my motherland. I will also contribute to the prosperity of the country with the utmost enthusiasm.
Question 7.
What is a sonnet? Comment on the Language of the prescribed poem, Also mentions its rhyme scheme.
Answer:
A poem consisting of 14 lines is a “sonnet”. The first eight lilies are called octave and the last six lines are known as sestet. The octave establishes some issues and sestet resolves it. It is a concentrated expression of a single thought, feeling or situation, subjectivity, sincerity, melody, music, reflection, and spontaneity. These are some prominent characteristics and features of a sonnet. This poem, “The Soldier” is rhythmic. Its rhyme scheme is suitably and simultaneously arranged in a way pleasant to hear.
C. 3. Composition
Write a short essay in about 100 words on the following:
(a) Life of a soldier.
Answer:
A soldier’s life is full of hardship. He lives away from his home and family so that we may live in our home with our family. They give all sacrifice so that we and our country remain in peace and harmony. The lead a very tough life. They eat and drink almost anything they get in their way but it doesn’t want them because of the strong patriotic feeling they have for their nation. They maintain a highly disciplined life. They prove to be a source of inspiration. That is why they get great respect all over the world.
(b) War widows.
Answer:
There is no war that has given a permanent solution. It causes loss and destruction of life and property for both the country involved in the war. It is truly said that war is quaint and curious. An unavoidable scene and the fact of wars are the war widows. Both sides lose many of their soldiers whose wives become widows. Well, even their life is of great respect in society. However, practically they suffer a lot. The government promises a lot but does not do as much as they should. But we should really see that they are respected and all their needs are fulfilled.
D. Word Study :
D.2. Word-formation
Read the following line carefully :
A body of England’s, breathing English air, Mark the use of ‘England’ and ‘English’, in the line given above. Write adjectives showing nationality, against the names of the countries given below:
Pakistan, America, Japan, Nepal, Australia, Newzealand, West Indies, Korea, China, Iran
Answer:
Pakistan — Pakistani
America — American
Japan — Japanese
Nepal — Nepali
Australia — Australian
Newzealand — Newzealandian
West Indies — West Indian
Korea — Korean
China — Chinese
Iran — Irani
Ex. 1. Write the antonyms of the words given below:
die, foreign, roam, evil, eternal, gentleness, peace, heaven, aware, concealed
Answer:
die — birth
foreign — domestic
roam — still
evil — good
eternal — internal
gentleness — gentleful
peace — peaceless
heaven — hell
aware — ignore
concealed—revealed
E. Grammar
Ex. 1. Read the following lines from the poem carefully:
(i) If I should die, think only of this me.
(ii) There shall be……………
Can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would – these are modals. They have different meanings in different situations. In the first sentence given above, ‘should’ suggest a condition or probability. Similarly, shall in the second sentence suggests ‘future time’.
Fill in the blanks with suitable modals to complete the sentences:
(i) Amod………….. complete his homework in an hour, (ability)
(ii) Students………… remain in the discipline during the period, (compulsion)
(iii)…………………. you succeed in life, (wish)
(iv) It…………………… rain today, (possibility)
(v) What…………………. I do in this uncommon situation! (advice)
(vi) You……………….. to take proper care of your old parents, (moral duty)
(vii)If Chhabi had participated in the dance competition, she……………… has won the admiration of the audience, (a possibility that did not realise)
(viii) In evening……………… they go out for a walk, (habit)
(ix)…………… you, please, bring a cup of tea for me? (polite request)
(x) Safdar……………….. be in Delhi in the first week of January, (future time)
Answer:
(i) can (ii) must (iii) must (iv) may (v) should (vi) ought (vii) might (viii) used to (ix) will (x) will.
Comprehension Based Questions with Answers
1. Read the following extract or poetic piece and answer the question that follows [B.M.2009A]
If I should die, think only this of me;
That there’s some corner of a foreign field That is forever England. There shall be In that rich earth a richer dust concealed;
A dust whom Engla id bore, shaped, made aware,
Gave, once her flowers to love, her ways to roam,
A body of England’s breathing English air,
Washed by the river, blest by suns of home,
Question:
l. Where is the soldier fighting and to which country does he belong to?
2. Why does he remember his country?
3. What does the soldier fear?
4. What will happen to that part of the land where he would be buried?
5. What did England give to the soldier?
Answer:
1. He is fighting in a foreign country. He belongs to England. He is an English Soldier.
2. He remembers his country with fondness because he was bom and brought up there.
3. The soldier fears his death because life in battle-fields is always uncertain.
4. The part of a foreign land where he would be buried would become the part and parcel of England.
5. England bore and shaped his life. England gave him flowers to love, ways to roam, and the air to breathe.
Q. 2. Read the following extract or poetic piece and answer the question that follows: [B.M.2009A]
And think, this heart, all evil shed away,
A pulse in the eternal mind, no less
Gives, somewhere back the thoughts by England given;
Her sights and sounds; dreams happy as her day;
And laughter learned of friends; and gentleness,
In hearts at peace, under an English heaven.
Questions:
1. Name the poem and the poet?
2. What sort of the heart is, of the soldier?
3. What are the thoughts England has given?
4. What sights and sounds of England blessed him happy dreams?
5. What obligation he expresses to his country “England”?
Answer:
1. The name of the poem is “The Soldier” and the poet who wrote this poem
is Rupert Brooke.
2. The heart of the soldier is free from evils. He has a deep love for his motherland.
3. His country England has given him noble thoughts, patriotism for his nation, happy dreams. He learned laughter from his friends.
4. His country England has given him the pleasant sights and sounds such as the flowers, the English air, the English rivers and sunrays.
5. The soldier expresses his obligation to his country, as he was bom and brought up in his country and he got everything whatever he needed.
