A PSALM OF LIFE Question Answers

 A PSALM OF LIFE

 

Q.1 Does the title suggest what the poem is about?

Ans. Yes, the title suggests that the poem is about the zest for life. It inspires us to achieve our dreams and live our lives with ideals so that future generations may follow in our footsteps.

Q.2 What does the poet say about ‘life’ in the first stanza?

Ans. In the first stanza, the poet says that life is not an empty dream. The soul who is ignorant and asleep is as good as dead. He cannot see the realities of life.

Q.3 What does the poet mean by “Life is real! Life is earnest!”?

Ans. The poet means that life is a gift we have received from the almighty. We should not spoil it. It is real and serious and hence we must strive to achieve something in our lives.

Q.4 What is the poet’s observation on ‘soul’?

Ans. The poet says that the soul that is ignorant is as good as dead. The sole purpose of it is not to return to dust. One should work hard to achieve great heights.

 Q.5 Quote the line which means “death is not the goal of life.”

Ans. The lines which mean ‘death is not the goal of life are

“Life is real! Life is earnest! And the grave is not its goal,...”

Q.6 What attitude does the poet challenge in the first two stanzas? Is the attitude of the poet positive or negative?

Ans. The poet challenges a pessimistic attitude in the first two stanzas. He chides those people who consider life to be an ‘empty dream’. He feels that life is real and serious. Death is not the goal of life. One should act and reach the penultimate height of noble success. The attitude of the poet is positive.

Q.7 ‘Dust thou art, to dust thou returnest’ This expression alludes to the Bible. What are the other lines in the poem that make an allusion to the Bible?

Ans. The following lines have an allusion to the Bible:

Art is long and Time is fleeting,

And our hearts, though stout and brave,

Still, like muffled drums, are beating Funeral marches to the grave.

 

Q.8 What does the poet say about the goal of life in stanza 3?

Ans. In stanza 3, the poet says that sorrow and happiness are not the end or way of life. We should act so that our future is better than our present.

Q.9 What is the poet's observation on ‘Art’?

Ans. ‘Art’ refers to knowledge. The poet says that knowledge is eternal. We need to gain as much knowledge as possible in our lives. But time passes by quickly, so we need to hurry up as our time on earth is limited.

Q.10 “Be a hero in the strife!”--is it an inspiring call of the poet? What other things does the poet urge us to do?

Ans. The poet urges us to face the hardships in life and gain as much knowledge one can get. He considers the past to be dead and the future as uncertain. Therefore, one should try to make a better present.

Q.11 Why does the poet prefer the ‘present’ to ‘past’ and ‘future’?

Ans. The poet prefers the ‘present’ to ‘past' or ‘future’ because the future is uncertain and the past is as good as dead. One should live in the present and make the best use of it.

Q.12 What do the lives of great men remind us?

 Ans. The lives of great men inspire us to follow their ideals. They remind us to be noble. We should also make our lives noble so that future generations may follow us.

Q.13 How do the examples of great men help a person in distress?

Ans. A person in distress loses interest in life. Such a person may get inspiration, courage and peace from the examples of great men who achieve success through hardships and struggles.

Q.14 How can we make our life sublime? (last stanza)

Ans. We can make our life sublime by working hard and following noble ideals. We should have faith in God and be ready for any kind of circumstances.

Q.15 Do you find that each stanza has four lines rhyming alternately at the end and each stanza has a recurrent rhythm pattern of 8 syllables, 7 syllables, 8 syllables, 7 syllables? What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

Ans. The first line rhymes with the third line and the second line rhymes with the fourth. The rhyme scheme of the poem is abab.

Q.16 The poet uses some depressing words as ‘mournful’, ‘empty’, ‘dead’, ‘grave’. What other such words does he use in the poem?

 Ans. Some other depressing words used in the poem are, ‘sorrow’, ‘muffled’, ‘funeral’, ‘dumb’, ‘bury’, forlorn, ‘shipwrecked’.

Q.17 What is the tone of the poem-inspiring or despairing?

Ans. The tone of the poem is inspiring. The poet presents an optimistic view of life. He inspires us to face all struggles and hardships and achieve penultimate heights.

Q.18 ‘Simile’ is a figure of speech making a comparison between two unlike things based on a similarity in one aspect. Ex: ’Still, like muffled drums…. (Stanza 4, line 3). What other similes do you find in the poem?

Ans. Other similes in the poem are:

 “Be not like dumb, driven cattle!”

Q.19 “Life is but an empty dream!” What figure of speech is used here? Quote another line of the stanza in which this figure of speech is used.

Ans. In the line, “Life is but an empty dream!”, the figure of speech used is a metaphor. Another line of the same stanza which uses metaphor is “For the soul is dead that slumbers.”