Subject- English Literature

Class - XII First Paper = Poetry and Drama Time - 3:00 Hour                             M. M.-70

General Instructions All the questions are compulsory. Question 1. Explain any four of the following with reference to the context (i) That murmur, soon replies ;

God doth not need

Either man’s work, or his own gifts : Who best

Bear His mild yoke, they serve Him best :

(ii) Deep in unfathomable mines

of never-failing Skill,

He treasures up His bright designs

And works His Sovereign will,

(iii) Where the mind is led forward by Thee into

Ever-widening thought and action -

Into that heaven of freedom, my father,

Let my country awake.

(iv) Raina : Come don’t be disheartened. Oh,

You are a very poor Soldier : a chocolate

cream Soldier ! Come, Cheer up ! It takes

less courage to climb down than to face

capture : remember that.

(v) The Man : A narrow Shave ; but a miss is as

good as a Mile. Dear Young Lady : Your

Servant to the death. I wish for your sake. I had

joined the Bulgarian army in stead of the other

one. I am not a native Serb.

(vi) Sergius : Bluntschli : my one last belief is gone.

Your sagacity is a fraud, like everything else.

You have less sense than even I.                               4 x 4 =16

(Poetry)

Question 2. Answer any two of the following questions in one entence each : (2 x 1)

(i) “I have no preconceptions.”                         2x1=2

(Mirror)

Say how the mirror has no preconceptions.

(ii) “The daughter acquiesced with a smile.” What made the daughter acquiesce ?”

(iii) “My mother twisted through and through groaning on a Mat.” (Night of the Scorpion) Why did the mother twist ?

(Drama)

Question 3. Answer any two of the following questions in one sentence each :

Petkoff : Are you Emperor of Switzerland ?

(i) Who is referred to as the Emperor of Switzerland ?

(ii) Sergious : My lady and my Saint ! Whom does Sergious address as Saint ?

(iii) Catherine : Oh Heavens ! He’s come to return the Coat. Send him away ; Say We’re not at home ! Whose coat is referred to here ?     2x1=2

Question 4. Answer any four of the following questions, in 20 to 30 words each : (i) A Man’s Voice : Sh-Sh ! Don’t Call out or you will be shot. What makes the man threaten Raina ?

(ii) Louka : The Swiss will kill you perhaps. He has beaten you in love. Say how the Swiss has beaten Sergius in love.

(iii) Nicola : Never you mind my soul : but just listen to my advice given to Louka. Depict the piece of advice given to Louka.

(iv) Raina : Ah, don’t talk of it in that flippant way. I lied : I know it. Why did she lie ?

(v) Sergios : I am no longer a soldier. What according to Sergius is soldiering ?

(vi) Petkoff : Well, my dear, it appears that Sergius is going to marry Louka instead of Raina. Explain why Sergius is going to marry Louka.      4x3=12

Question 5. Answer any four of the following questions in 20-30 words each : (i) “A hundred thousand or So

are killed each year ;

Cause and effect are very

simply linked ;

(Moschus Moschiferus)

Describe the cause and effect of the killings.

(ii) “For they were only your fathers,

But I was your Officer ;

(In Memoriam)

Depict the feelings of the officer expressed in the poem.

(iii) “And I shall have some peace there”

(The Lake Isle of Innisfree)

Say how the poet wants to have peace there.

(iv) Raise me a dais of Silk and down ; (A Birthday)

What activities does the poet wish to perform on her birthday ?

(v) In What ways do the four Seasons characterise the life of a man ?

(vi) Say how according to the poet life is a walking shadow.                 4x3=12

Question 6. Answer any two of the following questions in about 60-80 words each : (i) Write the character sketch of Louka.

(ii) Bring out comparision and contrast between Sergius Sarnoff and Bluntschli.

(iii) Bring out comparision and similarties between Catherine and Raina.

(iv) “Nicola is Shaw’s common sense character.” Draw a brief character sketch of Nicola.              2x5=10

Question 7. Answer any two of the following questions in about 60-80 words each : (i) Depict the overall effect of the “Cuckoo’s song on the poet. (To the Cuckoo)

(ii) Describe in your own words “the evening” as depicted in the poem. (Autumn)

(iii) “Thus let me live, unseen unknown” (Solitude) What sort of life does the poet wish to live according to the poem ?

(iv) “When I Consider how my light is spent.” (On His Blindness) Explain what feelings does the poet want to express in the poem.        2x5=10

Question 8. Define any two of the following Literary terms. (i) Plot

(ii) Character

(iii) Irony

(iv) Wit 2x3=6

Answers

Credit Points (Poetry) Question 1. (i) Reference and context

(ii) Clarity of ideas

(iii) Language accuracy

(iv) Critical appreciation

Credit Points (Drama) (i) Reference and context

(ii) Significance of the dialogue

(iii) Clarity of ideas

(iv) Language accuracy

(Poetry)

Question 2. (i) Because it reflects whatever comes in front of it.

(ii) The mother’s suggestions made her acquiesce with a smile.

(iii) She twisted because she had been stung by the scorpion

(Drama)

Question 3. (i) Bluntschli is referred to as the Emperor of Switzerland.

(ii) Sergius addresses Raina as Saint.

(iii) Paul Petkoff’s coat is referred to here.

(Drama)

Question 4. (i) The fear of being shot dead or captured by the enemy makes him threaten Raina. He feared that Raina might call out and in that case he might be killed.

(ii) The Swiss, Bluntschli, has recently been found in love with Raina according to Louka, Where as earlier Sergius and Raina had been betrothed.

(iii) Nicola advises Louka to mend her present behaviour if she wants to be a lady. He warns her not to try to be high and mighty with him.

(iv) She lied merely because she had to save Bluntschli’s life. If she hadn’t uttered the false hood he would have been killed.

(v) Soldiering according to Sergius is to attack, mercilessly when the Situations are favourable and to withdraw when they are adverse.

(vi) Sergius is going to marry Louka because he doubted the loyalty of Raina. Louka was cunning enough to seduce him. Furthermore, Sergius learnt that Raina was now in love with Bluntschli. (Poetry)

Question 5. (i) Hunters kill the harmless musk deer in order to earn money. They are killed for their use in the perfume industry. The effect of the killing is their extinction very soon.

(ii) The officer is full of sorrow because the youngmen  under his command have lost their lives in the battle field. His sense of responsibility makes him share the sorrow with bereaved families.

(iii) The poet wants to go to a quiet place. There he will be away from noise and bustle. He will get peace and forget his worries.

(iv) She wishes that her birthday should be celebrated with great pomp and show. A dais of silk and fine soft feathers should be raised and decorated with birds and beatuiful objects.

(v) The four seasons ; spring, summer, autumn and winter characterise the life of a man as the youthful years, the mature age, the declining years and old age.

(vi) The poet compares life to a walking shadow which is a mere illusion. He wants to convey that a player(actor) walks proudly, frets and dies. Death turns everybody to dust.

(Drama)

Question 6. (i) Louka serves as a maid servant in the house of the Petkoffs. She is very ambitious. She has very keen eyes to understand any situation. She has the bad habit of overhearing. She is cunning and designing. She uses her art to widen the gulf between Raina and  Sergius. The mission of her life is to entrap a man of high social status. She is a real flirt.

(ii) Sergius presents a sharp contrast to Bluntschli but ultimately he is converted to Bluntschli’s philosophy. His behaviour is volatile. His views on war, soldiering, love and marriage are romantic, on the other hand Bluntschli has realistic views on war, marriage and soldiership. In his opinion food is more important than arms and ammunitions. He is risk taking. He is polite, well mannered and civilized. In real sense he is the hero of the play.

(iii) Catherine is a domineering lady. She values wealth highly. When she comes to know that Bluntschli is richer than Sergius, She forgets him and allows her

daughter to marry Bluntscli instead. Raina is the heronine of the play. She lives in romantic illusions.  She has a soft corner in her heart for Bluntchli; when

terror stricken he climbs up the water pipe, she gives him shelter. Both Catherine and Raina have guts, intellect and wit.

(iv) Nicola is a man servant in the house of the Petkoffs. In him Shaw represents a faithful servant of the Victorian Age. He is very loyal to the family he

serves. He advises Louka, his betrothed girl to be faithful to the Petkoffs like him. His self-sacrifice is highly praise worthy. He is loyal, wise and witty.

He gives up his claim saying that he was not engaged to her, when Sergius kisses Louka and declares to

marry her.

(poetry)

Question 7. (i) The song of the bird reminds the poet of his child hood. He depicts the impression of the song. In his school days he would wander about and try to trace the bird in bushes, trees and through woods. He says that he can listen to the song, even today ; The song seems to have been coming from an invisible source.

(ii) The poem depicts a scene of an autumn evening as the western sun sets and the moon rises in the darkening sky. The evening containing moisture moves along smoothly. It brings with it a slight chill, clouds and mists that are representative of the season. It is a vivid picture of evening slowly turning to night.

(iii) The poet wishes to move away from the busy, hubbub London life to the simple and homely and innocent world of the country side. He will lead a life there without any worry or anxiety. He wishes to live there an ordinary life of peace and solitude and finally die there in anonymity. He may enjoy sound sleep by night; thus refreshing the body and mind.

(iv) The poet wants to convey his pathetic condition and his staunch faith in the mercy and grace of God. The world has become dark for him when he has spent half of the life, and yet to live. He is anxious because he is unable to serve God by presenting his true account. The talent (gift of composing poetry) seems useless, though he wants to serve God. Then he realises that God doesn’t need any services.

Question 8. (i) Plot in a dramatic or narrative work refers to the sequence of events. It can be described as the frame work of a piece of drama or fiction. It has the planned series of interrelated incidents that make up the story being told.

(ii) Character is the sum of distinctive characteristics possessed by a person. It also refers to moral and dispositional qualities that make one recognizable

as a person differentiated from others. (The qualities are expressed through speech or dialogue and what they do is through their action.)

(iii) Irony is a figure of speech in which the words express  a meaning that is often the direct opposite of intended meaning. Irony uses words of praise - to imply blame and words of blame to imply praise.

(iv) Wit implies intelligence, quick understanding and the power of giving pleasure and amusement by unexpected combination or contrast of ideas or expressions.

It denotes a kind of verbal expression which is brief, deft and intentionally contrived to produce a shock of comic surprise.