APPRECIATION OF POEM-COMPILED BY-Dr. Salunkhe T.B.

 

Academic Year 2023-24

2.1 Cherry Tree-Ruskin Bond

About the title-

                           The title 'Cherry Tree' is really suitable/appropriate as it explains the planting of the cherry seed and describes how the cherry tree as a child grows up facing lots of difficulties in life. 

Gist of the poem:

                               Cherry Tree is a beautiful poem written by the poet Ruskin Bond. It is narrative poem describing the everyday struggle of the plant to grow and blossom. After a wait of eight years, a seed grew into a full blossomed tree. The poem is all about this wonderful experience and survival instinct of the tree. The poem is about the poet's fulfilment about his achievement and pride of having nurtured a tree.

Poetic Devices:

                         To enhance the beauty of the language, the poet Ruskin Bond has used different poetic devices in the form varied figures of speech like Alliteration, Antithesis, Personification etc. For example-'Since I placed my cherry seed in the grass' is the best example of the figure of speech Alliteration because in this line the sound 'S' is repeated twice in the beginning of the words 'since' and 'seed'. Let us have one more example of the figure of speech Personification-'Tree had come to stay'-This line is an example of the figure of speech 'Personification'. The tree is personified here. The poet has attributed human quality of 'staying' to the tree, therefore this line is an example of the figure of speech Personification.

Message in the poem:

                                        The poem conveys the message of tree plantation, its conservation and its importance. It also speaks about the tree's determination in spite of threat and difficulties, to survive. So despite threat in life, one should struggle hard like the cherry tree and be successful in the life.

2.2 The Sower-Victor Hugo

About the title:

                         The title 'The Sower' is apt as it gives realistic description of a lone farmer, working hard in his field. The title 'The Sower' and this poem is a translation of the famous French author Victor Hugo's work. Torulata Dutt was the first Indian poetess to write this poem in English.

Gist/Theme of the poem: 

                                           The poem is about the sower who is sowing seeds in his field. He is poor old man and has witnessed many bad harvests in his life. The poet observes his actions and expresses his respect for the farmer who is doing this noble task. 

Poetic Devices:

                         The poetess Toru Dutt has made the use of various poetic devises to beautify the linguistic features of the poem like Alliteration, Antithesis, Hyperbole, Inversion, Personification, Repetition etc. Moreover, the poet has also used symbols and imagery to illustrate theme of the poem. For example-'Sunlight, I see dying fast' is an example of the figure of speech Personification as the sunlight is personified here. The sunlight is given the human quality of 'dying'. Secondly, 'Marches he along the plain' is an example of the figure of speech Inversion as the poet has changed the order of the word. The correct order is-He marches along the plain.

Message in the poem:

                                    The poem reveals the qualities like determination, hard work, perseverance etc. The poem gives the message that one should keep working with a positive attitude in life as it brings good results in our future life. 

Your opinion about the poem:

                                                  I like this poem very much as it conveys the positive and respectful picture of the farmer. The qualities of the farmer described in this poem are truly commendable. 

2.3 There is Another Sky-Emily Dickinson

About the title:

                          The title 'There is Another Sky' is an appropriate title as it suits to exact theme the poetess Emily Dickinson wants to convey to the readers. The words 'There is Another Sky' means another kind of atmosphere from the present place. 

Theme/Gist of the poem:

                                         The poetess addresses her younger brother, Austin, and urges him to return home. Home is considered here as an another world, a garden, an ideal place. The poetess advocates the peace and happiness surrounding one's home. The theme of the poem is that happiness and gloom are the two sides of life and each one has to focus on what one likes.

Poetic Devices:

                         The poem is Petrarchan sonnet consisting octave and sestet. To make the language of the poem lucid and simple, the poetess has made the use of the figures of speech like Metaphor, Repetition, Onomatopoeia, Hyperbole, Alliteration etc. For example- 'I hear the bright bee hum' is an example of the figure of speech Onomatopoeia as its sound conveys the meaning of the word 'hum'. Let us take one more example-'Whose leaf is ever green' is an example of the figure of speech Hyperbole. It is obviously overstatement. There can not be any leaf in nature which stands green forever. 

Message in the poem:

                                   The poem has a great message for the readers. It conveys that one should support the person who is far away from the home and in depressed mood. It also teaches us that life is full with challenges and one should tackle the challenges with positive attitude. 

Your opinion about the poem:

                                                 I think this poem is one of the best poems written by Emily Dickinson. It creates positive picture in our mind about our life. This poem develops new outlook to look at life and face adverse situation in our life. 

2.4 Upon Westminster Bridge-William Wordsworth

About the title: 

                               The poet William Wordsworth, with his sister, was passing through the city London early in the morning and he sees the Westminster Bridge that spans the river Thames in London. The scenes, weather are so beautiful that inspire the poet to write this poem 'Upon Westminster Bridge'. The title of this poem is really suitable as the poet describes various scenes and surrounding of this city London from the Westminster Bridge. 

Theme of the poem:

                                In the poem 'Upon Westminster Bridge', the poet William Wordsworth describes the beauty of the bridge as seen at dawn from the Westminster Bridge, London. The poet describes the panoramic landscape, beauty, clam and quiet nature before him. The poem also conveys the poet's feelings about the beauty of the city of London.

Poetic Devices:

                         Despite of couple of archaic English words, the language used in this poem is simple and lucid. The figures of speech like simile, hyperbole, and personification increase the beauty of poem. For example-'The city now doth, like a garment wear' is an example of the figure of speech 'Simile'. In this line the poet has compared the beauty of the city with garment on the body. 

Special features:

                           The poem is a Petrarchan sonnet means it has fourteen lines and particular rhyme scheme.

Message in the poem:

                                   The poet very skillfully has presented the beautiful atmosphere of the city. It conveys that one should appreciate the beauty of the nature and the tranquility that exists around us. 

Compiled By-Dr. Salunkhe T. B.

                                 

                                   

4.2 The Rising of the Moon-Isabella Augusta Persse

 

4.2 The Rising of the Moon

                           Lady Gregory

1.Sergeant: The police officer, older than other two policemen. He is careless but brave

   policeman. He is easily deceived.

2. Policeman B: He is a dutiful policeman because he follows whatever the Sergeant orders.

   Moreover, he cares about the Sergeant when he suggests the Sergeant accept the lantern when he left him.

3.Policeman X: He is an obedient man and he respects the Sergeant.

4.The Ragged man: He is a courageous man because he has successfully escaped from jail

    and he is an enough clever man to fool the Sergeant well.

 

The one-act-play ‘The Rising of the Moon’ is written by Isabella Augusta Persse who is also known as Lady Gregory. This one-act-play shows Lady Gregory’s skills of dramatic imagination and close observant of Irish characters. The title, ‘The Rising of the Moon’ is taken from the ballad ‘O’ Farrel’ is the symbol of revolt against the British government as England ruled Ireland from many years. This one-act-play also describes the political situation between England and Ireland and thus creates dilemma or predicament of the police officer, Sergeant regarding his duty and patriotism. The story of escaped prisoner and three police men narrated in this one-act-play has a comical tone.

The story is mainly about the escaped prisoner from jail and now he is absconder avoiding his arrest. The police officer, Sergeant along with his two assistants is appointed to circulate the pamphlets that offer a fascinating amount of hundred pounds and even promotion.

The one-act-play begins with the entry of the Sergeant along with his two assistants who are in the service of English government. The one-act-play opens with the dialogue of B policeman pointing to a large barrel and asks whether it is fair place to paste the pamphlet on the barrel. The X policeman responds that it would be good to ask our officer, Sergeant about it and calls the Sergeant. The Sergeant does not pay attention what B and X policemen ask him. But finally the Sergeant responds positively that this place is good for the posters to be pasted. The Sergeant reads the pamphlet that describes the escapee and forms the opinion that the escapee may move stealthily in this moonlit night to the landings that lead to water and his friends might come to visit him hoping to capture him for the reward of hundred pounds and even promotion. The policeman is of the view that the amount of hundred pounds offered by government is little enough but if the policeman from our department captures him will get promotion. Pointing to the steps of landings, the Sergeant opines that he will mind the place because the criminal might come to meet his friends who might wait for him at this place. If the man might pass quickly unnoticed due to large seaweeds, then it would be difficult to capture him. According to policeman X, the people of Ireland and our relatives may hurl abuse at us, if we catch the man. But the Sergeant is of the opinion that we are bound to perform our duty because the whole country depends on us to maintain the law and order. The Sergeant orders his two younger assistants to go with lantern to paste more pamphlets around the town and he himself decides to be watchful at the quayside and wait out on a quay if the escapee can be taken into custody. By sitting at a quay, the Sergeant ponders on the reward of hundred pounds he may have after capturing the escapee and all of sudden the unknown man arrives there. The man in tattered clothes attempts to move quietly telling that he wishes to sell some songs to earn money from the sailors. The ragged man tries to go ahead but the sergeant orders him not to go ahead. After making an enquiry by sergeant, the man identifies himself as ‘Jimmy Walsh’ a ballad singer. But the sergeant refuses to be familiar with this name. Then the man blames himself to be poor and remarks that the whole world is against the poor. The man also informs the sergeant with surety that ‘Jimmy Walsh’ this name is famous in the town Ennis. When asked the reason of his arrival, the man in torn clothes tells that for administrative purpose, the judges have come in this city and I also came in the same train along with the judges to sell ballad songs. Turning the page of sheets, the man attempts to interest the officer in his ballad songs to lower the intensity of sergeant’s protest. The man wants to sit on the step but the sergeant takes him by shoulder and shows the way to town the man is expected to go because the sergeant wants to keep the location clear so that he can catch the fleeing man.  

The man in torn clothes just pretends to go to town and suddenly points to the pamphlet pasted on the barrel. He also admits that he knows the man well the sergeant is waiting for. In this way, the man succeeds in changing the mind of the sergeant who allows the man to stay with him to get more information about the prisoner. The ragged man provides the information about how the escapee makes use of different weapons and his muscles. He also gives the clues of murders of policemen on the moonlit nights exactly like the present one. The narration about the prisoner thrills and frightens the sergeant and accepts the ragged man’s stay with him. Sitting back-to-back on a barrel to have a full view of the area, the two men smoked pipes together to reduce the Sergeant’s stress. The Sergeant admits that policemen’s work is challenging, especially for family men, because the officers have to spend long much time on unsafe tasks.

The man in tattered clothes starts to sing a traditional, sentimental song about lovers and the beautiful Irish countryside. Then he begins a nationalistic ballad about a legend, oppressed old Irishwoman named Granuaile.

The Sergeant stops him, protesting that it is not suitable to sing about Irish oppression. The man responds that he is only singing the song to keep up his spirits at this unsafe time and lonely watch.

The sergeant permits the man to continue his ballad. The man sings about Irish martyr, Granuaile but this time the man commits a mistake in his lyrics. Quickly, the sergeant corrects the man and sings the suitable line. This correction made by sergeant is the indication of sergeant’s knowledge of a rebel song.

The ragged man skilfully examines the Sergeant’s memories of past life as a young man, the Sergeant must have sung several traditional Irish ballads, including “Granuaile”. Confidentially, the Sergeant admits that he had sung every patriotic ballad the Ragged Man mentions. The man suggests that the Sergeant and the escapee perhaps shared the same youthful memories; in fact, the escaped prisoner might even have been among the Sergeant’s close friends in their younger days.

When the Sergeant admits the possibility, the ballad-man creates imaginary sight in which the Sergeant had joined with friends singing to free Ireland. Therefore, the Ragged Man concludes that the sergeant would have been in trouble now. This possibility seemed so real that the sergeant begins to confuse his own identity.

Finally the ragged man boldly sings the rebel tune, ‘The Rising of the Moon’ as the hint to the rescuers on the water and takes off his hat and wig revealing himself that he himself ‘Jimmy’, ‘ballad-man’ is the escapee, prisoner with a hundred pound reward on his head.

At last when policeman B and policeman X were about to approach there, the ragged man reminds the sergeant of his love for Ireland to keep his presence secret. The ragged man hides himself behind the barrel whereas the sergeant hides the man’s hat and wig behind him. When the policeman B makes enquiry about arrival of somebody there, the sergeant declines that he has seen anyone. When both the policemen insist to be with the sergeant, the sergeant rejects their offer and sends them away with lantern.

After skilfully getting his hat and wig back, the ragged man slips into the rescue boat expressing thankfulness to sergeant for timely help. The sergeant thinks of the lost reward of a hundred pounds and wonders whether he has been a great fool.

Activities based on one-act-play

1. Describe the character of 'the ragged man'.

2 Describe the character of 'the Sergeant'.

3.- Choose the two correct statements that describe the theme of play.

a. The play is about the side of quay.

b. It is about the predicament of the police officer between his duty and patriotism.

c. It is the discussion between policemen about placing the notice.

d. It is the story of escaped prisoner and plans to capture him.

4. Choose the correct statements from the followings.

a. There are three policemen along with the Sergeant at the quay.

b. The escaped prisoner tries to go down the flight of steps leading to the water.

c. The ragged man tries to persuade the Sergeant to let him go down the steps.

d. The Sergeant ignores the escaped prisoner.

5. Choose correct option and fill in the blanks.

a. The Sergeant kept watch with..........on the side of quay.

(two policemen/with the ragged man/none)

b. The reward kept for the ragged man was of..............

(a hundred pound/three hundred pound/two hundred pound)

c. The ragged man handed over the Sergeant..................

(a hat and wig/a stick and pipe/a diary and pen)

d. The Sergeant took him by shoulder and showed the way to ............

(the theater/the jail/the town)

6. The Sergeant's action surprises the audience. Explain. 

All the students are advised to solve the activities given below the one-act-play.

                                                                              Compiled By-Dr. Salunkhe T. B. 

BLOG WRITING

 

Blog Writing-

History of blog writing:

A blog is a write-up that people share online. 

It dates back to 1994. 

In this online journal, you could talk about your daily life or share things you do. 

However, people got an opportunity to communicate information in a new way. 

So began the beautiful world of blogging.

What is a Blog?

A blog (shortening of “weblog”) is an online journal or informational website displaying information in the reverse chronological order, with latest posts appearing first. It is a platform where a writer or even a group of writers share their views on an individual subject. Each entry is called a post.

Blog structure

The appearance of blogs changed over the course of time. Most blogs include some standard features and structure. Here are some common features that a typical blog will include:

•  Header with the menu or navigation bar
•  Main content area with highlighted or latest blog posts
•  Sidebar with social profiles, favourite content, or call-to-action

•  Footer with relevant links like a disclaimer, privacy policy, contact page, etc.

Here's a list of reasons why people blog and how blogging can benefit your personal or professional life.

• Express yourself and share your passions.
• Make a difference.
• Share interesting information.
• Refine your writing skills.
• Learn how to make money online.
• Build your professional network.

• Earn more media exposure.

Importance of Blogs
1. Blogs refine your thoughts
2. Blogs	reward the creator
3. Blogs increase knowledge
4. Blogs	connect us to our people
5. Blogs	give introverts a voice
6. Blogs	reward the “new age” publishers
7. Blogs accelerate discovery
8. Blogs	open up a world without  borders

How to Write a Blog  Post in  Five Easy  Steps

Step 1 :  Plan your blog post by choosing a topic, creating an outline, conducting research and checking facts.

Step 2 : Give it an attractive title.

Step 3 : Draft a headline that is both informative and will capture the reader’s attention.

Step 4 :  Have an introduction, lead and concluding paragraph that sums up the blog post. Add your personal experience.

Step 4 : Use images to enhance your post, improve its flow, add humour, and explain complex topics. Use short paragraphs, simple and short sentences and words.

Step 5 : Edit your blog post. Make sure to avoid repetition. Read your post aloud to check its flow. Have someone else read it and provide feedback. Keep sentences and paragraphs short. It is alright to delete or modify your writing at the last moment. End your post with a discussion question.

Examples of blog writing:

Write a blog in about 100 to 150 words on 'Personality Development'.

Compose HTML Publish Save Preview  Englishgrammarclass.com        Posting as Dr. Tukaram Salunkhe Personality Development          Personality development is the relatively long-lasting pattern of bringing positive change in thoughts, feelings, and behaviour that distinguish individuals from one another. It means enhancing and grooming one’s outer and inner self to bring about a positive change in life. Each individual has a distinct persona that can be developed, polished and refined. The whole process of this development takes place over a period of time. Here are the few things that you can work out. ·         Smile. And smile some more. It adds to your face value and to your personality as well. ·         Read a few articles in the newspaper loudly. This will help in communicating fluently. ·         Follow table manners and etiquettes. ·         Take good care of health. ·         Prepare a chart that mentions your strength and weaknesses. Now concentrate on the letter and find ways to improve upon the same. ·         Spend some time alone concentrating on you and yourself alone. ·         Practice meditation and yoga. It will help you develop inner peace and harmony that will reflect outside. ·         Do not live a monotonous life. Be creative and do something new all the time. Nothing greater than the joy of creative satisfaction. Personality development is gaining more and importance because it enables people to create a good impression about themselves on others; it helps them to build and develop relationship, helps in your career growth and also helps to improve your financial needs. After all, personality development is nothing but a tool helps you realize your capabilities and your strength making you a strong, a happier and a cheerful person.

 

Write a blog in about 100 to 150 words on 'Health and Fitness'.

Compose HTML Publish Save Preview   Health and Fitness         Englishgrammarclass.com              Posting as Dr. Tukaram Salunkhe Being healthy and fit in simple terms means taking good care of the body. Fitness and mental well-being are essential parts of a healthy life. We should remember that a healthy mind resides only in a healthy body. Good health of both mind and body helps one maintain the required energy level to achieve success in life. All of us must strive to achieve wholesome health. Protecting your body from the intake of harmful substances, doing regular exercises, having proper food and sleep are some of the important instances that define a healthy lifestyle. Being fit allows us to perform our activities without being lethargic, restless or tired. A healthy and fit person is capable of living the life to the fullest, without any major medical or physical issues. Being healthy is not only related to the physical well-being of a person, it also involves the mental stability or the internal peace of a person. Generally, a healthy diet consists of taking a proper and healthy food which includes eating green and fresh vegetables, fruits, having milk, eggs, minerals proteins and vitamins essential for a human’s lifestyle. Practicing Yoga including regular exercises in your daily routine also help you maintain your desired fitness, blood sugar and immunity level. Healthy habits improve your physical appearance, mental stability, ability to perform activities in a better way, which help you lead a stress-free lifestyle, maintaining happy moods, high energy levels, etc. each individual should take of one’s health on a priority; no single day should be skipped for making efforts on maintaining physical and mental fitness. Being happy is directly related to boosting your mental strength and health, so happiness can be considered as the result as well as the part of a healthy and fit lifestyle. Things to be done maintaining balanced healthy and fit lifestyle: 1.        Drink ample water 2.        Wash hands before and after meals 3.        Do regular exercise 4.        Proper intake of nutrients 5.        Take regular sound sleep 6.        Develop good habits

 

                                                              Compiled By-Dr. Salunkhe T. B.