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Chapter 3.1 Tartary

Textbook Questions and Answers

1. Find the words that mean the following, from the first stanza.

Question 1.
Gold hammered into a flat, thin shape : ………………..
Answer:
beaten gold

Question 2.
Show off proudly : ………………..
Answer:
flaunt

Question 3.
Tilt, move at an angle : ………………..
Answer:
slant

Question 4.
Across, especially in a slanting direction : ………………..
Answer:
athwart

2. Find the names of the exotic musical instruments and animals mentioned in the poem.

Question 1.
Find the names of the exotic musical instruments and animals mentioned in the poem.
Answer:
Exotic musical instruments mentioned in the poem are harp, flute and mandoline. Animals mentioned are fishes, zebras, tigers and peacock.

3. In the last stanza, there are three-four letter words that refer to a beautiful valley.

Question 1.
In the last stanza, there are three-four letter words that refer to a beautiful valley. They are:
1. ………………
2. ………………
3. ………………
Answer:
1. dale,
2. vale,
3. glen.

4. From the poem, find three lines that use comparisons.

Question 1.
From the poem, find three lines that use comparisons.
1. …………….
2. …………….
3. …………….
Answer:
1. Her trembling lake like foamless seas.
2. Yellow as honey, red as wine.
3. And, clustered thick as seeds.

5. Colour, sound and images from nature add to the beauty of a poem.

Question 1.
Colour, sound and images from nature add to the beauty of a poem: ‘Tartary’ is a perfect example of the above. Pick out lines that contain:
1. colour,
2. sound,
3. images of native:
Answer:
1. Colour:

• her rivers silver pale!
• In every purple vale!
• And in the evening lamp would shine. Yellow as honey red as wine
• I’d wear a robe of beads & gold

2. Sound:

• Trumpeters everyday. To every meal would summon me.
• While harp and flute and mandoline made music sweet and gay

3. Images from the nature:

• Her flashing stars, her scented breeze.
• Her river silver pale!
• And in my pools great fishes slant.
• Her bird-delighting citron trees.
• Glen, thicket, wood and dale.

6. Complete the following phrases with the help of the poem.

Question 1.
Complete the following phrases with the help of the poem.

1. ……………. music
2. ……………. rivers
3. ……………. breeze
4. ……………. lake
5. ……………. citron-trees

Answer:

1. sweet and gay music
2. silver-pale river
3. scented breeze
4. trembling lake
5. bird-delighting citron-trees

7. Write about the daily routine of the ‘Lord of Tartary’ in 8-10 lines.

Question 1.
Write about the daily routine of the ‘Lord of Tartary’ in 8-10 lines.
Answer:
The Lord of Tartary would get up very early in the morning. He would wear a dress of green, white and gold beads. These beads would be placed very close to each other just like seeds. And before the waning of the morning star he would wear his robe, take his sword, and then go out in the valley in his carriage drawn by seven zebras. At meal time, be summoned by trumpeters. In the evening, he would enjoy the shining lamps and sweet music played by musicians. At night he would enjoy the flashing stars and the scented breeze by the lakeside lined with citron-trees.

8. Using your imagination write about a beautiful region – its landforms, water bodies, flora and fauna, night sky, people etc.

Question 1.
Using your imagination write about a beautiful region – its landforms, water bodies, flora and fauna, night sky, people etc.
Answer:
My mind races to a beautiful mountain range full of huge tall trees with winding creepers. A few monkeys could be seen jumping from the branches across trees as if engaged in a game. The crisp chirping of birds could be heard. The setting sun cast a reddish-yellow glow on the horizon and I could see the gurgling stream flowing down the slopes of the mountain as if to reach a destination.

Through the winding paths, one could see villages with loads of household goods trekking up the way to their homes nestled in the slopes of the mountain. As the night grew, the dim lights from the modest homes seemed to complete with the bright shining stars, far away in the sky. The occasional cool breeze, faithfully carried the fragrance of the trees, leaves and the blooms with if it was a blissful feeling – away from the din and noise of the crowded city life.

9. Language Study.

Question 1.
Consonance: Consonance is repetition of one or more consonant sounds especially at the end of words. Consonance is usually pleasant lo the ear.
Examples:

• Piller-patter, pitter-patter
• Rivers silver-pale
• The lint was sent with the tent.
• All’s well that ends well.

Find at least two examples of consonance from poems that you study in this book.
Answer:
e.g.
1. pitter-patter
2. gold and green
Give Similar examples.

Additional Important Questions and Answers

Match the Columns.

Question 1.

Answer:

Reading Skills and Poetic Device.

Question 1.
Complete the sentences.

1. My bed should be
2. And in my forests
3. Yellow as honey,

Answer:

1. of ivory
2. tigers haunt
3. red as wine

Complex Factual Questions.

Question 1.
How does the poet begin the poem?
Answer:
The poet begins the poem on the assumption that if he were the Lord of Tartary and wants all things beautiful for himself like a little child “myself and me alone.”

Question 2.
The poet expresses his desire for certain things specifically. According what do you what do the following signify?

1. Ivory
2. peacocks
3. tigers
4. shining lamps
5. harp and flute

Answer:

1. luxury
2. beauty and majesty
3. strength / power
4. decor aesthetics brightness beauty
5. ear for music.

Question 3.
Who will summon the Lord to every meal?
Answer:
The trumpeters will summon the Lord to every meal.

Poetic Device.

State and explain the figures of speech in the given lines.

Question 1.
of beaten gold my throne
Answer:
Inversion: The word order has been changed. The correct word order is ‘my throne of beaten gold’.

Question 2.
And in my court should peacocks flaunt.
Answer:
Inversion: The word order has been changed. The correct word order is ‘And in my court peacock should flaunt’.

Question 3.
Yellow as honey, red as wine.
Answer:
Simile – Lamp’s yellow shine is directly compared to honey and its red shine is compared to wine.

Question 4.
White harp and flute and mandolin
Answer:
Repetition – The word ‘and is repeated for poetic effect.

Question 5.
Made music sweet and gay.
Answer:
Alliteration – The sound of’m’ in words made and music is used to add beauty to the poem.

Simple Factual Questions.

Complete the sentences.
1. The lake of Tartary trembles like
2. The purple dale has
Answer:
1. foamless seas
2. bird-delighting citron trees

Complex Factual Questions.

Question 1.
How does the poet want his robe to be?
Answer:
The poet wants his robe to be made of white, golden and green coloured beads placed quite close to one another.

Question 2.
What does he want to do before the morning star is out of sight?
Answer:
Before the morning star is out of sight, the poet wants to wear his robe and ride through the dark open spaces in the forests. He hopes to travel in his car drawn by seven zebras.

Question 3.
How does the poet portray the natural beauty of Tartary.
Answer:
The poet imagines a variety of fruits, silver pale rivers, valleys of dense forests and bushes, flashing stars, scented breeze, shining stars in the sky and citron trees habited by delightful birds in his Kingdom of Tartary.

Poetic Device.

Question 1.
And clustered thick as seeds
Answer:
Simile – There is a direct comparison between the beads in the robe to a cluster of seeds to add to the poetic effect.

Question 2.
And zebras seven should draw my car
Answer:
Inversion – The prose order is changed for poetic effect.

Question 3.
Glen, thicket, wood, and dale
Answer:
Tautology – The words ‘glen’ and ‘dale’ which mean the same are used in the same line for a better poetic effect.

Question 4.
Her trembling lake like foamless sea.
Answer:
Simile: The lake is directly compared to a sea for a better poetic effect.
Personification: Inanimate object ‘lake’ is given the human quality of trembling for a better poetic effect.
Alliteration: The sound of T is repeated in words ‘lake’ and ‘like’ for a better poetic effect.

Question 5.
Her rivers silver-pale!
Answer:
Exclamation – A strong emotion is expressed for a better poetic effect.

Question 6.
And ere should wane the morning star.
Answer:
Inversion – The word order has been changed. The correct word order is ‘and ere the morning- star should wane’.

Question 7.
Pick out two pairs of rhyming words from the poem.
Answer:

1. pale-dale
2. beads-seeds

Summary in English

The poet says that if he were the Lord of the imaginary kingdom called ‘Tartary’, he would be the sole ruler of this great land. He would sleep on bed made of ivory, sit on a throne made of gold. All types of birds and animals would visit his court. The peacocks would proudly show off its beautiful form and the well-built tigers would take a walk in the forests. The fishes would tilt and swim with their fins shining in the pools.

Further ahead, the poet says that as the Lord of Tartary, he would be treated royally. With trumpeters calling him for every meal, shining lamps displaying yellow and red colours. Musicians would entertain him by playing exotic musical instruments such as harp, flute and mandoline.

He wishes to wear a robe of beads of white gold & green. Before the morning stars wane, he would wear his robe and with a sword in his hand, go around the valley in a carriage drawn by seven zebras.
As the lord of Tartary, he would own all the juicy fruits the silver-pale rivers, hills full of bushes and trees. In the night, he would enjoy the beauty of the shining stars and the sweet fragrance of the breeze. The purple valley with citron-trees that delight the birds would add to the beauty of Tartary.

Introduction:

The poet Walter de la Mare paints a vivid picture of an imaginary kingdom, ‘Tartary’ and takes us on a journey as the Lord of the mighty kingdom.

Glossary:

1. Tartary – an imaginary land
2. ivory (n) – tusk teeth of an elephant which is hard and creamy white in colour
3. beaten gold (adj) – gold hammered into flat thin shape
4. throne (n) – chair for a king or queen metal strings
5. flaunt (v) – show off proudly
6. haunt (v) – come frequently
7. slant (v) – tilt, at an angle which is not straight (here) move at an angle.
8. athwart (prep) – across, from side to side in a slanting direction
9. summon (v) – call
10. bray (v) – make a loud harsh cry
11. harp (n) – a musical instrument with strings
12. mandoline (n) – a musical instrument with metal strings
13. gay (adj) – happy, light-hearted
14. robe (n) – a loose garment reaching the ankles
15. clustered (v)- similar things grouped together and placed closely
16. ere (prep) – before (in time) – old usage
17. wane (v) – disappear
18. don (v) – put on clothing
19. scimitar (n) – short sword with a curved blade
20. glades (n) – open spaces in a forest
21. glen (n) – a narrow valley
22. thicket (n) – dense group of bushes or trees
23. dale (n) – a valley
24. flashing (v) – shine with bright, irregular light
25. vale (n) – a valley