NCERT Solutions Class 10 English (First Flight)
The NCERT Solutions in English Language for Class 10 English (First Flight) Poem – 11 For Anne Gregory has been provided here to help the students in solving the questions from this exercise.
Poem – 11 (For Anne Gregory)
“Never shall a young man,
Thrown into despair
By those great honey-coloured
Ramparts at your ear,
Love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”
“But I can get a hair-dye
And set such colour there,
Brown, or black, or carrot,
That young men in despair
May love me for myself alone
And not my yellow hair.”
“I heard an old religious man
But yesternight declare
That he had found a text to prove
That only God, my dear,
Could love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair.”
– WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS
Thinking about the Poem
1. What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloued /Ramparts at your ear?” Why does he say that young men are “thrown into despair” by them?
Answer – By these the poet means golden outer parts of the young woman’s ears. He says that young men are “thrown into despair” by them. It is because they look ugly.
2. What colour is the young woman’s hair? What does she say she can change it td? Why would she want to do so?
Answer – The colour of the young woman’s hair is ‘white’. She can colour it ‘brown, black or carrot’. She can change it to brown, black or carrot. She would want to do so as per the latest fashion. It would be for looking attractive and beautiful.
3. Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone, a dress…) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise?
Answer – These objects can be ‘shoes, ornaments, hair dyes, hair styles’ etc. Wearing costly ornaments and behaving in an affected manner etc, can make one more desirable than another. But these are momentary and ‘die’ after some time. It is because they emphasize the physical aspect of beauty. Physical beauty is external. Internal aspects of beauty are lasting. These are : affectionate or sympathetic attitude or behaviour, compassion, pity, love etc.
4. What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it possible to love someone “for themselves alone”? Are some people ‘more lovable’ than others? Discuss this question in pairs or in groups’, considering points like the following.
(i) A parent or caregiver’s love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy
(ii) The public’s love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker
(iii) Your love for a friend, or brother or sister
(iv) Your love for a pet, and the pet’s love for you.
Answer – We do love some people more than others for various reasons. It can be there own loving nature; they give love and get it back.
Some people do not care about others and be just selfish and care for their own self, if such people are our family members or close relatives, we do not abandon them, but love. However, it may not be as intense as we love the ones who love us.
Similarly, if it is a special child or a disabled one or a pet, we love them for they may not be able to say/ tell what they need, it may be out of a blend of sympathy, empathy and love that we display our affection.
And, if it is a film star, a sportsperson etc., we may say we love them because we simply admire them or appreciate them. We don’t even know them personally.
5. You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities or riches rather than for themselves. But elsewhere Yeats asks the question: How can we separate the dancer from the dance? Is it possible to separate ‘the person himself or herself’ from how the person looks, sounds, walks and so on? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your relationship also changed? In what way?
Answer – Yes, people do change their styles, habits and way of behaviour as per time and needs. When people adopt a good change, their relationship with others also get changed in a positive way. If people adopt negative changes and traits, they may lose the love of near and dear ones.
