THE BROOK Line by Line - Explanation CBSE – CLASS – IX ENGLISHBy Badal Paul at 00:20 IX ENGLISH No comments ABOUT THE POET Alfred Tennyson Born – 6 August 1809, England Died – 6 October 1892, England. He was known as poet laureate of great Britain and Ireland and was one of the most popular poet of the time Notable works – a) The kraken b) The lotos eaters c) Ulysses d) In memoriam e) The eagle LINE BY LINE EXPLANATION ..... The brook starts from those places which are often visited by the coot and hern (heron)..`(Line – 2) Anaphora “Sudden sally” (Alliteration) “Bicker” – (onomatopoeia) STANZA – 2 By thirty hills I hurry down... Poetic devices used – ‘I” (Line-1) – The whole poem brook is personified ‘hern’ is an example of poetic license... The brook emerges suddenly in this hilly area..... By twenty thorps. Or slip between the ridges.. And sparkle out among the fern.. And half a hundred bridges........ It moves through the ferns and sparkles when the sunshine reflects the crystal clear water.. And when the brook moves creates a lot of noise.`(Line – 1) ‘I.. a little town.. ‘I` . To bicker down a valley... The word ‘heron’ has been turned into ‘hern’ to match the rhyming word ‘hern’.STANZA – 1 I come from haunts of coot and hern I make a sudden sally. .. Till last by Philip’s farm I flow (inversion) 2. We shall not live forever.... The brook is ever flowing. I bubble into eddying bays. But I go on for ever.. Poetic – Devices in use 1......... twenty villages. The brook joins an overflowing river here Philips farm is symbolised as a land mark of the ending of the journey of the brook.. Poetic Devises in use – 1) By thirty hills I hurry down (Inversion) 2) Twenty thorpes (Alliteration) 3) By ........... The poet has created wonderful imageries when we read the brook flowing by thirty hills.......(Line – 1) .........go (Line-3) (Antithesis) STANZA – 4 I chatter over stony ways... .. decline and death.. By (Line -3) – Repetition STANZA – 3 Till last by Philip’s farm I flow To join the brimming river...... slipping between ridges (long narrow hills)....... We are subject to decay.This stanza is an account of the brook’s flowing through different areas. In little sharps and trebles. Last two lines are the refrain bearing the main theme of the poem. The poet here tells us about the merging point of the brook.... eternal without ceasing whereas we.... Men may (Alliteration) 3.... Come ...... a little town and fifty bridges..... For men may come and men may go...... the men are ephemeral. It makes sharp high pitched sound when the brook clashes on the side banks of the land.” with willow seed” – Alliteration. 2. “With many a curve my banks I fret” – Inversion. The poet describes the land to be fairy land as with flowers and beautiful plants like willow and mallow it looks so. STANZA – 5 With many a curve my banks I fret By many a field and fallow. Poetic Devices in use: 1. The brook moves through many field and uncultivated lands. ‘trebles`. And many a fairy foreland set With willow-weed and mallow. The brook creates various sounds before merging with its . the land just before the merging point.e. chatter. Line – 3 and Line – 4 – Anaphora. It makes bubbles when it falls from height in the spiral movement. The brook goes through the foreland i. as I flow To join the brimming river. When it moves on the pebbles it creates soft pleasing sound. 2. The brook goes on the stony path creating chattering sounds. ‘Chatter`.onomatopoeia. “fairly foreland”. STANZA – 6 I chatter. ‘babble` .I babble on the pebbles. For men may come and men may go. But I go on for ever. The brook moves on taking many curves and creates rough and unpleasant sound on the banks of the brook. Poetic Devices in use: 1. . Poetic device in use – 1 here and there – Antithesis 2... Poetic Device in use : 1... Anaphora.. as I travel With many a silvery water break Above the golden gravel.... (4) .... Along with the brook there go a lot of fishes like lusty trout and grayling.. the waves clash with each other and creates bubbles and those bubbles in group make pieces of foams... 4) here and there – Repetition STANZA – 8 And here and there a foamy flake Upon me......destination . men may –Alliteration 4..The brook moves through different curves and the clashes creates silvery water break .... Chatter chatter... the humans.. ....The last two lines are the examples of refrain which highlights the eternal state of the brook and its activity and the ephemeral state of we. When the brook moves ....Antithesis STANZA-7 I wind about. The brook carries blossoms on its way..... and in and out ...about and – Alliteration 3) Line (3) and . and flow To join the brimming river..and in and out – Antithesis 2) 2) ........golden gravel –Alliteration STANZA-9 And draw them all along.. Chatter chatter . Chatter – Onomatopoeia 3......Repetition 2.......... With here a blossom sailing And here and there a lusty trout And here and there a grayling The brook on its way had lots of ups and downs and in its winding movement it often falls from height and goes in deep water and comes out to continue to flow.come ………go.. Poetic Device in use: 1) .These foams and silvery water break can be visible on the surface of the water and at the base of the brook there are golden coloured stones ........... foamy flake . ………... STANZA – 10 “ I steal by lawns and grassy plots. I glance – Asyndeton 2) Skimming swallows – sandy shallows – Alliteration . I move the sweet forget-me-nots That grow for happy lovers. moving through darkness and so on.. STANZA – 11 I slip. I slide by hazel covers . foams and flowers with it to join the brimming river.. The brook carries fishes.2 and 3) – Anaphora. ZI gloom.For men may come and men may go. I glance.. Poetic device in use: 1) All along.go – Antithesis... And there we find swallow skim on the surface of the water for food... But I go on for ever.” The brook secretly moves though the grassy plots and lawns and moves swiftly by the bushy hazel trees. I slide. men may – Alliteration 2) Men may – Repetition 3) Com . I make the netted sunbeam dance Against my sandy shallows..not flowers which grow for happy lovers.. The brook shakes and sweet forget – me.. Among my skimming swallows . Poetic Devices in use 1) I slip. I slide. The brook waves net like structure on which the sunshine sparkles and it seems if the sun beams are dancing. I gloom..... And then the refrain comes meaning the eternal state of the river to that of transient one of humans.. birds to create a to us as brook moves along making different movements like slipping. Poetic – Devices in use. The sliding. 1) I (Line – 1. I linger by my shingly bars . 1) And out again I curve and flow – Inversion. I loiter round my cresses . Poetic Device in use. At night under the moon and stars. After facing the obstacles the brook again takes a curve and starts flowing to join the brimming river. The brook often lingers because of the stones on the way. Last two lines refer to the refrain meaning the eternal state of the brook and transient state of the humans.STANZA – 12 I murmur under moon and stars In brambly wildernesses . the brook goes on moving creating murmuring sound through the natural land where thorny bushes grow. STANZA – 13 And out again I curve and flow To join the brimming river. For men may come and men may go. 2) 2) Line – 2 and 3 – Anaphora. 2) Men…may – Alliteration 3) Men… may – Repetition . The brook water moves purposelessly around the plant named cresses. But I go on for ever. Poetic Device in use 1) Murmur – Onomatopoeia. ) . I steal by lawns and grassy plots.Class 9 .Unit 6 . I slide by hazel covers I move the sweet forget—me—nots That grow for happy lovers.English (Comm. (1) I "steal" means __________. (a) by this time the brook‘s flow is silent.The Brook The Brook MCQs from CBSE Papers Poet: Alfred Lord Tennyson Q1(CBSE2011): Read the extract and answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options. . (b) leaves. (a) making sounds like a monkey (b) jumping like a monkey (c) keeping up with the monkey's pace (d) making a loud noise as it rushes over different surfaces (2) The final destination of the brook is _____ . 2: (a) flowers. Q2(CBSE 2010): Read the following extracts and choose the correct option : I chatter. chatter. (a) Philip's farm (b) the brimming river (c) a sea (d) Brambly wilderness . (3) According to the poet. (d) orchids. (1) The brook chatters by __________ . Lord Tennyson (credits:wikipedia) (2) 'forget—me—nots' are : (a) flowers. (c) marigold flowers. 3: (d) forget—me—nots. (b) any kind of flower. (c) the stealing nature is revealed by the brook. (d) forget—me—nots. (d) the brook explains its nature. Answers: 1: (a) by this time the brook‘s flow is silent. (c) bushes.(b) the brook steals its flow. as I flow To join the brimming river For men may come and men may go But I go on forever. lovers generally like : (a) rose flowers. (3) The last two lines of this stanza are repeated several times in the poem. (3) What poetic device does the poet use in the first line ? (a) metaphor (b) symbol (c) personification (d) simile Answers: 1: (c) swift 2: (b) signify brook's long journey 3: (c) Personification [ A literary device by which an inanimate object is made to appear as a living creature] Q4(CBSE 2010): Read the extract and answer the following questions. I gloom. By thirty hills I hurry down Or slip between the ridges By twenty thorpes. Among my skimming swallows. I slide. The reason for this repetition is to show the __________ . (a) perennial nature of the brook in contrast to the mortal existence of man (b) mortal nature of the brook (c) perennial nature of the brook (d) immortal existence of man Answers: 1: (d) making a loud noise as it rushes over different surfaces 2: (b) the brimming river 3: (a) perennial nature of the brook in contrast to the mortal existence of man Q3(CBSE 2011): Read the extract and answer the following questions by choosing the most appropriate options. a little town And half a hundred bridges (1) The movement of the brook is ______________. . I make the netted sunbeam dance Against my sandy shallows. (a) slow (b) steady (c) swift (d) gradual (2) What do the words "thirty hills" and "twenty thorpes" suggest ? (a) vast expanse of brook journey (b) signify brook's long journey (c) suggest brook's final destination (d) suggest brook's continuous journey. I glance. I slip. (1) Identify the figure of speech in the first two lines : (a) Metaphor (b) Imagery (c) Alliteration (d) Simile (2) 'the netted sunbeam dance' refer to : (a) sunrays filtering through the intertwined leaves seem to move with the undulating movement of water (b) rays of sun dance to the music of water creating a netted effect (c) shadow of leaves falling on water create a dance-like effect (d) the moving water creates the effect of dancing rays caught in the net (3) The sandy shallows indicate that the brook is : (a) On the last leg of her journey (b) Drying up due to heat (c) Filled with sediments (d) Flowing on sandy bed Answers: 1: (c) Alliteration [Alliteration is the repetition of speech sounds in a sequence of nearby words] 2: (b) rays of sun dance to the music of water creating a netted effect 3: (a) On the last leg of her journey .