Preparatory Notes
1. ‘They were childish enough, and in many ways quite artless.
Jacopo was lively as a squirrel. Nicola’s smile was steady and
engaging. Yet in both these boyish faces there was a seriousness
which was far beyond their years..’
a. Why does the narrator call them ‘childish’ and ‘artless’?
The narrator calls Jacopo and Nicola ‘childish’ and ‘artless’
because of their child-like faces and innocence. They are merely
boys who have not learnt the evil side of life.
b. Contrast the two different styles of Nicola and Jacopo
Nicola had a steady and engaging smile. Jacopo was lively and
full of life like a squirrel.
c. What brought about a ‘seriousness’ which was far ‘beyond their
years’ on their boyish faces/
Their concern and worry about their sister’s illness and her being in
hospital brought about the ‘seriousness’. They were acting like
adults, though they were simply kids.
2. ‘Tortured by doubt and remorse, he sat down in the glow of the
charcoal sigri to wait.’
a. When did the postmaster reproach himself?
The postmaster reproached himself for having failed to understand
Ali’s anxiety. This he did when he himself had to spend another
night of restless anxiety.
b. Why did he feel ‘anxiety’?
He felt ‘anxiety’ as he had not received any information about the
well-being of his own daughter after his illness.
c. Why were the ‘doubt’ and ‘remorse’?
‘Doubt’ because he had not received any information about his
ailing daughter. ‘Remorse’ because he had treated Ali badly and
had made fun of him. He now felt that he should not have done so.
3. ‘”How amused everyone would be if they knew what really
happened,” said Louisa Mebbin a few days after the ball.’
a. To whom does Louisa Mebbin say this?
Louisa Mebbin says this to Mrs Packletide in the story.
b. What is she referring to?
She is referring to the death of the tiger due to heart failure caused
by the sound of Mrs Packeltide’s shot. Mrs Packletide ahd shot the
goat dead instead of the tiger.
c. What is the purpose behind making this statement?
The purpose behind making this statement is to exploit Mrs
Packletide for her selfish ends.
4. ‘Gainst death and all obvious enmity
Shall you pace forth: your praise shall still find room,
Even in the eyes of al posterity
That wear this world out to the ending doom.’ a. What kind of enmity is it?
The enmity mentioned here is that enmity which forgets everything
and seeks to destroy everything.
b. How does the poet immortalise his beloved’s memory here?
The poet immortalises his beloved’s memory by saying that it will
find some space even in the eyes of posterity.
c. What will happen to the world when the poet’s beloved’s praise
shall face it?
The world will be outlived by the beloved’s praise even to the
edge of doom.
5. ‘Amelia and Henry. They’ve stolen your clock and bureau.
(Working herself up)They sneaked into your room like a thief in the
night and stole them after you were dead.’
a. Who is Amelia?
Amelia is Mrs Slater, daughter of Abel Merryweather.
b. How did they steal the things?
They stole the things secretly before the arrival of Mrs Jordan, that
is Elizabeth and her husband Mr Jordan. c. Whom did these things belong to?
These things belonged to Abel Merryweather, father of Amelia and
Elizabeth.
B. Answer in 3-4 sentences
a. How does the father react to Ben’s saying of him, “....you’ve got to
live with one of your daughters”?
When Ben asks the father that he has got to live with one of his two
daughters he says that he will do three things on Monday. One he
will go to the lawyer and change his will. Two he will pay his
insurance premium. Three, he will get married to the owner of ‘
Ring-O-Bells’ Mrs John Shorrocks.
b. Describe the significance of the comparison between the
woman’s face and the terrible fish as given in ‘Mirror’.
The woman described in the poem was once beautiful and young.
But now she has grown old and wrinkled. Although her physical
beauty has faded mentally, she still would like to see herself as the
beautiful maiden of her youth. The mirror reflects an image with the
ugly reality of her ageing. She cries and wrings her hands in
desperation looking for the candlelight and moonlight which do
not show her ageing face very clearly. Terrible fish is decayed fish
that is rotten and unpalatable just as the withering with age is
unpalatable and unacceptable to the lady. So the comparison is
apt
c. The nightingale had a melodious voice but lacked in intelligence
and confidence. Comment
The poem leads us to believe that the nightingale had a beautiful
voice but lacked in intelligence and confidence. She was easily
swayed by the praise showered on her by the frog. She didn’t
understand his comments and analyse to learn about his ulterior
motives. She was foolish to trust in the frog who is seen to be cruel
and selfish.
d. ‘The postmaster was bewildered. ‘Why was the postmaster
bewildered?
When Lakshmi Das told the postmaster that Ali had died three
months earlier he was bewildered. He remembered seeing Ali that
morning. He was perplexed when he heard that Ali had died. In
order to confirm his suspicion that he had seen Ali’s ghost he
asked Lakshim Das id he was the first to come to the post office
that morning.
e. Though Nicola and Jacopo are two young boys the narrator
addresses them as two gentlemen. What special qualities make fit
to be called gentlemen?
The narrator addresses Jacopo and Nicola as ‘gentlemen’
because of their really human qualities. Being young they work
hard to earn money, spend hardly any on their comforts and use
everything for their sister’s treatment of tuberculosis of the spine. Being young they behave like mature adults in this respect. So
they are called ‘gentlemen’ as only ‘gentlemen’ could rightly do
such things.
C. Long answers
a. As the narrator write a diary entry about your feelings when you
discovered the true nature of the two gentlemen of Verona.
Express your happiness that even today selfless love exists and can
bring joy to the distressed and sick people.
10 September 20..
It is heartening to know that even today selfless love exists in heart
of some people. This kind of love is the ultimate expression that
brings joy to the giver and receiver as well. Such selflessness is
only possible for people who are gentle, caring and responsible. I
cannot forget the two gentlemen of Verona-Nicola and Jacopo,
the little boys in their teens who worked day and night for their
ailing sister Lucia. They did odd jobs to earn money to meet their
hospital expenses for their sister. She was suffering from
tuberculosis of the psine.
These two young brave hearts saved every cent they got without
spending on comfort and luxury for themselves. Such selfless love
can truly bring blessings from God and can create a heaven on
earth. Truly, God lives in such a love which diminishes human
suffering and grief.
b. How was Louisa Mebbin able to buy a week-end cottage near
Dorking?
It was Louisa Mebbin who told Mrs Packletide that she had shot the
goat dead and the not the tiger. The tiger died due to a heart
failure caused by the booming sound of the rifle shot. This annoyed
Mrs Packletide but she didn’t mind it since she had a dead tiger as
her claim to fame. She got herself photographed for various
magazines. Louisa Mebbin hinted to her that everyone would be
amused if they got to know that she had shot the goat instead of
the tiger. Mrs Packletide tried to silence her by saying that no one
would believe that story. Louisa Mebbin immediately pointed out
that Mrs Packletide’s arch enemy, Loona Bimberton, would.
Knowing that this knowledge would expose her to ridicule and
condemnation from her social class especially her arch rival,
Loona, she agreed to giving Louisa the money to buy the weekend
cottage near Dorking. Although Mrs Packletide knew that she was
being blackmailed into paying for the cottage, she agreed to it
just so her reputation as an ace huntress would not be reduced to
shreds.
c. Victoria felt sad, when she realised the materialistic and callous
attitude of her parents towards the grandfather. As Victoria, write
a letter to your grandfather apologising for your parents’
behaviour.
18 Sherwood Cottage
parliament Road
New Delhi 10...
Dearest/Respected Grandpa, I hope you are feeling well now. I
am sad thinking of how my parents treated you. They are
materialistic and callous towards you. When i saw Mother and
father stealing the bureau I almost cried in shame. I couldn’t
believe that they had declared you dead and were now grabbing
your things.
Even Aunt Elizabeth seems to have no genuine love or affection. I
wish I could put some sense into them.
Human relationships are to be valued more than materialistic
pleasures. I deeply apologize for my parents’ selfish and
shameless behaviour. I hope you will forgive them. Your loving granddaughter,
Victoria
d. The frog in the poem, ‘The Frog and the Nightingale’ was clever,
boastful and insensitive. Duck of Kent felt so sad at the death of his
nightingale that he decided to express his feelings in the form of a
diary entry. Write his diary in about 150 words.
13 August 201..
The death of the nightingale caused by the clever and crafty frog
hangs heavy on my heart. It is heavier due to the fact that the
nightingale was innocent, simple-hearted and a little bit foolish.
The frog exploited her to serve his own interests. The frog stands for
a heartless and cruel politician and behaves like a don. Very
cleverly he trains the nightingale to adopt the latest techniques in
signing merely to increase his income. But underneath he intends
to kill her without any blame. And he is successful in killing her. The
nightingale too is responsible
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