Class 9 – English (Poetry) :: Lesson – A Legend of the Northland
Here are textual question-answers for the Class 9 English lesson “A Legend of the Northland” from the NCERT Beehive textbook, ranging from beginner to advanced level, tailored for Assam Board (SEBA) students.
Beginner Level
- Q: What is the poem “A Legend of the Northland” about? A: The poem “A Legend of the Northland” is about a woman from the Northland who was turned into a bird for her greed. The poem tells the story of her punishment and serves as a moral lesson.
- Q: What was the woman’s crime in the poem? A: The woman in the poem was greedy. She denied giving food to a poor old man, which led to her punishment.
- Q: How was the woman punished? A: The woman was punished by being turned into a bird that would have to live in cold, barren places forever, never to find rest.
Intermediate Level
- Q: What is the significance of the Northland in the poem? A: The Northland is symbolic of harsh, cold regions where the winters are long and severe. It represents a place where the punishment for greed is severe, as described in the poem.
- Q: What lesson does the poem “A Legend of the Northland” teach? A: The poem teaches the lesson that greed and selfishness can lead to severe consequences. It encourages kindness and generosity toward others, especially the poor and needy.
- Q: Why does the poet mention that the woman “lived in a house of her own”? A: The poet mentions that the woman lived in a house of her own to highlight her comfort and selfishness. Despite having enough, she refused to share with someone in need, showing her greed.
Advanced Level
- Q: How does the imagery in the poem contribute to the overall theme? A: The imagery of the cold, harsh Northland, with its long winters, helps emphasize the woman’s punishment. The description of her transformation into a bird that never rests serves as a metaphor for how greed leads to eternal suffering. This imagery reinforces the moral lesson of the poem about the consequences of selfishness.
- Q: What does the transformation of the woman into a bird symbolize in the poem? A: The transformation of the woman into a bird symbolizes the eternal consequences of her greed. The bird, being forced to live in cold, desolate regions, represents the idea that those who are selfish and refuse to help others will find no peace or rest.
- Q: What role does the old man play in the poem? A: The old man in the poem serves as a symbol of the poor and needy. His request for food represents the vulnerability of the less fortunate. The woman’s refusal to help him, despite his obvious need, becomes the cause of her punishment.
- Q: How does the poet use contrast to highlight the woman’s greed in the poem? A: The poet contrasts the woman’s comfortable, warm life with the cold, desolate punishment she receives. Her initial act of selfishness—denying the old man food—sets up this contrast, making her punishment more significant and highlighting the impact of her greed.
Vocabulary
- Legend – A traditional story or myth that explains events or customs, often involving supernatural beings.
- Northland – A place in the northern regions, typically associated with cold and harsh winters.
- Pity – A feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering of others.
- Blaze – A strong, intense fire.
- Barren – A place that is empty or devoid of life; infertile or desolate.
- Hearth – The floor of a fireplace, often symbolizing the home or warmth.
- Dismay – A sudden and complete loss of courage or resolution due to an unexpected event.
- Rebuke – To express sharp disapproval or criticism.
- Furrows – Narrow grooves or trenches, often made in the ground by a plow.
- Shriek – A high-pitched, piercing cry or sound.
- Tidings – News or information, especially of a significant or important nature.
Word-Notes
- Legend of the Northland: A folk tale or myth from the cold, northern regions, often used to explain a phenomenon or lesson.
- The Woman’s Greed: The central theme of the poem, showcasing how selfishness and refusal to share can lead to punishment.
- Transformation into a Bird: The woman is punished by being turned into a bird, symbolizing the consequence of her cruelty and greed.
- Symbolism of Cold: The extreme cold in the poem represents punishment and the harshness of the woman’s actions.
- Moral of the Poem: The poem conveys the lesson of generosity and the dangers of being selfish.
Textual Questions
1. Comprehension Check
- Q: What did the woman do that caused her punishment?
A: The woman refused to give food to a poor, old man who came asking for help. Her selfishness led to her being punished by being turned into a bird that would live in the cold, barren lands forever.
- Q: What was the punishment given to the woman?
A: The woman was turned into a bird, condemned to live in the cold, desolate Northland, and never find rest, symbolizing the consequences of greed.
- Q: What is the significance of the “bird that cannot rest”?
A: The “bird that cannot rest” symbolizes eternal discomfort and restlessness as a punishment for greed. The bird’s inability to rest is a metaphor for the ceaseless suffering caused by selfishness.
2. Interpretation & Analysis
- Q: Why does the poet choose to set the story in the Northland?
A: The Northland is depicted as a harsh and cold place, representing the severity of the punishment. It amplifies the idea that greed and selfishness lead to dire consequences.
- Q: How does the poem convey a moral lesson?
A: The poem shows how the woman’s refusal to help someone in need led to her punishment. It teaches that selfishness and greed are not only harmful to others but can also lead to personal suffering.
- Q: What does the woman’s transformation into a bird signify?
A: The transformation signifies a permanent consequence of her actions. It symbolizes that the effects of greed are long-lasting and unrelenting.
Textual Grammar
1. Tenses
- Past Tense (Simple & Progressive): The poem uses the past tense to describe events and actions that have already occurred.
- Example: “She lived in a house of her own.”
- Example: “She was punished for her selfishness.”
- Present Tense (for general truths): The present tense is used to convey a universal truth or lesson.
- Example: “Greed leads to punishment.”
2. Modals
- Modals of Advice/Obligation: The poem suggests that we should be kind and generous, hinting at moral obligations.
- Example: “One must help the poor and needy.”
- Example: “You should not be selfish.”
3. Figures of Speech
- Metaphor: The woman’s transformation into a bird is a metaphor for the consequences of selfishness.
- Example: “She turned into a bird that would never rest.”
- Personification: Giving human qualities to non-human things, such as when the poem talks about the bird’s restlessness.
- Example: “The bird could not rest.”
4. Articles and Prepositions
- Articles (a, an, the): The poem uses articles to specify particular nouns, such as “a bird,” “the old man,” and “the Northland.”
- Example: “The woman lived in a house of her own.”
- Prepositions: Prepositions are used to show the relationship between different parts of the sentence.
- Example: “She was punished for her greed.”
- Example: “The bird flies over the barren land.”
5. Conditional Sentences
- Type 1 (Real Possibility): This type of conditional is used to express a possible result based on a present or future action.
- Example: “If you help others, you will be rewarded.”
- Type 2 (Imaginary or Hypothetical Situations): Used in the poem to describe consequences for actions not done.
- Example: “If she had given him food, she would not have been punished.”
Objective Type Questions:
- Q: Where does the woman in the poem live?
- a) In a small village
- b) In a house of her own
- c) In a forest
- d) In a temple
A: b) In a house of her own
- Q: What does the old man ask the woman for?
- a) Money
- b) Shelter
- c) Food
- d) Water
A: c) Food
- Q: What happens to the woman as a result of her greed?
- a) She is made to live in the city
- b) She is turned into a bird
- c) She becomes rich
- d) She is forgiven
A: b) She is turned into a bird
- Q: What is the moral of the poem?
- a) Greed leads to eternal happiness
- b) Greed has no consequences
- c) Greed brings severe punishment
- d) Selfishness is rewarded
A: c) Greed brings severe punishment
Short Type Questions:
- Q: Why did the woman in the poem refuse to share her food with the old man? A: The woman was selfish and greedy. Despite having enough food, she refused to give any to the old man, thinking it would cost her too much.
- Q: How does the woman’s behavior show her character in the poem? A: The woman’s refusal to help the old man, even though she had enough food, shows her selfish and greedy nature. She prioritized her own comfort over helping someone in need.
- Q: How was the woman punished for her greed? A: The woman was turned into a bird, forced to live in cold and barren places, unable to rest or find comfort, as a punishment for her greed.
- Q: What does the poet mean by “the bird’s heart would be frozen”? A: The phrase suggests that the woman, now a bird, would be constantly cold and in distress, symbolizing how her greed had hardened her heart and led to her eternal suffering.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
- Q: What kind of bird did the woman turn into?
- a) A crow
- b) A sparrow
- c) A robin
- d) A nightingale
A: c) A robin
- Q: In which season is the Northland described in the poem?
- a) Summer
- b) Spring
- c) Winter
- d) Autumn
A: c) Winter
- Q: What was the woman’s attitude towards the old man?
- a) Compassionate
- b) Indifferent
- c) Hostile
- d) Generous
A: b) Indifferent
- Q: What lesson does the poem emphasize?
- a) Kindness is always rewarded
- b) Selfishness has no consequences
- c) Greed leads to eternal punishment
- d) Generosity brings happiness
A: c) Greed leads to eternal punishment
- Q: How does the woman’s punishment reflect the poet’s view on greed?
- a) Greed leads to an uncomfortable life
- b) Greed is eventually forgiven
- c) Greed is always punished severely
- d) Greed is harmless
A: c) Greed is always punished severely
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