LADY CLARE

WORD MEANING OF THE POEM

1. Doe A small female deer

2. Heir Legal owner

3. Speak so wild Speak senselessly

4. Brooch A gold ornament studded with costly stones

5. Russet Coarse (thick) homespun cloth of reddish brown colour used by poor people

6 Flower of earth The most beautiful woman in the world

7. Scorn a feeling and expression of contempt ਇੱਕ ਭਾਵਨਾ ਅਤੇਨਫ਼ਰਤ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਗਟਾਵਾ

8. Clad clothed

9. Dale valley

10. Down moving to a low or lower position or level

11. Riddles puzzling question ਬੁਝਾਰਤਾਾਂ

12. Rebuked express sharp disapproval ਤਤਿੱਖੀ ਨਾਮਨਜ਼ੂਰੀ

WORD MEANING OF THE POEM

Blow- bloom

Trow- trust

Betrathed – engaged to be married

Morrow –tomorrow

Stead – the place someone else filled

Cleave –break

Heiress – a woman who has right of inheritance

QUESTION/ANSWER OF THE POEM

Q1. - What did Lady Clare think of Lord Ronald’s love for her?

A1. - Lady Clare was sure that Lord Ronald loved her for her own real value, not for her family origin and for her land.

Q2.-Who was Alice?

A2. - Alice was employed by the Earl to nurse his motherless infant daughter – the little Lady Clare.

Q3.-What did Alice tell Lady Clare?

A3. - Alice, the nurse, told her that she was not a lady, but her own daughter. After the old Earl's daughter died, she buried her and put her daughter in her place. She asked

Q4.-What advice did Alice give her daughter? What was the reply?

A4. - Alice advised her daughter Clare not to tell the truth to Ronald. Clare replied that he would get his right even if she died that night.

Q5.-Why did Lady Clare want to tell the truth to Lord Ronald?

A5. - Lady Clare wanted to tell the truth to Lord Ronald so that she would know how much loyal he was towards her.

Q6. - How does the story end?

A6.-The story ended happily. Lord Ronald assures her that her rank means nothing to him. This story shows that true love overcomes all difficulties.

Q7.-Who was Lord Ronald?

A7. - Lord Ronald was the cousin of Lady Clare.

Q8.-Who were going to be married?

A8. - Lord Ronald and Lady Clare loved each other, and were going to marry.

Q9.-What did Lord Ronald present to Lady Clare?

A9. - Lord Ronald presented a lily-white doe to Lady Clare.

Q10. - Lady Clare was feeling nervous. (True/ False)

ABOUT THE POET

Alfred, Lord Tennyson was born August 6, 1809, in Somersby, Lincolnshire, England, where his father was the rector. He was the fourth of twelve children. Alfred was a bright and talented boy, and the fine physique .All his life Tennyson continued to write poetry. Alfred, Lord Tennyson was the most highly regarded poet of his period and the most widely read of all English poets. Tennyson died at his home in Surrey, on October 6, 1892, at the age of eighty-three. He was buried in the Poet's Corner at Westminster Abbey, and the copy of Shakespeare's play Cymbeline, which he had been reading on the night of his death, was placed in his coffin.

INTRODUCTION OF THE POEM

Tennyson’s ‘Lady Clare' is a narrative poem. It tells us how lovers can rise above social and economic status. Lord Ronald and Lady Clare loved each other, and were about to marry. But before one day of her marriage, Lady Clare comes to know that she is not the real Lady Clare. She is the daughter of her poor nurse. The girl, however, is too noble. She dressed herself as a poor village girl. She goes to Lord Ronald and tells him the whole truth. But he gives no importance to it. He says that he would merry her the next day, thus she would still be Lady Clare. Clare was sure that he loved her, not her birth or property. This story shows that true love overcomes all difficulties. It does not attach any importance to position and birth.

POEM – LADY CLARE - ALFRED LORD TENNYSON

It was the time when lilies blow,

And clouds are highest up in air,

Lord Ronald brought a lily-white doe

To give his cousin, Lady Clare.

I trow they did not part in scorn-

Lovers long-betroth'd were they:

They too will wed the morrow morn:

God's blessing on the day!

'He does not love me for my birth,

Nor for my lands so broad and fair;

He loves me for my own true worth,

And that is well,' said Lady Clare.

In there came old Alice the nurse,

Said, 'Who was this that went from thee?'

'It was my cousin,' said Lady Clare,

'To-morrow he weds vith me.'

'O God be thank'd!' said Alice the nurse,

‘That all comes round so just and fair:

Lord Ronald is heir of all your lands,

And you are not the Lady Clare.'

'Are ye out of your mind, my nurse, my nurse?'

Said Lady Clare, 'that ye speak so wild?'

'As God's above,' said Alice the nurse,

‘I speak the truth: you are my child.

'The old Earl's daughter died at my breast;

I speak the truth, as I live by bread!

I buried her like my own sweet child,

And put my child in her stead.'

'Falsely, falsely have ye done,

O mother,' she said, ' if this be true,

To keep the best man under the sun

So many years from his due.'

'Nay now, my child,' said Alice the nurse,

'But keep the secret for your life,

And all you have will be Lord Ronald's,

When you are man and wife.'

‘If I'm a beggar born,' she said,

'I will speak out, for I dare not lie.

Pull off, pull off, the brooch of gold,

And fling the diamond necklace by.'

'Nay now, my child,' said Alice the nurse,

'But keep the secret all ye can.'

She said, ' Not so: but I will know

If there be any faith in man.'

'Nay now, what faith?' said Alice the nurse,

'The man will cleave unto his right.'

'And he shall have it,' the lady replied,

'Tho' I should die to-night.'

'Yet give one kiss to your mother dear !

Alas, my child, I sinn'd for thee.'

'O mother, mother, mother,' she said,

'So strange it seems to me.

'Yet here's a kiss for my mother dear,

My mother dear, if this be so,

And lay your hand upon my head,

And bless me, mother, ere I go.'

She clad herself in a russet gown,

She was no longer Lady Clare:

She went by dale, and she went by down,

With a single rose in her hair.

The lily-white doe Lord Ronald had brought

Leapt up from where she lay,

Dropt her head in the maiden's hand,

And follow'd her all the way.

Down stept Lord Ronald from his tower:

'O Lady Clare, you shame your worth!

Why come you drest like a village maid,

That are the flower of the earth?'

'If I come drest like a village maid,

I am but as my fortunes are:

I am a beggar born,' she said,

'And not the Lady Clare.'

'Play me no tricks,' said Lord Ronald,

'For I am yours in word and in deed.

Play me no tricks,' said Lord Ronald,

'Your riddle is hard to read.'

O and proudly stood she up!

Her heart within her did not fail:

She look'd into Lord Ronald's eyes,

And told him all her nurse's tale.

He laugh'd a laugh of merry scorn:

He turn'd and kiss'd her where she stood:

'If you are not the heiress born,

And I,' said he, 'the next in blood--

'If you are not the heiress born,

And I,' said he, ' the lawful heir,

We two will wed to-morrow morn,

And you shall still be Lady Clare.'

LINES 1-12

It was the time when lilies blow,

And clouds are highest up in air,

Lord Ronald brought a lily-white doe

To give his cousin, Lady Clare.

I trow they did not part in scorn-

Lovers long-betroth'd were they:

They too will wed the morrow morn:

God's blessing on the day!

'He does not love me for my birth,

Nor for my lands so broad and fair;

He loves me for my own true worth,

And that is well,' said Lady Clare.

Ref. to the Context- These lines have been taken from the poem ‘Lady Clare’. This poem is written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. This story shows that true love overcomes all difficulties. It does not attach any importance to position and birth.

Explanation – Lord Ronald and his cousin Lady Clare loved each other, and were about to marry. A day before their marriage Lord Ronald came to Lady Clare’s house. It was spring season. Lilies were grown, and there were clouds in the sky. At that time Lord Ronald brought a lily-white doe (a small female deer) to give it to his cousin, Lady Clare. They had promised to marry each other for a long time. Now they were going to marry the following morning. Lady Clare was sure that Lord Ronald loved her truly. He did not love her for her vast lands and riches. He did not love her for her high birth. He loved her for her own true qualities. She felt very happy on his true love for her.

Lines 13-24

In there came old Alice the nurse,

Said, 'Who was this that went from

thee?'

'It was my cousin,' said Lady Clare,

'To-morrow he weds vith me. ‘

'O God be thank'd!' said Alice the nurse,

‘That all comes round so just and fair:

Lord Ronald is heir of all your lands,

And you are not the Lady Clare.'

'Are ye out of your mind, my nurse, my

nurse?'

Said Lady Clare, 'that ye speak so wild?'

'As God's above,' said Alice the nurse,

‘I speak the truth: you are my child.

Explanation –When Ronald went out, Alice, her nurse, asked her who he was. She replied that he was her cousin and that they were going to marry the following morning. The nurse thanked God because he was going to be the heir of Clare’s property. But Alice told her a secret that she was not the real Lady Clare. Alice said that it was the truth and that she was not mad. She told Lady Clare the secret of her birth. She would take care of the old Earl’s daughter. But when the Earl’s daughter died, Alice buried her as her own daughter and put her child in her place. She thought that Alice was out of her mind. She rebuked her. But Alice swore by God that she was telling the truth and Clare was Alice’s daughter.

Lines 25-36

'The old Earl's daughter died at my

breast;

I speak the truth, as I live by bread!

I buried her like my own sweet child,

And put my child in her stead.'

'Falsely, falsely have ye done,

O mother,' she said, ' if this be true,

To keep the best man under the sun

So many years from his due. ‘

'Nay now, my child,' said Alice the nurse,

'But keep the secret for your life,

And all you have will be Lord Ronald's,

When you are man and wife.'

Explanation – In these lines Alice said that the Earl’s daughter had died on her breast. She swore by God that she was telling the truth. She continued that she buried her like her own sweet child. She had put her own daughter in place of Earl’s daughter. Lady Clare was unhappy with her mother. She told Alice that she had acted very wrongly. She felt sorry because she had deceived Ronald for so many years. He was the real heir to the Earl’s land. She believed that Lord Ronald was the best man under the sun. But due to Alice he deprived of his share. It was a sin to deprive such a man of his due. Clare’s mother told her to keep it secret all her life. Clare did not like to tell a lie. Alice told that when they became husband and wife then all she had would be Lord Ronald’s.

Lines 37-48

‘If I'm a beggar born,' she said,

'I will speak out, for I dare not lie.

Pull off, pull off, the brooch of gold,

And fling the diamond necklace by.'

'Nay now, my child,' said Alice the nurse,

'But keep the secret all ye can.'

She said, ' Not so: but I will know

If there be any faith in man.'

'Nay now, what faith?' said Alice the

nurse,

'The man will cleave unto his right.'

'And he shall have it,' the lady replied,

'Tho' I should die to-night.'

Explanation – When Lady Clare came to know that she was not a real Lady Clare. She planned to go to Lord Ronald to tell him everything. She said that she could not lie to her lover. She wanted to tell him that she was a born beggar. She asked her Alice to pull off her gold brooch and threw the diamond necklace. She thought that she had no right to wear these things. Alice repeatedly asked her not to tell the secret. But Clare said that in this way she would know how much loyal he was towards her. Alice replied that his loyalty was not assured. He would be take away his rights. Clare replied that he would get his right even if she died that night.

Lines 49-60

'Yet give one kiss to your mother dear!

Alas, my child, I sinn'd for thee.'

'O mother, mother, mother,' she said,

'So strange it seems to me.

'Yet here's a kiss for my mother dear,

My mother dear, if this be so,

And lay your hand upon my head,

And bless me, mother, ere I go.'

She clad herself in a russet gown,

She was no longer Lady Clare:

She went by dale, and she went by

down,

With a single rose in her hair.

Explanation – In these lines Alice asked Clare to give her a kiss. She said that she had sinned for her. When her mother kissed her then she said that it was so strange for her. She kissed her mother and asked her to bless her by laying her hand on her head before she went. Clare dressed herself like an ordinary girl and did not look like a lady. She wore a skirt made of coarse (thick) cloth. Now she was not Lady Clare. She had only a single rose in her hair. She took her way to Lord Ronald’s house. She passed by the valley and plains.

Lines 61-72

The lily-white doe Lord Ronald had

brought

Leapt up from where she lay,

Dropt her head in the maiden's hand,

And follow'd her all the way.

Down stept Lord Ronald from his tower:

'O Lady Clare, you shame your worth!

Why come you drest like a village maid,

That are the flower of the earth?'

'If I come drest like a village maid,

I am but as my fortunes are:

I am a beggar born,' she said,

'And not the Lady Clare.'

Explanation - The lily-white doe that Ronald had given her also followed her. It stood near where she laid. It put its head on her hand. The doe followed her all the way. When Lord Ronald saw her he came down from his palace and asked her why she had disgraced her values by dressing like a village girl. She was a beautiful flower of the earth. Then she replied that if she dressed like a village maid, it was her fate. She was born in the poor family and she was not Lady Clare.

Lines 73-88

'Play me no tricks,' said Lord Ronald,

'For I am yours in word and in deed.

Play me no tricks,' said Lord Ronald,

'Your riddle is hard to read.'

O and proudly stood she up!

Her heart within her did not fail:

She look'd into Lord Ronald's eyes,

And told him all her nurse's tale.

He laugh'd a laugh of merry scorn:

He turn'd and kiss'd her where she stood:

'If you are not the heiress born,

And I,' said he, 'the next in blood--

'If you are not the heiress born,

And I,' said he, ' the lawful heir,

We two will wed to-morrow morn,

And you shall still be Lady Clare.'

Explanation – In these lines Ronald did not understand her puzzle and asked her not to play him any tricks. He said that he loved her from his heart. He said that he could not crack his riddles. Then she boldly stood in front of him. She was not feeling nervous. She looked into his eyes and told him the nurse’s tale. When he heard all that, he gave no impotence to her story and laughed heartily .He turned and kissed her where she stood. He said that it did not matter to him if Lady Clare was not the real heiress to the Earl’s lands. Lord Ronald was the lawful heir. Lady Clare would automatically become the heiress after her marriage with Lord Ronald.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM

The poem "Lady Clare" is written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. The poem tells us of a nurse, Alice, employed by the Earl to nurse his motherless infant daughter, the little Lady Clare. Alice has a child of her own, also a baby girl. When the Earl's little one dies, Alice substitutes her own child which is brought up in luxury as the Earl's daughter. Lord Ronald, the Earl's next of kin, who is really the rightful heir, spends his early years with Alice's daughter, and when they are grown, this friendship develops into love. When Alice learns that her daughter is to be the wife of Lord Ronald. She tells everything to Lady Clare and confesses that she is her daughter, but cautions her daughter not to disclose this secret to Lord Ranold. The girl, however, is too noble. She dressed herself as a poor village girl. She goes to Lord Ronald and tells him the whole truth. But he gives no importance to it. He assures her that her rank means nothing to him. This story shows that true love overcomes all difficulties and does not attach any importance to position and birth.

CENTRAL IDEA OF THE POEM

The poem ‘Lady Clare’ is written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. It deals with the theme of love. The story in the poem is concerned with the theme of pure love. It shows how lovers can rise above social and economic status. They are able to remain faithful and honest to each other. Lord Ronald and Lady Clare loved each other, and were about to marry. But before one day of her marriage, Lady Clare came to know that she was not the real Lady Clare. She was the daughter of her poor nurse. She went to Ronald and told him everything she knew from Alice, the nurse. Clare was sure that he loved her, not her birth or property. This poem thus presents the face of real love. Love is something different which has nothing to do with the birth or origin. It is holy thing that binds two souls in such a way that it is impossible to unbind or separate them.

Plus One

Wednesday 20 January 2021

LADY CLARE

LADY CLARE

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