THE BROOK
Word Meaning
1.
Eternal - lasting or existing forever
2.
Transient - lasting for a short period of time
3.
Haunts - places often visited
4.
Coot - a web-footed water bird like a duck
5.
Ridges - edges of mountains
6.
Thorps - villages
7.
Brimming - filled with water
8.
Fallow - uncultivated land
9.
Lusty - lively/active
10.
Grayling - a grey-coloured fish
11.
Murmur - speak softly
12.
Bicker - flow down noisily
13.
Eddying - going round in whirlpools
14.
Foamy flake - piece of foam that over the surface of water
15.
Brambly wilderness - places overgrown with thorny bushes
16.
Linger - to walk or move slowly
17.
Shingly bars - places full of fine stone pieces and sand.
OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS
1 Who is the writer of the poem?
Ans.
Alfred Lord Tennyson.
2 Whose life is compared with the
brook?
Ans.
Man’s life is compared with the brook.
3 Where does the brook spring from?
Ans.
The brook springs from a place visited by water birds.
4 The poem has many examples of
alliteration. List two examples?
Ans.
Two examples of alliteration in the poem are; ‘Sudden Sally’ and ‘Field and
Follow’
5 How many hills and bridges does it
pass during its journey?
Ans.
The brook passes thirty hills and fifty bridges during its journey.
6 Name the different things that can be
found floating in the brook.
Ans.
Flowers and foamy flakes.
7 Where does it finally meet the river?
Ans.
It finally meets the river near Phillip’s farm.
8 What are coot and heron?
Ans.
Water birds.
9 The brook passes through ___________
villages.
Ans.
Twenty.
10. Whose life is short: Brook’s/Man’s?
Ans.
Man’s life is short.
About The Poet
Alfred
Lord Tennyson (1809-1892) was well known English poet. He was born in
Lincolnshire, England. He was made the poet-laureate of England in 1850.He was
representative of the Victorian age. His skilled craftsmanship and noble ideas
gave comfort and courage to his readers in the Victorian age, when religion was
losing its hold.
INTRODUCTION OF THE POEM
In
this poem the poet is narrating a brook's story. He has personified the brook.
The brook talks of its journey through various landforms and finally it reaches
its destination which is river. The poet compares men's journey of life to that
of the Brook's journey. The brook is eternal and flows forever. It flows night
and day. It's life has no end. But men are transient. Men come and go but the
brook stays forever.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
1-4)
I
come from haunts of coot and hern,
I
make a sudden sally
And
sparkle out among the fern,
To
bicker down a valley.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The Brook “written by Alfred Lord
Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of men with that of the
brook.
Explanation-The
brook says that it starts from a place which is often visited by water birds
like coots and herons. There it suddenly burst out of the earth and starts it's
journey. When it flows through long grass, the sunlight makes its water shine.
The brook then flows down a valley making a lots of noise.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
5-8)
By
thirty hills I hurry down,
Or
slip between the ridges,
By
twenty thorpes, a little town,
And
half a hundred bridges.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The
Brook
“written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of
men with that of the brook.
Explanation- The
brook says that it hurries down through thirty hills. It slips between the
edges of mountains quickly. It passes through twenty small villages, a small
town and fifty bridges. The poet wants to convey that the brook leaves behind
many things but it continues its journey.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
9-12)
Till
last by Philip's farm I flow
To
join the brimming river,
For
men may come and men may go,
But
I go on forever.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The
Brook
“written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of
men with that of the brook.
Explanation- -The
brook says that till last it flows near Phillip's farm. And after that it joins
a big river filled with water. The poet compares man's life with brook. Men may
take birth or die and depart from this world but the brook will flow forever.
It is immortal.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
13-16)
I
chatter over stony ways,
In
little sharps and trebles,
I
bubble into eddying bays,
I
babble on the pebbles.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The
Brook
“written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of
men with that of the brook.
Explanation- When
the brook flows, it makes different kinds of noises and sounds at different
places. On the stony paths, it creates a chattering sound. When it flows in
spiral movement, it makes bubbles. On pebbles it moves noisily.
Explanation
of the Poem (Line 17-20)
With
many a curve my banks I fret
By
many a field and fallow,
And
many a fairy foreland set
With
willow-weed and mallow.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The
Brook
“written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of
men with that of the brook.
Explanation- The
brook says that when it flows, it takes away many turns. It flows through many
fields, uncultivated lands and a foreland. The poet describes this foreland as
a fairly land. There are beautiful flowers and plants like willow-weed and
mallow.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
21-24)
I
chatter, chatter, as I flow
To
join the brimming river,
For
men may come and men may go,
But
I go on forever.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The Brook” written by Alfred Lord
Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of men with that of the
brook.
Explanation- In
these lines the brook describes it's journey through the valley. When it flows
it makes different kinds of noises and sounds. It is full of joy. It ever
progresses to reach the brimming river. The poet compares journey of men and
that of a brook. Men are born, grow up and die. But the brook is eternal and
flows forever. Its life has no end.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
25-28)
I
wind about, and in and out,
With
here a blossom sailing,
And
here and there a lusty trout,
And
here and there a grayling,
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The
Brook
“written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of
men with that of the brook.
Explanation- The
brook says that sometimes it moves in and sometimes out. Sometimes there is a
flower sailing on its surface and sometimes there is a greedy fish in its fresh
water. This is like good as well as a bad experience in men's life. Here and
there grey-coloured fish are also seen. In these lines the brook describes
different types of experiences of its journey.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
29-32)
And
here and there a foamy flake
Upon
me, as I travel
With
many a silvery water break
Above
the golden gravel,
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The
Brook”
written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of men
with that of the brook.
Explanation- The
brook says that when it travels, flakes of foam are formed on its surface. When
the brook flows over small golden stones, many silver waves appear on the
surface of the brook.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
33-36)
And
draw them all along, and flow
To
join the brimming river
For
men may come and men may go,
But
I go on forever.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The Brook” written by Alfred Lord
Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of men with that of the
brook.
Explanation-The
brook says that when it flows, it takes away all things floating on its
surface. It flows continuously to join the brimming river. The poet brings out
difference between journey of men and that of the brook. The journey of men is
very short, but the brook goes on forever. The brook’s life has no end.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
37-40)
I
steal by lawns and grassy plots,
I
slide by hazel covers;
I
move the sweet forget-me-nots
That
grow for happy lovers.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The
Brook
“written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of
men with that of the brook.
Explanation- The
brook flows by grassy stretches. It passes by land covered with hazel trees.
Forget-me-nots are low growing plants with blue flowers. They grow near the
bank of the brook dancing with joy. These flowers are a sign of faithfulness
and friendship. Hence they are often associated with lovers. The lovers often
go to the side of the brook for these flowers.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
41-44)
I
slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance,
Among
my skimming swallows;
I
make the netted sunbeam dance
Against
my sandy shallows.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The
Brook”
written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of men
with that of the brook.
Explanation- The
brook uses the words 'slip', 'slide', 'gloom', 'glance', to describe its
movements. Swallows skip on the surface of its water to eat insects. The brook
glides among these skimming swallows. Where the water is not deep, the rays of
the sun appear like a net. It seems as if they are dancing on the sand at the
bottom of the brook.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
45-48)
I
murmur under moon and stars
In
brambly wildernesses;
I
linger by my shingly bars;
I
loiter round my cresses;
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The
Brook
“written by Alfred Lord Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of
men with that of the brook.
Explanation- The
brook says that in quiet nights it moves murmuring and passes over thorny
bushes. When the brook moves slowly over numerous pebbles and uneven land it
makes a soft sound. The brook says that it spends more time in shingly bars. It
loiter round when it touches the cresses in its water. It seems as if the brook
is talking to itself.
Explanation of the Poem (Line
49-52)
And
out again I curve and flow
To
join the brimming river,
For
men may come and men may go;
But
I go on forever.
Reference to the Context- These
lines have been taken from the poem, "The Brook” written by Alfred Lord
Tennyson. In this poem the poet compares the life of men with that of the
brook.
Explanation- The
brook passes through wilderness, the shingly bars and the water cresses. But it
leaves them behind and flows in graceful curves to join the brimming river. It
overcomes all obstacles to reach its goal. Here the poet compares the journey
of men and that of the brook. Men’s journey ends with his death but the brook
is eternal and flows forever. It’s life has no end.
SUMMARY OF THE POEM
The
brook tells us about its journey as it flows towards its destination, a river
which is full of water. ‘The brook’ rises suddenly from a place which is
visited by water birds like a coot and heron. It flows with a lot of noise down
the valleys. It crosses several hills, ridges, villages, towns, bridges and
farms to reach its destination. The brook makes a chattering sound when it
flows over stones. It forms bubbles and whirls. While flowing it twists and
turns. It erodes it’s embankments gradually. Pieces of foam are formed on the
surface of the brook. The flowers sailing on its surface are like the happy
experience of its journey. The greedy trout in it represents its unhappy
experience. Grayling fish represents those experiences which are neither happy nor
sad. The rays of sun reflects through its clear water. The brook passes through
valleys, forests and plains. Finally, it reaches its destination, the river,
which is full of water.
CENTRAL IDEA OF THE POEM
In
this poem the poet has described the journey of ‘The brook’ with the help of
series of pictures. The poet compares journey of men and that of the brook. Men
are born, they grow up and die. But the brook is eternal. It flows day and
night. Its life has no end. It overcomes all obstacles to join the brimming
river. Finally, it reaches its destination.
