Central Idea

Part B: Poetry

Poem 1: Lines Written in Early Spring

Poet: William Wordsworth
Class 11 – General English | PSEB | A Panorama of Life

The poem “Lines Written in Early Spring” by William Wordsworth expresses the poet’s admiration for the beauty, joy and harmony of nature, alongside his sadness at the cruelty and suffering that human beings inflict upon one another. While flowers, birds and trees appear to live peacefully in accordance with nature, human society is marked by conflict and misery. The poet wonders how humanity has moved away from the harmony found in the natural world. Through vivid descriptions of spring and the contrast between nature and human behaviour, Wordsworth conveys the message that human beings should learn to live with greater kindness, peace and harmony.

Q.1 Comprehension

1. Answer the following questions.

(i) The poet describes a bitter-sweet moment. Why is the moment bitter-sweet?

The moment is bitter-sweet because the poet is enjoying the beauty and harmony of nature, but at the same time, he feels sad when he thinks about human beings. The flowers, birds and trees seem to enjoy life peacefully, whereas human beings have created suffering and misery for one another. Thus, the beauty of nature brings both pleasure and sadness to the poet.

(ii) Write a few lines about the simplicity of the language used in the poem.

The language of the poem is simple, clear and easy to understand. Words such as birds, flowers, air, thoughts and pleasure create familiar images of nature. The poet expresses deep feelings through ordinary words and natural scenes. This simplicity makes the poem touching and meaningful.

(iii) What abilities, according to the poet, does nature have?

According to the poet, nature has the ability to create beauty, harmony and happiness. Flowers enjoy the air they breathe, birds hop and play joyfully, and the budding branches spread out to catch the fresh breeze. Nature appears to possess a sense of pleasure and contentment.

(iv) What does the poet lament about?

The poet laments what human beings have done to one another. While nature exists in harmony and seems full of joy, human society is marked by cruelty, conflict and suffering. The poet feels deeply grieved that humanity has failed to live in the same peaceful way as the natural world.

(v) How does the poet glorify nature?

The poet glorifies nature by describing its beauty, liveliness and harmony. He presents flowers growing among the greenery, birds hopping and playing, and budding branches spreading out to catch the breeze. He believes that every flower enjoys the air it breathes and that even the smallest movements of birds express pleasure. Through these images, he presents nature as a source of joy and peace.

(vi) Give an example of personification of nature in this poem.

The line “And ’tis my faith that every flower / Enjoys the air it breathes” is an example of personification. The poet attributes the human ability to enjoy something to flowers. Similarly, the birds’ movements are described as expressing pleasure.

(vii) Give the central idea of the poem.

The central idea of the poem is the contrast between the harmony of nature and the cruelty of human beings. The poet finds joy in the beauty of flowers, birds and trees, but he feels sad when he reflects on the suffering that people cause one another. The poem encourages humanity to learn from nature and live with greater love, peace and harmony.

2. Add more words that rhyme with the given words.

1. Reclined: mind, kind, find, blind
2. Link: think, sink, drink, blink
3. Measure: pleasure, treasure, leisure
4. Sent: lament, went, bent, meant

3. Read the following lines and answer the questions.

“To her fair works did Nature link

The human soul that through me ran;

And much it grieved my heart to think

What man has made of man.”

(i) What are the fair works of nature referred to in this stanza?

The fair works of nature refer to the beautiful creations of nature, such as flowers, plants, trees, birds and the natural world around the poet. These creations reflect beauty, peace and harmony.

(ii) Why is the poet grieved?

The poet is grieved because human beings have caused suffering, cruelty and unhappiness to one another. He feels that humanity has failed to maintain the harmony that is visible in nature.

(iii) Who wrote these lines? Name the poem in which these lines occur.

These lines were written by William Wordsworth. They occur in his poem “Lines Written in Early Spring.”

(iv) List two pairs of rhyming words used by the poet in this passage.

The two pairs of rhyming words are:

1. Link – think
2. Ran – man

(v) What does the poet mean by “What man has made of man”?

The poet means that human beings have caused great harm to one another through cruelty, hatred, conflict and selfishness. Instead of living peacefully, as nature seems to do, people have created suffering and misery in human society.