Poem 3: The Echoing Green

Poem 3: The Echoing Green

Poet: William Blake

I. COMPREHENSION AND ENJOYMENT

Q1. Give the central idea of the poem.

The poem celebrates the joy, innocence, and carefree spirit of childhood. On a bright spring morning, children play happily on the green while birds sing and bells ring. The elderly people sit under an oak tree and remember the joys of their own childhood. As the sun sets, the children become tired and return to their mothers for rest. The poem presents the natural cycle of life through the morning, afternoon, and evening, showing the close bond between human beings and nature.

Q2. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow.

The Sun does arise
And make happy the skies,
The merry bells ring
To welcome the Spring,

(a) Name the poet.

The poet is William Blake.

(b) Name the birds which sing to welcome the spring.

The skylark and the thrush sing to welcome the spring.

(c) What purpose does the ringing of the merry bells serve in the poem?

The ringing of the merry bells welcomes the spring and adds to the joyful atmosphere of the green. It reflects the happiness and liveliness of nature.

(d) How can you say that the mood in the poem is happy and carefree, celebrating a close bond between man and nature?

  1. The sun makes the skies happy and bright.
  2. The merry bells ring to welcome spring.
  3. The skylark, thrush, and other birds sing cheerfully.
  4. The children play sports and laugh on the green.
  5. The elderly people enjoy watching the children and recall their own childhood.
  6. The children return to their mothers at sunset, showing the warmth of family life.

These details create a happy, peaceful, and carefree mood and show the close relationship between human beings and nature.

II. READ THE LINES GIVEN BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS THAT FOLLOW

Till the little ones, weary,
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest,
And sport no more seen
On the darkening Green.

(a) What do the words weary, descend, end and rest suggest?

These words suggest the closing of the day and the gradual end of the children’s activities. The children become tired after playing, the sun goes down, their games stop, and they prepare to sleep.

(b) Name the things that take rest at the end of the day.

The children, the birds, and other living beings take rest at the end of the day. The children return to their mothers, while the birds settle in their nests.

(c) Why has the echoing green become the darkening green?

The green becomes darkening because the sun is setting and evening is approaching. The children have finished playing and are returning home. The cheerful sounds of play gradually disappear, and the green becomes quiet.

(d) Name the figure of speech used in the lines. (Any one)

Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest.

Answer: Simile. The children are compared to birds in their nests using the word “like”. This comparison suggests their need for comfort, safety, and rest.

IMPORTANT POINTS FOR REVISION

  1. Poet: William Blake.
  2. Setting: The village green during spring, from morning until evening.
  3. Morning: The sun rises, bells ring, birds sing, and children begin playing.
  4. Afternoon: The elderly people watch the children and remember their own childhood.
  5. Evening: The children become tired, return to their mothers, and prepare for rest.
  6. Main themes: Childhood, happiness, nature, the passage of time, and the cycle of life.
  7. Mood: Joyful, peaceful, innocent, and carefree.
  8. Simile: The children are compared to birds in their nests.
  9. Symbolism: The bright green represents youthful joy and activity, while the darkening green suggests the end of the day and the quietness of evening.
  10. Message: Childhood is a precious period of innocence and happiness, and human life remains closely connected with nature.
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