CBSE-Class XII

English Flamingo
Exam Practice A Thing of Beauty

Note:
i. These questions are based on the reference-to-context exercises.
ii. There are four questions based on an excerpt from the poem followed by four
one-mark questions.
iii. Though there is no word limit prescribed for these questions, they fall in the
category of Very Short Answers (VSA) or Short Answers (SA); hence, must be
answered as succinctly as possible, covering all relevant points.
iv. Answer them in your own words unless you are required to quote some lines.

Reference-to-Context (1x4=4 marks each)

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:

1. A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,

a. Explain: A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

b. How is a thing of beauty a joy forever?
c. Explain: It will never pass into nothingness.
d. How does the poet attribute beauty for sound physical and mental health?

2. Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and oer-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

a. What is a pall? In what context has the poet referred to it in these lines?
b. What does the term dark spirits refer to?
c. Explain: Made for our searching.
d. Identify two poetic devices used in this extract and explain them.

3. Yes, in spite of all

Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
 From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young,sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep, and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills. That for-themselves
a cooling covert make
Gainst the hot season.

a. What 'moves away' the pain and suffering from human life?
b. Mention some of the things from Nature that move away the pall from our
dark spirits?
c. What do the clear streams do?
d. Explain dark spirits.

4. The mid forest brake

Rich with sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
And such too is the grandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely-tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

a. Describe the beautiful scene that one sees in the middle of the forest.
b. Why does the poet call the dooms to be full of grandeur?
c. Whom does the word 'mighty dead' refer to?
d. Explain 'immortal drink'.

Short Answer Type Questions (3 marks each)

Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each:

1. How do we try to face the gloomy days?

2. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.

3. List the things that cause suffering and pain.

4. What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounties of the earth?

5. How is a thing of beauty, a joy forever?

6. Why is grandeur associated with the mighty dead?

7. Where is the source of the endless fountain? What is its effect?

8. What makes human beings love life in spite of trouble and suffering?
9. How does the poem hint at the poets leanings as a classical writer?

Value Points for Reference-to- Context Questions (4 marks)

Note: Each extract carries 4 marks, 1 mark for each question. These marks are
divided into content and expression.

Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:

1. A thing of beauty is a joy forever

Its loveliness increases, it will never
Pass into nothingness; but will keep
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing.
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing
A flowery band to bind us to the earth,

a. Explain: A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

b. How is a thing of beauty a joy forever?
c. Explain: It will never pass into nothingness.
d. How does the poet attribute beauty for sound physical and mental health?

Value Points
a. Truly beautiful thing provides perennial joy
b. Truly beautiful thing does not fade away with passage of time
c. Unlike objects regarded beautiful for some time, truly beautiful object is
never lost in oblivion
d. Such beauty in nature a source of sustenance for the human soul; uplifts it
and removes despair

2. Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth

Of noble natures, of the gloomy days,
Of all the unhealthy and oer-darkened ways
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all,
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits.

a. What is a pall? In what context has the poet referred to it in these lines?
b. What does the term dark spirits refer to?
c. Explain: Made for our searching.
d. Identify two poetic devices used in this extract and explain them.

Value Points
a. A shroud, cloth used to cover dead bodies; despair and sorrow compared
with shroud using simile
b. Uses dark as metaphor for sorrow and gloom; undesired human behaviour
fills the spirit with sorrow
 c. Mans constant quest for a meaning of life; the reason for mans existence
seeks answers to the causes behind all the wickedness experienced in life
d. Alliteration in noble natures, n sound repeated; transferred epithet in
gloomy days: days described as gloomy the person and days can be gloomy

3. Yes, in spite of all

Some shape of beauty moves away the pall
From our dark spirits. Such the sun, the moon,
Trees old, and young, sprouting a shady boon
For simple sheep, and such are daffodils
With the green world they live in; and clear rills.
That for themselves a cooling covert make
Gainst the hot season;

a. What 'moves away' the pain and suffering from human life?
b. Mention some of the things from Nature that move away the pall from our
dark spirits?
c. What do the clear streams do?
d. Explain "dark spirits".

Value Points
a.Beauty surrounding us in all natural objects
b.Heavenly bodies, trees and brooks, daffodils and fragrant musk roses
c.Streams with clear water make a covert, a hiding place for themselves
d.dark spirits does not imply evil spirits but spirits that are sad and forlorn

4. The mid forest brake

Rich with sprinkling of fair musk-rose blooms;
And such too is thegrandeur of the dooms
We have imagined for the mighty dead;
All lovely-tales that we have heard or read;
An endless fountain of immortal drink,
Pouring unto us from the heaven's brink.

a. Describe the beautiful scene that one sees in the middle of the forest.
b. Why does the poet call the dooms to be full of grandeur?
c. Whom does the word 'mighty dead' refer to?
d. Explain 'immortal drink'.

Value Points
a. The clearing amidst the forest is full of musk roses in bloom, adding beauty
to it
b. Reference to tales of epic battles fought by legendary heroes that enthuse
man till date
c. Poet uses Oxymoron: the dead cannot be mighty; yet alludes to the great
heroes who fought valiantly in battles but are dead
d. Refers to nectar, manna, the divine drink that is believed to make man
immortal
 Value Points for Short Answer Type Questions (3 marks)
Note:

The 3 marks for these questions are split as follows:

Content: 2 marks
Expression & Accuracy: 1 mark

1. How do we try to face the gloomy days?

Value Points
By establishing a connection with the bounties of nature
By wreathing a flowery band that binds man to earth

2. List the things of beauty mentioned in the poem.

Value Points
Heavenly bodies like sun and moon
Natural things like trees, brooks, daffodils and musk roses
Legends of mighty heroes written by man

3. List the things that cause suffering and pain.

Value Points
Absence of goodness
Acute shortage of noble nature; man has moved away from the uplifting
influence of nature
Abundance of evil, unhealthy thoughts and deeds

4. What image does the poet use to describe the beautiful bounties of the
earth?

Value Points
Imagery of an endless fountain of immortal drink describes limitless
bounties of beauty
Metaphor of nectar to compare beautiful objects

5. How is a thing of beauty, a joy forever?

Value Points
Keats defines a thing of beauty as one that gives pleasure for a lifetime
Its beauty never decreases with passage of time

6. Why is grandeur associated with the mighty dead?

Value Points
 Heroic stories of legendary heroes, who died in epic battles, never cease to
inspire generations
These grand legends possess matchless beauty owing to their content

7. Where is the source of the endless fountain? What is its effect?

Value Points
Heaven: where the fountain originates
Has divine properties which soothe mankind
Is a lasting source of joy
8. What makes human beings love life in spite of trouble and suffering?

Value Points
Trouble and suffering taken in the stride
Objects of beauty successfully removes despair and sorrow
Natural beauty uplifts human soul

9. How does the poem hint at the poets leanings as a classical writer?

Value Points
Poem forms opening lines of Endymion, based on a Greek legend
Reference to lovely tales of the mighty dead indicative of classical influence
on his poetry

10. Comment on the biblical allusions in this poem.

Value Points
Reference to human beings as sheep; Bible describes Christ as shepherd and
human beings as sheep in his care
The idyllic surroundings that poet aspires for allude to Eden