Unit-1: Sense of Self
Lesson-3: O Me! O Life!
(গত ২২ জুলাই প্রকাশের পর)
8. Answer the following questions from the poem of your textbook. [any 5 out of 8] 2 x 5 = 10
Poem : O Me! O Life!
Walt Whitman
Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,
Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill’d with the foolish,
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew’d
Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,
Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined,
The question, O me! so sad, recurring –What good amid these, O me, O life? Answer
That you are here- that life exists and identity,
That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.
Questions: (a) What recurring questions does the poet mention in the poem “O Me! O Life!”?
(b) Explain the mood of the speaker of the poem “O Me! O Life!”?
(c) What do ‘sordid’ and ‘plodding’ mean in the poem “O Me! O Life!”?
(d) What ‘faith’ does the poet mention in the poem “O Me! O Life!”?
(e) Why is the poet sad and depressed in the question section of the poem “O Me! O Life!”?
(f) What is the tone of the poem “O Me! O Life!”?
(g) Why does the speaker of the poem “O Me! O Life!” think that the cities are filled with foolish and faithless people?
(h) Do you find the answer section of the poem “O Me! O Life!” convincing?
আরো পড়ুন : Unit-5: Problem Around Us, Lesson-5-এর ২টি প্রশ্ন ও উত্তর, ৪র্থ পর্ব, নবম শ্রেণির ইংরেজি ১ম পত্র
Answers: 8. a. The poet mentions some recurring questions. He questions the reason for living in the midst of innumerable people who are faithless and foolish. He also questions himself why the people including him are craving for vain light. The poet keeps on asking about what the use of spending useless and empty years of the rest of life in pursuit of poor things that results in sordidness is.
b. The speaker of the poem “O Me! O Life!” is sad and frustrating. His life is full of despair and hopelessness.
c. In the fifth line of the poem, the poet uses the word ‘plodding’ to refer to the regular and busy activities of the people around him. In the same line he uses the word ‘sordid’ to describe the mean people. He has used the phrase ‘sordid crowd’ to indicate those people who are immoral and unscrupulous.
d. In the poem, the poet mentions that faith exists in people’s conducts and dealings. It is this faith which is needed to build up society based on mutual trust depending on giving promises and keeping them right. This faith refers to the belief that one never betrays another.
e. because he does not find the meaning of life and people around him are sordid. They strive for meaningless gains.
f. It has a pessimistic tone in the first section where the poet being frustrated asks so many questions to himself. In the first section the poet expresses his despair, sadness and frustration. But in the answer section the poet expresses himself in an optimistic tone.
g. because he sees the sign of despair and hopelessness in their faces.
h. Yes, the answer section is convincing because with a very positive tone the poet gets the meaning and purpose of life. And he wants to convey a message to everyone that a man can make his life meaningful and purposeful by playing his own part in his own life.
লেখক : সিনিয়র শিক্ষক, ইংরেজি
লেক সার্কাস গার্লস হাই স্কুল, কলাবাগান, ঢাকা
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