Table of Contents
About the Poet :
John Clare (1793 -1864) was an English poet famous for his celebratory representations of the English countryside and his lamentation of its disruption. Some of his notable collections of poetry are First Love, Snow Storm, The Village Minstrel, and Other Poems, etc.
The following poem presents a pen-picture of the mellow beauty of autumn in the countryside. As this season comes just before winter, it is characterized by falling leaves, bare branches, and strong winds.
Analysis of the Poem:
Lines 1-6:
I love the fitful gust…others down the lane.
The poem opens with the poet’s reasons for loving autumn. He loves the wind that shakes the casement all through the day. Again faded leaves continually fall from elm trees because of blowing wind. Those fallen leaves are carried by the strong wind, sometimes twirling by the window pane and then carried through the lane.
[ কবিতাটি কবির শরৎ প্রেমের কারণ দিয়ে শুরু হয়। সে বাতাসকে ভালোবাসে যা সারাদিন কেসমেন্টকে নাড়া দেয়। প্রবাহিত বাতাসের কারণে এলম গাছ থেকে আবার বিবর্ণ পাতাগুলি ক্রমাগত ঝরে পড়ে। এই পতিত পাতাগুলি প্রবল বাতাস বহন করে নিয়ে যায়, কখনও কখনও জানালার ফলক দিয়ে ঘুরতে থাকে এবং তারপর গলি দিয়ে বয়ে নিয়ে যায়। ]
Lines 7-12:
I love to see the shaking…lap with flowers to lie.
The poet also loves to see the twig that shakes by the strong wind of autumn and it dances till the evening. The sparrow, sitting on the cottage roof, chirp in spite of the cool sorrowfulness. This gives a reminder to the poet about the seasons of spring and summer. Even in autumn, the poet can feel the warmth of spring and summer.
[ শরতের প্রবল বাতাসে কাঁপানো ডালপালা দেখতেও কবি ভালোবাসেন এবং তারা সন্ধ্যা পর্যন্ত নাচে। চড়ুই, কুটিরের ছাদে বসে শীতল দুঃখের মাঝে কিচিরমিচির করছে। এটি কবিকে বসন্ত ও গ্রীষ্মের ঋতু সম্পর্কে স্মরণ করিয়ে দেয়। শরৎকালেও কবি বসন্ত-গ্রীষ্মের উষ্ণতা অনুভব করতে পারেন। ]
Lines 13-18:
I love to see the cottage…on the heath a going.
The cottage smoke that curls upward through the leafless bare trees is an object of attraction and love for the poet. The pigeons are taking shelter around their nest, the cock is crowing, sitting casually on a dung-hill as if everything is all right. The windmills are blowing gracefully and slowly with the help of strong wind.
[ কুটিরের ধোঁয়া পাতাহীন খালি গাছের মধ্যে দিয়ে উপরের দিকে কুঁকড়ে যায় তা কবির জন্য আকর্ষণ ও ভালোবাসার বস্তু। পায়রা তাদের বাসার চারপাশে আশ্রয় নিচ্ছে, মোরগ ডাকছে, গোবর-পাহাড়ে বসে যেন সবকিছু ঠিকঠাক। প্রচণ্ড বাতাসের সাহায্যে উইন্ডমিলগুলো সুন্দরভাবে এবং ধীরে ধীরে বইছে। ]
Lines 19-24:
The feathers from the raven’s…where they fall.
Lea or meadow is left with stubble after crops are harvested. From raven’s breast feather is dropping on the lea. Oak fruits are falling on the ground, creating pattering sounds. It is happening near the old crow’s nest. The pigs are running in a hurry towards those fruits to eat.
[ ফসল কাটার পর তৃণভূমিতে খড় রেখে দেওয়া হয়। কাকের স্তনের থেকে পালক তৃণভূমির উপর ঝরে পড়ছে। ওক ফল মাটিতে পড়ছে, প্যাটারিং শব্দ তৈরি করছে। বুড়ো কাকের বাসার কাছে এইসব ঘটছে। শূকরগুলো ছুটছে সেই ফল খাওয়ার জন্য। ]
The theme of the Poem:
In the above poem, the poet John Clare presents the vivid picture of autumn’s beauty in the countryside. On giving various accounts of its beauty, it is characterized by falling leaves, bare branches, and strong winds.
[ উপরের কবিতায় কবি জন ক্লেয়ার গ্রামাঞ্চলে শরতের সৌন্দর্যের প্রাণবন্ত চিত্র তুলে ধরেছেন। এর সৌন্দর্যের বিভিন্ন বিবরণ দিতে, এটি পাতা ঝরে পড়া, খালি শাখা এবং প্রবল বাতাস দ্বারা চিহ্নিত করা হয়। ]
Word Notes
Fitful : মানানসই
Gust : দমকা
Casement : গরাদহীন জানলা
Mossy : শ্যাওলা
Twirling : ঘূর্ণায়মান, বৃত্তাকার এবং বৃত্তাকার ঘোরানো
Window pane : জানালার শার্সির কাঁচ
Twig : ডালপালা
Nestled : বাসা বাঁধে
Cote : পাখির বাসা
Dung – hill : গোবর – পাহাড়
Stubble : ফসলের কান্ডের ছোট নিচের অংশ
Lea : ঘাসে ঢাকা জমি
Acorns : ওক গাছের ছোট বাদামী বাদাম
Pattering : বারবার, দ্রুত, হালকা শব্দ করা
Exercise 1
• Tick the correct answer from the given alternatives :
(1) All through the day the fitful gust shakes the
(a) window-pane (b) curtains (c) casement (d) door
Ans:- (c) casement
(2) The poet loves to see the shaking twig dance till the
(a) coming of down (b) end of night (c) end of the afternoon (d) shut of eve
Ans:- (d) shut of eve
(3) The sparrow sat on the
(a) cottage rig (b) house-top (c) mossy elm-tree (d) casement
Ans:- (a) cottage rig
(4) The pigeons nestled round the
(a) cage (b) cote (c) branch (d) heath
Ans:- (b) cote
(5) the cock was crowing upon the
(a) dunghill (b) lea (c) tree tops (d) mill sails
Ans:- (a) dunghill
(6) The grunting pigs
(a) walk slowly (b) scamper by (c) scramble and hurry (d) dive and swim
Ans:- (c) scramble and hurry
Exercise 2
• Answer the following questions within twenty-five words:
(i) What happens to the leaves of the mossy elm- tree in autumn?
Ans: In autumn the leaves of the mossy elm- tree falls onto the ground and a fitful gust takes them away down the lane.
(ii) What are the things the poet loves to see on November days?
Ans: On November days the poet loves to see the fitful gust, the shaking twig, and the cottage smoke.
Exercise 3
• State whether the following sentences are in Active or Passive Voice:
(a) Anil will visit his grandmother’s house.
Ans: Active voice
(b) The President has left his office.
Ans: Active voice
(c) The project will have been finished by the students.
Ans: Passive voice
(d) Promita’s leave has been sanctioned by the school authority.
Ans: Passive voice
Exercise 4
• Change the voice of the following sentence:
(a) The boy has read out the letter.
Ans: The letter has been read out by the boy.
(b) I shall have bought a cricket bat by tomorrow.
Ans: A cricket bat will have been bought by me tomorrow.
(c) Sohini’s friends had organised a picnic.
Ans: A picnic had been organized by Sohini’s friends.
(d) The football team will put up a brave fight.
Ans: A brave fight will be put up by the football team.
Exercise 5
• Change the following sentences into indirect speech:
(a) I said to him, “Will you share your tiffin with me?”
Ans: I asked him if he would share his tiffin with me.
(b) Anjan’s mother said, “Your father has left for Mumbai.”
Ans: Anjan’s mother said that his father had left for Mumbai.
(c) The girls triumphantly said, “Hurrah! We have won the match”
Ans: The girls exclaimed in joy that they had won the match.
(d) He says, “Let you be successful in life.”
Ans: He wishes that I may be successful in life.
(e) The captain informed, “The tournament was postponed last month.”
Ans: The captain informed that the tournament had been postponed the previous month.
Exercise 7
• Use the following flow-chart to write a paragraph within 100 words on how to make paper:
cutting down of bamboos – making pulp – adding chemicals – rolling into sheets adding colour – drying – ready for use
Ans:
Processing of Paper
Paper conveys the wheels of human progress. It is essential to our daily life. To prepare the paper the following steps need to be taken.
At first, some bamboos are cut down from bamboo wood. Then the pulp is made with bamboo properly. Next, some chemicals are added to make it soft and qualified. After that, the chemical added pulps are rolled into sheets through the machine. Next required colours are added to the sheets to make them colorful and bright. Then the sheets are dried properly through the electric dryer machine. Finally, the paper is perfectly ready for use and market purposes.
(Words: 99)
Exercise 8
• Write a biography of Annie Besant within 100 words based on the hints given below:
Hints: born on 1st of October 1847 in London-famous British writer-well known Socialist, activist for the rights of women-participated in Indian politics-joined the Indian National Congress-became the first woman President of the Indian National Congress in 1917–passed away on 20th of September 1933 in Madras, India.
Ans:
The Great Woman Annie Besant
Annie Besant, the famous British writer, was born on the 1st of October 1847 in London. She was a well-known Socialist and an activist for the rights of women. She actively participated in Indian politics to fight against the British Government at that time which ruled India ruthlessly. So, she joined the Indian National Congress to build resistance against the British. She became the first woman President of the Indian National Congress in 1917. This great woman breathed her last on the 20th of September in 1933 in Madras, India.
(Words: 91)
Extra Questions
• Tick the correct answer from the given alternatives :
1. The wind takes away the faded leaves from the
(A) date tree (B) palm tree Mod (C) elm-tree (D) mango tree
Ans: (C) elm-tree
2. The poet loves to see
(A) the shaking twig (B) the bent twig (C) the curved twig (D) the upright twig
Ans: (A) the shaking twig
3. The elm tree is
(A) glossy (B) mossy (C) dusty (D) rusty
Ans: (B) mossy
4. The ‘casement’ is
(A) a curtain(B) a window that opens like a door with hinges on one side (C) a door(D) an attic
Ans: (B) a window that opens like a door with hinges on one side
5. The faded leaves f elm-tree twirl by the window pane due to
(A) the fitful gust(B) the cottage smoke(C) other leaves(D) the season of autumn
Ans: (A) the fitful gust
• Answer the following questions :
1. Who wrote the poem ‘Autumn’?
Ans. John Clare wrote the poem ‘Autumn’.
2. What shakes the casement all day?
Ans. The gusty wind of autumn shakes the casement all day.
3. What curls up through the naked trees?
Ans.The cottage smoke curls up through the naked trees.
4. Which birds are mentioned in the poem?
Ans. The birds mentioned in the poem are sparrow, pigeon, cock, raven, and crow.
5. Where does the acorn fall?
Ans. The acorn falls near the old crow’s nest.
