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The Old Woman

The document contains comprehension questions and answers about the poem "The Old Woman". [1] The poet praises an old woman in the poem by comparing her aged face to a white candle that spreads light like the winter sun, representing her ability to enlighten others with her experiences. [2] A white candle represents guidance and enlightenment, and the old woman's face is compared to a candle to show how she can guide others with her past experiences. [3] The message is that an old woman deserves respect and care from her children after sacrificing for them, as she is a source of wisdom to enlighten their lives.

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Sher Ali
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7K views2 pages

The Old Woman

The document contains comprehension questions and answers about the poem "The Old Woman". [1] The poet praises an old woman in the poem by comparing her aged face to a white candle that spreads light like the winter sun, representing her ability to enlighten others with her experiences. [2] A white candle represents guidance and enlightenment, and the old woman's face is compared to a candle to show how she can guide others with her past experiences. [3] The message is that an old woman deserves respect and care from her children after sacrificing for them, as she is a source of wisdom to enlighten their lives.

Uploaded by

Sher Ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Class 9th Subject English Unit no- 12

THE OLD WOMAN


Comprehension
Answer these questions.
Q.1) Who does the poet praise in the poem ‘The Old Woman’? Explain how?
Ans) The poet praises the old woman in the poem.He finds beauty in the aged face and
compares it with a white candle. He uses a figurative language to describe such an enlightened
face. He compares the holy face of the woman with a white candle which spreads light ,the
radiance of the winter’s sun that has gathered a wide experience of life and ruined water of
the mill with her still thoughts.

Q.2) What does a white candle represent in the poem 'The Old Woman'?
Ans) The white candle in the holy place gives light and guides the person who comes there. It
enlightens the thoughts and actions of the people. It is the symbol of holy figure. The poet
compares the old lady’s face with a white candle. The old lady is seasoned and can guide others
on the basis of her past experiences. She enlightens the life of others.Moreover,white candle is
a symbol of beauty and the poet finds beauty in her face.

Q.3) What is the message in the poem? “The Old Woman” Explain briefly.
Ans) The message of the poem is deeper than any other romantic poem. This poem is very
simple and realistic. A woman suffers a lot in the upbringing of her children. She sacrifices her
comfort and happiness for the comfort and happiness of her children.Therefore, when she
becomes old,she deserves more respect and comfort, in return from her children. The children
should take great care of their mother in old age as she is a source of holy light, wisdom and
enlightenment.

Q.4) Why does the poet compare old woman to a ‘white candle in a holy
place’,the winter sun and the water under a ruined mill in the poem ‘The Old
Woman’?
Ans) The poet compares the old lady with the white candle in a holy place. It is the symbol of a
holy figure. The poet compares the old lady’s face with a white candle. The old lady can guide
others on the basis of her past experiences. She enlightens the life of others. Moreover, the
poet compares the beauty of her face with a white candle.
The poet also compares the old lady with a radiance of the winter sun. It means passing of time
as the sun travels more and more in the sky, it spends it radiance more and more. Moreover, at
dusk the sunshine looks beautiful due to radiance. Here the wide range of experience is extra
ornaments in the life of old lady.It adds charm to her beauty.
The poet also compares the old woman with the water under a ruined mill which neither
vanished nor runs away. So, the old lady has the same position. Her broods (children) have
gone away from her in old age and her thoughts are still as ruined water of the mill. It suggests
steadiness and maturity in the life of old lady.

Q.5)Do you like this poem ‘The Old Woman’?Why?


Ans)I like the poem ‘The Old Woman’ because its very natural and easy to describe and see
beauty in young woman but it is very different and unique in its nature to notice and describe
the beauty of old woman. It requires great imaginative power to see beauty in old age. The
poet wants to impress upon the readers that old age is not useless and in old age,one can
enlighten the life of others and guide them on the basis of one’s life long experience.Steadiness
and maturity add charm to the beauty of old woman.

Q.6) What words in the poem help establish imagery?


Ans) The words which establish imagery are:
White candle, holy place, winter sun, aged face, ruined mill, radiance and water.

Q.7) How many lines and stanzas are there in this poem?
Ans) The poem “ The Old Woman” consists of three stanzas and twelve lines .

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