The Sower
Title:
The Sower
‘The Sower’ is a translation of Victor
Hugo's French poem. It is translated by Toru Dutt from French to English. ‘The
Sower’ is a poem about a farmer who is sowing seeds. He has seen many bad
harvests in his life. However, he is so optimistic of having a good harvest
every time he tosses grain. The Sower the central aspect of this poem and the
poet minutely describes his activities in the farm.
Poet: Victor
Hugo
He was the poet,
novelist, and dramatist of the 19th century. He was one of the most important
French Romantic writers.
He is regarded
in France as one of the country's greatest poets. He is better known for his
famous novels as ''Notre-Dame de Paris''(1831) and "Les Miserables"
(1862).
Translated
by: Torulata Dutt
She was a
Bengali poet. She was also known as Toru. She wrote in English and French. She
was born on 4th March 1856 in Kolkata.
She is
considered to be ‘The first Indian poetess’ to write verses in English and
French. She translated dozens of poems and completed a novel before her death
at the age of 21. Her poems such as ‘Seeta’, ‘Lotus’ and ‘Our Casuarina Tree’
are well-loved.
See activity sheets by clicking on the following image-
(i) Write an appreciation of the poem considering the following points:
About the poem / poet
/ title.
Theme
Poetic devices,
language, style
Special features /
novelties / focussing elements
Values, message
Your opinion about the
poem
Answer:
See answer of this
activity in the following book:
Activity Workbook Std.
XI English- By Prof. Tushar Chavan
Price Rs. 300 + Courier/ Postage Rs. 50
Total= Rs. 350
Send Whats App message to-
9850737199
Extra Activities
1) Write
the rhyming words of the poem-‘The Sower’.
Answer:
1) cool-rule
2) fast-past
3) lands-stands
4) still-thrill
5) silhouette-set
6) deep-reap
7) plain- grain
8) wide- stride
9) light- height
10) eyes- skies
--------------------------------------------------
For more Activities, do buy the following book:
Price Rs. 300 + Courier/ Postage Rs. 50
Total= Rs. 350
Send Whats App message to-
Prof. Tushar Chavan
9850737199
--------------------------------------------------
The Sower
Poem: The Sower by
Victor Hugo
Title: The Sower
‘The
Sower’ is a translation of Victor Hugo's French poem. It is translated by Toru
Dutt from French to English. ‘The Sower’ is a poem about a farmer who is sowing
seeds. He has seen many bad harvests in his life. However, he is so optimistic
of having a good harvest every time he tosses grain. The Sower is the central
aspect of this poem and the poet minutely describes his activities in the farm.
Poet: Victor Hugo
He was the poet, novelist, and
dramatist of the 19th century. He was one of the most important French Romantic
writers.
He is regarded in France as
one of the country's greatest poets. He is better known for his famous novels
as ''Notre-Dame de Paris''(1831) and "Les Miserables" (1862).
Translated by:
Torulata Dutt
Torulata Dutt was a Bengali
poet. She was also known as Toru. She wrote in English and French.
She is considered to be ‘The
first Indian poetess’ to write verses in English and French. She translated
dozens of poems and completed a novel before her death at the age of 21. Her
poems such as ‘Seeta’, ‘Lotus’ and ‘Our Casuarina Tree’ are well-praised.
Ice Breakers
Activities:
(i) Make a list of
words related to agriculture.
Answer:
Words related to
agriculture are-
Plough, weeding, harvest,
sowing, cultivating, farmer, farm, crop, fertilizers, grain, seeds, soil,
yield, irrigation, tilling, planting, harrowing, reaping, manure
(ii) Discuss the
activities carried out by a farmer.
Answer:
Ploughing- नांगरणी
Sowing – पेरणी
Manuring- खत देणे
Weeding- तण काढणे
Reaping- कापणी / धान्य काढणे
(iii) In our
country engineering, teaching and medical fields are much sought after. Other
professions, occupations though they make a significant contribution to the
society, do not get their due.
Answer:
(ii) 'Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy'. Fill in the boxes supporting this statement. Complete the following web diagram.
|
A large part of Indian population is involved in
agriculture. |
Agriculture- |
------------------------------------- |
|
------------------------------------- |
------------------------------------- |
Answer:
|
A large part of Indian population is involved in
agriculture. |
Agriculture- the back- bone of
India |
Provides employment to large number of people in
India |
|
Provides sufficient food grains and other needy
things. |
Gives strong support to Indian economy. Helps to
increase GDP. |
Glossary:
Poem is based on:
The Farming and the life of a
farmer is the central idea of the poem and the poet gives his feelings for the
farmer along with the detailed description about the nature around the farmer.
Paraphrase of the
poem:- The
Sower
“Sitting in a
porchway………………working hours are well night past.”
The poet is sitting peacefully
in the veranda. He is enjoying the sunset. He describes the presence of
twilight. ‘The twilight hastens on to rule’ the line suggests the overpower of
the twilight over the light of the day. It is a time between the day and night.
Day is fading and night is approaching. ‘Working hours are well - nigh past’
this line suggests the time of work in the fields is now over. Soon it is going
to be night and dark all around.
“Shadow……………………… I
feel a thrill”
During the twilight, shadows
are spreading all around the area. In such time, the poet sees a farmer who is
standing alone in the fields. He is staying a bit there. ‘Old, in rags, he
patient stands’ this line gives the appearance of the Sower. The Sower is old
and his cloths are tattered. He is standing peacefully in the field. The poet
is so much thrilled to see his calm and peaceful appearance in the field.
“Black and
high……………… a time to reap”
Since it is a twilight time
everything appears to be blackish. ‘Silhouette’ is the French word. It means
the outline of the Sower. The black shadow of the Sower is dominating the deep
furrows in the fields. Since the sun is setting the silhouette gradually
becomes bigger and bigger thus even the deep furrows seem to be small in front
of the Sower. Here the human aspects is shown powerful and dominating over the
nature. In the next line, ‘now to sow……a time to reap’, the farmer is hoping
for a good harvest in future. He is sowing and expecting that seeds will grow,
the grains will appear and all his wishes will be fulfilled.
“Marches he along
the plain………to see him stride”
The poet describes the
movement of the farmer and his actions in the field. The poet appears the
farmer as marching like a soldier. It shows his strong determination and
positive attitude towards his work. The farmer moves forward and backward
scattering the precious grains which are both a symbol of prosperity and wealth
of future. The grain is called ‘precious grains’ because each and every grain
is important in the life of a farmer. The poet thinks deeply about the Sower’s
hard efforts.
“Darkness
deepens………………touch the starry skies”
Here the poet describes the night sky. The twilight gradually turns to night.
Everywhere the darkness appears. Now the poet speaks about the gestures of the
Sower. The poet feels the majestic and inspiring image of the Sower. The
gradual and progressive growth of the shadow of the Sower reaches the top of
the sky. The poet feels reverence to the hardworking farmer. He glorifies the
work of the Sower and considers his work as noble. Sower’s work gives him such
height/ importance that he can touch the sky.
Brain storming
activities.
1. There are a
number of challenges a farmer in India faces. Discuss with your partner. How it
is possible to improve the condition of farmers?
Answer:
2. The poet has observed the sower closely. Express in your own words the reverence the poet has for the sower.
Answer:
The poet realizes that the old
farmer is staying a bit in the farm. The poet fills thrill seeing that he does
not end his work just because others have ended their work. The poet feels
wonder and respect at his dark working figure. The poet is lost in thoughts
(muses) and expresses the importance of the farmer’s work. He declares that his
work touches the starry skies (as his work provides food to all). All these
show that the poet has observed the sower closely and he has reverence for
him.
3. The poet is
prompted to call the sower an ‘august personality’ which means- ‘one who has
reached the highest position in his work place’.
Explain this using
the following points.
i) Hard work
ii) Perseverance
iii) Dedication
Answer:
i) Hard work: The sower is termed as an august personality' by
the poet due to his hard-working nature. The sower continues his work well
beyond the working hours. Though the daytime is over, he carries on with his
work.
ii) Perseverance: The sower's perseverance can be seen when he
marches along the plain to and fro with a determination to sow the seeds and
hopes for a good harvest.
iii) Dedication: The dedication of the sower can be seen when he
takes the seeds and scattered all around, so that the seeds give him good
yield.
4.
(i) Pick out the
examples of alliteration from the poem and write them down.
Answer:
Examples of
Alliteration:
1) Sitting in a porchway
cool,
Sunlight, I see, dying fast,
2)
Working hours have well-nigh past.
3) But a sower
lingers still,
4) Black
and high, his silhouette
5) Dominates the
furrows deep!
6) Now to sow the task
is set.
7) From his hands
the precious grain;
8) Darkness deepens.
Fades the light.
9) Are august; and
strange; his height
10) Seems to touch
the starry skies.
(ii) 'Seems to
touch the starry skies'. The poet has used word imagery. Describe the
idea and pick out other similar examples from the poem.
Answer:
Imagery can be defined as a
writer or speaker's use of words or sentences to create a vivid mental picture
or physical sensation.
Examples of
Imagery:
1) Sitting in a porchway cool.
2) Sunlight, I see, dying
fast.
3) Twilight hastens on to
rule.
4) Shadows run across the
lands.
5) Old, in rags, he patient
stands.
6) Black and high, his
silhouette.
7) Dominates the furrows deep.
8) Marches he along the plain.
9) Darkness deepens. Fades the
light.
5. Poetic
appreciation
Write an
appreciation of the poem 'The Sower':
Answer-
About the poem:
The poem ‘The Sower’ is a
translation of Victor Hugo's French poem by Toru Dutt to English. It is a poem
about the hard work and persistence of the sower.
The poet: Poet Victor Hugo was the famous poet, novelist,
and dramatist of the 19th century. He was one of the most important French
Romantic writers.
The title:
The title ‘Sower’ shows the
work of a farmer. The poet observes his actions and expresses his respect for
the former who is doing this noble task.
Theme:
The poem is woven around the
theme of the farmer sowing his land. He seeks neither help nor company but does
his work till dark. Poet’s respect for the work of farmer is the central idea
of this poem.
Poetic devices,
language, style:
The poet has used the figures
of speech like Alliteration, Antithesis, Hyperbole, Inversion, Personification,
Repetition etc. The figurative use of poetic language makes the poem beautiful.
The word imagery ‘Shadows run across the lands’ presents clear picture of
natural phenomenon. The rhyme-scheme is ‘a b a b’ which provide a pleasing
rhythm. The word picture of the sower gives a real visualization of the hard
work and attitude of the farmer.
Special features /
novelties / focussing elements:
The poem shows the good
qualities like determination, hard work, perseverance etc. It shows the hard
work of the farmer. The poem enhances the respect for the farmer.
Values, message:
The poem gives the message
that one should keep working with a positive attitude in life as it brings good
results in the future.
My opinion about
the poem:
I like the poem very much. It
presents the positive and respectful picture of the farmer. I also appreciate
the qualities of the farmer which are depicted in this poem. I want to acquire
these qualities and positive approach to develop my life. I also realise the
worth of the farmer’s work.
6. Write the
rhyming words of the poem-‘The Sower’.
Answer:
|
1) cool- |
rule |
|
2) fast- |
past |
|
3) lands- |
stands |
|
4) still- |
thrill |
|
5) silhouette- |
set |
|
6) deep- |
reap |
|
7) plain- |
grain |
|
8) wide- |
stride |
|
9) light- |
height |
|
10) eyes- |
skies |
See More-
|
Activity No. 1 |
Q. Read the
extract and complete the activities given below.
|
Sitting in a porch way cool, |
A1. Express (2)
The poet has observed the sower closely. Express in your own words the reverence the poet has for the sower.
Answer-
The poet realizes that the old
farmer is staying a bit in the farm. The poet feels thrilled seeing that he
does not end his work just because others have ended their work. The poet feels
wonder and respect at his dark working figure. The poet is lost in thoughts and
expresses the importance of the farmer’s work. He declares that his work
touches the starry skies (as his work provides food to all).
A2. Explain (2)
Explain the line: ‘Old, in rags, he patient stands.’
Answer-
The line ‘Old, in rags, he
patient stands.’ can be explained like this. The word ‘old’ shows age and
experience of the farmer. The word ‘in rags’ indicates the poverty of the
farmer. The word ‘patient’ expresses that the farmer is ready to wait for the crop
to grow. With the anticipation of the good harvest the farmer is working
peacefully in the farm.
A3. Personal
response (2)
Give a list of the essential
things required for sowing seeds in the farm.
Answer-
The essential things required
for sowing seeds in the farm are:
1) Seeds 2) Furrowing 3)
Cultivated land 4) Moisture in the land 5) Fertilizers 6) Workers 7) Bullocks
etc.
A4. Poetic devices
(2)
Find and write any two
examples of personification from the poem. Give their explanation.
Answer-
Examples of
Personification:
1) Sunlight, I see dying Fast.
Explanation: The ‘sunlight’ is given the human quality of
dying fast.
2) Shadows run across the
lands.
Explanation: ‘Shadows’ are given the human quality of
running.
3) Twilight hastens on to the
rule.
Explanation: ‘Twilight’ is given the human quality of
hastening.
A5. Poetic
creativity (2)
Add two poetic
lines to make the rhyme scheme: a b a b
Sitting in a porch way cool,
Sunlight, I see, dying fast,
----------------------------,
----------------------------.
Answer-
Sitting in a porch way cool,
Sunlight, I see, dying fast,
I decide to go
near pool,
Not to want to
remain last.
See more
activities and their model answers in the following book:
Activity Workbook
for Std. XI English
Price - Rs. 300
Courier / Postage Rs. 50
Total Rs. 350
Send message to -
Prof. Tushar
Chavan 9850737199
(ii) 'Agriculture is the backbone
3 comments:
Nice drafting.
Very useful sir🙏
It's Amazing
Post a Comment