Class 12 NCERT English Kalidoscope Poerty Lesson 1 A Lecture Upon the Shadow Question and Answers.
Understanding the poem
1. How do the shadows before noon differ from the shadows after moon? What do the two kinds of shadow represent?
2. Love is describe as light. What makes the poet talk about shadows?
3. Comment on the use of the image of the shadows for the idea that the poet wants to convey.
4. The poet seems to be addressing his beloved in the poem. What is the message he wishes to convey to her?
5. Instead of ‘A Lecture Upon Love’ the poet calls the poem ‘a Lecture Upon the shadow’. What is the effect that this has on our reading of the poem?
Answer:
How do the shadows before noon differ from the shadows after noon? What do the two kinds of shadow represent?
The shadows before noon are described as “Two shadowes went / Along with us, which we our selves produc’d.” These shadows are cast behind the lovers as the sun is in front of them, rising towards its zenith. They represent:
- Secrecy and Disguise: These are the things they themselves create to hide their “infant loves” from others (“lest others see”).
- Anxiety and Fear: They could also symbolize the doubts, insecurities, and fears that often accompany the early stages of a relationship, making the lovers cautious and guarded.
- External Obstacles: To some extent, they might also represent external pressures or societal expectations that cause them to keep their love hidden.
The shadows after noon are those that will be created “the other way” if their love begins to “faint, and westwardly decline” (like the setting sun). These shadows will fall in front of them as the light source (their love) diminishes behind them. They represent:
- Deceit and Dishonesty: These shadows will “worke upon our selves, and blind our eyes,” leading to the speaker being “falsely thine” and the beloved disguising her actions.
- Internal Decay: Unlike the earlier shadows that were about hiding from the outside world, these later shadows signify a darkness growing within the relationship itself, obscuring truth and fostering mistrust.
- The End of True Love: These lengthening shadows symbolize the fading of their love and the approach of “night,” the metaphorical end of their relationship.
Love is described as light. What makes the poet talk about shadows?
The poet talks about shadows precisely because love is described as light. Shadows are the absence or obstruction of light. By using the imagery of shadows, the poet effectively illustrates:
- The Stages of Love: The changing position and nature of the shadows mirror the different phases of their relationship, from a hidden beginning to a potential state of open clarity, and finally to the darkness of decay.
- The Obstacles to True Love: The initial shadows represent the things that prevent their love from being fully in the “light” of openness.
- The Consequences of Love’s Decline: The later shadows symbolize the negative outcomes – deceit and blindness – that arise when the “light” of their love diminishes.
- The Contrast with Ideal Love: By contrasting the shadows with the ideal of love as a “growing, or full constant light,” the poet emphasizes what their love should be and the dangers of it becoming something less.
Therefore, shadows serve as a powerful visual and metaphorical tool to explore the complexities of love, highlighting both the hindrances it faces and the consequences of its fading, against the backdrop of its ideal nature as light.
Comment on the use of the image of the shadows for the idea that the poet wants to convey.
The image of shadows is central and highly effective in conveying the poet’s ideas about love’s progression and potential decline.
- Visual and Tangible Metaphor: Shadows are a common and easily understood phenomenon, making the abstract concepts of secrecy, honesty, and decay more tangible and relatable. The reader can visualize the two shadows walking with them and the lengthening shadows that will come later.
- Dynamic Representation of Change: The changing nature of the shadows – from being behind them to being trod upon to appearing in front and lengthening – effectively mirrors the dynamic changes in the relationship. It shows a movement through different stages.
- Symbolism of Obscurity and Truth: Shadows inherently represent a lack of light and clarity, perfectly symbolizing secrecy, disguise, and the blinding effect of deceit within a relationship. Conversely, the absence of shadows at noon represents the ideal of open truthfulness.
- Sense of Foreboding: The description of the lengthening shadows after noon creates a sense of warning and foreboding about what will happen if their love weakens. The image foreshadows the darkness and deception to come.
- Connection to Time and Love’s Duration: The association of shadows with the sun’s movement throughout the day subtly links the state of their love to the passage of time and the potential shortness of “love’s day” if it decays.
In conclusion, the image of shadows is a powerful and multifaceted metaphor that effectively embodies the poet’s philosophical exploration of love’s journey, the obstacles it faces, and the consequences of its decline, making the poem’s message both vivid and thought-provoking.
The poet seems to be addressing his beloved in the poem. What is the message he wishes to convey to her?
The poet’s message to his beloved is a plea for their love to move beyond secrecy and embrace open honesty and clarity. He argues that:
- Their initial need for disguise and hiddenness (“morning shadows”) should now be overcome, as their love has grown.
- They are at a crucial point (“noon”) where they can choose to be completely open with each other.
- If they fail to maintain this openness and their love weakens (“westwardly decline”), they will create new shadows of deceit that will harm their relationship from within.
- True love is like a constant light that should either grow or remain fully bright. If it decays, it will quickly descend into darkness and falsehood.
Essentially, he is urging his beloved to be brave and honest in their love, to shed any remaining need for secrecy, and to nurture their connection so that it remains in the “light” of truth, thus preventing the growth of destructive “shadows” of deceit and the eventual “night” of their love’s end.
Instead of ‘A Lecture Upon Love’ the poet calls the poem ‘a Lecture Upon the shadow’. What is the effect that this has on our reading of the poem?
Calling the poem “A Lecture Upon the Shadow” instead of “A Lecture Upon Love” has a significant effect on our reading:
- Shifts the Focus: It immediately draws our attention to the shadow as the central subject of the “lecture,” rather than love itself. This makes us consider the different kinds of shadows and their implications for love.
- Intrigue and Paradox: It creates a sense of intrigue and perhaps even paradox. We expect a poem titled “Lecture Upon Love” to directly discuss the positive aspects of love. By focusing on the shadow, the poet suggests that understanding the negative aspects, the things that obscure or threaten love, is crucial to understanding love itself.
- Emphasizes the Negative Potential: It subtly highlights the potential for love to be accompanied by secrecy, anxiety, and ultimately, deceit and decay (the “shadows”). It’s a reminder that love is not always purely light and can have its darker aspects.
- Highlights the Ephemeral Nature: Shadows are transient and dependent on light. By focusing on the shadow, the title might also subtly emphasize the potentially fleeting nature of love if not nurtured in the “light” of honesty.
- A More Nuanced Exploration: It suggests that the poem will not be a straightforward celebration of love but rather a more nuanced exploration that considers its complexities, including the things that can hinder or destroy it.
In essence, the title “A Lecture Upon the Shadow” encourages us to read the poem not just as a discourse on love, but as an analysis of the forces that can obscure, distort, and ultimately extinguish it. It makes us pay closer attention to the imagery of shadows and their metaphorical significance in understanding the true nature and potential pitfalls of love.
Language Work
1. Notice the spelling of the following words
houres
noone
shadowes
Sunne
clearnesse
behinde
The ‘e’ that was used in Donne’s period got dropped from English orthography later. Pick out the other words in the poem that have this peculiar feature
2. Take note also that the apostrophe is not used for indicating the possessive form: loves philosophy.
3. Examples from other poems from this period.
How neatly doe we give one onely name
To parents issue and the sunnes bright starre!
Answer:
1. Other words with the peculiar ‘e’ ending:
Looking through the poem, here are other words that retain the now-dropped ‘e’ at the end, consistent with the spelling conventions of Donne’s period:
- spent (though less consistently with an ‘e’ in that era, it appears here)
- went
- grow (though less consistently with an ‘e’ in that era, it appears here)
- flow
- see
- stay
- make
- blinde
- fainte
- thine
- mine
- away
- grow (again)
- day (appears both with and without a final ‘e’)
- decay
- growing
It’s important to note that spelling was less standardized in the 17th century than it is today. Variations were common, even within the same text. However, the prevalence of the ‘-e’ ending on words that no longer have it is a characteristic feature of Early Modern English.
2. Apostrophe not used for possessive:
You are correct. The phrase “loves philosophy” does not use an apostrophe to indicate the possessive form. In modern English, this would typically be written as “love’s philosophy.” This omission of the apostrophe for the possessive was also a common feature of writing during that period.
3. Examples from other poems of this period:
The example you provided from another poem of the period further illustrates this point:
How neatly doe we give one onely name To parents issue and the sunnes bright starre!
Here, “sunnes bright starre” is used instead of the modern possessive “sun’s bright star.” The final ‘s’ indicates possession without the apostrophe.
In summary:
- Donne’s poem exhibits spelling conventions common in the Early Modern English period, including the now-dropped final ‘e’ on many words.
- The absence of the apostrophe in possessive forms like “loves philosophy” is another characteristic of the writing of that era.
- Your example from another poem confirms that this practice of omitting the possessive apostrophe was not unique to Donne.
These linguistic features provide insight into the evolution of the English language and are important aspects to consider when reading literature from earlier periods.
Try this out
Notice the adjectives in phrases such as ‘infant loves’ and ‘brave clearness’. What is the meaning of these adjectives
(i) in isolation
(ii) as part of these phrases.
Answer:
(i) Meaning in Isolation:
- Infant: In isolation, the adjective ‘infant’ refers to a very young child, typically in the first period of its life before it can walk or talk. It implies newness, immaturity, fragility, and potential for growth.
- Brave: In isolation, the adjective ‘brave’ means courageous, showing no fear of dangerous or difficult things. It suggests boldness, valor, and a willingness to face challenges.
(ii) Meaning as Part of These Phrases:
- ‘infant loves’: When ‘infant’ is used to modify ‘loves’, its meaning shifts metaphorically. It doesn’t literally mean loves that are babies. Instead, it conveys the following:
- New and Beginning: The loves are in their early stages, recently born or developed.
- Immature and Undeveloped: They haven’t reached their full potential or strength.
- Fragile and Vulnerable: These new feelings are delicate and easily harmed.
- Having Potential for Growth: Just like an infant grows into an adult, these loves have the capacity to mature and deepen.
- ‘brave clearnesse’: When ‘brave’ is used to modify ‘clearnesse’, it doesn’t mean the clearness itself is courageous. Instead, it modifies the nature of the clearness that the speaker desires and envisions:
- Bold and Unflinching: The clearness is not hesitant or timid but faces scrutiny openly.
- Honest and Without Fear: It suggests a state of the relationship where they are unafraid to be completely truthful and transparent with each other.
- Confronting and Overcoming Obstacles: The “clearnesse” might be brave because it involves shedding the “shadowes” of secrecy and facing the potential vulnerabilities of open love.