Class 12 NCERT English Kaleidoscope Poerty Lesson 5 Trees Question and answer.
Responding to the poem
1. What imagery does the poet use to delineate Summer’s day more picturesquely than any painter could?
2. What do you understand by ‘Psalteries of Summer?
3. In which lines are creatures attributed with human qualities? How does this ass to the beauty of the Summer’s day?
4. How would you explain the image of the ‘Hindered Flags’?
5. Why are the pronouns referring to the Sun Capitalised?
6. give examples from the poem to show that great poetry is a result of close observation of natural phenomena.
Answer
✅ Language Study: “Dulcimer”
A dulcimer is a traditional stringed musical instrument that is played by striking the strings with small, light hammers (called mallets). It has a sweet, melodic sound, which is reflected in its name — derived from the Latin dulcis (meaning “sweet”) and the Greek melos (meaning “song” or “melody”).
🎵 Cultural and Geographical Usage:
- In Europe: Known as the hammered dulcimer, popular in folk music (e.g., in Hungary, Romania, and the British Isles).
- In China: The instrument is called the yangqin (洋琴), which is a form of the dulcimer introduced from the West but adapted into Chinese classical music.
✨ In Kubla Khan:
When Coleridge describes:
“A damsel with a dulcimer…”
He is invoking the image of an exotic, mystical musician — an Abyssinian (Ethiopian) maiden — playing a magical melody. The instrument helps set a dreamlike, romantic, and musical atmosphere, symbolizing poetic inspiration.
Language Study
You came across ‘dulcimer’ in the poem ‘Kubla khan’. Did you note down ‘Psaltery as another musical instrument? They are very similar. Look up the illustrations for the two in an illustrated dictionary. Find out in what ways they are different from one another.
Answer:
🔸 1. Dulcimer
- A string instrument where strings are stretched over a trapezoidal soundboard.
- Played by striking the strings with small, light hammers (called mallets).
- Produces a melodic, ringing sound.
- Common in: Eastern Europe (hammered dulcimer) and China (yangqin).
🖼️ Shape: Trapezoid
🎵 Played by: Striking with hammers
🔸 2. Psaltery
- Also a string instrument, more ancient, often shaped like a flat harp or box.
- Played by plucking the strings with fingers or a plectrum (pick).
- Has a softer, more harp-like tone.
- Used in: Ancient Greece, medieval Europe, and the Middle East.
🖼️ Shape: Often triangular, rectangular, or wing-shaped
🎵 Played by: Plucking the strings
🔍 Key Differences:
| Feature | Dulcimer | Psaltery |
|---|---|---|
| Playing method | Struck with hammers | Plucked with fingers or a pick |
| Sound | Rhythmic, percussive, ringing | Soft, melodic, harp-like |
| Origin | Later (medieval/early modern) | Much older (ancient) |
| Appearance | Trapezoid, raised bridge | Flat, box or triangle-shaped |
📝 Conclusion: While both are stringed instruments and may look similar at first glance, they differ in their method of playing, tone, and historical context. The dulcimer, mentioned in Kubla Khan, adds a sense of rhythm and mysticism, while the psaltery would evoke a more sacred or ancient sound.