Class 12 English (Elective) Poem 1 – A Lecture Upon the Shadow Important Question Answers from Kaleidoscope Book Poetry
Class 12 English (Elective) Poems by Blake Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Poem 2 – A Lecture Upon the Shadow? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 12 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Poem 1 – A Lecture Upon the Shadow now. The questions listed below are based on the latest CBSE exam pattern, wherein we have given NCERT solutions to the chapter’s extract-based questions, multiple choice questions and Extra Question Answers
Also, practising with different kinds of questions can help students learn new ways to solve problems that they may not have seen before. This can ultimately lead to a deeper understanding of the subject matter and better performance on exams.
- A Lecture Upon the Shadow NCERT Solutions
- A Lecture Upon the Shadow Grammar Exercise
- A Lecture Upon the Shadow Extra Question Answers
- A Lecture Upon the Shadow Multiple Choice Questions
- A Lecture Upon the Shadow Extract Based Questions
Related:
A Lecture Upon the Shadow Textbook Questions (NCERT Solutions)
Understanding the Poem
1. How do the shadows before noon differ from the shadows after noon? What do the two kinds of shadow represent?
Ans. The two shadows before and after the noon time represent the problems and conflicts the poet and his beloved have in their relationship. Though the shadows before noon that were behind them or too small to tread on, they didn’t bother them. These shadows represent small disputes and conflicts. Their love is at the highest level as they trust each other to fight against anything, conflicts don’t bother them. Moreover, they help to protect them from others. The shadows after noon grow longer and don’t affect others but the lovers and their relationship, eventually leading to the death of their relationship. These shadows represent falsehoods and duplicity.
2. Love is described as light. What makes the poet talk about shadows?
Ans. The whole poem is a conceit as the ‘light’ depicts the different stages of relationship and the shadows represent the problem in their relationship like falsehoods and duplicity, which eventually leads to the end of their relationship. As the light is in its brilliance, their love too reaches its highest peak, though there are small conflicts, but that doesn’t bother them. It is only after noon, the light of their relationship dims as their conflicts turn into falsehoods and duplicity, with these shadows growing longer and eventually leading to the end of their relationship.
3. Comment on the use of the image of the shadows for the idea that the poet wants to convey.
Ans. John Donne has used the image of ‘shadows’ to depict the conflicts in the relationship of the poet and his beloved. Before noon, their love was so strong that they were walking ahead unbothered and leaving behind these ‘shadows’. Afternoon, the light of their love fades away with these ‘shadows’ becoming longer, turning into falsehoods and duplicity, eventually leading to the ‘night’ or the death of their love or relationship. The length of these shadows grows with time, so does love, if their love remains the same in all the stages.
4. The poet seems to be addressing his beloved in the poem. What is the message he wishes to convey to her?
Ans. The poet explains to his beloved the different stages of Love with time. At the initial stage, their love is all in its brilliance, but with time, it fades away with the problems. Love grows with time as do the shadows, but if the light of their love fades away because of their falsehood and duplicity, these shadows will eventually lead to the death of the relationship.
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?
Ans. Through the emphasis on ‘shadow’ over ‘love’, the poet gives importance to fighting against these shadows and their ignorance towards them, which eventually led them to grow longer, affecting their relationship or love. The love between the poet and his beloved depends on how they fight against these shadows, not letting them affect their relationship.
A Lecture Upon the Shadow Grammar Exercises
Language Work
1. Notice the spelling of the following words
| houres | shadowes | Sunne |
| noone | 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.
Ans. The other words that have this peculiar feature are:
Blinde
Worke
Doe
Loves
2. Take note also that the apostrophe is not used for indicating the possessive form: loves philosophy.
Ans. The English orthography during Donne’s period didn’t use apostrophes while using possessive forms like ‘loves philosophy’, while they are used for contraction like in ‘reduc’d’.
3. Examples from other poems from this period:
- How neatly doe we give one onely name
- To parents issue and the sunnes bright starre!
Ans. The extra ‘e’ in ‘do’ and ‘only’.
The apostrophe in possessive form is not used in ‘parent’s issue’ and the ‘sun’s’.
Try this out
Notice the adjectives in phrases such as ‘infant loves’ and ‘brave clearnesse’. What is the meaning of these adjectives?
(i) in isolation
(ii) as part of these phrases.
Ans.
(i) Infant: newborn baby
Brave: ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage.
(ii) In ‘Infant loves’, infant means that the poet and his beloved’s love was at its initial stage. The love at this stage is pure, without any deception.
‘brave clearnesse’ means that the poet and his beloved are brave enough to fight against anything as they are clear about each other.
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Poem 1 – A Lecture Upon the Shadow Extra Question and Answers
Answer the following questions.
Q1. Describe the Personification used to describe love?
Ans. The human qualities are given to love in the phrases ‘Loves faint’ and ‘love decay’ as their love fades away. In the phrase ‘loves day’ the poet is giving the day itself the ability to express love, just like a person would. The love is personified as a human in the last lines, as he is growing and in full constant light, ‘his first minute’ after noon is night. The possessive pronoun used for love in ‘his first minute’ shows love is personified as a human.
Q2. Describe the different connotations used for shadows?
Ans. In John Donne’s “A Lecture Upon the Shadow,” he shifts the word “shadows” to reflect its varied connotations in the seventeenth century. Antanaclasis is a rhetorical device that involves repeating a word in a sentence with different meanings. This technique enriches the poem’s meditative structure by transitioning from literal shadows cast by the lovers to allegorical shadows representing their hidden truths and the disguises they wear. These new shadows symbolise potential falsehoods and duplicity that could threaten their relationship. The poet ultimately warns that such disguises may lead to a spiritual downfall, where the lovers fall from truth into darkness.
Q3. What are the different stages of Love in John Donne’s ‘A Lecture Upon Shadow’?
Ans. The poet explains to his beloved the different stages of Love with time. At the initial stage, their love is all in its brilliance, but with time, it fades away with the problems. Love grows with time as do the shadows, but if the light of their love fades away because of their falsehood and duplicity, these shadows will eventually lead to the death of the relationship.
Q4. What does the poet mean by ‘westwardly decline’?
Ans. The reference to ‘westwardly decline’ means that their love is fading, eventually leading to shadows to grow longer. It also means that these deceptions won’t let them see each other. If the lovers turn away from this unity and begin to dissemble, they will then forsake the light of truth for blindness, error, and duplicity.
Q5. What does the poet want to emphasise about in the couplet?
Ans. The love keeps on growing in all intensity and brilliance, but if that light fades away, it’s the death of their love, ‘the night’. The emphasis on the fleeting nature of love through ‘loves day is short’ by comparing the cyclical nature of day, to eventually ‘decay’ and end as a night has been reinforced in the couplet.
Class 12 A Lecture Upon the Shadow Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. Who is the poet talking to?
A. Readers
B. Himself
C. Beloved
D. His shadow
Ans. C. Beloved
Q2. What does the poet tell his beloved to do?
A. To look at herself
B. To sit
C. Stand still
D. To look at the sun
Ans. C. Stand still
Q3. What was the topic of the poet’s lecture?
A. Love
B. Shadows
C. Sun
D. Noon
Ans. A. Love
Q4. How much time did the poet spend with her?
A. Half an hour
B. Three hours
C. Lifetime
D. Two hours
Ans. B. Three hours
Q5. Who was walking along with the poet and his beloved?
A. Disguises
B. No one
C. Their love
D. Their shadows
Ans. D. Their shadows
Q6. In which direction would their love go if it faded?
A. North
B. Westwardly
C. West
D. East
Ans. B. Westwardly
Q7. What would happen to the new shadows if their love faded?
A. It won’t affect the shadows
B. Shadows became longer
C. Shadows no longer exist
D. Shadows became smaller
Ans. B. Shadows became longer
Q8. What type of poetry is ‘A Lecture Upon the Shadow’?
A. Ballad
B. Narrative Poetry
C. Dramatic Poetry
D. Lyrical Poetry
Ans. D. Lyrical Poetry
Q9. Which of the following poetic devices is used for the varied connotations for shadows by John Donne in his poem ‘A Lecture Upon the Shadow’?
A. Alliteration
B. Imagery
C. Antanaclasis
D. Metaphor
Ans. C. Antanaclasis
Q10. What do shadows represent in John Donne’s poem ‘A Lecture Upon the Shadow’?
A. Disagreements and conflicts
B. Two people
C. Liking
D. Love
Ans. A. Disagreements and conflicts
Q11. What does light represent in John Donne’s poem ‘A Lecture Upon the Shadow’?
A. Disagreements and conflicts
B. Love
C. Admiration
D. Liking
Ans. B. Love
Q12. What does the night represent in the poem ‘A Lecture Upon the Shadow’?
A. Bedtime
B. Night-time
C. Death of their love or relationship
D. Their lifelong love or relationship
Ans. C. Death of their love or relationship
Q13. What can create problems in their relationship?
A. Trust
B. Love
C. Falsehood and duplicity
D. Ignorance
Ans. C. Falsehood and duplicity
Q14. Which poetic device used in the couplet of John Donne’s poem ‘A Lecture Upon the Shadow’?
A. Metaphor
B. Alliteration
C. Imagery
D. Personification
Ans. D. Personification
Q15. Where are the new shadows formed?
A. Small enough to walk on them
B. They no longer exist
C. Behind them
D. In front of them
Ans. D. In front of them
Q16. Where were the old shadows formed?
A. Walking in front of them
B. Behind them
C. In front of them
D. They never existed
Ans. B. Behind them
Q17. To whom do the new shadows affect?
A. The poet and his beloved
B. Extended family
C. Society
D. Relatives
Ans. A. The poet and his beloved
Q18. How do the old shadows help the poet and his beloved?
A. To show their love to others
B. To make others jealous of them
C. To hide their love from others
D. Affecting their love for each other
Ans. C. To hide their love from others
Q19. What happened to the poet and his beloved’s love when the sun was above their head?
A. Love is at its highest peak
B. Death of love
C. Problems in their respective life
D. Problem exists at its highest level
Ans. A. Love is at its highest peak.
Q20. What happened to the poet and his beloved’s love after the noontime?
A. Problem exists but doesn’t bother them
B. Death of love
C. Love is at its highest peak
D. No problem exists
Ans. B. Death of love
CBSE Class 12 English (Elective) Poem 1 A Lecture Upon the Shadow Extract-Based Questions
Answer the following extract-based questions.
A.
Stand still and I will read to thee
A Lecture, Love, in loves philosophy,
These three houres that we have spent,
Walking here, Two shadowes went
Along with us, which we our selves produc’d;
But, now the Sunne is just above our head,
We doe those shadowes tread;
And to brave clearnesse all things are reduc’d.
Q1. Who is the poet referring to in the context ‘Stand still’?
Ans. The poet refers to his beloved when he tells her to stand still.
Q2. What was the lecture about? What did the lecture turn out to be?
Ans. The Lecture was about love, but it turned out to be the lecture on shadows as mentioned in the poem’s title ‘A Lecture Upon the Shadow’.
Q3. Where is the sun while they are walking?
Ans. The sun is above their head while they are walking.
Q4. How many hours did the poet and his beloved spend together?
Ans. The poet and his beloved have spent three hours together.
Q5. What is the Poetic device used in the lines “A Lecture, Love, in loves philosophy’?
Ans. Alliteration is used in the line ‘A Lecture, Love, in loves philosophy’.
B.
So whilst our infant loves did grow,
Disguises did, and shadowes, flow,
From us, and our cares; but now ’tis not so.
That love hath not attain’d the high’st degree,
Which is still diligent lest others see.
Q1. What does the poet mean by ‘infant loves’?
Ans. The poet wants to say by ‘infant loves’ that their love is at an initial stage and it is still growing. Love at this stage is pure, without any disguises.
Q2. What was the poet and his beloved hiding from others?
Ans. The poet and his beloved are hiding their love from others.
Q3. Do the poet and his beloved disguises and shadows bother them in the given context?
Ans. The poet and his beloved, disguises and shadows, don’t bother them at this stage of their love.
Q4. What does the poet mean by the following line: ‘Disguises did, and shadowes, flow,/From us, and our cares; but now ’tis not so.’?
Ans. At the initial stage of their love, there were potential falsehoods and duplicity, but that doesn’t bother them as their love and care for each other is strong enough to flow through them.
Q5. What is the poetic device used in ‘infant loves did grow’?
Ans. The poet has used the metaphor ‘infant loves did grow’ to compare love to an infant that’s growing. Love is at its initial stage, which is pure and still developing.
C.
Except our loves at this noone stay,
We shall new shadowes make the other way.
As the first were made to blinde
Others; these which come behinde
Will worke upon our selves, and blind our eyes.
Q1. Why are shadows referred to as ‘new’?
Ans. The shadows are referred to as new because it’s noon time, the shadows behind them no longer exist. There are new shadows formed, but in front of them.
Q2. What do the first shadows do to others?
Ans. The first shadows make the other people blind, protecting the poet and his beloved’s love to be seen by them.
Q3. What do the new shadows do to their relationship?
Ans. The new shadows will affect their love and relationship, eventually blinding their eyes with their falsehoods and conflicts.
Q4. What is the poetic device used in ‘Will worke’?
Ans. The Poetic device used in ‘Will Worke’ is alliteration.
Q5. What does the poet mean by the line ‘Except our loves at this noone stay’?
Ans. As long as there is love in their relationship, their love will stay at noon, as after noon, there will be new shadows, symbolising falsehoods and duplicity, eventually leading to the night or death of their love.
D.
If our loves faint, and westwardly decline;
To me thou, falsely thine;
And I to thee mine actions shall disguise.
The morning shadowes were away,
But these grow longer all the day,
But oh, loves day is short, if love decay.
Love is a growing, or full constant light;
And his first minute, after noone, is night.
Q1. What happened to the new shadows?
Ans. The new shadows are growing longer all day, which means the falsehoods and duplicity have increased, leading to the days of their love to be shorter and eventually decay.
Q2. What happened to the morning shadows?
Ans. The morning shadows don’t exist anymore, and the new shadows are in front of them, affecting their love for each other.
Q3. What does night symbolise in the poem ‘A Lecture Upon the Shadow’?
Ans. The night symbolises the death of their relationship or love.
Q4. What would happen if the love decayed in their relationship?
Ans. The days of love will turn short, if the love in their relationship decay, eventually leading to the night or the death of their relationship.
Q5. What is the poetic device used in the couplet?
Ans. The poetic device used in the couplet is personification. The love is personified as a human in the last lines, as he is growing and in full constant light, ‘his first minute’ after noon is night. The possessive pronoun used for love in ‘his first minute’ shows love is personified as a human.