Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 2 – Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Important Question Answers from Woven Words Book
Class 11 English (Elective) Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Important Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 2- Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds? Look no further! Our comprehensive compilation of important questions will help you brush up on your subject knowledge. Practising Class 11 English question answers can significantly improve your performance in the exam. Improve your chances of scoring high marks by exploring Poem 2 – Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds 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.
- Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds NCERT Solutions
- Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Extract Based Questions
- Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Multiple Choice Questions
- Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Extra Question Answers
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Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Textbook Questions (NCERT Solutions)
The following two common words are used in a different sense in the poem. Guess what they mean
bark
Compass
Ans.
“Bark” refers to a boat or ship, particularly one that might be wandering or lost at sea.
“Compass” refers to the range, reach, or circumference of something, in this case, the destructive power of Time’s sickle.
UNDERSTANDING THE POEM
1. ‘Constancy’ is the theme of the poem. Indicate the words, phrases and images that suggest the theme.
Ans. The theme of ‘constancy’ in the poem is strongly suggested by numerous words, phrases, and images. The very first lines, “Admit impediments. Love is not love / Which alters when it alteration finds, / Or bends with the remover to remove,” immediately establish that true love is defined by its unchanging nature. The most prominent image is “an ever-fixed mark / That looks on tempests and is never shaken,” which evokes a lighthouse or a steadfast beacon. This is reinforced by “the star to every wandering bark,” portraying love as an unmoving guide. The phrase “Love’s not Time’s fool” directly states its imperviousness to change over time, and “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks” reiterates this. Finally, the ultimate declaration that love “bears it out even to the edge of doom” solidifies its eternal and unwavering nature.
2. Why do you think the poet has used so many ‘negatives’ to make his statement?
Ans. The poet uses so many ‘negatives’ (“Let me not,” “Love is not love,” “Love alters not,” “Love’s not Time’s fool,” “never writ, nor no man ever loved”) to make his statement forcefully and unequivocally. By defining what love is not, he systematically dismantles common misconceptions or weaknesses often associated with lesser forms of affection. This technique creates a powerful contrast, emphasizing the absolute and pure nature of true love by showing what it can endure and what cannot diminish it. It establishes a standard for love by excluding anything that falls short of that ideal, building a robust and resilient definition.
3. What does the line ‘I never writ, nor no man ever loved’ imply?
Ans. The line “I never writ, nor no man ever loved” is a highly emphatic and hyperbolic statement that underscores the speaker’s absolute certainty in his definition of love. It implies that if his description of love as constant and eternal is proven wrong, then the very foundation of his existence as a poet (his writing) becomes meaningless, and the universal human experience of love, as he understands it, simply does not exist. It’s a rhetorical flourish that challenges anyone to disprove his profound conviction by asserting that the consequences would invalidate fundamental aspects of human experience and his own purpose.
4. Love is presented as the subject or doer of actions in the poem. Why do you think the poet has used this form rather than involving human agents?
Ans. Love is presented as the subject or doer of actions in the poem (e.g., “Love is not love,” “Love alters not,” “Love’s not Time’s fool”) rather than involving human agents to elevate love beyond a mere human emotion or feeling. By personifying love as an independent entity, the poet emphasizes its inherent, objective qualities and its status as a universal, immutable force. This approach suggests that true love exists as a powerful, enduring principle, independent of the flaws, weaknesses, or changing desires of individual human beings. It transforms love from a subjective experience into an abstract, constant ideal.
5. Explain the phrases
a. his bending sickle’s compass
b. Time’s fool
Ans. a. his bending sickle’s compass: This phrase refers to the destructive power of Time, personified as a reaper wielding a sickle (a curved blade used for cutting crops). The “compass” here means the range or scope of its reach. So, “his bending sickle’s compass” describes the destructive domain or reach of Time, signifying that physical beauty and youth eventually fall within Time’s power to cut down and cause to decay, like ripe crops being harvested.
b. Time’s fool: This phrase means something that is easily mocked, defeated, or made a victim of by Time. If love were “Time’s fool,” it would be subject to Time’s changes and ultimately destroyed by it, just as a jester or “fool” is subservient to a king’s whims. The poet asserts that true love is not this, implying its supreme resilience against the passage of time.
TRY THIS OUT
This poem is a Shakespearean sonnet.
1. What do you understand by a sonnet?
Ans. A sonnet is a fourteen-line lyrical poem, traditionally written in iambic pentameter, which follows a specific rhyme scheme and structural pattern. The term “sonnet” comes from the Italian word “sonetto,” meaning “little song.” Sonnets are typically characterized by their concise length, the exploration of a single, concentrated thought or emotion, and their tightly structured form. They often feature a “turn” or volta—a shift in argument, mood, or perspective—which typically occurs around the eighth or ninth line, providing a resolution or counter-argument to the poem’s initial premise.
2. Look at some other sonnets and notice the variations in the structure of the sonnet that are possible.
Ans. While all sonnets are fourteen lines long, there are two primary structures that exhibit variations. The most common types are the Shakespearean (or English) sonnet and the Petrarchan (or Italian) sonnet. A Shakespearean sonnet, like “Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds,” is structured into three quatrains (four-line stanzas) and a concluding couplet (two-line stanza), with a rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD EFEF GG. The volta or turn in a Shakespearean sonnet typically occurs before the final couplet, offering a summary or a new insight.
In contrast, a Petrarchan sonnet is divided into an octave (eight lines) rhyming ABBAABBA, followed by a sestet (six lines) which can have various rhyme schemes like CDECDE, CDCDCD, or CDEDCE. The volta in a Petrarchan sonnet typically occurs between the octave and the sestet, marking a shift from a problem or question posed in the octave to a resolution or answer in the sestet. Other variations exist, such as the Spenserian sonnet (linking rhymes between quatrains: ABAB BCBC CDCD EE) or the modern sonnet, which might deviate from strict meter or rhyme but maintains the fourteen-line structure.
CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 2 Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Extract-Based Questions
A.
Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.
Q1. What does the speaker refuse to admit into “the marriage of true minds”?
Ans. The speaker refuses to admit impediments or obstacles/hindrances into the union of truly compatible and loving individuals.
Q2. What is the speaker’s definition of what love is not in this stanza?
Ans. The speaker defines what love is not by stating it is not genuine if it changes when circumstances change (“alters when it alteration finds”) or if it yields and disappears when someone tries to end it (“bends with the remover to remove”).
Q3. What kind of “minds” are united in the “marriage” referred to?
Ans. The “minds” referred to are “true minds,” implying individuals who are sincerely, genuinely, and deeply connected in their thoughts, feelings, and commitment.
Q4. What characteristic of true love is emphasized by the lines “Which alters when it alteration finds, / Or bends with the remover to remove”?
Ans. These lines emphasize the constancy and unwavering nature of true love, highlighting that it does not change or diminish in the face of challenges or attempts to break it.
Q5. What does the word “remover” mean in the stanza of “bends with the remover to remove”?
Ans. In this stanza, “remover” refers to someone or something that attempts to take away, separate, or destroy the love between two people.
B.
That looks on tempests and is never shaken;
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.
Q1. What is the primary characteristic of love emphasized in the line “That looks on tempests and is never shaken”?
Ans. The primary characteristic emphasized is love’s unwavering steadfastness and resilience in the face of difficulties or challenges.
Q2. What does the image of “tempests” symbolize in this context?
Ans. “Tempests” symbolize severe storms, tribulations, or profound difficulties that a relationship might encounter, implying external pressures or internal turmoil.
Q3. To what is love compared in the line “It is the star to every wandering bark”?
Ans. Love is compared to a guiding star that provides direction and stability to a lost or undirected ship (“wandering bark”).
Q4. What does “wandering bark” refer to metaphorically?
Ans. “Wandering bark” metaphorically refers to a lost or uncertain soul, a person, or perhaps a relationship that needs guidance and a stable point of reference.
Q5. Explain the meaning of “Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken.”
Ans. This line means that the true value or profound significance of love (like a guiding star) is immeasurable and beyond comprehension, even though its presence or position (like a star’s height in the sky, which can be measured for navigation) is observable or acknowledged. It highlights that love’s worth transcends any attempt at quantification.
C.
Love’s not Time’s fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickle’s compass come;
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom.
Q1. What does the phrase “Time’s fool” suggest about something that is affected by Time?
Ans. The phrase “Time’s fool” suggests that something is easily mocked, defeated, or made insignificant by the passage of time. If something is “Time’s fool”, it means it is completely at the mercy of Time’s destructive power and eventually succumbs to decay or oblivion.
Q2. What aspects of human existence are represented by “rosy lips and cheeks” in this stanza?
Ans. “Rosy lips and cheeks” represent physical beauty, youth, and the vibrant, fresh appearance of a person. These are characteristics that are inherently transient and susceptible to the effects of aging and decay brought about by Time.
Q3. Explain the meaning of “Within his bending sickle’s compass come.”
Ans. This phrase means that “rosy lips and cheeks” (i.e., physical beauty and youth) will eventually fall within the reach or power of Time’s destructive force. “His” refers to Time, personified as a harvester wielding a “bending sickle,” a tool used to cut down crops, symbolizing death and decay. Thus, it signifies that physical attributes are mortal and will succumb to Time’s inevitable progress.
Q4. How does the stanza emphasize the enduring nature of love despite the effects of Time?
Ans. The stanza emphasizes love’s enduring nature by stating, “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,” directly contrasting it with things that decay over time. It further strengthens this by saying love “bears it out even to the edge of doom” implying that love withstands all challenges and lasts eternally, until the very end of existence, unlike fleeting physical beauty.
Q5. What is the central message about love conveyed in this stanza?
Ans. The central message about love in this stanza is its absolute constancy and immortality. It asserts that true love is not subject to the passage of time or the decay that time brings to physical things, but rather it endures perpetually, remaining unwavering and unchanging until the end of all things.
D.
If this be error, and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved.
Q1. What is the speaker challenging the reader or any opposing view to do in these lines?
Ans. The speaker is challenging anyone to prove that his definition or understanding of love (as constant and unwavering, as described in the preceding lines) is incorrect or “error”.
Q2. What extreme consequence does the speaker propose will result if his definition of love is proven wrong?
Ans. He proposes two extreme consequences: that he has never truly written any poetry , and that no one in human history has ever truly experienced genuine love.
Q3. What literary device is prominently used in the speaker’s claim “I never writ, nor no man ever loved”?
Ans. The primary literary device used here is hyperbole, which is an extreme exaggeration used for emphasis or effect.
Q4. What does this concluding couplet reveal about the speaker’s confidence in his definition of love?
Ans. The couplet reveals an absolute and unwavering confidence in his definition. He is so certain of his truth about love that he is willing to negate his entire existence as a writer and the universal experience of love if proven wrong, indicating profound conviction.
Q5. How does this couplet serve as a powerful conclusion to the sonnet’s argument about love?
Ans. This couplet acts as a definitive and emphatic conclusion by reinforcing the speaker’s assertion of love’s eternal and immutable nature. It leaves the reader with a strong, undeniable statement, challenging any doubt and elevating his definition of love to an unassailable truth.
Class 11 Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Multiple Choice Questions
Q1. What does the phrase “marriage of true minds” most likely refer to in the sonnet?
A. A legal wedding ceremony between two individuals.
B. A deep spiritual and intellectual bond between two people.
C. A friendship that has lasted for many years.
D. The union of ideas in a philosophical debate.
Ans. B. A deep spiritual and intellectual bond between two people.
Q2. According to the speaker, what is an “impediment” in the context of true love?
A. Any external obstacle or challenge that lovers face.
B. The physical separation of the beloveds.
C. A disagreement or argument between the lovers.
D. A reason or factor that causes genuine love to alter or disappear.
Ans. D. A reason or factor that causes genuine love to alter or disappear.
Q3. The sonnet states that love “alters when it alteration finds.” What does this line imply about genuine love?
A. True love changes and adapts to new situations.
B. True love remains constant despite changes in circumstances.
C. Love can be modified by the will of the lovers.
D. Love only thrives in stable and unchanging environments.
Ans. B. True love remains constant despite changes in circumstances.
Q4. What does the speaker mean by “bends with the remover to remove”?
A. True love is flexible and can adapt to separation.
B. Love that is easily destroyed by outside interference.
C. Genuine love does not diminish or disappear when one partner withdraws or tries to end the relationship.
D. Love is resilient and can overcome any obstacle.
Ans. C. Genuine love does not diminish or disappear when one partner withdraws or tries to end the relationship.
Q5. What is the primary characteristic of true love described in the first quatrain?
A. Its unwavering and constant nature
B. Its ability to grow over time
C. Its passionate intensity
D. Its requirement for mutual attraction
Ans. A. Its unwavering and constant nature.
Q6. To what does the speaker compare love in the line “it is an ever-fixed mark”?
A. A clock that never stops ticking.
B. A solid foundation of a building.
C. A lighthouse or navigational beacon that guides ships.
D. A scar that never fades.
Ans. C. A lighthouse or navigational beacon that guides ships.
Q7. What do “tempests” symbolize in the line “That looks on tempests and is never shaken”?
A. Physical storms and natural disasters.
B. Emotional turmoil or difficult challenges in a relationship.
C. The passage of time and aging.
D. External criticism or societal disapproval.
Ans. B. Emotional turmoil or difficult challenges in a relationship.
Q8. What does love act as in the metaphor “It is the star to every wandering bark”?
A. Source of light in the darkness
B. Symbol of unchanging beauty
C. Reliable guide and constant point of reference
D. Distant and unattainable ideal
Ans. C. Reliable guide and constant point of reference.
Q9. What is implied by the line “Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken”?
A. The true depth of love is immeasurable, even if its presence can be observed.
B. Love’s value can be precisely measured and quantified.
C. Love is valuable only if it is publicly acknowledged.
D. Love loses its value if one tries to analyze it too deeply.
Ans. A. The true depth of love is immeasurable, even if its presence can be observed.
Q10. How does the sonnet portray love’s relationship with “Time”?
A. Love is strengthened by the passage of time.
B. Love is ultimately defeated by the destructive power of time.
C. Love is unaffected by time, enduring even as physical beauty fades.
D. Time helps to reveal the true nature of love.
Ans. C. Love is unaffected by time, enduring even as physical beauty fades.
Q11. What do “rosy lips and cheeks” symbolize in the sonnet?
A. The innocence of youth
B. The fleeting nature of physical beauty and youth
C. The vibrant health of a person
D. The superficial aspects of attraction
Ans. B. The fleeting nature of physical beauty and youth
Q12. What is the “bending sickle” a classical symbol of?
A. Harvest and abundance
B. Justice and fairness
C. The destructive power of time and death
D. Hard work and agricultural labor
Ans. C. The destructive power of time and death.
Q13. When the sonnet says “Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,” what is it emphasizing about love?
A. Love grows stronger with each passing moment.
B. Love is a temporary emotion that fades quickly.
C. True love is impervious to the short-term changes and effects of time.
D. The duration of love is dependent on human will.
Ans. C. True love is impervious to the short-term changes and effects of time.
Q14. What does “bears it out even to the edge of doom” signify about true love?
A. Love causes distress and suffering until the end.
B. Love is a temporary state that ends with death.
C. Love leads to an inevitable tragic outcome.
D. True love endures eternally, surviving until the end of time or beyond death.
Ans. D. True love endures eternally, surviving until the end of time or beyond death.
Q15. What is the main theme of Sonnet 116?
A. The enduring, unchanging, and constant nature of true love.
B. The destructive power of time.
C. The fleeting nature of beauty and youth.
D. The importance of marriage in society.
Ans. A. The enduring, unchanging, and constant nature of true love.
Q16. What literary device is prominently used in the comparison of love to an “ever-fixed mark” and a “star”?
A. Personification
B. Hyperbole
C. Simile
D. Metaphor
Ans. D. Metaphor
Q17. In the final couplet, what does the speaker claim will be false if his definition of love is incorrect?
A. That his beloved truly loves him.
B. That he has ever written anything, and that no man has ever truly loved.
C. That poetry has any meaning or value.
D. That time has any power over beauty.
Ans. B. That he has ever written anything, and that no man has ever truly loved.
Q18. Which of the following best describes the tone of the sonnet?
A. Cynical and pessimistic
B. Uncertain and questioning
C. Authoritative and idealistic
D. Melancholy and sorrowful
Ans. C. Authoritative and idealistic
Q19. What kind of love is the sonnet primarily describing?
A. Conditional love based on external factors.
B. Fleeting romantic infatuation.
C. An ideal, unwavering, and enduring love.
D. Familial love between relatives.
Ans. C. An ideal, unwavering, and enduring love.
Q20. What is the structure of the sonnet “Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds”?
A. It is written in free verse with no set rhyme scheme or meter.
B. Three quatrains and a concluding couplet, with an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme.
C. An octave and a sestet, with an ABBAABBA CDECDE rhyme scheme.
D. A series of rhyming couplets.
Ans. B. Three quatrains and a concluding couplet, with an ABAB CDCD EFEF GG rhyme scheme.
CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 2 – Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds Extra Question and Answers
Answer the following questions.
Q1. What does the speaker mean by “Admit impediments” in the first line?
Ans. In the first line, “Admit impediments” means to allow or acknowledge obstacles, difficulties, or reasons that would prevent or stand in the way of a true and lasting union between two minds or people. The speaker is declaring that he will not permit such things to interfere with genuine love.
Q2. What two things does the sonnet compare true love to, in order to emphasize its constancy?
Ans. The sonnet compares true love to an “ever-fixed mark” (like a lighthouse or a navigational beacon) and to a “star to every wandering bark.” Both metaphors highlight love’s unwavering nature, serving as a steady guide that is not affected by external forces or changes.
Q3. How does the sonnet suggest that love is different from physical beauty in relation to time?
Ans. The sonnet suggests that love is not “Time’s fool,” meaning it is not subject to the destructive effects of time. While physical beauty (“rosy lips and cheeks”) will eventually fade and succumb to time’s “bending sickle,” true love “alters not with his brief hours and weeks” and endures “even to the edge of doom.” It implies that love is eternal, unlike transient physical appearance.
Q4. What is the significance of the phrase “Whose worth’s unknown, although his height be taken”?
Ans. This phrase refers to the guiding star. It means that while the star’s position or altitude can be measured by navigators (“height be taken”), its true value or importance as a reliable guide for lost ships is immeasurable and beyond quantifiable worth (“worth’s unknown”). It emphasizes the invaluable and constant nature of true love.
Q5. What strong statement does the speaker make in the concluding couplet to assert the truth of his definition of love?
Ans. In the concluding couplet, the speaker makes a very strong declaration: “If this be error, and upon me proved, / I never writ, nor no man ever loved.” He essentially states that if his definition of true, unchanging love is incorrect or can be disproven, then he has never written anything meaningful, and no one has ever experienced true love. This emphasizes his absolute conviction in his understanding of love.