Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 7 – Hawk Roosting Important Question Answers from Woven Words Book
Class 11 English (Elective) Hawk Roosting Important Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 7- Hawk Roosting? 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 7 – Hawk Roosting 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.
- Hawk Roosting NCERT Solutions
- Hawk Roosting Extract Based Questions
- Hawk Roosting Multiple Choice Questions
- Hawk Roosting Extra Question Answers
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Hawk Roosting Textbook Questions (NCERT Solutions)
Notice the use of the following phrases in the poem and guess what they mean in the context
air’s buoyancy
sophistry in my body
Ans. 1. air’s buoyancy: In this context, “buoyancy” refers to the air’s ability to support the hawk in flight. The hawk appreciates the lightness and lift of the air which aids its effortless soaring and hunting. It suggests that nature itself serves the hawk’s needs.
2. sophistry in my body: “Sophistry” means clever but false reasoning or deceit. The hawk declares it has no “sophistry” in its body, implying it is brutally honest, direct, and unpretentious. It kills and rules without disguise or justification, pure instinct and power.
UNDERSTANDING THE POEM
1. Comment on the physical features of the hawk highlighted in the poem and their significance.
Ans. The hawk’s physical features mentioned in the poem include its hooked head, hooked feet, locked talons, and sharp eyes. These features represent the bird’s predatory nature, its ability to kill swiftly and effectively, and its complete control over its prey. The poet highlights these traits to show the hawk as a symbol of power, dominance, and superiority in the natural world.
2. How does the poem emphasise the physical prowess of the hawk?
Ans. The poem shows the hawk’s confidence in its body and natural abilities. Phrases like “rehearse perfect kills”, “I kill where I please”, and “my manners are tearing off heads” stress its strength and mastery over hunting. The hawk sees itself as a perfect killing machine, designed by creation itself, and this physical strength gives it a sense of complete control and power.
3. ‘There is no sophistry in my body’—this statement expresses the brutal frankness of the hawk. Does the poet suggest something through this statement?
Ans. Yes, the poet suggests that the hawk acts without deception or false justification. It does not pretend to be kind or gentle, it simply kills to survive. This line reflects the hawk’s honest brutality, but it also hints at how some humans, especially leaders or dictators, may hide cruelty behind false reasoning, while the hawk is openly ruthless. The poet may be criticizing power structures that rely on force without guilt or remorse.
4. ‘Now I hold Creation in my foot’—explain the centrality of this assertion in the poem. What makes the hawk’s assertion of its invincibility so categorical?
Ans. This line reflects the hawk’s belief in its absolute power. It claims that all of Creation (life, nature, evolution) exists to support it, and now it controls that creation with its powerful talons. The hawk’s confidence, superiority, and physical dominance make its claim seem final and unquestionable. The poet uses this line to highlight how power can lead to arrogance and a belief in invincibility.
5. Why is the poem entitled ‘Hawk Roosting’?
Ans. The word “roosting” refers to the hawk resting or sitting at the top of the wood, yet its mind is still filled with thoughts of power, control, and domination. The title reflects this quiet moment of rest, which contrasts with the hawk’s violent nature and ego. It also symbolizes how powerful beings may appear calm, but are constantly aware of their strength and authority.
6. Bring out the parallel suggested between the predatory instincts of the bird and human behaviour.
Ans. The poem draws a strong parallel between the hawk’s instincts to dominate and kill and human behaviours driven by the desire for power and control. Just as the hawk believes it owns the world and has the right to kill, some political leaders or dictators think they have the right to rule and destroy without question. The hawk’s lack of empathy or doubt mirrors how some humans use power ruthlessly, believing they are above others or even above nature. The poem acts as a powerful allegory for tyranny, arrogance, and the abuse of power.
TRY THIS OUT
1. Consult a dictionary or an encyclopedia to differentiate between the following birds
| eagle | hawk | kite | vulture |
Ans.
- Eagle: Large bird of prey, powerful build, excellent vision, often seen as noble and majestic. Known for soaring flight and strength.
- Hawk: Medium-sized bird of prey, sharp talons and beak, known for agility and keen vision. Often hunts smaller animals.
- Kite: Light, graceful bird of prey with long wings and forked tail; feeds on carrion and small prey. Known for gliding flight.
- Vulture: Large scavenger bird, bald head, feeds primarily on dead animals. Associated with death but plays a crucial role in ecosystems.
2. To what aspects of human behaviour do the following adjectives apply
| eagle-eyed | hawkish |
Ans. 1. Eagle-eyed: Extremely observant or perceptive; someone who notices small details quickly.
For Example, The editor was eagle-eyed, spotting every tiny mistake in the manuscript.
2. Hawkish: Aggressive or warlike, especially in politics; often refers to someone in favour of military action.
For Example, The senator’s hawkish stance on foreign policy raised concerns about potential conflict.
CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 7 Hawk Roosting Extract-Based Questions and Answers
A.
“I sit in the top of the wood, my eyes closed.
Inaction, no falsifying dream
Between my hooked head and hooked feet:
Or in sleep rehearse perfect kills and eat.”
1. What does the hawk’s position at the top of the wood suggest about its character?
Ans. The hawk’s position at the top of the wood suggests superiority, dominance, and a commanding presence over its environment.
2. What does the hawk mean by ‘no falsifying dream’?
Ans. By ‘no falsifying dream’, the hawk means that it does not indulge in illusions or fantasies, it lives with a clear and direct understanding of its brutal nature.
3. How does the hawk’s sleep differ from human sleep?
Ans. Unlike humans who dream, the hawk uses sleep to rehearse killing and feeding, indicating that its instincts never rest.
4. What do the phrases ‘hooked head’ and ‘hooked feet’ emphasize?
Ans. These phrases emphasize the hawk’s physical features as a predator, with tools perfectly adapted for hunting and killing.
5. What theme is introduced through this opening stanza?
Ans. The theme of natural power, control, and the absence of moral conscience is introduced through the hawk’s self-assured and instinct-driven nature.
B.
“The convenience of the high trees!
The air’s buoyancy and the sub’s ray
Are of advantage to me;
And the earth’s face upward for my inspection.”
1. Why does the hawk praise the high trees?
Ans. The hawk praises the high trees because they provide a strategic point, enhancing its control and visibility.
2. What is meant by ‘the air’s buoyancy’?
Ans.‘The air’s buoyancy’ refers to the lightness of the air, which makes it easier for the hawk to glide and maintain its aerial dominance.
3. How does the hawk view natural elements like the sun and air?
Ans.The hawk views these elements as tools that serve its needs, suggesting that nature exists to benefit and support it.
4. What does the phrase ‘the earth’s face upward for my inspection’ convey?
Ans. This phrase conveys arrogance, implying that the hawk sees the entire earth as something placed before it to examine and dominate.
5. How does this stanza reflect the hawk’s sense of entitlement?
Ans. The stanza reflects the hawk’s sense of entitlement by showing how it sees nature as designed solely for its advantage and control.
C.
“My feet are locked upon the rough bark.
It took the whole of Creation
To produce my foot, my each feather:
Now I hold Creation in my foot.”
1. What does the hawk’s grip on the bark symbolize?
Ans. The hawk’s grip on the bark symbolizes firm control and dominance over its environment.
2. How does the hawk describe the creation of its body?
Ans. The hawk claims that the entire process of Creation was necessary to produce its foot and feathers, indicating immense self-importance.
3. What is the significance of the line ‘Now I hold Creation in my foot’?
Ans. This line signifies the hawk’s belief that it has ultimate power over life and death, as if it holds the entire world within its grasp.
4. How does this stanza contribute to the theme of power?
Ans. The stanza contributes to the theme of power by portraying the hawk as a being crafted by nature specifically for domination and control.
5. What tone is created by the hawk’s statements in this extract?
Ans. The tone is arrogant and authoritative, showcasing the hawk’s belief in its supreme position in the natural order.
D.
“Or fly up, and revolve it all slowly—
I kill where I please because it is all mine.
There is no sophistry in my body:
My manners are tearing off heads.”
1. What does the hawk mean by ‘revolve it all slowly’?
Ans. The hawk means that it can fly above the world and observe everything below at its leisure, reinforcing its superior viewpoint.
2. How does the line ‘I kill where I please’ reflect the hawk’s character?
Ans. This line reflects the hawk’s unapologetic control and autonomy, showing that it kills without restriction or remorse.
3. What is meant by ‘There is no sophistry in my body’?
Ans. The phrase means the hawk does not use clever arguments or justifications; its actions are raw, honest, and instinctual.
4. How does the hawk describe its manners, and what does this suggest?
Ans. The hawk describes its manners as ‘tearing off heads’, suggesting it sees violence as natural, even polite, for a creature of its kind.
5. What theme does this extract strongly reinforce?
Ans. This extract strongly reinforces the theme of natural brutality and power without moral reasoning or societal filters.
E.
“The sun is behind me.
Nothing has changed since I began,
My eye has permitted no change.
I am going to keep things like this.”
1. What does ‘The sun is behind me’ symbolize?
Ans. It symbolizes the hawk’s belief that it is supported by natural forces and divine authority.
2. Why does the hawk claim ‘nothing has changed since I began’?
Ans. The hawk claims this to emphasize its belief in the permanence and unchallengeable nature of its rule.
3. What does the line ‘My eye has permitted no change’ suggest?
Ans. It suggests that the hawk sees itself as a guardian or enforcer of order, refusing to allow any disruption to its control.
4. What is the effect of the hawk’s desire to ‘keep things like this’?
Ans. The effect is to highlight its authoritarian mindset, it wants to preserve the current state of dominance forever.
5. How does this ending contribute to the poem’s overall tone?
Ans. The ending contributes a tone of finality and unwavering authority, leaving the reader with a chilling sense of the hawk’s unyielding power.
Class 11 Hawk Roosting Multiple-Choice Questions
1. Where is the hawk sitting in the opening line of the poem?
(A) On the ground
(B) On a mountain peak
(C) On the top of the wood
(D) On a nest
Ans. (C) On the top of the wood
2. What is the hawk doing with its eyes closed?
(A) Sleeping
(B) Meditating
(C) Resting in inaction without dreaming
(D) Watching prey
Ans. (C) Resting in inaction without dreaming
3. What does ‘no falsifying dream’ suggest?
(A) The hawk dreams of peace
(B) The hawk does not deceive itself with illusions
(C) The hawk pretends to sleep
(D) The hawk is lost in a nightmare
Ans. (B) The hawk does not deceive itself with illusions
4. The phrase ‘air’s buoyancy’ refers to:
(A) The heaviness of the air
(B) The strength of the wind
(C) The air’s ability to support flight
(D) The air’s pleasant scent
Ans. (C) The air’s ability to support flight
5. The line “my feet are locked upon the rough bark” suggests:
(A) The hawk is struggling
(B) The hawk is hiding
(C) The hawk is firmly in control
(D) The hawk is frightened
Ans. (C) The hawk is firmly in control
6. What does the hawk mean by “Now I hold Creation in my foot”?
(A) The hawk holds a tree branch
(B) The hawk believes it controls life and death
(C) The hawk is resting on a nest
(D) The hawk is admiring nature
Ans. (B) The hawk believes it controls life and death
7. The phrase ‘sophistry in my body’ means:
(A) The hawk’s body is weak
(B) The hawk is clever and cunning
(C) The hawk is honest and direct in action
(D) The hawk lies to others
Ans. (C) The hawk is honest and direct in action
8. The line “I kill where I please because it is all mine” reflects:
(A) Greed
(B) Arrogance and power
(C) Compassion
(D) Curiosity
Ans. (B) Arrogance and power
9. What does the hawk say about change in the final stanza?
(A) Change is necessary
(B) Change has ruined the world
(C) Nothing has changed, and it will stay that way
(D) Everything changes too fast
Ans. (C) Nothing has changed, and it will stay that way
10. The tone of the poem can best be described as:
(A) Humble and grateful
(B) Boastful and domineering
(C) Calm and serene
(D) Sad and reflective
Ans. (B) Boastful and domineering
11. What literary device is used in “My manners are tearing off heads”?
(A) Metaphor
(B) Irony
(C) Personification
(D) Hyperbole
Ans. (A) Metaphor
12. The poem is written from whose point of view?
(A) The poet
(B) A hunter
(C) The hawk
(D) An observer of the hawk
Ans. (C) The hawk
13. What theme is most central to the poem?
(A) Freedom and joy
(B) Power and control
(C) Loneliness and sorrow
(D) Peace and nature’s beauty
Ans. (B) Power and control
14. What does “The sun is behind me” imply?
(A) It is nighttime
(B) The hawk is old
(C) The hawk believes the sun supports it
(D) The hawk is flying into the dark
Ans. (C) The hawk believes the sun supports it
15. The phrase “rehearse perfect kills” shows that:
(A) The hawk practices kindness
(B) The hawk is a careful predator
(C) The hawk is lazy
(D) The hawk forgets how to hunt
Ans. (B) The hawk is a careful predator
16. The line “It took the whole of Creation to produce my foot” expresses:
(A) Humility
(B) Gratitude
(C) Pride in evolution and design
(D) Confusion about nature
Ans. (C) Pride in evolution and design
17. “There is no argument” in the hawk’s mind means:
(A) The hawk is insecure
(B) The hawk feels it has absolute authority
(C) The hawk is open to debate
(D) The hawk is unsure of its power
Ans. (B) The hawk feels it has absolute authority
18. What aspect of nature does the hawk reject?
(A) Dreams and illusions
(B) Light and warmth
(C) The ground
(D) The wind
Ans. (A) Dreams and illusions
19. The hawk’s attitude toward the world is best described as:
(A) Protective and caring
(B) Detached and indifferent
(C) Dominant and possessive
(D) Curious and questioning
Ans. (C) Dominant and possessive
20. Ted Hughes most likely uses the hawk as a symbol of:
(A) Political power or tyrannical rule
(B) Peace and harmony
(C) Nature’s fragility
(D) The beauty of birds
Ans. (A) Political power or tyrannical rule
CBSE Class 11 English (Elective) Poem 7 Hawk Roosting Extra Question Answers
Answer the following-
1. How does the hawk’s perspective reflect an authoritarian mindset in the poem?
Ans. The hawk’s perspective in Hawk Roosting reflects an authoritarian mindset through its belief in absolute power and dominance over all creation. It claims, “I kill where I please,” indicating its sense of entitlement to life and death decisions. The hawk believes that the entire world exists for its benefit, with “the earth’s face upward for my inspection.” Such statements mirror the thinking of a dictator, ruling without opposition, asserting control without justification, and rejecting change. The hawk’s self-glorification and dismissal of alternative views (“No arguments assert my right”) emphasize its totalitarian stance and highlight Hughes’s metaphor for ruthless authority.
2. What does the poem suggest about the relationship between nature and violence?
Ans. Hawk Roosting presents nature not as peaceful or harmonious, but as inherently violent and governed by survival. The hawk symbolizes the raw, predatory force within nature, where killing is not cruel but natural. Hughes gives the hawk a voice that celebrates this violence, asserting its dominance without guilt. Lines like “My manners are tearing off heads” suggest that the hawk sees such acts as routine, almost noble. This perspective challenges romantic views of nature, showing instead its brutal reality. Hughes seems to suggest that violence is embedded in the natural world, as much a part of creation as beauty.
3. How does Ted Hughes use imagery to develop the hawk’s character?
Ans. Ted Hughes uses vivid and powerful imagery to shape the hawk as a symbol of dominance, control, and natural brutality. The description of the hawk’s physical features, “hooked head and hooked feet,” “feet locked upon the rough bark”, evokes strength and readiness to strike. The imagery of “perfect kills,” “tearing off heads,” and “bones of the living” intensifies the sense of menace. Moreover, celestial imagery like “the sun is behind me” elevates the hawk’s power to a divine level. Through such images, Hughes constructs a persona that is not only physically superior but also arrogantly self-aware of its supremacy.
4. In what ways does the hawk’s monologue critique human ideologies of control and supremacy?
Ans. The hawk’s monologue in the poem acts as a metaphorical critique of human ideologies centered around domination and control. The bird speaks with the voice of an unquestionable ruler, believing itself to be the final authority over creation. Phrases like “It took the whole of Creation to produce my foot” and “Now I hold Creation in my foot” reflect an inflated self-importance often seen in human tyrants. The hawk’s rejection of “sophistry” and “arguments” shows disdain for reasoning, law, or democracy, traits often absent in dictatorial regimes. Through this characterization, Hughes critiques humanity’s hunger for power and its justification of violence.
5. How does the hawk view change, and what does this suggest about its worldview?
Ans. The hawk in the poem sees change as unnecessary and undesirable. It asserts, “Nothing has changed since I began, / My eye has permitted no change. / I am going to keep things like this.” This reveals a view rooted in control and permanence. The hawk equates its vision with absolute truth and believes that nothing should evolve beyond its command. Its refusal to accept transformation shows a rigid, self-centered nature, unwilling to adapt. This resistance to change can be interpreted as a symbol of oppressive systems that cling to power and suppress progress to maintain dominance and stability.