PSEB Class 12 Poem 3 The Echoing Green Important Question Answers from A Rainbow of English book
PSEB Class 12 English The Echoing Green Question Answers – Looking for questions and answers for PSEB Class 12 A Rainbow of English Book Poem 3 The Echoing Green? 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 3 The Echoing Green now. The questions listed below are based on the latest PSEB exam pattern. All the Questions Answers given at the back of the lesson have also been covered.
Related:
PSEB Class 12 English Poem 3 The Echoing Green Textbook Questions
Comprehension and Enjoyment
1. Give the central idea of the poem.
Ans. The central idea of The Echoing Green is to highlight the joy of childhood and the natural cycle of life. The poem begins with the lively images of spring, symbolizing youth and new beginnings. Children play happily on the green, representing innocence and carefree joy. As the poem progresses, old people recall their own childhood, showing the passage of time. The day’s end, with children resting in their mothers’ laps, symbolizes the peaceful end of life. Through nature and human activities, Blake presents life as a harmonious cycle of birth, joy, maturity, and eventual rest.
2.
i. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow:
The Sun does arise
And make happy the skies,
The merry bells ring
To welcome the Spring,
The skylark and thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around
To the bells’ cheerful sound,
While our sports shall be seen
On the Echoing Green.
(a) Name the poet.
Ans. The poet is William Blake.
(b) Name the birds which sing to welcome the spring.
Ans. The skylark and the thrush sing to welcome the spring.
(c) What purpose does the ringing of the merry bells serve in the poem?
Ans.The merry bells create a festive atmosphere, celebrating the arrival of spring and symbolizing happiness and renewal.
(d) How can you say that the mood in the poem is happy and carefree, celebrating a close bond between man and nature.
Ans. The poem’s cheerful imagery of sunshine, birds singing, bells ringing, and children playing shows harmony between man and nature, creating a joyful and carefree mood.
ii. Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow:
Till the little ones, weary,
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest,
And sport no more seen
On the darkening Green.
(a) What do the words weary, descend, end and rest suggest?
Ans.The words weary, descend, end and rest suggest tiredness, the setting of the sun, the close of the day, and the peaceful rest that follows after a day of joyful activity.
(b) Name the things that take rest at the end of the day.
Ans. The children take a rest in their mothers’ laps, and nature too becomes calm as the day ends.
(c) Why has the echoing green become the darkening green?
Ans. The echoing green becomes the darkening green because the sun has set, play has ended, and evening darkness has replaced the lively brightness of day.
(d) Name the figure of speech used in the lines: (any one)
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest.
Ans. The figure of speech is Simile, as the children are compared to birds resting in their nests.
PSEB Class 12 English Poem 3 The Echoing Green Extra Question and Answers
Extract-Based Questions
A.
“The Sun does arise
And make happy the skies,
The merry bells ring
To welcome the Spring,
The skylark and thrush,
The birds of the bush,
Sing louder around
To the bells’ cheerful sound,
While our sports shall be seen
On the Echoing Green. “
Q1. What season is being described in this stanza?
Ans. The stanza describes the spring season, a time of joy and natural beauty.
Q2. Which birds are mentioned here, and what are they doing?
Ans. The skylark and thrush are mentioned, and they are singing loudly in celebration of spring.
Q3. What do the “merry bells” symbolize?
Ans. The merry bells symbolize happiness and the welcoming of spring.
Q4. What mood does this extract create?
Ans. The extract creates a cheerful, lively, and optimistic mood filled with nature’s harmony and human joy.
Q5. Why is the green called ‘Echoing’?
Ans. The green is called ‘Echoing’ because it is filled with the joyful sounds of bells, birds, and children’s play.
B.
“Old John with white hair
Does laugh away care,
Sitting under the oak
Among the old folk.
They laugh at our play,”
Q1. Who is Old John?
Ans. Old John is an elderly man who represents the older generation watching the children play.
Q2. How does Old John spend his time on the Green?
Ans. Old John spends his time laughing, chatting, and enjoying the carefree play of the children while sitting with other elderly people under the oak tree.
Q3. What does “laugh away care” mean?
Ans. “Laugh away care” means forgetting worries and living in the moment, feeling happy and carefree.
Q4. What is the significance of the oak tree here?
Ans. The oak tree symbolizes strength, wisdom, and continuity of life through generations.
Q5. What attitude do the old folk have towards the children’s play?
Ans. The old folk feel joy, nostalgia, and delight as they are reminded of their own childhood days.
C.
“And soon they all say:
“Such, such were the joys
When we all, girls and boys,
In our youth-time were seen
On the Echoing Green.” ”
Q1. What are the old people recalling here?
Ans. The old people are recalling their own joyful childhood days when they played on the same green.
Q2. What emotion is expressed by the old people?
Ans. The emotion of nostalgia and happiness is expressed by the old people as they fondly remember their youth.
Q3. What is meant by “Such, such were the joys”?
Ans. “Such, such were the joys” means the joys of childhood were truly delightful and memorable.
Q4. How does this stanza connect the past and present?
Ans. This stanza connects the past and present by showing how the joys of childhood continue across generations.
Q5. What theme of the poem is highlighted here?
Ans. The theme of the cycle of life. childhood, adulthood, and old age, is highlighted in this stanza.
D.
“Till the little ones, weary,
No more can be merry;
The sun does descend,
And our sports have an end.
Round the laps of their mothers
Many sisters and brothers,
Like birds in their nest,
Are ready for rest,
And sport no more seen
On the darkening Green.”
Q1. Why are the little ones weary?
Ans. The little ones are weary because they have played joyfully all day and are now tired.
Q2. What happens as the sun sets?
Ans. As the sun sets, the children’s play ends, and they return home to rest in their mothers’ laps.
Q3. What does the comparison “like birds in their nest” suggest?
Ans. The comparison “like birds in their nest” suggests warmth, safety, and comfort as the children sleep peacefully like baby birds.
Q4. How does the tone of the poem change in this stanza?
Ans. The tone shifts from lively and cheerful to calm and peaceful, reflecting the day’s natural end.
Q5. What does the “darkening Green” symbolize?
Ans. The “darkening Green” symbolizes the end of the day and, metaphorically, the approach of old age and life’s end.
Multiple-Choice Questions
Q1. Who is the poet of “The Echoing Green”?
A. Robert Frost
B. William Blake
C. John Keats
D. William Wordsworth
Ans. B. William Blake
Q2. “The Echoing Green” is taken from which collection of poems?
A. Songs of Experience
B. Lyrical Ballads
C. Songs of Innocence
D. The Prelude
Ans. C. Songs of Innocence
Q3. What does the poem mainly celebrate?
A. Childhood joy and the cycle of life
B. Pain of old age
C. The beauty of winter
D. Loneliness of nature
Ans. A. Childhood joy and the cycle of life
Q4. What season is described in the poem?
A. Summer
B. Winter
C. Spring
D. Autumn
Ans. C. Spring
Q5. Which birds are mentioned in the poem?
A. Peacock and Sparrow
B. Skylark and Thrush
C. Cuckoo and Crow
D. Dove and Parrot
Ans. B. Skylark and Thrush
Q6. What sound welcomes spring in the poem?
A. Chirping of sparrows
B. Roar of thunder
C. Merry bells
D. Sound of wind
Ans. C. Merry bells
Q7. Who is “Old John” in the poem?
A. A school teacher
B. A farmer
C. An old man sitting under the oak tree
D. The poet’s father
Ans. C. An old man sitting under the oak tree
Q8. What does Old John do while sitting under the oak?
A. Reads a book
B. Sleeps
C. Laughs and enjoys the children’s play
D. Tells stories to children
Ans. C. Laughs and enjoys the children’s play
Q9. What does “laugh away care” mean?
A. To ignore children
B. To forget worries and feel carefree
C. To laugh loudly without reason
D. To run away from responsibility
Ans. B. To forget worries and feel carefree
Q10. What emotion do the old people feel while watching the children?
A. Anger
B. Jealousy
C. Nostalgia and joy
D. Boredom
Ans. C. Nostalgia and joy
Q11. What do the old people recall when they see the children playing?
A. Their lost wealth
B. Their own childhood days
C. Their mistakes in life
D. Their work in the fields
Ans. B. Their own childhood days
Q12. What does the setting sun symbolize in the poem?
A. The arrival of night only
B. The end of childhood and life’s nearing end
C. The beginning of a storm
D. The end of spring season
Ans. B. The end of childhood and life’s nearing end
Q13. What happens when the day ends?
A. The old men go to sleep under the oak
B. The children return home to rest
C. The birds stop singing and fly away
D. Both B and C
Ans. D. Both B and C
Q14. What is the “Echoing Green”?
A. A forest
B. A playground filled with joyful sounds
C. A classroom
D. A river bank
Ans. B. A playground filled with joyful sounds
Q15. What literary device is used in “Like birds in their nest”?
A. Alliteration
B. Metaphor
C. Simile
D. Personification
Ans. C. Simile
Q16. What does the oak tree symbolize in the poem?
A. Danger
B. Change
C. Strength and continuity of life
D. Loneliness
Ans. C. Strength and continuity of life
Q17. What does the “darkening Green” signify?
A. The arrival of rain
B. The end of day and metaphorically, old age/death
C. The sadness of children
D. Pollution of the earth
Ans. B. The end of day and metaphorically, old age/death
Q18. What is the central theme of “The Echoing Green”?
A. Struggle between man and nature
B. Joy of childhood and the cycle of life
C. Power of education
D. Political revolution
Ans. B. Joy of childhood and the cycle of life
Q19. What kind of tone is used in the first stanza of the poem?
A. Melancholic
B. Cheerful and lively
C. Angry
D. Mysterious
Ans. B. Cheerful and lively
Q20. How does the poem end?
A. With thunderstorm
B. With children still playing happily
C. With calmness as children rest and the Green darkens
D. With the old people leaving the oak tree angrily
Ans. C. With calmness as children rest and the Green darkens
True or False
State whether the following are true or false-
1. The Echoing Green is a poem by William Wordsworth.
2. The poem celebrates the joy of childhood and the cycle of life.
3. The merry bells ring to welcome autumn.
4. Old John sits under an oak tree with other old people.
5. The old people feel sad while watching the children play.
6. The skylark and thrush are the birds mentioned in the poem.
7. The children return home at sunset, tired but happy.
8. The oak tree symbolizes strength and continuity of life.
9. The “darkening Green” refers to the arrival of a storm.
10. The poem ends with the children resting peacefully in their mothers’ laps.
Answers-
1. False
2. True
3. False
4. True
5. False
6. True
7. True
8. True
9. False
10. True
Fill in the blanks
1. The Echoing Green is taken from Blake’s ________.
2. The merry bells ring to welcome the season of ________.
3. The birds mentioned in the poem are the skylark and ________.
4. Old John laughs away his ________ while sitting under the oak tree.
5. The old folk feel ________ when they see the children play.
6. “Such, such were the ________” is said by the old people.
7. The children return home to the ________ of their mothers.
8. The comparison “like birds in their nest” shows the children’s sense of ________.
9. The setting sun in the poem symbolizes the end of ________.
10. The poem ends on a note of peace and ________.
Answers-
1. Songs of Innocence
2. Spring
3. Thrush
4. care
5. nostalgic/happy
6. joys
7. laps
8. warmth/safety
9. childhood/life
10. rest
Extra Questions
Answer the following questions-
Q1. How does the poem ‘The Echoing Green’ reflect the cycle of human life?
Ans. The Echoing Green reflects the cycle of human life by comparing it to the course of a single day. The poem begins with the sunrise and spring, symbolizing birth and childhood, which is full of energy and joy as children play on the green. The presence of the old folk under the oak tree represents maturity and the reflective stage of life, where they remember about their youth. Finally, the sunset and “darkening Green” symbolize old age and death, bringing the day to a calm and peaceful end. Through this, Blake portrays life as a harmonious, natural cycle of beginning, growth, and rest.
Q2. How does William Blake depict childhood in the poem?
Ans. William Blake portrays childhood as a period of joy and freedom in The Echoing Green. The children are seen playing merrily in the open fields, their laughter echoing through nature. They are full of energy, unaffected by worries or responsibilities. Their presence enlivens the green, filling it with happiness. Blake compares their return to their mothers’ laps at day’s end to birds resting in their nests, emphasizing security and warmth. Childhood, for Blake, is a beautiful and important stage of life that brings happiness to both the young and the old who cherish such memories.
Q3. What is the significance of the old people in the poem?
Ans. The old people in The Echoing Green, particularly Old John, represent the stage of maturity and experience in the cycle of life. Sitting under the oak tree, they observe the children’s play with joy and nostalgia. Their laughter shows that they find tranquility and happiness in reliving their youth through the younger generation. However, their presence also reminds readers that life inevitably moves forward from childhood to old age and thus comes to an end, similar to how a day begins and ends. Through them, Blake emphasizes continuity across generations, showcasing that life’s pleasures repeat in different forms for every generation, creating a sense of continuity and connection between past and present.
Q4. How is nature depicted in the poem?
Ans. Nature in The Echoing Green is portrayed as a source of happiness, renewal, and harmony. The poem opens with the rising sun, “merry bells,” and birds like the skylark and thrush, creating a cheerful and lively atmosphere. Spring symbolizes youth, joy and new beginnings, aligning with the children’s play. Nature participates in the joyous mood of the day, reflecting humanity’s close connection to the natural world. Even as the day ends, nature remains peaceful, with the “darkening Green” symbolizing rest. Blake’s portrayal of nature mirrors the stages of human life.
Q5. Explain the symbolic meaning of the “Echoing Green.”
Ans. The “Echoing Green” symbolizes both a physical place of joy and a metaphorical representation of life’s journey. Physically, it is the open field where children play, their laughter echoing across the surroundings. Symbolically, it represents childhood and youth, and the happiness it brings to individuals. The echoes signify the continuity of life as today’s children will grow old and future generations will take their place, thus continuing the cycle. The transition from the bright, lively Green to the “darkening Green” mirrors the passage from youth to old age and finally to death, making the poem a reflection on life’s continuous and cyclical nature.
Q6. Discuss the role of Old John in the poem.
Ans. Old John serves as a significant figure in The Echoing Green, representing the elderly who have lived through the joys of childhood and now cherish those memories. His “white hair” symbolizes age and wisdom, while his laughter shows his ability to find happiness despite life’s burdens and ultimate end. Sitting under the oak tree with other old folk, he reminisces about his youth as he watches the children. Old John embodies continuity and the natural progression of life, depicting that while childhood is short and fleeting, its joy remains forever in one’s memory. Through him, Blake bridges the gap between the past and present.
Q7. How does the poem portray the passage of time?
Ans. The passage of time in The Echoing Green is beautifully showcased through the day’s progression, which parallels human life. The poem begins with the sunrise, symbolizing birth and childhood, filled with activity and happiness. As the day continues, the old folk appear, representing maturity and the reflective stage of life. Finally, the sunset and “darkening Green” signify the end of the day, mirroring old age and death. This natural progression highlights life’s cyclical nature, with each stage flowing into the next.
Q8. What is the tone and mood of the poem?
Ans. The tone of The Echoing Green is joyful, nostalgic, and ultimately peaceful. In the beginning, the tone is cheerful, celebrating spring, children’s laughter, and the beauty of nature. The mood created here is one of happiness and liveliness. In the middle, the tone becomes nostalgic as the old folk remember their childhood, evoking a sense of reflection. Finally, as the day ends, the tone turns calm and soothing, with the children resting quietly. This shift in the tone throughout the poem, reflects the stages of life.
Q9. What message does William Blake convey through the poem?
Ans. Through The Echoing Green, William Blake conveys the message that life is a continuous cycle of birth, joy, and rest. Childhood, with its innocence and playfulness, is a vital stage that brings happiness not only to children but also to those who remember their own youth. The poem suggests that each stage of life has its beauty, and even in old age, one can find joy in memories and be at peace. Blake’s view of life contrasts with progression of aging, offering instead a comforting image of life’s natural rhythm, where every end is as peaceful as its beginning.
Q10. Why is the ending of the poem significant?
Ans. The ending of The Echoing Green is significant because it completes the poem’s portrayal of life’s cycle. As the sun sets, the children grow tired and return to their mothers’ laps, compared to birds resting in their nests. This peaceful image symbolizes the end of the day and, metaphorically, the end of life. It shows that after the lively play of youth and the reflections of old age, life concludes in comfort and tranquility. The transition from the bright “Echoing Green” to the “darkening Green” again reinforces the idea that life’s conclusion.