NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English (Kaleidoscope) Poetry 2 On Time

NCERT
SOLUTIONS
CLASS - 12th

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Book : Kaliedoscope - Poetry Ncert Solutions | Chapter - 2 English - Poetry

Class : 12th

Subject : English

Chapter : 2

Chapter Name : On Time

Q1 Why has the poet pitted the flight of Time against the ‘lazy leaden-stepping hours’ and ‘the
heavy Plummets pace’?

Answer. In the poem, Milton says that the human being is eternal. He triumphs over time by
attaining eternal life in heaven. Time is personified as being envious by human beings. Poet
asks time to flee as it will soon face defeat and humans will face eternal bliss.

The “lazy leaden steeping hours” refers to clock moving slowly covering hours with “leaden”
hands. Times movement is compared to the pendulum in a clock that moves slowly. Times
movement is limited to the clock but human life is eternal and exists even after death.

Q2 What are the things associated with the temporal and what is associated with the eternal?

Answer. Temporal things are that are temporary in their existence that is bound to finish at a
certain point. Qualities like “Envious”, “lazy”, “womb”,” greedy”, vain”, “glut”, “plummets”,
“leaden”, “hours”, and “mortal”,” Death”,” Chance” is bound to end, they are temporal in their
existence.

The things that are not bound to death and continue to survive even after that, are “Love”,
“Peace”, “Truth”, “Joy”, “Throne”, “soul”,” Stars”, which are attained in heaven.

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Book : Kaliedoscope - Poetry Ncert Solutions | Chapter - 2 English - Poetry

Q3 What guides human souls towards divinity? Who is the final winner in the race against
Time?

Answer. In this poem, John Milton has depicted the common conception of Time as moving too
fast or too slowly, according to the individual’s perception. Time is shown as an intangible entity
that rules the lives of human beings but actually, it is just in the mind of the individual, but not in
reality. Time is a recognized force that drives a person’s lifespan forward, bringing inevitable
change in every passing moment but they should not be affected by its influence in a negative
way rather look forward to changes. Milton explains that we must realize that there is only one
destination in the race against Time, i.e. Death. Time devours everything in our lifetime but it too
must come to an end like everything else in the universe. Time's power ends when the human
soul is released from its earthly abode and is guided by Death, to the realm of the divine, where
eternal bliss is waiting, along with the joyful union with the Creator.

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