NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English (Kaleidoscope) Poetry 1 A Lecture Upon the Shadow

NCERT
SOLUTIONS
CLASS - 12th

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Class : 12th
Subject : English
Chapter : 1
Chapter Name : A lecture upon the shadow

Q1 How do the shadows before noon differ from the shadows afternoon? What do the two kinds
of shadow represent?

Answer. The time of noon lasts for a very short span. At 12 pm noon arrives, its neither morning
nor evening. Poet compares noon to lovers, as there is no perfect time to fall in love and
understand each other. Shadows in morning describe lover’s relationship before they
completely understand each other. The shadow in morning is clear while in afternoon is dull and
blur.

Q2 Love is described as light. What makes the poet talk about shadows?

Answer. Shadows represent the ups and downs in a relationship. It represents how bonding
deepens with time and how gradually it blooms into a beautiful relationship. The length of
shadow depicts maturity in the love. But poem tells as at 12 pm the shadow is smaller it
represents deeper understanding as compared to early morning shadow.

Q3 Comment on the use of the image of the shadows for the idea that the poet wants to convey.

Answer. The poet has two ideologies in poem. One depicting the bond of love and
understanding between two people. This ideology compares the relationship based on the
length of the shadow. In the second ideology, the Poet draws a comparison to love being
deeper during the latter and initial stages of the relationship respectively.

Q4 The poet seems to be addressing his beloved in the poem. What is the message he wishes
to convey to her?

Answer. Poet tells his beloved about different stages of love. Initially love seems to be dreamy
and smooth. Everything seems to be perfect and flowery. But as time passes love gradually
matures and deepen its roots. He tells her that there may come ups and downs but love gives
them the power to fight against all the odds.

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Q5 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?

Answer. Love is a universal feeling it is said. The Poet has tried to explain the essence of love
by comparing it to shadows as a metaphor for the relationship between two people in love. As in
the case of shadows, their length is affected by time and Sun’s position during the day, the
same ideology is applied to the relationship of love in the backdrop of intricate factors and
circumstances between the two people.

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