NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English (Woven Words) Essays 2 My Three Passions

Class : 11th

Subject : English

Chapter : 2(Essays)

Chapter Name : My Three Passions

Q1 Why does Russell call the three passions ‘simple’?

Answer. The essay is real preface to Russell’s autobiography. In order to live well, humans
need a driving force. His passions kept him alive and drove ahead in life. Russell for simple
things like an ordinary person. He did not wish for money and fame, but he wishes for simple
things. He wished for love and received it too. He believed love was the only thing and he
married four times to tell. The second is hunger for knowledge, he was a mathematician always
looking for new things to learn. The third is an unbearable pity for mankind. He was kind
towards human suffering and took a stand on world war 1.

Q2 Why has he compared the three passions to great winds?

Answer. Like wind is driving force in nature, in the same way, passion is. They gave his life real
meaning. The three passion that is important in his life is love, knowledge, pity for the suffering
of human life. The first two qualities raise him to heaven and the third quality brings him back to
the land. His passions hold great value in his life and they are what moves him.

Q3 What, according to Russell, is the importance of love in life?

Answer. Russell believes that love brings ecstasy in his life. Love can make heaven on earth it
has great power to change the world around you in an instance. The happiness that love brings

is the greatest of all nothing can match that happiness. Love relieves one of loneliness and puts
a new spiritual dimension to life. Great saints look forward to this kind of feeling.

Q4 How does Russell’s definition of knowledge differ from what is commonly understood by the
term?

Answer. He constantly seeks knowledge to widen his area of interest. He was the one who gave
the world the Pythagorean theorem, it is one of the most important formulae. He felt he believed
less than what he had targeted for.

Q5 Why is the quality of pity earth-bound while the other two passions are elevating?

Answer. Russell’s life was governed by his passions. The two passion that is love and to seek
knowledge raised him to heaven. But the third passion pity of earthbound brought him back to
land. All the sadness and cry for help, famine forced him to return back to the earth. He was
against the world war as it only brought destruction and helplessness. He always yearned for a
utopian world, a perfect world where humans live in perfect harmony without any pain and
diseases.

Q6 How have the three passions contributed to the quality of Russell’s life?

Answer. The three passions were virtues which he looked for. He believed that these passions
gave him the real reason to live. Each passion had different essence. While two passion raised
him to heavenly level but the third brought him to ground reality. These passions were the
guiding force in his life that made him seek higher truth and values. These three are vital virtues
in his life that shaped his personality.