English - Poetry Chapter 8: Fire-Hymn के NCERT Solution

Answer: The speaker happens to be a “Parsi” by religion. One morning, he went with his father on morning-walk, in his childhood. They were passing through a burning ghat located on the bank of a river. He saw there, a dead body being cremated. He noticed the brutality and the immoral behavior of the fire. This custom is against his religious tradition. As such it has offended the religious sentiment of the speaker when he was a child.

Question 5. Why do you think the speaker consigned his firstborn to the flames?

Answer: The speaker is a ‘Parsi’ by religion. In his religion, the dead-body is not cremated. Parsis dispose of up their bodies in the “Tower of Silence”. The speaker consigned his first bom child to the flames for cremation because the nearest “Tower of Silence”, was one thousand miles away.

Question 6. Why was the speaker ‘broken’ and how did he regard himself rebellious? ,

Answer. The speaker has lost his first-bom child. He consigned the dead- body of his first-bom to the flames for cremation. He is ‘parsi’ by religion, but he violated the tradition of his religion by cremating his child. This great loss had broken him and he regarded himself rebellious for going against his religious tradition.

Question 7. Why did he swear twice to save the fire from two different sins?
Answer: He (the speaker) swore twice to save fire from two different sins. The first time, when he consigned his firstborn child to the flames. He is a ‘Parsi’ by religion, who do not cremate their dead bodies. But he did it because his religious place to perform rituals for the sad demise of his child was far away. The fire had forgotten that he is a ‘Parsi’ because it (fire) deals equally with everybody irrespective of their caste, creed, or religion. So he swore to save fire from the sin of forgetfulness. The next time he swore to save the fire from the sin of forgiving i.e. for its deviation. As such he swore twice to save the fire from two different sins.

Question 8. Though the poem reveals the religious leaning of a Parsi, it still has its human appeal. Justify it with your own comments.
Answer: It is a fact, that the poem primarily reveals the religious tendency (inclination) of a “Parsi”. But at the same time, it has a compassionate appeal to humanity. The poet is a “Parsi”, dislikes the cremation of a dead body. As a poet and a human being, he has thrown light on this burning problem. It appears to be the most unpleasant, pathetic, and gruesome practice to offer (cosign) the dead-body to the flames of the fire. In my opinion, it is really the most unkind and made active. I think it should be stopped and some alternative arrangements should be made for the disposal of the corpse (dead body).

Question 9. Give in short the summary of the poem, “Fire-Hymn”. Or, Write a short note on the poem, “Fire-Hymn”.
Answer: “Fire-Hymn” composed by Keki N. Daruwala is a serious and touching poem. It is the description of a burning ghat. The scene of the ghat is most dreadful. Ghosts with burning light are wandering there and the passerby becomes frightened to see them. One early morning the poet alone with his father passes through that ghat and finds pieces of woods and coal though not burning but are still red. Half burnt dead bodies are lying there. The poet is “Parsi” by religion.

Parsis instead of cremating their dead bodies, carry it to the “Tower of Silence” to put therein. He becomes horrified to see such cruel act. The narrator, the poet himself had consigned his first bom to the flames twenty years back because the Tower of Silence was a thousand miles away. It had shocked him much and he feels guilty of committing the same inhuman act, which other persons commit, and being a Parsi he has all along opposed this cruelty. The poem has a humanitarian appeal. Thejioet has successfully conveyed his motive to discard such a cruel practice.

C. 3. Composition

Write a short essay in about 150 words on the following:

(a) Concept of sin in modern life.

Answer: Good and evil are an inevitable part of human life. All have both of these in them. Of course, the ratio of both varies from person to person. We all want to live a peaceful and respectable life in the society. For this, we need to be away from all sin. Sin in modem life has changed its meaning. Now people think that such things which defy law are sin. They don’t give to its human approach vital importance. It is really taking our society towards disaster. We must take steps to improve it. It is high time for this.

(b) Forgetfulness is a matter of habit.

Answer: People have different habits. Habits are cultivated in oneself because of several factors. Forgetfulness is nothing but a matter of habit. People cultivate this habit without knowing its evils out of ignorance. They forget important works which they do. Through proper treatment, this can be improved. Such people should not be looked downtrodden but should be given a helping hand for their strength to fight against their drawbacks.

D. Word Study :

D.1. Dictionary Use :

Ex. 1. Correct the spelling of the following words:

phosphorescence — phosphorescene

scutled — scuttled

staulling — strolling

emberes — embers

Zorastrian — zoroastrian

consined — consigned

rebelious — rebellious

hym — hymn

Ex. 2. Lookup a dictionary & write the synonym of the following words:

dawn, losing, swallow, forget, pain, nearest, silence, save

Answer:

dawn — morning light morning at sunrise

losing — To lose

swallow — accept

forget — miss

pain — sorrow

nearest — closest

silence — peace

save — preserve

D. 2. Word – Formation

Read the following line carefully :

The burning ghat erupted phosphorescence: And wandering ghost light frightened passers-by In the above lines burning in ‘burning ghats’ and wandering in ‘wandering ghost’ are verbs ‘ing’ (gerund) from. Such forms of verbs can be used as adjectives. Adding’ to the following verbs and fill in the blanks to complete the following sentences:

lose,  stroll,  cook,  swear,  break

(a) The…………….. news was quite sensational.

(b) People were in a long queue for……………. gas.

(c) The match was so fine that we admired even the…………….. team.

(d) The……………….persons have the opportunity to breathe fresh air.

(e) We could not attend the…………… ceremony.

Answer:

(a) breaking (b) cooking (c) losing (d) strolling (e) swearing

D.3. Word-meaning

Ex. 1. In the expression ‘half-cooked limb’ (line 6) and ‘half-burnt fingers’ (line 8),’ half suggests the process stopped mid-way. Make a similar structure from the given words (using ‘half) and use them in sentences of your own:

done, written, sketched, drawn, hearted

Answer:

Half-done: The work is half done.

Half-written: You have sent a half-written letter.

Half-sketched: This is a half-sketched portrait.

Half-drawn: The teacher appreciated the half-drawn figure.

Half-hearted: He didn’t succeed because of his half-hearted efforts.

E. Grammar

Ex. 1. Read the following lines from the poem carefully:

(i) ‘as moonlight scuttled among the bones.

(ii) once strolling at dawn……………………

Mark the use of prepositions ‘among’ and ‘at’ in the lines given above. Use Prepositions to complete the following sentences:

(i) The military rescued several people………………. from the flood.

(ii) The world of insects and animals awake……………… at night.

(iii) Naghaz listened…………….. the lecture attentively.

(iv) The prizes were distributed……………. winners.

(v) The police inquired………………… the murder case.

Answer: (i) from (ii) up (iii) to (iv) to (v) into.

Comprehension Based Questions with Answers

1. Read the following extracts of the poem and answer the questions that follow.

The burning ghat erupted phosphorescence:

and wandering ghost lights frightened passers-by

as moonlight scuttled among the bones.

Once strolling at dawn past river-bank and ghat

we saw embers losing their cruel redness

to the grey ash that swallows all, half-cooked limbs

Questions

1. Who wrote these lines and from where have they been extracted?

2. What does the wandering ghost lights do?

3. What does the narrator find at the ghat, while he walks to that place?

4. How are bones looking like in the moonlight?

5. What does the grey ash do at that place?

Answers:

1. These lines have been extracted from the poem, “Fire Hyman and T.S. Eliot has written these verse lines.

2. The wandering ghost lights frightened passers-by, creating a dreadful scene.

3. The narrator finds pieces of wood and coals scattered there, though not burning but are still red.

4. The moonlight mins fast over the bones lying there and it creates fear and terror.

5. The grey ash swallows bones and half-cooked limbs.

2. Read the following extracts of the poem and answer the questions that follow: [B.M.2009A]

bore witness to the fire’s debauchery.

My father said, “You see those half-burnt fingers

l And bone-stubs? The fire at times forgets its dead !”

A Zoroastrian I, my child – fingers clenched

Into a little knot of pain,

I swore to save fire From the sin of forgetfulness

Questions:

1. From where these verse lines extracted and who has composed it?

2. Who is the witness of fires?

3. What does the poet’s father say to him?

4. What does the fire do?

5. What does the poet swear and why?

Answer:

1. The verse lines have been taken from the poem, “Fire Hyman and t composed by T. S. Eliot.

2. Poet’s father is the witness of fire’s debauchery.

3. Poet’s father narrates to his son about the forgetfulness of .fire to its dead.

4. The fire forgets its dead and leaves waif – burnt fingers and bone- stubs incomplete in half – hazard way.

5. The poet swears to save fire from the sin of forgetfulness.

3. Read the following extracts of the poem and answer the questions that follow:

It never forgot, and twenty years since ‘ ‘

As I consigned my first-born to the flames –

The nearest Tower of Silence was a thousand miles –

The firm-hymn said to me, “You stand forgiven,”

Broken, yet rebellious, I swore this time I

To save it from the sin of forgiving.

Comprehension Based Questions with Answers

1. Read the following extracts of the poem and answer the questions that follow.

The burning ghat erupted phosphorescence:

and wandering ghost lights frightened passers-by

as moonlight scuttled among the bones.

Once strolling at dawn past river-bank and ghat

we saw embers losing their cruel redness

to the grey ash that swallows all, half-cooked limbs

Questions:

1. Who wrote these lines and from where have they been extracted?

2. What does the wandering ghost lights do?

3. What does the narrator find at the ghat, while he walks to that place?

4. How are bones looking like in the moonlight?

5. What does the grey ash do at that place?

Answers:

1. These lines have been extracted from the poem, “Fire Hyman and T.S. Eliot has written these verse lines.

2. The wandering ghost lights frightened passers-by, creating a dreadful scene.

3. The narrator finds pieces of wood and coals scattered there, though not burning but are still red.

4. The moonlight mins fast over the bones lying there and it creates fear and terror.

5. The grey ash swallows bones and half-cooked limbs.

2. Read the following extracts of the poem and answer the questions that follow:

bore witness to the fire’s debauchery.

My father said, “You see those half-burnt fingers

l And bone-stubs? The fire at times forgets its dead !”

A Zoroastrian I, my child – fingers clenched

Into a little knot of pain,

I swore to save fire From the sin of forgetfulness

Questions:

1. From where these verse lines extracted and who has composed it?

2. Who is the witness of fires?

3. What does the poet’s father say to him?

4. What does the fire do?

5. What does the poet swear and why?

Answer:

1. The verse lines have been taken from the poem, “Fire Hyman and t composed by T. S. Eliot.

2. Poet’s father is the witness of fire’s debauchery.

3. Poet’s father narrates to his son about the forgetfulness of .fire to its dead.

4. The fire forgets its dead and leaves waif – burnt fingers and bone- stubs incomplete in half – hazard way.

5. The poet swears to save fire from the sin of forgetfulness.

3. Read the following extracts of the poem and answer the questions that follow:

It never forgot, and twenty years since ‘ ‘

As I consigned my first-born to the flames –

The nearest Tower of Silence was a thousand miles –

The firm-hymn said to me, “You stand forgiven,”

Broken, yet rebellious, I swore this time I

To save it from the sin of forgiving.

Questions:

1. Who was consigned to flames and by whom?

2. How far was the Tower of Silence from there?

3. How many years ago did this event take place?

4. What is the sin that the poet has committed?

5. What does he mean by “save it from the sin of forgetting”?

Answers:

1. It was the poet who consigned his new bom son to flames.

2. Tower of Silence was a thousand miles away from that place.

3. The event took place 20 years ago.

4. The poet is a Parsi by religion in which fire is worshipped as a god but he was compelled to consign his new-born to its flames.

5. Fire sometimes forgets to fully bum the dead body to ashes. The poet wishes this not to happen to the dead body of his new-bom son.