Literature Ls.8.

The Oval Portrait

Understand and Answer

1. Explain the meaning of the following:

a. Ventured to make a forcibly entrance ----entered forcibly

b. frowned among the Apennines --- as grand as the Apennines

c. more sober and more certain gaze --- a calm look

Q2. Were the paintings hanging in every corner of the building or only on the straight walls? Why
does the writer call the architecture of the chateau ‘bizarre’?

A. The writer calls the architecture of the chateau ‘bizarre’ as there were paintings everywhere and
it was unusually cluttered.

Q3. The writer does not think he will sleep well. What could be the reason? Did he enjoy the time he
spent awake? Which words from the text support your answer?

A. The writer did not think he would sleep as he was unusually interested in the paintings and the
architecture. He seemed to enjoy his time spent awake.

These lines show that he was enjoying examining the interior of the chateau:

in these paintings my incipient delirium, perhaps had caused me to take deep interest…

I wished all this done that I might resign myself, if not to sleep, at least alternately to the
contemplation of these pictures, and the perusal of a small volume which had been found upon
the pillow, and which purported to criticise and describe them.

Q4. Where did the narrator and his servant make a forcible entrance?

A. The narrator and his servant Pedro made a forcible entrance in a desolate Chateau which was
located in the Apennines of central Italy. The narrator was seriously wounded. His valet didn't want
the narrator to stay in an open-air. He took the narrator inside Chateau forcibly without anyone's
permission.

Q5. Which special picture did the narrator notice in the room?

A. The narrator noticed an oval shaped picture of a young girl in the room when the race of
candelabrum fell on it. The narrator didn't notice it before. The young girl seemed just ripening into
woman in that picture. The picture of that woman was so beautiful which attracted the narrator’s
attention. The oval picture of a young girl made him too much curious. He kept on reading the
history behind the portrait in his serious state. He was totally engrossed in finding its background
through the book which he had found on the bed.

Q6. Describe the portrait that the narrator saw in the room.

A. The portrait that the narrator saw in the room was quite artistic and life-like. The narrator saw it
when the rays of candelabrum fell on it. The portrait was oval-shaped with a beautiful picture of a
young girl on it. Its frame was richly decorative. The young girl seemed just ripening into
womanhood. The narrator seemed completely startled to find the lady's shoulder and head with
radiant hair so real. The brushwork of tints in portrait seemed so real in the portrait.

The narrator felt a sudden impulse to notice that portrait. He closed his eyes once and opened. He
couldn't believe his eyes to see such wonderful artistic creativity.

Q7. What is the relationship between the portrait painter and its subject?

A. The relationship between the portrait painter and its subject is husband and wife. The husband of
the subject (lady) is a passionate painter who has painted his wife's portrait. He has painted his
wife's portrait taking many weeks.