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Honours 4th Year (Session:2017-18)

Department of English
Brief Questions with Answer:(NU: Board:2014-2020)
Subject:American Poetry (241109)
Board Question:2013
a)To whom does Walt Whitman pay his respect in "O Captain,My Captain"?
Ans : Whitman pays his respect to Abraham Lincoln in " O Captain , My Captain "
b)What is an elegy ?
Ans : An elegy is a sad poem , written to praise and express sorrow for someone
who is dead .
c)What does ' Wild Nights ' symbolize ?
Ans : " Wild Nights " symbolizes wild sexual pleasures enjoyed during nights.
d)What does the phrase ' Lover's Ports' suggest in " Wild Nights , Wild
Nights " ?
Ans : In " Wild Nights , Wild Nights ” the phrase ' lover's port ' suggests the
steadfast adherence of the ship - like the heart of the beloved to the port - like the
heart of the lover .
e)In " The Death of the Hired Man " the moon is obscured by a cloud . What
does it symbolize ?
Ans : The moon being obscured by a cloud in " The Death of the Hired Man "
symbolizes the death of Silas .
f)How does Dickinson describe her experience of going outdoors in
summer in the poem ' I Taste a Liquor ' ?
Ans : In the poem " I Taste a Liquor " . Dickinson describes her exhilaration of
going outdoors in summer in terms of getting drunk in a tavern .
g)How does Whitman welcome death ?
Ans : Whitman welcomes death by chanting a song of reception for death .
h)What do you understand about ' The Blues ' ?
Ans : The Blues is a genre and musical form originated by African Americans in
the Deep South of the United States around the end of the 19th century .
i)Why is it impossible for African Americans to dream or aspire to great
things ?
Ans : It is impossible for Africans to dream or aspire to great things because of
the environment of oppression that surrounds them .
j)Who is the speaker in the poem ' Harlem ' ?
Ans : The speaker of the poem " Harlem " is not a specific person . It could be
Hughes .
k)How was in the early 1950's the social fabric of America which was
composed of a black population ?
Ans : In the early 1950's America continued the racial segregation between the
blacks and the whites . The blacks were still being considered second class
citizens.
l)What is Harlem and why is it famous ?
Ans : Harlem is a large neighborhood in the northern section of New York City . It
was important for its impact on the worlds of theatre .

Prepared by:Mostakim Hossain/B.A(Honours),English.

(For PDF File)Whatsapp:01580374244
For details:01891908175
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Board Question:2014
a)Who is Walt Whitman ?
Ans : Walt Whitman is the poet of democracy in American literature.
b)What does the poet offer to the coffin of Lincoln ?
Ans : The poet offers a sprig of lilac to the coffin of Lincoln
c)Why does Whitman address Abraham Lincoln as ' Captain ' ?
Ans : The poet addresses Abraham Lincoln as " Captain " because he thinks that
Abraham Lincoln is the captain of the ship " America " .
d)What does the lilac - bush look like ?
Ans : The lilac - bush looked tall - growing , with heart - shaped leaves of rich
green , with many a pointed blossom , rising , delicate , with the perfume the poet
loved very much.
e)Who was Silas ?
Ans : Silas was the hired servant of Warren in the poem “ The Death of the Hired
Man " by Robert Frost .
f)Why wasn't Warren satisfied with Silas ?
Ans : Warren wasn't satisfied with Silas because he was in the habit of working
for others when Warren needed him most .
g)What does the tree in " Tree at My Window ” stand for ?
Ans : " Tree " representing the “ Cross " in the setting of Waiting for Godot
signifies hope .
h)Why did the poet take the other road ?
Ans : He took the other road because it was grassy and had better claims to be
trodden.
i )What do you mean by the expression " Good fences make good
neighbours " ?
Ans : " Good fences make good neighbours " means that if good fences are
maintained between two neighbours , quarrels decrease and a good relationship
increases between them .
j)What inspired Langston Hughes to write the poem ' The Negro Speaks of
Rivers ?
Ans : The beautiful sight of the river Mississippi enjoyed from inside a train while
crossing the river inspired Langston Hughes to write the poem " The Negro
Speaks of Rivers ".
k)What attitude to America does the poet express by " I , too . Sing America
"?
Ans : The attitude of patriotism and deep love is expressed in the poem " I , too .
Sing America "
l)What is New Orleans ?
Ans : New Orleans is a Louisiana city on the Mississippi River , near the Gulf of
Mexico .
Prepared by:Mostakim Hossain/B.A(Honours),English.
(For PDF File)Whatsapp:01580374244
For details:01891908175
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Board Question:2015
a)How does Whitman welcome death ?
Ans : Whitman welcomes death by chanting a song of reception for death .
b)What is the earth right place for ?
Ans : The earth is the right place for love .
c)Where is Harlem ?
Ans : Harlem is a large neighborhood in the northern section of the New York.
d)Whom does Whitman call " Captain " ?
Ans : Whitman calls Abraham Lincoln " Captain " .
e)What was Mary's idea about the return of Silas ?
Ans : Mary's idea about the return of Silas was that he had come home to die
f)What forced the branches of birches to bend ?
Ans : The ice - storms forced the branches of birches to bend .
g)What do you understand about ' The Blues ' ?
Ans : ' The Blues ' is a genre and musical form originated by African Americans
in the Deep South of the United States around the end of the 19th century .
h)What was Dickinson's idea about liquor ?
Ans : Dickinson's idea about liquor was something that never brewed .
i)Whom did Dickinson feel moving ' to and fro ' in " I felt a funeral in my
brain " ?
Ans : Dickinson felt the mourners moving ' to and fro ' in " I felt a funeral in my
brain " .
j)Who was Langston Hughes ?
Ans : Langston Hughes was an African - American poet who made significant
contributions to the Harlem Renaissance .
k)Why does the poet call grass " hoary grass " ?
Ans : The poet calls grass as " hoary grass " to express the uselessness of grass
compared with the highly valuable apples .
l. Did Langston Hughes love America ?
Ans : Yes , Langston Hughes , a negro , loved America as deeply as the white
people of America do.

Board Question:2016
a)What does " Wild Nights " symbolize ?
Ans : " Wild Nights " symbolizes wild sexual pleasures enjoyed during nights .
b )What is an elegy ?
Ans : Elegy is a sad poem , written to praise and express sorrow for someone
who is dead .
c)What does the poet dream of in " Birches " ?
Ans : In ' Birches ' the poet dreams of going back to his childhood and be a
swinger of birches once again . mono.
d)Why was Mary waiting for her husband ?
Ans : Mary was waiting for her husband to give him a briefing about the arrival of
Silas who had come ' home ' to die .
e)What does the poet mean by " deferred dream " in " Harlem " ?
Ans : By the phrase " deferred dream " in " Harlem " the poet wants to mean the
dre of equality which is postponed for a long time without materialisation .
f)What does the pet mean by " Rowing in Eden " in " Wild Nights - Wild
Nights " ?
Ans : By " Rowing in Eden " the poet means rowing in heaven.
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g)What do you understand when the speaker says , " I am the darker
brother " ?
Ans : When the speaker says , " I am the darker brother " he wants to mean that
he black in colour but has the bond of brotherhood with every American .
h)What does Whitman offer to the coffin ?
Ans :The poet offers a sprig of lilac to the coffin of Lincoln .
i)Whom did the poet hear playing a piano in " The Weary Blues " ?
Ans : The poet heard a Negro playing a piano in the Poem " The Weary Blues " .
" The blues " were coming from the soul of a Negro .
j)How did Mary define home ?
Ans : Mary defines home as " Something you somehow haven't to deserve . "
k)What does Frost mean by the two roads ?
Ans : By the phrase " two roads " , Frost means two or more options a man faces
at every critical moment of his life , out of which one is always chosen as the
decision .
l)What and where is New Orleans ?
Ans : New Orleans is a Louisiana city on the Mississippi River , near the Gulf of
Mexico .

Prepared by:Mostakim Hossain/B.A(Honours),English.

(For PDF File)Whatsapp:01580374244
For details:01891908175
Board Question:2017
a)What wall symbolizes the poem ' Mending Wall ” ?
Ans : The wall in " Mending Wall ” symbolizes the political , social , physical , and
emotional walls that we face in our lives .
b)Why did Silas leave his job with Warren ?
Ans : Silas left his job with Warren because the latter was unable to provide Silas
with pocket money necessary for buying tobacco .
c)What does ' fearful trip ' refer to in the poem O Captain My Captain ?
Ans : By " fearful trip " Whitman refers to in the poem " O Captain , My Captain "
is the risky steps taken by Abraham Lincoln to remove slavery from America .
d)What is the dream of the speaker in the poem ' I ' Too Sing America ' ?

e)How does Mary define Home ?

Ans : Mary defines home as " Something you somehow haven't to deserve . "
f)What are the rivers in the poem " The Negro Speaks of Rivers " ?
Ans : The names of the rivers that are referred to in ' The Negro Speaks of Rivers
' are , the Euphrates , the Congo , the Nile , and the Mississippi.
g)What do the Blues stand for in the poem Weary Blues ?
Ans : ' Blues ' in the poem Weary Blues stands for notes of woe .
h)What does Emily Dickinson mean when she says , ' I taste a Liquor ' ?
Ans : When Emily Dickinson says , ' I taste a Liquor ' , she means that she has
taken a unique kind of wine .
i)What is Jazz music ?
Ans : Jazz is a type of music of Black American origin . It is typically played on
brass and woodwind instruments .
j)What happens when a dream is deferred ?
Ans : When a dream is deferred , it explodes .
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k)What does Frost mean when he says , " Your head is so much concerned
with outer , Mine with inner weather " ?
Ans : When Frost says , " Your head is so much concerned with outer , Mine with
inner weather ” , he wants to mean that the tree at his window is tormented by
natural weather but he is tormented by psychological problems .
l)Identify the relation between Mary , Warren and Silas .
Ans : Mary and Warren are a couple . Silas is their helping hand .
Board Question:2018
a)How does Whitman welcome death ?
Ans:Whitman welcomes death by offering glad serenades , dancing and feasting.
b)What do you mean by the expression " Good fences make good
neighbours " ?
Ans:The expression means that it is better for the people to mind their own
business and respect the privacy of others .
c)What is ' Harlem ' ?
Ans . Harlem is the large neighbourhood of New York city .
d)How does the poet express her thoughts about the wild nights ?
Ans . The poet expresses his thoughts about the wild nights that is she were with
her awaited person the wild nights will luxury .
e)Why was there the possibility of Warren's maltreating his old servant ?
Ans . As Silas , the old servant of Warren left the job when Warren needed him
most Warren might maltreat him .
f)How does the poet react to the melancholy song of the Negro ?
Ans . The poet reacts sentimentally and utters ' O Blues ' to the melancholy song
of the Negro .
g)How does the lilac - bush look ?
Ans . The lilac - bush looks high - rising with heart shaped leaves of rich green
with many a pointed blossom which is fully delicate with the poet's favourite
perfume .
h)Where is the funeral taking place ?
Ans . The funeral is taking place inside the brain of the poet .
i)Why did the poet take the other road in the poem The Road not Taken ?
Ans . In the poem The Road not Taken the poet took the other road as it had
better claim ; it was grassy and untrodden so far .
j)Where was the Negro playing on a piano ?
Ans . The Negro was playing on a piano Down on Lenox Avenue in New York city
in the faint light of an old gas light .
k)Whom does Whitman call ' Captain ' ?
Ans . Whitman calls Abraham Lincoln ' Captain '.
l)What do the mourners do after the funeral service is over ?
Ans . The mourners lift a box after the funeral service is over .
Board Question:2019
a)What does the tree in “Tree at My Window” stand for ?
Ans : The tree stands for nature .
b)What does Whitman offer to the coffin ?
Ans : The poet gives to the coffin the spring of lilac that he broke from the lilac branch
bush in the dooryard.
c)What does ' Wild Nights ' symbolise ?
Ans :The Wild Nights is the symbol of unbounded sexual pleasures .
d)What are Birches ' ?
Ans : Birches are some kind of trees .
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e)How does the poet like to go toward heaven ?

Ans:He likes to go toward heaven by climbing the black branches of the birch trees .
f)How did Mary define home ?
Ans :Marcy defined " home " as " something you somehow haven't to deserve”.
g)Where is Harlem ?
Ans : Harlem is in New York City .
It is the name of a neighbourhood there inhabited mostly by the African - Americans .
h)Which of the two noads did Roberet Frost take ?
Ans : Robert Frost took the other way which was less travelled by the travellers .
i)Who was Langston Hughes ?
Ans . Langston Hughes was a great black American poet of the 20th century .
j)What kind of liquor does Dickinson prefer?
Ans : Dickinson prefers a liquor that had never been brewed in large cups of peard.
k)Whom did Dickinson feel moving to and fro ' in f felt a Funeral in My Brain ?
Ans . Dickinson felt that a funeral ceremony was taking place in her brain and the
mourners kept treading “to and fro”..
l)What inspired Langston Hughes to write the poem “The Negro Speaksel
Rivers”?
Ans : The beauty and majesty of Mississipe river inspired him to write the poem .

Board Question:2020
(a) What does Dickinson mean by "Rowing in Eden"?
Ans. The poet imagines that the sea is her Paradise- Eden, and rowing
in the sea would be like rowing in Paradise.
(b What is Euphrates?
Ans. Euphrates is the name of a river in south-west Asia.
(c) What is Dickinson intoxicated about?
Ans. Being intoxicated, she reels through endless summer days.
(d Where is the funeral taking place?
Ans. The funeral takes place in the brain of the poet.
(e) What is the earth right place for love?
Ans. The earth is the right place for love.
(f) What does the poet mean by 'deferred dream' in Harlem?
Ans. The poet means by ‘deferred dream’ the dream that is not realized
shortly but is postponed or delayed in realization.
g) What does the phrase "Lover's port' suggest in "Wild Nights Wild
Nights"?
Ans. The phrase ‘Lover’s port’ suggests a place for the loves which is
safe from all kinds of danger.
h) How does Whitman welcome death?
Ans. Whitman welcomes death by chanting a song that tells her to
come when she comes unflatteringly.
(i) What does the poet mean by 'fearful trip"?
Ans. ‘Fearful trip’ refers to Lincoln’s campaign during his presidentship
for the abolition of slavery from America.
(j) What did Mary request her husband about Silas?
Ans. Mary requested her husband to be kind to Silas.
(k) What is the relation among Marry, Warren and Silas?
Ans. Mary and Warren are husband and wife and Silas is their servant.
(l) What does the poet hear when the mourners lift the box?
Ans. The poet hears a creak across her soul.

Prepared by:Mostakim Hossain/B.A(Honours),English.

(For PDF File)Whatsapp:01580374244
For details:01891908175