1.

ROMEO AND JULIET

1. How does Romeo describe Juliet’s beauty?

When romeo saw Juliet for the first time,he was stuck by her beauty. Romeo initially
described Juliet as a source of light. He feels that Juliet can teach the torches to burn
bright. Juliet charm’s more than the brightness of the light. Juliet’s beauty seems to be
too rare and splendid that seems to hang upon the cheek of the night. Juliet is like a
jewel that is hung in the ear of an African woman. Romeo says Juliet is too beautiful to
belong to Earth. Juliet’s beauty is so vast that she cannot die and be buried in the Earth.
The earth cannot contain her beauty. Juliet appears to Romeo as a white snowy dove
and her companions appears to be crows. That is to say, when she stood with other
women, she out – did others.

Romeo proposes to find the place where Juliet stood and wants to touch her blessed
hand and make his own rude hand blessed. Romeo further asks a question whether he
ever loved before. He feels this is true love. Romeo thinks he has never seen a beautiful
woman like Juliet before this night.

2. How according to Juliet, would Romeo be immortalized to the world?

William Shakespeare is an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest
writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called
England’s National poet and the “Bard of Avon”.

Juliet compares Romeo to a day coming during night. Juliet uses the phrase ‘day in
night’ and ‘whiter than new snow on a raven’s back’. She describes Romeo as day in
night and whiter than new snow upon a raven’s back. This contrast of light and dark can
be expanded as symbols contrasting love and hate, youth and age.

‘Come gentle night, come loving dark night’ saying so Juliet requests to give her Romeo
to her and if she dies, she begs fate to turn him into stars and form a constellation in his
image. His face will make the heaven so beautiful that the world will fall in love with the
night and forget the garish sun. Juliet wishes to immortalize Romeo after his death by
wishing to transform him into star. By speaking of life after death Juliet exhibits more
passionate and intense love for her beloved Romeo
What similes does Romeo use to convey Juliet’s beauty and to what effect?

William Shakespeare is an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest
writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called
England’s National poet and the “Bard of Avon”.

Romeo uses two similes to describe Juliet’s mesmerizing beauty

‘It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
As a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear.’
In these lines the phrase ‘cheek of night’ and ‘Ethiope’s ear’ refers to the
darkness of the night personified as an African/Ethiopian.

The second simile

So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows
As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows.’
The comparison is between the ‘snowy dove’ and the ‘crows’. Juliet is the snowy dove
and the other ladies in the room are compared to crows.

The theme of light is symbolic of the natural beauty of young love. Both Romeo and
Juliet see each other as light in a surrounding darkness. Romeo describes Juliet as
‘being like a sun’, ‘brighter than a torch’, ‘a
jewel sparkles in the night’, and ‘a bright angel among dark clouds’.

Juliet describes Romeo as day in night and whiter than snow upon a raven’s back. This
contrast of light and dark can be expanded as
symbols contrasting love and hate, youth and age in a metaphoric way. Romeo and
Juliet’s love is a light in the midst of the darkness of the hatred around them, but all of
their activity together is done in night
and darkness, while all the feuding is done in broad daylight. This paradox of imagery
adds atmosphere to the moral dilemma facing the two lovers, loyalty to family or loyalty
to love.

2. TOO DEAR

Describe the toy kingdom of Monaco?

The king of Monaco ruled a tiny kingdom with a small population of about seven
thousand. In that kingdom he was a real kinglet. He had a palace, courtiers, ministers, a
bishop, generals and an army to take care of. He has his coronation, his levees, he
rewards, sentences and pardons, and he also has his reviews, councils, laws and
courts of justice, just like other kings, only all on a smaller scale. However, he had very
limited sources of income. The kingdom also levied taxes on its subjects on the use of
tobacco, wine and spirits and a poll-tax. Since this kingdom has very few subjects, the
revenue drawn from them was not sufficient.These sources were insufficient. So, he
found a new source of special income; a gaming house where people played roulette

2. Though gambling is a dirty business why does the king of Monaco resort to it?

Though the king knows that Gambling is a dirty business, he had to resort to it because
it was a kingdom with small population of about seven thousand. he has to feed his
courtiers, officials, ministers, bishop, generals and an army. He has his coronation, his
levees, he rewards, sentences and pardons, and he also has his reviews, councils, laws
and courts of justice, just like other kings, only all on a smaller scale. However, he had
very limited sources of income. These sources were insufficient. So, he found a new
source of special income; a gaming house where people played roulette.

To live and reign and to hold his court with all the ceremony of a real king, he rakes in
the money from gambling.

3. Why did the king of Monaco keep changing his mind in dealing with the
criminal?

Ans: When the criminal was sentenced to death, there was only one hitch in the matter;
they had neither a guillotine nor an executioner. The ministers then sought the French
Government for assistance of 16000 francs. Finding the cost more expensive, the
Council decided to write a letter to the King of Italy. Though the cost quoted stood at
12000 francs, it still seemed too much. Even the suggestion of asking one of their
soldiers to execute the criminal did not yield results. Later, it was decided to alter the
death sentence to one of imprisonment for life. The Prince agreed to this. But it became
to more than 600 francs a year. So, they dismissed the guard so that the criminal might
run away. But this did not happen. When brought before the Prince to explain why he
did not run away, he complained that they had spoilt his character by their sentence.
Finally, a Council was called and it considered offering him a pension of 600 francs to
get rid of him. Thus the matter was settled. This is how the King of Monaco kept
changing his mind dealing with the criminal

4. Why was the criminal reluctant to go out of the prison?

Ans: Because criminal had nowhere to go. He complained that by their death sentence,
they had ruined his character. He was afraid that people would turn their backs on him.
Besides, he had lost touch with the way of working. He said he had been treated badly
which was not fair. He was not willing to go away from prison as he thought he would be
rejected by society as a normal citizen

In the first place, when once they sentenced him to death, they should have executed
him; but they did not do it. And he did not complain about that. He then said that they
sentenced to imprisonment for life and put a guard to bring him his food; but after a time
they took him away and the criminal had to fetch his own food. Again he did not
complain. But then they actually wanted him to go away and he could not agree that.
Thus all these reasons made the criminal reluctant to go out of the prison.

5. How did the criminal lead his life after his release?

Ans: After the criminal was released, he received one-third of his annuity in advance,
and left the King’s territories. He emigrated and settled just across the border where he
bought a bit of land, started market-gardening and lived comfortably. He always went at
the proper time to draw his pension. After collecting, he would go to the gaming tables
and stake two or three francs. Sometimes he would win and at times, he would lose and
return home. Thus, he lived happily.

1. ‘You can’t earn stone palaces by honest labour’. In what context is this
statement made? ( 6 marks )

Ans: Though the king knows that Gambling is a dirty business, he had to resort to it
because it was a kingdom with small population of about seven thousand. he has to
feed his courtiers, officials, ministers, bishop, generals and an army. He has his
coronation, his levees, he rewards, sentences and pardons, and he also has his
reviews, councils, laws and courts of justice, just like other kings, only all on a smaller
scale. However, he had very limited sources of income. These sources were
insufficient. So, he found a new source of special income; a gaming house where
people played roulette.

To live and reign and to hold his court with all the ceremony of a real king, he rakes in
the money from gambling. It is like, ‘You can’t earn stone palaces by honest labour’.
This statement is true with reference to the context the king of Monaco lived in. He knew
it very well that gambling is a dirty business. he drew revenue from all evil sources like
gambling houses, tax on tobacco, wines and spirits which represents the negative
aspects of life. Income collected from the evil side of life may not lead us to good future.
But, he had to resort to it for the survival and sustenance of his kingdom.

2. Were there other ways of dealing with crime and the criminal? Discuss in the
light of the story? ( 6 marks )

Ans: First of all, when he found out that gaming houses were forbidden in the entire
Europe, he could very well have banned one in Monaco too. It was his risk with the
monopoly over the game. Then, when the crime took place in his domains, the criminal
was sentenced to death. Here, at this point, he could have used his wisdom and come
up with a practical solution to deal with the punishment. Life imprisonment would have
been a much better option giving an opportunity for the criminal to reform in the
process. Instead of releasing him with an assured pension, the King could have
employed him suitably.

3. Everything I need to know I learnt in the Forest

1.“The conservation of bio-diversity is the answer to the food and nutrition crisis”
– Discuss?

Bio-diversity refers to the existence of a large number of different kinds of animals and
plants which make a balanced environment. It promotes democratic pluralism where
every species gets opportunities to sustain itself in co-operation with others and no
species in a forest appropriates the share of another species. The failure to understand
bio-diversity has led to the impoverishment of nature and culture;
therefore it is necessary to practice bio-diversity intensive farming. By practicing and
promoting bio diversity intensive form of farming, the yield is more and thus helps in
solving the food and nutrition crisis.

2. Why is it important to promote biodiversity intensive farming? How did the

author achieve it.
 The author Vandana Shiva learnt about Biodiversity in the Himalayan forests. She used
this knowledge to protect the biodiversity of farms. She started saving seeds. To
promote biodiversity she started the ‘Navadhanya Farm’ in 1994 at Doon Valley
Uttarakhand.

Through their efforts, they have conserved 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat
and hundreds of other species. She also promoted organic farming in 1987. They
trained farmers at the farm and used it for the demonstration and cultivation of more
than 3000 varieties of rice.

Biodiversity has helped in growing more quantity and nutritious food. It has helped in
achieving food security. Because of biodiversity hunger, starvation and malnutrition
have been reduced and as a result, human has improved and many diseases caused
by malnutrition are reduced.

3. Write a note on Earth University mentioned in Vandana Shiva’s essay.

The earth University, Navadhanya conveys a democracy, which is the freedom for all
species to evolve with the web of life, and the freedom and responsibility of humans, as
members of the earth family, to recognize, protect and respect the rights of their
species.

Since we all depend on the earth, earth democracy promotes the human right to food
and water. The Earth University stands apart from other universities because teaching
does not take place in a concrete building but in the natural surroundings of the
‘Navadhanya’ where participants work with seeds, soil and the web of life. The students
are farmers, school children and other interested people. The two most popular courses
are ‘A to Z of organic farming and Argo-Ecology’ and ‘Gandhi and Globalization’.

4. What ideas of tagore inspired the author to start the Earth University?

Or How according to Vandana Shiva does Tagore’s essay ‘Tapovan’ explain the
need of nature and forest.

Vandana Shiva makes a reference to the views of Rabindranath Tagore about ‘Forest
as a school’. In his essay titled ‘Tapovan’ (which means Forest of Purity), Tagore
highlights the unique features of Indian civilization. He opines that Indian civilization
originated in the forest and the forest served as a source of material and intellectual
regeneration. Further, he argues that the culture of the forest has fuelled the culture of
Indian society. Next, he offers a convincing explanation as to how the culture of the
forest could have helped the Indian civilization. He opines that the culture of the forest
has been influenced by the diverse processes of renewal of life which are always at play
in the forest. The diverse processes of renewal of life vary from species to species, from
season to season, insight and sound and smell. This unifying principle of life in diversity,
democratic pluralism, thus became the principle of Indian civilization.

5. Write a note on Vandana Shiva’s involvement in the Chipko movement.

Vandana Shiva’s involvement in the contemporary ecology movement began with the
Chipko movement which was a nonviolent response to the large-scale deforestation that
was taking place in the Himalayan region in the 1970s. During this period, the peasant
women from the Garhwal Himalaya, having realized that the forests were the real
source of springs and streams, fodder and fuel, declared that they would hug the trees,
and the loggers would have to kill them before cutting the trees. In 1973, when Vandana
Shiva went to the Himalaya to visit her favourite forests and swim in her favourite
stream, the forests were not there and the stream had become a trickle. It was at this
moment that she decided to become a volunteer. the Chipko movement. She spent
every vacation doing Padayatras, documenting the deforestation, the work of the forest
activists and spreading the message of Chipko.

6. Describe the importance of forest in the life of Vandana Shiva

Vandana Shiva says that she learned her first lesson in ecology and eco-system in the
Himalayan forests which she later put to practice in her farms. Her ideas about bio-
diversity and bio diversity based living economies prompted her to begin the Navadanya
movement for biodiversity conservation and organic farming which she started in 1987.
Later, in 1994, she set up the Navadanya farm in the Doon Valley where she claims to
have conserved and grown 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat and hundreds of
other species. Based on these practices she tells the reader that the forests teach us
union and compassion, principle of equity, and how to enjoy the gifts of nature without
exploitation and accumulation and mutual co-operation.

7. Bring out Cormac Cullinan’s view about apartheid.

Cormac Cullinan is a prominent South African environmentalist. He points out that
apartheid means separateness. He declares that the world joined the anti-apartheid
movement to end the violent separation of people on the basis of colour and so they
were able to end apartheid in South Africa. Cullinan suggests that we need to overcome
the wider and deeper apartheid – an ecoapartheid based on the illusion of separateness
of humans from nature – in our minds and lives.Read more on Sarthaks.com

8. How does Vandana Shiva bring out in importance of ‘Navadhanya farm’ in her
essay.

Vandana Shiva describes ‘Navdanya’ as a movement for biodiversity conservation and

organic farming which she started in 1987. Later, when she realized that they needed a
farm for demonstration and training, she set up the Navdanya Farm in 1994 in the Doon
Valley in the lower elevation Himalayan region of Uttarakhand province. She states that
they have conserved and grown 630 varieties of rice, 150 varieties of wheat and
hundreds of other species. She also says that they have set up more than 100
community seed banks across India. She also helped farmers to make a transition from
fossil-fuel and chemical-based monocultures to bio-diverse ecological systems
nourished by the sun and the soil.

3. ON CHILDREN

1. Why does the prophet categorically state ‘Your Children are not your children’?

Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese American artist, poet and writer. ‘On Children’ is a
selection from ‘The Prophet’ published in 1923. The Prophet is one of the bestselling
books of all time. The Prophet offers a critic of the usual expectations of parents about
their children and urges them to introspect. He states that a child’s parents should not
be controlling towards their child: rather they should give their children the opportunity to
succeed on their own. When it comes to child’s thoughts and points of view, all that the
child needs from his parents is never ending support.

“They come through you but not from you”

And though they are with you, Yet they belong not to you”
This quote means that we are all God’s children. We belong not to a
being on Earth. Rather we belong to the man above. Some parents fail to
realize this. They have come through us for a purpose of their own and
some of them are very different from their parents, in thoughts, attitudes, wishes etc
Parents should not be over possessive towards their children as it would make them
discouraged. children have right to decide their life and make decisions accordingly.
They are God’s children and this is why parents should stop worrying about them too
much.
Kahlil says that they stay with you, but they do not belong to you. Each one of us has to
chart out our own paths and not one of us resembles the other. God and nature are so
brilliant that we cannot find even one fingerprint resembling another. Parents should
love their children without binding them with their own thoughts. Love is always divine
and self less and free like bird.

2. What does the metaphor, bows and arrows signify with regard to parent
children relationship?

Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese American artist, poet and writer. ‘On Children’ is a
selection from ‘The Prophet’ published in 1923. The Prophet’ is one of the bestselling
books of all time. Kahlil Gibran’s perspective on the issue of children is that a child’s
parents can only give them love so as to make them confident to face all the challenges
of life. But they cannot impose their thoughts. Parents can offer opinions as choices but
freewill or ultimate decision should be given to children.

God is the Archer, parents are the bows and Children are the arrows. The Archer wants
His living arrows to reach the target. He decides the target for His arrows by using the
parents as bows to shoot the arrows. parents have to stretch the limits of their thinking
and living . They have to give their love and not their thoughts, the living arrows will
reach the target as per the Divine plan. God, the Supreme Power, uses parents as a
vehicle to bring children to this earth. Children have their own thoughts and souls.
Therefore, parents cannot possess them as puppets.

The archer “God” who cast the arrows wants it to go to a certain place; he really cannot
make it go unless he holds the bow stable. So that the arrow will go the way he wants.
In other words, parents need to be good stable role models for their children if they want
them to stick to the path of success.

3. The Poem on Children does not merely focus on the lives of the children but
also talks the responsibility of parents. Explain.

The poem "On Children" does not focus merely on the lives of children but also talks
about the responsibility of parents. He states that a child’s parents should not be
controlling towards their child: rather they should give their children the opportunity to
succeed on their own. When it comes to child’s thoughts and points of view, all that the
child needs from his parents is never ending support.
Parents should not be over possessive towards their children as it would make them
discouraged. children have right to decide their life and make decisions accordingly.
They are God’s children and this is why parents should stop worrying about them too
much.

Next, Gibran talks about the responsibility of parents. He states that God is the archer,
and parents are his bows. The archer decides on the target, bends the bow to suit his
target and shoots the arrows. The arrows are the children. Thus the archer wants the
parents to serve as his instrument. If the bow remains rigid and inflexible, the arrows
may not reach the desired destination. Therefore, as parents, it is our responsibility to
be flexible enough to allow our children to live their own lives.