FIRE AND ICE WORKSHEET

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. Stanza 1
(a) What do people think of the world?
(b) What is the poet’s opinion about the world?
(c) Which two things will destroy the world?
(d) What is the prediction of the people about how the world will come to an end?

2. Stanza 2
(a) Why does the poet feel that ‘ice’ is also great for destruction?
(b) What is the rhyme scheme of this stanza of the poem?
(c) The two things that the poet thinks are good enough for destruction are
(d) What does ‘it’ stand for in the first line?

FIRE AND ICE WORKSHEET

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. Stanza 1
(a) What do people think of the world?
(b) What is the poet’s opinion about the world?
(c) Which two things will destroy the world?
(d) What is the prediction of the people about how the world will come to an end?

2. Stanza 2
(a) Why does the poet feel that ‘ice’ is also great for destruction?
(b) What is the rhyme scheme of this stanza of the poem?
(c) The two things that the poet thinks are good enough for destruction are
(d) What does ‘it’ stand for in the first line?

FIRE AND ICE WORKSHEET

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

1. Stanza 1
(a) What do people think of the world?
(b) What is the poet’s opinion about the world?
(c) Which two things will destroy the world?
(d) What is the prediction of the people about how the world will come to an end?

2. Stanza 2
(a) Why does the poet feel that ‘ice’ is also great for destruction?
(b) What is the rhyme scheme of this stanza of the poem?
(c) The two things that the poet thinks are good enough for destruction are
(d) What does ‘it’ stand for in the first line?

1. How does the poem depict the two contrasting ideas— ‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’? Can hatred
destroy us and the world? Explain bringing out values which can make this world a better
place to live in.

Ans. In the poem ‘Fire and Ice’, Robert Frost refers to two contrasting ideas—Fire and Ice as
predictions of how the world will end. According to him, some people say that the world will end in
a fire while some others hold that this will end in ice. The poet equates desire with fire and hatred
with ice. Today, both desire and hatred are growing with such a rapid speed that the world will
come to an end either of the ways.
Yes, hatred can destroy us and the world. Intolerance in behaviour creates hatred that leads to fury
and cruelty. One becomes hard-hearted and insensitive to the feelings of others.
Love, brotherhood, tolerance, peace, contentment, sensitivity, benevolence, generosity among
people can make this world a better place to live in.

2. What do the metaphors of ‘ice’ and ‘fire’ convey to the readers? Don’t they represent
the two extremes of human behaviour that can lead to the destruction and death of this
world? What is the message that the poet wants to give to the readers?

Ans. The poet in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ has touched on the universal issue of the ending of this
existing world. He gives a message as well as a warning to human beings. Man is swaying between
two extremes — ‘fire’ and ‘ice’. Sometimes he is torn by his unbridled fire of passions, desires,
lusts, longings, and fury. This results in greed, desire, and passionate love. All such extremes can
lead to unavoidable conflicts and disasters. If not controlled, they can help in bringing an early end
to this world.
The other extreme behaviour of human beings is born out of cold and ‘icy’ reasoning. When our
cold reasoning becomes completely devoid of human warmth, feelings, love, and sympathy, it
breeds hatred. Hatred born out of cold indifference, insensitivity and rigidity are strong enough to
cause the end of this world. Humanity can redeem itself and possibly save or delay the end of the
world by giving up such extremes of thinking and behaviour.

3. Why does the poet hold with those who favour fire?

Ans. The poet takes side with those who believe that the world will be destroyed by fire. Frost
connects fire with desire. According to the poet, desire is powerful and would be a quick end.
Moreover, the fact that he has had personal experience with desire leads him to first conclude that
the world will end in fire.

4. ‘But if it had to perish twice’. How will the world perish twice?

Ans. According to the poet, the world will end due to ‘fire’, which symbolises desire. But if the
world had to end twice then it will be due to the hatred symbolized by ‘ice’. The poet feels that
there is enough hatred in the world that is spreading among the people. This hatred will end the
world one day.

5. To say that for destruction ice is also great for the poet, what does ‘ice’ stand for? How
is it sufficient to bring destruction?

Ans. ‘Ice’ symbolises hatred. Hate is just as powerful as desire. While desire consumes quickly,
hate can occur and linger in people’s minds and hearts for years and sometimes even lifetimes.
Hate destroys the hater perhaps even more than the person or group hated, and it can ruin lives.
Hate can, thus, be very destructive and sufficient to bring destruction.