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SEEDS AND DEEDS, THE SOWER by Victor Marie Hugo, , Textual questions and answers, 1.What are the various activities involved in farming?, Ploughing, Manuring, Sowing, Weeding, Irrigating, Harvesting., 2.Where is the speaker sitting, In a cool porch way, 3.What time of the day is it?, Evening, Additional questions, 1.‘But one sower lingers still’. Why does the sower ‘linger’? What does the use of the word ‘linger’ suggest about the sower?, He lingers so that he can sow the seeds. It suggests that he is dedicated to his work., 2.Why does the speaker feel a thrill on seeing the sower now? Identify the words used by the poet to establish this., He is impressed on seeing the silhouette of the sower dominating over the fields. Black and high his silhouette Dominate, the furrows deep!, 3.How does the sower go about performing his task?, He marches along the field to and fro and scatters the seeds wide., 4.In normal circumstances pearls, diamonds and rubies are referred as precious. In this poem, ‘grain’ is referred to as precious., Why does the poet consider grain precious?, lt is these grains that grow as corn and provide us food that keeps us alive., 5.The poet speaks of the sower as ‘old and in rags’ in the beginning of the poem. How does this opinion change towards the end of, the poem? Pick out the lines from the poem., The sower grows in stature and the poet seems to respect him more for what he does., ‘Now his gesture to mine eyes Are august; and strange – his height Seem to touch the starry skies.’, 6. Bring out the contrast between the poet and the sower., The poet is sitting idle, watching the sower whereas the sower works hard even after twilight has set in and everyone has, gone home., 7.Look at the words:, cool, fast, rule, past, These are rhyming words. Now, pick out the other rhyming words from the poem., Lands — stands, still — thrill, deep — reap, plain — grain, wide — stride, Light — height, eyes — skies, 8.Locate the word pictures used in the poem., shadows shoot across the lands Marches he along the plain, To and fro and scatters wide From his hand’s precious grain, 9.‘Seems to touch the starry skies’ is an example of alliteration from the poem. Pick out other examples from the poem, shadows shoot across the lands looking on, I feel a thrill, 10.Write the rhyme scheme of the first stanza., Rhyme scheme ab -ab, MODEL QUESTION (2015), Read the following stanzas and answer the questions that follow, Sitting in a porch-way cool,, , Fades the ruddy sunlight fast, Twilight hastens on to rule, Working hours are well – nigh past

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Shadows shoot across the lands;, But one sower lingers still,, Old, in rags, the patient stands,, Looking on, I feel a thrill, , 1. Where is the poet sitting?, 2. What time of the day is it?, 3. Pick out the word pictures in the poem., 4. Find out the rhyme scheme of the first stanza., Prepare a short profile of Victor Marie Hugo using the hints given below., Born: February 26, 1802, France, Popular as: Greatest and best known French writer, Spouse: Adele Foucher (1822), Notable works: The Hunchback of Notredame, Sea Devils, Died: May 22, 1885, Answer:, Victor Marie Hugo:, Victor Marie Hugo was born on February 26, 1802, in France. He was one of the greatest and best known French writers. He, married Adele Foucher in 1822. The Hunchback of Notredame, Sea Devils, etc are his notable works. He passed away on May 22, in 1885.