Q1: What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloured/Ramparts at your ear?” Why does he say that young men are “thrown into despair” by them?
Ans: The “great honey-coloured/Ramparts at your ear” refers to the beautiful yellow coloured hair that falls at the woman’s ear and cover it like a wall around a fort. He says that the young men are “thrown into despair” by them because they look so beautiful on the woman that her beauty gets thoroughly enhanced. The young men fall in love with her and feel despair. He says that it is not possible that someone would love her alone and not her yellow hair.
Q2: What colour is the young woman’s hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do so?
Ans: The young woman’s hair is of yellow colour. She says that she could get her hair dyed to brown, black or carrot colour. She would change the colour of her hair so that the young men in despair would love her only and not her yellow hair. She wanted them to love her for what she was and not for her appearance such as her hair colour.
Q3: Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone, a dress…) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise?
Ans:
i. A car - the basic quality or utility is that it makes an individual travel from one place to another as per his requirement/ desire.
The best aspect is one doesn't have to depend on public transport for commuting.
Forget the pushes and jerks in the buses, trains etc travel conveniently.
ii. A phone - lets you connect with friends, relatives, colleagues, and so on.
We can connect with people near and far, whether in another city or country, we can speak to them, chat with them, make a video call and feel that they are with us.
iii. A dress - serves the most basic need of covering one's body and a dress lets you express yourself without saying anything.
The colours, the style express our personality, vibe and choice.
Different dresses for different occasions/ purpose.
Whether it is a friend's birthday party, a cousin's wedding or a congregation, a dress has to be appropriate and in accordance.
Q4: What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it possible to love someone “for themselves alone”? Are some people ‘more lovable’ than others? Discuss this Q in pairs or in groups, considering points like the following.
(i) a parent or caregiver’s love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy
(ii) the public’s love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker
(iii) your love for a friend, or brother or sister
(iv) your love for a pet, and the pet’s love for you.
Ans: We do love some people more than others for various reasons. It can be there own loving nature; they give love and get it back.
Some people do not care about others and be just selfish and care for their own self, if such people are our family members or close relatives, we do not abandon them, but love. However, it may not be as intense as we love the ones who love us.
Similarly, if it is a special child or a disabled one or a pet, we love them for they may not be able to say/ tell what they need, it may be out of a blend of sympathy, empathy and love that we display our affection.
And, if it is a film star, a sportsperson etc., we may say we love them because we simply admire them or appreciate them. We don't even know them personally.
Q5: You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities or riches rather than for themselves. But elsewhere Yeats asks the question: How can we separate the dancer from the dance? Is it possible to separate ‘the person himself or herself’ from how the person looks, sounds, walks, and so on? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your relationship also changed? In what way?
Ans: Yes, people do change their styles, habits and way of behaviour as per time and needs. When people adopt a good change, their relationship with others also get changed in a positive way. If people adopt negative changes and traits, they may lose the love of near and dear ones.
