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/purposes.
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 question 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: Every person has his/her own choices, likes and dislikes. Students are advised to answer the question based on their interpretation and personal experience. As humans, we all have our personal favourites based on our perception and situation in life. It is therefore, not wrong to like some person more than others.
(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 reflects their attentiveness and concern for them.
(ii) The public's love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician or a social worker reflects our admiration and being awestruck about their personality.
(iii) Your love for a friend or brother or sister reflects your love, compassion, empathy and a feeling of togetherness for them.
(iv) Your love for a pet, and the pet's love for you reflects the unconditional and selfless love towards each other.
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.
