Q.1.‘Departure is painful’. So is the departure of the trees painful for the poetess. What will happen after their departure?
Ans. The departure of a tree can be as painful as the departure of someone close to us. Initially, when trees are planted as saplings, they look beautiful and enhance the beauty of our surroundings. However, as they grow and spread their branches, they require more space for their growth and start to look wild. The roots create cracks in the floor, and the leaves stretch out as if to move towards the glass, perhaps in need of sunlight. The soft twigs become strong and stiff, and the trees need to be removed from the house. No longer do the leaves cover the sky, but the trees breathe and are welcomed by the wind. The moon resembles a broken mirror, reflecting off the leaves. The poetess reveals that she will feel lonely after the trees’ departure.
Q.2. How does the poem ‘The Trees’ make a strong plea against deforestation?
Ans. The poem "The Trees" conveys a powerful message against deforestation. The poet emphasizes the importance of trees by stating that without them, there would be no shadow, no forest, and no place for birds to sit or insects to hide. As saplings, trees add to the beauty of their surroundings, but as they grow, they require more space and can cause damage to the floor. The poet suggests that trees need to be removed from the house and welcomed by the wind and the moon. However, without trees, there is no longer any shade, and the poet feels guilty for silently watching the forests depart. The poem uses trees as a metaphor to show how humans have harmed nature for their selfish needs. The poet believes that the forest will be full of trees again in the morning. The poem highlights the importance of trees to all living creatures and sends a strong message against deforestation.
Q.3. Explain the phrase “the forest that was empty all these days”. After reading the poem for whom do you think are the forests needed? Imagine you are a tree in a forest, what; values would you like the humans to learn from the tree?
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What message does Adrienne Rich want to convey through her poem, The Trees?
Ans. In her poem, ‘The Trees’ poetess Adrienne Rich subtly drives home the message about the importance of trees. Without trees, the birds would not be in a place to sit, insects will have no place to hide and the sun would not bury its feet in its shadow. As saplings, we enjoy the beauty of plants as they adorn the surroundings. But slowly the tree spreads its roots, branches, and leaves and seems to yearn to go outside where it can live and grow without any restrictions No more does the tree look attractive indoors. The trees are however welcomed into nature by strong winds and the moon. The author with this emphasizes that trees need to be kept alive, but should not be ‘imprisoned’ inside the house as they look more beautiful, and tend to thrive outdoors which is where trees belong.
Q.4. How does Adrienne Rich use trees as a metaphor for men? Isn’t the struggle of the trees to free themselves and go to the forest is the struggle of crushed men, particularly of women against the powerful and atrocious men?
Ans. In Adrienne Rich's poem, trees are used as a metaphor to represent women facing challenges. The poem highlights the importance of nature through the depiction of trees and forests. Unfortunately, humans have often tried to exploit, subdue, tame, and control nature with disastrous consequences, such as deforestation. Despite attempts to contain them in artificial glasshouses, the trees continue to struggle and break free from these barriers. Eventually, they triumph and return to their rightful place in the forest. This narrative illustrates nature's victory over human attempts to dominate it.
Women often encounter difficulties in achieving their freedom in societies where men hold most of the power. This struggle for liberation is similar to the fight against oppression faced by other marginalized groups. The poem's portrayal of liberated trees offers hope that women will also overcome their challenges and attain genuine freedom.
Q.5. The poem ‘The Trees’ presents a conflict between man and nature. Describe the struggle of the trees and their victorious march to their natural habitat—the forest.
Ans. The poem "The Trees" delves into the timeless theme of the conflict between man and nature. Despite the numerous blessings that nature has bestowed upon humanity, man's greed, arrogance, and folly have continually tested the limits of nature's patience. When nature reaches its breaking point, it retaliates by unleashing devastating storms, droughts, and floods upon humanity. Man's insatiable greed has led to rampant deforestation, resulting in forests without trees that have become a curse for birds, insects, and even the sun. This is a tragedy that cannot be undone.
Efforts to control and subdue nature are bound to fail. Uprooting trees from their natural habitats and confining them to artificial environments like glasshouses is also destined to fail. Trees resist human intervention and struggle to break free from human bondage. In the end, they emerge victorious and return to their natural homes. Nature ultimately prevails and resists human attempts to exploit, subdue, and domesticate it.
