Class 7 English Oxford Question Answers - The Listeners

Short Answer Questions

Q1: What is the setting of the poem?
Ans: The poem is set at a lone house in the moonlight.

Q2: Describe the Traveller in the poem.
Ans: The Traveller is a person on horseback who knocks on the door of the house.

Q3: How does the Traveller try to get someone's attention in the poem?
Ans: The Traveller knocks on the door and calls out if there is anybody there.

Q4: What does the Traveller do when no one answers the door?
Ans: The Traveller knocks louder and calls out again, telling them he came and no one answered.

Q5: Who or what are the "phantom listeners" mentioned in the poem?
Ans: The phantom listeners are imaginary or ghostly figures who seem to be listening to the Traveller's call.

Q6: What is the response of the listeners in the poem to the Traveller's call?
Ans: The listeners do not respond or show any sign of acknowledgment.

Q7: How does the Traveller feel about the listeners' reaction?
Ans: The Traveller feels strange and perplexed by the listeners' stillness and lack of response.

Q8: What does the Traveller hear as he leaves the house?
Ans: The Traveller hears the echo of his own words and the sound of his horse's hoofs on the ground.

Q9: What does the Traveller say to the listeners as he leaves?
Ans: The Traveller tells the listeners that he came and no one answered, and he kept his word.

Q10: What is the mood of the poem?
Ans: The mood of the poem is mysterious and eerie.

Long Answer Questions

Q1: Discuss the significance of the setting in the poem. How does it contribute to the overall mood?
Ans: The setting of the poem, at a lone house in the moonlight, creates a mysterious and eerie mood. The darkness and silence of the night, along with the deserted house, enhance the sense of isolation and strangeness experienced by the Traveller.

Q2: What is the Traveller's motivation for knocking on the door? How does this reveal his character?
Ans: The Traveller's motivation for knocking on the door is to seek some form of human connection or response. This reveals his persistence and perhaps a sense of loneliness or longing for interaction.

Q3: Explain the significance of the "phantom listeners" in the poem. What do they symbolize?
Ans: The phantom listeners symbolize the unseen forces or memories that inhabit the house. They represent the idea of being heard but not seen, suggesting a presence that is intangible yet impactful.

Q4: How does the poem explore the theme of communication or lack thereof?
Ans: The poem explores the theme of communication through the Traveller's repeated attempts to get a response from the house. Despite his efforts, there is no direct communication or interaction, highlighting the theme of isolation or the inability to connect with others.

Q5: Discuss the use of imagery and sound devices in the poem. How do they contribute to the overall effect?
Ans: The poem uses imagery such as the moonlight, dark stair, and echoing silence to create a vivid and atmospheric setting. Sound devices like alliteration and repetition enhance the rhythmic quality of the poem and emphasize key moments, adding to the overall eerie effect.