Try Again Important Notes - Class 7 English Poorvi | Fully Solved Notes For Students

Introduction

• The poem, written by Eliza Cook, tells the inspiring story of King Bruce of Scotland. 
• He wanted to do something great to make his people happy. Even though he tried very hard, he failed and felt very sad.
• Feeling hopeless, he lay down, thinking he could not go on. 
• After a while, he noticed a spider coming down on its thin silk thread. 
• Watching the spider try again and again gave the King new courage. It made him want to try once more. 
• The poem teaches an important lesson about never giving up despite challenges. The phrase, "All honour to those who try," sums up this idea.

Explanation 

Stanza 1

King Bruce of Scotland flung himself down
In a lonely mood to think;
'Tis true he was monarch, and wore a crown,
But his heart was beginning to sink.

Explanation:
King Bruce appears deeply sad and alone. Though he is a monarch and wears a crown, his feelings are heavy and troubled. The poet uses clear, everyday words such as "flung himself down" and "his heart was beginning to sink" to show that the King feels defeated and worried. This opening stanza helps readers feel sympathy for him and prepares us for his change of mind later.

Let's Revise: How does the poet help us understand King Bruce's mood?

Stanza 2

For he had been trying to do a great deed,
To make his people glad;
He had tried and tried, but couldn't succeed
And so he became quite sad.

Explanation:
This stanza tells us the reason for the King's sadness. He had been working on an important task to make his people happy. Despite repeated effort, he failed and felt disappointed. The lines show that even honest effort can end in failure sometimes, and that failure can cause deep sorrow. The tone remains simple and sympathetic.

Stanza 3

He flung himself down in low despair,
As grieved as man could be;
And after a while he pondered there,
"I'll give it all up," said he.

Explanation:
Here the King reaches his lowest point. He is in despair and thinks of giving up altogether. The word "pondered" shows that he thinks deeply before deciding to stop trying. This stanza makes his hopelessness clear and prepares the reader for a small but powerful event that will change his mind.

Stanza 4

Now just at that moment a spider dropped,
With its silken, filmy clue;
And the King, in the midst of his thinking, stopped
To see what the spider would do.
'Twas a long way up to the ceiling dome,
And it hung by a rope so fine;
That how it would get to its cobweb home,
King Bruce could not divine.

Explanation:
A small spider appears, hanging by a thin silk thread. The King stops his dark thoughts to watch it. The spider faces a difficult climb to the ceiling, and King Bruce cannot guess how it will reach its home. This moment introduces a simple, living example of struggle that will inspire the King.

Let's Revise: Why does King Bruce find the spider's climb so fascinating?

Stanza 5

It soon began to cling and crawl
Straight up with strong endeavour;
But down it came with a slippery sprawl,
As near to the ground as ever.
Up, up it ran, not a second to stay,
To utter the least complaint;
Till it fell still lower, and there it lay,
A little dizzy and faint.

Explanation:
The spider begins to climb with great effort but slips and falls back nearly to the ground. Without complaining, it tries again straight away. After one fall it becomes a little dizzy and tired. The stanza shows the spider's quiet courage: it keeps going in spite of pain and weakness.

Stanza 6

Its head grew steady - again it went,
And travelled a half-yard higher;
'Twas a delicate thread it had to tread,
And a road where its feet would tire.
Again it fell and swung below,
But again it quickly mounted;
Till up and down, now fast, now slow,
Nine brave attempts were counted.

Explanation:
The spider steadies itself and climbs higher. It walks on a very thin thread that is hard to hold on to. It falls again but immediately climbs once more. The poem counts nine brave attempts. These repeated tries show persistence and courage despite repeated setbacks.

Let's Revise: How does the spider's repeated effort affect the mood of the poem?

Stanza 7

"Sure," cried the King, "that foolish thing
Will strive no more to climb;
When it toils so hard to reach and cling,
And tumbles every time."

Explanation:
At first, the King thinks the spider is foolish for trying so often and believes it will give up. This shows his doubt and how ready he is to accept failure as final. His reaction also sets up a contrast with what happens next when the spider finally succeeds.

Stanza 8

But up the insect went once more,
Ah me! 'tis an anxious minute;
He's only a foot from his cobweb door,
Oh say, will he lose or win it?
Steadily, steadily, inch by inch,
Higher and higher he got;
And a bold little run at the very last pinch
Put him into his native cot.

Explanation:
This is a tense, hopeful moment. The spider is very close to its web-about a foot away. Slowly and steadily it climbs, inch by inch. At the end it makes a final, bold push and reaches its home. The stanza shows that careful, steady effort and one last determined attempt can bring success.

Let's Revise: What effect does the spider's "bold little run" have on the king and the story?

Ans: The spider's "bold little run" is the turning point. It defeats the King's doubt by proving that one more brave effort can succeed. This final action inspires the King to try again himself.

Stanza 9

"Bravo, bravo!" the King cried out,
"All honour to those who try;
The spider up there, defied despair;
He conquered, and why shouldn't I?"

Explanation:
Seeing the spider succeed, King Bruce cheers and honours those who keep trying. He recognises that the little creature fought despair and won. This gives him the courage to believe that he, too, can overcome his failures by continuing to try.

Stanza 10

And Bruce of Scotland braced his mind,
And gossips tell the tale,
That he tried once more as he tried before,
And that time did not fail.

Explanation:
Inspired by the spider, King Bruce gathers his courage and makes another effort. This time he succeeds. The final lines show that renewed determination and persistence can change the result. The poem ends with a clear message of hope and courage.

Let's Revise: What does the phrase "And that time did not fail" imply about King Bruce's final attempt?

Moral of the Poem

• The poem teaches us that we should never give up, even if we fail many times.
• The spider's hard work and determination show that success comes from keeping on trying.
• King Bruce's story shows that failures are like steps that lead to success if we stay strong and believe in ourselves.
• The poem encourages us to find inspiration in small things, like a spider, to achieve our goals.

Difficult Words

Here are the meanings of some words from the poem, explained simply:

• Flung: Threw or dropped himself down quickly.
• Monarch: A king or queen who rules a country.
• Deed: An important action or task.
• Despair: A feeling of sadness and hopelessness.
• Grieved: Felt very sad or upset.
• Pondered: Thought deeply about something.
• Filmy: Very thin and light, like a spider's thread.
• Divine: To guess or figure out.
• Endeavour: A strong effort to do something.
• Sprawl: To fall or spread out in a clumsy way.
• Dizzy: Feeling unsteady or confused.
• Faint: Weak or tired.
• Toils: Works very hard.
• Mounted: Climbed up.
• Pinch: A small, quick effort or push.
• Cot: The spider's web or home.
• Braced: Prepared or made himself strong.

You can practice questions from this chapter here: Short and Long Answer Questions: Try Again