Class-XI
Poetry
Chapter- 5
Daybreak
-Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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| Daybreak Broad Questions and Answers |
Broad Questions and Answers (Long Questions and Answers)
1) Critically analyse the poem Daybreak.
Ans: H.W. Longfellow's Daybreak is a beautiful lyric poem, written in nine rhymed couplets. The poet considers the wind almost like a personified being.This wind rises out of the sea and fliesover the ships, forest, farms, corn-fields, churches etc. The term 'daybreak' refers to the 'beginning of a new day', that is, 'dawn'. Here the wind performs the role of a messenger which sends message to everyone about the beginning of a new day. This wind actually infuses new hopes in the hearts of every objects and beings, Along with the disappearance of the darkness of the night, the new day appears. It provides fresh light and energy for all the beings in the world through the wind that emerges from the misty sea.
2) Write down the significance of the title of the poem Daybreak.
Ans: H. W. Longfellow's Daybreak is a poem about a new, fresh morning. The term 'daybreak' means the beginning of a new morning, that is, dawh. After the darkness of the night goes away, the day dawns and gives every object fresh energy. The beginning of anew day brings new hope. These tasks are performed by the wind that emerges from the sea. The wind eagerly informs every being about 'daybreak'. It inspires everyone for rising up and being active. He wakes up the ships, mariners, birds, church bell etc. so that they can welcome the new, fresh morning at daybreak . This daybreak is actually symbolic of our everyday new journey with new hope. So the title is appropriate.
3) Discuss 'Daybreak' as a nature poem.
Ans: 'Daybreak' by H.W.Longfellow is basically a nature poem. Here sea-wind is presented as the carrier of message of a day - break, revealing a great truth of nature. With the appearance of the sun in the eastern sky, the whole earth gets the message of life and vitality, the message of activity. The sea - wind is carrying that very message on sea, on land and into the midst of forest and even into the human world. Thus, the impassioned call of wind to mists, mariners, forest, wood - bird, domestic cock, corn fields, bell makes the poem an impassioned presentation of nature.
4) Discuss personification in the poem Daybreak.
Ans: In the poem 'Daybreak' the poet Longfellow personifies the moon by giving it the human quality to speak. The wind performs the function of an alarm clock. It announces the beginning of a new day. It urges all to wake up and impels the world to follow the natural course of their life. It asks the dead to lie quietly in their eternal sleep, for they have already completed their earthly duties. Thus, we see that the wind acts as the messenger of nature.
5) Describe the activities of the wind in the poem “Daybreak”.
Ans: With the arrival of daybreak, the sea-wind feels an urge to carry the message to the sleeping world. It first hails the sleepy ships. It calls the mariners and tells them to sail on. It swiftly blows over far-off lands. It enters the forests and meets the trees. It tells them to shout and hang all their leafy banners out. It meets the wood-bird and encourages it to rise and sing. Then the wind blows over the farms. The house-cock is still ignorant of the coming morn. The wind tells it to blow its pipe and awakens others. Next, it reaches the cornfield. It tells it to bow down and salute the bright day. It passes through the church tower and invokes the church-bells to ring loudly to announce the day. Beside the church, there is a graveyard. The dead souls are inside the tomb. The wind feels pity for them. It tells them to enjoy eternal rest and sleep. Thus the wind motivates all to welcome the daybreak.
6) “O mists, make room for me.” – Who is the speaker here? What does the speaker want to imply here?
Ans: Here in the above-quoted line, wind is the speaker in the poem “Daybreak“.
In the beautiful poem “Daybreak”, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow has wonderfully expressed the possibilities of the wind which sprang from the sea and explored the possibility of a new world that is free from all sorts of mundane trifles. The wind, the speaker here, has been personified and it declares its arrival with bold steps. With the disappearance of the night, the new dawn declares its presence and entry into this beloved world.
7) It crossed the church with a sigh.” – Who crossed the churchyard? Why did it sigh? What did it say while crossing and why?
Ans: In the poem “Daybreak” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the wind crossed the churchyard.
The wind sighed to express its deep sorrow for the dead ones who were lying under the ground of the churchyard.
When the whole world got ready to be awakened to a new day, the dead souls were lying inactively in the churchyard burial ground. When the Wind wakes up everyone from their slumber, it asks the dead ones to sleep silently as it is not the particular morning of the Judgement Day when all the dead have to rise. That is why with a sigh the wind tells them to continue sleeping and not to get up. In this line, there is a Biblical allusion to Judgement Day.
8) “A wind came up out of the sea” – When did the wind come up out of the sea? Describe the sea at that time. What did the wind do next?
Ans: In the poem daybreak by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow The Wind came off out of the safe at daybreak.
At that very time, the sea took rest in sweet slumber. The sea was completely covered with mists. The ships were moveless and still. None but the wind rose from sleep. Actually, the sea was very calm and quiet.
With the disappearance of the mists, the wind discovered the new day. The wind started to give the good news to all. It greeted the ships and encouraged the mariners to start a sea voyage. Then it hurried quickly landward to give the message of the coming dawn to all.
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