2.4 Upon Westminster Bridge – Activity

2.4 Upon Westminster Bridge – Activity

 Read the following extract & complete the activities given below.          [10]

Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

A1] Global Understanding [2]    

State whether the following statements are true or false                   

1. The scene described in the poem is of a silent city, early in the morning.
2. In the poem the Westminster bridge is said to wear the beauty of the morning.
3. The city is described as a person.
4. According to the poet only a dull person could ignore the beautiful sight of the city.

A2] Inference/Interpretation [2]

Give reasons-

The city is smokeless because-

A3] Personal Response [2]

Describe your experience of watching a sunset.

A4] Poetic Devices [2]

“The river glideth at his own sweet will:”

Name and explain the figure of speech in the above line & write another example of the same from the extract.

A5] Poetic Creativity [2]

Rewrite the following stanza replacing the underlined words-

Ne’er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!

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