THE GOLDEN TOUCH
By Nathaniel Hawthorne
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| The Golden Touch |
Introducing the author
Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May
19, 1864) is an American novelist and short story writer. His themes often
centre on the inherent evil and sin of humanity, and his works have moral
messages and deep psychological complexity.
Summary
The present piece "The golden
touch" describes the lust greed of modern man in a beautiful manner; it describes
the excess hope of a king named Midas for gold. People are giving much more
importance to gold and wealth. They are forgetting the basic requirements of
life. The piece is a fine example of how people are suffering a lot for their
excess greed.
This prose piece is a fine example of that Long ago Midas was a rich and
powerful king. He loved gold more than anything else in life. He also loved his
only daughter Mary Gold very much. He hoped for much more gold for the pleasure
of his only daughter. When the golden ray of sun falls on his room, he thinks
that the ray should be changed into gold. He did not love the rose flowers of
his garden, as they are not made of gold. He always entered into his secret
room, where he stored all his gold and counted the gold bars and sow coins. He
had golden bars, golden cups and plates with himself.
One fine morning a strange thing happened. While he was in his secret room the
golden ray of sun beam fell on his room. By this time a stranger man was
standing and smiling at him. The king could know that the stranger was not an
ordinary person. That stranger asked so many questions and came to know that
the king was very powerful and rich fellow. To test the king the stranger gave
him a boon that whatever things the king touches those things will be changed
into gold. "Then the stranger vanished from the spot. On the next day
morning the king got up early. To test the boon the king first touched the bed
sheet of his bed and all of a sudden that sheet turned into gold. Then the king
touched a leg of the cot, which also turned into gold. Then he touched the
certain of window, his own clothes and all of a sudden those things turned into
gold. He also touched his own spectacles, which also turned into gold. The king
could not see through these glasses, but he is not worried about that. Because
he thinks that gold is more precious than the spectacles. He also touched the
iron bar of his garden, touched the roses. All such items changed into gold
suddenly while he came to his breakfast table he touched the coffee glass.
Which has also changed into the golden liquid gold. While he wanted to take
fish, eggs, and bread and butter for breakfast, he touched those items. But all
such items changed into gold. So the king became unhappy. He was very much
thirsty and hungry then, he felt very much depressed. In the meantime his only
daughter named Marigold came to him to know about the cause of sorrow. The king
could see everything but couldn't eat anything. Then the king kissed his
daughter lovingly and all of sudden every part of her daughter's body turned
into gold. The king became surprised.
His sorrow knew no bounds when his only daughter changed into gold. He
feels depressed. He became worried about the condition of her only daughter. So
he considers himself as the poorest person in the world. In the meantime the
king came across a stranger. That stranger asked so many questions to the king
to make a study about his inner wishes. That stranger asked the king whether
food, bread, and daughter are valuable or gold. Now the king could realize his
own mistake and leave the greed for wealth. The king also asked the stronger
way how he can set back his happy days. The king wanted to know about the trick
by which his life could return.
Now that stranger advised the king to
go to the river of his garden, wash his face with the water, and to sprinkle
that water on anything to get back the previous condition of anything. Giving
such advice the stranger vanished from the spot. Accordingly the king obeyed
that advice and returned to the place with a pot of water. The servants become
surprised at the present condition of their king. But that water pot was more
for the king than the ocean of gold. He sprinkled the water on his daughter and
his daughter got back her real shape. The king became happy and then both
father & daughter went to the garden and watered the plants. Since then
they were living happily.
The golden touch Question Answer
Unit-1
1. What do you learn about king Midas
from the first two paragraphs of the story ?
Ans: King Midas was a rich man. He
had a little daughter named Marygold. He loved gold much then anything and also
he hopes much more gold for the pleasure of his daughter.
2. What did he wish when saw the
golden light of the evening sun ?
Ans: He wished that the golden light
should turn into real gold.
3. Why didn’t he like the roses of
the garden?
Ans: He didn’t like the roses of the
garden because the roses are not made of gold.
4. How does he spend his time in his
treasure-room ?
Ans: In his treasure rooms he counts
his golden coins and keeps the precious gold things.
5. How did he come across the
stranger?
Ans: While the king was in the
treasure room he saw a stranger was standing and smiling at him.
6. How did king Midas answer the
stranger’s question? What else do you want?
Ans: The king told that he had spent
long time to get the gold stock. He wants more and, more gold.
7. How did the stranger fulfill his
wishes?
Ans: The stranger gave him a blessing
that whatever the king touches that would become gold.
Unit-2
1. When did the king discover that
his desire for the golden touch had been fulfilled?
Ans: The king touched the sheet of
his bed which turned into gold. At that time his desire for golden touch had
been fulfilled.
2. Why was the king not sad when his
spectacles turned into gold ?
Ans: The king wasn’t sad because he
thought that the gold is much more precious than the spectacles.
3. What was Marigold’s complaint
about the golden rose?
Ans: Marygold complained that all the
roses had been turned into gold and the sweet scent of the roses had been faded
away.
4. How did the king console his
daughter?
Ans: The king consoled his daughter
by telling that gold is much more precious than the roses. So she shouldn’t
worry at all.
5. Why couldn’t the king enjoy his
breakfast ?
Ans: The king couldn’t enjoy the
breakfast because all the food items suddenly turned into gold.
6. What happened to Marygold when the
king kissed her?
Ans: When the king kissed her
daughter all of a sudden then parts of body turned into a pile of gold.
Unit-3
1. How did the king realise that the
gold in touch was useless gift for him?
Ans: When the daughter of the king
turned into a gold pile, at that time the king reached that the golden touch
was a useless gift.
2. You are wiser then you were-why
did the stranger say so?
Ans: The stranger said so because
when the king couldn’t get the real shape of her daughter he feels said. The
king knew it very well that the common things are much more precious than
riches.
3. What did the stranger advise the
king to do to get rid of his golden touch ?
Ans: The stranger advised the king to
collect water from the river and sparkle it on anything to get the real shape
and size.
4. How did the king get back his
daughter?
Ans: The moment the king sprinkled
river water on his daughter, she returned her original she.
5. Is the story a tragic or comic
one?
Ans: The story is a tragic one give
your reasons because we shouldn’t hope for wealth always save time excess greed
brings sorrow and sufferings touch.
Thanku you
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