ALEXANDER SELKIRK
Let’s understand the poem
(a) Comprehension Questions for discussion
1. Who does ‘I’ refer to?
Ans: ’I’ refers to Alexander Selkirk.
2. Who is the monarch here?
Ans: Alexaner Selkirk is the monarch here.
3. Who did find charm in solitude?
Ans: The sages found the charm in solitude.
4. Why were the beasts unfamiliar with Selkirk?
Ans: The beasts never saw any human beings before so they were unfamiliar with Selkrik.
5. What did Selkirk appeal to the wind?
Ans: Selkirk appealed the wind to give his message to his family, friends and society.
6. Which lines in the poem suggest that the island is a no man’s island?
Ans: " I am monarch of all I survey,
My right there is none to dispute,
I am out of humanity’s reach,
I must finish my journey alone. "
The above lines in the poem suggest that the island is a no man’s island.
7. What is the meaning of the line – “They are so unacquainted with man” in stanza – 2?
Ans: “They are so unacquainted with man” refers to the beasts and animals. They were not familiar with the humAns: They had not seen any humans before.
8. What hurried Selkirk back to despair?
Ans: When he recollected his present situation in the lonely island, he hurried back to despair.
9. What did Selkirk want to do when evening approached?
Ans: Selkirk wanted to rest in the cabin when evening approached.
10. Can you choose an alternative title for the poem?
Ans: “Loneliness of Alexander.”
(b) Choosing the appropriate answers :
1. The poem is about the plight of a person named ___________.
(a) Shakespeare (b) William Cowper
(c) Alexander Selkirk (d) William Wordsworth
Ans: (c) Alexander Selkirk
2. I am ______ of all I survey.
(a) King (b) Emperor (c) Landlord (d) Monarch.
Ans: (d) Monarch.
3. The beasts _____ over the plain.
(a) run (b) walk (c) move (d) roam
Ans: (d) roam
4. O had I the wings of a _____, How soon would I taste you again.
(a) crow (b) dove (c) owl (d) fowl
Ans : (b) dove
5. The ________ itself lags behind, And the swift winged arrows of light.
(a) tempest (b) cyclone (c) blizzard (d) wind
Ans: (a) tempest
6. But the ________ is gone to her nest.
(a) sea horse (b) sea fowl (c) sea fish (d) Sea snake
Ans: (b) sea fowl
Let’s appreciate the poem
1. What did the poet survey?
Ans: The poet surveyed the lone island and the sea around him.
2. Why did the poet remember the sages?
Ans: The poet was all alone and thought of the sages who found charm and happiness in the lonely island.
3. How does the poet describe the island in the second stanza?
Ans: The island is no man’s land. It is out of human’s reach. There are only beasts and birds on the island.
4. What are the divine qualities bestowed upon man?
Ans: Society, friendship, and love are the qualities that are bestowed upon man.
5. Why does the poet like the wisdom of age?
Ans: The poet can learn wise things from his wisdom of age and he could spend his days of youth happily.
6. What is the poet’s prayer to the ‘winds’?
Ans: The poet prays the winds to bring some good news from his place. He might never be able to return to his place so he wishes to send some message from the winds. He further requests the winds to convey his message of loneliness to his friends whom he might never see again.
7. Why does the poet say that “the tempest itself lags behind”?
Ans: The poet says that ‘the tempest itself lags behind” because he knows that the strong mind is swift and it can cross the tempest.
Rhyming Words
1. Dispute- brute
2. Reach- speech
3. Alone- own
4. See-me
5. Love-dove
6. Truth- youth
7. Shore-more
8. Sport- report
9. Send- friend
10. Nest- rest
Let's write:
Think yourself as Selkirk and write in about ten lines describing your feeling of loneliness.
Once I was left all alone on a deserted island. It was no man’s island. I felt lonely as there was no one around me. I wondered how sage took pleasure in loneliness. I never found loneliness so charming. I had only beasts and birds around me. I always thought of my friends and family and wished to send my state of loneliness to my people. But then I accepted the fact that I had to live alone. I thought of religion and truth and that made me wise. The wisdom of age made me cheer the days. I knew that a strong mind can surpass the tempest. I never gave hopes and found joy in the things around me. I kept praying to God and my prayers were answered.