THE LAMENTATION OF THE OLD PENSIONER | GRADE 12 | HERITAGE OF WORDS | QUESTIONS ANSWER

General English

The Lamentation Of The Old Pensioner

By W.B. Yeats

Summary 

                      This poem is notable for its bitter words of an old man ' I spit into the face of time / That has transfigured me' and its skilful dramatic variation of the bare refrain "Time / That has transfigured me" pointing towards the stripped yet intricate bitterness of Yeats Last Poems.

When the poet is in trouble he takes a shelter, but it is only a broken tree. Before time changed him he talked of love and politics with his friends, but he was never closer to the warmth of power. He had been left far behind. Some young people are excited to get power and so they fight against the opponents, but the poet think on time which has changed him completely. Now in his old age no woman takes care of him but he still remembers the beautiful woman. He thinks that his only enemy is Time which made him old. Therefore, he expresses his anger by spitting into the face of time.

1. Explain the Title of the poem?

Ans:The retired old man thinks of his youth and feel sorry for its loss. Now his power as well as his lover is lost. The young boys and the young girl neither love him, nor take care of him.

2. What does the poem add to our knowledge of the old man ( his character, attitude, circumstance)?

Ans: The poem says that the old man was a powerful person in politics. He was equally liked by beautiful women. Although he is old now, he wants to do the same thing. So he is sad and throws his anger at time that has changed him.

3. Describe the shift in subject matter in the three stanza. What is the effect of these shifts?

Ans: The first stanza describes his favourable condition in politics and love. The second stanza describes how the angry young people behave today is contrast to the old man's youth which was lovely and quite. The last one shows his neglected condition and thus he throws all his anger at the time. Which is the main cause of all this loss.

4. Summarise the poem in one sentence.

Ans: This poem presents the poet's memory of his youth which becomes more painful when he looks at his present condition and contrasts it with his condition in the old age.

5. Explain the significance of the refrain in the poem.

Ans: A refrain is a part of a song that is repeated, especially at the end of each verse. In this poem, "That has transfigured me" is the refrain. A refrain may help to establish the meter of the poem, indicate its tone, or re-establish its atmosphere. The skilful dramatic variations of the bare refrain have pointed towards the stripped yet intricate bitterness and have maintained the poet's anger throughout the whole poem.

6. What is the tone of the poem: complacency, resignation, rage? Why?

Ans: By 'tone' we mean here the poet's attitude or point of view towards his subject. The poet here is neither satisfied with his old age, nor has he accepted it quickly, but he is angry with his old age. He knows that it is time that has changed his completely, so he spit into the face of time.

7. Write a paragraph on An Old Man Remember.

Ans: An old man sits by the fire and remembers every little thing he did when he was young. He will recall how he walked among the woods and fields early in the morning when he was as tall as the paddy plants. He will think of a rainy day, a poem, a beautiful song and a lovely film. He remember how he fought for his beloved and how he saved her prestige. He will dream for the sweet singing sound of bat and ball. He will remember how he held a catch and how he stayed two hours at the crease and by his stubborn effort saved the match. Dreaming  thus of cricket, while the fire crackles and he will be at peace.

8. Write an essay on Youth and Age.

Ans: An old man has not much left but memories. His life is nearly done. But a few years remain. So the future does not much occupy his mind. He dwells a good deal in the past looking back over the long life has lived, which seems to have gone so quickly. He thinks of his lost youth and of all he dreamed of and meant to do then

A boy lives mainly in the present, and takes short views of life. And he is an erratic creature, moved by sudden and incalculable impulses. One can never know what he will be  up to next. One can no more calculate what he will blow. So "a boy's will is the wind's will".

But when the boy grow up to be a young man, he begins to think of his future. He stands on the threshold of his life, and all the years to come stretch away before him to a far off horizon, and what a long life it looks! To a youth of twenty, the forty or fifty or even sixty years he may live seem an eternity. He begins to dream of all he will do  and become in what vast period ahead. He dreams of effort books or paint great business and become a billionaire. He will write great books or paint great pictures or compose great music, and earn fame. He will take up politics, and rise to position and power. So he will think of the distant future