ବୋର୍ଡ ଅଫ୍ ସେକେଣ୍ଡାରୀ ଏଜୁକେସନ୍ (BSE Odisha) — ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ଅଧ୍ୟାୟ ମାଷ୍ଟର ନୋଟ୍ସ
ଶ୍ରେଣୀ: Class 9 | ବିଷୟ: English
ଅଧ୍ୟାୟ: Class9 Eng Ch10 Alexander Selkirk
୧. ଅଧ୍ୟାୟର ସାରାଂଶ ଓ ମାଇଣ୍ଡ ମ୍ୟାପ୍ (Mind Map & Conceptual Architecture)
୧.୧. ଅଧ୍ୟାୟର ସାରାଂଶ (Deep Summary)
The poem "Alexander Selkirk" by William Cowper is a poignant reflection on the profound loneliness and despair experienced by a man marooned on a desolate island. Inspired by the true story of Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish sailor who was stranded on an uninhabited island for over four years, the poem delves into the psychological impact of extreme isolation.
Initially, Selkirk declares himself the "monarch" of all he surveys, asserting his dominion over the fowl and the brute. However, this declaration is quickly undermined by his deep yearning for human connection. He finds no charm in solitude, preferring the "alarms" of human society, even with its troubles, to the "horrible place" of his isolation. He laments being "out of humanity's reach," unable to hear the "sweet music of speech," and even finds his own voice startling. The indifference of the wild animals, who are "unacquainted with man," is shocking to him, highlighting his alienation.
Selkirk reflects on "Society, friendship, and love" as divine gifts, wishing for the wings of a dove to escape his predicament and rejoin mankind. He believes that among people, he could assuage his sorrows through religion, truth, wisdom, and the cheerfulness of youth. He appeals to the winds to carry news from his homeland and to confirm if his friends still remember him.
The poem beautifully captures the mind's ability to travel instantly to one's native land, only for the harsh reality of his situation to pull him back into despair. Despite the natural world finding rest, Selkirk remains restless. In the end, he attempts to reconcile himself to his fate, finding a glimmer of "mercy" even in his affliction, but the overwhelming theme remains his profound longing for human companionship and the agony of his solitude.
୧.୨. ମୁଖିଆ ଉଦ୍ଦେଶ୍ୟ (Core Objectives)
୧.୩. ଧାରଣାଗତ ମାଇଣ୍ଡ ମ୍ୟାପ୍ (Conceptual Mind Map)
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Alexander Selkirk (Poem)
Theme: Loneliness & Isolation Protagonist: Alexander Selkirk
Key Emotions: His Situation:
Contrast: Longing For:
Literary Devices: Impact of Isolation:
Resolution/Acceptance: Poet: William Cowper
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୨. ମୁଖ୍ୟ ବିଷୟବସ୍ତୁ, ସିଦ୍ଧାନ୍ତ ଓ ଗାଣିତିକ ସୂତ୍ରାବଳୀ (Comprehensive Theory & Formulas)
୨.୧. ପାଠ୍ୟପୁସ୍ତକର ବିଷୟବସ୍ତୁର ବିସ୍ତୃତ ବିଶ୍ଳେଷଣ (Detailed Analysis of the Textbook Content)
The poem "Alexander Selkirk" is a lyrical expression of profound loneliness and the inherent human need for social interaction. It is written in the first person, allowing the reader to deeply empathize with Selkirk's plight.
Stanza 1:
"I AM monarch of all I survey,
My right there is none to dispute,
From the centre all round to the sea
I am lord of the fowl and the brute."
Stanza 2:
"O Solitude! where are the charms
That sages have seen in thy face ?
Better dwell in the midst of alarms
Than reign in this horrible place."
Stanza 3:
"I am out of humanity's reach,
I must finish my journey alone,
Never hear the sweet music of speech;
I start at the sound of my own."
Stanza 4:
"The beasts that roam over the plain
My form with indifference see;
They are so unacquainted with man,
Their tameness is shocking to me."
Stanza 5:
"Society, friendship, and love
Divinely bestow'd upon man,
O had I the wings of a dove
How soon would I taste you again !"
Stanza 6:
"My sorrows I then might assuage
In the ways of religion and truth,
Might learn from the wisdom of age,
And be cheer'd by the sallies of youth."
Stanza 7:
"Ye winds that have made me your sport,
Convey to this desolate shore
Some cordial endearing report
Of a land I shall visit no more;
My friends, do they now and then send
A wish or a thought after me?
O tell me I yet have a friend,
Though a friend I am never to see."
Stanza 8:
"How fleet is a glance of the mind !
Compared with the speed of its flight,
The tempest itself lags behind,
And the swift-winged arrows of light.
When I think of my own native land
In a moment I seem to be there;
But, alas! recollection at hand
Soon hurries me back to despair."
Stanza 9:
"But the seafowl is gone to her nest
The beast is laid down in his lair;
Even here is a season of rest,
And I to my cabin repair.
There is mercy in every place,
And mercy, encouraging thought !
Gives even affliction a grace
And reconciles man to his lot."
୨.୨. କବିଙ୍କ ବିଷୟରେ (About the Poet): William Cowper
William Cowper (1731 AD to 1800 AD) was an English poet and hymnodist. He was born at Great Berkhampstead, in Hertfordshire, where his father was a rector. His poems were published late in life. He is known for his simple, direct, and often melancholic style. The poem "Alexander Selkirk" is one of his well-known miscellaneous short poems, reflecting the freedom of the human spirit even in the face of extreme loneliness. Cowper himself struggled with periods of depression and mental illness, which might have contributed to his ability to portray such deep emotional states.
୨.୩. ଶବ୍ଦାର୍ଥ ଓ ଟିପ୍ପଣୀ (Glossary and Notes)
୩. ପାଠ୍ୟପୁସ୍ତକ ଅଭ୍ୟାସ ପ୍ରଶ୍ନାବଳୀର ୧୦୦% ସମ୍ପୂର୍ଣ୍ଣ ସମାଧାନ (100% Complete Solved Exercises)
E. Let's understand the poem:
(a) Comprehension Questions for discussion
Q1. Who does 'I' refer to?
Ans: 'I' refers to Alexander Selkirk, the speaker of the poem, who is marooned on a lonely island.
Q2. Who is the monarch here?
Ans: Alexander Selkirk is the self-proclaimed monarch here, as he is the sole human inhabitant and ruler of the island.
Q3. Who did find charm in solitude?
Ans: The poem states that "sages" (wise men) are believed to have found charm in solitude, but Selkirk himself finds none.
Q4. Why were the beasts unfamiliar with Selkirk?
Ans: The beasts were unfamiliar with Selkirk because they were "unacquainted with man." This means they had never encountered a human before, so they did not recognize him as a threat or a fellow being.
Q5. What did Selkirk appeal to the wind?
Ans: Selkirk appealed to the wind to convey some "cordial endearing report" (comforting news) from his homeland and to tell him if his friends still remembered him or sent a wish or thought after him.
Q6. Which lines in the poem suggest that the island is a no man's island?
Ans: The lines that suggest the island is a no man's island are:
These lines clearly indicate the absence of human habitation and interaction.
Q7. What is the meaning of the line – “They are so unacquainted with man" in stanza - 2?
Ans: The line "They are so unacquainted with man" (which is actually in Stanza 4, not Stanza 2) means that the wild animals on the island have never had any contact or experience with human beings. Therefore, they do not recognize Selkirk as a human, nor do they perceive him as a threat, leading to their indifference and tameness towards him.
Q8. What hurried Selkirk back to despair?
Ans: Selkirk's "recollection at hand" (the harsh reality of his present situation on the desolate island) hurried him back to despair after his mind had briefly transported him to his native land.
Q9. What did Selkirk want to do when evening approached?
Ans: The poem does not explicitly state what Selkirk wanted to do when evening approached. However, in the last stanza, he mentions, "Even here is a season of rest, / And I to my cabin repair," suggesting that as the day ends, he retreats to his shelter like the animals.
Q10. Can you choose an alternative title for the poem?
Ans: Possible alternative titles for the poem could be:
(b) Choosing the appropriate answers:
Q1. 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
Q2. I am ________ of all I survey.
(a) King
(b) Emperor
(c) Landlord
(d) Monarch.
Ans: (d) Monarch.
Q3. The beasts ________ over the plain.
(a) run
(b) walk
(c) move
(d) roam
Ans: (d) roam
Q4. 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
Q5. The ________ itself lags behind, And the swift winged arrows of light.
(a) tempest
(b) cyclone
(c) blizzard
(d) wind
Ans: (a) tempest
Q6. But the ________ is gone to her nest.
(a) sea horse
(b) sea fowl
(c) sea fish
(d) Sea snake
Ans: (b) sea fowl
F. Let's appreciate the poem:
Q1. What did the poet survey?
Ans: The poet (speaking through Selkirk) surveyed the entire island, from its center all around to the sea, over which he claimed to be the monarch.
Q2. Why did the poet remember the sages?
Ans: The poet remembered the sages because they were known to have found charm and wisdom in solitude. Selkirk, however, found no such charm in his own isolated situation and questioned their perspective.
Q3. How does the poet describe the island in the second stanza?
Ans: In the second stanza, the poet describes the island as a "horrible place," indicating his deep aversion to his isolated existence there.
Q4. What are the divine qualities bestowed upon man?
Ans: According to the poem, "Society, friendship, and love" are the divine qualities bestowed upon man.
Q5. Why does the poet like the wisdom of age?
Ans: The poet likes the wisdom of age because he believes that if he were among people, he "Might learn from the wisdom of age," implying that it would help him assuage his sorrows and provide guidance or perspective.
Q6. What is the poet's prayer to the 'winds'?
Ans: The poet's prayer to the 'winds' is to convey some comforting news ("cordial endearing report") from his homeland to his desolate shore. He also asks them to tell him if his friends still remember him or send a wish or thought after him, seeking reassurance of his continued connection to humanity.
Q7. Why does the poet say that “the tempest itself lags behind"?
Ans: The poet says that "the tempest itself lags behind" to emphasize the incredible speed and agility of the human mind. He means that the mind's ability to travel through thoughts and memories is far swifter than even the fastest natural phenomena like a storm or the swift-winged arrows of light.
G. Let's Speak:
(a) Role-play the following a dialogue.
Ans: This is an activity designed for students to practice speaking and role-playing. It encourages them to embody the characters of Selkirk and the Beast and express their perspectives on loneliness and connection. Students should perform this dialogue in pairs.
H. Let's Write:
Words having sameness of sound of the endings of two or more words are rhyming words. In this poem the words like 'face' and 'place' are rhyming words. Find out at least six pairs of such words from the poem.
Ans: Here are at least six pairs of rhyming words from the poem:
1. survey / sea
2. dispute / brute
3. charms / alarms
4. reach / speech
5. alone / own
6. plain / man
7. see / me
8. love / dove
9. assuage / age
10. truth / youth
11. sport / report
12. shore / more
13. send / friend
14. mind / behind
15. flight / light
16. land / hand
17. there / despair
18. nest / rest
19. lair / repair
20. place / grace
21. thought / lot
Writing task:
This poem is about a sailor named Alexander Selkirk. He swam to a lonely island after a ship wreck. That was a no man's island. Only beasts and birds lived there.
Think yourself as Selkirk and write in about ten lines describing your feeling of loneliness.
Ans:
Here I am, the monarch of this barren land, yet my heart aches with an unbearable solitude. Day after day, the vast ocean stretches before me, a cruel barrier separating me from all I hold dear. The silence is deafening, broken only by the cries of the fowl and the rustling of beasts, who see me with indifferent eyes, knowing nothing of man. Oh, for the sweet music of human speech, a friendly voice, a familiar face! My own voice startles me now, a stranger in this desolate realm. My mind races home, picturing loved ones, only to be cruelly snatched back to this horrible place. Society, friendship, and love – divine gifts I once took for granted – now feel like distant dreams. I yearn for a single soul, a connection, a sign that I am not utterly forgotten. This island is my kingdom, but it is a prison of the spirit.
୪. ବୋର୍ଡ ପରୀକ୍ଷା ମାଷ୍ଟ୍ରି ଟିପ୍ସ ଓ ସାଧାରଣ ଭୁଲ୍ (Board Exam Tips & Pitfalls)
୪.୧. ପରୀକ୍ଷା ପ୍ରସ୍ତୁତି ରଣନୀତି (Exam Preparation Strategies)
୪.୨. ୧୦୦/୧୦୦ ସ୍କୋରିଂ ରହସ୍ୟ (100/100 Scoring Secrets)
୪.୩. ସାଧାରଣ ଭୁଲ୍ (Common Student Errors)
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