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10th Class - English-AP

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10th Class - English-AP
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For Anne Gregory 8th

Thinking about the Poem :
Question 1.
What does the young man mean by "great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear" ? Why does he say that young men are "thrown into despair" by them?

Answer: The young man in the poem " For Anne Gregory" means that her beautiful yellow hair impresses young men so much that her hair works as a great wall - wide and high - that protects the forts from invaders. Here, the metaphor communicates that outward beauty stops one from looking at the lasting inner beauty

Question 2.
What colour is the young womans hair? What does she say she can change it to ? Why would she want to do so ?

Answer: The young womans hair is honey-coloured. It is brilliantly yellow and charms every onlooker, particularly young men. She says she can change her hairs colour to black, brown or carrot. That she wants to do to make anyone love her for herself but not because of her beautiful hair

Question 3.
Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone, a dress.) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object : what qualities would you emphasise ?

Answer: Yes, certain qualities of some objects are more desirable than other qualities. Say, for example, a phones attractive features include its looks, its screen size, weightlessness, camera with high fidelily, memory, apps and the like. Competition among the manufacturers has been compelling them to add on a new feature each day

Question 4.
What about people ? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental ? Or is it possible to love someone "for themselves alone" ? Are some people more lovable than others ? Discuss this question in pairs or in groups, considering points like the following?
  1. a parent or caregivers love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy
  2. the publics love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker
  3. your love for a friend, or brother or sister
  4. your love for a pet, and the pets love for you

Answer: Yes, in most cases - almost one hundred percent - we love others because we like their physical or mental qualities. To love others "for themselves alone" is humanly impossible. It is possible only for God as Yeats put it so brilliantly. Yes, some people are more lovable than others

  1. A person caring for a mentally challenged child is certainly more lovable than the one who cares for a prodigy
  2. We love celebrities more than we love the food givers
  3. Friends are more lovable than siblings in most cases
  4. We love pets more than they love us. But in some cases the opposite is possible
Question 5.
You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities or riches rather than for themselves. But elsewhere Yeats asks the question: How can we separate the dancer from the dance? Is it possible to separate the person himself or herself from how the person looks, sounds, walks, and so on ? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your relationship also changed ? In what way?

Answer: Yes, we continue to love persons for their qualities than for themselves. It is next to impossibility to love persons for themselves. Yes, Yeats declared elsewhere to separate a dancer from the dance is not possible. We love persons for their qualities and any change in their attributes impacts our love accordingly. We have not yet risen to the divine level to keep loving persons despite changes in their qualities

Additional Questions : I. Read the following stanza

"Never shall a young man, Thrown into despair By those great honey-coloured Ramparts at your ear, Love you for yourself alone And not your yellow hair."

Question 1.
In the stanza, what does the speaker emphasize as a potential obstacle to genuine love?
  1. The young mans despair
  2. The honey-colored ramparts
  3. The yellow lhair

Answer: The yellow lhair

Question 2.
What sentiment does the speaker convey towards the young mans potential love?
  1. Encouragement
  2. Sarcasm
  3. Pessimism

Answer: Sarcasm

Question 3.
What aspect of the young woman does the speaker suggest might overshadow her true self?
  1. Her yellow hair
  2. Her despair
  3. Her loneliness

Answer: Her yellow hair

Question 4.
What emotion does the speaker seem to associate with the "great honey-coloured ramparts"?
  1. Joy
  2. Despair
  3. Awe

Answer: Despair

Question 5.
What does the speaker imply about the young mans potential love for the woman?
  1. It will be genuine regardless of her hair color
  2. It will be solely based on her appearance
  3. It will be hindered by his own despair

Answer: It will be solely based on her appearance

Question 6.
What does the imagery of the "honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear" suggest about the woman?
  1. She is approachable and sweet
  2. She is unattainable and distant
  3. She is protective and nurturing

Answer: She is unattainable and distant

II. Read the following stanza

"But I can get a hair-dye And set such colour there, Brown, or black, or carrot, That young men in despair May love me for myself alone And not my yellow hair."

Question 1.
What solution does the speaker propose to address the potential obstacle to genuine love?
  1. Changing her name
  2. Changing her personality
  3. Changing her hair colour

Answer: Changing her hair colour

Question 2.
What emotion does the speaker seem to convey towards the idea of changing her hair colour?
  1. Regret
  2. Indifference
  3. Excitement

Answer: Excitement

Question 3.
What does the speaker hope to achieve by changing her hair colour ?
  1. To attract more attention
  2. To make herself more unique
  3. To find genuine love based on her true self

Answer: To find genuine love based on her true self

Question 4.
What does the speaker imply about the nature of love in the stanza?
  1. Love is superficial and based on appearance
  2. Love can be manipulated by changing ones appearance
  3. Love is eternal and unchanging

Answer: Love can be manipulated by changing ones appearance

Question 5.
How does the speakers attitude towards love in this stanza differ from the previous stanza?
  1. The speaker is more hopeful in this stanza
  2. The speaker is more cynical in this stanza
  3. The speaker is more indifferent in this stanza

Answer: The speaker is more cynical in this stanza

Question 6.
What aspect of the speakers identity does she hope young men will appreciate according to the stanza?
  1. Her intelligence
  2. Her kindness
  3. Her true self

Answer: Her true self

III. Read the following stanza

"I heard an old religious man But yesternight declare That he had found a text to prove That only God, my dear, Could love you for yourself alone And not your yellow hair."

Question 1.
What authority does the speaker refer to support the idea that only God can love the person for themselves?
  1. An old religious man
  2. A philosopher
  3. A scientist

Answer: An old religious man

Question 2.
What does the stanza suggest about the speakers attitude towards the nature of love?
  1. Love is conditional and superficial
  2. Love is eternal and unchanging
  3. Love is divine and beyond human comprehension

Answer: Love is divine and beyond human comprehension

Question 3.
What does the stanza imply about the speakers belief in the possibility of finding genuine love?
  1. It is impossible
  2. It is only attainable through religious faith
  3. It is achievable through changing ones appearance

Answer: It is impossible

Question 4.
What role does religion seem to play in the speakers understanding of love in the stanza ?
  1. It serves as a source of guidance and wisdom
  2. It emphasizes the importance of physical appearance
  3. It suggests that love is unpredictable and irrational

Answer: It serves as a source of guidance and wisdom

Question 5.
How does the stanza contribute to the overall theme of the poem?
  1. It reinforces the idea that love is superficial
  2. It highlights the complexity and mystery of love
  3. It suggests that love is easily attainable

Answer: It highlights the complexity and mystery of love

Question 6.
What contrast does the stanza create with the previous stanzas ?
  1. It introduces a more optimistic view of love
  2. It presents a more cynical perspective on love
  3. It introduces a religious dimension to the discussion of love

Answer: It introduces a religious dimension to the discussion of love

For Anne Gregory Poem Summary in English

For Anne Gregory, by W.B. Yeats, is a seemingly simple poem. But it conveys a profoundly philosophical message. The poem is in the form of a conversation between a young man and a young woman. The man says that her honey-coloured yellow hair looks brilliant. Men are fascinated and enchanted by her beautiful hair

No one likes to go beyond that attractive hair to peep into her inner self. Her charming hair blocks their way further. The woman replies that she is willing to remove that obstacle. If her hairs beauty stops them from appreciating her true self, she is ready to change the colour of her hair to brown or black or carrot. She wants others to love her for herself but not for her looks

The young man argues that loving one for ones sake without considering appearance or some other physical attraction is possible only for god. He adds that a religious man has shown to him the proof. Man has not yet evolved to that divine level. No man can separate one from ones looks, status, riches, etc

Glossary :

despair (n) : hopelessness;

ramparts (n-pl) : high, wide wall around a fort;

but (preposition) : just, only;

yesternight (adv) : yesterday night;

Important Question

Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark Each)

1.Who wrote the poem "For Anne Gregory"?

Answer: William Butler Yeats.

2.Who is the poem addressed to?

Answer: To Anne Gregory.

3.What is the central theme of the poem?

Answer: Inner beauty is more valuable than physical appearance.

4.What colour is Anne Gregory’s hair?

Answer: Honey-coloured or yellow.

5.What is meant by "honey-coloured ramparts at your ear"?

Answer: Anne’s golden hair, compared to fort walls.

6.Why are young men thrown into despair?

Answer: Because they fall in love with Anne’s beauty.

7.What quality of love does Anne desire?

Answer: Love for her true self, not her looks.

8.What can Anne do to change her appearance?

Answer: She can dye her hair brown, black, or carrot colour.

9.Who speaks the last lines of the poem?

Answer: A religious old man, quoted by the poet.

10.How many stanzas does the poem have?

Answer: Three stanzas.

11.What does the poet mean by ‘love you for yourself alone’?

Answer: Love someone for their inner qualities, not appearance.

12.What kind of love is considered pure in the poem?

Answer: Divine love (God’s love).

13.What does Anne want to prove by changing her hair colour?

Answer: That appearance-based love is shallow.

14.Who can love for the soul alone, according to the poem?

Answer: Only God.

15.In what tone is the poem written?

Answer: Conversational and reflective.

16.What is a ‘rampart’?

Answer: A fortification wall.

17.What is the poet conveying through this dialogue?

Answer: The contrast between inner and outer beauty.

18.What drives men to love Anne, according to the poet?

Answer: Her golden hair.

19.What poetic device is used in ‘honey-coloured ramparts’?

Answer: Metaphor.

20.What is the moral lesson of the poem?

Answer: Avoid judging by appearance; seek inner goodness.

Short Answer Questions (2 Marks Each)

21.What does the young man mean by ‘great honey-coloured ramparts at your ear’?

Answer:He means Anne’s golden hair, compared to fort walls that protect her ear, representing her beauty that blinds men from seeing her inner self.

22.What does Anne Gregory want from love?

Answer:She wants to be loved for who she is, not for her outward beauty or hair colour.

23.Why does Anne decide to dye her hair?

Answer:To show that physical beauty is temporary and can be easily altered.

24.What lesson does the poem teach about love?

Answer:Love based on outer beauty is shallow; true love values the inner soul.

25.Who can love Anne for herself alone and why?

Answer:Only God, because divine love is spiritual and not based on appearances.

26.How does the poem contrast human and divine love?

Answer:Human love depends on beauty; divine love values inner spirit.

27.Describe the conversation between Yeats and Anne Gregory.

Answer:They discuss beauty and love-Yeats warns that men love her looks, while Anne wishes to be loved for her true self.

28.What message does Yeats convey through Anne’s wish?

Answer:That inner beauty should be prioritized over outer appearance.

29.Why does Anne say she can ‘get a hair dye’?

Answer:She wishes to change her hair’s colour so that people might love her for who she is, not her golden hair.

30.What does the poem suggest about human nature?

Answer:Humans often value appearance and neglect inner beauty.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

31.The poem ‘For Anne Gregory’ is written by -
(a) Robert Frost (b) John Keats (c) W. B. Yeats (d) William Wordsworth

Answer: (c)

32.The poem is written in the form of a -
(a) Speech (b) Dialogue (c) Letter (d) Monologue

Answer: (b)

33.What colour does Anne not mention when talking about hair dye?
(a) Brown (b) Black (c) Red (d) Blue

Answer: (d)

34.True or False: Anne Gregory wants to be admired for her beauty.

Answer: False.

35.Who is capable of true love, as mentioned in the final stanza?
(a) Religious man (b) God (c) Poet (d) None

Answer: (b)

36.The tone of the poem is -
(a) Sad (b) Humorous (c) Philosophical (d) Angry

Answer: (c)

37.The religious man’s conclusion represents -
(a) Earthly love (b) Divine truth (c) Jealousy (d) Rejection

Answer: (b)

38."The young men are thrown into despair" means -
(a) They are jealous (b) They are upset by Anne’s beauty (c) They are rejected (d) They are shy

Answer: (b)

39.The poem’s rhyme scheme is -
(a) aabbcc (b) abcb (c) aabbdd (d) abbacc

Answer: (a)

40.The poem mainly deals with -
(a) Vanity (b) Love (c) War (d) Friendship

Answer: (b).

Extract-Based Questions (3 Marks Each)

Extract 1:
"Never shall a young man,
Thrown into despair
By those great honey-coloured
Ramparts at your ear,
Love you for yourself alone
And not your yellow hair."

41.Who is the listener here?

Answer:Anne Gregory.

42.What do the ‘ramparts’ refer to?

Answer:Her golden hair.

43.What does the speaker fear?

Answer:That people love Anne for beauty, not soul.

Extract 2:
"But I can get a hair-dye
And set such colour there,
Brown, or black, or carrot,
That young men in despair,
May love me for myself alone,
And not my yellow hair."

44.What does Anne plan to do?

Answer:She plans to dye her hair.

45.What is her intention behind this?

Answer:To find someone who loves her inner self.

46.What truth does this reveal?

Answer:Beauty-based love is temporary and shallow.

Extract 3:
"And he that made the golden hair,
God who could love and see,
Only that made the lady fair,
Loves her for herself alone,
And not her yellow hair."

47.Who is ‘he’ here?

Answer:God.

48.What kind of love does God symbolize?

Answer:Pure and spiritual love.

49.What is the message in this stanza?

Answer:True love values soul over looks.

50.How does this ending differ from human views of love?

Answer:It shows divine understanding while humans remain superficial.

Understanding / Conceptual Questions (4-5 Marks)

51.How does Yeats create a contrast between outer and inner beauty?

Answer:He contrasts Anne’s golden hair, a symbol of attractiveness, with her soul, representing true virtue. The dialogue format emphasizes how people often value looks over the essence of a person.

52.What is the symbolic meaning of hair colour in this poem?

Answer:Hair colour symbolizes external beauty. Anne’s willingness to dye it shows that outward charm is changeable and meaningless compared to inner character.

53.Describe the poet’s attitude toward physical beauty.

Answer:Yeats warns that physical beauty deceives; it should not be the sole basis of affection. He values purity of heart and spiritual love.

54.What does the last stanza contribute to the poem’s meaning?

Answer:It presents divine wisdom - only God loves purely. The stanza closes the conversation with a moral insight about true love being spiritual.

55.Why is the poem written like a dialogue?

Answer:The dialogue format allows contrasting views-Anne’s youthful belief and Yeats’s mature realization-making the theme more dynamic and relatable.

56.What kind of poetic tone is used in the poem?

Answer:A simple, conversational, reflective tone suited for philosophical discussion.

57.What emotions are expressed through the poem?

Answer:Desire for true love, disappointment with superficiality, and spiritual acceptance.

58.How does Anne Gregory react to the accusation of superficial love?

Answer:She protests and plans to change her appearance to test if men can love her truly.

59.What lesson does the poet want readers to learn?

Answer:True love should appreciate inner worth, not appearance.

60.How does the poem appeal to young readers?

Answer:Its rhythmic dialogue, relatable theme, and universal message about love and personality make it engaging for students.

Long Answer / Value-Based Questions (6-8 Marks Each)

61.Explain how Yeats uses poetic devices to express the theme of inner beauty.
Yeats uses metaphor (hair as ramparts), dialogue, and rhyme to highlight how people are blinded by beauty. The contrast between Anne’s desire and the poet’s reminder emphasizes the need to love inner qualities.

62.Analyze the conversation between Anne Gregory and the poet.

Answer:The poem is structured as a polite debate. The poet claims nobody loves Anne for herself alone, while she argues that she can change her beauty. Finally, faith concludes that only God’s love is unconditional.

63.How does the last stanza elevate the poem from personal to spiritual level?

Answer:By bringing God into the conversation, Yeats gives a universal conclusion - true love transcends appearances. This shifts the poem from a simple discussion to a metaphor for divine understanding.

64.Discuss how ‘For Anne Gregory’ reflects human shallowness in love.

Answer:Yeats amusingly reveals how humans fail to appreciate soul qualities. Through Anne’s beauty, he criticizes superficial attraction and contrasts it with God’s depth of perception.

65.What message does the poem convey about real love?

Answer:True love grows from understanding and caring for one’s soul, not looks. Appearances fade, but inner beauty remains constant.

66.Evaluate Yeats’s treatment of beauty as deceptive.

Answer:He uses imagery of golden hair as a wall that hides reality. His tone gently warns that appearances bring false admiration, not emotional truth.

67.Do you think Anne Gregory’s wish is realistic? Why or why not?

Answer:Her wish for true love is admirable but idealistic. Human love often fails this ideal, which is why Yeats concludes it’s possible only for God.

68.How is the poem timeless in its message?

Answer:Even today, people value appearance over inner qualities. Yeats’s idea remains relevant as society continues to prize external beauty.

69.Why is the poem called "For Anne Gregory"?

Answer:Because it’s a direct address to Anne, representing all people who seek genuine love. The poem becomes a symbolic tribute to human longing for purity in affection.

70.Explain the role of religion in the poem’s conclusion.

Answer:Religion provides closure - divine love represents the highest form of truth, suggesting that only spiritual awareness can overcome beauty’s illusions.

Higher-Order Thinking Questions

71.Why does Yeats repeat the idea of hair colour throughout the poem?

Answer:To emphasize how much people overvalue outward beauty.

72.What does the poem suggest about the relationship between love and identity?

Answer:It implies that people desire acceptance for their true selves, beyond their appearance.

73.How does Yeats use irony in the poem?

Answer:The irony lies in Anne’s attempt to change her looks to find true love, which should not depend on looks at all.

74.Compare this poem to modern attitudes toward beauty.

Answer:The obsession with looks persists; Yeats’s message remains relevant in today’s social-media-driven culture.

75.How does the poem blend realism and spirituality?

Answer:It begins with worldly love and ends with divine insight, bridging physical and spiritual themes.

76.In what way is Anne Gregory’s response empowering?

Answer:She challenges shallow romantic attraction, asserting her individuality.

77.Compare divine love and human love as presented.

Answer:Divine love is eternal, human love is conditional.

78.Could the poem have a feminist interpretation?

Answer:Yes, it critiques men’s fixation on female appearance rather than character.

79.What does the poem teach about self-perception?

Answer:That people should value their moral and emotional qualities, not depend on others’ opinions.

80.How can Anne’s yellow hair be seen as a metaphor for human weakness?

Answer:It represents society’s obsession with attractiveness, a distraction from deeper values.

Application and Literary Device Questions

81.Identify two metaphors from the poem.

Answer:"Honey-coloured ramparts" and "love you for yourself alone."

82.What is the poetic form of the poem?

Answer:A dialogue written in three six-line stanzas.

83.Which literary device is used in ‘great honey-coloured ramparts’?

Answer:Metaphor.

84.Who symbolizes divine truth in the poem?

Answer:The religious man/God.

85.What tone shift occurs from stanza one to three?

Answer:From worldly despair to divine enlightenment.

86.How do sound and rhyme contribute to meaning?

Answer:The simple rhymes make philosophical discussion sound friendly and rhythmic.

87.Why is Anne portrayed as intelligent?

Answer:She questions superficial attraction and desires spiritual sincerity.

88.How does the poem use contrast?

Answer:It contrasts physical beauty and spiritual love throughout.

89.What aspect of love do humans fail at?

Answer:Unconditional acceptance beyond appearance.

90.What does the phrase "made the lady fair" suggest?

Answer:God created both inner and outer beauty.

Long Reflective & Creative Questions

91.Write a brief character sketch of Anne Gregory.

Answer:Anne Gregory is a beautiful, intelligent young woman who values emotional depth and sincerity over appearance. Her humor and wisdom guide the poem’s philosophical tone.

92.How is the poem relevant to social media culture today?

Answer:It cautions against measuring worth by outward appeal, a common trend in online identity culture.

93.Discuss the title of the poem as an address.

Answer:The title personalizes the poem’s message, making the moral direct and affectionate.

94.Can beauty and spirituality coexist? Discuss using the poem.

Answer:While beauty is natural, true spirituality thrives beyond attachment to form; Yeats balances both by giving divine perspective in the end.

95.How does Yeats invite readers to self-reflect?

Answer:By making the dialogue conversational, Yeats makes readers reconsider their own judgments about love and physical attraction.

96.Describe how the poem progresses from human conversation to divine conclusion.

Answer:It starts casually, grows into argument, and culminates in a spiritual resolution revealed through religious wisdom.

97.What message does the poem give to young students?

Answer:To build character, cultivate goodness, and seek relationships based on honesty rather than charm.

98.How is the mood of the poem both gentle and serious?

Answer:It uses mild humor and calm tone while delivering a deep observation about life and love.

99.What kind of irony concludes the poem?

Answer:While Anne attempts to change her hair to win truer love, the poem reveals only divine love needs no change at all.

100.Why does ‘For Anne Gregory’ remain an evergreen poem?

Answer:Its universal message about true beauty and divine love transcends time and generation.

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