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?
- a parent or caregivers love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy
- the publics love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker
- your love for a friend, or brother or sister
- 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
- A person caring for a mentally challenged child is certainly more lovable than the one who cares for a prodigy
- We love celebrities more than we love the food givers
- Friends are more lovable than siblings in most cases
- 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?
- The young mans despair
- The honey-colored ramparts
- The yellow lhair
Answer:
The yellow lhair
Question 2.
What sentiment does the speaker convey towards the young mans potential love?
- Encouragement
- Sarcasm
- Pessimism
Answer:
Sarcasm
Question 3.
What aspect of the young woman does the speaker suggest might overshadow her true self?
- Her yellow hair
- Her despair
- Her loneliness
Answer:
Her yellow hair
Question 4.
What emotion does the speaker seem to associate with the "great honey-coloured ramparts"?
- Joy
- Despair
- Awe
Answer:
Despair
Question 5.
What does the speaker imply about the young mans potential love for the woman?
- It will be genuine regardless of her hair color
- It will be solely based on her appearance
- 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?
- She is approachable and sweet
- She is unattainable and distant
- 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?
- Changing her name
- Changing her personality
- 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?
- Regret
- Indifference
- Excitement
Answer:
Excitement
Question 3.
What does the speaker hope to achieve by changing her hair colour ?
- To attract more attention
- To make herself more unique
- 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?
- Love is superficial and based on appearance
- Love can be manipulated by changing ones appearance
- 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?
- The speaker is more hopeful in this stanza
- The speaker is more cynical in this stanza
- 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?
- Her intelligence
- Her kindness
- 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?
- An old religious man
- A philosopher
- A scientist
Answer:
An old religious man
Question 2.
What does the stanza suggest about the speakers attitude towards the nature of love?
- Love is conditional and superficial
- Love is eternal and unchanging
- 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?
- It is impossible
- It is only attainable through religious faith
- 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 ?
- It serves as a source of guidance and wisdom
- It emphasizes the importance of physical appearance
- 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?
- It reinforces the idea that love is superficial
- It highlights the complexity and mystery of love
- 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 ?
- It introduces a more optimistic view of love
- It presents a more cynical perspective on love
- 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;