Hi Everyone!! This article will share A Psalm of Life Questions & Answers.
Written by Henry Wordsworth Longfellow, the poem is a celebration of life, an earnest effort to see life in the right spiritual perspective. In my previous posts, I have shared the questions & answers of The Legend Of Arachne, I Am Malala and Caged Bird so, you can check these posts as well.
A Psalm of Life Questions & Answers
Word Galaxy
- Earnest – sincere
- Grave – burial pit
- destined – fate decided in advance
- bivouac – temporary shelter
- Strife – struggle
- Pursuing – going after
Question 1: Choose the correct option:
(a) According to the poet, life should be real and______.
i. imaginary
ii. earnest
iii. true
iv. unkind
(b) Death is not its__________ object for soul is immortal.
i. ultimate
ii. first
iii. best
iv. rare
(c) Sorrow and joy is not its__________ way or aim.
i. ultimate
ii. only
iii. predetermined
iv. fortunate
(d) We should work for making our__________ better than best.
i. future
ii. present
iii. past
iv. outlook
(e) We should give up__________ and start working hard.
i. slow work
ii. knowledge
iii. idleness
iv. employment
(f) We should learn to__________ hard and wait for the result.
i. hit
ii. ignore
iii. study
iv. labor
(g) Life is not talking about going to__________, we should have a hope.
i. live
ii. die
iii. help
iv. remain
Question 2: Fill in the blanks:
(a) Life is not full of sadness.
(b) A dream presents many pleasant things which vanish as soon as it breaks.
(c) The poet empathetically says that life is real and earnest.
(d) Grave or death is not the destination of life.
(e) Life is neither for enjoyment nor for sorrow.
(f) Our endeavour must also continue with undiminished faith in God.
Question 3: Write True or False:
(a) Body vanishes but the soul does not dissolve – True
(b) Life means to act at present – True
(c) We must not waste time in expecting a more suitable time to come – True
(d) We should think that tomorrow is far away from today – False
(e) The poet advises us to get rid of sloth and be brave enough to face any situation in our lives – True
(f) Grave or death is the only destination of life – False
Question 4: What does the poet mean by ‘Life is real! Life is earnest’?
Answer: By this the poet means that our life is a reality which we are living. It has a definite purpose and we need to decide and name this purpose. We should not bother about its transient nature or anything else rather bank upon the time span and the ocean of opportunities with us to make it great and commendable. We should take this life seriously because the goal of life is not death but to do some notable work.
Question 5: What does the poet say about ‘life’ in the first stanza?
Answer: In the first stanza, the poet says that life is not an empty dream. He hits strongly at the pessimists who believe that the life is ‘an empty dream’ and in this temporary life, nothing great can be achieved.
He feels that those who are lazy or sleep without working are indeed dead souls. According to him, this life is not full of sadness or worthless. it shows us many colourful dreams which may be materialized. This life is indeed real and useful and we should make a good use of it.
Question 6: Quote the line which means – ‘death is not the goal of life’.
Answer: The line which means – ‘death is not the goal of life’ in the poem is “And the grave is not its goal.”
Question 7: What does the poet say about the goal of life in stanza III?
Answer: The poet says that the goal of life should never be only the enjoyment of the pleasures and suffering of pains as that would make life useless. We are here to work our way to make our tomorrow more meaningful than today.
Question 8: What attitude does the poet challenge in the first two stanzas? Is the attitude of the poet positive or negative?
Answer: In the first two stanzas, the poet challenges the pessimistic, melancholic and complacency attitude of the people. The attitude of the poet is tremendously positive.
A Psalm of Life Questions & Answers
Question 9: What do the lives of great men remind us?
Answer: The lives of great men remind us that we can make our lives great and noble by doing honest labour and set an example for others to follow.
Question 10: How do the examples of great men help a person in distress?
Answer: The examples of great men help a person in distress by teaching them the path to enlightenment. They teach to be earnest, hardworking and patient and lead the person on the path of righteousness.
Question 11: What is the poet’s observation on ‘soul’?
Answer: The poet’s observation on ‘soul’ is that it is immortal. When we die, our physical body becomes dust and goes to the five elements but the soul is eternal. Even after our death, the soul remains unchanged.
Question 12: “Be a hero in the strive” – is it an inspiring call of the poet? What other things does the poet urge us to do?
Answer: Yes, it is inspiring call of the poet. The poet urges us to be brave because we are all soldiers in the world’s broad field of battle. We must be courageous, confident and laborious to face the challenges of life.
Question 13: Why does the poet prefer the ‘present’ to ‘past’ and ‘future’?
Answer: The poet prefers the ‘present’ to ‘past’ and ‘future’ because present is the only time which is available for hard work. The past is already passed and is buried like a dead body. It cannot be recovered and the future is uncertain. The poet urges us not to rely on the past as sticking to the past can snatch the golden opportunity of betterment. He also urges the people not to get becharmed with the deceptive dream of golden future as it is uncertain.
Question 14: How can we make our life sublime?
Answer: We can make our life sublime by following the footprints of great men, hard work and patience. We should march on the track of virtuousness as shown to us by great men.
Question 15: Does the title suggest what the poem is about?
Answer: Yes, the title suggests what the poem is about. A Psalm is a sacred song and an invocation to mankind to follow the path of righteousness. Similarly, the poet also encourages us not to waste our life and teaches us the way to live a respectful, meaningful and worthwhile life. Therefore, the poem is called ‘A Psalm of Life’.
So, these were A Psalm of Life Questions & Answers.