Saturday 4 April 2020

Fire and Ice class 10 CBSE



Fire and Ice

                                                    By Robert Frost


  Analysis: 


·         ‘Fire and Ice’ is a small poem of 10 lines composed by Robert Frost, a renowned  American poet of 20th century.

·         It discusses the possible ways / theories how this world may end with poet's own interpretation.

·        The poet conveys that man’s desires and hatred are so strong and  powerful that they may be the cause of destruction of this world.

·        Symbolically, man’s desire is presented as fire and his hatred is presented as ice.

·        Tone of the poem is bitter and critical as the poet criticises man’s greed and lack of emotions and warmth of heart in modern world.


Line by Line Explanation


Line 1-4 with rhyme scheme

Some say the world will end in fire,      a
Some say in ice.                                    b
From what I’ve tasted of desire             a
I hold with those who favour fire.          a

The poet, Robert Frost refers to the possible theories which claim that this world would end some day. The learned people like scientists are divided over the two possible theories about the end of this world. Some of them believe that the world would be destroyed due to fire or excessive heat whereas some opine that the world would be destroyed by ice or freezing due to extremely low temperature. The poet agrees with the first theory that the world would be destroyed by fire but he doesn’t talk about real fire or excessive heat. He thinks that man has become so much selfish and mad in fulfilling his desires that he may go to any extent. He can also kill other human being for his selfish purposes. In this blind madness of his greed and uncontrolled rage of accomplishing his desires entire humanity may kill one another and thus, end this world.

Video on For Anne Gregory

Line 5-9 with rhyme scheme

But if it had to perish twice,                    b
I think I know enough of hate                 c
To say that for destruction ice                b
Is also great                                           c
And would suffice.                                  b

Here, the poet rethinks and changes his first opinion and tells the readers that the ice, which is presented as a symbol of cold hearts and lack of emotions, is sufficient to end the world twice. In fact, the poet wants to say that there is so much hatred among the people that the world may be destroyed two times.  He wants to convey that milk of kindness has dried up and mankind is suffering from the drought of feelings. There is no warmth of emotions left among the people and their hearts have become cold. Cruelty and hatred are ruling their hearts so much that the mankind may kill one another some day. The poison of hatred is sufficient to destroy this world twice. Here, the poet wants to criticise man’s tendency to go to any extent to accomplish his desires and meet his selfish purposes without caring for others’ loss and pain.  

Video on The Trees

Message of the poem

The poet, Robert Frost tries to convey that man ought to tame his emotions, control his desires and behave as a civilized one. Mankind needs to nurture an ocean of emotions in their hearts and live for others’ happiness.


Rhyme Scheme of the poem
 ABA ABC BCB


Poetic Devices:

Some say the world will end in fire – Alliteration

Some say in ice – Alliteration

Some say the world will end in fire - Assonance

I hold with those who favour fire. – Alliteration

I hold with those who favour fire. - Assonance

But if it had to perish twice – Assonance

Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice Imagery

To say that for destruction iceSymbolism

I hold with those who favour fireSymbolism

And would suffice  Consonance

the world will end in fire – Consonance

Video on Dust of Snow

Important Question - Answers

Q1. There are many ideas about how the world would end. What does the poet think? Do you agree?

Ans. Two contrasting ideas are discussed in the poem about how the world would end. According to one belief the world would by destroyed by fire or excessive heat while the other one predicts that the world would end due to extreme cold or freezing of everything. The poet presents these two ideas symbolically and believes that either man’s selfish desires, greed and longingness would be the reason for the end of this world or his hatred for his fellow beings would be sufficient to end this world. I completely agree with the poet as in the present time man’s selfishness, greed, insensitivity, cruelty and hatred have crossed all the limits.

Q2. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does it help in bringing out the contrasting ideas in the poem?

Ans. The rhyme scheme of the poem is abaabcbcb. Through this rhyme scheme the two contrasting ideas behind the destruction of the world by ‘fire’ or ‘ice’ are presented very artistically. If we closely see the rhyme scheme, the first idea is discussed using the ‘ire’ words, (fire and desire) which are denoted by A. The second idea behind the destruction of the world is discussed using the words related to 'ice' and 'hate' and they are denoted by B and C in the rhyme scheme. Hence, two contrasting ideas are very beautifully separated through rhyming scheme.

Q3. What do Fire and Ice stand for?

Ans. According to Robert Frost fire stands for madness of desires, rage, greed and selfishness and ice represents hatred, ill will, insensitive attitude and lack of warmth of emotions towards our fellow beings. These two may cause the destruction of this world. Fire and Ice are used as the symbols for the following:

FIRE                                  ICE

GREED                             INTOLERENCE                    

AVARICE                          RIGIDITY                                                                     

LUST                                 INDIFFERENCE              

CONFLICT                        HATRED            

FURY                                 COLDNESS

CRUELTY                          INSENSITIVITY

Q4. Discuss the extreme behaviour of humanity according to the poet with respect of ice and fire?

Ans. Discussing two theories behind the destruction of the world the poet criticises man’s tendency to go to any extent to accomplish his desires and meet his selfish purposes without caring for others’ pain and troubles. He can also kill other human being for his selfish purposes.  There is so much hatred among the people that the world may be destroyed two times.  The milk of kindness has dried up and mankind is suffering from the drought of feelings. There is no warmth of emotions left people and their hearts have become cold. Cruelty and hatred is ruling their hearts so much the mankind may kill one another someday. The poison of hatred is sufficient to destroy this world twice.


Video on Fire and Ice
https://youtu.be/Tv5JstzM8Zs

RTC 1

Some say the world will end in fire,     

Some say in ice.                                   

From what I’ve tasted of desire            

I hold with those who favour fire.         

Q1. What do the people say about the end of this world?

Q2. What is the poet’s opinion?  How is the poet’s opinion different?

Q3. Write the meaning of the word 'tasted' as used here.

Q4. What is the symbol of desire used here?

Q5. Which poetic device is used in the first line?

Q6. What is the tone of the poet in these lines?


RTC 2 

But if it had to perish twice,                   

I think I know enough of hate                

To say that for destruction ice               

Is also great                                          

And would suffice.                                 

Q1. What is the poet's opinion about the end of the world?

Q2. What is symbol used for hatred?

Q3. Write the meaning of the word 'perish'.

Q4. What is the rhyming scheme of these lines?

Q5. Which poetic device is used in the first line? 

Q6. What does the poet want to convey through these lines?

Video on the poem Fog


Answers:

RTC 1

1. Some learned people predict that the world will end due to excessive heat whereas some believe that the world will get destroyed due to extremely low temperature where everything freezes.

2. The poet’s opinion is that this world can be destroyed due to people’s selfishness, mad desires, high ambitions, lack of sensitivity and absence of warmth in their hearts. The poet’s opinion is different because he doesn’t talk about environmental reasons behind the destruction of this world but he is more concerned about fast depleting value system and growing selfishness and insensitivity among mankind.

3. The word 'tasted' here means to have experienced, witnessed or observed.

4. Fire is used as the symbol of desire.

5. Alliteration/Anaphora/Assonance are used in first line.

6. The poet’s tone is bitter and critical.

RTC 2

1. The poet opines that this world can be destroyed due to people’s selfishness, mad desires, high ambitions, lack of sensitivity and absence of warmth in their hearts.

2. Ice is used as the symbol of hatred.

3. The word 'perish' means to get destroyed.

4. ABABB

5. Assonance is used in first line.

6. The poet seems to be shattered and, in anguish to notice extreme selfishness and insensitivity around. He conveys that the destruction of this world may be approaching due to the fast depleting value system and growing selfishness and insensitivity among humans. He wishes to give the message of love, peace, kindness and philanthropy.


 
           

No comments:

Post a Comment