For Anne Gregory - NCERT Class 10, First Flight, Chapter 8 - Summary, Questions, Answers, Extra Questions, MCQ

Thinking About the Poem

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?

The "great honey-coloured ramparts" refers to the woman's golden or yellow hair. The young man suggests that her beautiful hair acts like a barrier or wall ("ramparts") that makes young men fall in love with her appearance, throwing them into despair because they cannot love her for who she truly is, beyond her physical beauty.

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

The young woman’s hair is yellow, or golden. She says that she can dye it brown, black, or carrot (orange) in order to be loved for herself and not just for her beautiful yellow hair. She wants to change her hair color to prove that someone can love her for who she is on the inside, rather than for her appearance.

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?

Different objects have qualities that make them desirable. For example, a car might be desired for its speed, comfort, or luxury features. A phone could be desirable because of its advanced technology, sleek design, or high-quality camera. If I were trying to sell an object like a phone, I would emphasize its long battery life, fast performance, and the quality of its camera to attract potential buyers.

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:

• (i) A parent or caregiver’s love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy
• (ii) The public’s love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker
• (iii) Your love for a friend, or brother or sister
• (iv) Your love for a pet, and the pet’s love for you

People are often loved for both their physical and mental qualities. However, it is possible to love someone “for themselves alone” without attaching too much value to their looks, talents, or achievements. For example, a parent’s love for a newborn baby or a child with special needs is often unconditional. Similarly, our love for close family members or friends can go beyond their qualities and is based on emotional bonds. The question of whether some people are more lovable than others is complex and varies depending on individual perspectives.

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?

Yeats’ question—“How can we separate the dancer from the dance?”—explores the idea that a person’s identity is often intertwined with their appearance, actions, and behavior. It is challenging to separate a person’s inner self from their external traits. Over time, as people change in appearance, behavior, or personality, relationships also evolve. For instance, a family member or friend may change physically or mentally over the years, and our perception of them might shift as well. The bond, however, may strengthen or grow deeper as we understand and accept those changes.