CBSE Class 9 English No Men are Foriegn Worksheet

 NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

‘No Men are Foreign’ is a thought provoking poem by James Kirkup. It tells us that there is no difference between different people and the countries they live in. Therefore wars and the bloodshed that takes place in the name of caste, class, creed and country are futile and must be condemned. The uniforms worn by people in different parts of the world may be different, but the bodies beneath them are the same. The earth that one walks upon is the same for all people from different countries. All will one day or the other die and return to earth only. People in every part of the world get the sunshine, air and water in equal measures. They too prosper during peace but have to suffer poverty and hunger during the war like us. They do the same jobs to earn their livelihood as we do. They are built just like us and sleep or wake up in a manner similar to ours. They too can be won over by love- Thus, human life is the same in every part of the world. We must remember that when we hate, betray and condemn others or forcibly take away land and property from them, we actually harm ourselves. Our weapons of war make the earth dirty and spoil its atmosphere. Wars thus cause misery and destruction. In this way, the poem gives us the message of mutual and peaceful co-existence and warns us not to fight or hate others.

 

 

The theme of the poem “No Men are Foreign” is the oneness of mankind underneath the superficial differences of colour, race, nationality and faith. It presupposes that all human beings are brothers and sisters. Those who spread hatred and wage wars are criminals and deserve to be condemned. The poem also deals with the supremacy of love, accord, friendship and amity among all the people in this world.

 

 

 

Alliteration is the close repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of successive words (initial alliteration) and within words (internal alliteration).

 

 

• a single body breathes (‘ b’ sound is repeated at the beginning of each word)

• Or sleep, and strength (‘ s’ sound is repeated)

 

 

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase (which is not linked directly) is used to describe an object or action through comparison.

 

‘Uniforms’ here basically stand for militaries that different countries in the world have. These uniforms may be different in colour, design, shape and culture, but people donning them are the same anywhere in the world.

 

• war’s long winter starv’ d

 

Here the starvation experienced during unproductive and harsh winters describes the want and hunger faced during war-time. Both these conditions lead to ultimate destruction.

 

 

Poets often repeat single words or phrases, lines, and sometimes, even whole stanzas at intervals to create a musical effect; to emphasize a point; to draw the readers’ attention or to lend unity to a piece. In “No Men are Foreign” James Kirkup repeats the word ‘Remember’ five times in the poem to emphasize the serious message the poem has to convey.

 

 

The poem doesn’t have any specific rhyme scheme. It is written in free verse.

 

I. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

 

1. They, too, aware of sun and air and water,

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s lone winter starv’d.

Their hands are ours, and in their lines, we read

 

A labour not different from our own.

 

a) Who do they refer to in this stanza?

 

b) What are they fed by ?

 

c) Name the poet.

 

2. Let us remember, whenever we are told

To hate our brothers, it is ourselves

That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.

Remember, we who lake arms against each other

 

a) Whom do we hate when we hate other?

 

b) What are we doing to our fellow beings?

 

c) Write the Name of the poem.

 

3. It is the human earth that we defile.

Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence

Of air that is everywhere our own,

Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.

 

a) What is outraging this earth?

 

b) What can we call our own?

 

c) What should we remember?

 

 

 

Ans:-The poet is speaking about the uniforms that armies of different countries wear. Though these ‘uniforms’ are different in appearance the bodies under them are the same. The poet tries to convey that the differences among the people of different countries are superficial. Essentially, all human beings are the same.