UP Board Solutions Class 11 English Chapter 1 Mercy

कक्षा 11 अंग्रेजी पाठ 1 के प्रश्न उत्तर

These Solutions are part of UP Board Solutions for Class 11 English. Here we have given UP Board Solutions for Class 11 English Poetry Short Poem Chapter 1 Mercy.

About The Poet:

William Shakespeare was born at Startford-on-Avon in 1564. His education was interrupted due to loss in his father's business. He knew ‘little Greek and little Latin'. He joined the Theatre as a horse holder and then became an actor and a dramatist. He wrote 37 plays and 154 sonnets. He died in 1616.

About The Poem:

The theme of this poem has.been taken from the famous play of Shakespeare "The Merchant of Venice."In this play Antonio, a christian borrows some money from Shylock, a Jew and promises to repay it within three months otherwise Shylock will have the right to take one pound of flesh from his body. Antonio fails to pay the money back in time. So in the court Shylock demands the flesh from Antonio's body. Bassanio is Antonio's friend. His wife Portia, disguised as a doctor of law, appears in the court on behalf of Antonio. She appeals to Shylock to show mercy on humanitarian grounds but he is adamant on his demand. So, in this poem, the poet proves that mercy is greater than all worldly riches. It is the quality of God also. So in this world man is respected for having it. The poem is full of the qualities of mercy.

Central Idea

In this poem Shakespeare points out that mercy is the greatest quality of human heart. It is natural. It pleases both, giver of it and receiver of it. It is greater than the crown of a king. When justice is mixed with mercy, it becomes a Divine quality. So it makes the kings immortal if they practise mercy in their justice. (इस कविता में शेक्सपियर बताता है कि दया इस पृथ्वी पर मानव हृदय का सबसे बड़ा गुण है। यह स्वाभाविक है। यह दोनों को आनन्द देती है-इसके देने वाले को भी ओर लेने वाले को भी । यह एक राजा की शक्ति से भी महान् होती है। जब न्याय में दया का मिश्रण हो जाता है तब यह ईश्वरीय गुण बन जाती है। इसलिए यह राजाओं को भी अमर बना देती है यदि वे इसे अपने न्याय में प्रयोग करें ।)

Explanations (With Meanings & Hindi Translation)

Question 1. The quality of mercy is not strain'd;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest :
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.
Answer: [Word-meanings : quality - गुण the relative nature; mercy - दया pity; strained - बल द्वारा उत्पन की जाने वाली forced; droppeth - नीचे आती है comes down; gentle - धीमी slow; heaven - आकाश sky; beneath - नीचे below; blesseth- आनन्दित करना bestows. ]
भावार्थ- दया का गुण बल द्वारा उत्पन्न किया जाने वाला नहीं है, अपितु स्वाभाविक है। यह इस प्रकार आती है, जैसे धीमी-धीमी बारिश आकाश में नीचे पृथ्वी पर गिरती है। यह दोनों को आनन्द देती है। जो व्यक्ति दया दिखाता है उसे भी आनन्द प्राप्त होता है और जिस पर दया दिखाई जाती है उसे भी आनन्द प्राप्त होता है। सबसे शक्तिशाली व्यक्तियों का यह सबसे शक्तिशाली गुण है।
Reference: These lines have been selected from the poem ‘Mercy' composed by William Shakespeare. Its theme has been taken from his play ‘The Merchant of Venice'
[N.B.: The above reference will be used for all the explanations of this poem.]
Context: In these lines the poet says that Antonio could not repay the debt of Shylock in time who was a greedy merchant. So Shylock went to the court and asked one pound flesh from the body of Antonio as was dictated in the bond. Portia, on behalf of Antonio, appealed to Shylock to show mercy to Antonio but he did not melt.
Explanation: Portia tells Shylock the quality of mercy. She says that mercy is not shown under force but it is natural. It comes naturally like gentle rain. Mercy gives pleasure to all. The receiver as well as the giver of mercy gets joy. It is the most powerful quality of the most powerful people.
(पोर्शिया शाइलॉक को दया के विषय में बताती है। वह कहती है कि दया बलपूर्वक नहीं दिखाई जा सकती, बल्कि यह तो स्वाभाविक है। यह धीमी-धीमी बारिश के समान स्वयं आती है। दया सभी को आनन्द देती है। दया देने वाला भी और दया लेने वाला भी दोनों आनन्द पाते हैं। यह सबसे अधिक शक्तिशाली व्यक्तियों का सबसे अधिक शक्तिशाली गुण है ।)
Comments: The poet has aptly used Simile figure of speech in this stanza.
In simple words: Mercy is a natural, unforced quality, like gentle rain, that brings joy to both the giver and receiver. It is considered the most powerful trait among the most powerful individuals.

🎯 Exam Tip: Focus on understanding the core metaphor of mercy as gentle rain and its dual blessing. Highlighting its naturalness and universal benefit will score well.

Question 2. 'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; It becomes,
The throned monarch better than his crown :
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty.
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings.
Answer: [Word-meanings : mightiest - सबसे शक्तिशाली most powerful; throned monarch - शासन करता हुआ राजा ruling king; sceptre - राजा का डण्डा royal rod; temporal - सांसारिक worldly; attribute - गुण, प्रतीक quality, symbol; awe - भय fear; majesty - राजसी सम्मान respect to the king; dread - अत्यधिक भय great fear.]
भावार्थ- दया सबसे शक्तिशाली व्यक्ति का सबसे शक्तिशाली लक्षण है। यह (दया) एक शासन करते हुए राजा एवं उसके ताज (शक्ति) से अधिक अच्छी होती है। राजा की छड़ या तलवार सांसारिक शक्ति का प्रतीक है। यह अत्यधिक भय तथा राजा के प्रति सम्मान का प्रतीक है। इसी छड़ में राजाओं का आतंक तथा भय निहित है।
Context: In these lines the poet says that Portia tries to change the heart of Shylock by an appeal to his sense of mercy. But he is firm on his demand. The poet also says that mercy cannot be forced but it comes in the heart of a man naturally.
Explanation: In this stanza Portia appeals to Shylock to show mercy. The power of mercy is greater than the crown of a king. The king has a sword,a worldly power. So the people fear of him and respect him. But they forget him after his death. Mercy is a noble quality. It raises the man higher than all the worldly powers. It makes him immortal. A merciful man is loved and honoured without any force or compulsion. So Shylock should be merciful because mercy is the soul of justice.
(इस पद्यांश में पोर्शिया शाइलॉक से दया दिखाने की प्रार्थना करती है। दया की शक्ति राजा की शक्ति (ताज शक्ति का प्रतीक है) से अधिक होती है। राजा के पास तलवार होती है जो सांसारिक शक्ति है। इस कारण लोग उससे डरते हैं और उसका सम्मान करते हैं। किन्तु वे उसकी मृत्यु के बाद उसे भूल जाते हैं। दया एक श्रेष्ठ गुण है। यह मनुष्य को सभी सांसारिक शक्तियों से ऊपर उठा देती है। यह उसे अमर बना देती है। एक दयावान व्यक्ति का सम्मान बिना किसी शक्ति या विवशता के किया जाता है। इसलिए शाइलॉक को दयावान होना चाहिए, क्योंकि दया न्याय की आत्मा होती है ।)
In simple words: Mercy is the greatest quality for a powerful ruler, surpassing their crown and scepter, which merely represent earthly power and fear. It makes a king truly respected and immortal.

🎯 Exam Tip: Emphasize how mercy elevates a king beyond mere temporal power, linking it to true respect and lasting legacy rather than just fear. Comparisons to the crown and scepter are key.

Question 3. But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice.
Answer: [Word-meanings : sceptred - सत्ताधारी crowned; sway - शासन rule; enthroned - पाई जाती है found; attribute - गुण quality; likest - सबसे अधिक समान most like; seasons - मिला दी जाती है is mixed.]
भावार्थ- किन्तु दया राजाओं के लिए उनके भय के प्रतीक अर्थात् राजदण्ड से भी महान् है। दया राजाओं के हृदय में भी पाई जाती है। यह स्वयं भगवान् का भी गुण है। जब राजा में दया न्याय के साथ मिल जाती है। तब राजा की सांसारिक शक्ति भी भगवान् के गुण के समान हो जाती है अर्थात् जब एक राजा की सांसारिक शक्ति में दया और न्याय मिल जाता है, तब वह ईश्वरीय शक्ति बन जाती है।
Context: In these lines the poet says that Portia appeals to Shylock to show mercy. She tells him that mercy is a noble quality. It raises the man higher than all the worldly powers. Mercy is the soul of justice. So he should be merciful. But there is no effect of this appeal on Shylock.
Explanation: In this concluding stanza the poet compares mercy with the earthly power. The king has earthly power because he has a sceptre in his hand. So people fear of him and respect him. But mercy sits in his heart. It is higher than earthly power. It is the quality of God Himself. When a king mixes mercy also in his justice, he becomes like God. People worship him like God with their own accord. So mercy is the greatest quality on the earth.
(इस अन्तिम पद्यांश में कवि दया की तुलना सांसारिक शक्ति से करता है। राजा के पास सांसारिक शक्ति होती है क्योंकि उसके हाथ में राजदण्ड रूपी तलवार है। इस कारण लोग उससे डरते हैं और उसका सम्मान करते हैं। किन्तु दया उसके हृदय में होती है। यह सांसारिक शक्ति से महान् होती है। यह स्वयं भगवान् का गुण है। जब कोई राजा अपने न्याय में दया को भी मिला लेता है तब वह भगवान् के समान हो जाता है। लोग अपनी इच्छा से उसकी पूजा भगवान् के समान करते हैं। इसलिए दया संसार में सबसे महान् गुण है ।)
In simple words: Mercy is superior to earthly power, residing in the hearts of kings and being a divine quality. When justice is tempered with mercy, a king's rule reflects God's own power and earns genuine reverence.

🎯 Exam Tip: Highlight the divine aspect of mercy and its role in elevating a king's power to god-like status when combined with justice. This demonstrates a deeper understanding of the poem's central theme.