UP Board Solutions Class 12 English Chapter 5 A Lament

About The Poet

P. B. Shelley was born in Sussex in 1792. He studied in Eton and Oxford. He was the son of a wealthy English baronet. He passed a melancholy life. His poems are charged with high soaring imagination. In his poems we find un surpassable lyrical quality, Greek philosophy and love of nature.

About The Poem

The poem, A Lament, written in 1821, shows that Shelley, though only 28 at the time, realized that he would not live long. His youth had deserted him, and he was now incapable of enjoying the pleasures offered by life and nature. The awareness of old age having come before its time leads to a cry of despair. But the music of the poem represents the triumphs of Shelley’s lyrical powers.

Central Idea [2013, 14, 15, 17, 18]

‘Lament is one of the most pathetic poems of Shelley. Every word of

Summary of the Poem

The poem is charged with an indescribable feeling of regret and disappointment. He imagines that he is standing on the last steps of Time. He looks on his past life with a faint heart and feels that his days are numbered in this world. He regrets that his youthful vigour and joys of life will not return to him any more. Now his days and nights are dull and joyless. He is incapable of enjoying the beauties of nature.

(Lament नामक कविता शैली की अत्यन्त दुःख भरी कविताओं में से एक है। कविता का प्रत्येक शब्द पश्चाताप तथा निराशा की अवर्णनीय भावना से भरपूर है। वह कल्पना करता है कि वह समय की अन्तिम सीढ़ी पर खड़ा है। वह अपने बीते हुए जीवन को एक निर्बल हृदय से देखता है और अनुभव करता है कि इस संसार में उसके आने वाले दिन गिने-चुने हैं। वह दुःखी होता है कि उसकी जवानी की स्फूर्ति और जीवन की खुशियाँ अब लौटकर उसके पास वापस नहीं आएँगी। अब उसके चौबीसों घण्टे नीरस और आनन्दरहित हैं। वह अब प्रकृति के सौन्दर्य का आनन्द प्राप्त करने के अयोग्य है।)

Explanations (With Meanings & Hindi Translation)

Question 1. Explain the following stanza with reference to the context:
(1)
O World ! O Life! O Time !
On whose last steps I climb,
Trembling at that where I had stood before,
When will return the glory of your prime ?
No more—Oh, never more !

Answer:
Word-Meanings:
lament = शोक sorrow
O World! O Life! O Time! = पीड़ा सूचक शब्द हैं क्योंकि इस संसार में कवि के जीवन के समय का अन्त होने वाला है
last steps = अन्तिम सीढ़ियाँ last rungs
glory = आनन्द joy
prime = जवानी youth

Hindi Translation:
इस संसार में कवि के जीवन के समय का अन्त होने वाला है। अतः यह तीनों शब्द कवि के हृदय की वेदना को प्रकट करते हैं। कवि इस संसार की तुलना एक सीढ़ी से कर रहा है जिसके अन्तिम डण्डे पर वह चढ़ रहा है। जिस संसार में भूतकाल में उसने परेशानियों और कठिनाइयों का मुकाबला बहादुरी से किया था आज वही भय से काँप रहा है। वह स्वयं से प्रश्न करता है कि उसकी जवानी का वह आनन्द कब वापस आएगा। घोर निराशा से वह स्वयं ही उत्तर देता है कि वह आनन्द अब कभी वापस नहीं आएगा।

Reference: This stanza has been taken from the poem ‘A Lament’ composed by P. B. Shelley.

Context: This is one of the most pathetic poems written by Shelley. He had realised that he would not live long and his end of life was quite near. He compares his helplessness in the present to his bravery and courage in the past with which he had fought against the troubles and difficulties boldly. He felt a deep sense of regret during his final days.

Explanation: The first line of this opening stanza is full of pathos because the poet feels that he has come to an end of his life and time in this world. He compares his life to a ladder and imagines himself to be standing on its last rung. It appears that he had a premonition of his approaching death because he died only a year after he wrote this poem. The poet had fought the troubles and difficulties very bravely in the past but now he feels weak and trembling.
In simple words: The poet feels that his life is coming to an end, like standing on the very last step of a ladder. He looks back at his past youth and strength, knowing those happy days will never return to him.

🎯 Exam Tip: Always clearly state the name of the poem and the poet in the Reference section to secure full marks. Use keywords like 'pathos', 'premonition', and 'helplessness' in your explanation.

Comments on the Poem

The poem is remarkable for the way in which the poet has expressed his pathos and disappointment. Moreover, the poet has used very aptly the Apostrophe and Metaphor figures of speech.

Word Meanings

• Day and night: Whole life (सम्पूर्ण जीवन)
• Taken flight: Has disappeared (अदृश्य हो गई है)
• Hoar: White frost (पाला)
• Faint: Weak (दुर्बल)
• Delight: Joy (आनन्द)

Question 2. Explain the following lines with reference to the context:
“Out of the day and night
A joy has taken flight :
Fresh spring, and summer, and winter hoar
Move my faint heart with grief, but with delight
No more–Oh, never more!” [2015, 16, 17, 18]
Answer:
Context: This is one of the most pathetic poems written by Shelley. He wrote this poem before one year of his death. Every word of it is charged with an indescribable feeling of regret and disappointment. He regrets that his youthful vigour and joys of life will not return to him any more.

Explanation: In this concluding stanza the poet feels that his days and nights are dull and joyless. The joys of his life have disappeared from his entire life. The beauties of nature which used to fill him with joy in the past now only add to his sorrow and disappointment. Instead of sending a thrill of delight into his heart, they only intensify his grief. He asks himself whether he would ever get that delight or not. At once his soul answers that joy has gone forever and never to return. Shelley's deep melancholy is beautifully captured in these lines.

Hindi Translation: मेरे जीवन की प्रत्येक घड़ी से आनन्द अदृश्य हो गया है। सुन्दर वसन्त ऋतु, गर्मी का मौसम तथा जाड़ों का सफेद पाली अर्थात् समस्त प्रकार के प्राकृतिक सौन्दर्य मेरे दुर्बल हृदय को दुःख से प्रभावित करते हैं। किन्तु, आनन्द से उसे वे कब भरेंगे (उसकी आत्मा भीतर से उत्तर देती है) कभी नहीं, अब और अधिक कभी नहीं।

Hindi Explanation: इस अन्तिम पद्यांश में कवि अनुभव करता है कि उसके दिन और रात अर्थात् सम्पूर्ण जीवन नीरस और आनन्दरहित हो गया है। उसके जीवन के आनन्द सम्पूर्ण जीवन से अदृश्य हो गए हैं। प्रकृति का सौन्दर्य जो भूतकाल में उसे आनन्द से भरा करता था अब उसके दुःख और निराशा को केवल बढ़ाता है। उसके मन में आनन्द की सनसनाहट भेजने के स्थान पर वे केवल उसके दुःख को बढ़ाती हैं। वह अपने मन में स्वयं से पूछता है कि क्या वह उस आनन्द को पुनः प्राप्त कर पाएगा या नहीं। तुरन्त उसकी आत्मा उत्तर देती है कि वह आनन्द सदा के लिए चला गया है और पुनः कभी नहीं लौटेगा।
In simple words: The poet feels that all happiness has left his life, making his days and nights dull. Even the beautiful seasons like spring and summer, which once made him happy, now only make him feel sad because he knows those joyful times will never return.

🎯 Exam Tip: When explaining stanzas, always divide your answer clearly into 'Context' and 'Explanation' to secure full marks. Mentioning the poet's name and the background of the poem adds great value.

Comments

The awareness of old age having come before its time leads to a cry of despair. But the music of the poem represents the triumph of Shelley’s lyrical powers.

(वृद्धावस्था के ज्ञान को समय से पूर्व आगमन निराशा के विलाप की ओर ले जाता है। किन्तु कविता का संगीत शैली की गायन की शक्तियों की विजय को प्रदर्शित करता है।)