THE MAN WITH THE HOE (Important Answers)

THE MAN WITH THE HOE

IMPORTANT SHORT QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

CLASS- X ADDITIONAL ENGLISH

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1. Question: What does the man in the poem lean upon, and what is his posture indicative of?
   Answer: The man leans upon his hoe, symbolizing the burden of labor and suffering he has endured for centuries. His posture reflects exhaustion and the weight of oppression.

2. Question: What is conveyed by the phrase "the weight of centuries"?
   Answer: "The weight of centuries" suggests the accumulated suffering, toil, and exploitation endured by laborers throughout history.

3. Question: How does the poet describe the man's face, and what does it signify?
   Answer: The poet describes the man's face as carrying "the emptiness of ages," signifying a loss of hope, joy, and individuality due to relentless toil and hardship.

4. Question: What does the phrase "the burden of the world" imply?
   Answer: "The burden of the world" implies the immense physical and emotional weight the man bears as a representative of oppressed and overworked laborers.

5. Question: How does the poet liken the man to an ox, and what does this comparison suggest?
   Answer: The poet calls the man "a brother to the ox," suggesting he has been reduced to a beast of burden, stripped of his humanity and emotions, through relentless labor and oppression.

6. Question: What emotions or qualities does the poet say the man has been made "dead to"?
   Answer: The man has been made "dead to rapture and despair," meaning he no longer experiences joy or sorrow, having been numbed by his suffering and toil.

7. Question: What physical features of the man are highlighted, and what do they symbolize?
   Answer: The poet highlights the "brutal jaw" and "slanted back brow," symbolizing the physical toll of labor and the dehumanization caused by exploitation.

   
   
   

8. Question: According to the poet, who or what is responsible for the man’s dehumanized condition?
   Answer: The poet asks, "Who made him dead to rapture and despair?" This rhetorical question implies that society, its institutions, and systems of exploitation are responsible for reducing the man to such a state.

9. Question: What literary device is used in the line "a brother to the ox," and what is its effect?
   Answer: The literary device used is a metaphor, comparing the man to an ox to emphasize the dehumanization and relentless labor he endures.

10. Question: What is the tone of this excerpt, and how does it reflect the poet’s attitude toward the man’s plight?
    Answer: The tone is somber and empathetic, reflecting the poet’s deep concern for the man’s suffering and the injustices that have led to his condition.

11. Question: Why does the poet use rhetorical questions such as "Who loosened and let down this brutal jaw?"
    Answer: The rhetorical questions provoke reflection and challenge the reader to consider the societal forces and injustices that have contributed to the man’s dehumanized state.

12. Question: What is the significance of the man gazing "on the ground"?
    Answer: The act of gazing "on the ground" symbolizes the man's despair, submission, and loss of hope, as if he cannot look up to face the world or aspire for something better.

    13. Whose breath blew out the light within this brain?

13. Answer: The poem suggests that it is the oppression and exploitation by society—greed, ignorance, and injustice—that extinguished the potential and intellect of the laborer, represented as "the light within this brain."

14. What is the significance of the question, “Is this the Thing the Lord God made and gave”?Answer: The poet questions how a being created by God, with the intention to have dominion over the earth, could be reduced to such a degraded and pitiable state. It highlights the contrast between divine intention and human exploitation.

15. What does the poet mean by, “To trace the stars and search the heavens for power”?

Answer: This phrase refers to humanity’s divine purpose and capacity for intellectual pursuits, exploration, and understanding of the universe, which the laborer has been denied due to his oppressive circumstances.

16. How does the poet link the laborer’s plight to the Dream of the Creator?

Answer: The poet asks whether this broken, dehumanized figure aligns with the Creator’s original vision of mankind as noble and powerful, capable of wondrous accomplishments. The laborer’s condition is portrayed as a tragic betrayal of that dream.

17. What does the line “Down all the stretch of Hell to its last gulf” signify?

Answer: It suggests that the laborer’s condition is the ultimate form of suffering and degradation, worse than anything found in the deepest depths of Hell. It underscores the severity of his plight.

18. Why is the laborer described as “More tongued with censure of the world’s blind greed”?Answer: The laborer’s existence condemns the world for its greed and exploitation. His suffering is a testament to the moral failings of a society driven by selfishness and disregard for human dignity.

19. What are the “signs and portents for the soul” mentioned in the poem?

Answer: These refer to the warnings and moral lessons that the laborer’s condition communicates. It signifies the spiritual consequences of neglecting compassion and justice.

20. How is the laborer’s condition “fraught with danger to the universe”?

Answer: The poet implies that the dehumanization and exploitation of individuals threaten the moral and social fabric of the world, potentially leading to societal collapse and spiritual decay.

21. What literary devices are used in these lines to convey the laborer’s plight?

Answer: The poet uses rhetorical questions, vivid imagery, and hyperbole to evoke empathy and highlight the stark contrast between the Creator’s intentions and the laborer’s degraded state.

22. What is the central message of this excerpt from The Man with the Hoe?

Answer: The central message is a critique of societal greed and exploitation that reduces human beings to a pitiable state, far removed from their divine potential and purpose. It serves as a moral indictment of the social systems that perpetuate such condition.

Q23. What is the significance of the phrase "What gulfs between him and the seraphim"?
Answer: The phrase emphasizes the vast gap between the laborer and the divine or spiritual ideals represented by the seraphim. It suggests that the back-breaking labor has deprived the man of his spiritual essence and higher aspirations.

Q24. What does "Slave of the wheel of labor" imply about the man's condition?
Answer: It implies that the man is trapped in a cycle of relentless physical toil, likened to slavery. He has no freedom to pursue intellectual or spiritual growth and is entirely consumed by the demands of labor.

Q25. Why does the poet reference "Plato and the swing of Pleiades"?
Answer: The reference contrasts the intellectual and cosmic pursuits symbolized by Plato and the Pleiades with the laborer’s inability to appreciate such lofty ideas due to his physical and mental exhaustion.

Q26. How does the poet describe the loss of beauty and joy in the laborer's life?
Answer: The poet laments the laborer’s inability to experience "the long reaches of the peaks of song," "the rift of dawn," or "the reddening of the rose," symbolizing the loss of artistic, natural, and emotional beauty in his life.

Q27. What does "Through this dread shape the suffering ages look" mean?
Answer: This line suggests that the laborer represents the accumulated suffering and exploitation of humanity throughout history. His figure is a symbol of the universal plight of the oppressed.

Q28. How is "Time’s tragedy" reflected in the laborer's posture?
Answer: The "aching stoop" of the laborer’s body reflects the burden of oppression and suffering endured over generations. It symbolizes the cumulative tragedy of mankind's exploitation.

Q29. What does the poet mean by "humanity betrayed, plundered, profaned and disinherited"?
Answer: The poet portrays humanity as having been wronged by systems of oppression and exploitation, stripped of its dignity, rights, and inheritance of a better, more equitable life.

Q30. What does the laborer's figure "cry" to the "Judges of the World"?
Answer: The laborer’s condition is a silent protest against the injustice of those in power, symbolized as the "Judges of the World." It challenges them to acknowledge and rectify these wrongs.

Q31. Why is the protest described as "also prophecy"?
Answer: The protest is called a prophecy because it predicts inevitable consequences—possibly a call for justice or rebellion—arising from the ongoing exploitation and suffering of the oppressed.

Q32. How does the poem combine individual suffering with universal themes?
Answer: The poem uses the figure of the laborer as a symbol of collective human suffering, addressing themes like social injustice, loss of humanity, and the need for accountability from those in power.

Q33. Who is being addressed as "O masters, lords and rulers in all lands"?
Answer: The poet addresses the powerful and influential people—those in authority or positions of privilege who are responsible for shaping society and humanity.

Q34. What does the poet mean by "the handiwork you give to God"?
Answer: The poet questions whether the dehumanized and oppressed condition of the laborer is the result of the actions of the ruling classes, and if they consider this their offering to God, implying it is a reflection of their moral and social failings.

Q35. Why does the poet describe the laborer as "this monstrous thing distorted and soul-quenched"?
Answer: The laborer is described as "monstrous" and "distorted" because exploitation and oppression have robbed him of his humanity, vitality, and soul, leaving him deformed physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Q36. What does the poet suggest is lost in the laborer through the phrase "soul-quenched"?
A36. The poet suggests that the laborer has lost his spirit, individuality, and dreams due to the burdens of toil and the oppressive social system.

Q37. What does the poet mean by "How will you ever straighten up this shape"?
Answer: The poet challenges the powerful, asking how they intend to restore the laborer’s dignity and humanity, which have been distorted by years of exploitation.

Q38. Explain the phrase "Touch it again with immortality."
Answer: The poet is urging the restoration of the laborer’s divine essence and eternal worth as a human being, reconnecting him with the nobility and spiritual light that he once possessed.

Q39. What are the "music and the dream" mentioned in the poem?
Answer: "Music and the dream" symbolize the laborer’s lost aspirations, creativity, joy, and higher purpose that have been suppressed by hardship and suffering.

Q40. What is meant by "immemorial infamies"?
Answer: "Immemorial infamies" refers to the ancient and long-standing injustices and cruelty inflicted upon the laborer by the oppressive systems of society.

Q41. What are the "perfidious wrongs" mentioned in the poem?
Answer: "Perfidious wrongs" denote the treacherous and deceitful acts of injustice and exploitation committed against the laborer.

Q42. Why does the poet refer to "immedicable woes"?
Answer: The poet highlights the deep and irreparable sorrows and sufferings of the laborer, suggesting that these wrongs may be beyond remedy or healing.

Q43. What challenge does the poet pose to the masters and rulers in this stanza?
Answer: The poet challenges them to acknowledge their responsibility for the laborer’s plight and asks how they plan to restore his lost humanity, dignity, and spiritual essence.

Q44. What is the tone of the poet in addressing the 'masters, lords, and rulers'?
Answer:The poet's tone is critical and confrontational, as he questions the accountability of the ruling classes for the plight of the oppressed laborer.

Q45. What does the phrase "How will the Future reckon with this Man?" imply?
Answer: It suggests a reckoning or judgment in the future where society will have to confront the consequences of its actions and the injustices done to the laborer.

Q46. What is meant by the "brute question" in the poem?
Answer: The "brute question" refers to the unspoken, silent reproach and moral accusation arising from the suffering and dehumanization of the laborer. It challenges the rulers to justify their exploitation.

Q47. What does the poet foresee in the "whirlwinds of rebellion"?
Answer: The poet foresees a time of upheaval and revolution where the oppressed masses rise against their oppressors, shaking the foundations of kingdoms and rulers.

Q48. How does the poet describe the role of kings and rulers in shaping the laborer’s condition?
Answer: The poet holds kings and rulers responsible for shaping the laborer into a "dumb Terror," emphasizing their complicity in reducing him to a state of subjugation and suffering.

Q49. What is the significance of the phrase "dumb Terror"?
Answer: "Dumb Terror" symbolizes the suppressed anguish, fear, and despair of the laborer, who has been silenced and rendered powerless by systemic oppression.

Q50. What does the poet mean by "After the silence of the centuries"?
Answer: This phrase signifies the long-standing suffering and oppression endured by the laborer, implying that there will come a time when this silence will break, and justice will be sought.

Q51. What does the poet suggest about divine justice in "shall reply to God"?
Answer: The poet implies that ultimately, the laborer's suffering and the injustices committed against him will be addressed in the presence of divine judgment, holding oppressors accountable.

Q52. How does the poet view the responsibility of those in power?
Answer: The poet views those in power as deeply responsible for the laborer’s suffering, warning them of the moral and social consequences of their actions.

Q53. What is the overarching message of the last stanza?
Answer: The stanza serves as a warning and a call for accountability, emphasizing the inevitable reckoning for the injustices committed against the downtrodden. It advocates for awareness of social and moral responsibilities.

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