JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions chapter – 3 When you Are Old

The poet tells his beloved that one day, she will become old. Her hair will turn grey. She will feel sleepy and tired all the time. She will sit by the fire and nod drowsily. The poet says that she should then take up his book of poems. She should read those poems slowly and think deeply about them. They shall tell her about the poet’s true love for her. The poet says that his poems shall remind her of her youthful beauty. She will then dream of her soft youthful looks. She will remember the beauty of her eyes that were once deep and dark.

But it will be only in her old age that she will realise the true quality of her various lovers. She will realise that there were many who had loved her youth and her beauty. They loved the joyful moments of her youth. They loved her physical beauty. This love of theirs could be true or false. But there was only one among them who loved the soul in her. In other words, he loved the beauty of her spirit and not of her body. He loved not only the moments of her glad grace, but also the sorrow of her changing face. The poet means to say that his love for his beloved was constant. He loved her soul without any thought of her age or looks.

The poet thinks of a time when his beloved will grow old, and he will be no more in this world. Then his poems will remind his beloved of his true love. She will sit by the side of the hearth, and feel sad for the poet whose love she had not cared for. She will then feel sad over the fate of the dead poet. She will realise how the poet’s sad soul had gone flying high above the mountains and hidden itself behind the stars.

When you Are Old Summary in Hindi

कवि अपनी प्रेमिका से कहता है कि एक दिन वह बूढ़ी हो जाएगी। उसके बाल सफ़ेद हो जाएंगे। वह हर समय निद्रालु और थकी हुई महसूस किया करेगी। वह आग के समीप बैठी रहा करेगी और नींद से उसका सिर झुका रहा कसा। कवि कहता है कि तब प्रेमिका को उसकी कविताओं वाली पुस्तक उठानी चाहिए। उसे इन कविताओं को धीरे-धीरे पढ़ना चाहिए और उनके बारे में गहरा विचार करना चाहिए। वे उसे कवि के उसके प्रति प्यार के बारे में बताएंगी। कवि कहता है कि उसकी कविताएं प्रेमिका को उसकी युवावस्था वाली सुन्दरता के बारे में याद दिलाएंगी। तब वह अपने कोमल यौवन से भरे हुए चेहरे के बारे में सोचा करेगी। वह अपनी आँखों की सुन्दरता के बारे में सोचा करेगी जो कि किसी समय नशीली और काली हुआ करती थीं।

किन्तु प्रेमिका को केवल अपने बूढ़े होने पर ही पता चलेगा कि उसके भिन्न-भिन्न प्रेमियों के प्यार का सच्चा रूप क्या था। वह अनुभव कर लेगी कि कई ऐसे युवक थे जो उसकी जवानी और सुन्दरता से प्यार करते थे। वे उसके सुन्दरता और प्रसन्नता से भरे हुए क्षणों से प्यार करते थे। वे उसकी शारीरिक सुन्दरता से प्यार करते थे। उनका यह प्यार सच्चा या झूठा हो सकता था। किन्तु उनमें से केवल एक ही था जो उसकी आत्मा से प्यार करता था। अन्य शब्दों में, वह उसकी आत्मा की सुन्दरता से प्यार करता था, न कि शरीर की सुन्दरता से वह न केवल उसके सुन्दरता और प्रसन्नता भरे क्षणों से प्यार करता था, बल्कि उसके बूढ़े हो रहे चेहरे के दुःखों से भी प्यार करता था। कवि कहना चाहता है कि उसका अपनी प्रेमिका के लिए प्यार स्थायी था । वह उसकी आयु और सुन्दरता का विचार किए बिना उसकी आत्मा से प्यार करता था।

कवि उस समय का अनुमान लगाता है जब उसकी प्रेमिका बूढ़ी हो जाएगी और वह स्वयं इस संसार में नहीं रहेगा। फिर उसकी कविताएं उसे उसके सच्चे प्यार की याद दिलाएंगी। वह चूल्हे के पास बैठा करेगी और कवि के लिए उदास हुआ करेगी, जिसके प्यार को उसने स्वीकार नहीं किया था। तब वह मृत कवि के भाग्य पर उदास हुआ करेगी। तब वह महसूस करेगी कि कवि की उदास आत्मा किस तरह उड़ कर पहाड़ों से बहुत ऊंची चली गई थी और किस तरह उसने स्वयं को सितारों की भीड़ में छिपा लिया था।

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read: and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.

1. grey-grey-haired,

    सफेद बालों वाली;

2. full of sleep — desire for rest and sleep,

    सोने और आराम करने की इच्छा;

3. nodding-dozing,

    ऊंघते हुए सिर को ऊपर-नीचे हिलाते हुए;

4. shadows deep— deep and black,

     गहरी और काली ।

The poet tells his beloved that one day she will become old. Her hair will turn grey. She will feel sleepy and tired all the time. She will sit by the fire and nod drowsily. The poet says that she should then take up his book of poems. She should read those poems slowly and think deeply about them. They shall tell her about the poet’s true love for her. The poet says that his poems shall also remind her about the days of her youthful beauty. She will then dream of the soft look her eyes had once. She will remember how deep and dark her eyes used to be. But all that will be a thing of the past when she grows old.

कवि अपनी प्रेमिका से कहता है कि वह एक दिन बूढ़ी हो जाएगी। उसके बाल सफेद हो जाएंगे । वह हर समय निद्रालु और थकी हुई महसूस किया करेगी। वह आग के समीप बैठी रहा करेगी और नींद से उसका सिर झुका रहा करेगा। कवि कहता है कि तब प्रेमिका को उसकी कविताओं वाली पुस्तक उठानी चाहिए। उसे उन कविताओं को धीरे-धीरे पढ़ना चाहिए और उनके बारे में गहरा विचार करना चाहिए। वे उसे कवि के सच्चे प्यार के बारे में बताएंगी। कवि कहता है कि उसकी कविताएं प्रेमिका को उसकी युवावस्था वाली सुन्दरता के बारे में भी याद दिलाएंगी। तब उसे उन कोमल निगाहों की याद आएगी जो उसकी आंखों में कभी हुआ करती थीं। उसे याद आएगा कि उसकी आंखें कितनी गहरी और काली हुआ करती थीं। किन्तु वह सब एक बीती बात हो जाएगी जब वह बूढ़ी हो जाएगी।

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love – false or true;

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face.

1. moments of glad grace-moments of joy and beauty, i.e. of youth,

    खुशी और सुन्दरता के पल, अर्थात् जवानी के पल;

2. pilgrim soul – soul that is only on a brief visit to the earth, therefore a pilgrim,

    आत्मा जो इस धरती पर केवल थोड़ी देर के लिए ही आई है और इसलिए एक तीर्थ-यात्री की भांति है;

3. changing face — face that changes as one grows in years,

     चेहरा जो उम्र के साथ बदलता रहता है।

The poet tells his beloved that in her old age she will realise the true quality of her various lovers. She will realise that there had been many who loved her youth and beauty. They loved her moments of glad grace. They loved her physical beauty. Their love for her could be true or false. But there was only one among them who loved the pilgrim soul in her. In other words, the poet loved the beauty of her spirit, and not of her body. He loved not only the moments of her glad grace, but also the sorrows of her changing face. The poet means to say that his love for his beloved was pure and constant. He loved her soul irrespective of her age and looks.

कवि कहता है कि उसकी प्रेमिका को अपनी वृद्धावस्था में अपने भिन्न-भिन्न प्रेमियों के सच्चे रूप का पता चल जाएगा। वह अनुभव कर लेगी कि कई युवक थे जो उसकी जवानी और सुन्दरता से प्यार करते थे। वे उसके सुन्दरता और प्रसन्नता से भरे हुए क्षणों से प्यार करते थे। वे उसकी शारीरिक सुन्दरता से प्यार करते थे | उसके प्रति उनका प्यार सच्चा या झूटा हो सकता था। किन्तु उनमें केवल एक ही था जो उसकी पवित्र आत्मा से प्यार करता था । अन्य शब्दों में, कवि उसकी आत्मा की सुन्दरता से प्यार करता था, न कि उसके शरीर की सुन्दरता से । वह न केवल उसके सुन्दरता और प्रसन्नता से भरे हुए क्षणों से प्यार करता था, बल्कि उसके बूढ़े हो रहे चेहरे के दुःखों से भी प्यार करता था । कवि यह कहना चाहता है कि उसका अपनी प्रेमिका के लिए प्यार सच्चा और स्थायी था । वह उसकी आयु और सुन्दरता का विचार किए बिना उसकी आत्मा से प्यार करता था ।

And bending down beside the glowing bars

Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

1. glowing bars—bright red bars of iron in the fireplace,

     चूल्हे में गर्म तपती हुई और चमकती सलाखें;

2. crowd of stars—

     सितारों का झुण्ड।

The poet visualises a time when his beloved will grow old, and he will be no more in this world. Then his poems will remind his beloved of his true love. She will sit by the side of the hearth, and feel sad for the poet whose love she had not cared for. She will feel sad over the fate of the dead poet. The poet says that his soul will fly high above the mountains and hide itself behind the stars.

There can be another interpretation of the last two lines. The beloved will realise in her old age that those men who loved her physical charms had completely forgotten her. All their love had taken wing and hidden itself among the stars above. Only the man who loved the pilgrim soul in her, still loves her in her old age.

कवि उस समय का अनुमान लगाता है जब उसकी प्रेमिका बूढ़ी हो जाएगी और वह स्वयं इस संसार में नहीं रहेगा। फिर उसकी कविताएं उसकी प्रेमिका को उसके सच्चे प्यार की याद दिलाएंगी। वह चूल्हे के पास बैठा करेगी और कवि के लिए उदास हुआ करेगी, जिसके प्यार को उसने स्वीकार नहीं किया था । वह मृत कवि के भाग्य पर उदास हुआ करेगी। कवि कहता है कि उसकी आत्मा उड़ कर पहाड़ों से बहुत ऊंची चली जाएगी और अपने आप को सितारों के पीछे छिपा लेगी।

अन्तिम दो पंक्तियों का एक दूसरा अर्थ भी निकाला जा सकता है। प्रेमिका को अपनी वृद्धावस्था में महसूस हो जाएगा कि वे लोग जो उसकी शारीरिक सुन्दरता से प्यार करते थे, वे उसे पूरी तरह से भूल गए थे। उन सबका प्यार उड़ गया था और ऊपर सितारों में जा कर छिप गया था । केवल एक आदमी जो उसके अन्दर की तीर्थयात्री आत्मा से प्यार करता था, वह अब भी उसके बुढ़ापे में उसे प्यार करता था ।

Ans. The journey from youth to old age is very sad and depressing. In our youth, we are surrounded by true or false admirers. Life seems to be very sweet and charming. But as we advance towards old age, all pleasures and false admirers begin to fade away. Then we are left alone and the bitterness of life dawns on us.

Ans. The phrase full of sleep’ means being drowsy and listless all the time. In our old age, we, all the time, feel sleepy. The body remains tired and we wish to keep sitting or lying all the time. We are then, indeed, full of sleep’.

Ans. The poet says that his love for his beloved is true. He loves her not for her physical beauty, but for the soul she has in her. His love is spiritual, not physical. The love of others for her could be true or false, but his love for her is certainly true. He loves not only the moments of her glad grace, but also the sorrows of her changing face.

Ans. She is reminded that she will realise the true worth of the poet’s love for her in her old age. She will then realise that all those who loved her for her physical beauty have forsaken her completely. She will then feel sad for the poet whose love she had not cared for.

Ans. The poet tells his beloved that in her old age, she will realise the true quality of her various lovers. She will realise that there were many who loved her only for her youth and beauty. But there was only one who loved the pilgrim soul in her. In other words, the poet loved the beauty of her spirit, not merely the beauty of her body. He would keep loving her even when her pilgrim soul has left for another world.

Ans. Yeats believed in the love of the soul, not in the love of the body. He believed that love based on mere physical beauty is superficial love. Love based on youthful charm disappears when the beloved becomes old and grey. But true love remains constant and never changes.

Yeats contrasts these two kinds of love in his poem, ‘When You Are Old’. The poem has in it a personal element also. It is addressed to the poet’s beloved, Maud Gonne. The speaker in the poem is the poet himself. He expresses the quality of his love for his beloved. The beloved has not responded to his love. The poet says that she will realise the sincerity of his love when she grows old. The lovers of her physical charm shall leave her. And then she will recall her past. She will remember all those who loved her falsely or truly. Then she will realise that it was only the poet who loved her truly.

Thus the poet tells his beloved that true love is pure. It is of the spirit and not the body. A true lover does not love the physical beauty of his beloved. He loves the soul in her. The beloved may grow old and lose her beauty, but true love never grows old. It ever remains young. A true lover loves for no other reason but love. He continues to love his beloved even if she does not respond. His love continues even if the beloved refuses to accept him.

Ans. Words that produce various pictures in the mind of the reader are called images. In this poem, the poet has used a number of images. Some of them are –

i. nodding by the fire

ii. moments of glad grace

iii. the pilgrim soul

iv. sorrows of your changing face

v. a crowd of stars.

Ans. The poem has three quatrains. The first line of each quatrain rhymes with the fourth, and the second with the third. (a b b a)

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.

1. When she is old, her hair will turn grey. She will feel sleepy and tired all the time.

2. She will dream of the soft looks her eyes had once.

3. (a) grey = grey-haired

    (b) nodding = dozing.

4. when his beloved will grow old.

5. The name of the poem is When You Are Old’ and the poet is William Butler Yeats.

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love – false or true;

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face.

A	B
(a) grace (b) sorrows (c) pilgrim soul (d) glad grace.	(i) pure heart (ii) youth (iii) grief (iv) beauty

1. She will realise that the other lovers loved her youth and beauty only.

2. Unlike other lovers, the poet loves his beloved’s soul. He loves not only the moments of her glad grace, but also the sorrows of her changing face.

3. (a) grace = beauty (b) sorrows = griefs (c) pilgrim soul = pure heart (d) glad grace = youth.

4. her age and looks.

5. The name of the poem is When You Are Old and the poet is William Butler Yeats.

Write three images used by the poet in the poem, When You Are Old’.

Words that produce various pictures in the mind of the reader are called images. In this poem, the poet has used a number of images. Some of them are –

(i) nodding by the fire

(ii) moments of glad grace

(iii) the pilgrim soul

(iv) sorrows of your changing face

(v) a crowd of stars.

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read : and dream of the soft look,

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true,

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you.

The poet imagines his beloved to be (a) ……….. and grey and full of sleep. She will be resting near the fireplace, (b) ……….. her head and recalling her past. She will then read his book (c) ……….. Then (d)  ………… of her past beauty. Although there were many (e) ……….for her but the poet tries to (f) ……….. that only his love for her was true.

(i) speak softly

(ii) the time of youth

(iii) approaching death

(iv) sitting by the fireside

(v) pure heart.

1. (a) old; (b) nodding ; (c) of poems; (d) she will think ; (e) who expressed their love (f) convince her.

2. (i) sitting by the fireside (ii) pure heart (iii) the time of youth.

And bending down beside the glowing bars

Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

(i) behind the stars

(ii) You brought me to this life and gave me power.

(iii) a fireplace

(iv) fly high over.

1. The poet asks his beloved to picture to herself the days of her youth.

2. She will then realise how all her false lovers of physical beauty have turned away from her.

3. (a) false = untrue (b) sorrows = things causing sadness (c) glowing = producing a dull steady light. (d) murmur = speak quietly in a low voice.

4. The name of the poem is When You Are Old’ and the poet is William Butler Yeats.

5. (i) You brought me to this life and gave me power.

   (ii) a fireplace

   (iii) behind the stars.

The poet visualises a time when his beloved will grow (a) ………… and he will be no more in this world. Then his poems will remind his beloved of his true (b) ………. She will sit by the side of the hearth, and feel sad for the (c) ……….. whose love she had not (d) …………. She will feel sad over the fate of the dead (e) …… The poet says that his soul will fly high above the (f) ………………….. and hide itself behind the stars.

(i) pure heart

(ii) fade away

(iii) ability to talk

(iv) speak softly

(v) approaching death

I. (a) old (b) love (c) poet (d) cared for (e) poet (f) mountains.

II. (a) Murmur – speak softly; (b) Pilgrim soul – pure heart; (c) Full of sleep – approaching death.

The speaker of the poem dramatises his unrequited ……………. by offering a future command for the …………. i.e. his beloved to take down his …………… of poems and read it. He imagines that his ……….. will appear in a collection of his published poems. He ……………the adressee, after she has become ‘old and grey and full of sleep’, to read his poem and think about his …………. for her.

There are certain expressions given below. Choose one that best fits each of the expressions in the table and write the answers for each of the expressions in your answer sheet. The first one is done for you:

* pure heart / soul of Maud Gonne

* a fireplace

* approaching death

* sitting by the fire side

* the time of youth when the poet’s beloved was very beautiful.

1. love; beloved; book; love; wants / asks; love.

2. (b) glowing bars – a fireplace.

(c) moments of glad grace – the time of youth when the poet’s beloved was very beautiful.

(d) full of sleep approaching death.

(e) nodding by the fire – sitting by the fire side