WBBSE 10th Class English Solutions Chapter 6 Sea Fever
WBBSE 10th Class English Solutions Chapter 6 Sea Fever
West Bengal Board 10th Class English Solutions Chapter 6 Sea Fever
WBBSE 10th Class English Solutions
Introduction
About the Poet: John Edward Masefield (1878-1967) was an English poet and writer and Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1930 till his death. He is also remembered as the author of the classic children’s novels “The Midnight Folk’ and ‘The Box of Delights’.
John Edward Masefield was born in Herefordshire, England. He studied at King’s School in Warwick before getting training merchant seaman. His parents died a premature death. At the age of sixteen, entered the world of Merchant Navy. In 1895, he deserted his ship in New York City and worked there in a carpet factory before returning to London to write poems describing his experience at sea. Masefield’s sea poetry, Salt Water Ballads’, from which the poem ‘Sea Fever’ is taken was well-loved by readers. He passed away in 1967, the age of 88.
SUBSTANCE AND CRITICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE POEM
The theme of the poem ‘Sea Fever’ is quite obvious: wanderlust or wanderthirst. The poem’s speaker hears the call of the sea-an irresistible invitation to adventure, exploration, and independent living. To know the unknown, to see the unseen and to conquer the unconquerable is the everlasting thirst of those people who basically love adventure. Masefield’s poem sums up the temptation and excitement of travelling in a gigantic ship on rolling, wind-blown seas.
John Masefield, being a sailor, enjoyed the loneliness and quiet environment of the sea. In the poem, ‘Sea Fever’, Masefield expresses his desire for sailing once again in the quiet sea, under a quiet sky. He expresses his desire for the need of a wellbuilt ship to sail and a star in the dark sky to act as a guide. Here the speaker establishes himself as a true-lover of nature for whom, even the stars of the sky can show the path. Soon the adventures would begin and as each day dawns, he wakes up to see the early grey mist rising from the sea.
In the poem, the poet expresses his strong desire to get back to the sea as the call of the sea cannot be ignored or denied. He wishes that there would be strong winds that would blow away the thick white clouds in the sky and fill the sails throughout the day.
The last stanza explains that the poet would like to be a wandering gypsy. Images of a lonely sea’ and a ‘vagrant gypsy life’ bring a mood of freedom and independence to the poem. In the presence of the whales and gulls and wind, he would love to hear the tales and share laughter with a fellow sailor.
The poem clearly shows how Masefield had enjoyed his days on the sea and he would like to be a part of it, even after he had left it far behind.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TITLE
The poem expresses the poet’s uncontrollable desire to go to the seas. All through the poem the poet describes his expectations regarding the voyage on the sea. The poem gives the reader a chance to know how the sea is and what sort of life a sailor leads. The poem beautifully unveils the degree of excitement the poet feels at the undeniable call of the sea. The title of the poem is appropriate as it aptly reflects the theme of the poem.
PARAPHRASE OF THE POEM
The poet expresses his desire to sail again to the seas. He expects co-operation of the sea and the sky. What he wants is nothing but a tall ship and a star that would provide guidance. He wants to feel the vibration of the wheel’s kick, hear the melody of the wind’s song and enjoy the shaking of the white sail. He also wants to see the grey mist on the sea’s face and a grey dawn breaking.
The poet emphasizes his desire. He must go to the seas again because it is impossible for him to deny the wild and clear call of the running tide. He wants the day to be windy with white clouds flying. He wants to experience the flung spray and blown spume and to hear the cry of the seagulls.
The poet wants to have the vagrant gypsy’s life on the sea where the way is the way of the seagull and the whale and the wind is like a whetted knife. At the end, the poet expresses his desire to hear stories from a fellow rover. He expects to have a peaceful sleep full of sweet dreams when the journey is over.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:
1. The poet asks for a sail the colour of which would be-
A. blue
B. grey
C. black
D. white
2. While going down to the sea, the poet wants to hear the crying of —
A. seagulls
B. cuckoos
C. eagles
D. swallows
3. The wind on the sea is like a whetted –
A. sword [তরবারির মতো]
B. axe
C. knife
D. spear
4. In the poem the sea is described as-
A. wild
B. lonely
C. calm
D. lively
5. The sea here is said to be-
A. dark
B. grey
C. vicious
D. lonely
6. To steer the ship the poet asks for a —
A. star
B. bird
C. compass
D. scale
7. The mist on the sea’s face is ………. in colour.
A. blue
B. white
C. grey
D. black
8. The call of the sea to the speaker was —
A. natural and clear
B. casual yet attractive
C. wild and clear
D. wild and intimidating
9. The call of the running tide —
A. can be easily denied
B. cannot be denied
C. is not at all attractive
D. is most discouraging
10. The call of the running tide is a-
A. distinct call
B. indistinct call
C. call of wildlife
D. frantic call and a distinct call
11. The poet would like to hear the cry of the –
A. nightingale
B. skylark
C. cuckoo
D. seagull
12. The poet asks for a day, which will be –
A. windy
B. rainy
C. calm
D. unpleasant
13. The poet could hear the sound of-
A. seagull
B. wind
C. tide
D. cloud
14. The word ‘spume’ means –
A. wave
B. tide
C. fur
D foam
15. The poet wants to lead the life of a gypsy, which is –
A. boring
B. dull
C. vagrant
D. busy
16. The poet likes to lead a gypsy life because it is —
A. a carefree life full of adventures
B. full of responsibilities
C. full of luxury
D. dull and uninteresting
17. The wind on the sea is like a whetted —
A. sword
B. arrow
C. spear
D. knife
18. The poet asks for a merry yarn from a laughing —
A. fellow-friend
B. fellow-singer
C. fellow-soldier
D. fellow-rover
19. The poet wants his sleep to be —
A. noisy
B. quiet
C. unpleasant
D. sweet
20. “… the long trick’s over.”— Here ‘trick’ refers to-
A. travelling
B. swimming
C. magic spel
D. sea-voyaging
21. The poet has compared the sea life with the life of —
A. a pedestrian
B. an astronaut
C. a nomad
D. a singer
True or False
1. To steer the ship the poet needs the moon.
Ans. False
2. The call of the running tide is wild and clear.
Ans. True
3. The poet is going out to the sea for the first time.
Ans. False
4. The poet is not going out to the sea for the first time.
Ans. True
5. The poet listens to the wind’s kick.
Ans. False
6. The grey sail is shaking.
Ans. False
7. The poet wants to see a grey dawn breaking.
Ans. True
8. The wild and clear call of the sea cannot be denied.
Ans. True
9. The poet asks for a violent storm to steer his ship.
Ans. False
10. The poet wants to hear a merry yarn.
Ans. True
11. The poet asks for a story from a sad fellow-rover.
Ans. False
12. The poet goes down to the sea for a gypsy life.
Ans. True
13. The poet does not want to sleep when the journey is over.
Ans. False
14. The poet wants to have sweet dream before the long trick.
Ans. False
Complete the sentences with information from the text part:
1. The wheel kicks and the wind ……………..
Ans. The wheel kicks and the wind sings.
2. To steer the ship by, the poet wants the help of ……………..
Ans. To steer the ship by, the poet wants the help of a star.
3. The dawn is …………….. in the sea.
Ans. The dawn is grey in the sea.
4. The call of the sea is …………….. and ……………..
Ans. The call of the sea is wild and clear.
5. The flow of the wind is compared to ……………..
Ans. The flow of the wind is compared to a whetted knife.
6. The bird mentioned in the poem is ……………..
Ans. The bird mentioned in the poem is sea-gull. Does What
Answer the following questions very briefly:
1. During wh time of the day does the poet wish to go down to the seas?
Ans. The poet wishes to go when the dawn is breaking.
2. What kind of day does the poet prefer for sailing?
Ans. The poet prefers a windy day with the white clouds.
3. What does the poet prefer to hear from a fellow-rover?
Ans. The poet prefers to hear a merry yarn from a fellowrover.
4. Which star is referred to here?
Ans. Here the star refers to the polestar, guiding the poet to the sea.
5. What do you mean by ‘sea-fever’?
Ans. ‘Sea-fever’ means the uncontrollable desire to go to the sea.
6. Where must the poet go down to?
Ans. The poet must go down to the seas.
7. How was the call of the running tide?
Ans. The call of the running tide was wild and clear.
8. Why does the poet think that he must go down to the seas again?
Ans. The poet must go down to the seas again because the call of the sea is irresistible.
9. How does the poet want his ship to be?
Ans. The poet wants his ship to be tall.
10. What does the poet want to see on the sea’s face?
Ans. The poet wants to see a grey mist on the sea’s face.
11. Why may the call of the running tide not be denied?
Ans. The call may not be denied as it is a wild and clear call.
12. Whose life does the poet wish for?
Ans. The poet wants the vagrant life of a gypsy.
13. Mention a comparison you find in the poem.
Ans. The wind has been compared to a whetted knife.
14. What does the poet want to do after the long trick?
Ans. The poet wants to sleep and dream after the long trick.
15. What does the poet desire for himself?
Ans. The poet strongly desires to go to the sea voyage. The call of the sea is so strong that it cannot be denied.
16. Why does the poet want a ‘star’ during his journey?
Ans. Here the star refers to the polestar. It guides a mariner in the sea. So, as a guide the poet wants a star in his sea voyage.
17. What does the phrase ‘wheel’s kick’ refer to?
Ans. When the wheel of the ship starts to move in the sea, it exerts a power of forward movement in the form of a jerk. This is described as wheel’s kick.
18. What does the poet want to get in the first stanza of the poem ‘Sea Fever?
Ans. In the first stanza of the poem ‘Sea Fever, the poet wants to get cooperation of the sea and the sky. He needs a tall ship and a star as a guide.
19. How do the wheel’s kick, the wind’s song and the white sails appeal to the poet?
Ans. In the first stanza of the poem ‘Sea Fever, the poet wants to feel the vibration of the wheel’s kick, to hear the wind’s song and to enjoy the shaking of the white sail.
20. What is the poet’s expectation, as expressed in the second stanza of the poem ‘Sea Fever?
Ans. The poet expects a windy day with white clouds sailing in the sky. Besides, he hopes for foamy waves and the seagulls crying.
21. What does the poet expect to get at the end of his journey?
Ans. At the end of his journey the poet expects to hear stories from a fellow mariner. He also expects to have a peaceful sleep full of sweet dreams when the journey is over.
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