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Class 10
Lesson 6
Sea Fever
The author and the text:
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| John Masefield |
John Edward Masefirld (1878 - 1967) was an English Poet, writer, and Poet Laureate(राजकवी) of the United Kingdom from 1930 till his death. He is also remembered (याद किया गया) as the author of the children's novel, The Midnight Folk and The Box of Delights.
The poem speaks of the excitement(उत्साह) the poet feels at the anticipation(पूर्वाभास) of a sea voyage(यात्रा). The passionate(दिल छु लेने वाला) description of the seascape(समुद्री भाग) reveals(खुलासा करना) the eternal(आंतरिक) desire of man to seek(चाहत) the splendour(सौन्दर्य) of nature.
Read the following:
I must go down(उतरना) to the seas again(दुबारा), to the lonely(अकेले) sea and the sky,
And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer(मार्गदर्शन) her by;
And the wheel’s kick(झटके) and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking,
And a grey mist(कुहासा) on the sea’s face(सतह), and a grey dawn(भौर) breaking.
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide(लहर)
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied(इनकार);
And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying,
And the flung(उड़ती हुई) spray(फुहारें) and the blown (उड़ता हुआ) spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant(आवारा) gypsy life,
To the gull’s way and the whale’s way where the wind’s like a whetted(घिसे हुए) knife;
And all I ask is a merry(खुस) yarn from a laughing fellow-rover(साथी नाविक),
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
Explanation of Stanza one:
I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky ,…....................... And a grey mist on the sea’s face, and a grey dawn breaking.
The first stanza begins with the refrain “I must down to the seas again”, which is repeated at the beginning of each stanza and gives immediate sense to the title. Although we may identify the poem’s theme as the desire to go to sea, it also deals with the very human yearning to connect with one of the most powerful natural forces on earth. A hugely common theme in poetry, the sea has always been a fascinating source of inspiration for many. Masefield demonstrates an obvious adoration for this wild and beautiful entity, and seems to almost compare it to a person, referring to it as “her” and describing her “face”.
The desire to connect with the sea is shown through the pursuit of a sailor’s life as he asks for a ship to sail. He does not describe the sea in the most classically beautiful terms, here she is “grey” and “lonely”, giving more mysterious and melancholic connotations, yet enchanting nonetheless.
The use of alliteration in the first stanza contributes to the musical tone with expressions like “a tall ship and a star to steer her by” and “the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking”. This also serves to render ‘Sea Fever’ more appealing to the ear, and we can imagine it like a sea-chanty, being sung by lonely sailors.
Hindi Translation:
पहला छंद "मुझे फिर से समुद्र में उतरना होगा" से शुरू होता है, जिसे प्रत्येक छंद की शुरुआत में दोहराया जाता है और शीर्षक को तत्काल अर्थ देता है। यद्यपि हम कविता के विषय को समुद्र में जाने की इच्छा के रूप में पहचान सकते हैं, यह पृथ्वी पर सबसे शक्तिशाली प्राकृतिक शक्तियों में से एक के साथ जुड़ने की मानवीय इच्छा से भी संबंधित है। कविता में एक अत्यंत सामान्य विषय, समुद्र हमेशा कई लोगों के लिए प्रेरणा का एक आकर्षक स्रोत रहा है। मेसफ़ील्ड इस जंगली और सुंदर इकाई के लिए एक स्पष्ट आराधना प्रदर्शित करता है, और लगभग इसकी तुलना एक व्यक्ति से करता है, इसे "उसका" कहता है और उसके "चेहरे" का वर्णन करता है।
समुद्र से जुड़ने की इच्छा एक नाविक के जीवन की खोज के माध्यम से दिखाई जाती है क्योंकि वह चलने के लिए जहाज मांगता है। वह समुद्र का सबसे शास्त्रीय रूप से सुंदर शब्दों में वर्णन नहीं करता है, यहां वह "ग्रे" और "अकेला" है, जो अधिक रहस्यमय और उदास अर्थ देता है, फिर भी मंत्रमुग्ध कर देने वाला है।
पहले छंद में अनुप्रास का उपयोग "एक लंबा जहाज और उसे चलाने के लिए एक सितारा" और "पहिए की लात और हवा का गीत और सफेद पाल का हिलना" जैसे भावों के साथ संगीतमय स्वर में योगदान देता है। यह 'सी फीवर' को कानों के लिए अधिक आकर्षक बनाने का भी काम करता है, और हम इसकी कल्पना अकेले नाविकों द्वारा गाए जा रहे समुद्री मंत्रोच्चार की तरह कर सकते हैं।
Sea Also:
➡➡➡ Father's Help➡➡➡ Fable➡➡➡ Our Runaway Kite➡➡➡ Sea Fever➡➡➡ The Cat➡➡➡ The Snail
Explanation of Stanza Two:
I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide ….......................... And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying.
The second stanza appeals to all five senses. Masefield’s descriptions allow the reader to feel like we are standing on the shore; listening to the “sea-gulls crying”, watching the “white clouds flying”, feeling the coldness of the “windy day”, and the saltiness of the “flung spray and the blown spume” on our tongue and nose. Again, the poet emphasizes the irresistible pull of the sea as he repeats the word “call”. With the second repeated refrain “And all I ask”, he seems to be underlining the simplicity of the sea, perhaps in contrast to the complications of everyday life; as if the sea’s wild nature is something comfortingly consistent and familiar. Indeed, the poem’s meter, although not strictly constant does imply a certain steadiness, contributing to its lyrical, musical feel.
Hindi Translation:
दूसरा श्लोक सभी पांचों इंद्रियों को प्रभावित करता है। मेसफ़ील्ड के विवरण पाठक को ऐसा महसूस कराते हैं जैसे हम किनारे पर खड़े हैं; "सी-गल्स को रोते हुए" सुनना, "सफेद बादलों को उड़ते हुए देखना", "हवादार दिन" की ठंडक को महसूस करना, और हमारी जीभ और नाक पर "फुहारे स्प्रे और उड़े हुए धुएं" की नमकीनता को महसूस करना। फिर से, कवि "कॉल" शब्द को दोहराते हुए समुद्र के अप्रतिरोध्य खिंचाव पर जोर देता है। दूसरे बार-बार दोहराए गए खंडन "और वह सब जो मैं पूछता हूं" के साथ, वह समुद्र की सादगी को रेखांकित करता प्रतीत होता है, शायद रोजमर्रा की जिंदगी की जटिलताओं के विपरीत; मानो समुद्र की जंगली प्रकृति कुछ आरामदायक और सुसंगत और परिचित हो। वास्तव में, कविता का मीटर, हालांकि पूरी तरह से स्थिर नहीं है, एक निश्चित स्थिरता का संकेत देता है, जो इसके गीतात्मक, संगीतमय अनुभव में योगदान देता है।
Explanation of Stanza Three:
I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life ,…............................ And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick’s over.
The third stanza of ‘Sea Fever’ brings the theme of wanderlust to the forefront. Masefield speaks of the “vagrant gypsy life” and expresses a desire for a “laughing fellow-rover”. This final quatrain is full of positive imagery like “merry yarn” and “sweet dream”. However, the poet refrains from painting an idyllic picture of a life at sea with the use of the expression “the wind’s like a whetted knife”: a powerful image which stands out by way of its alliteration and the sudden introduction of this sharp, violent object. In addition, Masefield mentions the wind in all three of the poem’s stanzas, perhaps to draw attention to the way in which ships are influenced both by man and by two of the most powerful natural forces: the sea and the wind. Here, we can sum up the central message of the poem: life at sea is full of contrasts – cruel winds and wild waves in perfect harmony together with the sweet and endless freedom it allows.
The last line of ‘Sea Fever’ broadens the scope of the theme, as it is slightly ambiguous in nature. The word “trick” in sailing terms refers to a watch at sea: four hours watching and eight hours rest. We may take it at face value and assume Masefield is again drawing attention to the simplicity of a life at sea, emphasized by the wonderful balance between work and rest. However, if we step back and take into account the universal nature of the two principal themes – the draw of the sea and the desire to travel – we may see the “long trick” as a reference to life in general, and “quiet sleep” as a peaceful death, allowing for a “sweet dream”, which is knowing we may rest in the afterlife in the knowledge that we worked well and lived truly. In that sense, the whole poem may be seen as a metaphor for life; with the sea representing a modest and humble way to live, more in touch with nature, and therefore better equipped to deal with any storms that may come our way.
However, ‘Sea Fever’ is undeniably a demonstration of the poet’s love for the sea and the life of a sailor. It is the poem’s modest simplicity and the relatable nature of these themes that allow us to draw certain conclusions from it with regards to our individual lives, a fact that makes the poem truly a work of art.
Hindi Translation:
'सी फीवर' का तीसरा छंद भटकन के विषय को सबसे आगे लाता है। मेसफ़ील्ड "आवारा जिप्सी जीवन" की बात करता है और एक "हंसते हुए साथी-रोवर" की इच्छा व्यक्त करता है। यह अंतिम यात्रा "मीरा धागा" और "मीठा सपना" जैसी सकारात्मक कल्पना से भरी है। हालाँकि, कवि "हवा एक घिसे हुए चाकू की तरह है" अभिव्यक्ति के उपयोग के साथ समुद्र में जीवन की एक सुखद तस्वीर चित्रित करने से बचता है: एक शक्तिशाली छवि जो इसके अनुप्रास और इस तेज, हिंसक के अचानक परिचय के माध्यम से सामने आती है वस्तु। इसके अलावा, मेसफ़ील्ड ने कविता के तीनों छंदों में हवा का उल्लेख किया है, शायद यह ध्यान आकर्षित करने के लिए कि जहाज किस तरह मनुष्य और दो सबसे शक्तिशाली प्राकृतिक शक्तियों: समुद्र और हवा दोनों से प्रभावित होते हैं। यहां, हम कविता के केंद्रीय संदेश को संक्षेप में प्रस्तुत कर सकते हैं: समुद्र में जीवन विरोधाभासों से भरा है - क्रूर हवाएं और जंगली लहरें मधुर और अंतहीन स्वतंत्रता के साथ पूर्ण सामंजस्य में हैं।
'सी फीवर' की अंतिम पंक्ति विषय के दायरे को व्यापक बनाती है, क्योंकि यह प्रकृति में थोड़ी अस्पष्ट है। नौकायन के संदर्भ में "चाल" शब्द का तात्पर्य समुद्र में एक घड़ी से है: चार घंटे देखना और आठ घंटे आराम करना। हम इसे अंकित मूल्य पर ले सकते हैं और मान सकते हैं कि मेसफ़ील्ड फिर से समुद्र में जीवन की सादगी की ओर ध्यान आकर्षित कर रहा है, जो काम और आराम के बीच अद्भुत संतुलन पर जोर देता है। हालाँकि, अगर हम पीछे हटें और दो प्रमुख विषयों की सार्वभौमिक प्रकृति को ध्यान में रखें - समुद्र का आकर्षण और यात्रा करने की इच्छा - हम "लंबी चाल" को सामान्य रूप से जीवन के संदर्भ के रूप में देख सकते हैं, और "शांत नींद" "एक शांतिपूर्ण मृत्यु के रूप में, एक "मीठे सपने" की अनुमति देते हुए, जो यह जानना है कि हम इस ज्ञान के साथ पुनर्जन्म में आराम कर सकते हैं कि हमने अच्छी तरह से काम किया और वास्तव में जीया। उस अर्थ में, पूरी कविता को जीवन के रूपक के रूप में देखा जा सकता है; समुद्र एक विनम्र और विनम्र तरीके से जीने का प्रतिनिधित्व करता है, प्रकृति के साथ अधिक संपर्क में है, और इसलिए हमारे रास्ते में आने वाले किसी भी तूफान से निपटने के लिए बेहतर ढंग से सुसज्जित है।
हालाँकि, 'सी फीवर' निर्विवाद रूप से कवि के समुद्र और एक नाविक के जीवन के प्रति प्रेम का प्रदर्शन है। यह कविता की सामान्य सरलता और इन विषयों की प्रासंगिक प्रकृति है जो हमें अपने व्यक्तिगत जीवन के संबंध में इससे कुछ निष्कर्ष निकालने की अनुमति देती है, एक तथ्य जो कविता को वास्तव में कला का काम बनाता है।
Comprehension Exercises
1. Choose the correct alternative to complete the following sentences:
(a) The poet asks for a sail the colour of which would be
(i) blue(ii) grey(iii) black(iv) white ✔
(b) While going down to the sea, the poet wants to hear the crying of
(i) seagulls ✔(ii) cuckoos(iii) eagles(iv) swallows
(c) The wind on the sea is like a whetted
(i) sword(ii) axe(iii) knife ✔(iv) spear
2. State whether the following statements are True or False. Provide sentences/ phrases /words in support of your answer:
(a) To steer the ship the poet needs the moon. False
S.S:- And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by;
(b) The call of the running tide is wild and clear. True
S.S:- for the call of the running tide is a wild call and a clear call that may not denied.
(c) The poet is going out to the sea for the first time. False
S.S:- I must go down to the seas again.
3. Answer the following questions:
(a) During what time of the day does the poet wish to go down to the seas?
Ans:- The poet wishes to go down to the seas at the time when the dawn is breaking.
(b) What kind of day does the poet prefer for sailing?
Ans:- The poet prefers a windy day with the white clouds moving about the sky.
(c) What does the poet prefer to hear from a fellow rover?
Ans:- The poet prefers to hear a merry yarn from a fellow rover.
Grammar in Use
4. Do as directed:
(a) What a shocking sight! (change into an assertive sentence)
Ans:- It is a very shocking sight.
(b) I am sure of his success. (change into a complex sentence)
Ans:- I am sure that he will succeed.
(c) Snigdha is not only wise but also brave. (change into a simple sentence)
Ans:- Snigdha is wise and brave.
Writing Activities
5. Write a summary of the following passage (within 100 words):
Egyptian kings are called Pharaohs. Tutankhamun was an Egyptian king who ruled between 1332-1323 BC. Tutankhamun was very young when he became the king. He was only ten years old when he ascended the throne. He was the son of Akhenaten who was also a Pharaoh. As the king, Tutankhamun undertook many building projects. These building projects were centered around Thebes and Karnak. Tutankhamun built many temples and monuments. At that time many temples were in ruins. Tutankhamun ordered them to be rebuilt. Tutankhamun had various physical disabilities. He suffered from ill health for a long period in his life. Tutankhamun required the support of a cane to walk because of his physical disabilities. In ancient Egypt, the body of a Pharaoh was preserved after his death. This preserved body was known as the mummy. The preserved body of Tutankhamun was discovered by Howard Carter, an Englishman. He discovered Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922. The tomb was nearly intact when it was discovered. The discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb attracted wide interest all over the world. The discovery sparked an interest in ancient Egypt.
Ans:-
Pharaoh Tutenkhamun, son of Akhenaten, ruled Egypt between 1332-1323 BC. He became the king at the age of ren. He undertook many building projects that were centered around Thebes and Karnak. Tutankhamun built many temples and monuments. . Tutankhamun had various physical and health disorders. He suffered from ill health for a long period in his life. He always required a support of a cane to walk properly. Tutenkhamun's body was preserved as a mummy after afterhis death. In 1922, when Howard Carter discovered the mummy of Tutenkhamun, the tomb was nearly intact. When the tomb of Tutankhamun was discovered, it attracted worldwide and grew a great interest in ancient Egypt.
6. Write a newspaper report (within 100 words) on the incident of burglary in a flat in Kolkata using the following points:
[date and place — time – occupants of the house — number of robbers — list of articles stolen — police investigation]
Ans:-
A mysterious burglary
Kolkata, 5th July: 2020: A mysterious burglary was took place in Kolkata. A really daring burglary occurred in a flat at Salt Lake on last Monday. It is a small flat where an old man lives alone. It was about 11 A.M. in the morning. The old man was alone in the flat. When the doorbell rang the old man expecting the arrival of the gas cylinder. When he opened the main door, a gang of robbers entered the flat and made the old man absolutely helpless with their threats. Then they opened the almirah and gathered all the ornaments and cash not less than of three lakhs and fled away. After their departure, the old man called the police. The investigation has been started by the police.
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