Tamilnadu State Board Class 9 English Solutions Poem Chapter 1 Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
B. Read the following lines and answer the following questions.
1. He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
Question (a).
Who does ‘he refer to?
Answer:
‘He’ refers to the owner of the woods.
Question (b).
Identify the season with these lines.
Answer:
It is winter season.
2. My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Question(a).
Who Is the speaker?
Question:
The poet Robert Frost is the speaker.
Question (b).
Why should the horse think It queer?
Answer:
There is no farm house near and it is night time, the woods are dark. So the horse might think it strange to stop there.
Question (c).
Pick out the rhyming words.
Answer:
queer – near
3. He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
Question (a).
Whom does ‘he’ refer to in these lines?
Answer:
‘He’ refers to the horse.
Question (b).
Why does ‘he’ give his harness bells a shake?
Answer:
He shakes the harness bells as if he is asking the poet whether there was any mistake in stopping at the wrong place.
Question (c).
How does the horse communicate with the poet?
Answer:
The horse communicates with the poet by shaking his harness bells.
4. The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
Question (a).
How are the woods?
Answer:
The woods are lovely, dark and dense.
Question (b).
Who does ‘I’ refer to?
Answer:
I refers to the poet, Robert Frost.
Question (c).
What are the promises the speaker is talking about?
Answer:
Duties and responsibilities in life are referred to as promises.
5. And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Question (a).
Why the poet has used the same line twice?
Answer:
In order to emphasize the fact that he has to fulfill his duties and responsibilities before his death, the poet has used the same line twice.
Question (b).
Explain miles to go before I sleep.
Question:
Miles to go refers to leading the rest of his life until his death.
Poem Comprehension And Poetic Devices
Additional Questions
1. Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
Question (a).
What does the poet seem to know?
Answer:
The poet seems to know the person to whom the woods belonged.
Question (b).
Who lives in the village?
Answer:
The owner of the woods resides in a house in the village.
2. Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
Question (a).
Where has the horse stopped?
Answer:
The horse has stopped at a spot between the woods and the frozen lake.
Question (b).
Describe the evening of travel.
Answer:
It was the darkest evening of the year.
3. The only other sound’s the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
Question (a).
What sound does the poet hear?
Answer:
The poet hears the sound caused by the horse shaking his harness bells.
Question (b).
Bring out the alliteration in the third line.
Answer:
dark – deep
Alliteration:
Question 1.
His house is in the village though;
Answers:
his – house
Question 2.
He will not see me stopping here see – stopping
Answer:
see – stopping
Question 3.
To watch his woods fill up with snow. watch – woods
Answer:
watch – woods
Question 4.
He gives his harness bells a shake he -his – harness
Answer:
he – his – harness
Hyperbole: To watch his woods fill up with snow.
C. Complete the summary of the poem by filling in the blanks.
After a long travel the poet entered a ______(i)_______. He wondered to whom the wood ____(ii)________. He realized that the owner of the wood lived in a ___(iii)__________. He thought that the owner would not be able to _______(iv)_________. him stopping in his woods to watch ______(v)__________ . fill the woods. The poet felt that the horse would think it very _______(vi)_________. to stop near the woods as he had never ______(vii)____________. He was actually standing between the woods and _______(viii)___________ . The time was ______(ix)___________. The horse indicated that the poet has made a _____(x)___________. by shaking its head. The poet felt that the woods are lovely, ______(xi)___________. and ______(xii)____________ (xii) . He suddenly realized that he had worldly _______(xiii)_____________. which would not allow him to ______(xiv)____________ .in the woods for a long time.
Answers:
(i) forest
(ii) belonged
(iii) village
(iv) see
(v) the snow
(vi) strange
(vii) before
(viii) frozen lake
(ix) evening
(x) mistake
(xi) dark
(xii) deep
(xiii) responsibilities
(xiv) stand
D. Answer the questions in two or three sentences.
Question 1.
What information does the poet highlight about the season and the time of the day in the poem?
Answer:
Winter season is highlighted and the time is said to be dark evening.
Question 2.
In which way is the reaction of the speaker different from that of the horse? What does it convey?
Answer:
The speaker, enjoys the scene of the snow filled woods but the horse finds it strange to stop in the woods without a farm house near in the dark evening.
Question 3.
What are the sounds heard by the poet?
Answer:
The poet hears the soft, gentle sound of the breeze. He also hears the sound of the falling snowflakes, apart from the sound of bells in the harness.
Question 4.
The poet Is aware of two choices. What are they? What choice does he make ultimately?
Answer:
The two choices are whether to stay and watch the woods filled with snow or to return to his village. The poet’s choice was to go to his village.
Question 5.
Pick out words from the poem that bring to mind peace and quite.
Answer:
“The woods fill up with snow”, “the darkest evening”, “easy wind”, “downy flakes”, “lovely dark and deep”.
E. Identify the rhyme scheme used in each stanza. One example has been done for you.
F. Complete the table by identifying lines, against the poetic devices from the poem. One example is done for you.
Writing
G. Answer the following questions in a paragraph about 80 -100 words.
Question 1.
It Irsald that, “the choices made by one, shapes one’s destiny”. Ponder on the thought and write a paragraph,
Answer:
The poet Robert Frost, in his poem ‘ Stopping by woods on a snowy evening ’ makes several choices, many of which his dearly beloved horse does not agree with. The biggest choice that he wrestles with is whether to return to the warmth and safety of the village or to stay and watch the woods fill up with snow. Our poet does seem to have a hard time making his decision. He ultimately decides to return home, but it seems to take all his will power. As he had worldly responsibilities and promises to fulfil, he leaves the woods reluctantly.
Paragraph Questions And Answers : Appitional
Question 1.
Identify and explain the contrast in the first line of the extract.
Answer:
The poet uses contrasting imagery to describe the woods. He calls them lovely, dark and deep all at the same time. The words ‘dark and deep’ connote an alarmingly mysterious characteristic while the word ‘lovely’ makes the woods an attractive location. The three words give the woods a mystical character. Though the darkness serves as a warning to the uncertainties lying within the forest, he is also mesmerized by its serene beauty.
Question 2.
Why is the last line repeated in this poem?
Answer:
The last two lines are the most important in this poem. The poet says two different things in both lines. In the second last line, he describes that he has to go a long way and it will take him a lot of time to reach his resting place. The last line describes that the narrator has miles of time or lots of time before he gets his final rest, death which he wants or desires, but before getting that rest, he has promises to keep or duties to fulfill.
Question 3.
Justify title of the poem ‘stopping by the woods on a snowy evening’.
Answer:
Robert frost’s poem ‘Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening’ shares with us an experience of the poet, who stopped on his way to enjoy the beauty of the snowy-filled woods one evening. Though he wanted to stay there, for a longer time to watch the lovely, dark and deep woods, he could not do so. He had to go, as he had promises to keep and a long way to go, before he sleeps. So, the title of the poem is rather simple and straight forward. It is something that suggests the very outline of the story. This title has the potential to build curiosity, as people generally don’t stop in the dark-woods, that too, on a snowy evening. So, we the readers feel that there might be something interesting in it. So, thematically the title is just and apt.
H. Work in pairs and discuss the factors that contribute towards making a choice and make a presentation to the class.
Hints: The factors that contribute towards making a choice are :
1. Make your decisions in the morning.
2. Eat first. Don’t make your choices, when you are hungry.
3. Cut down your choices to a tiny short list.
4. Open the windows and allow fresh air in.
5. Use a foreign language.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Textual Activities
Warm Up
Question 1.
Have you ever travelled through a forest? How did you feel?
Answer:
I had once gone into a forest, for a one-hour walk along with my uncle. It was early
morning, around 6 a.m, and my uncle suggested a walk into the forest for a refreshing experience. It was quite an interesting hour, with a sweet fragrance from the plants and strange, unknown flowers and trees in the forest. There was a constant rustle of birds and small creatures moving on the branches of trees or bushes. I was quite scared that I would trample upon some dangerous insects or creatures such as huge spiders or snakes. But my uncle who was well accustomed with the route, guided me in a safe manner. The rays of the morning sun were gentle and warm. The breeze was soft and delicate. It was really a wonderful experience and I thought I should take my friends there once again, during the vacation.
Question 2.
Did you have any time to stop and enjoy the beauty of the forest?
Answer:
Yes, once, I had a chance to go to Pitchavaram forest. It is the second largest mangrove forest in the world, near the temple town of Chidambaram. It is one of the unique eco-tourism spots in south India. I enjoyed the beauty of this forest with my family members. The backwaters, inter-connected by the Vellar and Kollidam river systems, offer abundant scope for water sports. The beauty of mangrove trees, rooted in a few feet of water and the whole area stretching to over 3000 acres comprising more than, 1,700 islets, astounded me. A two-hour boat ride (Rs.125 per hour) through the forest was both soothing and exciting.
Yes, I had plenty of time to stop and enjoy the beauty of the forest. It was a summer holiday and I had no other commitments at home. Therefore I had good time to enjoy the beauty.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert frost
Robert Frost (1874 – 1968) was an American poet. He is well known for his realistic description of rural life. He received 4 Pulitzer prizes for poetry. He became a poetic force. He is known as the unofficial Poet Laureate of the US. Some of his famous works are The Road Not Taken, West Running Brook, Mending Wall, After Apple Picking etc.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Summary
Once the poet happened to travel through the dense woods, on his horse. It was a cold evening with heavy snowfall. Enchanted by the beauty of the woods, the poet suddenly stopped to admire the scene of the woods being covered with snow. The poet seemed to know to whom the woods belonged. He also guessed that the owner of the woods must be residing at the village and would not know that the poet had halted at his woods enjoying the snowfall there. The poet’s horse too must have been equally puzzled at this sudden pause at a place where there was no farmhouse or resting area.
It happened to be the darkest evening of the year. Hence the horse shook his harness bells, as if to enquire if the poet had halted by mistake or to set right any sudden problem. There was total silence all around, except for the gentle sound of the breeze blowing, carrying with it snowflakes.
Though captivated by the splendid beauty of the lovely, dense and dark woods, the poet could not remain there for long, as he had to travel over a long distance, covering many miles. Further he had to fulfill many promises or carry out many duties before his daily sleep or the eternal one. Perhaps the poet is reminded of his unfulfilled duties and responsibilities that he had to carry out before his tenure on earth ended. Hence he, with regret, realises that he had to keep continuing his journey and could not rest before fulfilling his duties in life.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening poem overview
No.1.
Poem Line:
Whose woods these are I thinkI know.
Explanation:
The poet seems to know the owner of the woods.
No.2.
Poem Line:
His house is in the village though;
Explanation:
The owner must be residing in the village.
No.3
Poem Line:
He will not see me stopping here
Explanation:
He does not know that the author has stopped in the woods.
No.4
Poem Line:
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
Explanation:
To watch snow engulf the woods.
No.5
Poem Line:
My little horse must think it queer
Explanation:
The poet’s horse must have thought it strange
No.6
Poem Line:
To stop without a farmhouse near
Explanation:
To stop abruptly at a place where there is no farmhouse
No.7
Poem Line:
Between the woods and frozen lake
Explanation:
Between the woods and the lake that is frozen with snow
No.8
Poem Line:
The darkest evening of the year.
Explanation:
On an evening which happens to be the darkest one of the year
No.9.
Poem Line:
He gives his harness bells a shake
Explanation:
The horse expresses his surprise by shaking his harness bells
No.10.
Poem Line:
To ask if there is some mistake .
Explanation:
as if to know whether there is anything wrong with the situation.
No.11.
Poem Line:
The only other sound’s the sweep
Explanation:
The only other sound that could be heard
No.12.
Poem Line:
Of easy wind and downy flake.
Explanation:
is the blowing of the breeze and the fall of snow – flakes.
No.13.
Poem Line:
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
Explanation:
The woods are attractive, very dark and dense.
No.14.
Poem Line:
But I have promises to keep,
Explanation:
But the poet cannot stop there, as he has many promises to fulfill.
No.15.
Poem Line:
And miles to go before I sleep,
Explanation:
He has to achieve much more in life before his sleep.
No.16.
Poem Line:
And miles to go before I sleep.
Explanation:
and has to fulfill many ambition before his sleep – the everyday sleep or the eternal one.
Stopping by Wood on a Snowy Evening poem Mind Map
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Glossary
Gist of Stanza 1.
While riding deep into the woods, the poet seems to know who the owner is. He states that the owner lives in a house in the village. Perhaps the owner is not aware of the poet travelling into his woods, or stopping there to watch snow covering the woods.
Stanza 2.
The poet’s little horse must think it strange to stop midway, without a farmhouse nearby, between the woods and a frozen lake. The evening is the darkest one of the year. So it is queer that they have stopped now.
Stanza 3.
Perhaps to know its owner’s intention, or to catch his attention, the horse sounds its harness ’ bell by shaking his head. The only other sounds heard in the vicinity are the sweep of the wind and the fall of snow.
Stanza 4.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep. The poet cannot afford to spend more time admiring the beauty and the calm atmosphere prevailing there, as he has many more important goals to achieve in life, before it comes to an end.