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Poem 1: The Character Of A Happy Life.
By Sir Henry Wotton
Text Book Exercise
By Ustani G(YouTube Channel)
(Prepared By Sir Mukhtiar Ahmed RTS Ghotki)
Pre-Reading:
1. What is happiness?Ans: Happiness is a collection of honesty, humbleness and truthfulness. A happy person heart is free from hatred. He has lovable personality with positive thoughts.
2. Write briefly in the boxes the things / ideas that make you happy?
Exercise 1:
Column A has words from the poem, underline these words in the poem. Column B has the contextual meanings of these words, but they are jumbled up. Work in pairs. Try and match the appropriate meaning of each word, and write your answer in Column C. Share your work with your partner after you have completed.| S.No | Column A |
- | Column B |
Column C |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Passions | A | Unverified or doubtful information. | 1H |
| 2. | Armor | B | Move back | 2D |
| 3. | Rumors | C | Jealous | 3A |
| 4. | Conscience | D | A metallic covering to protect from attack. | 4E |
| 5. | Retreat | E | Moral sense of right and wrong. | 5B |
| 6. | Servile bands | F | destruction | 6G |
| 7. | Envy | G | Slavish bonds | 7C |
| 8. | Ruin | H | strong emotions | 8F |
Exercise 2:
Work in pairs and read the above poem again. Comprehend it thoroughly and paraphrase it in simple words. After you have completed, share it with your partner. The stanza 1 is paraphrased for you as an example.
Stanza 1:
In the first stanza of the poem 'The Character Of A Happy Life' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man does not rely on others. He does not work according to others' will. He is neither a slave nor needs any weapon to protect himself. His honesty is his only weapon. He believes in simple truth of life. This simple truth is his reliable skill.
Stanza 2:
In the second stanza of the poem 'The Character Of A Happy Life' Sir Henry Wotton says that how a happy man should regard his passions. They shouldn’t be his masters. He should be the master of his passions or emotions. He should Control the passionate life. Further he says that a truly happy man does not aspire for the love of the worldly fame. He also does not care for the criticism against him in his absence. He always remains ready for the imminent death.
Stanza 3:
In the third stanza of the poem 'The Character Of A Happy Life' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man is neither jealous of those who are best owed success by chance, nor does he envy those who achieve success by adopting unfair or wicked means. He is happy with what does he has. He knows that false praise always brings deep wounds that are very difficult to heal. So he never be happy with an praise. Moreover, he follows the rules of goodness and does adopt the rules of Politics in his life.
Stanza 4:
In the fourth stanza of the poem 'The Character of a Happy Life ' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man is free from rumours. He neither tries to come into contact with those who spread the rumours nor influenced by them. He always listen to the voice of conscience and is guided by it. He possesses a well-balanced mind. Neither flattery nor the fear of ruin can change the state of his mind. He remains firm in every situation of life.
Stanza 5:
In the fifth stanza of the poem 'The Character of a Happy Life' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man always prays to God every day early in the morning and late in the evening in order to lead a happy life. He does so to obtain the grace of God rather to worldly fame. He enjoys free time by reading the holy books and giving time to his friends. He avoids to harm or to backbite in his free time.
Stanza 6:
In the sixth and last stanza of the poem 'The Character of a Happy Life ' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man lives a life free of slavery. He is independent in his thought and action. He is free from all kinds of hopes and fears. He does not feel over joyed by his achievement, no does he get hurt by failure. He possess a self-controlled life. Though he does not have any property, even he enjoys the life of a king because he is the emperor of his own life. So he does not have any material property but he is rich in spiritualism.
Exercise 3:
Read the poem again and encircle the right option.
1. The strong retreat for a happy man is his ______.
a. Heart
b. Though
c. Mind
d. Conscience ✔
2. According to the poet, a happy man cares much about _____.
a. Worldly needs
b. Material uplift
c. Character ✔
d. Finance
3. A happy man's armor is his _____ thought:
a. Clever
b. Honest ✔
c. Deep
d. Lofty
4. A happy man's days are _____.
a. Joyful
b. Carefree
c. Harmless ✔
d. Playful
5. ____ is the utmost skill of an honest man.
a. Truth ✔
b. Honesty
c. Simplicity
d. Wisdom
6. A happy man does not serve another's ______.
a. Order
b. Direction
c. Wish
d. Will ✔
7. A happy man's soul is always prepared for ______.
a. Exams
b. Fight
c. Quarrel
d. Death ✔
8. According to the poet, the deepest wounds are always given by _____.
a. Back-biting
b. Praise ✔
c. Trust
d. Friendship
Exercise 4:
Work is pairs and pick out the line(s) from 'The Character of a Happy Life' in which the poet has identified each of the following characteristics of a happy men. Write their corresponding character against each quality in the table given below. Once you have completed, compare you work with your partner.
| No. | Characteristics | Qualities |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | That serveth not another's will. (line No.2) | Independence |
| 2. | Whose armor is his honest thought. (line No.3) | Honesty |
| 3. | And Simple truth is his utmost skill. (line No.4) | Truthfulness |
| 4. | Whose passions not his masters are, (line No.5) | Ambition |
| 5. | Untied unto the world by care of public fame, or private breath. (line No.7 & 8) | Self-control |
| 6. | Who envies none that chance doth raise, (line No.9) | Envy |
| 7. | This man is freed from servile bands Of hope to rise, or fear to fall. (line No.21 & 22) | No greed |
| 8. | Who God doth late or early pray, More of His grace than gifts to lend (line No.17 & 18) | Piety |
Exercise 5:
Read the poem again and answer the following questions.
1. What does the poet mean when he says that happy man does not serve another's will?
Ans: A Happy man does not serve another's will. Here the poet means that a happy man always listens to his heart. He does not act upon the directions given to him by others. He never listens to other while deciding the cases of his life. He is the king of his life.
OR
Ans: It means that a happy man is not bound to obey the orders of the other. He is free from the servitude of others. He is himself is the lord and the master of his will.2. Explain briefly, how Sir Henry Wotton is happy man is 'having nothing yet hath all'?
Ans. The poet wants to say that the happy man is free from all kinds of the worldly restraints. He is contended within his means. He is the master of his will. He has a spiritual power. He has no wealth, land and property, but he has a constant conscience that keeps him happy in condition of life.
OR
Ans: As the happy man is free from all greed, ambitions, possessions, fear of life, loss death. In disregard of worldly things, he has the blessing of God and Company of religious books which provides him enormous spiritual satisfaction then people who live and die for the world and have ally worldly pleasures but their soul starves to death whereas happy man has nothing other world but his healthy and happily survive for ever.
3. What a happy man is taught from his very birth?
Ans: 'Don't follow another's will' is taught to a happy man from his very birth.
OR
Ans: From the very birth he has the courage of speaking truth which is his best skill of life therefore he does not require leavening of applying any art of statecraft for his life and career.4. Write the central idea of the poem 'The Character of a Happy Life'.
Ans: The poem "The Character Of A Happy Life" gives us an idea that a happy life is obtained by establishing a character with good qualities of a peaceful life. A person who always speaks the truth, thinks and acts in a free manner and does not care about worldly temptations; but remains thankful, humble and patient within his/her life: truly represents the character of a happy life.
OR
Ans: A happy man is not envious of anybody. He does not seek people's praise. He is not indulged in flattery. He has no passions and ambitions in this world. He does not tell lies.5. Write the rhyming scheme of the poem.
Ans: The rhyming scheme of the poem is. abab, cdcd and efef so on (similar things or etc)
6. What are the sources of happiness other than those mentioned in the poem?
Ans: Other sources of happiness are keep your parents happy. To offer pray deeply.
OR
Ans: The most practical real sources of happy life is good health, education, proper Job and decent living and pollution free peaceful environment.Exercise 6:
Work individually and identify the poetic devices in the poem. Make a list of them and use them in your sentences. Share your work with your class fellows after you have completed.
Ans: The poetic devices used in the poem are given below.
1. Alliteration: (Repetition of same sound words.)
Example: flatters feed, fear and fall.
2. Repetition: (some words are repeated in a line.)
Example: 'rules'
3. Anaphora: (repetition of words but having distances.) Example: 'whose'
4. Eye Rhyme: (In order to maintain the rhyme scheme, the poem uses words that are similar , but are pronounced differently.
Examples: 'are' and care', and 'freed' and 'feed'.
Exercise 7:
Work in pairs and give a critical appreciation of the poem based on the following aspects. After you have written, compare your work with your partner.
- Poetic Diction
- Theme
- Structure
- Language
- Message
Poetic diction is the term used to refer to the language used in poetry. It includes author's word choice, style, the vocabulary, syntax and the uses of figurative of speech in the writing of poetry.
Poetic diction OF the poem 'The Character Of A Happy Life':
'The Character Of A Happy Life is simple and straight forward poem. In which Sir Henry Wotton illustrates the qualities of a true and happy person. He utilises several poetic techniques. These include alliteration, repetition and anaphora.- The first, alliteration, occurs when words are used in succession, or at least appear close together, and begin with the same letter. For example, “flatterers feed” in the third line of the fourth stanza and “fear” and “fall” in line two of the sixth stanza.
- Wotton also makes use of repetition or the use and reuse of a specific technique, word, tone or phrase within a poem. In this particular piece, words such as “rules” are repeated.
- Additionally, there is anaphora. This is another kind of repetition. This time of a word or phrase at the beginning of multiple lines, usually in succession. For example, “Whose” in stanza two and stanza four.
2. Theme:
There are two prominent themes in the poem i.e. Freedom and Morality.
- Freedom: He sees freedom–from other’s control,of thought, from emotions, from other’s opinions.
- Morality: He believes that people should strive towards the truth and honesty.
3. Structure:
The Character of a Happy Life’ by Sir Henry Wotton is a six stanza poem that is divided into sets of four lines,known as quatrains.These quatrains follow a simple rhyme scheme of ABAB CDCD, and so on. He also uses the poetic devices as repetition, alliteration and anaphora.
4. Language:
Sir Henry Wotton used figurative language in his poem "The character of a happy life". Here are a few examples:
1. "A soul supreme, in each hard instance tried" - Here, the soul is compared to something that has been tested or tried.
2. "The meanest soil, the sweetest flowers will share" - This is an example of a metaphor, where the soil and flowers represent difficult and happy moments in life.
3. "The heart resigned, nor casts a wish behind" - Here, the heart is personified as having the ability to intentionally let go of desires from the past.
OR
Sir Henry Wotton's poem, "The Character of a Happy Life," is a beautiful and well-written piece that explores the ideal characteristics of a happy life. The language used in the poem is simple yet profound, making it easily understandable by most readers.The poem is written in an iambic pentameter, which gives it a rhythmic and fluid quality. Each verse consists of ten syllables and is written in a rhyming couplet format, which adds a musical quality to the poem.
The language used throughout the poem is straightforward and precise. The poet uses allegorical language to describe the ideal traits of a happy life, such as "temperate will, wisdom, and justice fair." Additionally, the poet also uses stark imagery to describe the consequences of a life that lacks these traits, such as "the cloudy mind and restless heart."
The poem's language is heavily influenced by the poet's beliefs and values. It promotes the idea of a balanced and meaningful life, devoid of excess and extremes. The use of words such as "temperate, just, and firm," alludes to the importance of staying grounded and having a moral compass.
In conclusion, the language used in Sir Henry Cotton's poem is clear and precise, with a rhythmic and musical quality. The poem's language adds to its powerful message of promoting balance, temperance, and morality for a happy life.
5. Message:
The Character of a Happy Life' is a simple, straight forward poem in which Sir Henry Wotton sets out the principles of a good life and what a man should avoid at all costs. The poem addresses themes of happiness, joy, simplicity, and religion.
Exercise 8:
Work in groups of three. Compose your own poem on the theme of happiness using elements of poetry based on three stanzas. Each member of the group should compose 1 stanza. After your group has composed the poem, exchange it with other group.
Ans: (Self Work) One poem is written as an example below:
Happiness is treasure
In life's tapestry, joy's vibrant thread I find,A mosaic of moments, precious and kind,
Happiness, a treasure, in every smile's hue,
Let me paint for you a verse, so vivid and true.
In the meadows of laughter, we dance and sing,
With hearts alight, like a bird on the wing,
For happiness dwells in the warmth of a friend,
In their company, our sorrows mend.
Beneath the starry night, where dreams take flight,
In happiness, we find our guiding light,
With love and laughter, our souls take flight,
In this symphony of life, our spirits unite.
So, let us chase happiness, embrace it tight,
In the darkest hours and the sun's warm light,
For it's the heart's song, a universal rhyme,
Happiness, the melody of our lifetime.
OR
The Purest Light of Happiness
Happiness, the sweetest thing,that in our hearts does its blooming,
It brings forth warmth and joy within,
A feeling we all need, where to begin?
A light so bright, it shines on us,
A force that makes us laugh and fuss,
It fills our days with pure delight,
And makes us glow both day and night.
Peace within, love so strong,
Friends and family all along,
Bound by happiness, a common thread,
The love we share, a never-ending spread.
So here we stand, in happiness,
Beside our loved ones, filled with bliss,
With laughter, joy, and a heart so bright,
Our lives engulfed in the purest light.
Exercise 9:
Work individually and explain the following stanzas. Write down your work in the note book and share it with your class fellows after you have completed.
| Stanzas | Lines |
|---|---|
| 1. | How happy ........ utmost skill! |
| 2. | Whose passions ....... or private breath; |
| 3. | Who envies none ....... but rules of good; |
| 4. | Who hath his life .........make opposers great; |
| 5. | Who God doth late ........ book or friend; |
| 6. | This man is freed ......... yet hath all. |
Ans: Stanza 1: How happy ........ utmost skill!
Reference To The Content: The above stanza is taken from the poem "The character of a happy life", written by poet Sir Henry Wotton.
Explanation:
In the first stanza of the poem 'The Character Of A Happy Life' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man does not rely on others. He does not work according to others' will. He is neither a slave nor needs any weapon to protect himself. His honesty is his only weapon. He believes in simple truth of life. This simple truth is his reliable skill.
Stanza 2: Whose passions ....... or private breath;
Reference To The Content: The above stanza is taken from the poem "The character of a happy life", written by poet Sir Henry Wotton.
Explanation:
In the second stanza of the poem 'The Character Of A Happy Life' Sir Henry Wotton says that how a happy man should regard his passions. They shouldn’t be his masters. He should be the master of his passions or emotions. He should Control the passionate life. Further he says that a truly happy man does not aspire for the love of the worldly fame. He also does not care for the criticism against him in his absence. He always remains ready for the imminent death.
Stanza 3: Who envies none ....... but rules of good;
Reference To The Content: The above stanza is taken from the poem "The character of a happy life", written by poet Sir Henry Wotton.
Explanation:
In the third stanza of the poem 'The Character Of A Happy Life' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man is neither jealous of those who are best owed success by chance, nor does he envy those who achieve success by adopting unfair or wicked means. He is happy with what does he has. He knows that false praise always brings deep wounds that are very difficult to heal. So he never be happy with an praise. Moreover, he follows the rules of goodness and does adopt the rules of Politics in his life.
Stanza 4: Who hath his life .........make opposers great;
Reference To The Content: The above stanza is taken from the poem "The character of a happy life", written by poet Sir Henry Wotton.
Explanation:
In the fourth stanza of the poem 'The Character of a Happy Life ' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man is free from rumours. He neither tries to come into contact with those who spread the rumours nor influenced by them. He always listen to the voice of conscience and is guided by it. He possesses a well-balanced mind. Neither flattery nor the fear of ruin can change the state of his mind. He remains firm in every situation of life.
Stanza 5: Who God doth late ........ book or friend;
Reference To The Content: The above stanza is taken from the poem "The character of a happy life", written by poet Sir Henry Wotton.
Explanation:
In the fifth stanza of the poem 'The Character of a Happy Life' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man always prays to God every day early in the morning and late in the evening in order to lead a happy life. He does so to obtain the grace of God rather to worldly fame. He enjoys free time by reading the holy books and giving time to his friends. He avoids to harm or to backbite in his free time.
Stanza 6: This man is freed ......... yet hath all.
Reference To The Content: The above stanza is taken from the poem "The character of a happy life", written by poet Sir Henry Wotton.
Explanation:
In the sixth and last stanza of the poem 'The Character of a Happy Life ' Sir Henry Wotton says that a happy man lives a life free of slavery. He is independent in his thought and action. He is free from all kinds of hopes and fears. He does not feel over joyed by his achievement, no does he get hurt by failure. He possess a self-controlled life. Though he does not have any property, even he enjoys the life of a king because he is the emperor of his own life. So he does not have any material property but he is rich in spiritualism.
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kindly add more chapters
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