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Poem 02: The Age Of Infant
By Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal
English II (C)
For Class XII (All Groups)
- Pre-Reading (Exercise 01)
- While-Reading (Exercise 02 and 03)
- Post-Reading (Exercise 04, 05, 06 and 07)
Poem: The Age Of Infant
By Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal
Pre-Reading
(Exercise 01)
EXERCISE 01: Discuss the following statements.
1. Paradise lies under the feet of your mother.
Ans: This statement emphasizes the high status of a mother in one's life. It means that serving, respecting, and loving one's mother is the path to true success and spiritual reward. In many cultures and religions, especially Islam, it is taught that Heaven or Paradise can only be earned through obedience and kindness to one's mother. The poem reflects this idea by showing how the child finds comfort, peace, and the ower of the entire world in his mother's embriace.
2. Look at the following picture and predict what the poem is about?
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While-Reading
(Exercise 02 and 03)
EXERCISE 02: Read the poem carefully and choose the correct option.
1. The first two lines convey the poet's acknowledgement of _____.
(a) lack of awareness of the vast world
(b) mother's lap as its entire world ✔
(c) sense of complex emotions
(d) the world as blessing in disguise
2. Which of the following statements contains the use of metaphor?
(a) Mother's bosom was a world to me. ✔
(b) Speech was like a meaningless word to me.
(c) Door chain would comfort me.
(d) Stared at the moon for long hours.
3. The phrase "meaningless word to me" in line no. 4 expresses that an infant's _____.
(a) voices without purpose;
(b) sounds with complexity
(c) words without any logical interpretation; ✔
(d) words without any emotions;
4. The lines 5-6 point out that a crying child gets _____.
(a) easily comforted with any sound
(b) only comforted with door chain sound ✔
(c) hardly comforted with any sound
(d) annoyed with the door chain sound
5. The words the moon' and 'silent journey among broken clouds' metaphorically points out _____.
(a) mother, mother's struggle in life
(b) life, and life's ups and downs ✔
(c) peace, tranquillity in life
(d) they are not metaphors
6. The phrase "that prudent lie" in line no. 10 refers to _____.
(a) the silent journey of the moon
(b) the answers he got were wrong
(c) the answers on mountains and plains ✔
(d) the answers he got in the school
7. What theme is primarily explored in the poem "Age of Infancy"?
(a) The complexities of adulthood
(b) The innocence of childhood ✔
(c) The relationship between nature and humans
(d) The speaker's fear of growing up
8. The poem reflects the contrast between infancy and adulthood by/through emphasizing the child's _____.
(a) strong knowledge of the world
(b) simplicity, curiosity, and reliance on sensory experiences ✔
(c) deep understanding of abstract concepts
(d) Communication of mature ideas
EXERCISE 03:
Deduce the contextual meaning of the following words and use them in your sentences:
| No. | Word | Contextual Meaning |
Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Infancy | The early stage of a child's life | *During infancy, simple sounds bring comfort to the child. *The vaccination is given in early infancy. |
| 2. | Bosom | Mother's chest, symbol of love and care | *The child feels safe in his mother's bosom his whole world. *The bosoms of his parents were filled with pride on his success. |
| 3. | Expanse | Wide open area | *The only known expanse to the child is his mother's embrace *She gazed at the immense expanse of the sea. |
| 4. | Meaningless | Without sense or understanding | *The child's own words are meaningless to him at that stage. *His apology seemed meaningless, as he continued to ignore her concerns. |
| 5. | Plains | Flat land surfaces | *He imagines the moon having plains and mountains like the Earth. *The vast plains stretched out as far as the eye could see, covered with tall grasses and wildflowers. |
| 6. | Prudent | Wise or careful | *It’s always prudent to save some money for emergencies. *She made a prudent decision to consult with experts before signing the contract. |
| 7. | Devoted | Fully committed or focused | *His eyes are devoted to seeing everything around him.She is devoted to her family and spends every free moment with them. *The soldier was devoted to his duty and never wavered in the face of danger. * |
| 8. | Prone | Likely or inclined to do something | *His lips are prone to speak as he groes more curious. *He is prone to making impulsive decisions without thinking them through. |
| 9. | Inquisitiveness | Desire to learn or know more | *The child's heart is filled with inquisitiveness. *The child's inquisitiveness about space led her to read numerous books about planets and stars. |
| 10. | Personified | Given human qualities | *His curiosity is personified in the form of emotional wonder. *The artist personified hope and freedom in her sculpture by giving it flowing, graceful lines. |
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Post-Reading
(Exercise 04, 05, 06 and 07)
EXERCISE 04: Read the poem carefully in groups of two or three and answer the following questions in written form.
Q.1: How does Dr. Allama Muhammad lqbal depict the theme of innocence and simplicity in the poem "Age of Infancy"?
Ans: Dr. Allama lqbal portrays innocence and simplicity by reflecting on the early stage of life when the child has no understanding of the world, no ego, and no concerns about success, failure, or social status. The poem highlights, during infancy, a child lives freely, unburdened by responsibilities or awareness of worldly complexities. The infant's world is limited to the mother's lap, simple objectSs like a door chain, and natural sights like the moon, showing pure innocence, simplicity, humility, truth, honesty, emotions and uncorrupted perceptions.
Q.2: What role does curiosity play in the poem, and how does it shape the speaker's experience of the world?
Ans: Curiosity is central to the speaker's experience in infancy. The poem suggests that although the child does not fully understand the world, he has a natural eager to explore it desirouesly: Objects like the moon, clouds, and stars capture his imagination. Even without intellectual understanding, the child's heart is full of questions and wonder. lqbal emphasizes that curiosity is not informed by reason but by a spiritual and emotional desire to connect with the world inquisitive, wondering and ready to figure out anything with eagerness.
Q.3: How does the poem evoke feelings of nostalgia for infancy?
Ans: The poem evokes nostalgia through its reflective tone and vivid imagery of early childhood experiences. The speaker looks back longingly at a time when life was simple, pure, and peaceful. The contrast between the complexity of adulthood and the carefree nature of infancy creates a strong emotional pull. By mentioning the innocent joys, like being comforted by a door chain or staring at the moon, lqbal brings out a deep yearning for the lost peace, harmony and innocence of the early years.
Q.4: What can be inferred about the speaker's understanding of the world during infancy from the line "The earth and sky were unknown worlds to me"?
Ans: This line shows that the speaker had no intellectual or scientific knowledge of the world during infancy. It emphasizes the limited understanding of space, geography, or even his surroundings. Yet, it also suggests wonder and awe, as these unknown worlds' sparked curiosity and amazement. The infant's perception was emotional rather than rational, showing that the world was a vast mystery, waiting to be discovered.
Q.5: How 'does the metaphor "My heart was no less than reader's inquisitiveness personified" shape the reader's understanding of the speaker's emotional state? Elaborate.
Ans: This metaphor compares the child's heart to the active and intense curiosity of a reader who is always seeking knowledge. It highlights that even without the ability to read or think intellectually; the infant's heart was full of longing and emotional exploration. The use of this metaphor conveys the speaker's deep, natural desire to engage with and understand the world around him not through facts and logic, but through feelings and imagination. It emphasizes the purity and emotional depth of a curious and prying child's perception to the tranquil world.
EXERCISE 05:
Work In groups of three. Read the poem carefully and write the figurative meaning of the words used in the poem.
| Words | Figurative Meaning |
|---|---|
| Moon | Life or mother — a symbol of calm beauty, comfort, and mystery |
| Broken coluds | Life's obstacles or fragmented thoughts that the moon (mind / spirit) passes through. |
| Door chain | A symbol of small things that bring unexpected comfort in the childhood. |
| Silent journey | The quiet progression of time, especially childhood or the moon's path or a man's quiet journey of life |
| Prudent lie | A wise or gentle untruth told to protect innocence or satisfy a child's curiosity |
| Inquisitiveness personified | Curiosity shown as a living being — representing the child's deep desire to explore. |
EXERCISE 06:
Work in groups. Write the detailed critical appreciation of the poem.
Ans: This beautiful poem by Allama lqbal is a nostalgic reflection on the innocence, curiosity, and emotional world of infancy. The poet recalls his earliest memories where the vast universe, the earth and sky meant nothing to him, and the only reality he knew was the comfort and Warmth of his mother's bosom. This immediately establishes the central themes of motherhood, purity, and emotional dependency.
lqbal uses simple yet powerful imagery to depict how a baby views the world. The sound of a door chain brings comfort, and the moon becomes a source of fascination and wonder. The poet presents infancy as a time when emotional perception is stronger than intellectual understanding. The baby is unaware of logic or science but is deeply curious and emotionally alive.
The poem is rich with figurative language, including metaphors such as "inquisitiveness personified," and personification like "silent journey of the moon." The tone is tender, reflective, and slightly melancholic, as the poet looks back longingly at a time when life was simple, peaceful, and untouched by the burdens of adulthood.
Structurally, the poem flows smoothly and builds a vivid picture of how a child experiences the world, full of questions, observations, and emotional connections. It celebrates the purity of childhood, the central role of a mother, and the natural human urge to explore and understand the unknown.
In essence, lqbal's poem reminds us that childhood is a sacred phase of life, where the heart leads more than the mind, and where even the smallest things hold deep emotional meaning .
EXERCISE 07:
Work In groups and explain the following lines of the poem with proper reference to the context. Ensure that your response mentions the words from the poem as aer need.
| Lines No. | Lines |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | The earth and sky ..... a world to me |
| 3-4 | Every movement ..... a world to me. |
| 5-6 | During infancy's ..... comfort me. |
| 7-8 | Oh! How I started ..... broken clouds. |
| 9-10 | I would ask ..... that prudent lie. |
| 11-12 | My eye was ..... inquisitiveness personified. |
Lines: The earth and sky ..... a world to me. (1-2)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Age Of Infancy" written by Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
Explanation: These lines reflect the speaker's early childhood, where he had no awareness of the outside world. His only known universe was his mother's bosom, showing total emotional dependence.
Lines: Every movement ..... a world to me. (3-4)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Age Of Infancy" written by Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
Explanation: The poet conveys that every small gesture around him brought him joy, but his own speech was meaningless highlighting his innocence and limited understanding.
Lines: During infancy's ..... comfort me. (5-6)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Age Of Infancy" written by Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
Explanation: In times of pain or crying, even a simple sound of the door chain brought the child emotional comfort. This emphasizes how easily pleased and sensitive infants are.
Lines: Oh! How I started ..... broken clouds. (7-8)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Age Of Infancy" written by Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
Explanation: The speaker recalls his fascination with the moon. He watched it silently move through broken clouds, reflecting his deep curiosity and imagination.
Lines: I would ask ..... that prudent lie. (9-10)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Age Of Infancy" written by Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
Explanation: In these lines, the poet reveals that out of curiosity, an infant asked many questions about the moon. Adults responded with prudent lies—wise, harmless stories meant to satisfy a child's imagination.
Lines: My eye was ..... inquisitiveness personified. (11-12)
Reference: These lines are taken from the poem "The Age Of Infancy" written by Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal.
Explanation: These lines show how fully devoted the child was to observing, speaking, and learning. His heart was filled with pure curiosity, making him a symbol of Inquisitiveness.
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