Death the Leveller: Class 10 poem 2 Questions and Answers |Summery| Central idea

 

Class – 10^th
Poem-2
Death the Leveller

James Shirley

The glories of our blood and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against Fate;
Death lays his icy hand on kings:
Sceptre and Crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.

Some men with swords may reap the field,
And plant fresh laurels where they kill:
But their strong nerves at last must yield;
They tame but one another still:
Early or late
They stoop to fate,
And must give up their murmuring breath
When they, pale captives, creep to death.

The garlands wither on your brow,
Then boast no more your mighty deeds!
Upon Death's purple altar now
See where the victor-victim bleeds.
Your heads must come
To the cold tomb:
Only the actions of the just
Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.

Questions/Answers

Q. 1. What is the theme or the central idea of the poem?

OR

Q. 2. Write the summary of the poem in your own words.

Ans. Death comes to all. It spares none. It treats the mightily and the weak equality. It reduces everyone to dust. Therefore, it is useless to boast of one’s power or wealth. Only our good action remains after our death. Therefore, we should always be just in our actions.

Q. 3. What lesson do you get from this poem?

Ans. Death spares none. It reduces everyone to dust. It treats the mightily and the weak equality. Therefore, it is useless to boast of one’s power or wealth. Only our good action remains after our death. Therefore, we should always be just in our actions.

Q. 4. What does the expression ‘scythe and spade’ stand for?

Ans. The given expression stands for poor peasants and laborers. These people become equal with the kings in death. Death makes no difference between them and kings.

Q. 5. Do the conquerors tame death or the dead?

Ans. Conqueror can tame only the dead. They have no power over death. Rather it is death that one day overpowers them and reduces them to dust.

Q. 6. Explain the lines:
            ‘Only the actions of the just
            Smell sweet and blossom in their dust.’’

Ans. Death spars none. It comes to one and all. It reduces everyone to dust. Only one thing escapes death. It is one’s good actions. They live even after one’s death. They are never forgotten.

Q. 7. This poem highlights the uselessness of human power and might. What is the cannot be snatched by death?

Ans. It is only our good and just actions that cannot be snatched by death. All other things and non-living-mix with dust in the end. Death spares none. Only our good actions live after our death.