A nation's strength class 8th

 NOTES PREPARED BY 

ASHAQ HUSSAIN BHAT 

TEACHER SCHOOL 

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT 

JAMMU AND KASHMIR

"A Nation's Strength"

Central idea:

This short but beautiful poem has been composed by R. W. Emersion. In this brief poem, he talks about the secret of a nation's strength. He says that the success of a nation lies in its people and not in gold and wealth merely

Introduction-poet and poem/summary

The poem "Nation's Strength is a beautiful poem by the pen of an American essayist, lecturer and poet, Ralph Waldo Emerson. His original profession and calling was as a Unitarian minister He left the ministry to pursue a career in writing and public speaking. Emersion became one of America's best known and best admired 19 century figures. His works include over 1500 published essays, lectures and poems. His write-ups remain among the linchpins of American thinking, and his work has greatly influenced the thinkers, writers and poets that have followed him  In this poem, the poet reveals the secret of a nation's strength. He says that the real strength of a nation lies in its people and not merely in gold and wealth. He uses vivid imagery and metaphors to convince the readers that the strength of a nation is not in its wealth or military might but its people. He emphasizes that the strength of a nation does not lie in the heaps of gold or wealth merely but in the men of character. These men uphold the cause of honour and truth. They remain united and bear hardships persistently with a smile on their lips. They undergo sufferings for the sake of their nation. Such men are brave, courageous truthful, consistent steady fast, self respecting and hard working. They put their nation above everything else. They do not care about their personal loss. They sacrifice their personal interest in the larger interest of their nation. They believe in consistent action and work while others are in slumber. They bear every challenge and trial with courage. They dare and remain steadfast while others run away. Such men lay the foundation of their nation very deep and thus take it to the highest point of glory

Q:1.In the first stanza, the poet wonders about certain things what are they 

Ans:-in the first stanza the poet wonders how a kingdom achieves greatness, the way it builds it's foundation, and how it fights with enemies

Q:2.What are the foundations of a strong kingdom built on? 

Ans:- the foundation of a robust Kingdom are built on it is courageous men who render infinite sacrifice for the sake of truth honour and greatness

Q:3. What happens to a nation which depends on an army to keep it strong?

Ans Acording to the poet, a nation that depends on an army to keep it strong does not last long and collapses soon. Such a nation goes to the winds. The empire of such a nation loses its identity and becomes a thing of by gone day. The blood of its soldiers turns its stones to rust and its glory also fades and decays with the passage of time 

4 When a nation becomes proud, what does God do?

Ans: Pride is a trait that God doesn't like at all. It happens to be God's wrath. Whenever a nation makes a display of pride. God diminishes the shine and lustre and reduces its status down to ashes in a single stroke.

5. Do you think that wealth can make a nation great and strong? Why?

Ans: The wealth of a nation can make it neither strong nor great. It is the people who really matters. The country can become great only by the sacrifices of its people who suffer long for the sake of truth, honor and greatness. Only those men make the nation's pillars strong.

6. What can the brave do?

Ans: It is the brave men who can make their nation great and strong. They work hard and undergo the hardships with a smile on their lips while the others are in a deep slumber. They display heroic traits in hardships and come victorious while others retreat at the mere sight of a danger. They build the pillars of nation deep and lift them to the sky heights.

Q:7.Explain the following lines:

•  They build a nation's pillars deep,

• And lift them to the sky

Ans: In these lines, the poet wants to convey that the men who are strong, daring, fearless, upright, sincere and reliable build the pillars of a nation deep and lift them to sky heights. Such men make the foundation of a nation strong and durable and lift it to great heights of glory

LANGUAGE WORK

1. In this poem, certain consonant sounds dominate e.g., m, n, f, s, r, d, p, h, b, g, l. List the words beginning with these consonants.

Ans. List of consonants:

m……………………Make

n…………………….Nation

f……………………..Foe

s……………………..Strong

r……………………..Round

d…………………….Defy

p…………………….Pillar

h…………………….High

b…………………….Build

g…………………….Great

l……………………..Lift

2. The poem has a fixed rhyme scheme in each stanza i.e. abab. Pick out the rhyming words e.g. high…defy.

Ans. List of rhyming words:

Strong………Thong

Grand………Sand

Shock……….Rock

Dust…………Rust

Away………..Decay

Crown……….Down

Sweet………..Feet

Make………..Sake

Strong……….Long

Sleep………..Deep

Fly………….Sky