THE BROOK
Table of Contents
Summary of the Poem:
In his famous poem, ‘the Brook’, Tennyson is imagining what it would be like to be a brook, or steam, running down the mountainside and across country until it joins a river. He contrasts the relative permanence and enduring nature of a natural feature like a brook with the impermanence and fleeting nature of human life. In the poem, Tennyson has the brilliantly original idea of making the brook itself the narrator. Instead of seeing the beauties of nature through the eyes of a human poet, we see the world as the stream itself sees it.
The brook rises in a remote spot in the wooded hills, ‘the hunt of coot and hern’ and then gradually descends through thirty hills, twenty small hills and fifty bridges. It then flows past Philip’s farm, past ‘lawns, grassy pots and hazel covers’ and eventually joins the ‘brimming river’, that is swollen, probably with the spring rains and melt waters.
On its long journey to the river and eventually we suppose to the sea, the brook passes many different kinds of terrain, almost like a human journey on which one experiences adventures. As its rushes down the hills, the brook makes a kind of natural music or singing, its swirling water chattering and babbling as it dashes against the gravel of the stream bed producing almost musical notes. The brook wanders through land that is cultivated and land that is wild and natural. It encounters fish leaping on its journey.
Tennyson wrote at a time when it was fashionable for Victorian poets to idealize nature and to see nature as perfect and human society as flawed and unnatural. This view came about partly because of the industrial revolution which, in Tennyson’s day, had turned English into a land of ‘Dark, satanic mills’ in Blake’s words.
Line to line analysis of the Poem:
Stanza 1:
The brook starts out from the dwelling place of birds such as the coot (a water bird) and the hern (archaic word for heron). It makes a sudden rush as it flows out. The presence of sunlight causes the brook’s water to sparkle as it flows among the fern. It then continues its journey by flowing down a valley. While doing so, the sound of the flowing brook resembles that of people quarrelling. Hence the phrase, ‘bicker down a valley’.
Stanza 2:
The brook flows down along hills. Sometimes, it also glides between long and narrow hills ranges, called ridges. Thorpes refer to small villages or hamlets. Between two small towns, the brook passes several thorpes and a large number of bridges. The numbers used in this line such as ‘thirty’, twenty’, ‘half a hundred’ should not be taken in the literal sense. These numbers are used to give the impression of ‘several’ or ‘many ‘ and to maintain the rhythm of the poem.
Stanza 3:
Finally, the brook passes Philip’s farm and flows into the overflowing river. The brook further states that men are transient. They come and go over time. But it outlives men and continues forever. The lines ‘For men may come and men may go, /But I go on forever,’ are repeated several times in the entire poem.
Stanza 4:
As the brook flows over stony paths, its water makes a chattering sound. This sound is high pitched, hence the phrase ‘sharps and trebles’ (both, high pitched notes in music). As water flows past an obstacle, a reverse motion is created that leads to swirling. These are known as eddies. A lot of bubbles are also formed. As the brook flows over pebbles, the sound it makes is similar to that made while talking rapidly. Hence the phrase, ‘babbles on the pebbles’.
Stanza 5:
The brook does not flow in a straight line. It makes a lot of turns and etches out a path full of curves. ‘Fret’ means ‘fuss’ or ‘worry’. The brook forms so many curves, that it seems as if it is constantly troubling its banks to change shape. The brook continues beside many fields as well as fallow lands. ‘Fairy forelands’ refer to promontories. These are masses of land that overlook the brook. These promontories are home to plants such as willow weed and mallow. The brook passes them on its journey.
Stanza 6:
As the brook flows, on its way to the overflowing river, it makes a continuous sound. The sound is like that of people talking. Hence, the line ‘I chatter, chatter, as I flow”. The brook repeats that although men are transient, it goes on forever.
Stanza 7:
The brook coils and twists on its way to the river. An occasional flower can be seen on its surface. The floating blossom appears to be sailing on the brook. The brook is also home to freshwater fish such as trout and grayling. The trout is a vigorous and energetic fish. Hence Tennyson calls it ‘lusty’.
Stanza 8:
Due to occasional turbulent flow, flakes of foam are produced, which float on the flowing brook. Water breaks are breaks on the brook’s surface caused by unevenness of its bed. These water breaks reflect the sun that makes them appear silver. Gravel is usually of brownish yellow hue. Hence the phrase, ‘golden gravel’.
Stanza 9:
The brook draws along with it, several floating objects as it flows towards the river. Here the poem’s refrain is repeated.
Stanza 10:
The brook flows by grassy stretches. It passes by land covered with hazel (a type of shrub). Forget-me-nots are low growing plants with bright blue flowers. They often grow on the banks of streams, sometimes even touching the water surface. Forget-me-not flowers are often associated with lovers. As the brook flows, it gently moves the flowers that touch the water.
Stanza 11:
The brook uses the words ‘slip’, ‘slide’, ‘gloom’, ‘glance’, to describe its movements. Swallows often hunt for insects on the water surface. They skim the water surface to capture the insects. The brook glides among these ‘skimming swallows’. The brook is constantly moving. It also carries with it numerous fish, floating blossoms, etc. Swallows often fly over it. Hence the sunlight that falls on the bed of the brook appears like a net instead of continuous entity. Sandy shallows refer to the shallow part of the brook that contains a lot of deposited sand and silt As the brook moves, the ‘netted sunbeam falling on the shallow bed appears to dance.
Stanza 12:
Wilderness refers to a wild and uninhabited region. Brambles are often found in such places. Hence Tennyson refers to such regions as ‘brambly wildernesses’. In quiet nights, as the brook passes over numerous pebbles and uneven land, it makes a certain sound. In the silent wilderness such as sounds can be clearly heard. The sound reminds one of murmuring. It is as if the brook is talking to itself.
Shingles are accumulated masses of small pebbles. Elevated regions in a brook made of such as accumulated mass, deposited by flow, are referred as ‘shingly bars’. Shingles are usually found in the slowest moving part of a brook. Hence the brook says that it ‘lingers’ by such places. Cresses, in this case, refer to watercress that often grows on the edges of brooks. As the brook passes these tufts of watercress, its water seems to coalesce among the plants. Hence Tennyson uses the word ‘Loiter’ is used.
The brook leaves the wilderness, the ‘shingly bars’ and the watercress behind and flows in graceful curves towards the river.
Stanza 13:
It ends with the refrain that although the human life is transient, the flow of the brook is perpetual.
Answer the following Questions 1 Marks
1. Where does the brook come from? 2019
Ans. The brook comes from the highest hill ranges where the water birds dwell.
2. Whom does the brook want to join at the end of its journey?
Ans. The brook wants to join the brimming river at the end of its journey.
3. What are the flowers that grow near the brook? 2017 2019
Ans. The flowers that grow near the brook are forget-me-not flowers.
4. Mention the name of the bird that flies above the brook. 2017
Ans. The swallow files above the brook.
5. Where was the poet born?
Ans. The poet was born in Lincolnshire, England.
6. What does the brook do as it flows down?
Ans. As the brook flows down, it makes different sounds. It makes a different sound when it water moves in a spiral. When it flows on the pebbles, it creates varied sounds.
7. Mention some of the words relating to sound scattered throughout the poem.
Ans. Some words relating to sound scattered throughout the poem are clatters, frets, slips, slides, murmurs etc.
8. Mention some words relating to movement in the poem.
Ans. Some words relating to movement in the poem are: come, sparks, bicker, hurry, slip, flow, go wind, sailing, steal, dance, loiter etc.
9. What does the brook represent? Human life or nature?
Ans. Brook represents the journey of life. Symbolically, it represents human life rather than nature.
10. Who is ‘I’ in the poem, ‘The Brook’? 2016
Ans. The ‘I’ in the poem ‘The Brook’ is the brook itself.
11. Who does the brook rush down to join? 2016
Or
What is the purpose of the journey of the brook? 2018
Ans. The brook rushes down to join the brimming river.
12. What flowers grow by the brook for ‘happy lovers’?
Ans. The flower that grows near the brook for ‘happy lovers’ is forget-me-not flower.
13. Where does the brook originate from?
Ans. The brook originates from the highest hill ranges where the water birds dwell.
14. What is a brook? 2017
Ans. A brook is a small stream that originates from the highest hill ranges where the water birds dwell.
15. What is the brook representative of?
Ans. Brook represents the journey of life. Symbolically, it represents human life rather than nature.
16. How does the brook sparkle?
Ans. The brook shines as the sunlight gets reflected in its splashing water.
17. How many hills and bridges does the brook pass during its journey?
Ans. The brook passes through thirty hills and fifty bridges.
18. Where does the brook finally meet the river?
Ans. The brook finally meets the river near Phillip’s farm.
19. Why has the word ‘chatter’ been repeated in the poem?
Ans. The word ‘chatter’ has been repeated in the poem to emphasize on the autobiographical element and make it look personal.
20. ‘With many a curve by banks, I fret’. What does the poet mean by this statement?
Ans. The above statement means that the brook becomes tired at times as it has to curve and move round and round, again and again.
21. ‘I wind about, and in and out’. What kind of picture does this line create in your mind?
Ans. The above line creates a picture of a whirlpool.
22. Name the different things that can be found floating in the brook.
Ans. The different things that can be found floating in the brook are flowers, fish, willows, weeds etc.
23. What are the fishes that inhabit the brook? 2016
Ans: Trout and Grayling
Answer the following Questions 2 Marks
1. Explain the lie: “I murmur under moon and stars? In the brambly wilderness”.
Ans. The above-quoted line means that when the brook flows under the sky, the moon, the stars; it creates murmuring sound. It flows even brambly wilderness creating murmuring sounds under the sky.
2. What is the eternal truth stressed upon in the poem?
Ans. The eternal truth stressed upon in the poem is that the brook represents the journey of life. Symbolically, it represents human life rather than nature.
3. Why has the poet used words like ‘bicker’?
Ans. ‘Bicker’ means quarrel. The brook makes much loud noise as it flows down. Hence, the poet has used words like ‘bucker’ to stress on the noise that the brook makes while moving.
4. What does the poet want to convey by using the words ‘steal’ and ‘slide’?
Ans. With the words ‘steal’ and ‘slide’, the poet wants to convey the smooth and noiseless movement of the brook.
5. The poem has many examples of alliteration. List any five of them.
Ans. Some examples of alliteration used in the poem are bable-bubble, field-fallow, golden-gravel, slide-slip, gloom-glance etc.
6. ‘I make the netted sunbeam dance’. What does ‘netted sunbeam’ mean? How does it dance?
Ans. The sunlight coming through the leaves and bushes make a net-like pattern on shallow water-pools. They are reflected on the surface of the water and appear to be dancing as the water flows.
7. What is the ‘refrain’ in the poem? What effect does it create? 2018
Ans. The ‘refrain’ in the poem is “for men may come and men may go, /But I go on forever”. The repetition of the refrain emphasizes the transitory nature of men and the eternal nature of the brook.
Answer the following Questions 3 Marks
1. Quote the refrain of the poem “The Brook”. Explain it briefly. 2016 2019
Ans. The refrain of the poem is: “For men may come and men may go, But I go on forever”. This refrain is of very much importance. It means that human lives are transitory, but in comparison to that nature is eternal and everlasting. The brook, an object of nature, will be there for eternity. But on the contrary, humans are short-lived. Man is mortal, once born will die. But nature and its objects are immortal; they will be there its eternity.
2. Discuss in brief the beauty of nature as described by the poet in the poem.
Ans. While describing the movements of the brook and its passage through various places, the poet describes the beauty of nature that surrounds the brook as it passes through. The brook originates from a hilly place which is so high that it is usually visited by the birds like coot and heron. The brook then suddenly emerges and flows down the valley.
3. How does the poet convey the central idea of the poem through the journey of the brook? 2018
Ans. While describing the journey of the brook, the poet brings in certain universal truths which form the central idea of the poem that human life is transitory but nature is eternal. Every form of lives has an end. But the representatives of nature, like the brook, are everlasting. The refrain of the poem itself says that “For men may come and men may go,/But I go on forever”. This refrain is of very much importance. It means that human lives are transitory, but in comparison to that nature is eternal and everlasting. The brook, an object of nature, will be there for eternity. But on the contrary, humans are short-lived. Man is mortal, once born will die. But nature and its objects are immortal; they will be there till eternity.
4. Describe the four movements that the brook makes during its journey?
Ans. The brook makes various movements in its journey. It sparkles as it emerges among the plants with slender leaves; it sparkles with sunlight among the ferns. It hurries down the hills and slips between ridges. It steals by lawns and slides, by hazel covers, it slips and slides, it glooms, glides and glances. It means that the brook moves gently, slowly, unobserved, smoothly; and then it comes out to the open.
5. What does the poet want to convey through the poem “The Brook”?
Ans. Symbolically the poet wants to convey the struggle of human life through the poem “The Brook”. The poet wishes to point out that some ups and downs and some hurdles cannot stop the brook from its journey. Likewise, human beings also should stride their hurdles and problems.
6. How is the brook compared to human life?
Ans. The poet, through a series of sound images and onomatopoeic words, describes the movement of the brook and brings out certain universal truth which forms the central idea of the poem; that human life is transitory, but nature is eternal; that there is an end to every form of life, but the brook, a representation of nature, is everlasting. This idea is expressed in the line which forms the refrain of the poem.: “For men may come, and men may go, but I go on forever”.
7. Describe the journey of the brook, originating from the ‘haunts of coot and heron’. joining the river, as its final destination. 2017
Or
What does the brook do as it flows down? 2019
Ans. The journey of the brook begins in the highest hill ranges which are the dwelling places of water birds like the coot and the heron; it then flows down the narrow hill ranges and through tiny villages, farms and fields in the brimming sunlight, and at night shattering, gurgling and bubbling as it flows downwards in a curving movement. It makes various kinds of movements like swirl, spiral, sally, bicker etc. Sometimes it makes curve whistling movements, moving over pebbles, flowers, and fish. It attains progress over the plain area. Hordes of birds skim over the surface of the water to catch fish. Before reaching its final destination, the brook takes on a slow and lingering movement. In the end, it makes a final dash to meet the brimming river.
Answer the following Questions 5 Marks
1. Explain with reference to the context:
(a) I slip, I slide, I gloom, I glance, 2019
Among my skimming swallows;
I make the netted sunbeam dance
Against my sandy shallows.
Ans. The poet gives a description of the brook in the early part of the poem. The journey of the brook begins in the highest hill ranges which are dwelling places of water birds like coot and heron. Then it hurries down the hills and slips by the ridges. It then flows down the narrow hills and through tiny villages, farms and fields in the brimming sunlight, and at night shattering, gurgling and bubbling as it flows downwards in a curving movement.
(b) I murmur under moon and stars
In the brambly wilderness,
I linger by my shingly bars;
I loiter round my cresses.
Ans. As the brook flows down to meet the brimming river, it makes different sounds. It makes a different sound when its water moves in a spiral and becomes angry. When it flows on the pebbles, it creates varied sounds like clatters, frets, slips, slides, murmurs etc.
(c) And out again I curve and flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.
Ans. While describing the journey of the brook, the poet brings in certain universal truths which form the central idea of the poem that human life is transitory but nature is eternal. Every form of lives has an end. But the representatives of nature, like the brook, are everlasting. The refrain of the poem itself says that “For men may come and men may go, /But I go on forever”. This refrain is of very much importance. It means that human lives are transitory, but in comparison to that nature is eternal and everlasting. The brook, an object of nature, will be there for eternity. But on the contrary, humans are short-lived. Man is mortal once born will die. But nature and its objects are immortal; they will be there till eternity.
2. I come from haunts of coot and hern,
I make a sudden sally
And sparkle out among the fern,
To bicker down a valley.
Ans. –The brook starts from those places which are often visited by the coot and hern (heron). The brook emerges suddenly in this hilly area. It moves through the ferns and sparkles when the sunshine reflects the crystal clear water. And when the brook moves create a lot of noise.
Poetic devices used-
“I” (Line-1) – The whole poem brook is personified ‘hern’ is an example of poetic license. The word ‘hero’ has been turned into ‘hern’ to match the rhyming word ‘hern’.
‘I’ ………………………….(Line – 1)
‘I’…………………………..(Line – 2) Anaphora
“Sudden sally” (Alliteration)
“Bicker” – (onomatopoeia)
3. By thirty hills I hurry down,
Or slip between the ridges.
By twenty thorpes, a little town,
And half a hundred bridges.
Ans.- The brook flows down along hills. Sometimes, it also glides between long and narrow hill ranges, called ridges. Thorpes refer to small villages or hamlets. Between two small towns, the brook passes several thorpes and a large number of bridges. The numbers used in this line such as ‘thirty’, ‘twenty’, ‘half a hundred’ should not be taken in the literal sense. These numbers are used to give the impression of ‘several’ or ‘many’ and to maintain the rhythm of the poem.
4. Till last by Philip’s farm, I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go,
But I go on forever.
Ans.- Finally, the brook passes Philip’s farm and flows into the overflowing river. The brook further states that men are transient. They come and go over time. But it outlives men and continues forever. The lines ‘For men may come and men may go,/But I go on forever.’, are repeated several times in the entire poem.
Till last by Philip’s farm I flow (inversion)
Men may (Alliteration)
Come………………… go (Line-3) (Antithesis)
5. I chatter over stony ways, 2017
In little sharps and trebles,
I bubble into eddying bays,
I babble on the pebbles.
Ans.- As the brook flows over stony paths, its water makes a chattering sound. This sound is high pitched, notes in music). As water flows past an obstacle, a reverse motion is created that leads to swirling. These are known as eddies. A lot of bubbles are also formed. S the brook flows over pebbles, the sound it makes is similar to that made while talking while talking rapidly. Hence the phrase, babble on the pebbles’.
‘Chatter’, ‘treble’, ‘babble’ – onomatopoeia.
6. With many a curve my banks I fret
By many a fairy foreland set
With willow-weed and mallow.
Ans.- The brook does not flow in a straight line. It makes a lot of turns and etches out a path full of curves. ‘Fret’ means ‘fuss’ or ‘worry’. The brook forms so many curves, that it seems as if it is constantly troubling its banks to change shape. The brook continues beside many fields as well as fallow lands. ‘Fairy forelands’ refer to promontories. These are masses of land that overlook the brook. These promontories are home to plants such as willow-weed and mallow. The Brook passes them on its journey.
“With many a curve my banks I fret” – Inversion.
“fairly foreland”, “with willow seeds” – Alliteration.
7. I chatter, chatter, as I flow
To join the brimming river,
For men may come and men may go
But I go on forever.
Ans.- As the brook flows, on its way to the overflowing river, it makes a continuous sound. The sound is like that of people talking. Hence, the line ‘I chatter, chatter, as I flow”. The brook repeats that although men are transient, it goes on forever.
Chatter chatter- Repetition
Chatter – Onomatopoeia
Chatter chatter, men may Alliteration.
8. I wind about, and in and out,
With here a blossom sailing,
And here and there a lusty trout,
And here and there a grayling,
Ans. The brook coils and twists on its way to the river. An occasional flower can be seen on its surface. The floating blossom appears to be sailing on the brook. The brook is also home to freshwater fish like trout and grayling. The trout is a vigorous and energetic fish. Hence Tennyson calls it ‘lusty’.
…………………. and in and out – Antithesis
………………… about and – Alliteration
Here and there – Repetition.
9. And here and there a foamy flake
Upon me, as I travel
With many a silvery water break
Above the golden gravel,
Ans. Due to occasional turbulent flow, flakes of foam are produced, which float on the flowing brook. Water breaks are breaks on the brook’s surface caused by unevenness of its bed. These water breaks reflect the sun that makes them appear silver. Gravel is usually of a brownish yellow hue. Hence the phrase, ‘golden gravel’.
here and there – Antithesis
foamy flake, golden gravel – Alliteration
10. I steal by lawns and grassy plots,
I slide by hazel covers;
I move the sweet forget-me-nots
That grow for happy lovers.
Ans. The brook flows by grassy stretches. It passes by land covered with hazel (a type of shrub). Forget-me-nots are low growing plants with bright blue flowers. They often grow on the banks of streams, sometimes even touching the water surface. Forget-me-not flowers are often a sign of faithfulness and enduring love. Hence they are often associated with lovers. As the brook flows, it gently moves the flowers that touch the water.
11. I murmur under moon and stars
In brambly wildernesses;
I linger by my shingly bars;
I loiter round my cresses;
Ans. Wilderness refers to a wild and uninhabited region. Brambles are often found in such places. Hence Tennyson refers to such regions as ‘brambly wildernesses’. In quiet nights, as the brook passes over numerous pebbles and uneven land, it makes a certain sound. In the silent wilderness, such sounds can be clearly heard. The sound reminds one of murmuring. It is as if the brook is talking to itself.
Shingles are accumulated masses of small pebbles. Elevated regions in a brook made of such an accumulated mass, deposited by flow, are referred to as ‘shingly bars’. Shingles are usually found in the slowest moving part of a brook. Hence the brook says that it ‘lingers’ by such places. Cresses, in this case, refer to watercress that often grows on the edges of brooks. As the brook passes these tufts of watercress, its water seems to coalesce among the plants. Hence Tennyson uses the world ‘loiter’ is used.
The brook leaves the wilderness, the ‘shingly bars’ and the watercress behind and flows in graceful curves towards the river.
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