Class X English - Chapter 17 - King Bruce and the Spider

Central Idea
Reference

this poem is written by Eliza cook (1818-1889). Born in London, she was the youngest of seven children. She was entirely self-educated and wrote verses from the age of fourteen. Her first volume being published at seventeen. In 1849, she edited and published, "Eliza Cooks Journal." Her work is simple and highly moral. In this poem, she teaches the reader what she always practiced in her own life to keep on trying and never to be discouraged.


Theme

"Where there is a will, there is a way."

or

"The world is his who her patients and industry."


Central Idea

The central idea of this poem is that we should cultivate a strong will - power and a hopeful attitude to life, be bold through thick and thin, counting no labour loss and our heart within than. Almighty creator will surely help us if we adopt such a coarse. As it is also said, "The world is his who has patience and industry."




Summary
the poetess has expressed the true sense of life in this poem. Solution to the problems of life and key to the success are being preached in this poem in a dramatic style.

This poem tells the story of the king Bruce of Scotland. Once he was defeated by the English men. He took refuge in a cave. Due to his repeated failures, he was very grieve. King Bruce mentally accepted his defeat from the English men.

One day, he was pondering at the point of his defeat, he watched a spider who was try8ng to reach to her cobweb. Thread was the only pathway for the spider to reach her destination. Spider started her voyage with great anxiety and force. But the spider come down to the initial stage where it had started her journey. King Bruce was showing issurity on the foolish attempts to reach the destination that spider will not try again.

However the spider succeeded in the 10th attempt to reach its cobweb. Afte the success to spider the King Bruce sounded in a optimistic order. "All honour to those who tries persistently." King Bruce resoluted in heart to try once more in order to get the win over on his enemies." At last he succeeded.




Question and Answers
Q.1 What lesson did the King learn from the spider?

Ans. The persistent tries of spider gave a positive spin to the thoughts of King Bruce and taught him that we are to be persistent and bold to achieve our aim of life. Continuous struggle to the main aim always produces a favourable result. We should try hard without caring for the resistance and circumstances of life.


Q.2. What do you know about King Bruce of Scotland?

Ans. King Bruce of Scotland was a very generous and patriotic Emperor. Once he fight with the British Army who wants to make a British colony in Scotland, but he was defeated. As he wanted to defeat his enemy, that's why he made several attempts to get back his domain but he failed.


Q.3 What do you know about King Bruce of Scotland?

Ans. Eliza cook (1818-1889) was born in London. In 1849 she edited and published "Eliza cook's Journal." Her work is simple and highly moral and she teaches the readers what she always practiced in her life; to keep on trying and never to be discouraged.


Q.4 What is meant by poetess when she says that "a great deed"?

Ans. The poetess has used the words "a great hard" for the King Bruce. He had been trying hard to protect his domain from the contaminated hands of enemy. As the protection of country keeps a very high rank among the man's priorities of life, that's why the poetess called it "a great deed".


Q.5 What resemblance, does the poetess find between the King Bruce and the Spider?

Ans. The points of similarity between the King Bruce and the spider were that the aim was quite far away from both of them. Both of them were having a very slightest hope to achieve success i.e. the spider had a single thread to reach the cobweb and the King Bruce also had a very tiny hope to win over his enemies.


Q.6 Why did the King Bruce or poetess call the spider "Brave".

Ans. The poetess call the spider brave because it was very persistent and tried hard to complete her task. Although she suffered several failures, but she did not show any grieverence on the disportual of its fate. It went on making attempt and at last its persistent tries put it into the cobweb.


Idioms
To put into practice: to carry out in deeds.

Example: The soldiers put into practice the training they got in military school.

Sentence: We should put into practice the spirit of patriotism for our country.


2. A wild goose chose: An enterprise which will not succeed.

Example: The old man ran after the boy but a wild goose chase him.

Sentence: The coast guards ran after the criminals in their boats on a wild goose chase.


3. To end in smoke: To have no result, to come to nothing.

Example: Unless you preserve, your work will end in smoke.

Sentence: The soldiers struggled hard to destroy the foe's base but it ended in smoke.


4. At a lost: Puzzled, not knowing what to do.

Example: I misplaced the book and I was at a loss: how to manage it.

Sentence: Someone stole by Physics book and I was at a loss ho to prepare for the Physics test.


5. With flying colours: To emerge successfully from some difficult task.

Example: Our team returned from the match with flying colours.

Sentence: Pakistan succeeded in the 1965 war with flying colours.