TO THE MOON | Critical Appreciation | Question-Answers

'TO THE MOON'
Writer : P(ercy) B(ysshe) Shelley

P.B. Shelley is a famous romantic poet. He has written many brilliant lyrical poems and dramas. He was an atheist (नास्तिक) in religion and gave several speeches on the repeal (खण्डन) of the union and Catholic emancipation (मुक्ति, मोक्ष). He refused to concretize his experiences, feelings and intuitions (अन्तर्ज्ञान) into religious doctrine. The poet in his poem "To The Moon" describes the joyless moon which does not find anything constant in this world. It is always changing. Therefore it seems to be in quest (खोजी) of constancy.

Word Meanings in Nepali of 'TO THE MOON'
'TO THE MOON' Nepali Word Meanings
Nepali Meanings 'TO THE MOON'

Vocabulary
Art	are
Thou	you
Weariness	tiredness, especially as a result of effort or stress (थकान)
Companionless	friendless (साथी विना, एक्लै)
Constancy	firmness (स्थिरता)

नेपालीमा सारांश (Translation Of 'To The Moon' In Nepali):

हे चन्द्रमा स्वर्ग तर्फ चढ्दा र धर्तितिर हेरि रहँदा थाकेर पहेँलो भएको होस् ? विभिन्न जन्म र स्थान भएका ताराहरुको बीचमा सदा परिवर्तन भइ रहने, खुशी विहिन आँखा जसले स्थिरताको लागि कुनै वस्तु पाउँदैन जस्तै एक्लै भौतारिरहेको।

Critical Appreciation Of 'To The Moon':

"To The Moon" is very short and interesting poem. It is one sentence poem that describes the moon in detail. The moon is the symbol of mother Goddess and it is believed that she imparts (बाँड्छ) the piece and prosperity (सम्बृद्दी) to the people of the world. But the poem evaluates the moon from different angles (कोण). He finds the moon joyless that does not find anything constant on the earth. The moon has her own course and she is always in motion. She is alone in the sky amongst the stars which are not the moons. The moon is changing like the joyless eyes that find no constant object. Everything in this universe is inconstant and is separate entity. Everyone, though among friends, is alone and wandering here and there and of course is in quest of constancy.

The moon is personified (व्यक्तिकरण गरिएको) in this poem. He finds that the moon is not energetic (फुर्तिलो) but pale due to weariness of climbing up the heaven and looking down the earth continuously. The journey of the moon is endless and it is certain that it is a repetitive journey and there is no progress or forward movement. On the other hand the moon has the pang (पिडा) of being changed continuously. The moon is alone in the sky because the stars are of low origin, nobility and birth. Nothing equals the moon in the sky. She is noble and elegantly (भव्यरुपले) born but she is also not perfect. She is in quest of constancy.

तपाईलाई थाहा छ ?

simile भनेको "like" वा "as" प्रयोग गरेर दुई वटा वस्तुहरुको समानताको कम्जोर किसिमको तुलना हो। कवितामा चन्द्रमा आनन्द रहित आँखा जस्तै छ। आनन्द रहित आँखा संग चन्द्रमाको तुलना गर्नु simile हो। 

Question-Answers Of 'To The Moon':

1. What is the poem about ? (कविता के को बारेमा छ ?)

Ans: The poem is about the inconsistent (अस्थिर) nature of the moon. The poet describes the endless journey of the moon, that is, all alone in the sky.

2. Why do the stars have different birth ? (ताराहरुको जन्म किन फरक भएको हो ?)

Ans: The poet is distinguishing between the moon and the stars. The moon has different origin than that of the stars. The stars are the masses having their own light and constant position but the moon revolves round the sun. So, the moon is inconstant mass and does not have the light of her own.

3. Who is seeking constancy ? Is moon constant ? Is anything else constant ? (कसले स्थिरता खोजिरहेको छ ? चन्द्रमा स्थिर छ ? केही कुरा स्थिर छ ?)

Ans: The moon is inconstant mass and is seeking constancy. The shape and size of the moon is changing. Actually nothing is constant in the universe. Everything is changing perhaps seeking constancy.

Question No. 4: Write five similes comparing the moon to something else each time. (चन्द्रमालाई अरु कुनै वस्तु सँग तुलना गरेर पाँच वटा उपमा अलंकारहरु लेख्नुहोस्।)

Answer: The moon is like a lonely person. The moon is calm like somber (अन्धकार) evening. The moon is loving like a newly born baby. The moon is tired as the ploughman. The moon is beautiful like a rose bud.

Question No. 5: Is "like a joylesseye" an apt simile ? Explain. (खुसिरहित आँखा जस्तै भन्ने उपयुक्त उपमा हो ? व्याख्या गर्नुहोस्।)

Answer: The waxing and waning of the moon is compared here with the joyless eyes of any beholder (दर्शक). Our eyes always go for something beautiful. Like the unsatisfied and therefore joyless eyes, the moon also seems to be changing its phase. The extreme beauty does not last forever and our eyes go on shifting from one object to the other. Similarly the moon also is not satisfied with her changing state and is seeking constancy.

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