THE LAMENTATION OF THE OLD PENSIONER | Questions And Answers

Questions and answers for "The Lamentation Of the Old Pensioner".
Writer - William Butler Yeats.

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms.

Born: June 13, 1865, Sandymount, Republic of Ireland
Died: January 28, 1939, Menton, France
Poems: Lake Isle of Innisfree, Easter, 1916, Adam's Curse, more
Plays: Cathleen ni Houlihan, At the Hawk's Well, Purgatory, more

W. B. Yeats/Quotes 

But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams. 

Education is not the filling of a pail, but rather the lighting of a fire. 

And say my glory was I had such friends.

Also Read:

1. The Lamentation Of the Old Pensioner - WordMeanings And Translation In Nepali

2. The Lamentation Of the Old Pensioner - Summary In English

Question-Answers Of 'The Lamentation Of The Old Pensioner':

Understanding and Interpretation:

Question No. 1: Explain the title of the poem. ( कविताको शीर्षकको व्याख्या गर्नुहोस्। )
Answer: The title of the poem 'The lamentation of the Old Pensioner is apt ( सुहाउँदो ). The whole poem presents the agonies ( चिन्ता ) of an old pensioner. The speaker, an extremely old man, feels sorry for the physical loss he has suffered. He has been badly transfigured by cruel time. He has lost much of youthful vigour ( शक्ति ), beauty and zeal ( उत्साह, जोश ). He holds Time as the only culprit ( दोषी ) for his miserable condition. This poem presents the plight ( नियति ) of an old man. The poem is about the lamentation ( विलाप, क्रन्दन ) of an old pensioner.

Question No. 2: What does the poem add to our knowledge of the old man (his character, attitude, circumstances) ? ( बुढा मानिस प्रतिको हाम्रो ज्ञान उसको स्वाभाव, अवधारणा, परिस्थिति मा यस कविताले के कुरा थप्छ ? )

Answer: The poem shows that when a person becomes old, the memories of the by-gone days are revived more vividly. He has a deep desire to relive his past but now the circumstances are not the same. He is physically distorted, transfigured, not at all attractive. The desire to return to the young days is intense in an old man but he is physically constrained ( शक्तिहीन, बाध्य ). Moreover, one absolute point this poem makes is that Time is the most powerful force. The old man can criticize and denounce Time and even spit on its face but nothing can make the changes it brings ineffective.

Question No. 3: Write a paragraph on An Old Man Remembers. ( 'बुढो मान्छे स्मरण गर्छ' भन्ने शीर्षक माथि एक अनुच्छेद लेख। )

Answer: Old age is a period of life when a man finds himself physically helpless. It is a time when one lacks energy, vigour and enthusiasm to work. There is no much motivation, either. We would all want to remain young but that can't happen. It becomes extremely difficult to reconcile oneself to one's old age. An old man has little to look forward to. The only thing that he can do is remember the wonderful, exciting and romantic things that he did in the by-gone days of his youth and childhood. The old man remembers how he used to flit ( एक ठाउँबाट अर्को ठाउँमा पुग्नु ) from one place to another and first with young girls. He remembers how agile and healthy he was. He remembers how fast time passed and how dreamy those beautiful days were. An old man not only remembers those things but sometimes even feels a strange pleasure by recreating the feelings and experiences as artists do and even by philosophizing the agonizing ( पीडादायक ) feelings of change.

Question No. 4: Write an essay on Youth and Age. ( जवानी र वृध्दावास्थाका बारेमा निबन्ध लेख। )

Answer: Youth is a stage of human life when a man is full of vigour ( शक्ति ), enthusiasm and hopes. It is the spring of life. He is quick, active and adventurous. He is prepared to meet challenges and is not afraid of odds ( समस्या, बाधा ). Youth is the most important, enjoyable and precious period in human life. Life becomes a joy and the agonizing feeling of fleeting time little troubles a youth. He feasts on the gifts of youth such as love, freedom, vigour, etc. Few people are sad and unhappy when young. Youth is a sweet for almost all humans. If they could, they would say young for ever and enjoy the pleasures.

However, the painful reality of life is that one who is born has to pass through various stages of life before he meets his fate. In contrast to youth, old age is, most of the times, a burden upon life. The full-bloomed blossoms of the spring of life turn grey and dry. The vigour of youth disappears. He loses all charms and tries to escape the painful reality of life by recalling the beauties of the by-gone days and even by philosophizing the painful feelings. Wrinkles ( चाउरी ) grows on his face. His eyes are wet with tears. He is forced to bear with diseases and insults. Old age becomes an object of pity and has not a company to smile and share joys with. It is a period when one lives in memories and imagination. One spends the moments of life by remembering the love, achievements, adventures and other sweet moments of the by-gone days of the youth.

Important Extra Questions:

Question No. 1: Describe the shifts in subject matter in the three stanzas.

Answer: The first stanza presents the comparison of the speaker's present state with his happy moments of the past. The second stanza states what the speaker observes around him and what his thought centres on. Although some crazy rascals are fighting against the cruel government, he only wonders Time has changed him. The last stanza mentions his present neglected situation. Thus, the shifts depicted the feeling of agony in the old man and his anger towards time.

Question No. 2: Why is the old man angry with Time ? Or Why does the old man spit into the face of time ?

Answer: The old man spits into the face of time because he is angry with it. Time has changed him into an old , weak, and unattractive man. He had very happy moment before the time made him old. He had many lovers and friends to share his feelings and talk to. Now, he is like a cactus. No woman looks at him due to his age. Therefore, he spits into the face of time, i.e. shows anger towards time.

Question No. 3: What things does the speaker lament about ? Why does he lament about them ?

Answer: The speaker laments the loss of his vigorous youth, his friends, and lovers. When he was young, he used to sit by the fire with his friend and talk about love and politics. Now, he has become like a broken tree. No woman gets attracted to him. Therefore, he expresses his sadness at what he has lost.

On Request [Additional Question-Answers]:

Question No. 1: Explain the significance of the poem.

Answer: The significance of the poem is it conveys the message that time is all powerful. Nothing except change itself is permanent, which is a natural process. Time transforms everything sooner or later. This is a universal truth and we have to accept it. We may remember and miss our beautiful old days but it is impossible to retain what is gone. Although the speaker in the poem laments and curses the almighty time, there is no way he can escape it's influence and become young again.

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