READING COMPREHENSION (CLASS 9 AND 10)

Solved Worksheet 9 

THE BANGLE SELLERS

By Sarojini Naidu

Sarojini Naidu (13 February 1879 – 2 March 1949) was an Indian political activist and poet. A proponent of civil rights, women's emancipation, and anti-imperialistic ideas, she was an important figure in India's struggle for independence from colonial rule.

1.     Bangle sellers are we who bear
Our shining loads to the temple fair...
Who will buy these delicate, bright
Rainbow-tinted circles of light?
Lustrous tokens of radiant lives,
For happy daughters and happy wives.

2. Some are meet for a maiden's wrist,
Silver and blue as the mountain mist,
Some are flushed like the buds that dream
On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream,
Some are aglow with the bloom that cleaves
To the limpid glory of new born leaves

3. Some are like fields of sunlit corn,
Meet for a bride on her bridal morn,
Some, like the flame of her marriage fire,
Or, rich with the hue of her heart's desire,
Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear,
Like her bridal laughter and bridal tear.

4. Some are purple and gold flecked grey
For she who has journeyed through life midway,
Whose hands have cherished, whose love has blest,
And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast,
And serves her household in fruitful pride,
And worships the gods at her husband's side.

Read the poem carefully and answer the following questions:
1. What is meant by ‘shining loads’ ? (stanza 1)
2. Where do they carry the bangles to sell? (stanza 1)
3. Why are bangles called rainbow-tinted circles of light? (stanza 1)
4. Why are the bangles called lustrous tokens of radiant lives. (stanza 1)
5. Pick out words and phrases in stanza 2 that represents young unmarried women.
6. Pick out the words and phrases in stanza 3 that refers to the colour of the bangles.
7. Why are the bangles tinkling luminous tender and clear? (stanza 3)
8. What do we find striking in the use of the words, bridal laughter and bridal tear. (stanza 3)
9. For whom are the purple and gold flecked grey bangles meant for? (stanza 4 )
10. Briefly describe the qualities of Indian woman as described by the poet in Stanza 4?
Answers

1. Shining loads refers to bright coloured bangles that bangle sellers carry.

2. They carry bangles to sell them at the temple fair.

3. By referring to the bangles as ‘rainbow-tinted circles of light’, the poet indicates to the various colours of bangles that are shiny and resembling a circle of light. This is a good metaphor used to highlight the happiness and prosperity attached with the bangles.

4. The bangles are called lustrous tokens of radiant lives because they are meant for happy daughter and happy wives. It express the happiness of daughter at young age . Also it shows the joy that a married woman has in her marital life .

5. maiden's wrist, the buds that dream, bloom that cleaves these three phrases represent young woman the poet also refers to the chastity of Indian woman by using these phrases.

6. sunlit corn, refers to yellow colour of bangles. flame of her marriage fire, refers to red colour.

7. The bangles are ‘tinkling, luminous, tender and clear’. They express both her joy of starting a new life with her husband and the sorrow of leaving her parents behind.

8. These words convey the whole of a woman’s transition in life from a maiden to a wife and all the emotions attached with it in a single line. This stanza marks the transition of life from a maiden to a wife.

9. They are suited for middle aged woman who has journeyed through their life.

10. They are for her who has raised her children well, and has remained faithful to her husband and family. These bangles are, they say, perfect for she who has maintained her household with pride and worships the gods at her husband's side. In this stanza, the poet writes down what she perceives as the qualities of a good wife. Such a woman is truly deserving of the purple and gold flecked grey bangles in her eyes. Here we should pay attention to the word ‘sons’ used to mean offspring. The poet also repeats that Indian woman are faithful and loyal to their husbands While it could be a happy coincidence, it could also suggest the ingrained attitude of male preference in the society of Sarojini Naidu’s times.