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WORKSHEET 6
Macavity: The Mystery Cat
ABOUT THE POET
Born in Missouri on September 26, 1888, T. S. Eliot (1988-1965)is the author of The Waste Land, which is now considered by many to be the most influential poetic work of the twentieth century.
STANZA 1
Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw—
For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, the Flying Squad’s despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime—Macavity’s not there!
1. Is Macavity a real cat ? If not, who can Macavity be?
Macavity is a cunning cat. If not a cat, he can be an expert thief or criminal or a mysterious creature.
2. Who is a master criminal?
A master criminal is one who evades arrest and escapes from the scene of crime.
3. Why is the Scotland yard baffled?
The Scotland Yard is baffled because it fails to get a clue about the criminal.
4. Why is the flying squad unable to catch him?
Flying Squad is not able to catch hold of him, because Macavity moves much faster than them.
STANZA 2
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
He’s broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity.
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare,
And when you reach the scene of crime—Macavity’s not there!
You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air—
But I tell you once and once again, Macavity’s not there!
levitation - floating in the air without support
5. A cat, I am sure, could walk on a cloud without coming through”. (Jules Verne)
Which law is Macavity breaking in the light of the comment above?
He breaks of the law of Gravitation by Newton.
6. What is the most remarkable thing about Macavity?
Macavity defies all laws. He even defies the law of gravity. He levitates himself in air, he possesses supernatural powers. He is so confident in his powers that whenever a crime is discovered, Macavity disappears from the scene without leaving any trace.
7. What gifts does Macavity have that will make even a fakir stare in wonder?
Macavity has the gift of levitation(floating in air). A fakir is a master of levitation. But even he will be shocked the cat’s power of levitation.
Macavity is tall and thin. His eyes are sunken. His look is pensive and his head is corned. He has dust colour skin and rough whiskers.
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
For he’s a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity.
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square—
But when a crime’s discovered, then Macavity’s not there!
STANZA 3
Macavity’s a ginger cat, he’s very tall and thin;
You would know him if you saw him, for his eyes are sunken in.
His brow is deeply lined with thought, his head is highly domed;
His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed.
He sways his head from side to side, with movements like a snake;
And when you think he’s half asleep, he’s always wide awake.
Macavity is tall and thin. His eyes are sunken. His look is pensive and his head is corned. He has dust colour skin and rough whiskers.
9. How does it move?
Macavity moves like a snake.
10. What does he do with his head?
He sways his head from side to side.
11. What is the position when one thinks him half asleep?
When one thinks him half asleep, he is actually wide awake.
12. What kind of cat is Macavity?
Macavity is a ginger cat. It means he is tall and thin, not round and bulky
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
For he’s a fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity.
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square—
But when a crime’s discovered, then Macavity’s not there!
STANZA 5
He’s outwardly respectable. (They say he cheats at cards.)
And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard’s.
And when the larder’s looted, or the jewel-case is rifled,
Or when the milk is missing, or another Peke’s been stifled,
Or the greenhouse glass is broken, and the trellis past repair—
Ay, there’s the wonder of the thing! Macavity’s not there!
14. Why does the poet call Macavity ‘outwardly respectable’?
The poet passes satirical remarks on its peculiar activities. He calls Macavity outwardly respectable owing to show its meanness and also to rebuke (to castigate) for its misdeeds on a comical note. Macavity is cunning and indistinct (hidden). It has ever remained contrivance (skilled).
STANZA 6
And when the Foreign Office find a Treaty’s gone astray,
Or the Admiralty lose some plans and drawings by the way,
There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair—
But it’s useless to investigate—Macavity’s not there!
15. There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair.
16. Who does the Secret Service suspect when a loss is reported?
Macavity does the secret service suspect when a loss is reported.
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity.
He always has an alibi, and one or two to spare:
At whatever time the deed took place—MACAVITY WASN’T THERE!
17. Where is he at the time of crime ?
He is in a by-street or in the square when a crime is discovered. He always has one or two alibi.
18. How is he different from the rest?
Other cats are lazy and just stay in the kitchen and take the food offered by their master. But Macavity is agile and defies law of the land and laws of gravity.. Despite doing all wicked things, he pretends to be innocent. So the poet claims one can never come across such a cat of “Deceitfulness and suavity”
Other cats like Mangojerrie and Griddlebone but,they cannot be compared with Macavity whose activities are wonderful and confusing. It is unique and unparallel.
20. Make a list of crimes Macavity is capable of.
Macavity is able to commit various types of crimes. It drinks milk, misplaces Jewel-Box, removes important documents, indulges in various other impure and humiliating acts, which causes much damage to the society. (But, the funny thing is, Macavity is not there.
The poet passes satirical remarks on its peculiar activities. He calls Macavity outwardly respectable owing to show its meanness and also to rebuke (to castigate) for its misdeeds on a comical note. Macavity is cunning and indistinct (hidden). It has ever remained contrivance (skilled).
STANZA 6
And when the Foreign Office find a Treaty’s gone astray,
Or the Admiralty lose some plans and drawings by the way,
There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair—
But it’s useless to investigate—Macavity’s not there!
15. There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair.
But it’s useless to investigate……. Elaborate.
The poet says these words while discussing the left over evidences of crime. The Scotland yard police and the flying squads are guardians of peace in London. They keep watch. But whenever Macavity does a crime, he leaves before the police arrives. The clues like empty larder, rifled jewel case, disappearance of a treaty or drawings from the office or admiralty may lead to some shredded bits of paper lying on the floor or the staircase. But these bits of paper can’t help the police nab Macavity. They know it is the work of Macavity but they are helpless. Not a trace is left behind by mysterious Macavity.
STANZA 7
And when the loss has been disclosed, the Secret Service say:
‘It must have been Macavity!’—but he’s a mile away.
You’ll be sure to find him resting, or a-licking of his thumbs;
Or engaged in doing complicated long division sums.
And when the loss has been disclosed, the Secret Service say:
‘It must have been Macavity!’—but he’s a mile away.
You’ll be sure to find him resting, or a-licking of his thumbs;
Or engaged in doing complicated long division sums.
16. Who does the Secret Service suspect when a loss is reported?
Macavity does the secret service suspect when a loss is reported.
STANZA 8
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity.
He always has an alibi, and one or two to spare:
At whatever time the deed took place—MACAVITY WASN’T THERE!
17. Where is he at the time of crime ?
He is in a by-street or in the square when a crime is discovered. He always has one or two alibi.
18. How is he different from the rest?
Other cats are lazy and just stay in the kitchen and take the food offered by their master. But Macavity is agile and defies law of the land and laws of gravity.. Despite doing all wicked things, he pretends to be innocent. So the poet claims one can never come across such a cat of “Deceitfulness and suavity”
STANZA 9
And they say that all the Cats whose wicked deeds are widely known
(I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone)
Are nothing more than agents for the Cat who all the time
Just controls their operations: the Napoleon of Crime!
19. There are other cats like Mungojerrie and Griddlebone, but there’s no one like Macavity. Why?And they say that all the Cats whose wicked deeds are widely known
(I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone)
Are nothing more than agents for the Cat who all the time
Just controls their operations: the Napoleon of Crime!
Other cats like Mangojerrie and Griddlebone but,they cannot be compared with Macavity whose activities are wonderful and confusing. It is unique and unparallel.
20. Make a list of crimes Macavity is capable of.
Macavity is able to commit various types of crimes. It drinks milk, misplaces Jewel-Box, removes important documents, indulges in various other impure and humiliating acts, which causes much damage to the society. (But, the funny thing is, Macavity is not there.
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