Accomplishments Poem Questions and Answers & Summary by Elizabeth Ralph Mertz

OU Degree 6th Sem English – Accomplishments Poem Questions and Answers & Summary

Comprehension I (Short Answer Questions)

Question 1.
Make a list of all the housework that women do In the poem.
Answer:
Women needs to take care of the toddlers. Providing them with food when the kids are hungry taking care of all the things when the kids mess up the toys she has to dean up all, Giving bath, dressing up the children, setting up the table, washing clothes, calming them when they fight with each other, separating all the linens with the socks. Moreover, working and thinking and managing their child’s development and growth. Above all she also does her studies and takes up her career.

Question 2.
Make a list of the professions or occupations of the men in the poem.
Answer:
Men in the poem and their professions. Aristotle is an Ancient Greek Philosopher, Milton is a poet, Dante was medieval Italian poet, Socrates a Greek Philosopher who is one of the founders of Western Philosophy, Shakeshpeare. famous English dramatest, Plato, ancient Greek philosopher. Edmund Burke, Irish Statesman, Aesop, Greek storyteller, Newton, English Scientest, Darwin, English Biologist, Holmes and Brandeis influential judges of the suprement Court of the united states in early 20th century.

Question 3.
What is the difference between the kinds of work that men and women do?
Answer:
There is a lot of difference between the kinds of work that men and women do. Men participate in the public sphere. They are consider as provider and protector to the family. Whereas women to all domestic household works, of both the home and family. There labour is unpaid and invisible.

Question 4.
Some of the names mentioned In the poem are of men who were great champions of the aights of the individual. Is the poem highlighting the ironic gap between what they preached and what they practised?
Answer:
Yes, of course the poem is highlighting the ironic gap between what the famous personalities mentioned in the poem about what they preached and what they practise, their success is due to a woman who took care of the home and all the members in the family.

Comprehension II (Essay Type Answer Questions)

Question 1.
Describe the central idea of the poem with appropriate examples.
Answer
The central idea of he poem ‘Accomplishment’ deals with the gender roles and highlights the differential expectations for mothers and fathers. The poem describes how men and women seen to operate in two distinct spheres while women are naturally expected to take care of the domestic sphere. The poet quotes so many examples where women are much greater doing all the household task, managing both the children and as well as husband. She juggles with two or more activities at the same time and even able to get advanced degrees taking up a career bringing laurels to her and the family.

Question 2.
Is the poem supporting or opposing a division of labour between men and women? Justify your answer.
Answer:
Yes, of course the poem is supporting a division of labour between men and women. It has been observed from ages that women does all the household works taking care of children, husband and many more She is really a multi tasker. Feeding the family, washing clothes, utensils, setting right the table and the things at home, hushing the tots above all thinking of her career women manges everything inspite of hectic domestic work. Men are only concerned about their work not like women. They protect the family and provides whatever is required. But it would be good if there will be equal share of work at home and work place between men and women.

Question 3.
Is the poem praising women who balance career and family or suggesting that men should share housework? Explain.
Answer:
The poem ‘Accomplishments praises women who balance career and family in a world where women are constantly being undermined and underestimated, we dont need to add on to that anymore by allowing ourselves to adopt that same mindset. it really appreciates women who manages house and work without giving anyone to complaint against her.

Yes, it is one way a suggestion to men who thinks that their success lies on their hard work alone rather they should realize behind a mans success there is a woman’s hand because if she will not take care of kids and family setting everything right, it is very hard for a man to go either way. In this regard, men should also help a women in household works because children are not only the responsibility of a women also as she begets the but men should also nurture them.

Question 4.
Since all the people named in the poem are historical figures, do you consider It to be a poem about the past? Discuss the contemporary relevance of the poem’s theme.
Answer:
In the poem ‘Accomplishments’ we find Elizabeth Ralph Mertz mentions about historical figures from the past like Aristotle, Milton, Dante, Shakespeare, Socrates, Plato, Edmund Burke, Homer Aesop, Newton, Darwin. Holmes and Brandies who have created their name in the world history by their works, teachings inventions etc.

Though the poem is all about the great personalities from the past it is related to the contemporary world. It has more relevance to the present. Earlier days women used to take care of family taking cure of all the household work and the overall development of their children. But as the days passed by we all know that we are in a hustle-bustle world where even women are educated and working helping the men financially too. Women became more self-reliant building their careers independently.

Accomplishments Poem Summary in English

Elizabeth Ralph Mertz is a professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School, where she teaches law courses. She is a leading linguistic and legal anthropologist and a pioneer in the field of law and language. While her early research focused on language, identity and politics in Cape Breton Island in Canada, her later research examines the language of US legal education. Her publications include The Language of Law School: Learning to “Think” Like a Lawyer (2007).

First published in Radcliffe Quarterly (1975), “Accomplishments” deals with gender roles and in a humorous manner highlights the differential expectations for mothers and fathers. The poem describes how men and women seem to operate in two distinct spheres; while women are ‘naturally’ expected to take care of the domestic sphere, men are as ‘naturally’ expected to participate in the public sphere.

Traditionally, a man’s role is seen as the provider and protector and a woman’s as the caretaker of both the home and the family. While men’s contribution to society is celebrated, women’s ‘invisible labour’ at home goes unacknowledged and of course, unpaid. While underlining how doubly difficult it is for women to succeed, the poem also implies that women’s success in the public sphere is noticed and remarked upon precisely because it is considered unusual.

The poem is all about the historical figures in the past whose names are mentioned and their work which gave them fame and name. It goes like this when Aristotle who is an ancient Greek Philosopher wrote his books, when Milton an English poet and intellectual wrote his epic poem ‘Paradise lost’, they were not busy with their little ones at the knee who troubled them to feed them as it is dinner time, Donte, medievel Italian poet famous for his epic poem.

‘The Divine Comedy’, which gives the description of the nine circles of hell and Shakespeare, an English playwright, poet and actor started to write a sonnet, their junior never interrupted them to put ketchup on their cake. Edmund Burke, Irish Statesman who spoke about revolutions, he did not spent his time washing his kids. He spent his time and strength to speak about revolutions. Whatever work they did, the credit goes to their better halves who did the all household work.

When socrates, Greek Photosopher famous for his Western Philosophy while teaching to youth, and Plato, Greek Philosopher who wrote the ‘Phaedo’ they did not clean the art and craft models of their children. When homer, an ancient Greek poet who wrote Tlliad’ or Aesop, Greek storyteller told his tale, they were not bothered about who will set the table at home. Their wives used to the bothered all the work.

When Newton, English Scientist who invented the calculus worked hard in the lab, he did not compare the whiteness of his laundry with the brand of laundry detergent. When Darwin, English Biologist famous for his theory evolution published in his book ‘On the origin of species’ (1859) he did not get food nor he hushed his tots saying them not to tease each other. It is always a women who was behind taking care of kids.

When Holmes and Brandies, influential judges of supreme court their wise judgements, they did not separate socks with he linens when the laundry was piled up to four feet high. It is all done by their wives. None of these great personalities mentioned here took care of their little ones when they were busy on their work. Then who used to do all the work for them. It is their better halves who would manage home, husband and children.

They are multitaskers helping child in the learning and their development and growth. How much greater the woman who patiently completes her higher education getting advanced degrees and take up a career. The whole praise and credit goes to this woman. If men gets the appreciation for their work how much a woman should get. Thus, the poem suggests the equal share of household work to be taken up by men as well. The poem implies women’s success in the public sphere is noticed and remarked upon precisely.

Accomplishments Poem Summary in Telugu

ఎలిజబెత్ రాల్ఫ్ మెర్ట్ యూనివర్సిటీ ఆఫ్ విస్కాన్సిన్ లా స్కూల్లో స్రొఫెసర్గా ఉన్నారు, అక్కడ ఆమె న్యాయ కోర్సులను దోధిస్తుంది. ఆమె ప్రముఖ భాషా మరియు చట్టపరమైన మానవ శాస్తవేత్త మరియు చట్టం మరియు భాషా రంగంలో మార్గదర్శకురాలు. కెనడాలోని కేప్ బ్రెటన్ ద్వీపంలో ఆమె ప్రారంథ పరిశోధన భాష, గుర్తింపు మరియు రాజకీయాలపై దృష్టి కేంద్రీకరించింది, ఆమె తర్వాత పరిశోధన US న్యాయ విద్య యొక్క భాషను పరిశీలిస్తుంది. ఆమె ప్రచురణలలో ది లాంగ్వేజ్ ఆఫ్ లా స్కూల్: లెర్నింగ్ టు “థింక్” లైక్ ఎ లాయర్ (2007) ఉన్నాయి.

రాడ్క్లిఫ్ త్రెమాసికం (1975)లో మొదట ప్రచురించబడిన, “సాధింపులు” రింగ పాత్రలతో వ్యవహరిస్తుంది మరియు హాస్యభరితమైన పద్ధతిలో తల్లులు మరియు తండ్రుల కోసం భేదాత్మక అంచనాలను హైలైట్ చేస్తుంది. ఈ పద్యం పురుషులు మరియు మహిళలు రెండు విభిన్న గోళాలలో ఎలా పని చేస్తారో వివరిస్తుంద్మి స్త్రీలు “సహజంగా’ దేశీయ రంగాన్ని జాగ్రత్తగా చూసుకోవాలని భావిస్తే, పరుషులు సహజంగా’ ప్రజా రంగంలో పాల్గొనాలని భావిస్తున్నారు.

సాంప్రదాయకంగా, ఒక వ్యక్తి యొక్క పాత్ర ప్రొవైడర్ మరియు ప్రొటెక్టర్గా మరియు ఒక మహిళ ఇల్లు మరియు కుటుంబం రెండిందికీ సంరక్షకునిగా పరిగణించబడుతుంది. సమాజానికి పురుషుల సహకారం జరుపుకుంటున్నప్పుడు, ఇంట్లో (స్తీల ‘అదృశ్య శ్రమ’ గుర్తించబడదు మరియు వాస్తవానికి చెల్లించబడదు. మహిళలు విజయం సాధించడం ఎంత రెడ్టింప కష్టమో అండర్లైన్ చేస్తూనే, పబ్లిక్ రంగంలో మహిళల విజయాన్ని అసాధారణంగా పరిగణించడం వల్ల ఖచ్చితంగా గమనించబడుతుందని మరియు వ్యాఖ్యానించబడుతుందని కవిత సూచిస్తుంది.

ఈ పద్యం గతంలో ఉన్న చారిత్రక వ్యక్తుల పేర్లను ప్రస్తావించింది మరియు వారికి కీర్తి మరియు పేరును అందించిన వారి కృషి గురించి. ప్రాచీన గ్రీకు తత్వవేత్త అయిన అరిస్టాటిల్ తన పుస్తకాలను వ్రాసినప్పుడు, ఇంగ్లీషు కవి మరియు మేధావిపై మిల్టన్ తన పురాణ కవిత ‘పారడైజ్ లాస్ట్’ రాసినప్పుడు, వారు తమ చిన్న పిల్లలతో మోకాలి వద్ద నిమగ్నమయ్యారు, వారికి ఆహారం ఇవ్వడానికి ఇబ్బంది పడ్డారు. ఇది విందు సమయం డోంటే, మధ్యస్థాయి ఇటాలియన్ కవి తన పురాణ కలానికి ప్రసిద్ధి చెందాడు.

ది డివిన్ కామెడీ’ నరకం యొక్క తొమ్మిది వృత్తాల వివరణను ఇస్తుంది మరియు ఆంగ్గ నాటక రచయిత, కవి మరియు నటుడు షేక్స్రియర్ ఒక సొనెట్ రాయడం ప్రారంభించాడు, హారి : సంర్ వారి కేక్పై కెచుప్ను ఉంచడానికి ఎప్పుడూ ఆటంకం కలిగించలేదు. ఎడ్ముండ్ బర్క్, విస్లవాల గురించి మాట్లాడిన ఐరిష్ స్టేట్స్మాన్, అతను తన పిల్లలను కడగడానికి తన సమయాన్ని వెచ్చించలేదు. విప్లవాల గురించి మాట్లాడేందుకు తన సమయాన్ని, శక్తిని వెచ్చించాడు.

సోక్రటీస్, గ్రీకు ఫోటోసోఫియర్ యువతకు దోధించేటప్పుడు పాశ్చాత్య తత్వశాస్తంలో ప్రసిద్ధి చెందాడు మరియు ప్లేటో, “ఫేడో” రాసిన గ్రీకు తత్వవేత్త, వారు తమ పిల్లల కళ మరియు క్రాఫ్ట్ నమూనాలను శుభ్రం చేయలేదు. ‘ఇలియడ్’ లేదా ఈసప్ రాసిన ప్రాచీన గ్రీకు కవి హోమర్, గ్రీకు కథకుడు తన కథను చెప్పినప్పుడు, ఇంట్లో ఎవరు గొట్టం వేస్తారనే దానిప్ఫై వారు విసుగు చెందలేదు.కాలిక్యులస్ను కనిపెట్టిన ఆంగ్ల శాస్తవేత్త న్యూటన్ ల్యాబ్లో కష్టపడి పనిచేసినప్పుడు, అతను తన లాండ్రీలోని తెల్లదనాన్ని లాండ్రీ డిటర్జెంట్ బ్రాండ్తో పోల్చలేదు.

డార్విన్, ఆంగ్ల జీవశాస్తజ్ఞుడు, జాతుల మూలం (1859)పై తన పస్తకంలో పరిణామం గురించి ప్రసిద్ది చెందినప్పుడు, అతనికి ఆహారం లభించలేదు లేదా ఒకరినాకరు ఆటపట్టించవద్దని చెప్పి తన టోట్లను మూసుకున్నాడు. హోమ్స్ మరియు బ్రాండీస్, సుప్రీం కోర్ట్ యొక్క ప్రభావవంతమైన న్యాయమూర్తులు వారి తెలివైన తీర్పులను చేసినప్పుడు, లాం[్రీ నాలుగు అడుగుల ఎత్తు వరకు పోగు చేయబడినప్పుడు వారు నారతో సాక్ణను వేరు చేయలేదు.

ఇక్కడ ప్రస్తావించబడిన ఈ గొప్ప వ్యక్తులు ఎవరూ తమ చిన్న పిల్లలను తమ పనిలో బిజీగా ఉన్నప్పుడు చూసుకోలేదు. అప్పుడు వారికి అన్ని పనులు ఎవరు చేసేవారు. ఇల్లు, భర్త మరియు పిల్లలను నిర్వహించడం వారి మంచి అర్ధభాగాల ప్రదర్శన. వారు పిల్లల అభ్యాసం మరియు వారి అభివృధ్ధి మరియు ఎడుగుదలలో సహాయపడే మల్టీ టాస్కర్లు.

ఇక్కడ ఉన్నత విద్యను పూర్తి చేసి ఉన్నత డిగ్రీలు పొంది వృత్తిని చేపట్టే స్త్రీ ఎంత గొప్పది. మొత్తం ప్రశంసలు మరియు క్రెిట్ ఈ మహిళకే చెందుతుంది. పురుషులు తమ పనికి ప్రశంసలు పొందినట్లయితే, స్తీ ఎంత పొందాలి. అందువల్ల, ఇంది పనిలో పురుషులు కూడా సమాన వాటా తీసుకోవాలని పద్యం సూచిస్తుంది. ఈ పద్యం పల్లిక్ రంగంలో మహిళల విజయాన్ని ఖచ్చితంగా గమనించి, వ్యాళ్లానించబడుతుందని సూచిస్తుంది.

Accomplishments – Elizabeth Ralph Mertz

When Aristotle wrote his books,
When Milton searched for rhyme.
Did they have toddlers at the knee
Requesting dinner time?

When Dante contemplated hell,
Or Shakespeare penned a sonnet,
Did Junior interrupt to say
His cake had ketchup on it?

When Socrates was teaching youth
And Plato wrote the Phaedo
Were they the ones to clean the mess
The children made with Play-Dob?

If Edmund Burke had had to work
On all his kids’ ablutions,
Would he have had the time and strength
To speak on Revolutions?

When Homer wrote his Iiliad
Or Aesop told a fable,
Were they concerned about whose turn
it was to set the table?

When Neon fussed with calculus
Or Labored in his lab
Did he compare the whiteness of
His laundry done with Fab?

Did food get bought when Darwin sought
The origin of the species;
Or did he have to hush the tots,
And tell them not to tease, please?

When Holmes and Brandeis donned their robes
And gave their wise opinions,
Was laundry piled up four feet high?
With socks mixed up with linens?

How much greater, then, the task
Of those who manage both,
Who juggle scholarship with child
Development and growth.
And how much greater is the praise
For those who persevere
And finish their advanced degrees
And take up a careen

Glossary:

  • Aristotle: ancient Greek philosopher who was taught by Plato
  • toddler: a young child who is just learning to walk
  • Dante: medieval Italian poet whose epic poem The Divine Comedy begins with a description of the nine circles of Hell
  • Socrates: Greek philosopher who is considered to be one of the founders of Western philosophy
  • Plato: ancient Greek philosopher; the reference here is to his work Phoedo (also known as On The Soul), which is Plato’s eulogy to his teacher Socrates
    Play-doh: soft modelling compound used by young children for art and craft activities
  • Edmund Burke: eighteenth-century Irish statesman; the reference here is to his political pamphlet
    Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790)
  • ablutions: the act of washing oneself
    Homer: ancient Greek poet considered to be the author of two great epics IiIiad and Odyssey
  • Aesop: Greek storyteller known for his collection of fables known as Aesop’s Fables
  • Newton: Sir Isaac Newton, seventeenth century English scientist who invented the calculus
  • Fab: popular American brand of laundry detergent
  • Darwin: Charles Robert Darwin, English biologist famous for his theory of evolution published in his book On the Origin of Species (1859)
  • hush: make someone quiet or silent
  • Holmes and Brandeis: Louis Dembitz Brandeis and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, influential judges of the Supreme Court of the United States in early twentieth century who were champions of the rights of the citizens and of free speech rights
  • juggle: to do two or more activities at the same time
  • scholarship: academic study, Learning
  • persevere: continue to do something in a determined way despite difficulties

OU Degree 6th Sem English Study Material

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