Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 3 I Remember, I Remember
I Remember, I Remember Poem Comprehension Questions Answers
Question 1.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
I remember, I remember,
The house where I was born,
The little window where the sun
Came peeping in at morn;
He never came a wink too soon,
Nor brought too long a day,
But now, I often wish the night
Had borne my breath away
i. What memory of his childhood does the poet record in the first stanza?
ii. What specific memory of his house does the poet still remember?
iii. How did the sun help into maintaining a perfect equilibrium between day and night?
iv. What does the poet wish now?
v. Why does the poet longs for death?
Answer:
i. The speaker recalls the memory of his childhood all throughout the poem. In the first stanza however he is reminiscent of the house where he was born. Specifically he remembers the small window through which the rays of sun ushered in the morning. During those days, the speaker says that the sun was a too punctual. He neither leaped up early nor prolonged the day by setting down late. In a way, the picture of his childhood days are simple and innocent.
ii. The poet specifically remembers the small window of the house where he was born. Through the window, the rays of sun ushered in the morning.
iii. The sun as described by the poet was too punctual during those days. He neither leaped up early in the morning nor prolonged the day by setting down late in the evening. Because of his punctuality, the equilibrium between day and night was well maintained by the sun.
iv. Due to being plagued down by the weight of misfortune and physical decline, the poet longs that the night takes away his breath and he never wake up to see the sun again. In other words, the poet is longing to be dead so as to escape the pains of life.
v. With old age, life becomes more complicated due to ill health as well as other misfortunes of life. During this time the zest for life is completely lost and often we long for death to escape further blows of life. The poet must have reached such stage of life where the urge to live more is completely lost. Hence he wishes to die as death means liberation from mundane sorrows.
Question 2.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
I remember, I remember,
The roses, red and white,
The violets, and the lily cups,
Those flowers made of light!
The lilacs where the robin built,
And where my brother set
The laburnum on his birthday, —
The tree is living yet!
i. Name the flowers which the poet still remembers.
ii. What does the poet mean by “flowers made of light”?
iii. Explain the imagery in this stanza.
iv. What is so special about the laburnum tree?
v. Explain the underlying meaning of the “tree is living yet”.
Answer:
i. The poet recollects a series of flowers which grew in his garden while in his childhood days. The flowers mentioned are red and white roses, the violets, lilies and lilacs.
ii. The colourful flowers grown ail around the garden looked so beautiful that the innocent mind of the poet fancied as if the flowers were blessed by heaven. The word “light” here means bright and shiny. The colourful flowers under bright sun shine looked so beautiful that the innocent mind of the poet considered it heavenly.
iii. The entire stanza is replete with sensuous images. The colourful flowers under bright sun rays, the robin’s nest, the laburnum tree all evoke a sensory experience in the reader. In fact, reader can literary imagine the flowers growing in the garden since the poet vividly describes them with a deliberate sensuous touch.
iv. The poet specifically remembers the laburnum tree which was once planted by his brother on his birthday. The tree however is still alive.
v. There might be two possible meanings of this expression. Firstly, it might suggest that th tree is still alive whereas the person who has planted it is no more alive. Secondly, the expression might suggest that while the tree is living and growing, the poet ¡s decaying. It is largely a matter of personal interpretation which reading to accept.
Question 3.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
I remember, I remember,
Where I was used to swing,
And thought the air must rush as fresh
To swallows on the wing;
My spirit flew in feathers then,
That is so heavy now,
And summer pool could hardly cool
The fever on my brow!
i. Describe the way the poet used to swing during his child hood.
ii. Which bird is mentioned in this stanza? Why does the poet mention the bird?
iii. What is meant by “spirit flew in feathers then”?
iv. What is “so heavy now”? Why?
v. Why does summer fail to heal the poet?
Answer:
i. Being lost of his vitality, the poet bemoans recalling the way he once swung with unimaginable rapidness. In his childhood days he used to swing expeditiously to feel the rush of fresh air all around.
ii. The bird mentioned in this stanza is swallow. The poet means to say that like the swallow, he was once carefree. His blithe childhood spirit was so light and boundless that it seemed to fly, in the air like the weightless feathers of swallow.
iii. The poet recalls his carefree days of childhood which was free from trouble. His spirit was then too light to be overwhelmed with the beautiful aspect of nature that he saw around him. The boundless ecstasy felt in his heart turned his spirit weightless like the feathers of the swallow. In such a state of losing himself so completely in nature, the poet felt as if his spirit flew like swallows in the vast stretch of the sky.
iv. The poet feels as if his spirit s now heavy since he fails to be lost in nature like his childhood days. The poet bemoans the loss of his boisterous childhood due to time’s onslaught. As he grows mature, he feels that the child within him is growing more exhausted. The spirit which was once so full of vitality is now heavy with the weight of adulthood. Hence, he laments over the loss of his rapturous spirit.
v. Summer is most welcoming in the European world. The poet being deeply plagued down by his physical ailment fails to enjoy the warm summer that he might have enjoyed during his childhood days. Hence, he feels deeply troubled realising that the warm summer after prolong winter has no effect upon him. In fact, nothing can soothe his aching adult heart which is deeply wounded by the blows of life.
Question 4.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
I remember, I remember,
The fir trees dark and high;
I used to think their slender tops
Were close against the sky:
It was a childish ignorance,
But now ‘tis little joy
To know I’m farther off from heaven
Than when I was a boy.
i. How does the poet describe the fir tree?
ii. Why does he remember the fir tree?
iii. What is considered as “childish ignorance”? Why?
iv. How does the poet feel realizing that he is farther off from heav’n?
v. What is the theme of the poem?
vi. Why does the poet look back at the past all throughout the poem?
Answer:
i. The penultimate stanza of the poem begins with the picture of a fir tree which the poet still remembers vividly. He says that the tree stood dark and high against the sky. Hood however was enamoured by the enormous height of the tree which evoked a feeling of heaven being close to the tree.
ii. The fir tree clearly demonstrates the way Hood saw the world as a child. With its “slender tops” the tree seemed to touch the heaven above. Such innocent belief actually goads the poet to remember the fir tree which haunts him with the thought of innocence being lost forever due to time’s onslaught. The poet thus, clings to the days of happy past which at least aids him escape the struggles and harsh realities of adulthood which hails horrors in his life.
iii. The thought of the enormous fir tree being close to heaven is nothing but a “childish ignorance”. The poet ultimately realises this after he is matured enough to understand that heaven is a faraway place where one cannot reach with a rational mind. Unconcerned and free from the facts of the world, children live a life far away from reality. The pure and innocent mind of children fancy things which are unacceptable in the adult world.
This is because of maturity and exposure to the harsh realities of life. The poet thus, bemoans that it was nothing but a “childish ignorance” to consider heaven being so near which hence thought when he was a child.
iv. The poet feels deeply sad realising the gulf between him and heaven. His innocent mind was once consoled with the thought that he was closer to God as a child. The gigantic fir tree however gave him such assurance. But, now with his maturity, the poet finally realises that he is far away from heaven. Such isolation from the realm of spirituality deeply grieves the poet, realising that life was once so simple and innocent which lost forever.
v. The entire poem is a vehement contrast between childhood happiness with adult despondence and distress. While looking back at the past, the poet feels depressed realizing that his carefree days are over. This realization grieves his heart and he thus, recalls the memory of his childhood all throughout the poem. In this sense the predominant theme of the poem is the loss of childhood which means the loss of innocence and freedom.
vi. The entire poem is a return to childhood era, suggested by the title, “I Remember, I Remember. The poet deliberately goes down memory lane to retrospect upon the happy days of childhood which consoles his troubled mind, exposed to the harsh realities of life. Life in those days was carefree indeed. The unrestrained freedom which he enjoyed during his childhood is now over.
The poet is now awfully trapped in the dicious world of adulthood which promises nothing but endless misfortune. Hence, the poet yearns for his childhood days which are but a symbolic retreat to a world of innocence, purity and simplicity.
I Remember, I Remember Poem Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Question 1.
Which among these the speaker does not recall in the poem?
a. house
b. sun rays
c. moon light
d. lilacs
Answer:
c. moon light
Question 2.
What comes through the little window of his house……………
a. insects
b. moon light
c. sun rays
d. birds
Answer:
c. sun rays
Question 3.
What does the poet long for presently?
a. to go back to his childhood
b. to die
c. to have good time with his family
d. to sit in his garden and relax
Answer:
b. to die
Question 4.
The colour of the roses remembered by the poet are ……..
a. yellow and white
b. black and yellow
c. red and white
d. pink and black
Answer:
c. red and white
Question 5.
The nest of robin was built in …………
a. laburnum tree
b. willow tree
c. lilac tree
d. fir tree
Answer:
c. lilac tree
Question 6.
Which tree was planted by his brother?
a. fir tree
b. laburnum tree
c. willow tree
d. oak tree
Answer:
b. laburnum tree
Question 7.
On what occasion did his brother plant tree?
a. birthday
b. marriage anniversary
c. death anniversary
d. no specific occasion
Answer:
a. birthday
Question 8.
What is compared to a swallow?
a. the mood of the poet
b. childhood spirit
c. old age
d. adulthood
Answer:
b. childhood spirit
Question 9.
“My spirit flew in feathers then, That is so heavy now” ………….. What is so heavy now?
a. body weight of the poet
b. the poet’s spirit now
c. memory
d. the poet’s spirit in childhood
Answer:
(b) and (d)
Question 10.
What is meant by “fever on my brow”?
a. high body temperature
b. the physical ailment which has taken away the youthful vitality
c. sadness particulary due to loss of innocence
d. None of the above
Answer:
b. the physical ailment which has taken away the youthful vitality
Question 11.
What “childish ignorance” does the poet mention in the poem …………
a. the thought of the enormous fir tree being close to heaven
b. the thought of heaven being far away.
c. spirit can fly like swallow
d. The punctuality of sun, maintaining perfect equilibrium between day and night
Answer:
a. the thought of the enormous fir tree being close to heaven
I Remember, I Remember Poem Annotations with Comments
Stanza I:
I remember: The refrain continues throughout the poem. The word remember” sets the nostalgic mood of the speaker as he goes detail Into describing his childhood days.
Sun : refers to sun rays
Sun ………….. at morn : the rays of sun ushered in the morning though the small window of the house,
Wink : blink
Wink too soon : leaped up early
Brought too …. a day: the sun never prolonged the day by setting down late
Borne: carried or moved particular thing
borne my breath away: take my breath away, The poet longs to die amidst the darkness of the night
Comment:
I remember: An example of refrain. Refrain Is a repeated line or number of lines in a poem which is employed for the sake of emphasizing a particular idea. The poet here emphasizes upon the fact that how simple was his childhood days which is destroyed by time.
Sun: Sun here is personified as a force for good. He is presented as a true comrade of a child as he brightens up the days of childhood. Moreover, the sun Is also an example of a perfectionist. He leaps and sets down on time which helps to maintain a perfect equilibrium between day and night.
Night…. my breath away: Night here is the symbol of sufferings and misfortunes associated with adulthood. It is exactly the opposite of day which symbolises purity and innocence. The speaker longs go die amidst the darkness of the night so as to end his earthly misfortunes.
Stanza II:
Those flowers: refer to those flowers like red and white roses, violets, lilies and lilacs.
Robin built: refers to the nest of robin built in the lilac tree.
Set: planted
Laburnum: refers to the laburnum tree
His birthday: the birthday of his brother
Still alive: The laburnum tree which was once planted by his brother is yet alive.
Comments
Those flowers: Those flowers that the poet still remembers represent the harmonic era of his childhood. Hood Is now troubled with pains and sorrows. Hence, the only way to ease his mind Is to go down the memory lane and peep into the world which was so carefree and colourful,
The tree is living yet: There might be two possible meanings ‘of this expression. Firstly, it might suggest that the tree is still alive whereas the person who has planted it Is no more alive. Next, while the tree is living and growing, the poet is decaying.
Stanza III:
Swing: move to and fro.
air must rush as fresh: he used to swing with unimaginable rapidness to feel the rush of fresh air all around
swallows: a kind of bird
swallows on the wing: Hood relates his childhood to a bird, flying freely as he swings on his favourite tree. In other words, the bird’s freedom is compared to the freedom associated with the childhood days
heavy: grave
so heavy now: heavy with the misfortunes of life
summer pool: refers to the warm summer pond
fever: agitation sickness
brow: forehead
fever on my brow: the physical ailment which has taken away the youthful vitality of the poet
Comments:
My spirit flew in feathers then: The joy of childhood is the joy of freedom. The carefree life that the poet once enjoyed during his childhood days is now over. While he recalls those days he feels elated imagining his blithe spirit flying like a bird. The word “flew” also suggests that the period of childhood joviality has now ended and the only relief for the poet is to go down the memory lane and ease his troubled mind.
And summer pool …. fever on my brow: Since old age hails trouble in one’s life, a person often looses his ability to appreciate things around him.
The innocence of childhood can easily embrace the joy of watching beautiful flowers or even the joy of swinging in the trees and enjoy beautiful warm summer, long cherished in the European world. The poet being deeply plagued down by his physical ailment fails to enjoy the warm summer that he might have enjoyed during his childhood days. In this sense the entire stanza is a contrast between the youthful physical feelings of vitality and ease with heaviness of the presence.
Stanza IV:
high: the poet uses hyperbole to describe the enormous height of the tree. The tree however seems to touch the sky
slender: thin
close against the sky: the tree seemed to touch the sky.
childish ignorance: it was his childish ignorance to imagine the tree being close to heaven
‘tis little joy: little joy because his rational mind has realised that the tree never touched the heaven. In other words, his rational mind has permanently destroyed his faith in spirituality.
Comment:
But now ‘tis little joy: The simplicity of thought is lost forever. Life is now too complicated to consider being near heaven as it was once imagined by the poet during his childhood days. Hence, he bemoans that he is now left with little joy Imagining things which are irrational. The poet’s loss of faith on spirituality is well evident here.
I Remember, I Remember Poem Paraphrase
Stanza I:
The speaker distinctly remembers the house he was born. He feels glad to recall how the rays of sun ushered in the morning though the small window of the house. The sun however was too punctual. He neither leaped up early nor prolonged the day by setting down late. Because of the sun’s punctuality, the equilibrium between day and night was perfect in those days. But now, the speaker longs that the night takes away his breath. In other words the speaker longs for death amidst the darkness of the night.
Stanza II:
The scene now shifts to a garden where the speaker used to spend time looking at the colourful flowers all around. He remembers the red and white roses, the violets, lilies and lilacs grown in the garden. He considered those flowers as if blessed by heaven. Moreover, he also remembers the nest of robin, built in the lilac tree. The laburnum tree which was once planted by his brother on his birthday, is still alive.
Stanza III:
The retrospection of childhood memories continues as the poet recalls, how he used to swing with unimaginable rapidness to feel the rush of fresh air all around. He was like weightless feathers, flying in the air. But, now as he grows old his spirit is turned so heavy that he can longer engage in such boisterous activities of his childhood days. Moreover, the heaviness of his present life disallows him to appreciate the beautiful summer which he once enjoyed during his childhood days.
Stanza IV:
The poet now recalls the dark and enormous fir tree which seemed to touch the sky above. During his childhood days he imagined that the top of the fir tree was close to the heaven as it seemed to touch the sky. The poet now realises that it was just a childish innocence to imagine the tree being close to heaven. Such imagination is lost forever. The rational mind of the poet feels sad to realise that he is far away from heaven.
I Remember, I Remember Poem Summary by Thomas Hood
Hood’s “I Remember, I Remember” idolizes the rapturous childhood with all its simplicity which finally ends in sorrow with the growing up of an individual. The speaker in the poem is entrapped in nostalgic mood while he recalls his childhood days, destroyed by time. In the first stanza however, the speaker recalls the house he was born.
He feels glad to recollect how the rays of sun ushered in the morning through the small window of the house. The sun however was a too punctual. He neither leaped up early nor prolonged the day by setting down late. Because of the sun’s punctuality, the equilibrium between day and night was perfect in those days. But now, the speaker longs that the night takes away his breath. In other words the speaker longs for death amidst the darkness of the night.
The scene now shifts to a garden where the speaker used to spend time looking at the colourful flowers all around. He remembers the red and white roses, the violets, lilies and lilacs, grown in the garden. He considered those flowers as if blessed by heaven. Moreover, he also remembers the nest of robin, built in the lilac tree. The laburnum tree which was once planted by his brother on his (brother’s) birthday is still alive. The poet remembers how he used to swing with unimaginable rapidness to feel the rush of fresh air all around.
He was like weightless feathers, flying in the air. But, now as he grows old his spirit is turned so heavy that he can longer engage in such boisterous activities of his childhood days. Moreover, the heaviness of his present life disallows him to appreciate the beautiful summer which he once enjoyed during his childhood days.
The penultimate stanza recalls the dark enormous fir tree which seemed to touch the sky above. During his childhood days, the poet imagined that the top of the fir tree was close-to the heaven as it seemed to touch the sky. Such simplicity of thought is now lost forever. The rational mind of the poet finally enlightens him with the thought of heaven being too far away from him. This however grieves the poet as he misses the innocence and closeness he had with god in his young age.
I Remember, I Remember Poem Introduction
“I Remember, I Remember” was written by Hood in 1844 a year before his death in 1845. The poem was later included in The Poetical Works of Thomas Hood (1903), ‘collected by one of the founding members of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, William Michael Rossetti.
The poem idolizes the rapturous childhood with all its simplicity which finally ends in sorrow with the growing up of an individual. The speaker in the poem is entrapped in nostalgic mood while he recalls his childhood days, destroyed by time. In this sense, “I Remember, I Remember” may be regarded as a typical romantic poem since the poet bemoans the loss of his childhood, failing to retreat back.