Treasure Chest Workbook Answers Poem 7 The Glove and the Lions
The Glove and the Lions Poem Comprehension Questions Answers
Question 1.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
King Francis was a hearty king, and loved a royal port,
And one day as his lions fought, sat looking on the court;
The nobles filled the benches, and the ladies in their pride,
And ‘mongst them sat the Count de Lorge, with one for whom he sighed:
i. What royal sport does King Francis like? Where is the at this moment?
ii. What do you know about King Francis?
iii. Describe the ambience of the royal court.
iv. Who was Count de Lorge? Why did the king sigh seeing the Count?
Answer:
i. The royal sport which King Francis enjoys is the fight of lions. Presently the king is seen sitting with his nobles in his royal court. He is eagerly waiting for the fight to begin.
ii. Not much detail is given about King Francis. Only we get to know that the King is a generous man who loves to watch the fight of lions, considered to be a royal sport during his time. Moreover, we also get to know that the king is obsessed with the charming beauty of Count de Lorge’s lady. Hence, he sighs with frustration seeing the couple seated together.
iii. The poem opens with an electrifying ambience inside the royal court of King Francis. Count, nobles and fashionable ladies are all waiting for the royal sport of lion fighting to begin. King Francis too joins them sitting above all. In a way, the entire royal court is charged with emotions with men and women in boisterous mood.
iv. Count de Lorge is a brave man, envied by King Francis. The Count is in love with a beautiful maiden whom the King admires. Hence, the King sighs seeing the couple seated together.
Question 2.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
Ramped and roared the lions, with horrid laughing jaws;
They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams, a wind went with their paws;
With wallowing might and stifled roar they rolled on one another;
Till all the pit with sand and mane was in a thunderous smother;
The bloody foam above the bars came whisking through the air;
Said Francis then, “Faith, gentlemen, we’re better here than there.”
i. Describe in brief the fierce fight of the lions.
ii. What came whisking through the air? Why?
iii. Explain the figure of speech employed in the second line of the given excerpt.
iv. What did King Francis say while enjoying the fierce combat of the lions?
v. What effect does it produce on the Count de Lorge’s lady love?
Answer:
i. The furious fight of the lions begins with their dreadful roar. Their jaws are exposed menacingly, while they roar ferociously. This however lends a threatening look with monstrous smile on their faces. The lions however fiercely roll on the ground and violently strike with their paws.
Their blows are as strong as beams of lumber. The wind seems to move alongside their paws while they continue battling until the hairs on their neck blind their vision. Moreover, blood unfurls all around, carried far and wide by the wind. The spectators are simply amazed watching them battling ferociously.
ii. While the lions attack themselves with their paws, blood unfurls all around, carried far and wide by the wind. This is because of the wound in their flesh from which blood stream out like fountains, spilled far and wide by the wind.
iii. The figure of speech employed in the second line of the given excerpt is simile. A simile is a figure of speech in which a comparison is explicitly made between two different or unlike things, using the words as, like, as- so, etc. The comparison made between objects of different kinds must have at least one point in common. In the second line of the given excerpt, the blows of lions are compared to beams of lumber.
iv. While enjoying the dreadful combat of the lions, the king heaves a sigh of relief. Addressing the nobles, he says that they are safe being far away from the dangerous spot where the lions are monstrously fighting.
v. De Lorge’s lady love overhears the king’s avowal and considers it as a right moment to prove her lover’s fearless nature up before the court. She plans to throw her glove into the pit of fighting lions and urge her lover to bring it back to her. This however will ensure the royal court that the beautiful maiden is too precious for the count who can risk his life for the sake of his lady’s honour.
Question 3.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
De Lorge’s love o’erheard the King, a beauteous lively dame
With smiling lips and sharp bright eyes, which always seemed the same;
She thought, the Count my lover is brave as brave can be;
He surely would do wondrous things to show his love of me;
King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine;
I’ll drop my glove, to prove his love; great glory will be mine.
i. What did De Lorge’s love overhear?
ii. Describe the appearance of De Lorge’s love?
iii. What did De Lorge’s love think of doing? Why?
iv. Why does De Lorge’s lady love fancy that the occasion is divine for her plan?
v. What does she intend to prove by her action?
vi. What wondrous thing is expected to do by De Lorge?
Answer:
i. Count De Lorge’s love overhears the king heaving a sigh of relief. De Lorge’s lady love however is amused hearing the king, proclaiming that he and his retinue are safe being far away from the dangerous spot where the lions are fighting furiously.
ii. Count De Lorge’s love is overwhelmingly beautiful. The poet says that she is a cheerful young lady with sparkling eyes and ever smiling lips which remains always the same and adds richness to her beauty.
iii. Overhearing the King’s proclamation that they are safe being away from the fighting lions, Count De Lorge’s lady love plans to show how brave is her lover. She decides to drop her glove into the pit of fighting lions expecting that the Count will retrieve it for her. This however will give her a chance to prove how lover’s fearless nature up before the court. Moreover, she also intends to prove that she is too precious for the count who can risk his life for the sake of his lady’s honour.
iv. Since the king is seated in his royal court along with the nobles and young lovers, the lady love of Count De Lorge finds it a suitable chance to prove how precious she is to her love. Hence, she plans to drop her gloves into the pit of fighting lions, expecting that the Count will retrieve it for her.
v. Through her caprice, the lady of Count De Lorge intends to prove that she is so precious to her lover that he is ready to risk his life for the sake of his lady’s honour. In fact, there is no love associated with such caprice of the lady that is so risky indeed. The lady however is proud of her beauty and is under delusion that her lover can even stake his life to please her. Hence, she devises such a dangerous plan which, according to the king, establishes her “vanity”.
vi. Count De Lorge’s lady love expects that her lover will simply awe the spectators by retrieving her glove from the pit of fighting lions. In fact, with such deep assurance from her heart, the lady drops her glove in the pit of fighting lions.
Question 4.
Read the following verse paragraph and answer the questions that follow:
She dropped her glove, to prove his love, then looked at him and smiled;
He bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild:
The leap was quick, return was quick, he has regained his place,
Then threw the glove, but not with love, right in the lady’s face.
“By God!” said Francis, “rightly done!” and he rose from where he sat:
“No love,” quoth he, “but vanity, sets love a task like that.”
i. Why did the lady look at the Count with smiling face? What does it indicate of her?
ii. How did the Count react when the lady looked at him?
iii. What did the Count do after retrieving the glove?
iv. Why does King Francis approve of the Count’s action?
vi. Do you think that it is the arrogance of the Count which is established when he throws the glove at his lady’s face?
Answer:
i. After she drops her glove into the pit of the fighting lions, Count De Lorge’s lady love turns towards him with a smile on her face. This however indicates the overconfidence of the lady who thinks that retrieving the glove is just natural for the Count as he loves her.
ii. Like a chivalrous hero, Count de Lorge jumps into the pit of fighting lions soon as the lady turns towards him. The movement was so swift that the lions failed to harm the Count as he returns quickly with the lady’s gloves.
iii. Immediately after retrieving the glove of his lady love, the count takes his seat. He then throws the glove right on his beloved’s face and leaves the court at once.
iv. King Francis could well realise that it is the pride of the Count’s lady love which provoked her into risking the Count’s life. No women would ever allow her lover to jump into the pit of fighting lions and retrieve her gloves. The Count’s lady love simply throws her glove just to prove how valuable she is to her lover that he can stake his life for her. The king thus rightly supports the Count as the lady deserves her glove to be thrown at her face all because of her “vanity”.
v. It is in fact the anger of the Count which is established when he throws the glove right on his lady’s face. The lady however is proud of her beauty and is under delusion that her lover can even stake his life to win her heart. Such notion of the lady is shattered once the Count throws the glove right on his lady’s face instead of giving her gently.
The Glove and the Lions Poem Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
Question 1.
What kind of King is Francis?
a. despotic
b. philanthropic
c. hearty
d. lusty
Answer:
c. hearty
Question 2.
Why the King is envious of Count de Lorge?
a. because he is handsome
b. because the Count is in love with a girl whom the King likes
c. because the Count is more heroic than the king
d. because the Count is liked by the King’s nobles
Answer:
b. because the Count is in love with a girl whom the King likes
Question 3.
Which royal sport does the King enjoy watching?
a. golf
b. chess
c. lion fighting
d. horse racing
Answer:
c. lion fighting
Question 4.
What came whisking through the air when the lions were fighting ferociously?
a. blood
b. sweat
c. spray of water
d. the enthusiastic cheer of the nobles watching the game
Answer:
a. blood
Question 5.
How did the king react while watching the game?
a. he cried with joy
b. he heaved a sigh of relief being far away from the pit of lions
c. he encouraged the lions to continue fighting
d. he felt scared and left the court
Answer:
b. he heaved a sigh of relief being far away from the pit of lions
Question 5.
What did Count de Lorge’s beloved overhear?
a. She overheard the king heaving a sigh of relief for being far away from the pit of lions
b. She overheard the King cheering up the lions
c. she overheard the King asking the nobles to stop the royal game
d. she overheard the king sighing for her
Answer:
a. She overheard the king heaving a sigh of relief for being far away from the pit of lions
Question 6.
What did the Count’s beloved throw into the pit of fighting lions?
a. hat
b. glove
c. handkerchief
d. stick
Answer:
b. glove
Question 7.
What is the reason behind her dangerous caprice?
a. to establish the valour of the Count
b. to establish the fact that the king is coward
c. to prove how desperately the Count loves her
d. No specific reason
Answer:
a. to establish the valour of the Count
Question 8.
What did the Count do after retrieving the glove?
a. He gently hands it over to his beloved
b. he gave it to the King
c. he threw it right on the face of his beloved
d. he kept it with himself
Answer:
c. he threw it right on the face of his beloved
Question 9.
Why did the Count react unexpectedly after retrieving the glove?
a. to surprise his lady love
b. to surprise the royal court
c. because he was angry
d. because the king sighed for his lady love
Answer:
c. because he was angry
Question 10.
Why did the king support the count?
a. because he wanted to take revenge against the lady
b. because the lady paid no attention to the king
c. because the king realised that the lady has no love for the Count
d. because the vanity of the lady is well answered by the Count
Answer:
c. because the king realised that the lady has no love for the Count
The Glove and the Lions Poem Annotations with Comments
Stanza I:
Hearty: cheerful
Royal: imperial
Royal sport: refers to the lion flighting that the king enjoys watching
Nobles: aristocrats
Ladies…pride: proud women. These women are proud because of their beauty and noble birth
‘mongst: among/amidst
Sighed: deep audible breath expressing sadness
He sighed: the king is obsessed with Count de Lorge’s beloved. Hence he sighs seeing the couple seated together
Gallant: chivalrous
Crowning: majestic
Valour: courage
royal beasts: refers to ferocious lions
Stanza II:
Ramped: rush about uncontrollably
Roared: refers to the roaring of the lions
Horrid: dreadful
Glared: look fiercely
gave blows like beams: the blows of lions are compared to beams of lumber.
wind went with their paws: wind seems to move alongside their paws.
wallowing: rolling from side to side
stifled: suppressed
mane: a growth of long hair on the neck of a lion
smother: cover
foam: bubbles
whisking: flying
here: on the benches where the king and his retinue are watching the fierce fight of lions.
there: the place where the lions are fighting
Stanza III:
Love: lady love
Beauteous: beautiful
Lively: energetic
Dame: lady
Wondrous: miraculous
occasion is divine: the occasion was right to show everyone how valorous is her lover De Lorge
drop my glove: drop her glove into the pit of fighting lions
glory: fame
glory will be mine: risking the life of her lover, she intends to earn fame.
Comment:
glory will be mine: This shows that the lady has no love for the Count. Instead, she is prone to establish that she is invaluable to her lover who can even risk his life to win her heart. That’s the reason she decides to throw her glove into the pit of fighting lions so that the count retrieves it. This will gives her a chance to prove how precious she is to her lover.
Stanza IV:
dropped her glove: she dropped her gloves into the pit of fighting lions
prove his love: to prove how valiant is De Lorge
bowed: a typical chivalric gesture
leaped: jumped
regained: get back to
not with love: his love for his beloved doesn’t provoke him to retrieves her gloves. He was annoyed instead for taking such risk
threw the gloves….lady’s face: This shows his anger because his lady love staked his life to show the royal court how precious she is to DeLorge
rightly done: the king approves of De Lorge’s action.
Vanity: pride
No Iove….Iike that: the king realises that it is the lady’s pride which provoked her to stake De Lorge’s life.
The Glove and the Lions Poem Paraphrase
Stanza I:
A noble king named Francis and his retinue are ready to enjoy the imperial sport of lions fighting. Before the fight begins, the king eyes on Count de Lorge, a noble in his royal court. The king however is obsessed with de Lorge’s beautiful lady love. Hence, he sighs seeing them together. The electrifying ambiance all around is felt when valiant men, charged with emotions are seated together and the king above them, looks down to watch the beasts begin their fight.
Stanza II:
the lions pounce on each other with dreadful roar. Their jaws are exposed menacingly, which lends a threatening look with monstrous smile on their faces. They fiercely roll on the ground and violently strike with their paws. The blows however are as strong as beams of lumber. The wind seems to move alongside their paws and they continue battling until the hairs on their neck blind their vision.
Moreover, blood unfurls all around, carried far and wide by the wind. The king watching the fierce combat, heaves a sigh of relief. Addressing the nobles, he says that they are safe being far away from the dangerous spot where the lions are monstrously fighting.
Stanza III:
De Lorge’s lady love overhears the king’s avowal. Proud of her scintillating beauty, she intends to prove her lover’s fearless nature up before the court. She is in fact well assured that De Lorge can risk his life to prove his love. After all lady is phenomenally beautiful with bright sparkling eyes and ever smiling lips. The milieu gives her a chance to prove how precious she is to her love. Hence, she drops her glove into the pit of fighting lions.
Stanza IV:
With a smile on her face, de Lorge’s beloved turns towards him. Like a chivalrous hero, de Lorge jumps into the pit of fighting lions and quickly retrieves the glove. Regaining his seat, he throws the glove right on his beloved’s face and leaves the court at once. The king watching them says that it is the lady’s pride which provoked her to stake De Lorge’s life. Obsessed with her beauty, the lady intends to prove how precious she is to her love.
The Glove and the Lions Poem Summary by Leigh Haunt
King Francis and his retinue are all ready to enjoy the imperial sport of lions fighting. Before the fight begins, the king eyes on Count de Lorge, a noble in his royal court. The king however is obsessed with de Lorge’s beautiful lady love. Hence, he sighs seeing them together. The electrifying ambience all around is felt when valiant men, charged with emotions are seated together with beautiful ladies and the king above them, looks down to watch the beasts begin their fight.
The fight begins. The lions pounce on each other with dreadful roar. Their jaws are exposed menacingly, which lends a threatening look with monstrous smile on their faces. They fiercely roll on the ground and violently strike with their paws. Stream of blood gushes out from their wounds, unfurls all around and are carried far and wide by the wind.
The lions however continue battling until the hairs on their neck blind their vision. In fact the battle seems so dreadful that the watching the fierce combat heaves a sigh of relief. Addressing the nobles, he says that they are safe being far away from the dangerous spot where the lions are monstrously fighting.
De Lorge’s lady love overhears the king’s avowal. Proud of her scintillating beauty, she intends to prove her lover’s fearless nature up before the court. She is in fact well assured from her heart that De Lorge will risk his life to prove his love. After all lady is phenomenally beautiful with bright sparkling eyes and ever smiling lips. The milieu gives her a chance to prove how precious she is to her love. Hence, she drops her glove into the pit of fighting lions and turns towards the Count.
Like a chivalrous hero, Count de Lorge jumps into the pit of fighting lions. His swift movement gives no chance to the lions to harm him. Hence, the Count safely gets back. But, instead of returning the glove as a gesture of love, he throws it on his beloved’s face and leaves the court at once. The king watching them says that it is the lady’s pride which provoked her to stake De Lorge’s life. Obsessed with her beauty, the lady intends to prove how precious she is to her love. Her caprice indeed is unpardonable.
The Glove and the Lions Poem Introduction
First published in The New Monthly Magazine (1836), Leigh Hunt’s “The Glove and the Lions” shows how often pride eats away one’s rationality. Count de Lorge’s beautiful lady love stakes her lover’s life to prove how precious she is to the Count. But, ultimately her plan backfires.
Count de Lorge demeans his lady love up before the royal court. The glove which the lady throws into the pit of fighting lions is retrieved by the Count but; thrown at her face. This reveals his anger all because of his lady’s caprice.