My Mistress’ Eyes

(e-Content developed by Dr N. A. Jarandikar)

 My Mistress’ Eyes 

शेक्सपियरचे "My mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun" हीसॉनेट प्रकारातील कविता आहे.  ही कविता इतर पारंपरिक प्रेमकवितांपेक्षा वेगळी आहे. त्याकाळच्या कवींप्रमाणे आपल्या प्रेयसीचे सौंदर्य वाढवून सांगण्याऐवजी, शेक्सपियर तिचे प्रामाणिक शब्दांत वर्णन करतो.  

कवी म्हणतो की 

- त्याच्या प्रेयसीचे डोळे सूर्यासारखे तेजस्वी नाहीत. 

- ओठ पोवळ्यासारखे लाल नाहीत.  

- त्वचा बर्फासारखी शुभ्र नाही.  

- केस सोनेरी धाग्यांसारखे नाहीत, तर काळ्या तारेसारखे दिसतात.  

- गाल फुलांप्रमाणे लालसर नाहीत. 

- श्वास सुगंधीत नाही.  

- आवाज संगीतासारखा गोड नाही.  

हे सगळे वाचून असे वाटू शकते की कवी तिच्या सौंदर्यावर टीका करतो आहे. पण शेवटच्या दोन ओळींमध्ये तो खरा अर्थ सांगतो:  

"तरीही, मी तिला अत्यंत दुर्मिळ समजतो, कारण इतर स्त्रियांप्रमाणे जर तिची अशा खोट्या उपमांनी स्तुती केली असती, तर तो तिचा अपमान ठरला असता ."

अशा प्रकारे कवीच्या मते सौंदर्याच्या खोट्या कल्पनांपेक्षा खरी व्यक्ती जास्त महत्त्वाची असते.  तसेच खरे सौंदर्य हे प्रेम, स्वभाव आणि नातेसंबंध यावर अवलंबून असते.

*    *    *    *    *

Introduction: 

‘My Mistress’ Eyes’ is a sonnet number 130 written by William Shakespeare. It is a unique love poem. Most of the love poems of his time were full of praise (प्रशंसा) for women with too much comparisons. But Shakespeare takes a different approach. He describes his mistress (प्रेयसी) in a very realistic and honest way, showing that true love does not need false praise (खोटी प्रशंसा).

The poem:

The poem begins with the speaker saying that his mistress’ eyes are “nothing like the sun”. It means that they do not shine brightly. He continues by saying:

• Her lips are not as red as coral (मौल्यवान पोवळे).

• Her breasts are not as white as snow.

• Her hair is like black wires, not golden strands.

• Her cheeks are not as rosy as flowers.

• Her breath does not smell like perfume.

• Her voice is not as sweet as music.

At first, it may seem that he is criticizing her. But in the last two lines, he reveals the true meaning of the poem. Here, he says his love is rare. It does not need any false comparisons. 

Analysis:

The poem is a sonnet. It is a Shakespearean sonnet. ‘Real Love is Honest’ is a central idea of the poem. The poet does not need to lie to express his love. Many poets compared women to unrealistic things, but Shakespeare makes fun of this tradition. According to Shakespeare, beauty is more than looks. Shakespeare uses simple, everyday language to describe his mistress honestly. 

Conclusion:

‘My Mistress’ Eyes’ is a beautiful poem about real love. Instead of using false praise, Shakespeare shows that love is not about external beauty. Love is about accepting and respecting someone who they truly are. This makes the poem more relatable and meaningful even today.

*    *    *    *    *

Original Poem:

Sonnet 130: My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun

By William Shakespeare

My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun;

Coral is far more red than her lips' red;

If snow be white, why then her breasts are dun;

If hairs be wires, black wires grow on her head.

I have seen roses damasked, red and white,

But no such roses see I in her cheeks;

And in some perfumes is there more delight

Than in the breath that from my mistress reeks.

I love to hear her speak, yet well I know

That music hath a far more pleasing sound;

I grant I never saw a goddess go;

My mistress, when she walks, treads on the ground.

   And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare

   As any she belied with false compare.

                                           *    *    *    *    *

Question Bank_Aristotle's Poetics

 

Aristotle’s Poetics

1) Aristotle's Poetics was an answer to -------.

a) Sidney's An Apology for Poetry                  b) Shelley's A Defense of Poetry

c) Plato's Republic                                         d) Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

2) The Poetics is mainly concerned with -------.

a) Comedy      b) Poetry         c) Epic             d) Tragedy

3) The common principle of all fine arts is that ------------.

a) they give us pleasure                                  b) they imitate something

c) they are useful to us                                    d) they are of no use

4) Tragedy is an imitation of ---------.

a) action         b) people                     c) life               d) world

5) The term ‘mimesis’ was first used by ---------.

a) Philip Sidney                                              b) P. B. Shelley

c) Plato                                                           d) Chaucer

6) What does Aristotle mean by the word 'magnitude'?

a) management                                    b) proper size or length of the plot

c) the function of tragedy                   d) the theme of tragedy

7) Discovery' means the change of fortunes in hero's life from -----------.

a) adversity to prosperity                    b) prosperity to adversity

c) ignorance to knowledge                d) poverty to wealth

8) According to Aristotle, a tragedy has ---------- formative elements.

a) six               b) five              c) many           d) nine

9) -------- is the very soul of tragedy.

a) character     b) dialogue      c) plot             d) catharsis

10) The word 'Catharsis' is used to denote -----------.

a) the action of tragedy                                               b) the list of characters

c) the function or emotional effect of tragedy        d) the definition of tragedy

11) The root meaning of hamartia is ------.

a) fixing the target                              b) missing the mark

c) finding fault                                    d) right choice

12) According to Bradley, hamartia is ---------.

a) tragic flaw             b) justice          c) fortune                    d) right decision

13) Butcher and Bywater believe that hamartia means --------.

a) a missing of mark                           b) misfortune of hero

c) an error of judgment                    d) all of these

14) Hamartia is not --------.

a) moral falling          b) ideal truth    c) universal truth         d) none of these

15) Aristotle used the word hamartia for ---------.

a) villain                      b) ideal tragic hero    d) heroine                    d) none of these

16) Aristotle defines tragedy in _____ of Poetics.

            a) Book I                     b) Book III                  c) Book IV                  d) Book VI

17) According to Aristotle, a tragedy should be in the form of _____.

            a) narration                  b) action                     c) description              d) prose

18) For a tragic hero, Aristotle gives an example of _____.

            a) Oedipus                  b) King Lear               c) Hamlet                    d) Macbeth

19) According to Aristotle, a tragic hero must be _____.

            a) shy              b) very poor                c) ethically good        d) selfish

 

 

B) Answer the following questions in one word/phrase/sentence.

1) Where did Plato use the term ‘mimesis’? (Republic)

2) Which Greek word is represented ‘imitation’ in English? (Mimesis)

3) What does Aristotle mean by "the action of tragedy must be complete'? (It must have a well beginning, a middle and an end.)

4) Which are the two kinds of plot, according to Aristotle? (simple and complex)

5) What is meant by peripety? (The change in fortunes of the hero)

6) How should be the language of tragedy, according to Aristotle? (dignified and elevated)

7) What does Aristotle mean by the plot in tragedy? (the arrangement of incidents)

8) What kind of emotions are given outlet through tragedy?  (pity and fear)

9) How should be the tragic hero, according to Aristotle? (He should be good, but not too good or perfect.)

10) What is the root meaning of hamartia? (“missing the mark”)

11) What is the meaning of hamartia according to Else and Martin Ostward? (The hero has a tendency to err, created by lack of knowledge)

12) What is the meaning of anagnorisis? (It is a sudden change, “from ignorance to knowledge”.)

13) Who believes that hamartia is not moral state; but an error of judgment which a man makes or commits? (Butcher, Bywater, and Rostangi)

*          *          *          *          *

Three term labels (consonants)

 

Phoneme,Three-Term Labels:

1. /p/: Voiceless bilabial plosive 

2. /b/: Voiced bilabial plosive 

3. /t/: Voiceless alveolar plosive 

4. /d/: Voiced alveolar plosive 

5. /k/: Voiceless velar plosive 

6. /g/: Voiced velar plosive 

7. /f/: Voiceless labiodental fricative

8. /v/: Voiced labiodental fricative

 

9. /θ/: (as in thin),Voiceless dental fricative

10. /ð/:  (as in this),Voiced dental fricative

11. /s/: Voiceless alveolar fricative

12. /z/: Voiced alveolar fricative

13. /ʃ/: (as in she),Voiceless post-alveolar fricative

14. /ʒ/: (as in measure),Voiced post-alveolar fricative

15. /h/: Voiceless glottal fricative

16. /ʧ/ (as in chop),Voiceless post-alveolar affricate

17. /ʤ/: (as in jump),Voiced post-alveolar affricate

18. /m/: Voiced bilabial nasal

19. /n/: Voiced alveolar nasal

20. /ŋ/: (as in sing),Voiced velar nasal

21. /l/: Voiced alveolar lateral

22. /r/: Voiced alveolar approximant

23. /w/: Voiced bilabial approximant

24. /j/: (as in yes),Voiced palatal approximant

Syllabus_BA I_Semester II (June 2024 onwards)

 

BA I_SEMESTER II_ENGLISH (OPTIONAL)

Introduction to English Literature (Poetry)and Language (Morphology) -II

MODULE I: Introduction to Forms of Poetry

a) Sonnet

b) Song

c) Elegy

d) Ballad

MODULE II: Poems

a) My Mistresses’ Eyes are Nothing Like the Sun- William Shakespeare

b) She Walks in Beauty- Lord Byron

c) Annabel Lee- Edgar Allen Poe

d) My Last Duchess- Robert Browning

e) O My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose - Robert Burns

MODULE III: Poems

a) Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa T. S.- Nissim Ezekiel

b) What Would You Do? – Omprakash Valmiki

c) Oh Earth , Wait for Me -Pablo Neruda

d) Elegy for My Son- Patrick Fernando

e) The Seven Stages – Meena Kandasamy

MODULE IV: Morphology

a) Concept of Morphology

b) Types of Morphemes

c) Morphological Processes /Word - Formation Processes

d) Morphological Analysis

 

*          *          *          *          *

NATURE OF QUESTION PAPER AND SCHEME OF MARKING:

FOR FOUR CREDITS: Total Marks: 60 Marks (University Exam)

Internal Evaluation: 40 Marks

*          *          *          *          *

 

Woaman on a Roof

 (e-content developed by Prof. (Dr) N A Jaranadikar

‘अ वूमन ऑन अ रुफ’ ही कथा डोरिस लेसिंग या लेखिकेने लिहिली आहे. स्त्रीकडे पाहण्याचा पुरुषी समाजाचा दृष्टीकोन यावर ही कथा भाष्य करते. ही कथा लंडन शहरामध्ये घडते. साधारणपणे सहा दिवसांचा काळ या कथेत मांडला आहे. स्टॅनले, टॉम आणि हॅरी ही कथेतील मुख्य पात्रे आहेत. हे तिघेही कामगार आहेत.  हॅरी हा ४५ वर्षांचा असून तिघांमध्ये सर्वात वयाने मोठा आहे. टॉम हा १७ वर्षांचा आहे. स्टॅनलेचे नुकतेच ३ महिन्यांपूर्वी लग्न झाले आहे. या कथेमध्ये जून महिन्यातील शेवटच्या आठवड्याचे वर्णन केले आहे. यावेळी लंडनमध्ये उष्णतेची लाट आली आहे, आणि हे तिघेही एका रुफवर (रुफ – छत) प्लंबिंग दुरुस्तीचे काम करत आहेत. प्रचंड उन्हामुळे हे काम करणे त्यांना कठीण जात आहे. याचवेळी त्यांना दुसऱ्या एका रुफवर एक मध्यमवयीन स्त्री तोकड्या कपड्यात उन्हात पुस्तक वाचत पडलेली दिसते. इथून सगळ्या नाट्याला सुरुवात होते. त्यांचे आपल्या कामावरून लक्ष हटते. तिच्याकडे पहात ते ओरडू लागतात. ती स्त्री यांच्याकडे फारसे लक्ष देत नाही. दुसऱ्या दिवशी हाच प्रकार घडतो. हळूहळू या तिघांची भीड चेपत जाते. ते स्त्रीच्या अगदी जवळ जाऊन शेरेबाजी करू लागतात. तरीही ती तिकडे दुर्लक्ष करते. पुढच्या दिवशी ती त्यांना रुफवर दिसत नाही. ते तिघेही अस्वस्थ होऊन आपले काम करत राहतात. संध्याकाळी त्यांच्या लक्षात येते की त्या स्त्रीने आपली जागा बदलली आहे आणि रुफच्या दुसऱ्या टोकाला जाऊन ती सूर्यप्रकाशात पहुडली आहे. पुन्हा एकदा शिट्ट्या मारणे, किंचाळणे असा प्रकार हे तिघे सुरु करतात. पण आताही ती स्त्री त्यांच्याकडे फारसे लक्ष देत नाही. इकडे प्रचंड उन्हामुळे या तिघांचे काम अपूर्णच राहते. ऊन असह्य झाल्यामुळे एके दिवशी स्टॅनले आणि  हॅरी लवकर घरी जातात आणि  टॉम धाडस करून समोरच्या रुफवर जातो. तो त्या स्त्रीला तुम्ही मला आवडत असल्याचे सांगतो. पण स्त्रीकडे चोरून पाहणे, तिच्याकडे पाहून शेरेबाजी करणे, तिच्या कपड्याबद्दल भाष्य करणे या तिघांच्या कृत्याचा त्या स्त्रीला प्रचंड राग आलेला असल्याने, ती टॉमला खडे बोल सुनावते आणि तिथून निघून जाण्यास सांगते.

दुसरे दिवशी हे तिघेही पुन्हा कामाला येतात. पण आता उष्णतेची लाट निघून गेलेली असल्याने आणि थोडाफार पाऊस पडायला सुरुवात झालेली असल्याने रुफवर त्यांना कोणीच दिसत नाही, अगदी ती स्त्रीदेखील नाही.

अशा प्रकारे समाजामध्ये स्त्रीने कसे वागावे, काय कपडे घालावेत, कसे बोलावे याचे स्वातंत्र्य तिला मिळाले पाहिजे या भूमिकेचा या कथेद्वारे लेखिकेने जोरदारपणे पुरस्कार केला आहे.

 

MCQ type questions:

1.      The story ‘Woman on a Roof’ is written by _____. (Doriss Lessing)

2.      The story takes place in the city of _____. (London)

3.      Stanley, Harry and Tom are on the roof _____. (to replace gutters)

4.      _____ is recently married. (Stanley)

5.      Stanley, Harry and Tom find it difficult to work on the rooftop because _____. (there is a heat wave in London)

6.      _____ is 17 years old. (Tom)

7.      To protect from sunlight, Harry brings _____ from a friendly woman living downstairs. (a blanket)

8.      Due to the heatwave, the temperature in London has risen up to _____ degrees Fahrenheit. (70-80)

9.        _____ suffers from sunstroke. (Stanley)

10.  _____ goes to meet the woman lying on a roof.  (Tom)

    ***************************************************************

    Q1) Critically appreciate the story 'A Woman on a Roof'.

Introduction: 

Doris Lessing’s short story “A Woman on a Roof” tells a very simple story on the surface, but it carries a deep meaning about how men and women see each other and how they react to freedom and independence.

Plot Summary

The story takes place in London during a hot summer. Three men — Tom, Stanley, and Harry — are working as roof repairers. They climb up every morning to work on the roofs of tall buildings.

One day, while they are working, they notice a woman sunbathing on a nearby rooftop. She is lying on a blanket, wearing short clothes. The woman is simply enjoying the sun in her private space. However, the men react differently to her presence.

Stanley becomes excited and tries to get her attention by calling out and whistling. Tom, the youngest of the three, is curious but unsure of how to react. Harry, the oldest man, is calm and tells them to ignore her and get back to work.

Each day when they come back to work, they look for her. The woman remains the same. She does not smile, wave, or even look in their direction.

As the days pass, the men’s behaviour changes. The excitement of the first day turns into irritation and frustration. They keep talking about the woman and what she “must be thinking,” but the truth is, they know nothing about her. She remains mysterious and self-contained.

Finally, one morning, they come to work and the woman is gone. Her absence leaves a strange emptiness. The men forget about her quickly, but Tom keeps thinking about her. Her silence and calmness taught him something about freedom and dignity.

Themes and Meanings

1. Gender and the Male Gaze: The story shows how men often look at women as objects to be noticed or admired. The woman’s quietness breaks this pattern — she does not respond, and this makes the men uncomfortable.
2. Female Independence: The woman represents freedom and independence. She is not interested in the men’s attention or approval. By refusing to respond, she shows that a woman can have control over her own body and space.
3. Silence and Power: The most powerful thing in the story is the woman’s silence. She never says a word, yet she has the strongest presence. Her refusal to speak or react makes the men face their own feelings — desire, frustration, and confusion.
4. Social Reality: The story gives a realistic picture of working-class men in London — their rough language, their hard labour, and their limited views.

Conclusion

In “A Woman on a Roof,” Doris Lessing turns a simple event — a group of men watching a woman sunbathing — into a powerful study of gender relations and human nature. The story shows how easily men judge women and how a woman’s quiet independence can challenge male ego and power. 

**********************************************