NCERT 10 English - Animals

 

Poem Animals

By Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman was an American poet, essayist and journalist(1819-1892). The poem ‘Animals’ written in free verse, is one of the poems published in ‘Leaves of Grass’.

Summary

 In this poem the poet, Whitman compares man to animals. He finds that man lacks many virtues that animals have. The poet says that he feels more at home with animals than human beings

The poet tells that he feels more comfortable and at home with animals than human beings. He has lost faith in man and wants to `turn’ and take his position with animals. Human beings are crazy after material possessions. Their conscience is not clear and so they suffer from nightmares and weep for their sins. Animals, on the other hand, are calm, self-contained and contented. They don’t run after material things. They don’t need to worship God as they never suffer sense of guilt or sin. Human beings shared those tokens of love and understanding in the past.  Now humans have lost those virtues and tokens of love and understanding completely.

Literary Devices

Rhyme : free verse

Assonance: use of vowel sound ‘I’ (I, think, I, live, with, animals)

Repetition: use of the word ‘long’…..long

Anaphora:

‘I’ word used at the start of two consecutive lines.

Use of repeated words at the beginning of two or more consecutive lines (use of “they do not” three lines).

 Alliteration : may….me , wonder…. were

Metaphor: 

Sweat and whine refers to the cries and complaints of human beings.

The inner qualities of humans are referred to as tokens.

Few Q&A:

 Whom does the poet wish to live with?

  The poet wishes to turn from human beings and live with animals.

  How do the animals appear to the poet?

  The animals appear calm, peaceful and self-confident to the poet.

  What is the attitude of the animals towards their condition?

  The animals do not sweat and complain about their condition.

  What is the attitude of the animals towards their sins?

 The animals do not weep for their sins.

 What do the men make the poet sick for?

  The men make the poet sick by discussing their duty to God.

  What mania do human beings suffer from?

  Human beings suffer from the mania of possessing things.

 What is the attitude of humans about those who lived thousands of years ago?

  They kneel to the images of those who lived thousands of years ago.

  What ‘tokens of myself’ does the poet refer to?

  These ‘tokens of myself’ are the love and affection of the animals for the poet.

  Why does Whitman wish to live with the animals?

  Whitman wishes to live with the animals because he finds them very peaceful and self-confident.

 What shows that the poet loves animals?

  The poet stands and looks at the animals long and long.

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 Why does the poet show a preference for living with the animals?

 The poet says that it is better to live with animals as they show tokens of goodness. They are peaceful, self-contained and happy. Animals show innate goodness unlike human beings. Animals do not grumble about their lives or cry over their sins.

What is the relevance of ‘tokens’ in the poem ‘Animals’? Who brings them to the poet?

 Animals show tokens of goodness. They are self-contained, peaceful, thankful and happy creatures. Animals are not unhappy and indeed, bring out tokens of man’s good nature lost long ago. Animals do not grumble about their lives.

 

Q How are animals better than humans, according to the poet?

 According to the poet, the animals are more humane than humans. They have no bad qualities as humans have. In their world, all are happy, equal and contented. They express their relations to the poet and he accepts them.

What is the Central Idea of the poem ‘Animals’?                                           

  The central idea of the poem is the superiority of animal’s life over to human beings. The poet, Whitman, compares animals with human beings. He finds animals far better than human beings. The poet finds the reasons for human suffering. Human beings are always dissatisfied. All their actions are with a selfish motive. But animals are far from these bad qualities. So the poet wishes to turn and live with the animals.

 What is the difference between animals and humans regard their attitude to their condition, sins and God?

Human beings cry about their condition. They lie awake at night in the dark and weep for their sins. They make the poet sick by discussing their duty about God. But animals do not do any of these things. That is why the poet likes them.

How are animals different from humans about owning things or kneeling to one another?

Human beings are mad about possessing things. But animals do not care for possession. They do not kneel to others as humans do. For them all are equal.

Why is the poet so much impressed with animals?

 Animals possess all the noble virtues that are necessary for an ideal living. They are contented and never complain about their fate. They are independent and don’t show unnecessary respect for their ancestors or to their fellow beings. They are not selfish and don’t suffer from the mania of possessing and owning things. So, he is highly impressed with animals.

Why do humans keep awake in the dark and weep for their sins while animals never do such things?

 Animals have a clear conscience. They are not confused or muddle-headed. Humans are ambitious, greedy and suffer from the mania of possessing and owning things. Their sins and misdeeds don’t allow them to enjoy a sound sleep at night. They weep over their sins.

Human beings are called the most civilised species in the entire world. But sometimes they lack the values which are better exhibited by the animals.” Elucidate the statement with reference to the poem, ‘Animals’.

 Human beings are called the most civilised species in the entire world. But sometimes, they lack the values which are better exhibited by the animals. Animals do not grumble about their lives, lie awake at night, cry over their sins or discuss their duty towards God as humans do. Animals do not have a mania for “owning things”, nor do they kneel before others like humans. Moreover, the tokens of goodness, love, respect and happiness have been forgotten by human beings.