On his twenty third birthday Questions Answers
Very Short Answer Questions
Who wrote the poem “On His Twenty third Birthday”?
Answer: John Milton.
How does the poet describe Time in the poem?
Answer: The poet describes Time as “the subtle thief of youth.”
What age has the poet reached in the poem?
Answer: The poet has reached his twenty-third year.
What does the poet lament about his life in the poem?
Answer: He laments that he hasn’t achieved as much as he expected by this age.
What does the poet mean by “late spring” in the poem?
Answer: “Late spring” refers to the later part of the poet’s life.
What might deceive the truth about the poet’s age and maturity?
Answer: The poet’s outward appearance might deceive the truth.
What does the poet express willingness to accept in the poem?
Answer: The poet expresses a willingness to accept his fate, whether humble or grand.
To whom does the poet refer as the “Task-Master” in the poem?
Answer: The poet refers to God as the “Task-Master.”
What does the poet mean by “strictest measure” in the poem?
Answer: The poet means that his life will be determined by a strict standard or measure.
What guides the poet toward his destiny in the poem?
Answer: Time guides the poet toward his destiny.
What does the poet suggest about his outward appearance in the poem?
Answer: The poet suggests that his outward appearance might not accurately reflect his inner maturity.
What is the central theme of the poem?
Answer: The central theme of the poem is the passage of time, growing older, and accepting one’s fate in accordance with divine will.
What is the poet’s age at the beginning of the poem?
Answer: The poet is twenty-three years old at the beginning of the poem.
What does the poet mean by “full career” in the poem?
Answer: “Full career” refers to the rapid passage of time and the poet’s days moving swiftly.
What does the poet mean by “inward ripeness” in the poem?
Answer: “Inward ripeness” refers to inner maturity or personal development.
‘But my late spring no bud or blossom sheweth’.
(a) What does ‘spring’ refer to?
(b) How is it late?
Answer: (a) ‘Spring’ refers to maturity. Maturity that poet has not gained with age.
(b) It is late as he has not seen bud or blossom. There is no sign of maturity that is visible.
All is, if I have grace to use it so,
As ever in my Taskmaster’s eye.
What has grace been spoken of in the above lines?
Answer: Grace is the extra time that the poet wishes to have to compensate his loss.
How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stolen on his wing my three and twentieth year!
My hastign day fly on with full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom sheweth.
(i) What has time stolen from the poet?
(ii) Find out the words from the extract which have the same meaning as the words given below:
(a) something not noticeable or obvious.
(b) flower which has not yet opened its petals.
(iii) Give the superlative degree of the word ‘soon’.
Answers:
(i) The time has stolen youth from the poet in the form of twenty-three years.
(ii) (a) subtle
(b) bud.
(iii) ‘Soonest’ is the superlative degree of the word ‘soon’.
Short Answer Questions
Question 1: What is the central theme of the poem?
Answer: The central theme of the poem is the passage of time and the poet’s reflection on his own mortality. The poet laments the fact that he is growing older and that he has not yet achieved the maturity and success that he feels he should have by his age.
Question 2: What does the poet mean when he says “But late spring no bud or blossom shew’th”?
Answer: The poet is comparing his own life to a spring that has not yet bloomed. He is saying that he feels immature and underdeveloped.
Question 3: What does the speaker mean when he says “And inward ripeness doth much less appear”?
Answer: The poet is saying that he does not feel as mature on the inside as he does on the outside. He is still learning and growing.
Question 4: What does the poet mean when he says “Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow, It shall be still in strictest measure ev’n”?
Answer: The poet is saying that he accepts his fate, whatever it may be. He knows that God has a plan for his life, and he is content with that.
Question 5: What does the poet mean when he says “All is, if I have grace to use it so As ever in my great Task-Master’s eye”?
Answer: The poet is saying that he wants to use his time and abilities in a way that pleases God. He knows that he is accountable to God for his actions, and he wants to live a life that is worthy of his calling.
Question 6: What is the speaker’s tone in the poem?
Answer: The speaker’s tone in the poem is reflective and resigned. He is accepting of his own limitations and mortality, and he is committed to living a life that is in accordance with God’s will.
Question 7: What is the poem’s significance?
Answer: The poem is significant because it explores universal themes of time, mortality, and faith. It is a reminder that we are all accountable to God for our lives, and that we should use our time and abilities wisely.
Question 8: What lessons can we learn from the poem?
Answer: We can learn several lessons from the poem, including:
The passage of time is inevitable, and we should cherish the time that we have.
We should not compare ourselves to others, but focus on our own personal growth and development.
We should accept our limitations and mortality.
We should use our time and abilities in a way that pleases God.
Question 9: How does the poem relate to our own lives?
Answer: The poem relates to our own lives in many ways. We all experience the passage of time, and we all face challenges and setbacks. The poem reminds us that we should not give up hope, but continue to strive to live our lives in a way that is aligned with our values and beliefs.
Question 10: What is the poem’s legacy?
Answer: The poem’s legacy is that it continues to inspire and resonate with readers today. It is a reminder that we are all human, and that we all share the same struggles and hopes. The poem also offers a message of hope and encouragement, reminding us that we can overcome any challenge with God’s help.
Question 11: What has time stolen from the poet?
Answer: In this poem, the poet makes a complain blaming Time that it has stolen the prime part of his life. The twenty-three years of his life passed away so hastily that the poet failed to mature himself. His career could not be perfect. Although his appearance is now mature, he still requires time for the maturity of his career. There is a lack of inner maturity.
Question 12: What deceives the truth?
Answer: Here, the poet refers that now he is mature in age. His appearance can deceive one about his inner maturity which is still unripe. Time did not give him an opportunity to attain the ripeness of his poetic talent. He has lost his career. His appearance is deceiving.
Question 13: What will be in the strictest measure?
Answer: As this poem is devotional in tone, the poet says that whatever one gets or does, it is the ruling of God. God distributes everything to everyone in the strictest measure. For him, there is no distinction between high or low. He observes everything equally and allots everyone equally.
Question 14: How does the poet console himself?
Answer: The poet here feels sorry for he could not make his career properly. His talent is still unripe. Time has stolen the twenty-three years of his life without notice. It has deceived him. However, the poet consoles himself with the plea that whatever he has achieved was the wish of God. God gives anything to anyone without any reservation. God being the Taskmaster controls everything.
