Chapter 3.1 – The Plate of Gold
Warming up!
1. Stories can be told even in the form of poetry. Such poems are called Narrative poems. Narrative poems do not always follow rhythmic patterns of a fixed rhyme scheme. Such poems are written in a style called ‘Free Verse.’
Recall and name some narrative poems you have done / read earlier.
Ans: Students must do this on their own.
2. Read the poem below and fill in the gaps, choosing appropriate pairs of rhyming words, to make them meaningful.
Little Things
Little drops of water,
Little grains of _______
Make the mighty ocean
And the pleasant _______.
Thus the little minutes,
Humble though they ______,
Make the mighty ages
Of _______.
Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of _______
Make this earth an Eden,
Like the heaven a _______
(love – above / sand – land / be – eternity)
Ans:
Little things
Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand
Make the mighty ocean
And the pleasant land.
Thus the little minutes,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages
Of eternity.
Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love
Make this earth an Eden,
Like the heaven above.
What important message does the above poem convey?
Ans: The poem conveys the message that we do not have to do great deeds but that small acts of kindness will make this place a heaven on Earth.
In Between the Poetry!
Q1. Who could claim the plate of gold?
Ans: One who loves others and all people around him the best could claim the plate of gold.
Q2. To whom did the priests gift the plate of gold?
Ans: The priests gifted the plate of gold to the man who was the largest lover of his race and who parted his whole estate to the poor within the year.
Q3. What magical occurrence shocked the people?
Ans: The priest gifted the golden plate to the man who had given away the whole estate to the poor within a year. But when the man touched the golden plate, it turned into lead. This magical occurrence shocked the people.
Q4. Why had many beggars collected outside the temple?
Ans: Many beggars collected outside the temple because many people who wanted to claim the plate started giving alms to the beggars.
Q5. Why did the pilgrims, to the temple, shower coins to the beggars?What did they fail to do?
Ans: One who loved all others the best could claim the plate of gold. So in order to claim the golden plate the pilgrims showered coins to the beggars.
Q6. What did the poor peasant offer the blind beggar?
Ans: The poor peasant saw the sightless face and trembling, maimed hands of a blind beggar. He did not pass, but kneeled and took both palms of the beggar in his hands and prayed. He prayed to God to help the man bear all his troubles bravely.
Q7. Why had God chosen the simple peasant as the most deserving of the plate of gold?
Ans: God loves those who love and serve others. Service to others is the greatest human act. The peasant did not pass away upon seeing the blind man. He took both palms of the beggar and prayed to God for him. He did it with a sincere heart and without any selfish motive. So God chose the simple peasant as the one most deserving of the plate of gold.
ENGLISH WORKSHOP
1. Pick out words from the poem to complete the sentences meaningfully.
(a) Stephen Hawking was a ________ (famous) Astrophysicist.
Ans: renowned
(b) The Government made a ________ (announcement) about their new taxation policy.
Ans: proclamation
(c) Everyone stood ________ (horrified) when the terrible accident took place.
Ans: aghast
(d) She ________ (bargained) with the hawker to reduce the price.
Ans: wrangled
(e) Handicapped people should never be ________ (ignored and avoided)
Ans: shunned
2. Make a list of archaic words from the poem and give their modern equivalents.
Ans:
(i) Archaic word – wondrous
Modern equivalent – wonderful
(ii) Archaic word – loveth
Modern equivalent – loves
(iii) Archaic word – dropt
Modern equivalent – dropped
(iv) Archaic word – writ
Modern equivalent – written
(v) Archaic word – bestowed
Modern equivalent – presented
(vi) Archaic word – though
Modern equivalent – you
3. Rearrange the following in the proper order and insert them into a flow chart as per the poem.
(a) The plate turned to lead, when it was gifted to false-hearted claimants.
(b) Many claimants donated their wealth to receive the plate of gold.
(c) For almost two years, no claimants received the plate of gold.
(d) A plate of gold fell in a temple from Heaven.
(e) The peasant offered comfort and courage to a blind miserable beggar, whom all had ignored.
(f) The priests announced that the one who loved God most of all, would receive the gift from Heaven.
(g) When the priest gave the plate of gold to that peasant, it shone with thrice its lustre.
(h) A simple peasant, who had nothing to offer, came to that temple.
Ans:
(d) A plate of gold fell in a temple from Heaven.
(f) The priests announced that the one who loved God most of all would receive the gift from Heaven.
(b) Many claimants donated their wealth to receive the plate of gold.
(a) The plate turned to lead when it was gifted to false-hearted claimants.
(c) For almost two years, no claimants received the plate of gold.
(h) A simple peasant, who had nothing to offer, came to that temple.
(e) The peasant offered comfort and courage to a blind miserable beggar, whom all had ignored.
(g) When the priest gave the plate of gold to that peasant, it shone with thrice its luster.
4. Which two sayings about God are conveyed through the poem ‘The Plate of Gold’?
(a) God helps those who help themselves.
(b) God loves those who love their fellow beings.
(c) God loves those, who give away their wealth, to please Him.
(d) Service to mankind is service to God.
Ans:
(b) God loves those who love their fellow beings.
(d) Service to mankind is service to God.
5. ‘But the peasant bowed and prayed to God ………..’ What could he have prayed for?
Ans: The peasant saw the plight of human beings and beggars. So he must have prayed to God to solve the problems and help them in fighting the troubles of the people along with their well-being.
6. Imagine that you are the peasant. Compose a short prayer to God, after having received the plate of gold. Write it using stylish handwriting.
Ans:
Dear God,
You have always showered your choicest blessings on me. I thank you for all the glorious gifts. Your love, care, guidance, and wisdom have always guided me and enabled me to achieve and accomplish great things. This plate of gold you have sent from your heaven is the rarest blessing! I wonder at your ways always. The way you guided me to the temple and spoke in the priest’s heart to call me and give the plate to me! I don’t know how you do these wonderful things so mysteriously. I bow my head in infinite gratitude for your love and care.
Thank you so much, God.
7. Read other poems by Leigh Hunt, especially ‘Abou Ben Adhem’. Compare the messages in that poem with those in ‘The Plate of Gold’. What do you observe?
Ans: Abu Ben Adhem and Plate of Gold are two of the best poems that highlight the importance of service and love to humanity. Both poems convey the same message.
In Abu Ben Adhem, the angel confirms to Abu Ben Adhem that his name is in the book, which contains the names of those whom God loves; Abu is ecstatic to see his name at the top.
In the poem ‘Plate of Gold’, the gift of heaven is also for the peasant who loves his brothers and sisters sincerely.
In both the poems, the true lovers of mankind are rewarded by heaven and God.