Q1. Explain any two of the excerpts of poems given below with reference to their context. (20 Marks)
(i) A povre wydwe somdeel stape in age,
Was whilom dwellyng in a narwe cotage,
Biside a grove, stondynge in a dale.
This wydwe, of which I telle yow my tale,”
(ii) At length they all to mery London came,
To mery London, my most kyndly nurse,
That to me gave, this lifes first native sourse
Though from another place I take my name,”
(iii) I wonder by my troth, what thou, and I
Did, till we lov’d? were we not wean’d till then?
(iv) Unreal City,
Under the brown fog of a winter dawn,
A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many,
I had not thought death had undone so many.”
Answer:
Excerpt (i): From Geoffrey Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales”
“A povre wydwe somdeel stape in age,
Was whilom dwellyng in a narwe cotage,
Biside a grove, stondynge in a dale.
This wydwe, of which I telle yow my tale,”
Context and Background
This excerpt is from Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, written in the late 14th century. Chaucer’s work is a collection of stories narrated by pilgrims traveling to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket in Canterbury. Each pilgrim represents a distinct segment of medieval English society. This particular excerpt is the opening lines of The Wife of Bath’s Prologue and Tale, one of the most famous and studied tales in the collection. The Wife of Bath herself is an intriguing character — a wealthy, experienced woman, somewhat unconventional in her views on marriage and female autonomy.
The excerpt describes an elderly widow, who is about to become central to the story. Chaucer’s Middle English paints a vivid picture of the widow’s humble living conditions: she lives in a “narwe cotage” by a grove in a dale, reflecting the simplicity and isolation of her life. This geographical and social description sets the stage for the moral and narrative lessons to follow.
Explanation
In this passage, Chaucer focuses on the character of the widow to highlight themes of social status, gender roles, and morality. The widow’s age and poverty underscore her vulnerability, but they also establish her as a figure of experience and wisdom. Chaucer’s narrative technique is both descriptive and empathetic — he does not merely present her as a stereotype but situates her within a tangible environment. The grove and dale evoke a pastoral, almost idyllic setting, connecting the story to the medieval literary tradition of intertwining moral lessons with nature.
Chaucer’s choice of language — “somdeel stape in age” — indicates that the widow is elderly, which, in the context of medieval society, immediately informs the reader about her social position, potential frailty, and wisdom. This careful characterization allows the tale to explore broader themes of virtue, morality, and human behavior. Chaucer often uses ordinary, realistic settings and characters as vehicles for exploring ethical and social concerns, blending storytelling with moral instruction.
Literary Significance
This excerpt exemplifies Chaucer’s skill in realistic description and characterization, hallmarks of early English narrative poetry. The Wife of Bath’s story, beginning with this widow, allows Chaucer to challenge conventional ideas about women, marriage, and morality. The detailed setting also reflects Chaucer’s attention to nature, social context, and human psychology, making his work enduringly relevant in literary studies.
Excerpt (iv): From T. S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land”
“Unreal City,
Under the brown fog of a winter dawn,
A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many,
I had not thought death had undone so many.”
Context and Background
IGNOU MEG 01 Solved Assignment Q1 Answer 2025–26 This excerpt is from T. S. Eliot’s The Waste Land, published in 1922, a seminal poem of the Modernist movement. Eliot wrote this poem in the aftermath of World War I, reflecting the disillusionment, fragmentation, and alienation of post-war Europe. The poem is famous for its dense imagery, use of multiple voices, and allusions to various literary and cultural traditions, both Eastern and Western. The “Unreal City” section specifically focuses on London, Eliot’s home, portraying the city as lifeless, monotonous, and spiritually barren.
The excerpt describes the early morning rush on London Bridge, where crowds of office workers move mechanically through the city, trapped in a cycle of work and urban routine. The “brown fog of a winter dawn” symbolizes pollution, stagnation, and moral decay. Eliot’s imagery conveys not only physical dreariness but also a deeper spiritual emptiness pervasive in modern urban life.
Explanation
In this passage, Eliot uses stark and modern imagery to evoke a sense of alienation and monotony. The term “Unreal City” suggests that the city, though bustling with life, lacks vitality and humanity. The crowd moves as if animated by death itself — Eliot writes, “I had not thought death had undone so many,” implying that while the city is populated, it is spiritually dead. The people are present physically, but their lives are devoid of meaning and connection.
The “brown fog” metaphorically represents industrialization, moral ambiguity, and post-war despair. The winter dawn reflects not renewal, as in traditional poetic imagery of spring, but bleakness and cold. Eliot’s lines capture the modernist sense of fragmentation, both of society and of individual consciousness. The poem conveys a disjunction between life and human experience, reflecting the broader cultural disillusionment of the 20th century.
Literary Significance
This excerpt demonstrates Eliot’s hallmark Modernist techniques — imagistic precision, urban realism, and psychological insight. He juxtaposes the crowded, lively exterior of the city with the inner emptiness of its inhabitants, illustrating the alienation central to Modernist thought. The lines also employ intertextuality; “Unreal City” echoes Dante’s Inferno and Blake’s London, situating Eliot within a long literary tradition while simultaneously redefining the poetic treatment of contemporary life.
Comparison and Thematic Insights
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Era and Style:
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Chaucer (14th century) writes in Middle English with a narrative, character-driven style. His focus is moral, descriptive, and rooted in medieval society.
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Eliot (20th century) writes in Modernist free verse, using fragmented, urban imagery to depict existential despair.
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Setting and Tone:
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Chaucer’s “narrow cottage by a grove” is pastoral, peaceful, and morally instructive.
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Eliot’s “Unreal City” is industrial, crowded, and spiritually desolate.
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Human Condition:
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In Chaucer, the widow represents vulnerability, wisdom, and moral reflection. The tale is optimistic about human virtue.
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In Eliot, the urban crowd symbolizes alienation, monotony, and spiritual decay, reflecting modern disillusionment.
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Imagery:
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Chaucer uses natural and social realism — detailed descriptions of age, poverty, and surroundings.
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Eliot uses symbolic and urban imagery — fog, death, and mechanical crowd movements to depict existential emptiness.
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Purpose:
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Chaucer: to educate, entertain, and morally engage readers through storytelling.
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Eliot: to reflect, critique, and evoke emotional and intellectual response to modern life.
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Conclusion
IGNOU MEG 01 Solved Assignment Q1 Answer 2025–26 – Both excerpts highlight the poets’ abilities to convey the human experience through precise imagery and context, but they differ greatly in tone, style, and historical context. Chaucer’s passage presents a medieval worldview, emphasizing morality, human virtue, and social observation through a pastoral, narrative lens. Eliot’s lines reflect the Modernist sensibility, emphasizing alienation, fragmentation, and spiritual emptiness in post-industrial urban life.
In Chaucer, the focus is on individual character — the widow’s life, virtues, and circumstances reflect broader social and ethical lessons. In Eliot, the focus is on collective experience — the urban crowd symbolizes the spiritual void and existential crises faced by society. Despite these differences, both poets use careful observation, vivid imagery, and social commentary to engage readers and explore human life. Chaucer uses story and narrative progression, while Eliot employs symbolic description and Modernist experimentation with form and voice.
Together, these excerpts illustrate the evolution of English poetry from medieval narrative realism to 20th-century Modernist experimentation, demonstrating how poets across eras engage with human nature, society, and the environment, albeit in different contexts and with different methods. They reveal the enduring power of poetry to reflect human thought, social conditions, and philosophical inquiry, transcending time while adapting to changing cultural circumstances.
Keywords:
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