TS 8th Class English Guide Unit 2B The Cry of Children (Poem)
"For oh, " say the children, "we are weary
And we cannot run or leap;
If we cared for any meadows, it were merely
To drop down in them and sleep.
Our knees tremble sorely in the stooping,
We fall upon our faces, trying to go;
And underneath our heavy eyelids drooping
The reddest flower would look as pale as snow
For, all day, we drag our burden tiring
Through the coal - dark, underground;
Or, all day we drive the wheels of iron
In the factories, round and round."
Questions and Answers
Answer the following questions.
Question 1.
What kind of places are the children working in?
Answer:
The children are working as labourers in factories and coal mines
Question 2.
The reddest flower would look as pale as snow. What does the phrase reddest flower refer to ? Why does it become pale?
Answer:
The phrase reddest flower refers to an energetic, active and young child. He looks pale because he is tired of heavy work
Question 3.
How does the work affect the children?
Answer:
When children are engaged in work in young age as labourers, it will affect their health and career. They are tired with heavy work whereas they have to play all the time. They become weak. They will behave like machines. They are deprived of their dreams. Their childhood will be spoiled
Question 4.
Do children enjoy their lives when engaged in work?
Answer:
No, the children do not enjoy their lives when engaged in work. Their play time is robbed of
Question 5.
If the poem were written from the point of view of a factory owner, what kind of things would he say about children?
Answer:
The factory owners would say that they pay more than the worth their work. If children learn to work, it will help them in future. They feel there is nothing to be worried about child labour
Question 6.
What is the poets attitude towards child labour? Pick out the words / expressions that reveal her attitude?
Answer:
Elizabeth Barrett Browning expresses her concern for the children who are made to work in factories and hence had to part away with their childhood and they are deprived of all those things that other children can do
The following words / expression reveal her attitude:
- We are weary
- We cannot run or leap
- Our knees tremble
- We fall upon our faces
- Our heavy eyelids drooping
- All day we drive the wheels
The Cry of Children (Poem) Summary in English
Elizabeth Barrett Brownings poem entitled "The Cry of Children" was written at the time "when government investigations had exposed the exploitation of children employed in coal mines and factories."
Elizabeth Barrett Browning reserves her sentiment for the children who are made to work in factories and hence had to part away with their childhood and they are deprived of all those things that other children can do.
Children who are engaged in child labour say that they are tired and lost all their strength. They cannot run or jump. They want to go to meadows to sleep and take rest. They say that their knees tremble and the eyelids droop as they are tired very much with work. Even the energetic children also look tired as they are carrying loads all the day in the coal mines and drive the wheels in the factories
About the Poet
Elizabeth Barret Browning (1806-1861) was a great poet of English language. She published a Collection of Poems, Sonnets from the Portuguese, Aurora Leigh, The Seraphim and other poems. She married Robert Browning, a famous English poet and moved to Italy. Most of her poems deal with human emotions
Glossary
weary (adj) : tired and lost all the strength
meadows (n) : land that is covered with grass
merely (adv) : only
sorely (adv) : in a painful manner
stopping (v) : bending
drooping (adj) : hanging downward
pale (adj) : not bright/ light in colour