Get notes, line-by-line explanation, summary, questions and answers, critical analysis, word meanings, workbook solutions (Evergreen and Morning Star/Beeta Publication), extras, and pdf of the poem “Haunted Houses” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which is part of ICSE Class 10 English (Treasure Chest: A Collection of ICSE Poems and Short Stories). However, the notes should only be treated for references and changes should be made according to the needs of the students.
Summary
The poem starts by saying that every house where people have lived is haunted. Here, “houses” is our physical existence, and being “haunted” means we’re left with permanent impressions from the people we’ve known. These influences hover quietly like ghosts, often going unnoticed but still leaving their mark.
Longfellow suggests that these impressions are always present, appearing at various stages and transitions in life – in doorways, on stairs, and through passages. He is saying that at any given time, we are only conscious of a fraction of these influences. However, beneath the surface, our minds are crammed with memories, imprints, and echoes of past bonds, similar to a hall filled with polite, harmless spectres.
The experiences and recollections of our interactions are deeply personal. An outside might only see someone’s present self, but that person feels acutely their whole backstory and the many forces shaping their current views and emotions.
While we may feel ownership over our experiences and memories, Longfellow claims true ownership is hard to grasp. People from our past, even those forgotten, keep swaying our choices, perceptions, and sense of self.
The poem then zooms out to a bigger metaphysical perspective – that an ethereal realm of memories and old impacts envelops our tangible existence. This realm profoundly enriches our daily lives, giving depth and dimension to our present understanding.
Our lives are depicted as a delicate balance of past influences, some tugging us towards base desires, others lifting us towards higher aims. This balance is maintained by unseen or subtle influences, which Longfellow poetically compares to undiscovered stars or planets.
Using the moon as a metaphor, the poet stresses how past influences can light our path, guiding us through the vast expanse of life’s journey even as we head into the unknown.
Line-by-line explanation of poem
All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses.
Here, the term “houses” is a metaphor for our bodies or lives, and being “haunted” indicates the indelible mark or influence left by the people we encounter. Just as every house has its history, every person carries the memories and impacts of past relationships and interactions.
Through the open doors
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
With feet that make no sound upon the floors.
Open doors signify moments of vulnerability or openness in our lives. The “harmless phantoms” symbolise individuals who’ve passed through our lives, sometimes unnoticed or unacknowledged, leaving subtle but meaningful imprints. Their silent movements suggest that often, the full depth of their influence isn’t immediately evident.
We meet them at the door-way, on the stair,
Along the passages they come and go,
Impalpable impressions on the air,
The various places mentioned (door-way, stair, passages) allude to the different phases and transitional moments in our lives. These people affect us at varying intensities and at different times, but their impact remains, even if it’s as elusive as “impressions on the air.”
There are more guests at table than the hosts
Invited; the illuminated hall
Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts,
Our conscious mind (the “table”) often only acknowledges a fraction of the influences and memories we carry. However, our subconscious (the “illuminated hall”) is filled with countless past interactions, represented here by the “quiet, inoffensive ghosts”.
The stranger at my fireside cannot see
The forms I see, nor hear the sounds I hear;
He but perceives what is; while unto me
All that has been is visible and clear.
Our experiences, memories, and the impact of past relationships are deeply personal. Others might only see our current state, but we are vividly aware of our history and the multitude of influences that shape our present perception and feelings.
We have no title-deeds to house or lands;
Owners and occupants of earlier dates
From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands,
And hold in mortmain still their old estates.
This suggests that while we may feel ownership over our bodies and lives, we don’t truly own the influences and memories within us. People from our past, even those long forgotten, continue to impact our choices and perceptions.
The spirit-world around this world of sense
Floats like an atmosphere, and everywhere
Wafts through these earthly mists and vapours dense
A vital breath of more ethereal air.
The “spirit-world” signifies the realm of memories and past influences that envelope our tangible existence. This ethereal realm breathes life into our daily experiences, enriching our understanding and perspective.
Our little lives are kept in equipoise
By opposite attractions and desires;
The struggle of the instinct that enjoys,
And the more noble instinct that aspires.
Our lives are in a constant state of balance, shaped by both our baser instincts and higher aspirations. These instincts are influenced by the varied people we encounter, some pulling us toward momentary pleasures and others elevating us toward greater goals.
These perturbations, this perpetual jar
Of earthly wants and aspirations high,
Come from the influence of an unseen star
An undiscovered planet in our sky.
Our internal conflicts, the battle between our desires and aspirations, often arise from hidden or unacknowledged influences. This “unseen star” or “undiscovered planet” symbolises those powerful yet unrecognised people or moments that guide our inner compass.
And as the moon from some dark gate of cloud
Throws o’er the sea a floating bridge of light,
Across whose trembling planks our fancies crowd
Into the realm of mystery and night,
This picturesque imagery depicts how past influences can serve as guiding lights, much like how the moon illuminates a path across the sea. It emphasises the idea that our past shapes and influences our journey, even into the unknown.
So from the world of spirits there descends
A bridge of light, connecting it with this,
O’er whose unsteady floor, that sways and bends,
Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss.
Building on the previous imagery, this concludes the poem by suggesting that the world of past influences (or spirits) provides a connection to our present. As we navigate our lives, our decisions and feelings are continually shaped by those who’ve left their mark on us.
Word meanings
Haunted: In this context, it means deeply influenced or pervaded by memories or impressions of people from the past.
Houses: Representing the lives or bodies of individuals. A metaphor for the container of one’s experiences, memories, and the imprints of people they’ve met.
Phantoms: Ghostly figures, representing lingering memories, influences, or impressions of individuals who’ve passed through our lives.
Errands: Their purposes or reasons for influencing our lives.
Glide: Move smoothly and continuously, indicating the subtle and often unnoticed manner in which these influences manifest.
Door-way, Stair, Passages: Different phases, moments, or transitions in life. These are the points where we often encounter new people and experiences.
Impalpable: Difficult to feel or grasp, highlighting the elusive nature of some influences or memories.
Guests: The various people, memories, or influences present in our lives.
Hosts: Represents us or the individual’s conscious acknowledgment of these memories or people.
Illuminated hall: A space representing one’s conscious awareness or present state of mind.
Fireside: A personal, intimate space within oneself; one’s comfort zone or inner sanctum.
Forms: The clear memories or impressions of past interactions or individuals.
Title-deeds: Claims or rights to ownership.
Lands: Tangible assets or the physical aspects of life.
Mortmain: A term meaning ‘dead hand.’ Here, it signifies the unyielding grip or influence of past memories or individuals over one’s present life.
Estates: Represents assets, experiences, or memories one ‘owns’ in their life.
Spirit-world: The realm of memories, past influences, and impressions that surround our tangible reality.
Sense: Our current, tangible reality or conscious understanding.
Atmosphere: The enveloping space filled with past memories and influences.
Equipoise: Balance or equilibrium.
Attractions: Desires or tendencies influenced by past experiences or individuals.
Aspirations: Higher goals or ambitions, also influenced by our past.
Perturbations: Disturbances or conflicts within oneself.
Star, Planet: Unseen or unacknowledged influences guiding our inner decisions and feelings.
Moon: A guiding light or influence.
Gate of cloud: Obstacles or moments of obscurity in life.
Sea: The vast expanse of one’s life or experiences.
Bridge of light: The connection between past influences and the present.
Abyss: Deep, uncharted territory or the unknown aspects of one’s life.
Evergreen workbook answers/solutions
Multiple Choice Questions
1. What does the phrase “dark abyss” in the poem Haunted House symbolise ? (Board’s Practice Question)
(a) life experiences
(b) challenges in life
(c) a deep pit
(d) despair and depression
Answer: (d) despair and depression
2. The atmosphere created in the poem Haunted Houses is : (Board’s Practice Question)
(a) melancholic
(b) eerie
(c) peaceful
(d) unsettling
Answer: (c) peaceful
3. The ghosts/phantoms in H.W Longfellow’s Haunted Houses are described as : (Board’s Practice Question)
(a) harmless
(b) mischievous
(c) malevolent
(d) vengeful
Answer: (a) harmless
4. Which of the following options contains the same literary device as the given verse from the poem?
“As silent as the pictures on the wall” (Board’s Practice Question)
(a) Because I could not stop for death. He kindly stopped for me.
(b) Where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high.
(c) Soon, the sun’s warmth makes them shed crystal shells, shattering and avalanching on the snow crust
(d) Some are like fields of sunlit corn.
Answer: (d) Some are like fields of sunlit corn.
5. The title of the poem is
(a) dull
(b) banal
(c) eye-catching
(d) mystical
Answer: (d) mystical
6. Select the option that shows the correct relationship between these two statements.
Statement I: The world of the spirits is very delicate.
Statement II : This world passes through mists and vapours.
(a) I is the cause for II.
(b) II is an example of I.
(c) II is independent of I.
(d) I is a contradiction of II.
Answer: (b) II is an example of I.
7. Which of the following lines contains the same literary device as the one in this line
— These perturbations, this perpetual jar….’
(a) Gathered like pearls in their graves
(b) Death, be not proud
(c) The weakening eye of day
(d) His crypt the cloudy canopy
Answer: (c) The weakening eye of day
8. ‘Impalpable impression on the air.’
Select the option that best conveys the meaning of the word ‘impalpable’.
(a) indelible
(b) inevitable
(c) intangible
(d) solid
Answer: (c) intangible
9. The poet refers to the stranger at the fireside as the one ‘but perceives what is’. It means that he is :
(a) imaginative
(b) spiritual
(c) realist
(d) practical
Answer: (c) realist
10. Select the correct option.
1. Assertion : The ghosts seen by the speaker are harmless.
2. Reason: They come and go quietly.
(a) 1 is true but 2 is false.
(b) 1 is false but 2 is true.
(c) Both 1 & 2 are true.
(d) Both 1 & 2 are false.
Answer: (c) Both 1 & 2 are true.
(b) Recalling and Understanding :
11. Which of these statements is NOT true?
(a) The speaker cannot see or hear ghosts.
(b) The speaker can see or hear ghosts.
(c) All houses are frequented by ghosts.
(d) Ghosts do not harm human beings.
Answer: (a) The speaker cannot see or hear ghosts.
12. What kind of spirit-world is conceived ?
(a) ugly
(b) beautiful
(c) delicate and quiet
(d) sensitive
Answer: (c) delicate and quiet
13. ‘As silent as the pictures on the wall’. Which figure of speech is used in this line?
(a) irony
(b) metaphor
(c) sarcasm
(d) simile
Answer: (d) simile
14. The phrase ‘hold in mortmain’ implies ………………..
(a) temporary ownership
(b) permanent ownership
(c) no ownership
(d) mortgaged
Answer: (b) permanent ownership
15. What brings in balance in human lives?
(a) religious books
(b) opposite forces in life
(c) opposite attractions and desires
(d) good values
Answer: (c) opposite attractions and desires
16. The ghosts visit their former dwellings as …………….. .
(a) guests
(b) owners
(c) strangers
(d) onlookers
Answer: (b) owners
17. What kind of bridge on the sea waves is imagined ?
(a) solid
(b) perpetual
(c) steady
(d) waving
Answer: (d) waving
18. Who are referred to as the ‘Owners and occupants of earlier dates’?
(a) ghosts
(b) strangers
(c) landlords
(d) ancestors
Answer: (a) ghosts
19. Longfellow presents his ghosts as :
(a) sinister
(b) inoffensive
(c) menacing
(d) ugly
Answer: (b) inoffensive
20. Ghosts in the poem move about ………………..
(a) in search of some victim
(b) on some errands
(c) aimlessly
(d) in search of food
Answer: (b) on some errands
Comprehension Passages
PASSAGE-1
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
With feet that make no sound upon the floors.
(i) What feelings are evoked by ‘haunted houses’? (Analysis)
Answer: Traditionally, ‘haunted houses’ evoke feelings of fear and menace. However, in this poem, the idea is presented differently, suggesting that all houses where people have lived and died are ‘haunted’ by harmless, quiet presences, thus evoking a sense of gentle haunting rather than terror.
(ii) In what way are all houses ‘haunted’ ? (Understanding and Analysis)
Answer: All houses are ‘haunted’ in the sense that the spirits of those who previously lived and died in them continue to linger there. These are not necessarily frightening ghosts but rather the lingering presence or memories of former occupants.
(iii) Why is the phrase ‘harmless phantoms’ unusual? (Analysis)
Answer: The phrase ‘harmless phantoms’ is unusual because phantoms or ghosts are commonly perceived in popular belief as menacing, frightening, or harmful. Describing them as ‘harmless’ challenges this conventional notion.
(iv) What kind of the spirit-world is conceived by the poet later in the context ? (Understanding)
Answer: Later in the poem, the spirit-world is conceived as an ethereal, delicate atmosphere that floats around our world of sense. It’s a vital breath of a more ethereal air, subtly intermingling with our own reality.
(v) Where can we, according to the poet, meet ghosts? (Understanding)
Answer: According to the poet, we can meet ghosts or phantoms at the doorway, on the stair, and along the passages of houses. They are impalpable impressions, a sense of something moving to and fro.
PASSAGE-2
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
We meet them at the doorway, on the stair,
Along the passages they come and go,
Impalpable impressions on the air,
A sense of something moving to and fro.
(i) What is it that surprises us earlier in the context? (Recall)
Answer: Earlier in the context, what surprises us is the assertion that all houses wherein men have lived and died are haunted houses, and that the phantoms are harmless and glide silently.
(ii) Where do we ‘meet’ them ? Are they visible ? (Understanding)
Answer: We ‘meet’ them at the doorway, on the stair, and along the passages. They are described as ‘impalpable impressions on the air,’ suggesting they are not physically visible in the ordinary sense but are felt as a presence.
(iii) Explain the last two lines. (Analysis)
Answer: The last two lines, “Impalpable impressions on the air, / A sense of something moving to and fro,” mean that these presences cannot be physically touched or clearly seen; they are like faint traces or feelings in the atmosphere. There’s a general awareness or intuition of movement or presence, rather than a distinct, solid form.
(iv) The poet says “We meet them at the doorway, on the stair” What does he mean by this ? (Understanding and Analysis)
Answer: By this, the poet means that the presence of these spirits can be felt in common, everyday parts of a house where people frequently pass. It emphasizes their integration into the domestic space, rather than being confined to remote or frightening locations.
(v) Where do they ‘throng’, as mentioned later in the context? (Understanding)
Answer: Later in the context, they are mentioned to ‘throng’ the illuminated hall, being present as quiet, inoffensive ghosts among the invited guests at a table, as silent as pictures on the wall.
PASSAGE-3
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
There are more guests at table than the hosts
Invited; the illuminated hall
Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts,
As silent as the pictures on the wall.
(i) Who are the uninvited guests at table? Why are they silent ? (Understanding and Analysis)
Answer: The uninvited guests at the table are the quiet, inoffensive ghosts of former occupants or departed individuals connected to the house. They are silent because they are spirits, not physical beings, and their presence is ethereal, like that of pictures on the wall.
(ii) Why are they there uninvited ? How do they conduct themselves? (Evaluate)
Answer: They are there uninvited in the formal sense by the current hosts, but they are present because they are spirits connected to the place, lingering in their former dwelling. They conduct themselves quietly and inoffensively, being as silent as pictures and not disturbing the living.
(iii) What is surprising about these uninvited guests ? (Understanding)
Answer: What is surprising about these uninvited guests is that they are ghosts, yet they are described as “quiet” and “inoffensive,” and they “throng” the hall without causing alarm or disruption, coexisting silently with the living. This contrasts with the common expectation of ghosts being frightening.
(iv) What is meant by “As silent as the pictures on the wall” ? Which figure of speech is used in this line? (Understanding and Analysis)
Answer: “As silent as the pictures on the wall” means that the ghosts make no sound at all, their presence being as unobtrusive and quiet as inanimate portraits. The figure of speech used in this line is a simile, as indicated by the use of “as” for comparison.
(v) What can the speaker see and hear which others cannot ? (Analysis)
Answer: The speaker can see the forms and hear the sounds of these ghosts or spirits from the past. Others, like a stranger at the fireside, can only perceive what is tangibly present in the current moment, while the speaker is attuned to “all that has been.”
PASSAGE-4
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The stranger at my fireside cannot see
The forms I see, nor hear the sounds I hear;
He but perceives what is; while unto me
All that has been is visible and clear.
(Board’s Practice Question)
(i) How is the speaker’s perception different from that of the stranger? (Understanding)
Answer: The speaker’s perception is different because the speaker can see and hear the forms and sounds of the past (the ghosts), while the stranger can only perceive the tangible reality of the present (“what is”). The speaker has a connection to “all that has been.”
(ii) Who is ‘I’ in the above stanza, and who is referred to as ‘he’ in the third line of the stanza? Who is the present occupant of the house? (Understanding)
Answer: ‘I’ in the stanza is the speaker of the poem, who is sensitive to the presence of spirits. ‘He’ in the third line refers to the stranger at the speaker’s fireside. The text suggests the speaker might be a current occupant with a deep connection to the house’s past, or perhaps even one of the spirits, while the “stranger” could be a living visitor or the present, less perceptive occupant. The analysis suggests the speaker might be one of the ghosts, and the stranger the present occupant.
(iii) Why does the poet feel that all houses are haunted ? (Understanding)
Answer: The poet feels that all houses are haunted because men have lived and died in them, and their spirits or lingering presences (memories, impressions) remain. These are not necessarily malevolent ghosts but the “harmless phantoms” of former occupants.
(iv) Give any three characteristic features of the phantoms as mentioned in the poem ‘Haunted Houses’. (Analysis)
Answer: Three characteristic features of the phantoms are:
- They are harmless and inoffensive.
- They move silently, with feet that make no sound.
- They are impalpable, like impressions on the air, rather than solid forms.
(v) Where in the house do we meet these phantoms ? (Understanding)
Answer: We meet these phantoms at the doorway, on the stair, along the passages, and even at the dining table in the illuminated hall.
PASSAGE-5
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
We have no title-deeds to house or lands;
Owners and occupants of earlier dates
From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands,
And hold in mortmain still their old estates.
(i) Whose hands are dusty, and why? (Analysis)
Answer: The “dusty hands” belong to the “owners and occupants of earlier dates,” who are now in their “graves forgotten.” Their hands are dusty as a metaphor for their state of being dead and buried, emerging from the dust of their graves.
(ii) Where can we ‘meet’ the departed spirits ? (Understanding)
Answer: We can ‘meet’ the departed spirits in the houses where they once lived, such as at the doorway, on the stair, in passages, and at the dining table. They are impalpable impressions that linger.
(iii) Who do not have title-deeds to their ‘house or lands’? (Understanding)
Answer: The current living occupants (“We”) do not have absolute or permanent title-deeds in the eyes of the spirits, because the spirits of former owners still lay a claim to their old estates.
(iv) What do the departed spirits claim from their graves ? (Understanding)
Answer: From their graves, the departed spirits claim their old estates, holding them “in mortmain,” meaning they still consider these properties to be in their inalienable possession.
(v) Explain the phrase ‘hold in mortmain’. (Analysis)
Answer: The phrase ‘hold in mortmain’ means to hold in inalienable possession. In this context, it signifies that the spirits of the deceased former owners still consider their old properties (estates) to be theirs, a possession that cannot be transferred away from them, even in death.
PASSAGE-6
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
The spirit-world around this world of sense
Floats like an atmosphere, and everywhere
Wafts through these earthly mists and vapoursdense
A vital breath of more ethereal air.
(i) Why does the poet describe all houses as haunted earlier in the context ? (Recall)
Answer: Earlier in the context, the poet describes all houses as haunted because people have lived and died in them, and their harmless spirits or “phantoms” continue to glide on their errands within these houses.
(ii) How have the ghosts been described by the poet ? (Understanding)
Answer: The ghosts have been described by the poet as harmless phantoms, impalpable impressions, quiet and inoffensive, silent as pictures, and as owners and occupants of earlier dates who still hold a claim to their old estates.
(iii) What can the speaker see or hear? (Understanding)
Answer: The speaker can see the forms and hear the sounds of these spirits from the past, perceiving “all that has been,” which a stranger cannot.
(iv) What kind of the world of spirits is ? How does the poet describe the spirit-world? (Understanding and Analysis)
Answer: The world of spirits is described as an ethereal and delicate presence. The poet describes it as floating like an atmosphere around our tangible “world of sense.” It intermingles with our world, wafting through earthly mists and vapors as a “vital breath of more ethereal air.”
(v) What crosses through earthly mists and vapours ? (Analysis)
Answer: A “vital breath of more ethereal air” from the spirit-world crosses through earthly mists and vapours, implying that the influence or essence of the spirit world permeates our own.
PASSAGE-7
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
Our little lives are kept in equipoise
By opposite attractions and desires;
The struggle of the instinct that enjoys,
And the more noble instinct that aspires.
(i) Whose lives are being referred to in Line 1? (Understanding and Analysis)
Answer: The lives being referred to in Line 1 (“Our little lives”) are human lives, the lives of living people.
(ii) What brings about balance in our short lives ? (Analysis)
Answer: Balance (“equipoise”) in our short lives is brought about by “opposite attractions and desires”—the conflict and interplay between different human impulses.
(iii) Explain the last two lines of the extract. (Analysis)
Answer: The last two lines, “The struggle of the instinct that enjoys, / And the more noble instinct that aspires,” elaborate on these opposite attractions. They refer to the internal human conflict between the instinct for sensual pleasure and enjoyment, and the higher, nobler instinct that drives us towards spiritual aims or higher aspirations.
(iv) State what fills our life with anxieties and fears, later in the poem. (Understanding)
Answer: Later in the poem, it is stated that “perturbations,” the “perpetual jar of earthly wants and aspirations high,” which cause mental disturbances, anxieties, and fears, come from the influence of an unseen star or an undiscovered planet.
(v) Which ‘bridge of light’ is referred to here ? What is its purpose? (Analysis)
Answer: The ‘bridge of light’ referred to in the broader context of the poem (though not directly in this extract) is twofold: one formed by moonlight on the sea, and analogously, one that descends from the world of spirits to our earth. Its purpose is to connect the human world with the realm of mystery, night, or the spirit world, allowing our thoughts and fancies to wander into these unknown realms.
PASSAGE-8
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
These perturbations, this perpetual jar
Of earthly wants and aspirations high,
Come from the influence of an unseen star
An undiscovered planet in our sky.
(i) What brings about balance in our lives, as mentioned earlier in the context? (Analysis)
Answer: As mentioned earlier in the context, balance in our lives is brought about by “opposite attractions and desires,” specifically the struggle between the instinct that enjoys and the nobler instinct that aspires.
(ii) Explain the metaphor used by the poet in the first two lines. (Analysis)
Answer: In the first two lines, “this perpetual jar / Of earthly wants and aspirations high” is a metaphor. The human soul, or the state of human existence, constantly troubled by the conflict between worldly desires and lofty ambitions, is compared to a “perpetual jar” – a continuous state of disturbance or agitation.
(iii) What do you mean by ‘earthly wants and aspirations high’ ? (Analysis)
Answer: ‘Earthly wants’ refer to material desires, sensual pleasures, and worldly needs. ‘Aspirations high’ refer to noble goals, spiritual aims, ambitions for greater, perhaps non-material, achievements or understanding.
(iv) What are ‘perturbations’? (Understanding)
Answer: ‘Perturbations’ in this context refer to mental disturbances, anxieties, worries, and the unsettling agitations caused by the conflict between our earthly desires and higher aspirations.
(v) What is determined by an unseen, undiscovered planet in our sky? (Understanding)
Answer: According to the poem, our “perturbations” – the mental disturbances, anxieties, and fears arising from earthly wants and high aspirations – are determined or influenced by an unseen star or an undiscovered planet in our sky, suggesting an external, mysterious force shaping our inner conflicts.
PASSAGE-9
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
And as the moon from some dark gate of cloud
Throws o’er the sea a floating bridge of light,
Across whose trembling planks our fancies crowd
Into the realm of mystery and night,—
(i) When and how is a ‘bridge of light’ formed ? (Understanding)
Answer: A ‘bridge of light’ is formed when the moon emerges from a “dark gate of cloud” and its light is cast “o’er the sea,” creating a reflective path of light on the water’s surface that looks like a floating bridge.
(ii) What is the function of this bridge? (Understanding and Analysis)
Answer: The function of this bridge of light is to serve as a pathway for human “fancies” or thoughts to travel from the known world into the “realm of mystery and night.” It stimulates the imagination to explore the unknown.
(iii) Which figure of speech is used in the first two lines here ? (Analysis)
Answer: In the first two lines, personification is used for the moon (“moon… Throws o’er the sea a floating bridge of light”), as it is given the human-like action of throwing. The “bridge of light” itself is a metaphor.
(iv) Where does our fancy take us? (Analysis)
Answer: Our fancy, crowding across the “trembling planks” of this bridge of light, takes us “Into the realm of mystery and night,” suggesting a journey into the unknown, the spiritual, or the subconscious.
(v) Which realm is the poet referring to in this extract? (Analysis)
Answer: The poet is referring to the “realm of mystery and night.” This can be interpreted as the unknown, the world of spirits, the subconscious mind, or any domain beyond ordinary, tangible reality that inspires wonder and contemplation.
PASSAGE-10
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
So from the world of spirits there descends
A bridge of light, connecting it with this,
O’er whose unsteady floor, that sways and bends,
Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss.
(i) What has the poet told us about the world of spirits ? (Recall)
Answer: The poet has told us that the world of spirits floats like an atmosphere around our world of sense, wafting through earthly mists as a vital breath of ethereal air. It is inhabited by harmless, quiet phantoms who are former occupants of houses.
(ii) Where can we ‘meet’ the departed spirits ? (Understanding)
Answer: We can ‘meet’ the departed spirits in the houses where they lived, at doorways, on stairs, in passages, and at dining tables. They are impalpable impressions, and the speaker perceives them more clearly than a stranger might.
(iii) What is the significance of ‘So’ in Line 1? (Analysis)
Answer: The significance of ‘So’ in Line 1 is to draw an analogy or a parallel. Just as the moonlight creates a bridge of light on the sea leading to mystery, ‘so’ too, a similar bridge of light descends from the world of spirits, connecting it to our world.
(iv) Which bridge descends from the world of spirits? What has it been compared to? (Analysis)
Answer: A “bridge of light” descends from the world of spirits. It has been implicitly compared to the bridge of moonlight thrown o’er the sea, as both serve as connections to a realm of mystery and allow thoughts or fancies to traverse them.
(v) What do we often think of ? (Understanding and Analysis)
Answer: We often think of or allow our thoughts to wander over this “unsteady floor” that connects our world to the spirit world, contemplating the mysteries that lie beyond our immediate perception, symbolized by our thoughts wandering “above the dark abyss.”
Morning Star/Beeta workbook answers/solutions
Multiple Choice Questions II
1. Who enters through the open doors of houses?
A. Ancestors
B. Phantoms
C. Ethereal air
D. Thoughts
Answer: B. Phantoms
2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of Longfellow’s ‘phantoms’?
A. Harmless
B. Inoffensive
C. Impalpable
D. Scary
Answer: D. Scary
3. When the ghosts cannot be seen or heard, how are they perceived in the house?
A. A gust of wind
B. A gleam of light
C. A sense of something
D. A shadow on the wall
Answer: C. A sense of something
4. According to the narrator, who are the owners and occupants of the house or lands?
A. Unknown forces
B. Spirits of ancestors
C. Aliens from other planets
D. None of the above
Answer: B. Spirits of ancestors
5. Which figure of speech is used in the title of the poem by H.W. Longfellow?
A. Personification
B. Metaphor
C. Simile
D. Alliteration
Answer: D. Alliteration
6. What is suggested by the phrase, ‘hold in mortmain’?
A. Possession on rent
B. Inherited possession
C. Inalienable possession
D. Temporary ownership
Answer: C. Inalienable possession
7. Which of the following is NOT true about the ‘haunted houses’?
A. They are visited by spirits
B. They are visited by guests
C. They are deserted
D. Strangers are entertained
Answer: C. They are deserted
8. Which of the following is NOT associated with the spirits in the poem?
A. They glide
B. They throng
C. They waft
D. They wail
Answer: D. They wail
9. According to the narrator, the world of the spirits is
A. Fragile
B. Delicate
C. Sensitive
D. Bright and beautiful
Answer: D. Bright and beautiful
10. What are needed to be kept in balance in ‘our little lives’?
A. Divine justice
B. The presence of the spirits of ancestors
C. Opposite attractions and desires
D. None of the above
Answer: C. Opposite attractions and desires
11. Which figure of speech is used in the lines given below?
And as the moon from some dark gate of cloud
Throws O’er the sea a floating bridge of light.
A. Simile
B. Personification
C. Alliteration
D. None of the above
Answer: B. Personification
12. Who among the following can cross the ‘bridge of light’?
A. Earthly beings
B. The spirits
C. The Holy Men
D. None of the above
Answer: B. The spirits
13. Which of the following lines contains the same literary device as, “From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands.”
A. Ten thousand saw I at a glance, tossing their heads in sprightly dance
B. Last week in someone’s place we saw, a dozen eyeballs on the floor
C. Lustrous tokens of radiant lives, for happy daughters and happy wives
D. In triumphs, people have dropped down dead
Answer: A. Ten thousand saw I at a glance, tossing their heads in sprightly dance
Context questions and answers
Extract 1
All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
With feet that make no sound upon the floors.
(i) According to the narrator of the poem, why are all the houses haunted? What kind of houses are these?
Answer: According to the narrator, all houses are haunted because they have been lived in by men who have died. These houses are not haunted in the traditional sense but by memories or the lingering influence of those who once inhabited them.
(ii) Who are the harmless phantoms? How are these phantoms different from the usual image of the phantoms?
Answer: The harmless phantoms are the memories or spirits of those who lived in the houses. They are different from the usual image of phantoms because they are not frightening or malevolent; instead, they glide silently and harmlessly through the houses.
(iii) What ‘errands’ are done by these phantoms? Are their errands different from the known errands of phantoms? How?
Answer: The errands of these phantoms are the silent movements they make as they glide through the house. Unlike the usual malevolent or terrifying acts associated with phantoms, these are peaceful, subtle movements, reflecting their benign nature.
(iv) At what places in the houses are these phantoms found as described later in the poem? How do they enter the house?
Answer: These phantoms are found on the doorways, stairs, and passages of the house. They enter through open doors, gliding through the house without causing disturbance.
(v) Explain briefly how this extract suggests the title of the poem.
Answer: The extract suggests the title of the poem, “Haunted Houses,” by describing how every house in which people have lived and died is metaphorically haunted. The ghosts are memories of past occupants, and their presence continues to “haunt” the space.
Extract 2
There are more guests at table than the hosts
Invited; the illuminated hall
Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts,
As silent as the pictures on the wall.
(i) Why are there more guests at the table? How do these uninvited guests behave at the table?
Answer: There are more guests at the table because the ghosts of past occupants are present. These uninvited guests are quiet and inoffensive, behaving with silence and causing no disturbance, much like the pictures on the wall.
(ii) Why are they described as ‘quiet’ and inoffensive”? State two other traits of the ghosts described in the poem.
Answer: They are described as quiet and inoffensive because they are peaceful and make no noise or disruption. Two other traits of the ghosts are that they are invisible to others and glide silently through the house.
(iii) Why are they ‘as silent as the pictures on the wall’? Whose ‘pictures’ are they?
Answer: They are ‘as silent as the pictures on the wall’ because, like the pictures, they make no sound and do not interfere with the living. The ‘pictures’ likely refer to images of past family members or ancestors who once lived in the house.
(iv) Which figure of speech is used in this extract? Explain this figure of speech.
Answer: The figure of speech used in this extract is simile, as the ghosts are compared to “the pictures on the wall” to emphasize their silence and non-intrusive presence.
(v) In this extract, there is a reference to ‘more guests’. What is said in the extract that shows that they are uninvited?
Answer: The phrase “more guests than the hosts invited” implies that the ghosts are uninvited. These spirits are present without the hosts having called for them, silently attending the gathering.
Extract 3
We have no title-deeds to house or lands;
Owners and occupants of earlier dates
From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands,
And hold in mortmain still their old estates.
(i) Who are ‘We’ referred to in this extract? Why do they not have ‘title-deeds to house or lands”?
Answer: ‘We’ refers to the current occupants of the houses. They do not have title-deeds because the true owners, those who lived before, still metaphorically hold claim to the house through their lingering presence.
(ii) Who are the ‘Owners and Occupants of earlier dates?
Answer: The ‘Owners and Occupants of earlier dates’ are the people who lived in the house in the past and have since passed away.
(iii) Explain the line — ‘From graves forgotten stretch their dusty hands’ with reference to the poem.
Answer: This line symbolizes the lingering presence of past occupants who metaphorically reach out from their forgotten graves, as their memory or influence remains in the house.
(iv) Who ‘hold in mortmain still their old estates? Why?
Answer: The past occupants of the house “hold in mortmain” their old estates, meaning that even in death, they maintain a presence or influence over their former homes, as if they still own them.
(v) Explain briefly two poetic devices used in this extract with examples.
Answer: One poetic device is metaphor, as “stretch their dusty hands” symbolizes the lingering presence of past occupants. Another device is personification, as the estates are described as being “held” by the dead, attributing human actions to non-human entities.
Extract 4
Our little lives are kept in equipoise
By opposite attractions and desires;
The struggle of the instinct that enjoys,
And the more noble instinct that aspires.
(i) Whose ‘little lives’ are referred to in the first line of the extract? In comparison to whom are they ‘little’ and why?
Answer: The ‘little lives’ refer to human beings. In comparison to the vastness of the spiritual or cosmic world, human lives are described as ‘little’ because they are brief and insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
(ii) How is balance maintained in their short lives?
Answer: Balance is maintained in their short lives through the constant tension between opposite attractions and desires—between base pleasures and higher aspirations, which create a sense of equilibrium.
(iii) What are the two types of instincts referred to in this extract? Give examples of each type.
Answer: The two types of instincts are the instinct that enjoys, which refers to seeking physical or immediate pleasures (e.g., material comforts), and the more noble instinct that aspires, which refers to striving for higher, spiritual or intellectual goals (e.g., pursuing knowledge or moral excellence).
(iv) What is the reason for the struggle between the two types of instincts? How is this struggle resolved?
Answer: The struggle between these instincts arises from the human desire to enjoy immediate pleasures while also feeling the pull of higher aspirations. This struggle is resolved by maintaining a balance, allowing both instincts to coexist and keep life in a state of equipoise.
(v) Explain briefly the rhyme scheme used in this poem with examples. What role does it play in the poem?
Answer: The rhyme scheme used in this poem is ABAB, as seen in lines such as “equipoise/desires” and “enjoys/aspires.” This alternating rhyme creates a harmonious structure, reflecting the balance or equipoise that the poem describes.
Extract 5
These perturbations, this perpetual jar
Of earthly wants and aspirations high,
Come from the influence of an unseen star,
An undiscovered planet in our sky.
(i) What are referred to as ‘these perturbations’? Who are affected by ‘these perturbations’?
Answer: ‘These perturbations’ refer to the inner conflicts and struggles between human desires for material things (earthly wants) and higher goals (aspirations). These perturbations affect all humans, as they navigate the tension between these two opposing forces.
(ii) Which figure of speech is used in the line — ‘this perpetual jar/Of earthly wants and aspirations high’? Explain it briefly.
Answer: The figure of speech used is metaphor. The term “perpetual jar” represents the constant conflict between earthly desires and higher aspirations, describing this struggle as a kind of jarring or unsettling vibration.
(iii) What comes from the influence of an ‘unseen star’? What is this ‘unseen star’ a reference to?
Answer: The conflicts or struggles in human life come from the influence of this ‘unseen star.’ This ‘unseen star’ is a metaphor for an unknown or intangible force that shapes human desires and aspirations, possibly representing fate, destiny, or spiritual forces.
(iv) Why has the narrator referred to ‘an undiscovered planet in our sky’?
Answer: The narrator refers to ‘an undiscovered planet’ as a metaphor for unseen or unknown influences that guide human behavior. It suggests that there are forces beyond our understanding that impact our desires and aspirations.
(v) Explain briefly how this extract suggests the existence of a supernatural element.
Answer: The extract suggests the existence of a supernatural element by implying that unseen, cosmic forces (represented by the star and planet) influence human lives. These forces are intangible and beyond human comprehension, hinting at a mysterious, spiritual realm.
Extract 6
So from the world of spirits there descends
A bridge of light, connecting it with this,
O’er whose unsteady floor, that sways and bends,
Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss.
(i) What connects the ‘bridge of light’? How is this bridge made?
Answer: The ‘bridge of light’ connects the world of spirits with the material world. This bridge is made through the influence or presence of spiritual forces, which create a connection between the two realms, allowing thoughts or memories to move between them.
(ii) Whose floor is referred to as ‘unsteady’? Why?
Answer: The floor of the ‘bridge of light’ is referred to as ‘unsteady’ because it represents the fragile connection between the spiritual and material worlds. It sways and bends, symbolizing the uncertainty and instability of this connection.
(iii) What are the ‘thoughts’ that wander above the dark abyss?
Answer: The ‘thoughts’ that wander above the dark abyss are human reflections or contemplations about the spiritual world. These thoughts navigate the uncertain terrain between life and death, the known and the unknown.
(iv) What is the significance of this ‘bridge of light’?
Answer: The ‘bridge of light’ signifies the connection between the spiritual and material worlds. It represents the link between the living and the dead, as well as the passage of thoughts, memories, and influences between these two realms.
(v) Give four reasons to justify the poet’s view that all houses are haunted.
Answer:
- All houses are inhabited by the memories of people who once lived there.
- The presence of past occupants is felt in the atmosphere, creating a sense of haunting.
- The spirits of the dead metaphorically remain, continuing to influence the living.
- Every house carries the weight of its history, making it ‘haunted’ by the past.
Extras/additional
Questions and answers
Extract 1
All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
The harmless phantoms on their errands glide
With feet that make no sound upon the floors.
(i) What does the poet suggest about houses?
Answer: The poet suggests that all houses where people have lived and died are haunted by the presence of ghosts, although they are harmless and quiet.
(ii) What imagery does the poet use to describe the movement of the phantoms?
Answer: The poet uses imagery of the phantoms gliding through open doors, moving silently with feet that make no sound on the floors.
(iii) What is the tone of the poem in these lines regarding the presence of phantoms?
Answer: The tone is calm and accepting, emphasizing that the phantoms are harmless and peaceful.
(iv) What does the phrase “harmless phantoms” suggest?
Answer: The phrase “harmless phantoms” suggests that the ghosts do not cause any harm or disturbance, merely existing quietly in the house.
(v) What significance do open doors have in the context of these lines?
Answer: The open doors symbolize the thin boundary between the living and the dead, allowing the spirits to move freely between realms.
Extract 7
So from the world of spirits there descends
A bridge of light connecting it with this
O’er whose unsteady floor that sways and bends
Wander our thoughts above the dark abyss.
(i) What is the metaphor used in this passage, and what does it represent?
Answer: The metaphor of a “bridge of light” represents the connection between the spiritual and physical worlds, allowing thoughts and feelings to pass between them.
(ii) How does the poet describe the bridge?
Answer: The poet describes the bridge as having an “unsteady floor that sways and bends,” implying that the connection between the two worlds is fragile and uncertain.
(iii) What do the “dark abyss” and “bridge of light” symbolize?
Answer: The “dark abyss” symbolizes the unknown or the afterlife, while the “bridge of light” symbolizes the fragile connection between the living and the dead.
(iv) How do thoughts “wander” across the bridge?
Answer: The poet suggests that our thoughts explore the mysteries of the spiritual world, crossing the bridge into the realm of spirits, even though the path is unsteady and uncertain.
(v) How does this passage reinforce the theme of the poem?
Answer: It reinforces the theme of the poem by illustrating the tenuous but present link between the physical and spiritual realms, and how human thoughts often traverse between them.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. How does Longfellow describe the houses wherein men have lived and died?
A. As beautiful monuments B. As haunted houses C. As empty shells D. As remnants of history
Answer: B. As haunted houses
30. What does Longfellow suggest about the connection between the past and the present?
A. The past is always haunting the present B. The past and present are completely disconnected C. The past has a silent and profound influence on the present D. The present is always overshadowed by the past
Answer: C. The past has a silent and profound influence on the present.
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