Get notes, line-by-line explanation, summary, questions and answers, critical analysis, word meanings, workbook solutions (Evergreen and Morning Star), 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 outsider 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.
Video tutorial
Line-by-line explanation of the 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.
About the author
The beloved 19th century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow often turned to history and legend to remind his readers of their shared heritage. Works like “The Song of Hiawatha,” based on Native American oral traditions, and “Paul Revere’s Ride,” celebrating a pivotal moment in the Revolutionary War, cemented Longfellow’s status as a chronicler of the American experience.
In “Haunted Houses,” the “phantoms” are not vengeful spirits or mischievous poltergeists; they are the lingering memories and influences of people now gone. Longfellow suggests these spectral impressions quietly share our spaces and activities, observing our daily lives. Though we may not actively notice them, the ghosts of loved ones remain connected to us, floating through our consciousness.
The gentle, singsong rhythm and rhyme scheme, along with Longfellow’s peaceful tone, evoke solace rather than fear. His assertion that all houses are “haunted” is a reassuring acknowledgement that those we’ve lost can still inhabit our lives and thoughts, as long as we hold them in our memories. Rather than a frightening concept, Longfellow presents a vision of haunting that is comforting – our departed loved ones never truly leave us, but remain imprinted on our hearts and woven into the fabric of our lives.
Evergreen workbook answers/solutions
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Longfellow presents his ghosts as:
(a) sinister (b) inoffensive (c) menacing (d) ugly
Answer: B. inoffensive
2. 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
3. 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.
4. What kind of spirit-world is conceived?
(a) ugly (b) beautiful (c) delicate and quiet (d) sensitive
Answer: C. delicate and quiet
5. The ghosts visit their former dwellings as
(a) guests (b) owners (c) strangers (d) onlookers
Answer: B. owners
6. What kind of bridge on the sea waves is imagined?
(a) solid (b) waving (c) steady (d) perpetual
Answer: B. waving
7. ‘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
8. Who are referred to as the ‘Owners and occupants of earlier dates’?
(a) ghosts (b) strangers (c) landlords (d) ancestors
Answer: D. ancestors
9. The phrase ‘hold in mortmain’ implies
(a) temporary ownership (b) permanent ownership (c) no ownership (d) mortgaged
Answer: B. permanent ownership
10. 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
Comprehension Passages
PASSAGE-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 thefloors
(i) What kind of opening statement is made by the poet?
Answer: The poet makes a metaphorical opening statement, suggesting that all individuals carry with them the indelible influences of people they have known throughout their lives, akin to how houses are “haunted” by the spirits of those who have lived and died in them.
(ii) In what way are all houses ‘haunted’?
Answer: The ‘haunted’ houses represent individuals’ lives marked by the enduring presence and influences of people they have encountered, whose memories and impacts linger like harmless phantoms.
(iii) The phrase ‘harmless phantoms’ seems to be exceptional. Why?
Answer: The phrase ‘harmless phantoms’ is exceptional because it reframes the typical notion of haunting, portraying these enduring influences as benign rather than malevolent, emphasizing their subtle, often unnoticed presence in our lives.
(iv) What kind of the spirit-world is conceived by the poet later in the context?
Answer: The poet later conceptualizes the spirit-world as a benign, ethereal layer surrounding our everyday existence, where the quiet influences of past associations float around us, enriching our lives without direct visibility or acknowledgment.
(v) Where can we, according to the poet, meet ghosts?
Answer: According to the poet, we encounter these ‘ghosts’—the lingering influences of past associations—in everyday moments and places, such as at the doorway, on the stair, and along the passages of our lives, subtly impacting our thoughts and actions.
PASSAGE-2
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 kind of ghosts are conceived by the poet earlier in the context?
Answer: Earlier in the context, the poet conceived of ‘ghosts’ as the benign, invisible impressions left by people we’ve known, affecting our lives in quiet, often unnoticed ways.
(ii) Where do we ‘meet’ them? Are they visible?
Answer: We ‘meet’ these ‘ghosts’ in the metaphorical spaces of our existence—our memories and experiences—where they influence us subtly, not visible to the eye but felt in the heart and mind.
(iii) Explain the last two lines.
Answer: The last two lines express that these influences are intangible, like impressions on the air, felt rather than seen, as a sensed presence or impact moving through our lives, guiding or affecting us in unseen ways.
(iv) Which figure of speech is used in Line 3?
Answer: In Line 3, a metaphor is used, likening the intangible influences of people in our lives to ‘impalpable impressions on the air’, emphasizing their unseen yet felt presence.
(v) Where do they ‘throng’, as mentioned later in the context?
Answer: As mentioned later, these influences ‘throng’ our mental and emotional spaces, particularly during moments of reflection or decision-making, much like quiet, inoffensive ghosts filling an illuminated hall, silently shaping our lives.
PASSAGE-3
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 uninvited guests at table?
Answer: The uninvited guests at the table metaphorically represent the unexpected, often unconscious influences of people from our past, whose memories and impacts join us in the journey of life without formal acknowledgment.
(ii) Why are they there uninvited?
Answer: They are there uninvited because their influences on us were not consciously chosen but naturally accrued over time, shaping our thoughts and actions subtly, like guests who have silently taken their place at the table of our lives.
(iii) What is surprising about these uninvited ghosts?
Answer: What is surprising about these uninvited ‘ghosts’ is their benign presence, contradicting the typically ominous connotation of hauntings, and highlighting how these influences can quietly enrich our lives, unnoticed yet impactful.
(iv) Which figure of speech is used in the last line here?
Answer: The figure of speech used in the last line is a simile, comparing the silent influence of these ‘ghosts’ to the silence of pictures on the wall, underscoring their quiet yet pervasive presence in our lives.
(v) What can the speaker see and hear which others cannot, as referred to later in the context?
Answer: The speaker, perhaps more introspective or sensitive, can perceive the subtle impacts and presences of these ‘ghosts’—the enduring influences of past relationships—more acutely than others, seeing and hearing their guidance and impact where others may not.
PASSAGE-4
The stranger at my fireside cannot see
Theforms I see, nor hear the sounds I hear;
He but perceives what is; while unto me
All that has been is visible and clear.
(i) What contrast is made in the first two lines here?
Answer: The contrast made in the first two lines highlights the difference between the speaker’s ability to perceive the subtle influences and memories of past associations, likened to seeing and hearing ‘ghosts’, and a stranger’s inability to perceive beyond the tangible present.
(ii) What do you think of the extraordinary powers of the speaker?
Answer: The speaker’s ‘extraordinary powers’ suggest a heightened sensitivity or awareness to the layered complexities of human existence, enabling them to perceive the enduring impacts of past relationships and experiences that others might overlook.
(iii) What has been told by the speaker about the unseen ‘forms’ earlier in the context?
Answer: Earlier in the context, the speaker described the unseen ‘forms’ as the benign, invisible presences of people who have left an indelible mark on our lives, their influences felt as ‘impalpable impressions on the air’ or a sensed presence moving through our existence.
(iv) ‘All that has been is visible and clear. Explain.
Answer: ‘All that has been is visible and clear’ conveys the idea that the speaker possesses a profound connection to their past, with the ability to clearly perceive and reflect upon the impacts of past relationships and experiences, as if these elements were still present and tangible.
(v) Who is ‘He’ in Line 3? Is he a normal human being?
Answer: ‘He’ in Line 3 refers to a stranger or any individual other than the speaker, presumably a normal human being who perceives the world in a more conventional, less introspective manner, focusing on the physical reality rather than the nuanced influences of past associations.
PASSAGE-5
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) What conception of ghosts is given earlier in the context?
Answer: Earlier in the context, ‘ghosts’ are conceived as metaphorical representations of the lasting influences and memories of people we’ve known, shaping our thoughts and lives in subtle, often unnoticed ways.
(ii) Where can we ‘meet’ the departed spirits?
Answer: We ‘meet’ the departed spirits in the corridors of our memories and experiences, where their influence persists as if they still occupied a place in our lives, impacting us in unseen but significant ways.
(iii) Who do not have title-deeds to their ‘house or lands’?
Answer: In the metaphorical sense, individuals do not have permanent title-deeds to their ‘house or lands’, suggesting that our lives and the impacts we make are not owned or fixed but are part of a larger continuum of influence and memory.
(iv) What do the departed spirits claim from their graves?
Answer: From their graves, the departed spirits claim a continuing connection to the living world, asserting a metaphorical ‘ownership’ or presence within the lives they’ve touched, much like holding onto their influence from beyond.
(v) Explain the phrase ‘hold in mortmain’.
Answer: The phrase ‘hold in mortmain’ refers to the enduring grip or influence the departed have on the living, suggesting that their impacts and memories hold a place in our lives with a permanence that transcends legal or physical ownership.
PASSAGE-6
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.
(i) Why does the poet describe all houses as haunted earlier in the context?
Answer: The poet describes all houses as ‘haunted’ to metaphorically express the idea that everyone carries with them the enduring influences of people they have encountered, shaping their being in a manner akin to spirits inhabiting a house.
(ii) How have the ghosts been described by the poet?
Answer: The ‘ghosts’ have been described by the poet as benign and intangible presences—memories and influences of past relationships that hover around us, subtly shaping our lives and decisions without direct visibility.
(iii) What can the speaker see or hear?
Answer: The speaker can see and hear the quiet, often unnoticed impacts of these metaphorical ‘ghosts’, perceiving the nuanced layers of influence and memory that shape the fabric of their existence.
(iv) What kind of the world of spirits is?
Answer: The world of spirits is described as a delicate, ethereal realm that surrounds and permeates the tangible world, where the influences of past associations float like an atmosphere, influencing the living in subtle yet profound ways.
(v) What crosses through earthly mists and vapours?
Answer: A ‘vital breath of more ethereal air’ crosses through the earthly mists and vapours, symbolizing the permeation of the spiritual influences and memories of past relationships through the dense complexity of our tangible, day-to-day existence.
PASSAGE-7 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?
Answer: The lives being referred to are those of all individuals, emphasizing the universal experience of being influenced by a blend of contrasting desires and memories from past associations.
(ii) What brings about balance in our short lives?
Answer: Balance in our lives is brought about by the interplay of opposite attractions and desires—the innate urge for pleasure and the aspiration for higher, more noble goals, reflecting the complex influences of past relationships.
(iii) Explain the last two lines.
Answer: The last two lines depict the internal conflict between the instinctual pursuit of immediate gratification and the aspiration towards higher, more altruistic goals, illustrating how our lives are shaped by a blend of varied influences from people we’ve known.
(iv) State what fills our life with anxieties and fears, as mentioned later in the context.
Answer: Anxieties and fears in our lives are filled by the perpetual internal conflict between earthly desires and higher aspirations, influenced by the unseen force of past relationships and the uncharted impacts of memories.
(v) What ‘bridge of light’ connects our world to the heavenly world?
Answer: The ‘bridge of light’ that connects our world to the heavenly realm symbolizes the pathway through which the influences of past associations and memories transcend the tangible world, guiding our thoughts and emotions towards the ethereal and the unknown.
PASSAGE-8
These perturbations, this perpetualjar
Of earthly wants and aspirations high,
Comefrom 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?
Answer: Balance in our lives, as mentioned earlier, is achieved through the equilibrium between the conflicting desires for sensual pleasures and the yearning for higher, more noble aspirations, influenced by the enduring impacts of past associations.
(ii) The poet uses a metaphor in the first two lines. Explain it.
Answer: The metaphor in the first two lines likens the internal turmoil and conflict arising from our earthly wants and higher aspirations to a ‘perpetual jar’, suggesting that these contrasting forces continuously shape and redefine our existence.
(iii) What do you mean by ‘earthly wants and aspirations high’?
Answer: ‘Earthly wants and aspirations high’ refer to the duality of human nature: the pursuit of material and sensory pleasures versus the pursuit of lofty, altruistic, and spiritual goals, illustrating how past influences shape our desires and motivations.
(iv) What are ‘perturbations’?
Answer: ‘Perturbations’ are the disturbances or fluctuations in our mental and emotional state, caused by the ongoing conflict between material desires and spiritual or higher aspirations, influenced by the memories and impacts of those we’ve encountered.
(v) What is determined by an unseen, undiscovered planet in our sky?
Answer: The metaphorical ‘unseen, undiscovered planet’ suggests that external, unknown forces, possibly symbolizing the influence of past associations and memories, play a role in shaping our internal conflicts, desires, and aspirations, influencing our lives in profound ways.
PASSAGE-9
And as the moon from some dark gate of cloud
Throws o’er the sea 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?
Answer: A ‘bridge of light’ is formed when the moon emerges from behind dark clouds, casting a luminous path across the sea. This imagery symbolizes the connection between the tangible world and the realm of memory and influence, illuminating the path of our thoughts towards the unknown.
(ii) What is the function of this bridge?
Answer: The function of this bridge is to provide a metaphorical pathway for our thoughts and emotions to traverse from the realm of everyday reality into the domain of mystery, memory, and the ethereal influences of those we’ve known.
(iii) Which figure of speech is used in the first two lines here?
Answer: The figure of speech used in the first two lines is a metaphor, likening the moonlight’s reflection on the sea to a ‘floating bridge of light’, symbolizing the connection between the physical world and the realm of memories and past influences.
(iv) Where does our fancy take us?
Answer: Our fancy takes us into the ‘realm of mystery and night’, a metaphorical journey into the depths of our memories and the unseen influences of past relationships, exploring the ethereal and the unknown aspects of our existence.
(v) Which rhyme scheme is used in this stanza?
Answer: The rhyme scheme used in this stanza is ABAB, a common pattern in the poem that ties the imagery and themes together, enhancing the lyrical quality and the evocative exploration of memories and influences.
PASSAGE-10
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?
Answer: The poet has told us that the world of spirits, representing the cumulative influences and memories of past relationships, exists as an ethereal realm closely connected to our tangible world, affecting us in unseen ways through a metaphorical ‘bridge of light’.
(ii) Where can we ‘meet’ the departed spirits?
Answer: We ‘meet’ the departed spirits within the realms of our memories and emotions, where their influences linger and shape our thoughts and feelings, symbolized by the moments we reflect on their impact upon our lives.
(iii) What is the significance of ‘So’ in Line 1?
Answer: The significance of ‘So’ in Line 1 introduces a comparison or continuation, linking the metaphorical depiction of the moon’s bridge of light to the idea that similarly, the world of spirits connects to ours, influencing our thoughts and guiding us across the unseen.
(iv) Which bridge descends from the world of spirits? What has it been compared to?
Answer: The bridge that descends from the world of spirits is a metaphorical ‘bridge of light’, likened to the moonlight’s reflection on the sea, symbolizing the pathway through which the influences of past relationships and memories enter our consciousness.
(v) What do we often think of?
Answer: We often think of the mysteries of existence, the unknown, and the profound impacts of our past relationships, as we traverse the metaphorical ‘bridge of light’, contemplating the ethereal and the enduring influences that shape our lives and thoughts.
Morning Star workbook answers/solutions
Multiiple 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.
Ron’e Dutta is a journalist, teacher, aspiring novelist, and blogger. He manages Online Free Notes and reads Victorian literature. His favourite book is Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte and he hopes to travel the world. Get in touch with him by sending him a friend request.
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i personaly suggest every one for this . Really it is good for the students
Was way too good….
Keep it up and always help us:)
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Nothing to say
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Nothing he’s just speechless
Workbook answers of Treasure Chest please
can you put workbook answers too
it was very helpful