CHAPTER-3 Character of a Happy Man (POEM)

CHAPTER-3 Character of a Happy Man (POEM)

Question 1. What does the poet want to say in this poem ?

Answer: The poet wants to say that we should be honest in our thoughts if we want to be happy. We should be free from jealousy. We should not be a slave of passions. We should be content with whatever little we have.

Question 2. Write a note on the central / main idea of the poem.

Or Question 3. Write a summary of the poem in your own words.

Anwser- Character of a Happy Man – Sir Henry WottonThis is a very beautiful poem. It gives a very good message. A happy man is honest. He is content and  truthful. He does not fall a prey to pride. He has faith in God.

Question 4. Explain the lines : “Whose armour is his honest thought And simple truth his utmost skill !”

Answer: One who wants to be truly happy is honest in his thoughts. He does not need any armour for his defence. His honest thoughts are his best defence. He has not to master any skills. His truthful simplicity is his best skill.

Quetion 5. How does a man become really happy ?

Answer: A man can become really happy by following the rules of goodness. He knows no jealousy. He is honest in his thoughts. He is not a slave of passions. He is content with whatever little he has.

Question 6. How does ‘a religious book or a friend’ give happiness ?

Answer: A religious book is like a friend and a friend is like a religious book. Both of them keep us on the right path. They stand by us in our loneliness. They give us happiness of the purest kind.

Question 7. How does a contented man have all without having anything ?

Answer: A contented man has no hope to rise or fear of fall. He remains content with whatever little he has. He may not be the master of lands, but he is the master of his desires. Thus he becomes the master of all, though he may not have anything.

OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS:

1. A happy man envies _________.

i) none ii) his friends iii) everyone iv) the rich

2. A happy man obeys the rules of _____.

i) traffic ii) king iii) goodness iv) government

3. A happy man is afraid of death. (True/ false)

ANSWER KEY : 1. A happy man envies none.i) none ii) his friends iii) everyone iv) the rich

2. A happy man obeys the rules of goodness.i) traffic ii) king iii) goodness iv) government

3. A happy man is afraid of death. (false)

Question 4 A happy man obeys the rules of …….

(i) traffic (ii) king (iii) goodness government.

Answer: (iii) goodness government.

Oneliner Question Answer

Question 1. Who wrote the poem, ‘Character of a Happy Man’ ?

Answer: Sir Henry Wotton.Question

Question 2. What is the armour of a happy man ?

Answer: His honest thoughts.

Question 3. What does a happy person not care about ?

Answer: Worldly fame or people’s opinions.

Question 4. What is a truly happy man content with ? Answer: With whatever little he has.

Question 5. How do a religious book and a true friend help us ?. Answer: They stand by us in loneliness.

 

Complete the following :

1. A man is ……………….. if he has not to serve another’s will. 2. A truly happy person is one who does not feel …………………. of others. 3. A happy man has no fear to ……………….. or to fall. Answer: 1. lucky 2. jealous 3. rise.

Write True or False against each statement :

1. A happy man is afraid of death. 2. A happy man prays for worldly gifts. 3. A happy man is not a slave of his passions. Answer: 1. False 2. False 3. True.

 

Reading Comprehension

(1) How happy is he born or taught That serventh not another’s will; Whose armour is his honest thought, And simple truth his utmost skill !

1. Name the poem and the poet.

Answers- The name of the poem is “Character of a Happy Man’and the poet is Sir Henry Wotton

2. What is the armour of a happy man ?

Answers- The armour of a happy man is his honest thoughts.

3. What is his utmost skill ? Answers- His utmost skill is simple truth.

 

(2) Whose passions not his masters are; Whose soul is still prepared for death; Untied unto the world with care Of public fame or private breath.

1. Name the poem and the poet.

Answers- The name of the poem is ‘Character of a Happy Man’and the poet is Sir Henry Wotton.

2. What is a happy man not afraid of ?

Answers – A happy man is not afraid of death.

3. What is a happy man not slave of ?

Answers- He is not slave of his passions

4. What does a truly happy person not care about?

Answers- He doesn’t care about worldly fame or people’s opinions.

(3) Who envies none whom chance doth raise Nor vice; who never understood How deepest wounds are given with praise; Nor rules of state, but rules of good.

1.     Who does a happy person envy ?

Answer:-A happy person envies nobody.

2. What does a happy person not understand ?

Answer:-He does not understand how deepest wounds are caused by false praise. 3. What does a truly happy person rule over?

Answer- A truly happy person does not rule over any state. He rules over others not by virtue of any political power but by the goodness of his heart.

 

 

(4) Who God doth late and early pray More of His grace than gifts to lend; And entertains the harmless day With a religious book or friend.

1. What does a happy man pray for?

Answers:–A happy man prays for God’s grace. He does not pray for any worldly gifts.

2. What do you understand by the term ‘harmless day’?

Answers:- It means the harmless activities of the day.

3. How does a happy man spend his day? Answers:– He spends his day in the study of religious books or in the company of some noble friend.

 

(5) This man is free from servile bonds Of hope to rise, or fear to fall; Lord of himself, though not of lands; And having nothing, yet hath all.

1. What does the poet mean by ‘This mano?

Answers: – He means the man who wants to be truly happy

2. What do ‘servile bonds’ refer to?

Answers: -. The hope to rise and the fear to fall have been called ‘servile bonds.

3. Explain the last line of the stanza.

Answers: -. 3. A happy man may not be the master of lands, but he is a master of himself. Thus he may have nothing, yet he has all.

Character of a Happy Man Summary in English:

A man is lucky if he has not to serve another’s will. He is happily born and taught if he leads a free life of his own. He has no need of an armor for the protection of his body. His honest thoughts serve as his amour. The only art or craft that he knows is that of simple truth. In other words, he is simple at heart and knows no cunning.

A lucky and happy person is one

• who is not a slave to his passions,
• whose soul is always prepared to receive death, and
• Who is not tied to the world by care of public fame or the good opinion of others. In other words, he has no worry to earn public fame or the good opinion of others.

A truly happy person is one who does not feel jealous of others. He does not feel jealous of those who rise in life by chance or through the use of wicked means. He does not know how deep wounds are caused by false praise. In simple words, he never indulges in false praise of others. He rules over others not by virtue of any political power but by the goodness of his heart.

A man who prays to God every hour of the day gets true happiness. He prays to God not for any material gains but for mercy. He spends his day in harmless pleasures. He entertains himself by reading a religious book or spending time in the company of a friend.

A man who has all these qualities is free from all hopes and fears. He has no hope to rise or fear of fall. He has complete self-control. He may not be the master of lands, but he is complete master of himself. He may not be having any material possession, yet he lives as if he has everything. In other words, he leads a completely contented life.