Direction : Read the following poem and answer the question given below :

The poetry of earth is never dead :
When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run
From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead,

That is the grasshopper's – he takes the lead
In summer luxury – he has never done
With his delights, for when tired out with fun
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.

The poetry of earth is ceasing never :
On a lone winter evening when the frost
Has wrought a silence, from the stove there shrills
The Cricket's song, in warmth increasing ever,

And seems to one in drowsiness half lost ;
The Grasshopper's among some grassy hills.

Which season does the Grasshopper symbolise in the poem ?

Question

Direction : Read the following poem and answer the question given below :

The poetry of earth is never dead :
When all the birds are faint with the hot sun,
And hide in cooling trees, a voice will run
From hedge to hedge about the new-mown mead,

That is the grasshopper's – he takes the lead
In summer luxury – he has never done
With his delights, for when tired out with fun
He rests at ease beneath some pleasant weed.

The poetry of earth is ceasing never :
On a lone winter evening when the frost
Has wrought a silence, from the stove there shrills
The Cricket's song, in warmth increasing ever,

And seems to one in drowsiness half lost ;
The Grasshopper's among some grassy hills.

Which season does the Grasshopper symbolise in the poem ?

Accepted Answer

The poem "The poetry of earth is never dead" by John Keats uses the Grasshopper as a symbol to represent the season of summer. Let's explore why Option 1, Summer, is the correct answer and why the other options are incorrect.

1. **Explanation for Option 1 (Summer):**
   - The poem explicitly mentions that the Grasshopper "takes the lead in summer luxury." This line directly associates the Grasshopper with the summer season. The Grasshopper is depicted as active and full of delight during the summer, enjoying the warmth and the abundance of nature. The phrase "when all the birds are faint with the hot sun" further emphasizes the summer setting, as it describes the typical hot and sunny conditions of this season. The Grasshopper's continuous activity and enjoyment of the summer luxury highlight its symbolic representation of summer.

2. **Explanation for why other options are incorrect:**

- **Option 2 (Winter):** 
     - The poem contrasts the Grasshopper with the Cricket, which is associated with winter. The line "On a lone winter evening when the frost has wrought a silence, from the stove there shrills the Cricket's song" clearly indicates that the Cricket symbolizes winter. The Grasshopper, on the other hand, is not mentioned in the context of winter, making this option incorrect.

- **Option 3 (Autumn):**
     - There is no mention of autumn in the poem. The activities and characteristics of the Grasshopper are tied to the summer season, as indicated by the references to the hot sun and summer luxury. Autumn is not depicted or symbolized by the Grasshopper in the poem, making this option incorrect.

- **Option 4 (Spring):**
     - Spring is also not mentioned in the poem. The Grasshopper's association with the hot sun and summer luxury does not align with the typical characteristics of spring, which is usually associated with renewal and mild weather. The poem does not provide any indication that the Grasshopper symbolizes spring, making this option incorrect.

In conclusion, the Grasshopper in the poem symbolizes summer, as it is explicitly linked to the season through its activities and the environmental conditions described. The other options do not align with the poem's depiction of the Grasshopper, confirming that Option 1 is the correct answer.