Meeting at Night Questions and Answers
What does the image ‘fiery ringlets‘ suggest?
Ans. The image ‘fiery ringlets’ suggests the intense passion of love of the beloved.
How many fields will the poet have to cross before a farm appears?
Ans. The poet will have to cross three fields before he reaches the farmhouse.
3 Whose voice responds to the tap at the pane?
Ans. The voice of the beloved responds to the tap at the pane.
How does Browning describe the half-moon?
Ans. Browning describes the half-moon as yellow, large and low.
What is the colour of the sea in ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. The colour of the sea in ‘Meeting at Night’ is grey.
6 What does the speaker do immediately after he reaches the farmhouse in ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. Immediately after reaching the farmhouse the speaker taps on the window-pane.
Where does the boat slow down?
Ans. The boat slows down in the slushy sand of the cove.
How long is the ‘sea-scented beach’?
Ans. The sea-scented beach is one mile long.
Who is the poet of the poem, ‘Meeting At Night’?
Ans. The poet of the poem ‘Meeting at Night’ is Robert Browning.
What kind of poem is ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. ‘Meeting at Night’ by Robert Browning is a love-lyric.
11 Whose meeting is mentioned in the poem, ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. The meeting mentioned in the love-lyric poem, ‘Meeting at Night’ is in between a lover and a lady love.
12 How does the poet describe the land in ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. The poet describes the land as long and black in ‘Meeting at Night’.
13 What does the first stanza of ‘Meeting at Night’ deal with?
Ans. The first stanza of ‘Meeting at Night’ deals with journey of a lover.
When was Browning’s poem ‘Meeting at Night’ brought out?
Ans. Browning’s poem ‘Meeting at Night’ was first brought out in 1845.
IS How does land appear to the poet when he is crossing the sea in his boat?
Ans. The land appears long and black to the poet when he crosses the sea.
16 How does the little waves leap from their sleep?
Ans. The little waves leap in fiery ringlets from their sleep.
17 When does the farm appear to the lover ?
Ans. The farm appears to the poet after he crosses three fields.
18 What is heard after the poet taps on the window pane?
Ans. After the poet taps on the window-pane a quick sharp sound of scratching is heard.
19 How does the poet describe the mile-long beach that the speaker has crossed ?
Ans. The poet describes the beach as warm and sea-scented.
20 How is ‘the quick sharp scratch’ caused ?
Ans. The quick sharp scratch is caused by the rubbing of matchsticks on the matchbox.
poet?
Who is the speaker of Browning’s poem ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. A sincere and passionate lover is the speaker of Browning’s poem ‘Meeting at Night’.
When does the speaker in ‘Meeting at Night’ start his journey?
Ans. The speaker starts his journey in the evening when the large yellow moon rises low in the sky.
23 Why does the narrator in ‘Meeting at Night’ undertake the journey ?
Ans. The narrator undertakes the journey to meet his beloved.
2+ Why does the narrator in ‘Meeting at Night’ journey at night ?
Ans. The narrator undertake his journey at night to keep the meeting with lady-love secret.
25 How does the lover travel by the sea?
Ans. The lover travels by the sea on a boat.
26 What does the ‘grey sea’ signify?
Ans. The ‘grey sea’ signifies the apprehension and secrecy of the lover’s mind.
27 Why are the waves startled ?
Ans. The waves startled due to the jolt and movement of the boat.
When does the lover stop the speed of his boat?
Ans. When the lover reaches the slushy cove of sand, he stops the speed of his boat.
What appeared when the lover crossed three fields?
Ans. A farmhouse where the beloved of the lover lived appeared when the lover crossed three fields.
Why does the lover give a tap on the window-pane of the farm?
Ans. The lover gives a tap on the window-pane of the farm to let his lady-love know of his arrival.
31 How is ‘the tap at the pane’ responded ?
Ans. The tap of the lover is responded by the spurt of a blue match stick from inside the house.
‘And a voice less loud…’-Whose ‘voice’ is referred to here ?
Ans. The voice of the lady-love is referred to here.
33 What does the second stanza of the poem ‘Meeting at Night’ focus on?
Ans. The second stanza of the poem ‘Meeting at Night’ focuses on the passion of the lovers.
34 What is louder than the voice ?
Ans. The beating sound of the hearts of both the lovers is louder than the voice.
35 Where does the lady-love of the poet in ‘Meeting at Night’ live?
Ans. The lady-love of the poet lives in a farmhouse.
36 How does the lover in ‘Meeting at Night’ announce his arrival ?
Ans. The lover announces his arrival by tapping on the window pane.
What emotions are discerned in the voice of lady-love in ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. The emotions of joy and fear are discerned in the voice of the lady-love.
What is the colour of moonlight in ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. The moonlight in ‘Meeting at Night’ is yellow.
Long Answer Type / Descriptive Type
Marks-5
‘And a voice less loud…. beating each to each!’ Whose voice is referred to here? Why is the voice full of joy and fear? Describe the meeting.
Ans. The voice here refers to the faint whisper of the
the lover poet went to meat.
lady-love whom The voice expresses joy because the two lovers get the joy of union finally. At the same time, the ladylove’s voice reveals fear as they unite secretly and she has the fear of being caught.
After reaching the farmhouse the lover tapped at the window pane. The light of the match inside revealed the lady-love’s eager waiting. They had to sail a lot of obstacles before they were united. They got the joy of union. Their heart beats become synchronised. Their happiness and extreme excitement fade away their whispering voice.
Give an account of the lover’s journey to his beloved in ‘Meeting at Night’.
Ans. The lover starts his journey at night in a boat to meet his lady-love secretly. He rows his boat over the grey sea. The land is long and black. The yellow half moon appears large and low. After a time, the lover anchors his boat in a slushy bank and alights from his boat to walk through a mile long beach. Then he crosses three fields to reach a farmhouse. The lady-love eagerly S waits for him there. He taps the window pane softly to announce his arrival. He gets the response from his beloved inside the room.
Evaluate ‘Meeting at Night’ as a love poem.
Ans. In Browning’s poem ‘Meeting at Night’ we come across the account of a person’s journey to meet someone secretly at night. In the first person narrative the speaker tells about the natural ambience, charged with secrecy and mystery. We also feel the growing excitement and longing as after rowing over the dark and mysterious sea. The narrator moves over the seascented lonely beach and crossing three fields reaches the farmhouse. As he taps at the window-pane, his rising passion is immediately responded by another heart buring with the blue flame of passion. Then a faint voice and the two beating hearts tell that they are the lovers. In this way the poem tells about love and passion, longing excitement in very suggestive way.
Justify the title of the poem ‘Meeting at Night.
Ans. ‘Meeting at Night’ is a poem which describes the journey of a lover to meet his lady-love and his ultimate meeting with lady-love. The first stanza describes the journey by the sea to meet the lady-love. In the second stanza, also the journey is continued through the beach and field. Ultimately, the lover reaches a farmhouse and the long-cherished meeting between the two is completed. The title ‘Meeting at Night’ quite competently hints at this central theme of meeting between the lovers. The word ‘night’ in the title also hints at the secrecy of the lover’s meeting.
5 What does the speaker observe in the course of his journey to the farmhouse in the poem ‘Meeting at Night’? What does he do as he reaches the farmhouse ?
Ans. The poet undertakes a long journey through the sea and the land to meet his lady-love in the farmhouse. While he is crossing the sea in a boat, he observes the grey sea, long black land and the yellow half-moon shining low in the sky. He also observes the fiery ringlets leaping out on the sea water with the movement of his boat. Again, after getting down from the boat he continues his journey through the warm and sea scented beach. After reaching the farmhouse he taps on the window signal his lady-love about his arrival.
How does the poet create the atmosphere of secrecy in the poem ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. The poem ‘Meeting at Night’ describes the secret meeting of the lovers. The poet has created an atmosphere of secrecy all through the poem. Firstly, the lover undertakes his journey under the cover of night. The faint moonlight of the half-moon also creates the atmosphere of secrecy with grey sea and hazy black land visible at a distance. Again, the faint tapping on the window and the murmuring voice of the lady-love also help to create an atmosphere charged with secrecy.
7 How does the poet of ‘Meeting at Night’ describe his journey by the sea? What are his activities after this journey? [3 + 2 = 5]
Ans. The lover-poet undertakes his journey in the evening. The yellow half-moon has risen low in the sky. In that faint moonlight the sea water turns grey. The long line of land in the distance appears black. As his boat moves on, the churned sea-water makes ripples in ever-widening circles. In the moonlit the little waves appear like fiery ringlets to the poet.
The poet lover disembarks his boat after anchoring it in a sandy inlet. Then he crosses a mile-long sea-scented beach. He carries on his journey through three fields till he reaches a farmhouse. He then taps the window of that house to signal his lady-love about his arrival.
8 What is meant by the expression ‘fiery ringlets’ in the poem ‘Meeting at Night’? When does the fiery ringlets appear? Does the image suggest anything about the lover? [2 + 2 + 1 5]
Ans. The expression ‘fiery ringlet’ refers to the ripples steeped with moonlight on the surface of the sea-water. This is created by the motion of the boat and the reflection of moonlight on the waves.
The fiery ringlets appear when the lover pushes the prow of his speeding boat into the soft and sand of the cove to check its speed.
The image suggests that such waves of sparkling passion are crossing the mind of the lover. He is going to meet his lady-love very soon.
‘As I gain the cove with pushing prow’— Who is the speaker? What happens when the speaker ‘gain the cove’? How is the speaker’s journey continued after gaining the cove’? [1 + 2 + 2 = 5]
Ans. The speaker here is the lover who undertakes a journey to meet his lady-love secretly in the poem ‘Meeting at Night’ by Robert Browning.
The poet reaches the inlet of the sea in his boat. He pushes the prow of his boat into the slushy sand of the cove and slows it down. The boat moves into the surface of sea-water. It creates fiery ringlets. After getting down from his boat the lover continues his journey through the warm and sea-scented beach for a mile. Then he crosses three fields to reach a farmhouse where his lady love resides.
10 How does the mood of the poet in the first stanza of ‘Meeting at Night’ differ from that in the second stanza?
Ans. The two stanzas in the poem ‘Meeting at Night’ are different in mood. In the first stanza there is the description of the journey by the sea under the gloom of night. There is longing in the mind of the lonely lover who is going to meet his lady-love. In the second stanza, however, the lover feels more enlivened as he proceeds through sea-scented sea-beach and the fields. In the last few lines it becomes intensely ecstatic. He finally succeeds in meeting his beloved secretly.
‘A voice less loud through its joys and fears’ Whose voice is referred to here? When is this voice heard? Why do you think that the voice is ‘less loud’? [1 + 2 + 2 = 5]
Ans. The voice here refers to the faint whisper of the lady-love.
The lover comes from far traversing both land and sea. When he reaches the farmhouse he gives a tap on the window-pane. Instantly, a scratching sound is heard from inside the room. It is followed by a flare of blue flame from lighted matchstick. After this the voice is heard. The voice is kept low as they may be caught if they talk in a loud voice. Again, as the lady-love is full of passion and emotion the voice may have turned choked and hoarse.
12 How is nature incorporated in the love-poem ‘Meeting at Night’?
Ans. ‘Meeting at Night’ is a love poem that narrates the excitement and longing of two lovers’ secret meeting. Yet natural sights are described in fine detail in this poem. Firstly, while crossing the sea in a rowing boat the narrator has presented the readers a beautiful sea-scape with grey sea, long black land, yellow half-moon and the ripples rising in moonlit ringlets. Then when he crosses the mile long beach he feels the warmth of sand and smells the saline air on the beach. All these natural detail tells about the sensuousness of the lover and sometimes reflects the inner feelings of the lover going to meet his beloved.
13 ‘Then a mile of warm sea-scented beach How does the narrator reach the sea-scented beach? What are his activities after crossing the beach? [3+2=5]
Ans. The narrator here is the lover in Browning’s poem ‘Meeting at Night’. He has set out to meet his lady-love in a secret meeting (rendezvous). At first he rows over the grey sea beneath the yellow half-moon. Then in a cove of slushy sand he disembarks from his boat to carry on his journey over the mile-long sea-scented beach.
After crossing the beach the lover yet continues his journey through the fields. After crossing three such fields he reaches a farmhouse and taps on the windowpane. His lady-love inside the house greets him by igniting a match and speaking in a low muffled voice.
14 Scholars and critics have interpreted the poem ‘Meeting at Night’ as a reference to Browning and Elizabeth Barrett’s courtship. Express your views in regard to the above statement.
Ans. Robert Browning was deeply influenced by Elizabeth Barrett’s poem. They came across in 1845. They fell in love. But Elizabeth’s father was deadly against their courtship. Besides, Elizabeth had been suffering from illness. So, their courtship had to be handled secretly. After a number of secret meetings they eloped to Italy. Then they got married. The lovelyric ‘Meeting At Night’ seems to be a vivid and lucid picture of the intense passion and dangers of the secret meeting between Browning and Elizabeth Barrett.
Though Browning never associated himself with the poem, the poem is autobiographical.
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