Scots Wha Hae Questions and Answers Pdf Download Marks 5 & 2
1 . Write a note on the title of the poem ‘Scots Wha Hae’.[Scots Wha Hae Questions and Answers]
Burns’s poem ‘Scots what Hae’has no specific title. The title of the poem is the first line of the poem that means the ‘Scots who have’. The poem is an address of the Scottish leader, Robert Bruce, to his fellow soldiers. The poem, in the form of a song, is of six stanzas of four lines each. Each stanza contains Bruce’s address to his fellow soldiers about the war that they have to fight against the English power. The expression Scots Wha Hae is indicating of Bruce’s address, advice and instruction to them. In the first stanza, he reminds them of their fight against the English under Sir Wallace and he himself. In the second stanza he continues to address them, indicating to them that they have to face a new war as the English army, under the King Edward, is advancing. In the third and the fourth stanzas he points out to them what soldiers he prefers and whom he discards immediately. In the final two stanzas he tries to inspire and instruct his followers that they must fight sincerely and bravely either to face defeat and death or to have victory and freedom. They must bear in mind that they are to do or die.
The entire content of the poem is under the address of Bruce to the Scots in the form-Scots Wha Hae. Hence, the title seems to reflect the entire contention of Bruce to his soldiers.
2 . Q. What is the subject of the poem? Who are concerned in that subject? What is the main lesson of the poem and by whom this is given?
The subject-matter of the poem is the Scottish War of freedom against the English army, besieging Scotland. The poem has a historical background and that is concerned with the war of the Scottish force to resist the British power to occupy and conquer Scotland. This subject-matter is given through the address of Robert Bruce to his followers. He reminds them of their brave fight against the English under Sir William Wallace and also Bruce himself, two heroic personalities of the history of the freedom war of Scotland. Another British aggression under the English King Edward is going to befall. Bruce draws the attention of his soldiers to this and tries to inspire them to fight heroically to vanquish the proud English and bring freedom for themselves and their generations. He tells them straight to fight to the end to have either victory and freedom or defeat and death.The main lesson of the poem is to fight and die if necessary, for the cause of freedom
This lesson is given by Robert Bruce to his soldiers, ready to face their tyrannical English force.
3 .Q. Write a brief estimate of the poem Scots Wha Hae by Burns.
Or,
Attempt a precise and illustratively critical commentary on the poem Scots Wha Hae by Robert Burns.
Scots Wha Hae is one of the great poems, in the manner of a song, by Robert Burns. It is a patriotic Scottish song to call upon the achievement of Sir William Wallace and Robert Bruce, two great leaders of the Scottish army, and to give inspiration to resist the tyrannical foes to retain the freedom of the land and the people. The poem was composed in 1793 and was set to the tune of the old Scottish marching song Hey Tuttie Taitie. The original lyrics incorporate both Scottish and English vocabulary. It was long considered the unofficial national anthem of Scotland, although now there are several contenders to that title.
This is a song in praise of those who fight for freedom of their country, without fearing the threat of death. Sorrows and sufferings are nothing to them to overcome servility and retain freedom of the land. The inspiring tone of the poem is struck in the concluding stanza of the poem that is spoken of those ready to act for freedom or die for the same
“Lay the proud usurpers low!
Tyrants fall in every foe!
Liberty’s in every blow!,
Let us do or die!”
As already stated, the poem is actually a pattern of song. It comprises six stanzas of four lines each. Each of the stanzas in this poem follows the same simple rhyme scheme, that is, AAAB. In addition to this, the fourth lines of all the stanzas has the same rhyme.
Throughout the poem the poet has used the figure of speech Apostrophe. He is found to use it when he addresses his soldiers who are either absent or silent. Here Bruce seems to speak directly to the Scottish soldiers without any one of them responding to him at any point in the poem.
Again, in the line 3 of the first stanza, the poet uses the device of Metaphor. This rhetorical device is used when a covert comparison is made between two different things or ideas. Here the poet compares the death of the soldiers to the bed filled with blood, such as the one on which they will lie after they have been killed in the battle. He, again, uses the device of Metaphor in line 3 of the 5th stanza when hecompares fighting with the English forces to shedding blood from every vein of one’s body.
In the 4th and 6th stanzas, the poet uses the device of Personification. This rhetorical device is used to bestow living qualities on something that is not human. In the 4th stanza, the poet personifies Freedom and in the 6th stanza, he personifies Liberty. He imagines them to the soldiers wielding swords and fighting alongside his troops.
Indeed, Burns’s song is highly reputed and has served for century as an unofficial national anthem.
4 . Q. What soldiers are dismissed from his troop and why?
Bruce categorically declares that he wants his troops to consist only of the best soldiers. That is why, he wants to discard those soldiers whom he finds unfit for being a part of the Scottish forces. Such soldiers are of three characteristics. First of them are traitors who betray their country and conspire for the defeat of their own army. Second are those who are cowardly and ready to flee from the batttlefield. Thirdly, there are some who passively accept slavery rather than to struggle actively for freedom. Such treacherous, cowardly and impassive soldiers are discarded by Bruce.
5. Q. What sort of soldiers does Bruce want to keep in his troops?
Bruce wants to keep in his troops only ideal soldiers. Such ideal soldiers must have three desirable good qualities. These are respect for the Scottish monarchy and civil society, love for liberty, and unwillingness to accept defeat. All soldiers who possess such qualities are encouraged to follow Robert Bruce into the battle against the English forces, for their leader is sure that they will fight valiantly for the sake of their country and people.
6 . Q. What does Bruce instruct his troops in the conclusion of his address?
In the conclusion of his address, Bruce issues some clear instructions to his troops to follow on the battlefield. He asks them not to get afraid, but must try hard to get rid of the proud English soldiers. Those English soldiers have subjected them to much pain and suffering. They want to make them live in fetters and slavery. But the Scottish soldiers must make the English hang their heads in shame and defeat them ultimately. Every enemy is to be taken by the Scots as a tyrant. They must, therefore, destroy each soldier in the English forces. In every blow of their swords they must assert their potential for liberty. They must either “do or die”.
MARKS-2
1. What is the sense of the title ‘Scots Wha Hae’?
The expression carries the sense : Scots who have.
2. Wha hae wi’ Wallace bled. – What does this mean?
This means who had shed blood along with Wallace.
3. Who was Wallace?
Wallace was a heroic Scottish patriot who dedicated his life for the freedom of his land.
4. “Bruce has aften led ….” —Who was Bruce? Whom did often he lead?
Bruce was a great Scottish hero and patriot. He fought against the English rulers a good many times and finally defeated the English to become the King of Scotland. Bruce led the Scottish troop against the English invaders.
5. “Welcome to your gory bed” – What is meant by ‘gory bed’?
‘Gory bed’ means the bloodstained field of action whereon many Scottish soldiers had their bloody end while fighting with their English foes.
6. “…… proud Edward’s power” —Bring out the meaning.
The reference here is to the mighty English King Edward I and his vast army.
7. “Let him turn and flee!” —Who are to turn and flee?
Bruce wants to have only worthy soldiers. Those soldiers who are traitors, cowards and passively accept slavery have no place in his army. He asks them to turn and flee from his army.
8. Who are ideal soldiers to Bruce?
According to Bruce, those are ideal soldiers who have loyalty to and regard for the Scottish monarchy and civil society, love for liberty and hate for slavery. Such a soldier is always ready to stand strong for the sake of freedom.
9. What is Bruce’s motto to inspire his soldiers?
Bruce’s motto to inspire his soldiers is ‘do or die? He means thereby either they must fight to have the victory or to face death.
10. Whom does the poet call proud usurpers and why?
Burns call the British invaders under the English King Edward I proud usurpers for their arrogant and unauthorised effort to occupy and rule Scott and that is not their own.
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