Sea Fever 1) Who wrote the poem ‘Sea Fever’? Ans:- John Masefield wrote the poem ’Sea Fever’. 2) What was the favourite place of the poet? Ans:- To see the sea was the favourite place of the poet. 3) What do you mean by steer? Ans:- Steer means to control the direction of movement. 4) What was the colour of mist on the sea’s face? Ans:- The colour of the mist was grey. 5) What thing did not the poet deny? Ans:- The poet can not deny the call of running tide. 6) Write the name of Sea-bird? Ans:- Sea-gull is the name of a sea-bird. 7) Who wants to live a gypsy life? Ans:- The poet wants to become a gypsy life. 8) Write the name of the sea-animal? Ans:- Whale, a name of the sea-animal. 9) What do you mean by whetted knife? Ans:- Whetted knife means sharpened knife. 10) What kind of day does the poet prefer for siling? Ans:- The poet prefers va...
Introduction:
Amid the Shakespeare's pleasant Characters, Touchstone in "As You Like It" will always remain one of the paradigmatic touchstones. Much more important than In Dogberry in "Much Ado", much more comic than Malvolio in "Twelfth Night" and much more witty than Bottom in "A Midsummer Night's Dream". He transforms the jealousy-riven and love-laden structure of the Play into a texture of joy and hairy, humour and peasantry. As John Palmer points out, "His part in the comedy is to shed the light of reality and common sense upon its fanciful figure and diversions in "Comic Characters in Shakespeare".
Touchstone to Reality:
Touchstone opens the door of reality alone and can set both the court and the idyllic Arden, both hated and love-enchanted. Although it has often been maintained that Touchstone is all Wit and no emotion. One must esteem him as a royal servant who without any illusion as to life in Arden- is ready at words to " go along o'er the wide world with his mistress". His action was merely adventurous, he would have abandoned the ladies when they were thoroughly exhausted but he chooses to stay with them through thick and thin.
Touchstone's Impersonate:
Touchstone impersonates a Courtier to unveil the follies and hypocrisies of the Court:
" I have tried a measure;
I have flattered a lady;
I have been polite with my friends,
smooth with my enemy"
Thus he reduces a Courtier to dancing, dressing, flatting, self-esteem seeking and quarrelling. Yet, never does the quarrels reach the level of passionate prowess, for he tells of a certain Knight who swearing by his honour was not forsworn. Touchstone describes how much Couriers and Knight shy away from an actual feel by eating obscure laws and points.
Witty Man Touchstone:
He puts the amorous passion which has enamored men for acon's in its true perspective. Rosalind reads out the love-smitten Orlando's poems about her with great pride:
"From the east to wastern end
No jewel is like Rosalind''.
Touchstone subjects such verse to immediate caricature :
" If a heart do lack a hind,
Let him seek out Rosalind….
Sweetest nut hath sourest rind
Such a nut is Rosalind".
Good-bad Touchstone:
Is also a fervent critic of the pastio. Not only does he disclose that he has been a fool to venture into the forest of Arden but also proceeds to systematically describe its lacunae to the Shepherd. It may be a comfortable life but since it is the life of a Shepherd. Solitude is occasionally desirable but not always.
Conclusion:
Thus ,Touchstone is not a mere comic caricature, but one who in the language of Hazlitt is a "mixture of the ancient cynic philosophers with the modern Buffoon".One must add that unlike Bottom, he is a conscious and well-crafted buffoonery. In many respects, he is the " chorus" of the Classical Play, the fool who wisely reveals what the wisemen do foolishly.
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