From a Railway Carriage: Answering questions from the poem for class 7
Words and
Bengali Meanings
- Faster – দ্রুততর
- Fairies – পরীরা
- Witches – ডাইনিরা
- Bridges – সেতুগুলি
- Houses – ঘরবাড়ি
- Hedges – ঝোপঝাড়
- Ditches – খাল/নালা
- Charging – আক্রমণাত্মকভাবে
এগিয়ে যাওয়া
- Troops – সৈন্যদল
- Battle – যুদ্ধ
- Meadows – ঘাসের
মাঠ
- Horses – ঘোড়া
- Cattle – গবাদি
পশু
- Sights – দৃশ্য
- Hill – পাহাড়
- Plain – সমভূমি
- Fly – উড়ে
যাওয়া / দ্রুত চলে যাওয়া
- Driving rain – প্রবল বৃষ্টি
- Wink of an eye – চোখের পলকে
- Painted stations – রঙ করা স্টেশন
- Whistle – বাঁশি
বাজা / সিটি
- Child – শিশু
- Clambers – কষ্ট
করে উঠা
- Scrambles – হুড়োহুড়ি করে
চলা
- Brambles – কাঁটাযুক্ত
ঝোপ
- Tramp – ভবঘুরে
- Gazes – একদৃষ্টিতে
তাকানো
- Green – সবুজ
মাঠ
- Stringing daisies – ডেইজি ফুল গাঁথা
- Cart – গাড়ি
(হাতগাড়ি বা ঘোড়ার গাড়ি)
- Runaway – পালিয়ে
যাওয়া / নিয়ন্ত্রণহীন
- Road – রাস্তা
- Lumping – ভারীভাবে
চলা
- Load – বোঝা
- Mill – কল
/ চাকা
- River – নদী
- Glimpse – এক
ঝলক দেখা
- Forever – চিরকাল
From a
Railway Carriage
Robert Louis Stevenson
Faster than
fairies, faster than witches,
Bridges and houses, hedges and ditches;
And charging along like troops in a battle,
All through the meadows the horses and cattle:
All of the sights of the hill and the plain
Fly as thick as driving rain;
And ever again, in the wink of an eye,
Painted stations whistle by.
Here is a child
who clambers and scrambles,
All by himself and gathering brambles;
Here is a tramp who stands and gazes;
And there is the green for stringing the daisies!
Here is a cart run away in the road
Lumping along with man and load;
And here is a mill and there is a river:
Each a glimpse and gone for ever!
একটি
রেলওয়ে ক্যারেজ থেকে
পরীদের চেয়ে দ্রুত, ডাইনিদের চেয়ে দ্রুত,
সেতু আর ঘর, ঝোপ আর খাল;
যেন যুদ্ধের সৈন্যদল ছুটে চলেছে,
ঘোড়া আর গরু সবুজ মাঠে ছুটছে।
পাহাড় আর সমভূমির সব দৃশ্য
বৃষ্টির মতো ঘনভাবে উড়ে যায়;
আর আবারও, চোখের এক পলকে,
রঙ করা স্টেশনগুলো সিটি বাজায়।
এখানে একটি শিশু, উঠছে আর পড়ছে,
নিজে নিজেই কাঁটাঝোপ থেকে ফল তুলছে;
এখানে একজন ভবঘুরে, দাঁড়িয়ে তাকিয়ে আছে;
আর এখানে ডেইজি ফুল গাঁথার সবুজ মাঠ!
রাস্তায় একটি গাড়ি ছুটে চলেছে
মানুষ আর বোঝা নিয়ে ভারীভাবে;
এখানে একটি কল, আর সেখানে একটি নদী:
সবই এক ঝলক, তারপর চিরতরে হারিয়ে যায়!
Summary of the Poem
The poem captures
the thrill and speed of a train journey through the
countryside. As the train rushes forward, the poet describes the scenery
flashing by—bridges, houses, fields, animals, and people—all seen only for
a moment before disappearing. The rhythm of the poem mimics the motion
of the train, creating a sense of urgency and excitement.
Stevenson uses vivid
imagery and similes to compare the train’s speed to magical beings
like fairies and witches, and to the intensity of a battle. He also contrasts
the fast-moving train with the stillness of rural life, such as a
child gathering brambles or a tramp gazing around.
The poem emphasizes
the transience of moments, suggesting that each glimpse from the
train is brief and gone forever, reminding us to appreciate the fleeting beauty
around us.
কবিতার সারাংশ (বাংলা অনুবাদ)
"From a Railway Carriage" কবিতাটি একটি
ট্রেন যাত্রার উত্তেজনা ও গতি তুলে ধরে। কবি
ট্রেন থেকে দেখা দ্রুত
পরিবর্তনশীল দৃশ্যাবলী—সেতু, ঘর, মাঠ, পশু,
মানুষ—সবকিছুই এক ঝলকে দেখা
যায় এবং মুহূর্তেই হারিয়ে
যায়।
কবিতার ছন্দ ও গতি
ট্রেনের চলার মতোই দ্রুত
ও ধারাবাহিক, যা পাঠকের মনে আনন্দ ও তাড়না সৃষ্টি করে। কবি পরী,
ডাইনি, যুদ্ধরত সৈন্য এবং প্রবল বৃষ্টি-এর সঙ্গে ট্রেনের
গতি তুলনা করেছেন, যা কবিতাটিকে জাদুকরী ও
চিত্রময় করে তোলে।
তিনি ট্রেনের গতি ও গ্রামীণ
জীবনের স্থিরতার মধ্যে একটি
সুন্দর বিপরীততা তুলে ধরেছেন—যেমন
একটি শিশু ঝোপ থেকে
ফল তুলছে, একজন ভবঘুরে তাকিয়ে
আছে। কবিতাটি আমাদের শেখায় যে প্রতিটি মুহূর্ত ক্ষণস্থায়ী, তাই আমাদের উচিত
সেই সৌন্দর্যকে উপভোগ করা ও মূল্য দেওয়া।
Line-by-line analysis of the poem "From a
Railway Carriage" by Robert Louis Stevenson:
1. Faster than fairies, faster than
witches,
- Analysis: The poet uses similes to
compare the train’s speed to magical beings—fairies and
witches—emphasizing how incredibly fast it moves. This also adds a fantastical
tone to the poem.
2. Bridges and houses, hedges and
ditches;
- Analysis: A list of landscape
features seen from the train. The use of alliteration (repetition
of 'h' sounds) adds rhythm and flow, mimicking the train’s motion.
3. And charging along like troops in a
battle
- Analysis: A simile comparing
the train to soldiers charging in battle. It conveys power, speed,
and intensity.
4. All through the meadows the horses
and cattle:
- Analysis: Describes the rural
scenery—animals grazing in fields. It contrasts the stillness
of nature with the movement of the train.
5. All of the sights of the hill and
the plain
- Analysis: The poet generalizes
the vastness of the landscape, showing how much is seen in a
short time.
6. Fly as thick as driving rain:
- Analysis: Another simile,
comparing the rapid passing of sights to heavy rain,
suggesting speed and density.
7. And ever again, in the wink of an
eye,
- Analysis: A metaphor for how quickly things
pass by—just a momentary glance.
8. Painted stations whistle by.
- Analysis: The stations are described
as colorful and lively, but they pass quickly, reinforcing the
theme of transience.
9. Here is a child who clambers and
scrambles,
- Analysis: A vivid image of a child
playing, showing life outside the train. The verbs
suggest energy and movement.
10. All by himself and gathering
brambles;
- Analysis: The child is alone,
engaged in a simple, rural activity. It contrasts with the speed
and noise of the train.
11. Here is a tramp who stands and
gazes;
- Analysis: The tramp is still
and observant, again contrasting with the train’s motion. It
evokes curiosity or reflection.
12. And here is the green for
stringing daisies!
- Analysis: A peaceful image of a field,
possibly used by children to make daisy chains—symbolizing innocence
and nature.
13. Here is a cart runaway in the road
- Analysis: A runaway cart suggests chaos
or urgency, mirroring the train’s speed.
14. Lumping along with man and load;
- Analysis: Describes the slow,
heavy movement of the cart, contrasting with the train’s
swiftness.
15. And here is a mill, and there is a
river:
- Analysis: More rural imagery,
showing the diversity of scenes visible from the train.
16. Each a glimpse and gone forever!
- Analysis: The final line emphasizes
the fleeting nature of each moment. It’s a reflection on
how quickly life passes, especially when in motion.
QUESTIONS FROM ENGLISH FOR TODAY
(1) Make a list of things that you can
see passing quickly by a running train.
- Bridges
- Houses
- Hedges
- Ditches
- Meadows
- Horses
and cattle
- Painted
stations
- A
child gathering brambles
- A
tramp gazing
- A
green field with daisies
- A
runaway cart
- A mill
- A
river
(2) Make a list of words and phrases
that tell us about how fast the train is running.
- "Faster
than fairies"
- "Faster
than witches"
- "Charging
along like troops in a battle"
- "Fly
as thick as driving rain"
- "In
the wink of an eye"
- "Gone
forever"
QUESTIONS FOR MORE PRACTICE
(a) What is the main theme of the poem
"From a Railway Carriage"?
The main theme is the speed and excitement of a train journey,
capturing the fleeting glimpses of life and nature from a moving train.
(b) How many stanzas are there in the
poem? What is the rhyme scheme?
There are two stanzas. The rhyme scheme is AABB,
consistent throughout the poem.
(c) What kind of imagery and simile
has the poet used in the first stanza? Why has he used them?
The poet uses visual imagery and similes like
“charging along like troops in a battle” and “fly as thick as driving rain” to
convey the speed and intensity of the train’s movement. These
help readers visualize the rapid motion and excitement.
(d) What literary device is used in
"Fly as thick as driving rain"?
This is a simile, comparing the passing sights to heavy rain to
emphasize their speed and density.
(e) How does the poet compare the
speed of the train in the poem?
He compares it to fairies, witches, troops in battle, and driving
rain, all fast-moving or magical elements, to highlight the train’s
incredible speed.
(f) What is the significance of the
"painted stations" in the poem?
“Painted stations” symbolize the brief and colorful glimpses of
places that pass by quickly, emphasizing the fleeting nature of the journey.
(g) What does the poet imply by
showing the tramp looking around?
The tramp represents stillness and observation, contrasting with
the train’s speed. It shows how life outside the train continues slowly and
thoughtfully.
(h) What does the poet mean by
"Each a glimpse and gone forever"?
It means that each scene is seen only for a moment and then disappears,
highlighting the transience of experiences during a fast
journey.
(i) Why has the poet mentioned horses
and cattle in this poem?
They represent rural life and add to the vivid imagery of the
countryside seen from the train.
(j) What is the child doing?
The child is clambering and scrambling, gathering brambles by
himself.
(k) What do daisies symbolize in this
poem?
Daisies symbolize innocence, simplicity, and the beauty of nature,
often associated with childhood and peace.
(l) How is the cart described in this
poem?
The cart is described as runaway, lumping along with man
and load, showing a slow, heavy movement in contrast to the train.
(m) What do mill and river represent
in this poem?
They represent rural industry and nature, part of the landscape
that flashes by during the journey.
(n) How does use rhythm reflect
journey in this poem?
The quick, regular rhythm of the poem mimics the movement
of the train, creating a sense of speed and continuity.
(o) What lesson can we learn from line
“Each glimpse gone forever”?
It teaches us to appreciate moments, as they are fleeting and may
never return.
(p) How does poet use image “charging”
train convey feeling movement?
“Charging” evokes a sense of powerful, unstoppable motion, like a
military charge, emphasizing the train’s force and speed.
(q) How do phrases “faster than
fairies” “faster than witches” help create magical feeling?
These phrases add a fantastical, magical tone, making the train’s
speed seem supernatural and enchanting.
(r) How does traveling fast make you
feel, like
Traveling fast can make you feel excited, thrilled, and amazed, but
also reflective, as you realize how quickly moments pass.