The Sands Of Dee: Answering questions from the poem for class 9, 10, and SSC Exam
The Sands Of Dee (1850)
‘O Mary, go and call the cattle
home,
And call the cattle home,
And call the cattle home
Across the sands of Dee;’
The western wind was wild and dank with
foam,
And all alone went she.
The western tide crept up along the sand,
And o’er and o’er the sand,
And round and round the sand,
As far as eye could see.
The rolling mist came down and hid the land:
And never home came she.
‘Oh! is it weed, or fish, or floating hair,
A tress of golden hair,
A drownèd maiden’s hair
Above the nets at sea?
Was never salmon yet that shone so fair
Among the stakes of Dee.’
They rowed her in across the rolling foam,
The cruel crawling foam,
The cruel hungry foam,
To her grave beside the sea:
But still the boatmen hear her call the cattle home
Across the sands of Dee.
ডি-এর বালুকাবেলায়
— চার্লস কিংসলে“ও মেরি, যাও, গরুগুলোকে বাড়ি
ডেকে আনো,
আর গরুগুলোকে বাড়ি ডেকে আনো,
আর গরুগুলোকে বাড়ি ডেকে আনো
ডি-এর বালুকাবেলায়!”
পশ্চিমের বাতাস ছিল বুনো আর
ফেনায় ভেজা,
আর সে একাই চলেছিল।
পশ্চিমের
জোয়ার ধীরে ধীরে উঠছিল
বালুর উপর,
আর বারবার বালুর উপর,
আর ঘুরে ফিরে বালুর
উপর,
যতদূর চোখ যায় দেখা
যায়।
ঘূর্ণায়মান কুয়াশা নেমে এল, ঢেকে
দিল ভূমি,
আর সে আর কখনো
বাড়ি ফিরল না।
“ওহ!
এটা কি শৈবাল, না
মাছ, না ভেসে থাকা
চুল,
এক গুচ্ছ সোনালি চুল,
এক ডুবে যাওয়া কুমারীর
চুল
সমুদ্রের জালে ভেসে আছে?
এমন উজ্জ্বল রূপালী মাছ কখনো দেখা
যায়নি
ডি-এর বাঁধের মাঝে।”
তারা তাকে নিয়ে
গেল ফেনার মধ্যে দিয়ে।
নিষ্ঠুর হামাগুড়ি দেওয়া ফেনা,
নিষ্ঠুর ক্ষুধার্ত ফেনা,
তার সমুদ্রপারের কবরের দিকে:
তবুও মাঝিরা শুনতে পায় তার ডাক,
গরুগুলোকে বাড়ি ডেকে আনো
ডি-এর বালুকাবেলায়।
Analysis of the poem "The Sands of Dee":
1. Summary
The poem tells the tragic story
of Mary, a young girl sent to bring cattle home across the sands
of Dee, a coastal area in England. Caught in a wild tide and mist, she
disappears. Later, her body is found in the sea, and the poem ends with a
haunting suggestion that her voice still echoes across the sands.
2. Structure and Form
- Stanza
Form: The poem
consists of four stanzas with varying lengths.
- Repetition: Phrases like “And call
the cattle home” and “the cruel crawling foam” emphasize
rhythm and emotional intensity.
- Rhyme
Scheme: The
rhyme is subtle and irregular, contributing to the poem’s mournful tone.
3. Literary Devices
a. Imagery
- Vivid
descriptions of nature: “western wind was wild and dank with foam”, “rolling
mist”, “floating hair”.
- Creates
a haunting, mysterious atmosphere.
b. Personification
- Nature
is given human-like qualities: “cruel crawling foam”, “hungry
foam”.
- This
portrays the sea as a dangerous, almost malicious force.
c. Symbolism
- The
sea: Represents
nature’s power and unpredictability.
- Mary’s
voice:
Symbolizes memory, loss, and lingering presence.
d. Repetition
- Enhances
the lyrical quality and emotional weight.
- Reflects
the echoing of Mary’s voice and the cyclical nature of the tide.
4. Themes
a. Nature’s Power
- The
sea and mist overpower Mary, showing nature’s indifference to human life.
b. Tragedy and Loss
- Mary’s
death is sudden and sorrowful, evoking sympathy and grief.
c. Memory and Haunting
- The
final line suggests her spirit or memory remains, calling the cattle home.
5. Tone and Mood
- Tone: Mournful, reflective, and
eerie.
- Mood: The reader feels sadness,
mystery, and a sense of haunting beauty.
6. Interpretation
Kingsley uses this simple narrative to explore deeper ideas about human vulnerability, the permanence of memory, and the emotional impact of loss. The poem’s musicality and repetition make it feel like a lament or folk ballad, reinforcing its emotional depth.
Summary:
The poem tells the tragic story of a girl named Mary,
who is sent to bring the cattle home across the sands of the Dee estuary. As
she walks alone, the weather turns wild and misty, and the tide creeps in.
Sadly, Mary never returns home. Later, fishermen find her body in the sea, her
golden hair floating among the nets. They bury her by the shore, but even after
her death, boatmen say they still hear her ghostly voice calling the cattle
home across the sands.
সারাংশ
(বাংলা):
চার্লস
কিংসলে-এর "The Sands
of Dee" কবিতাটি
একটি মর্মান্তিক গল্প বলে। মেরি
নামের একটি মেয়ে গরুদের
বাড়ি আনতে ডি নদীর
বালুকাবেলায় যায়। সে একা
ছিল, আর আবহাওয়া ছিল
ভয়ংকর—বাতাসে ফেনা, কুয়াশা, আর জোয়ার ধীরে
ধীরে উঠে আসে। মেরি
আর কখনো বাড়ি ফেরে
না। পরে মাঝিরা সমুদ্রে
তার মৃতদেহ খুঁজে পায়, তার সোনালি
চুল জালের উপর ভেসে থাকে।
তারা তাকে সমুদ্রের ধারে
কবর দেয়। কিন্তু আজও
মাঝিরা বলে, তারা শুনতে
পায় মেরির আত্মার ডাক—গরুগুলোকে বাড়ি
ডেকে আনো, ডি-এর
বালুকাবেলায়।
Answer the following questions
1. What was the weather like when Mary went to bring the cattle
home?
The weather was wild and stormy. The western wind was described as
"wild and dank with foam," indicating a rough and dangerous
atmosphere with sea spray and mist.
2. Look at some words, phrases and sentences that have been repeated
several times. Explain why the poet has done that.
The poet repeats phrases like “call the cattle home” and “across the
sands of Dee” to create rhythm and emphasize Mary’s task and the haunting
nature of her disappearance. Repetition also adds a musical quality and
reinforces the emotional impact of the poem.
3. How has the poet described the sea?
The sea is portrayed as cruel, crawling,
and hungry. These descriptions give the sea a threatening and
almost living presence, suggesting it played a role in Mary’s tragic fate.
4. Narrate the story of Mary in your own words.
Mary was sent to bring the cattle home across the sands of Dee. As she
walked alone, the weather turned stormy and the tide rose. She was caught in
the mist and waves and never returned. Later, fishermen found her body in the
sea, and she was buried by the shore. Her voice is said to still echo across
the sands, calling the cattle home.
5. Suppose you were walking on the shore with a couple of your
friends while Mary was drowning. Describe what you would have done.
If I were on the shore with friends while Mary was drowning, I would
immediately try to help her—shouting for help, throwing something that floats,
or trying to reach her safely if possible. One of us would run to get more help
while others stayed to keep her in sight. We would do everything we could to
save her from the cruel sea.
More questions
1. Who is
the central character in the poem?
Mary is
the central character, a young girl who tragically drowns while trying to bring
the cattle home.
2. What task
was Mary given?
Mary was asked
to bring the cattle home across the sands of Dee.
3. What
natural elements are described in the poem?
The poem
describes wind, foam, tide, sand,
and mist, creating a vivid picture of the coastal environment.
4. What does
the poet mean by “cruel crawling foam”?
It refers to
the relentless and dangerous waves of the sea that ultimately lead to Mary’s
death.
5. How does
the poet create a sense of mystery?
Through
repetition, haunting imagery, and the suggestion that Mary’s voice is still
heard after her death.
6. What is
the tone of the poem?
The tone
is melancholic, haunting, and tragic.
7. What
literary device is used in “Was never salmon yet that shone so fair”?
This is a simile,
comparing Mary’s golden hair to the beauty of a salmon.
8. What does
the repetition of “call the cattle home” signify?
It emphasizes
Mary’s duty and the lingering echo of her voice, even after death.
9. What
lesson can be learned from the poem?
Nature can be
unpredictable and dangerous, and the poem reminds us of the fragility of life.
10. How does
the poet describe Mary’s final journey?
She is rowed
through the foam to her grave beside the sea, a solemn and sorrowful image.
11. What is
the significance of the sea in the poem?
The sea is both
a setting and a symbol of danger, mystery, and death.
12. What
emotion does the poem evoke in the reader?
It evokes sadness, sympathy,
and a sense of loss.
13. What
does “rolling mist” symbolize?
It
symbolizes confusion, danger, and the unknown,
contributing to Mary’s tragic fate.
14. Why is
Mary’s voice said to be heard even after her death?
It adds a ghostly, supernatural element,
suggesting her spirit remains tied to the place.
15. What is
the overall message of the poem?
The poem
conveys the power of nature, the tragedy of loss, and
the enduring memory of those who pass away.