The Beggar Maid Poem 2 Std X – Chapter 10 -English Author Name: Alfred Lord Tenyson

Pre-reading task How would you describe a beautiful person? Discuss.

SUMMARY OF THE POEM "The Beggar-maid" is a story, which tells of the King Cophetua and his love for the beggar. Cophetua was an African king known for his lack of any natural attraction to women. One day while looking out a palace window he witnesses a young beggar suffering for lack of clothes. Struck by love at first sight, decides that he will either have the beggar as his wife or commit suicide. Walking out into the street, he tells her that she is to be his wife. She agrees and becomes queen. The couple lives a "quiet life" but are much loved by their people. Eventually they die and are buried in the same tomb.

About the Author Alfred Lord Tennyson Alfred Lord Tennyson was the most représentative poet of the Victorian period in England. The Poet expresses the faith and doubts of people, their sorrows and Triumphs. He is a master of language and his publications extended over sixty years. Melody is the distinctive quality of his verse. His poems evoke word pictures. Alfred Lord Tennyson

For Memorization Her arms across her breast she laid She was more fair than words can say Bare-footed came the beggar maid Before king Cophetua. In robe and crown the king step’d down, To meet and greet her on her way; “It is no wonder,” said the lords, “She is more beautiful than day”. As shines the moon in clouded skies, She in her poor attire2 was seen; One praised her ankles, one her eyes, One her dark hair and lovesome mien3. So sweet a face, such angel grace, In all that land had never been; Cophetua swore a royal oath: “This beggar maid shall be my queen!”

Exercises (Pick out the best answer and write it in your note book) 1. The beggar maid entered the court with her arms across her breast because___________ a) she was afraid of the king. b) she wanted to show respect to the king. c) she felt shy d) she was hurt. 2) ‘Bare-footed came the beggar maid before the king Cophetua’ because ___________ a) she was very poor b) one had to enter a court bare-footed. c) the guards ordered her to enter so. d) she was not in the habit of wearing slippers.

Exercises (Pick out the best answer and write it in your note book) 3. The king stepped down to______________ a) welcome the beggar maid b) send the beggar maid out of the court c) lead her to the throne. d) marry her 4. ‘As shines the moon in clouded skies’ The figure of speech used in this line is_____________ a) Personification b) Metaphor c) Simile d) Alliteration 5. The king decided to marry the beggar maid because___________ a) he had promised to marry a poor woman. b) he found great beauty in her. c) the lords praised her beauty. c) she was bare - footed.

Exercises (Answer the following questions in a sentence or two each) 1. How fair was the beggar maid? What is she compared to? She was more fairer than words can say and was compared to a beautiful day. 2. How did the beggar maid come to king Cophetua? She came with her arms across her breast, in her poor attire and bare footed.

Exercises (Answer the following questions in a sentence or two each) 3. Why did the king step down from the throne? To meet and greet her on her way. 4. What did the lords say about the beggar maid’s beauty? “It is no wonder,” said the lords, “She is more beautiful than day”. As shines the moon in clouded skies… 5. What did King Cophetua swear and why? “This beggar maid shall be my queen”, because she was so beautiful he had ever seen

Exercises (Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow.) 1. “She was more fair than words can say”. a) Who is the ‘she’? The Beggar Maid b) What does ‘fair’ mean? c) What does the statement mean? 2. ‘It is no wonder’ a) Who said this? The King b) When was it said? When the king saw the beggar c) What was ‘no wonder’? The beggar’s beauty 3. ‘Cophetua swore a royal oath’ a) Who was Cophetua? The King of Africa b) What did he swear? “This beggar maid shall be my queen” c) What made him swear so? The beggar maid was very beautiful

Appreciation a) Pick out the adjectives and phrases used to describe the beggar maid. e.g.: more fair than words can say. b) Pick out the pairs of rhyming words from the poem. c) Supply any two rhyming words for each of the following: i) maiden ii) down iii) lords iv) grace v) oath