Where the Mind is Without Fear – Textbook Questions and Answers | Class 10 English

What does the poet pray to the Almighty for?

What are ‘reason’ and ‘dead habit’ compared to?

What does the poet wish for?

In your notebook write down lines from the poem as a proof for the following.
(a) Tagore wishes for a nation where people are truthful.

Write down lines from the poem as a proof for the following.
(b) The poet would like everyone to work hard to reach their goal and in the long run to reach perfection.

Write down lines from the poem as a proof for the following.
(c) The poet wishes that everyone in his country holds his head high in dignity.

Write down lines from the poem as a proof for the following.
(d) The poet dreams of a nation where knowledge should be free to all.

Write down lines from the poem as a proof for the following.
(e) The poem is a ‘prayer’.

Read the columns carefully and match the expressions in Column A with their meanings in Column B.
(1) The head is held high (2) Narrow domestic walls (3) Knowledge is free (4) Depth of truth (5) Mind is without fear (6) Stretches its arms (7) Clear stream of reason (8) Dead habits (9) Ever widening thought and action
(a) A fearless person (b) Sincerity of heart (c) A person with self respect and proud of possessing it (d) Narrow mindedness (e) Education is given to all (f) Dried up, infertile land of sands (g) Clear thinking (h) Aim at perfection (i) Broadening the outlook and attitude

Answer the following question in your own words.
(a) How is the world broken into fragments?

Answer the following question in your own words.
(b) Explain what the ‘tireless striving’ should be for.

Answer the following question in your own words.
(c) ‘Where words come out from the depth of truth.’ Explain in your own words.

Answer the following question in your own words.
(d) Who is ‘Thee’ in the poem? What does the poet appeal to ‘Thee’ to do?

Answer the following question in your own words.
(e) What qualities does the poet wish to inculcate in his countrymen?

Write your own response and justify, where needed.
(a) Is the poem a prayer for India alone?

Write your own response and justify, where needed.
(b) What should the words we speak reflect?

Write your own response and justify, where needed.
(c) What should people keep on widening? How can it be done?

Write your own response and justify, where needed.
(d) From what darkness of night should our nation awake?

Write your own response and justify, where needed.
(e) What attributes of Rabindranath Tagore does the poem (prayer) reflect?

Write your own response and justify, where needed.
(f) What effect does the repetition of the word ‘where’ at the beginning of each line have?

Read the poem carefully and complete the table. One is done for you.
Concepts in the poem: (1) mind (2) head (3) knowledge (4) words (5) habit (6) thought and action. Columns: Present situation / Expected (ideal) situation. (Done: mind – mind is full of fear – fearless mind)

Complete the following sentences using your own interpretation.
(a) When the mind is without fear and head unbowed, we enjoy ______ freedom.
(b) When knowledge is free, every citizen enjoys the right to ______ and ______.
(c) We can prevent ______ injustice when we pull down discriminatory walls of caste, class, religion etc.
(d) Constant effort and strife leads to ______.
(e) Logical thinking and reasoning can put a stop to ______.
(f) Tagore appeals to God to make his country a ______.

Fill in the blanks (own interpretation).
(a) Students should keep themselves aloof from ______.
(b) When ______ everyone will be literate.
(c) It is a social duty of every student of the modern world to uproot ______ from societies.
(d) Students must develop ______ outlook and attitudes.
(e) In the world of sycophancy, students must ______.

Find out the examples of ‘Metaphor’ from the poem.

Almost every line of the poem begins with the word ‘Where’ and it expects an idealistic country and countrymen. Compose your poem regarding ‘Ideal School’. Begin your lines with the word ‘Where’.

Write an Appreciation of the poem ‘Where the Mind is Without Fear’ in about 12 to 15 sentences with the help of the following points: Title, Poet, Rhyme scheme, Favourite line, Theme/Central idea, Figures of speech, Special features (type of poem, language, tone, implied meaning, etc.), Why I like/dislike the poem. Use a paragraph format.

Imagine that you have to deliver a speech on the occasion of ‘Independence Day’ or ‘Republic Day’ in the school assembly. Prepare a speech on ‘India of my dreams’. Use the steps: greeting and salutation, self introduction, introduction of the topic, elaboration with examples, conclusion, thanking the audience.