Navigating through the English Language and Literature curriculum for Class 10 requires an in-depth understanding of philosophical dialogue, aesthetic criticism, lyrical forms, and the tension between physical appearance and spiritual reality. Poem 10 of First Flight, “For Anne Gregory” by Nobel laureate William Butler Yeats (W.B. Yeats), is a masterclass in philosophical debate. Structured as a three-stanza conversational dialogue between a speaker and a young woman named Anne Gregory, the poem explores the superficiality of human romantic love, the impermanence of external physical beauty, and the rare ideal of being loved for one’s inner self. To help students master every aspect of this high-weightage poem, this comprehensive solutions guide offers textbook-accurate, highly structured, and pedagogically sound responses strictly aligned with the latest CBSE marking schemes and word limits.
Every question presented in the official NCERT textbook—ranging from metaphorical deconstructions of physical features to philosophical debates on selfhood, divine love, and an expanded set of 15 board-level FAQs—has been solved with exhaustive detail. Short-answer responses are calibrated strictly to the official 30–40 word limit, while long-answer analytical questions meet the 100–120 word board standard. Key scoring terms, literary devices (such as metaphor, alliteration, synecdoche, and philosophical paradox), and theological distinctions have been highlighted to ensure students secure maximum marks in their CBSE Board Examinations.
NCERT Class 10 English For Anne Gregory Solutions
The poem opens with the speaker addressing Anne Gregory, observing that young men are thrown into hopeless despair because of her gorgeous, “honey-coloured ramparts”—the thick, golden-blonde locks of hair falling around her ears. The speaker asserts that young men are inevitably captivated by her radiant physical appearance rather than her internal moral character, intellect, or soul.
In the second stanza, Anne Gregory responds with spirited idealism, asserting that if external appearance is the sole cause of infatuation, she can easily dye her hair brown, black, or carrot-orange. By altering her physical appearance, she hopes to find a suitor who will look past superficial beauty and love her for her true inner self. However, in the concluding stanza, the speaker shatters this romantic illusion by citing an old religious text, declaring that only God possesses the pure, unconditional capacity to love a human being for their true self alone, whereas mortal human love remains unavoidably tied to external physical attractions. Below are the complete, textbook-accurate solutions.
Thinking about the Poem (Page No. 141)
Question 1 What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear”? Why does he say that young men are “thrown into despair” by them? (Page No. 141) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: The phrase “great honey-coloured ramparts at your ear” refers to Anne Gregory’s gorgeous, thick golden-yellow hair that frames her face and covers her ears like the defensive outer walls (ramparts) of a fortress.
Young men are “thrown into despair” because her overwhelming physical beauty acts as an impenetrable barrier. They fall hopelessly in love with her stunning hair and external appearance, but finding their love unrequited, or realizing they cannot reach her true inner soul, leaves them heartbroken and despondent.
Question 2 What colour is the young woman’s hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do so? (Page No. 141) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: The young woman’s natural hair is a radiant honey-coloured / golden-yellow.
She asserts that she can apply hair dye to change its color to brown, black, or carrot-red.
She wants to change it to prove that physical beauty is superficial, transient, and easily alterable. By stripping away her admired blonde hair, she hopes that young suitors will stop chasing her physical charm and instead love her for her true inner character, intellect, and soul alone.
Question 3 Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone, etc.) and what gives them value? People also have qualities that make them attractive. What are some of these qualities? (Page No. 141)
Answer: Material objects derive their value from utilitarian, aesthetic, and functional features:
- Objects: A car is valued for its speed, design, safety, fuel efficiency, and brand prestige; a smartphone is prized for its camera quality, processing speed, storage, and sleek design.
- Human Qualities: Unlike static objects, human attractiveness is rooted in both physical attributes (appearance, smile, voice) and deeper inner qualities—such as kindness, empathy, honesty, intelligence, sense of humor, emotional resilience, and integrity.
Question 4 You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities alone, but are individuals who deserve to be loved for themselves. But what is this ‘self’? Discuss how human beings are valued. (Page No. 141) [BOARD EXAM FAVORITE]
Answer: The ‘self’ is the intangible core of human identity—comprising an individual’s soul, moral character, emotional depth, conscience, and values, completely separate from temporary physical traits or material wealth.
While human society often evaluates people based on superficial criteria (looks, wealth, social status, accomplishments), true love values the inner self. W.B. Yeats philosophically observes that while humans strive to love someone for their pure soul, mortal perception is inherently flawed and biased toward physical charm. Only divine love transcends physical boundaries to embrace the unvarnished inner self unconditionally.
Poetic Devices and Stanza Analysis Explained
Exercise 1: Literary Devices in For Anne Gregory Identify and explain the key poetic devices employed by W.B. Yeats:
Answer:
- Metaphor: Direct comparison between Anne’s hair and castle fortifications:
- “honey-coloured / Ramparts at your ear” (Her thick blonde hair is compared to protective castle ramparts that captivate young men).
- Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds in close proximity:
- “set such colour” (repetition of ‘s’ sound).
- “love you for yourself alone / And not your yellow hair” (repetition of ‘y’ sound).
- Synecdoche: Using a part of the body to represent physical beauty as a whole (“yellow hair” represents her complete physical attractiveness).
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem follows a strict, musical abcbdb rhyme scheme across all three six-line stanzas (sestets).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Class 10 English Poem 10
Question 1: Who is the poet of “For Anne Gregory”? Answer: “For Anne Gregory” is composed by William Butler Yeats (W.B. Yeats), the Nobel Prize-winning Irish poet and dramatist.
Question 2: What is the central theme of the poem “For Anne Gregory”? Answer: The central theme is the distinction between superficial physical attraction and true spiritual love, illustrating that while humans judge by external looks, only God loves us for our inner soul.
Question 3: Who was Anne Gregory in real life? Answer: Anne Gregory was the real-life granddaughter of Lady Augusta Gregory, an Irish dramatist and close friend and patron of W.B. Yeats.
Question 4: What is the literal meaning of the word “ramparts”? Answer: “Ramparts” are high, defensive stone walls or embankments built around a castle or fort for protection against invaders.
Question 5: Why does the poet describe Anne’s hair as “ramparts”? Answer: Her thick, flowing blonde hair covers her ears and frames her face like castle walls, acting as a visual barrier that prevents suitors from looking deeper into her soul.
Question 6: What colors does Anne Gregory suggest for dyeing her hair? Answer: Anne suggests dyeing her hair brown, black, or carrot (orange-red).
Question 7: What does Anne’s willingness to dye her hair reveal about her? Answer: It reveals that she is an idealistic and thoughtful young woman who desires authentic, genuine love based on personality rather than superficial praise for her blonde hair.
Question 8: What did the old religious man declare according to the third stanza? Answer: The old religious man found a sacred text proving that only God has the capacity to love a person for their inner self alone and not for their external physical beauty.
Question 9: Why is human love considered superficial in this poem? Answer: Human love is considered superficial because mortals are easily blinded and influenced by physical charms, skin color, and youthful appearance rather than true spiritual character.
Question 10: How is divine love contrasted with human love? Answer: Human love is conditional, transient, and dependent on physical beauty, whereas divine love is unconditional, eternal, and directed purely toward the human soul.
Question 11: What is the rhyme scheme of “For Anne Gregory”? Answer: The poem has a consistent abcbdb rhyme scheme across all three stanzas.
Question 12: What does the color yellow symbolize in the poem? Answer: The yellow/golden hair symbolizes physical allure, youth, vanity, and the transient external qualities that attract human romantic interest.
Question 13: Is Anne Gregory’s wish to be loved for herself alone realistic among humans? Answer: According to Yeats, while her wish is morally noble, it is largely unrealistic among humans because mortals cannot entirely separate their feelings from sensory physical perceptions.
Question 14: What literary form does the poem follow? Answer: The poem is written as a dramatic lyric / poetic dialogue between two voices debating the nature of love and beauty.
Question 15: What moral lesson does W.B. Yeats convey to young readers? Answer: Yeats teaches that physical beauty is temporary and artificially alterable. One should cultivate inner virtues, character, and spiritual depth rather than obsessing over external appearance.
Mastering the NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English Poem 10, “For Anne Gregory”, provides students with the philosophical vocabulary, poetic device breakdowns, and thematic arguments needed for board exam excellence. Review the metaphor of the ramparts, the contrast between mortal and divine love, and the 15 board-level FAQs above to secure full marks in your CBSE literature assessments.