Text Book Question and answers by
Introducing Author
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) is an Irish poet, dramatist and mystic. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923.
Warm up
"The Ballad of Father Gilligan" has a ballad form - a narrative poem, usually su with regular, short stanzas that tell a story. In this poem, Yeats narrates a profound meaningful story and it has a more overtly religious content than most of his poems. story is about a priest who being emotionally and physically worn out fell into deep slum As he woke up, he was horrified by the fact that he could not make it to the bedside of sick man before he died and that no one had performed the rites of blessing for the dy The divine presence in the guise of the priest is an affirmation of a loving and kind G Study the poem and find out how Yeats glorifies God.
1. Why was Father Gilligan 'weary'? Was he only tired physically or also exhausted mentally? Justify your answer with examples from the poem?
Ans: Father Gilligan was 'weary' of going to the bedside of the sick and dying among his parishioners and offering them spiritual comfort round the clock. He was only physically tired.
2. Why did he seek forgiveness from God? What type of man does this prove him to be? (due: his two types of devotion)
Ans: He sought forgiveness from God for stating that he enjoyed no rest, joy, or peace for attending to the sick who 'die and die'. He had spoken these words out of physical exhaustion, not because he did not want to work. His spirit was willing to work, but his flesh was weak. This proves him to be a most dutiful and religious man.
3. How was the night: peaceful and quiet or turbulent and restless? Bring out expressions from the poem to support your answer, (clue: peep, slowly ...)
Ans: The night was peaceful and quiet. The expressions such as 'peep', 'slowly', 'shade', 'whisper' and 'sparrow-chirp' support our answer.
4.Why has the night been described so? (clue: the contrast between Father Gilligan when awake and when asleep)
Ans: The night has been described so to bring home the contrast between Father Gilligan when awake and when asleep. In other words, being emotionally and physically worn out, the priest needed deep slumber at night.
5. What was the reaction of Father Gilligan when he wo up from his deep sleep? State why he felt so?
Ans: When he woke up from his sleep, Father Gilligan felt terribly sad, because the sick man he had to attend would be no more.
6. Bring out the meaning of the expression: "He rode now as he never rode"?
Ans: The expression 'He rode now as he never rode' means peter Gilligan's fastest ride ever.
7. Find the expressions that show Father Gilligan's concern for the people under his care, (clue: at least four expressions).
Ans: The expressions that show Father Gilligan's concern for the people under his care are "And rode with little care", "He rode now as he never rode", "And is the poor man dead? he cried" and "In grief swayed to and fro."
8. Why did the sick man's wife say 'Father! you come again!'?
Ans: The sick man's wife said, "Father! you come again!" because she had seen him come to her husband, who died soon after he (Gilligan) left the house.
9. Who came to the sick man before his death? Why?
Ans: One of God's great angels came to the sick man before his death. He had come in the guise of Peter Gilligan.
10. What made Father Gilligan kneel and pray?
Ans: That God had helped him when he needed rest most made Father Gilligan kneel and pray.
11. What were his words of gratitude to God?
Ans: His words of gratitude to God were that He who took care of all things in the vast universe never forgot to relievi poor priest like him of his dire exhaustion.
12. There is an implicit comparison between heavenly creatures and bodies (angels, planets etc.), and their tireless movement with an insignificant person (In. 43) on earth and his inaction (sleep, not being able to take care of people in time). Discuss this comparison?
Ans: This comparison speaks volumes for God's goodness to all. He maintained a great balance in His creation. The help He bestowed on Peter Gilligan is a case in point.
13. What qualities of Father Gilligan do you admire?
Ans: We admire Father Gilligan's keen sense of duty, deep concern for the sick and unflinching devotion to God.
14. Note each stanza has four lines. In stanza 1, 'day' in the first line rhymes with 'lay' of the fourth line making the rhyme scheme - abed. Find out whether all the stanzas have the same rhyme scheme?
Ans: All the stanzas have the same rhyme scheme.
