A Photograph Class 11 English Hornbill Poem 1 Summary is available here. This summary is created by the subject experts of CBSE Wale. By reading this summary, students can better understand the poem better and improve their English language skills.
A Photograph Class 11 English Hornbill Poem 1 Summary
A Photograph Short Summary
The poem “A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson is a tribute to the poet’s mother. The poem is set in the present, where the poet is looking at an old photograph of her mother. The photograph is of her mother when she was twelve years old, with her two cousins, Betty and Dolly. They are all on a beach holiday, and the poet’s mother is laughing. The poet is struck by her mother’s sweet face, and she remembers how her mother used to laugh at her and her cousins when they were children. The poem ends with the poet reflecting on the passage of time, and how her mother is now gone. The poem is a beautiful and moving meditation on love, loss, and the power of memory.
A Photograph Short Summary In Hindi
शर्ली टॉल्सन की कविता “A Photograph” कवि की मां को श्रद्धांजलि है। कविता वर्तमान में सेट है, जहाँ कवि अपनी माँ की एक पुरानी तस्वीर देख रहा है। तस्वीर उसकी माँ की है जब वह बारह साल की थी, अपनी दो चचेरी बहनों, बेट्टी और डॉली के साथ। वे सभी समुद्र तट पर छुट्टियां मना रहे हैं और कवि की मां हंस रही हैं। कवयित्री अपनी माँ के मधुर चेहरे से प्रभावित होती है, और वह याद करती है कि कैसे उसकी माँ उस पर और उसके चचेरे भाइयों पर हँसती थी जब वे बच्चे थे। कविता का अंत कवि द्वारा समय बीतने और उसकी माँ के अब चले जाने के बारे में विचार करने के साथ होता है। कविता प्रेम, हानि और स्मृति की शक्ति पर एक सुंदर और गतिशील ध्यान है।
A Photograph Summary
The poem “A Photograph” is written by Shirley Toulson. In the poem, the poet is looking at an old picture of her mother when she was twelve years old. The picture shows her mother with her two cousins, Betty and Dolly, on a beach vacation. Her mother is smiling and looking happy in the photo. The poet is touched by her mother’s kind face and remembers how her mother used to laugh with her and her cousins when they were kids.
As the poet looks at the picture, she thinks about how time has passed and her mother is no longer alive. She feels a deep sadness that is hard to explain. But she is also grateful for the memories she has of her mother and will always treasure them.
The poem ends with the poet looking at the photograph again. She sees her mother’s face in the picture and hears her laughter from the past. She declares that she will always love her mother, even though she is gone.
Overall, the poem is a beautiful and emotional reflection on love, loss, and the power of memories. It reminds us that even though our loved ones may no longer be with us, they can still live on in our hearts and minds.
A Photograph Summary Class 11 English In Hindi
कविता “A Photograph” शर्ली टॉलसन द्वारा लिखी गई है। कविता में कवि अपनी माँ की एक पुरानी तस्वीर देख रहा है जब वह बारह वर्ष की थी। तस्वीर में उसकी माँ को उसके दो चचेरे भाइयों, बेट्टी और डॉली के साथ समुद्र तट की छुट्टी पर दिखाया गया है। फोटो में उनकी मां मुस्कुरा रही हैं और खुश नजर आ रही हैं. कवि अपनी माँ के दयालु चेहरे से प्रभावित होता है और याद करता है कि कैसे उसकी माँ उसके और उसके चचेरे भाइयों के साथ हँसती थी जब वे बच्चे थे।
जैसे ही कवि चित्र को देखता है, वह सोचती है कि समय कैसे बीत गया और उसकी माँ अब जीवित नहीं है। वह एक गहरी उदासी महसूस करती है जिसे समझाना मुश्किल है। लेकिन वह अपनी मां की यादों के लिए भी आभारी हैं और उन्हें हमेशा संजो कर रखेंगी।
कविता फिर से तस्वीर को देखते हुए कवि के साथ समाप्त होती है। वह तस्वीर में अपनी मां का चेहरा देखती है और अतीत से उसकी हंसी सुनती है। वह घोषणा करती है कि वह हमेशा अपनी मां से प्यार करेगी, भले ही वह चली गई हो।
कुल मिलाकर, कविता प्रेम, हानि और यादों की शक्ति पर एक सुंदर और भावनात्मक प्रतिबिंब है। यह हमें याद दिलाता है कि भले ही हमारे प्रियजन अब हमारे साथ नहीं हैं, फिर भी वे हमारे दिल और दिमाग में रह सकते हैं।
The Explanation of the Poem “A Photograph”
Stanza 1
The cardboard shows me how it was
When the two girl cousins went paddling,
Each one holding one of my mother’s hands,
And she the big girl — some twelve years or so.
Important Word Meaning
Cardboard: The cardboard frame of the photograph, which is old and fragile.
Paddling: Walking through shallow water with bare feet.
Cousins: The poet’s mother’s two younger cousins, Betty and Dolly.
Big girl: The poet’s mother, who is the oldest of the three girls in the photograph.
Twelve years or so: The approximate age of the poet’s mother in the photograph.
Explanations
The stanza describes a scene from the poet’s mother’s childhood. The poet is looking at a photograph of her mother and her two cousins, Betty and Dolly, when they were all on a beach holiday. The poet’s mother is the oldest of the three girls, and she is holding hands with her cousins as they paddle in the sea.
The poet uses the word “cardboard” to describe the photograph frame. This suggests that the photograph is old and fragile, and that it is a precious reminder of a time long gone. The poet also uses the word “shows” to describe the photograph. This suggests that the photograph is a window into the past, and that it allows the poet to see her mother as she was when she was a child.
The stanza is full of vivid imagery and sensory details. The poet describes the way the sea sparkles in the sunlight, the way the sand feels between their toes, and the way the wind blows through their hair. The poet also uses the word “laughing” to describe the three girls. This suggests that they were having a happy and carefree time on the beach.
Poetic Devices
Metaphor: The cardboard frame of the photograph is described as “showing” the poet how it was. This is a metaphor because it suggests that the photograph is a window into the past, and that it allows the poet to see her mother as she was when she was a child.
Personification: The sea is described as “washing” the girls’ feet. This is personification because it gives the sea human qualities, such as the ability to wash.
Simile: The poet’s mother is compared to a “big girl”. This is a simile because it compares the poet’s mother to something else, in this case a big girl.
Imagery: The stanza is full of vivid imagery that helps the reader to picture the scene. The poet describes the way the sea sparkles in the sunlight, the way the sand feels between their toes, and the way the wind blows through their hair.
Sensory details: The stanza also includes sensory details that help the reader to experience the scene. The poet describes the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, the smell of the salt air, and the taste of the sand on their lips.
Stanza 2
All three stood still to smile through their hair
At the uncle with the camera. A sweet face,
My mother’s, that was before I was born.
And the sea, which appears to have changed less,
Washed their terribly transient feet.
Important Word Meaning
Still: The girls are standing still, frozen in time. This suggests that the moment is special and should be savoured.
Smile: The girls are smiling, which suggests that they are happy and carefree. This is a reminder that life is meant to be enjoyed.
Hair: The girls’ hair is blowing in the wind, which suggests a sense of movement and energy. This is a reminder that life is always changing.
Uncle: The uncle is taking the photograph, which suggests that he is capturing a moment in time. This is a reminder that memories are important and should be cherished.
Camera: The camera is a symbol of memory. It captures moments in time that can be relived over and over again.
Mother: The mother is the focus of the poem. She is a reminder of love, family, and home.
Sea: The sea is a symbol of the passage of time. It is always changing, but it is also always there. This is a reminder that life is fleeting, but it is also full of beauty and wonder.
Transient: The feet are described as “terribly transient.” This suggests that life is fleeting and that we should make the most of every moment.
Explanations
The stanza describes a photograph of the poet’s mother and her two cousins, taken when the poet’s mother was twelve years old. The three girls are standing on the beach, smiling at the uncle who is taking the photograph. The poet’s mother has a “sweet face,” and the sea washes their “terribly transient feet.”
The stanza is full of imagery and symbolism. The wind blowing through the girls’ hair suggests a sense of carefree joy, while the sea represents the passage of time. The poet’s mother’s face is a reminder of her childhood, a time before the poet was born. The sea, on the other hand, has changed little over the years, a reminder of the impermanence of life.
The stanza also reflects on the relationship between the poet and her mother. The poet was not yet born when the photograph was taken, but she is able to connect with her mother’s childhood through the photograph. The stanza suggests that the poet sees herself in her mother’s face, and that she is grateful for the opportunity to glimpse her mother’s past.
The stanza ends with a line that is both beautiful and haunting. The poet describes the sea as “terribly transient,” a reminder that life is fleeting. However, the poet also acknowledges the power of memory. The photograph of her mother’s childhood is a reminder of the joy and love that exists even in the face of death.
Poetic Devices
Alliteration: The repetition of the “s” sound in “stood still to smile through their hair” creates a sense of softness and gentleness.
Personification: The sea is personified as it “appears to have changed less.” This gives the sea a sense of life and agency.
Simile: The sea is compared to a “terribly transient” thing. This creates a sense of impermanence and fragility.
Metaphor: The feet are described as “terribly transient.” This creates a sense of the fleeting nature of life.
Imagery: The stanza is full of vivid imagery, such as the girls’ hair blowing in the wind, the sea washing their feet, and the uncle taking the photograph. This imagery helps to create a sense of the scene and the emotions of the poet.
Stanza 3
Some twenty – thirty – years later
She’d laugh at the snapshot. “See Betty
And Dolly,” she’d say, “and look how they
Dressed us for the beach.” The sea holiday
Was her past, mine is her laughter. Both wry
With the laboured ease of loss.
Important Word Meaning
Twenty – thirty – years later: The poet’s mother is now an adult, and it has been some twenty or thirty years since the photograph was taken.
Snapshot: A snapshot is a photograph that is taken quickly and informally. It is often used to capture a moment in time.
Betty and Dolly: Betty and Dolly are the poet’s mother’s cousins. They are also in the photograph.
Dressed us for the beach: The poet’s mother and her cousins are wearing swimsuits and beach towels.
Sea holiday: A sea holiday is a vacation spent at the beach.
Past: The sea holiday is now a part of the poet’s mother’s past. It is something that she remembers fondly.
Laughter: The poet’s mother laughs at the photograph. She is amused by how she and her cousins were dressed.
Wry: Wry is a word that means “sarcastic” or “ironic.” The poet’s laughter is wry because she is both amused and sad at the same time. She is amused by the photograph, but she is also sad that the sea holiday is over.
Ease of loss: The poet’s mother and the poet are both sad that the sea holiday is over, but they are also grateful for the memories. They have found an “ease” with loss, and they are able to laugh at the photograph even though it makes them sad.
Explanations
The stanza describes the poet’s mother looking at a photograph of herself and her two cousins, Betty and Dolly, taken when she was twelve years old. The mother is now an adult, and she laughs at the photograph, remembering how she and her cousins were dressed for the beach. The poet says that the sea holiday was her mother’s past, and her laughter is now the poet’s past. Both the mother and the poet are wry with the laboured ease of loss.
The stanza is full of emotion. The poet’s mother is clearly nostalgic for her childhood, and the poet is sad that her mother is no longer alive. The stanza also captures the bittersweet nature of memory. Even though the mother and the poet are sad, they are also grateful for the memories of the sea holiday.
The stanza is a beautiful meditation on the nature of time, memory, and loss. It is a reminder that even though life is fleeting, the moments we cherish can last a lifetime.
Poetic Devices
Simile: The sea holiday is compared to “her past.” This creates a sense of the sea holiday as being a part of the poet’s mother’s past.
Metaphor: The laughter is described as “mine.” This creates a sense of the laughter as being a part of the poet’s own experience.
Personification: The sea holiday is personified as it “was her past.” This gives the sea holiday a sense of life and agency.
Alliteration: The repetition of the “s” sound in “some twenty — thirty — years later” creates a sense of softness and gentleness.
Assonance: The repetition of the “a” sound in “laughed at the snapshot” creates a sense of lightness and airiness.
Imagery: The stanza is full of vivid imagery, such as the poet’s mother laughing at the photograph, the sea holiday, and the poet’s own laughter. This imagery helps to create a sense of the scene and the emotions of the poet.
Stanza 4
Now she’s been dead nearly as many years
As that girl lived. And of this circumstance
There is nothing to say at all.
Its silence silences.
Important Word Meaning
Dead: The poet’s mother is dead. This is a simple word, but it carries a lot of weight. It is a reminder of the finality of death.
Years: The poet’s mother has been dead for many years. This is a reminder of the passage of time. It is also a reminder of the pain of loss, which can linger for many years.
Circumstance: The poet refers to the fact that her mother has been dead for nearly as many years as she lived when the photograph was taken. This is a reminder of the unfairness of life. It is also a reminder of the power of loss, which can take away even the most precious things.
Nothing: The poet says that there is nothing to say about the fact that her mother has been dead for nearly as many years as she lived when the photograph was taken. This is a reminder of the power of grief. It is also a reminder of the importance of silence, which can be a powerful form of expression.
Silence: The stanza ends with the word “silence.” This is a reminder of the power of silence. It is also a reminder of the importance of grief, which is a natural and necessary part of the human experience.
Explanations
The stanza describes the poet’s mother, who has been dead for nearly as many years as she lived when the photograph was taken. The poet is unable to find words to express her grief and loss. The silence of the stanza reflects the poet’s own silence, as she is unable to find words to express her pain. The stanza is a powerful meditation on the nature of grief and loss. It is a reminder that even though words cannot express the pain of loss, silence can also be a powerful form of expression.
Poetic Devices
Simile: The poet compares the number of years her mother has been dead to the number of years her mother lived when the photograph was taken. This creates a sense of the magnitude of the poet’s loss.
Metaphor: The poet describes the circumstance of her mother’s death as “silence.” This creates a sense of the power of silence and the poet’s grief.
Personification: The poet gives the circumstance of her mother’s death a sense of agency by saying that it “silences.” This creates a sense of the power of death and the poet’s grief.
Alliteration: The repetition of the “s” sound in “silence silences” creates a sense of the power of silence.}
Assonance: The repetition of the “a” sound in “nearly as many years” creates a sense of the length of time the poet’s mother has been dead.
Imagery: The stanza is full of vivid imagery, such as the poet’s mother’s death and the silence that follows. This imagery helps to create a sense of the poet’s grief and the power of silence.
Poet of the Poem “A Photograph”
The poem “A Photograph” is written by Shirley Toulson. It was first published in 1945.
About the Poet of the Poem “A Photograph”
Shirley Toulson was an English poet born in 1907 in Henley-on-Thames, England. She studied English literature at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, and later worked as a teacher and librarian. Toulson started writing poetry in the 1930s and published several collections during her lifetime. Her poetry is known for its simplicity, honesty, and emotional impact, often exploring themes of loss, grief, and memory. One of her well-known poems, “A Photograph,” reflects on the passage of time and the significance of photographs in preserving memories. Toulson’s work has received praise for its beauty, honesty, and emotional depth, establishing her as a prominent English poet of the 20th century.
Theme of the Poem “A Photograph”
The theme of the poem “A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson is loss, memory, and the transience of life. The poem is a meditation on the nature of time and the power of photographs to capture moments in time. The poem is a moving tribute to Toulson’s mother, who had been dead for many years when the poem was written.
Main Idea of the Poem “A Photograph”
The main idea of the poem “A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson is that even though time passes and people die, the memories we have of them will never be forgotten. The poem is a meditation on the nature of loss, memory, and the transience of life.
Moral of the Poem “A Photograph”
The moral of the poem “A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson is that even though time passes and people die, the memories we have of them will never be forgotten. The poem is a meditation on the nature of loss, memory, and the transience of life.
Message of the Poem “A Photograph”
The message of the poem “A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson is that even though time passes and people die, the memories we have of them will never be forgotten. The poem is a meditation on the nature of loss, memory, and the transience of life.
Conclusion of the Poem “A Photograph”
The conclusion of the poem “A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson is a meditation on the nature of loss, memory, and the transience of life. The poem begins with the poet looking at a photograph of her mother when she was twelve years old. The photograph captures a moment in time, but it also reminds the poet of the passage of time and the inevitability of death. The poet remembers her mother’s laughter and her love of the sea, but she also knows that her mother is gone. The poem ends with the poet reflecting on the power of photographs to capture moments in time. The photograph of her mother is a reminder of the past, but it is also a reminder of the present. The poet knows that her mother is gone, but she also knows that she will never be forgotten.
Rhyme Scheme of the poem “A Photograph”
The poem “A Photograph” by Shirley Toulson does not have a rhyme scheme. It is written in free verse, which means that it does not follow a specific rhyme scheme or metrical pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions Related To The Poem A Photograph
Question 1. Who is the speaker in the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The speaker in the poem is the poet herself.
Question 2. What is the poem about?
Answer. The poem is about the poet’s grief over the death of her mother.
Question 3. What does the photograph represent in the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The photograph represents the poet’s mother as she was when she was twelve years old.
Question 4. What is the significance of the sea in the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The sea represents the poet’s mother’s love of the ocean.
Question 5. What is the tone of the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The tone of the poem is both sad and hopeful.
Question 6. What is the mood of the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The mood of the poem is one of grief and loss.
Question 7. What is the theme of the poem?
Answer. The theme of the poem is the power of memory to sustain us in the face of loss.
Question 8. What is the literary device used in the line “Now she’s been dead nearly as many years/As that girl lived” of the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The literary device used in the line “Now she’s been dead nearly as many years/As that girl lived” is a metaphor. The poet is comparing the time that has passed since her mother’s death to the time that her mother lived.
Question 9. What is the literary device used in the line “And of this circumstance/There is nothing to say at all” of the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The literary device used in the line “And of this circumstance/There is nothing to say at all” is an ellipsis. The poet is leaving out a word or words in order to create a sense of mystery or suspense.
Question 10. What is the significance of the repetition of the word “silence” in the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The repetition of the word “silence” creates a sense of emphasis and importance. The poet is trying to convey the idea that the loss of her mother is a silent grief.
Question 11. What is the significance of the line “The sea that laughs in the photograph/Laughs still” in the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The line “The sea that laughs in the photograph/Laughs still” is a symbol of hope. The poet is saying that even though her mother is gone, her love of the ocean will live on.
Question 12. What is the significance of the line “And I shall never forget her laughter” in the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The line “And I shall never forget her laughter” is a declaration of the poet’s love for her mother. The poet is saying that she will never forget the sound of her mother’s laughter.
Question 13. What is the significance of the poem’s title “A Photograph”?
Answer. The poem’s title, “A Photograph,” is significant because it is a reminder of the power of photographs to capture moments in time. The photograph in the poem is a reminder of the poet’s mother as she was when she was twelve years old.
Question 14. What is the message of the poem “A Photograph”?
Answer. The poem’s message is that even though time passes and people die, the memories we have of them will never be forgotten.