Key Words
1. Virtuous: Suggests moral integrity, setting up a contrast with the speaker’s sense of guilt and loss.
2. Creditors: Represents societal and financial pressures faced by the speaker.
3. Poison: Symbolizes betrayal and the destructive impact of the husband’s actions.
4. Crop: Represents the economic struggles and the connection between livelihood and survival.
5. Dignity: Illustrates the loss of respect and self-worth due to hardship and betrayal.
6. Burden: Highlights the weight of responsibilities, particularly in caring for children.
7. Embrace: Suggests acceptance and resilience in face of life’s challenges.
Key Characters
1. The Speaker (Farmer’s Wife): Represents women who are oppressed and burdened by socio economic challenges but possess inner strength and resilience.
2. The Farmer/Husband: A complex character who symbolizes betrayal and irresponsibility, contributing to the speaker’s struggles.
3. Children: Represent hope and the future, as well as the additional burdens that the speaker must manage.
Major Themes
1. Socio-Economic Struggles: The poem emphasizes the hardships that come with poverty, debt, and agricultural failures.
2. Betrayal: The husband’s abandonment and use of poison metaphorically highlight feelings of betrayal and emotional pain.
3. Resilience and Strength: Despite difficult circumstances, the speaker demonstrates immense strength and determination to survive and protect her children.
4. Gender Roles: The text critiques traditional gender roles and the expectations placed on women, illustrating both their struggles and resilience.
5. Life and Death: A recurring theme that explores the fragility of life and the struggle against despair, emphasizing the will to live.
Key Concepts
1. Motherhood: Portrayed as both a source of strength and a heavy burden; the speaker’s identity is deeply tied to her children.
2. Struggle for Existence: The poem reflects the daily fight for basic needs and dignity amid overwhelming challenges.
3. Emotional Turmoil: Captures feelings of despair, frustration, and determination in a landscape of loss.
Imageries and Metaphors
1. “Poisoning my bitter existence”: Metaphor for the husband’s betrayal and the resulting emotional pain.
2. “Worm-eaten cotton pods”: Imagery that evokes decay and neglect, representing the fragility of life and hope.
3. “My heart turned to water”: Metaphor for vulnerability and sorrow, illustrating the emotional weight of loss.
4. “Clench a fist”: An image of strength and defiance, signalling the need to fight back against oppression and struggle.
5. “Embrace life and the struggle for life”: A powerful metaphor for resilience, portraying the speaker’s determination to overcome adversity.
II. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences each. (2 Marks Questions)
1. What challenges does the farmer’s wife face in the poem?
Answer: She faces financial struggles, emotional pain from her husband’s actions, and the burden of caring for her children.
2. What does the cotton crop symbolize in the poem?
Answer: The cotton crop symbolizes the livelihood, struggles, and the hope of the farmer’s wife to provide for her family.
3. What does the term “creditors” refer to in the poem?
Answer: “Creditors” refers to those who lend money or credit to the farmer’s wife, representing her financial struggles.
4. What is the primary emotion expressed by the farmer’s wife in the poem?
Answer: The primary emotion expressed is a mix of sorrow and resilience in the face of hardship.
5. How many children does the farmer’s wife mention needing to care for?
Answer: She mentions needing to care for four children.
6. What metaphor does the poem use to describe the wife’s emotional pain?
Answer: The poem uses the metaphor of “poisoning my bitter existence” to describe her emotional pain.
7. Why does the wife feel a sense of betrayal?
Answer: She feels betrayed because her husband left her and contributed to their difficult circumstances.
8. What action does the wife consider when talking about her children?
Answer: She considers leaving her children to the wind, indicating her despair over their situation.
9. What is the wife determined to do despite her struggles?
Answer: She is determined to embrace life and the struggle for life.
10. How does the farmer’s wife express her feelings about her husband?
Answer: She expresses feelings of betrayal and disappointment, reflecting on how he abandoned her in difficult times.
11. What does the speaker mean by “our dignity hit the dust”?
Answer: It means that the speaker feels they have lost their self-respect and worth due to their dire circumstances.
12. In what ways does the poem show the importance of motherhood?
Answer: The poem shows motherhood as a significant responsibility that brings both strength and a heavy burden to the speaker.
13. How does the author portray the struggles faced by women?
Answer: The author portrays the struggles through emotional turmoil, financial hardship, and the responsibilities placed on women to care for their families.
14. What role does the concept of “life” play in the poem?
Answer: The concept of life represents hope, resilience, and the ongoing struggle the speaker faces despite hardships.
15. Why is the farmer’s wife concerned about her children’s future?
Answer: She is concerned because their living conditions are poor and she fears for their survival and well-being.
16. How does Volga use imagery to convey emotions in the poem?
Answer: Volga uses vivid imagery, such as “worm-eaten cotton pods,” to evoke feelings of decay, loss, and vulnerability.
17. What do you think the speaker means when she says she must “clench a fist”?
Answer: It means she must be strong and fight against her difficulties rather than simply accepting her circumstances.
18. Why does the speaker wish to teach her children to fight for more than just survival?
Answer: She wants to instil in them the importance of fighting for dignity and a better life rather
than just settling for basic needs.
III. Answer the following questions in about 60 words each.
(3 Marks Questions)
1. In the poem, what primary challenges does the farmer’s wife encounter?
Answer: The farmer’s wife faces several challenges, including financial struggles, emotional pain from her husband’s abandonment, and the responsibility of caring for her four children. These difficulties make her life very hard, but they also show her determination to keep fighting for her family despite these overwhelming circumstances.
2. What does the cotton crop symbolize in the poem?
Answer: In “The Farmer’s Wife,” the cotton crop symbolizes the hopes and dreams of the farmer’s family. It represents their hard work and struggle to make a living. At the same time, it illustrates the challenges they face, highlighting both the potential for success and the difficulties of their situation.
3. How many children does the farmer’s wife have, and what kind of responsibility does she carry for them?
Answer: The farmer’s wife has four children, and she feels a heavy responsibility to take care of them. She worries about their safety, well-being, and future, which adds to her stress. Caring for her children is her top priority, motivating her to fight through her struggles and hardships.
4. What metaphor does the farmer’s wife use to describe her feelings of despair?
Answer: The farmer’s wife uses the metaphor “poisoning my bitter existence” to express her deep feelings of despair. This means her struggles and hardships are making her life feel unbearable. It shows how difficult emotions can affect a person’s perspective, highlighting the pain she feels because of her circumstances.
5. Why is the wife’s sense of betrayal significant in the poem?
Answer: The wife’s sense of betrayal is significant because it adds emotional depth to her struggles. After being abandoned by her husband, she feels lonely and hurt. This emotion reflects her pain and frustration, which makes her determination to care for her children and survive even more powerful and relatable.
6. What does the phrase, “our dignity hit the dust,” mean in the context of the poem?
Answer: The phrase “our dignity hit the dust” means that the farmer’s wife feels her self-respect has been lost due to her struggles. It shows how poverty and abandonment can harm one’s sense of worth, adding to her emotional struggle and emphasizing the importance of dignity in her fight for survival.
7. How does the farmer’s wife convey her feelings regarding her husband’s abandonment in the poem?
Answer: The farmer’s wife expresses her feelings of abandonment through her powerful words and heartfelt imagery. She reveals her sadness and anger about being left, highlighting her loneliness and emphasizing the burden of caring for her family. This emotional turmoil makes her struggle resonate with anyone who reads the poem.
8. What role does motherhood play in the farmer’s wife’s identity?
Answer: Motherhood is central to the farmer’s wife’s identity, providing her with purpose and strength. It drives her to work hard and persevere despite hardships. Her commitment to her children’s well-being reveals her resilience and determination, showing how being a mother shapes her life and motivates her to overcome challenges.
9. In what ways does the author depict the struggles faced by women like the farmer’s wife?
Answer: The author depicts women’s struggles through the challenges that the farmer’s wife
endures—financial difficulties, emotional pain, and societal expectations. These experiences
showcase the burdens women carry, emphasizing their resilience and strength. The poem
illustrates how women often fight silently against overwhelming odds to support their families.
10. How does the farmer’s wife’s determination to survive affect her outlook on life?
Answer: The farmer’s wife’s determination to survive boosts her hope, even during tough times. This determination drives her to keep going and not give up. It helps her stay focused on providing for her children and working hard for a better future, creating a sense of purpose in her life despite hardships.
(FROM QUESTION BANK)
I. Answer the following in a word, a phrase, or a sentence each, as required:
1. According to the speaker in ‘The Farmer’s Wife’, who is “the poor sinner”?
Answer: The farmer himself is referred to as “the poor sinner.”
2. Why did the farmer commit suicide?
Answer: The farmer committed suicide due to overwhelming financial troubles and the despair of failing to provide for his family.
3. The farmer committed suicide by________________
Answer: The farmer committed suicide by hanging himself.
4. In the poem ‘The Farmer’s Wife’, the phrase ‘the harvest of my womb’ refers to________________ a. her financial success b. her children c. her lost dreams
Answer: b. her children
5. In the poem ‘The Farmer’s Wife’, the line “You are virtuous and you are gone,” “You” refers to
Answer: “You” refers to the farmer, who has left his wife and children behind.
6. According to the farmer’s wife, what is she used to?
Answer: She is used to bearing the burdens of life and carrying on despite the hardships.
7. What does the farmer’s wife want to teach her children?
Answer: The farmer’s wife wants to teach her children values of self-respect, resilience, and hard work.
8. How did the farmer treat his wife when he was drunk?
Answer: The farmer treated his wife poorly when drunk, often verbally abusing and belittling her.
9. What was the ‘death blow’ given by the farmer to his wife, in ‘The Farmer’s Wife’?
a. Emotional abandonment b. Physical abuse c. Financial neglect
Answer: a. Emotional abandonment
10. “Worm-eaten cotton pods” are compared to_____________________
Answer: “Worm-eaten cotton pods” are compared to the wasted potential and decay of the farmer’s dreams.
11. What does the farmer’s wife mean by ‘harvest of my womb’?
a. The bounty of the farm b. Her emotional struggles c. The children she bore
Answer: c. The children she bore
12. How many children did the farmer’s wife have?
Answer: The farmer’s wife had four children.
13. The phrase ‘a bent head’ in ‘The Farmer’s Wife’ refers to
a. her physical deformity, b. submissive nature of women in general.
c. aggressive nature of women in general.
Answer: b. submissive nature of women in general.
14. What does the phrase ‘you crossed over’ refer to, in ‘The Farmer’s Wife’?
a. Moving to another country b. Transitioning to the afterlife
c. Changing jobs
Answer: b. Transitioning to the afterlife.
15. What does the farmer’s wife decide at the end of the poem ’The Farmer’s Wife’?
Answer: At the end of the poem, the farmer’s wife decides to persist and take care of her
children, despite her many struggles.
IV. Answer the following questions in about 100 words each (4 Marks)
1. How does the farmer’s wife lament over the death of her husband?
Answer: The farmer’s wife feels deep sorrow after her husband’s death. She remembers both the happy and sad moments they shared but is left with more pain than joy. She feels lonely and abandoned because he chose to leave her and their children. The memories of his struggles and their life together haunt her. Even though he caused her much suffering, she cannot help but mourn the time they lost. Her lament shows how difficult it is for her to accept his death, as she is now solely responsible for raising their children without his support.
2. What are the memories of her husband that haunt the farmer’s wife?
Answer: The memories that haunt the farmer’s wife include times when her husband drank too much alcohol and treated her poorly. She remembers feeling unsafe and unloved during those moments. While they had some happy times, his drinking led to many arguments and painful experiences. She wishes they could have shared a joyful life instead, which makes her feel sad and frustrated. These memories remind her of the struggles she faced while being married to him. They also make her aware of the strength she needs to move on and provide a better life for her children.
3. How did the farmer poison his wife’s existence? (E)
Answer: The farmer poisoned his wife’s existence by creating a life filled with struggles and pain. His drinking caused him to act aggressively and neglect his family, leaving her feeling trapped and sad. Instead of being a supportive partner, he became a source of emotional torment. His financial problems added to their stress, making it hard for her to provide for their children. When he chose to take his own life, he left her with even more burdens. Overall, his choices and behaviour affected her happiness, showing the impact one person’s actions can have on their loved ones.
4. How does the farmer’s wife resolve to live in ‘The Farmer’s Wife’? (E)
Answer: The farmer’s wife resolves to live positively for her children after her husband’s death. Although she feels heartbroken, she decides to be strong and take control of her life. She wants to ensure her children have a better future, so she plans to work hard and teach them important values. Instead of giving up, she focuses on caring for them and making sure they grow up with love and respect. Her determination shows that even in difficult times, she can find strength within herself to overcome challenges for her children’s sake and build a brighter future.
5. How does the poem ‘The Farmer’s Wife’ bring out the plight of the woman and her assertion? Answer: The poem “The Farmer’s Wife” highlights the woman’s struggles and shows her strength and determination. It describes her hardships after her husband’s death and how she faces the challenges of raising her children alone. Despite feeling sad and burdened, she asserts her role as a strong mother and decides to take control of her life. The poem illustrates her emotional journey and how she moves from being a victim to a fighter. This transformation reveals the importance of women’s resilience and highlights their right to assert themselves in tough situations, inspiring others facing similar struggles.