First Year English Notes Sindh Board UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE

UNDER THE GREENWOOD TREE

Q 1)    Who wrote the poem "Under the Greenwood Tree"? Write few lines about him.

The poem "Under the Greenwood Tree" was composed by one of the greatest writers in English Literature, William Shakespeare. He was the English Poet and playwright and considered the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. His most of the works were based on histories, comedies, tragedies, and romance. He wrote a number of plays and sonnets. His 36 plays included in First Folio published in 1623.

Q 2)    Give the name of the drama, act, and scene in which the song “Under the Greenwood Tree" occurred.

The song “Under the Greenwood Tree" is taken from the novel “As you like it". That novel is based on pastoral comedy which relates to the rustic life. It is also known as the musical comedy because of the number of songs in the play. It was written in 1599 or early 1600 by William Shakespeare who is generally known as one of the greatest writers of English Literature and world’s pre-eminent dramatist. This song occurred in Act II Scene V of the play, sung by Lord Amiens.

Q 3)    Briefly describe the kind of life to which listeners are invited by the song.

Lord Amiens summarizes his views on the advantages of country life over the facilities of the city life. He is plainly inviting by telling some merits of the forest life to come to spend rustic life to those who can live his life without any material and worldly desires and wants to live in the calm and peaceful atmosphere. He then describes some disturbing factors that can produce some resistance in spending the life that is the rough weather and winter and has to be satisfied on them what they get to complete their basic needs.

Q 4)    What are the charms and benefits of forest life as described in the poem "Under the Greenwood Tree”?

The charms and benefits of forest life are described in the poem “Under the Greenwood Tree” that it has the calm, peaceful and healthy life. The people have complete freedom. The most important benefit of the forest life is that one will not find any enemy but a peaceful life is spent there. Another benefit of the forest life is that one can enjoy the song of merriment as free as birds do.

Q 5)    What are the troubling factors of a forest life as described in the poem “Under the Greenwood Tree" and who are being invited to a forest life?

The troubling factors that are described by the poet in forest life are the rough weather and winter that can produce some resistance in spending life and the one has to be satisfied on them what he gets to complete his basic needs. The people who can live his life without any material and worldly desires and wants to live in the calm and peaceful atmosphere is plainly invited by the poet to come in rustic life.

Q 6)    Discuss the philosophical idea of the song “Under the Greenwood Tree".

The philosophical idea of the song "Under the Greenwood Tree” is that the nature in form of forest invites you to come here and spend a life with the beauty of it. It has a calm, peaceful and healthy life but only one can come to spend his life that has not any material desire. But there is a strong weather, winter which will be difficult to spend for you but the most important thing that in the forest life, your life would be free with all kind of enmity.

Q 7)    Discuss merits and demerits of the forest life.

In the poem “Under the Greenwood Tree" Lord Amiens invites to spend life in the forest. He compares the forest life with the town or city life. The most important merit of the forest life is that you will not find any enemy but a peaceful life is spent there. Another merit of the forest life is that the birds chant on the forest trees in happiness.

Where there are some merits of forest life where there are some demerits of forest life also. The first drawback of forest life is that in the forest everyone has to seek his daily food and has to satisfy on that what he gets. Rough weather has to be tolerated because the weather can be turned rough and cold without warning. So it is much difficult to spend a life in the forest for those people who is an epicure.