First Year English Notes Sindh Board THE TOYS

THE TOYS

Q 1)    Who wrote the poem “The Toys”?

The beautiful and inspiring poem “The Toys” was composed by Coventry Patmore. He was an English poet and had a religious bend of a mind deeply associated with the everyday happenings of life. His publications are the angel in the House and The Unknown Eros and other Odes.

Q 2)    What incident did the poet describe in the poem “The Toys”?

The poet, Coventry Patmore described his personal experience by explaining the incident which had been occurred between his son and him. The incident related to the disobedience of his son and kindness of him after striking his son and sent him away without the usual kisses for his seventh-time disobedience.

Q 3)    Why did the poet visit his son’s bedroom and what did he find?

The poet visited his son’s bedroom after the incident when he struck him so he realized that there was no one who could show sympathy to him because his mother who was much patient, was dead. He feared that grief should hinder his son’ sleep so he visited his son’s bedroom to see. He found his son in a deep slumber but his eyelids as darkened and eyelashes were wet that was the proof that he had been sobbing for a long time.

Q 4)    What effect did the poet have of son’s weeping?

When the poet visited his son’s bedroom after the incident when he struck him he found his son in a deep slumber but his son’s eyelids were darkened and eyelashes were wet that was the proof that he had been sobbing for a long time. Seeing him he felt much grieved and felt remorse for his act of unkindness knowing that his mother was not with him who could show more sympathy and patience than to him. He kissed away his son’s tears while he himself wept.

Q 5)    What toys did the child keep in his bedroom to play with?

When the poet visited his son’s bedroom after scolded him so he found some items as the toys which his son kept in his reach to make comfort his sad heart. That toys including a box of counters, a red-veined stone, a piece of rubbed glass, six or seven shells, a bottle of bluebells and two French copper coins were arranged neatly on the nearest table.

Q 6)    What did the poet realize after having scolded his son?

The poet after having scolded his son realized the fatherly relationship of God to a man. He prayed to God and wept at that night that we, human being always neglect the command of the God like an innocent and disobedient child who never realize what is good for him or not and runs after the worldly objects just to gain timely comfort and satisfaction but the God always shows his mercy and forgiveness to His mankind.

Q 7)    How did the poet compare the toys with the world?

The poet compared the toys with the world because we, human beings think that the worldly desires and worldly deeds provide us never-ending pleasure, comfort, and satisfaction but in actual we neglect the command of the God like an innocent and disobedient child who never realize what is good for him or not and runs after the worldly objects.

Q 8)    What message did the poet convey to his readers? How did he convey?

The poet “Coventry Patmore” gave us the message of God’s mercy and His forgiveness. He explained the fatherly relationship of God to a man. He enlightened that God always shows His pity and mercy on His mankind in spite of all sort of disobedience. He always remains open the option of the forgiveness for everyone and welcomes His mankind if the person calls Him for the forgiveness because of great love for His human beings. The poet conveyed that message by explaining his own incident which had been occurred in his daily life between his younger son and him.

“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.”

Abraham Lincoln

Q 9)    What religious lesson does Coventry Patmore give in the poem “The Toys”?

Coventry Patmore simply wanted to communicate a religious message of forgiveness in his poem “The Toys” by the incident which was in between the father and his son. When the son not only disobeyed his father but also disrespectfully spoke to him so the father annoyed on him and used harsh words but after some time he visited his bedroom and found him in sleeping so he forgave his son. After that, he realized that if he could forgive his son for his mistakes so our God might forgive us because He loves us more than a person who loves his child.

The LORD thy God is a merciful God: he will not forsake thee. neither destroys thee.

Deuteronomy 4:31

Q 10)  Why does Patmore give the title ‘The Toys’ to his poem?

The poet, Coventry Patmore gives the title ‘The Toys’ to his poem because of the idea of the human’s desire to get the materialistic things by neglecting the commands given by his God like a disobedient child who can never understand what things are suitable and or not. The word ‘toys’ represent the worldly materialistic things.