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NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Poem 4 The Lake Isle of Innisfree

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Beehive Poem 4 The Lake Isle of Innisfree by W. B. Yeats covers the theme of the yearning for peace and nature, poetic devices, and important questions and answers.

Overview of Topics & Subtopics (Click to Jump)

1. About the Poet and Poem

Short Note:

• William Butler Yeats was a famous Irish poet, and this poem expresses his deep longing to leave the noise of city life and settle in a peaceful, natural setting on the island of Innisfree.

• The speaker imagines building a small cabin, growing beans, and keeping bees, living a simple, self-sufficient life surrounded by nature's sounds and beauty.

• Even while standing on a grey city pavement, the speaker feels he can hear the peaceful lake water lapping, showing how strongly he longs for this idealised, tranquil place.

2. Theme & Central Idea

Short Note:

• The poem's central theme is the contrast between the noisy, busy world of the city and the deep peace found in solitude and nature.

• It expresses a universal human desire to escape from stress and materialism towards a simpler, more contemplative and self-sufficient way of living.

• The poem also touches upon inner peace, suggesting that true tranquillity can be carried within the heart even amid the pressures of daily life.

3. Poetic Devices

Short Note:

• Imagery: Rich sensory images of bee-loud glades, cricket sounds, and shimmering lake water create a vivid picture of peaceful nature.

• Alliteration and Assonance: The poem uses soft, repeated sounds to build a calm, musical rhythm that reflects its peaceful subject.

• Contrast: The grey pavements of the city are contrasted with the natural beauty of Innisfree, emphasising the speaker's longing.

Reading With Insight (Textbook Questions)

Q1: What kind of life does the speaker wish to lead at Innisfree?
Answer: The speaker wishes to lead a simple, self-reliant life at Innisfree, building a small cabin of clay and wattles, growing nine rows of beans, and keeping a hive of bees, living peacefully alone amidst nature.
Q2: What does the speaker find so peaceful about Innisfree?
Answer: The speaker finds peace in the slow, natural rhythm of life there, including the gentle dripping of morning dew, the soft glow of midnight, the purple glow of noon, and the constant, calming presence of the lake water and evening birdsong.
Q3: Why does the speaker say he hears the lake water even while standing on the roadway?
Answer: The speaker says this because his longing for Innisfree is so deep and constant that even amid the grey, noisy pavements of the city, the calming sound of the lake water echoes in his heart, showing how strongly nature calls to him regardless of his surroundings.

Extract-Based / Short Answer Questions

Q4: What contrast does the poem draw between city life and life at Innisfree?
Answer: The poem contrasts the dull, grey, mechanical existence of city life with the vibrant, peaceful and self-sufficient life at Innisfree, highlighting the speaker's deep dissatisfaction with urban existence.
Q5: What is the significance of the phrase 'I hear it in the deep heart's core'?
Answer: This phrase suggests that the speaker's yearning for Innisfree is not just a passing thought but a deep, permanent emotional need that stays with him constantly, wherever he physically is.
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Class 9 › English › The Lake Isle of Innisfree
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Topics in this chapter: About the Poet and PoemTheme & Central IdeaPoetic Devices