SEBA Class 9 English Lesson - 6: No Men are Foreign Question and Answer
No Men are Foreign
Thinking about the Poem
1. (i) “Beneath all the uniforms…” What uniforms do you think the poet is speaking about ?
Ans: The poet is talking about the uniforms by soldiers of different countries.
(ii) How does the poet suggest that all people on earth are the same ?
Ans: The poet says that all men, though they may wear different uniforms durings wars have the same human body, walk upon the same earth, are blessed by the same sun, air and water, eat crops grown by them, have laboured as hard as each other, have eyes that wake and sleep, are all strong but each can be won by love and a common life beats in all. In these ways he suggests that all people on earth are the same.
2. In stanza 1, find five ways in which we all are alike. Pick/out the words.
Ans: The five ways defining our similarity in stanza I are:
(i) no men are strange.
(ii) no countries foreign.
(iii) Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes like ours.
(iv) the land our brothers walk upon is earth like this.
(v) in which we shall all lie.
3. How many common features can you find in stanza 2 ? Pick out the words.
Ans: Common features found in stanza 2 are:
(i) They too, are aware of sun, air and water.
(ii) Are fed by peaceful harvests.
(iii)starv’d by war’s long winter.
(iv) Their hands are ours, in their lines we read, labour not different from ours.
4. “… whenever we are told to hate our brothers…” When do you think this happens ? Why ? Who ‘tells’ us? Should we do as we are told at such times ? What does the poet say ?
Ans: This happens whenever there is some disagreement between the leaders of two countries and war becomes imminent. Disagreement occurs due to greed for power, disputes over land, instigation of terrorism, etc.
The leaders of a country are usually the ones to ask us to hate our brothers from other countries.No, we should try and avoid a war with our brothers at all costs.
The poet says that this is usually said by people with their own veiled selfish intentions at heart. And we should never listen and do as they say because when we fight our brothers, we betray, deceive and condemn our human selves and defile the earth.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
Answer the following questions :
1. How according to the poet is the earth defiled ?
Ans: The poet says that the earth is defiled when we take up arms against our brothers at the calling of our leaders, and wage a war. Wars cause all round pollution, defiling the purity of land, air and water of earth.
2. How is the land of our enemies and ours the same ?
Ans: Our land and that of our enemies is the same because we both walk the same earth and just like us they too will one day lie buried in it.
3.What is the one common thing that is understood by all in any given country ?
Ans: Love is the common factor between people of all countries. According to the poet the language of love can win over the strongest.
4.How are all soldiers equal ?
Ans: According to the poet all soldiers are equal because beneath their different uniforms beats the heart of a human just like any other.
Reference to the context
1. “It is the human earth we defile,
Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence
Of air that is everywhere our own.
Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.”
(a) How do we defile the earth ?
Ans: We defile the earth by fighting wars. We destroy the peace and harmony that reigns on earth, and also destroy the purity of air and water by the ravages of wars.
(b) Give the meaning of the phrase ‘outrage the innocence of air’.
Ans: The phrase ‘outrage the innocence of air’ means to violate the purity of air and to take advantage of an air that innocently gives life to us.
(c) Why does the poet say that no men are foreign ?
Ans: The poet says that no men are foreign because though me might belong to different countries and wear different uniforms but, they are basically all human beings with same physical features, sharing same needs and thoughts, all feeling the power of love, and all walking the same earth.
(d) Which of these words is closest in meaning to the word ‘defile’
(i) pollute.
(ii) make clear.
(iii) deprive.
(iv) destroy.
Ans: (i) Pollute.
