Tuesday, 9 December 2025

A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL

A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL, CLASS IX ENGLISH SOLUTION. SEBA CLASS IX ENGLISH, WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL

 

A SLUMBER DID MY SPIRIT SEAL

Summary

The poem talks about the death of someone very close to the poet. Initially, the poet feels calm and untroubled by fear. He feels as if his mind was asleep and he did not realise that death could take her away.

He thought she was beyond the effects of time and ageing. He believed she would live forever and would never grow old like other human beings.

Now, after her death, she has no movement, feelings, or senses. She cannot see or hear anything. The poet imagines her as a part of nature. She moves with the daily rotation of the earth, along with rocks, trees, and stones.

The poet does not show loud grief or crying. Instead, he accepts death peacefully and sees it as a return to nature. His sadness is quiet and deep.

Word

Easy Meaning

Slumber

               Deep sleep

Spirit

               Mind or soul

Earthly

              Of this world

Diurnal

              Daily

Motion

              Movement


Q. What is the central idea of the poem?

Answer: The poem expresses the poet’s feelings after the death of a loved one. It shows quiet acceptance of death and presents death as a merging with nature rather than a painful loss.

Q. What does the line “A slumber did my spirit seal” mean?

Answer: The line “A slumber did my spirit seal” means that the poet was in a state of emotional sleep. He was not aware of reality and did not think that death could take his loved one away.

Q. How does the poet feel about the death of his loved one?

Answer: The poet does not express bitter grief. Instead, he feels calm and peaceful. He accepts her death silently and sees it as natural.

Q. Did the poet have fear about his loved one’s death earlier?

Answer: No, the poet had no human fears earlier. He never imagined that death could touch her.

Q. Which lines show that time has no effect on her now?

Answer: lines show that time has no effect on her now are:

“She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years.”

Q. How is the poet’s loved one described after death?

Answer: After death, the poet’s loved one has no movement or senses. She cannot see or hear anything and has become a part of nature.

Q. Does the poet imagine her in heaven after death?

Answer: No, the poet does not imagine her in heaven. He sees her as united with nature, moving with the earth along with rocks, stones, and trees.

Q. What is meant by “Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course”?

Answer: “Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course” means that she has become part of the earth and moves along with its daily rotation.

Q. What kind of tone does the poem have?

Answer: The poem has a calm, peaceful, and reflective tone.

Q. What message does the poem convey?

Answer: The poem conveys that death is natural and unavoidable, and human beings eventually become part of nature.

Q. Who wrote the poem ‘A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal’?

Answer: William Wordsworth wrote the poem ‘A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal’.

Q. What feeling dominates the poem ‘A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal’?

Answer: Silent acceptance and peace dominate the poem ‘A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal’.

Q. Name the poetic device used in “The touch of earthly years”.

Answer: Personification.

Q. What does the poet mean by “No motion has she now”?

Answer: It means the poet’s loved one is dead and lifeless.

Q. How is nature related to death in the poem ‘A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal’?

Answer: Death is shown as a return to nature, where the human soul becomes part of the natural world.

Q. What life lesson can we learn from the poem ‘A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal’?

Answer: The poem ‘A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal’ teaches us to accept death calmly and understand that it is a natural part of life. It reminds us that all human beings eventually return to nature.

Q. What kind of poem is “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”?

Answer: “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” is a lyrical poem expressing personal feelings of the poet.

Q. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”?

Answer: The rhyme scheme of the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” is ABAB CDCD.

A slumber did my spirit sealA
I had no human fearsB
She seemed a thing that could not feelA
The touch of earthly yearsB
No motion has she now, no forceC
She neither hears nor seesD
Rolled round in earth’s diurnal courseC
With rocks and stones and treesD

Q. What is meant by “human fears”?

Answer: Human fears mean fear of death, loss, and suffering.

Q. Why did the poet feel no fear earlier?

Answer: The poet felt no fear earlier because he believed that his loved one was beyond death and time.

Q. What does “earthly years” refer to?

Answer: “Earthly years” refers to time, ageing, and the effects of life on earth.

Q. What has happened to the woman now?

Answer: The woman has died and become a part of nature.

Q. Name the figures of speech used in the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”.

Answer: The figures of speech used in the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” are personification, metaphor, and imagery.

Q. What is the mood of the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”?

Answer: The mood of the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” is quiet, calm, sad, and thoughtful.

Q. Why does the poet say “no motion” and “no force”?

Answer: The words “no motion” and “no force” show that death has taken away all life and energy from her body.

Q. Why does the poet not cry or express loud grief?

Answer: The poet does not cry or express loud grief because his grief is deep and silent. He accepts death calmly instead of reacting emotionally.

Q. Explain the meaning of “rolled round with rocks and stones and trees.”

Answer: “Rolled round with rocks and stones and trees” means the poet’s loved one is no longer separate from nature and has become part of the natural world.

Q. Describe the emotional journey of the poet in the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”.

Answer: The poet moves from ignorance to awareness. At first, he is emotionally asleep and fearless. After death, he realises the truth. Instead of breaking down, he calmly accepts the loss.

Q. How is nature connected with human life and death in the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”?

Answer: The poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” shows that humans come from nature and return to it after death. The loved one becomes part of the earth, moving with it daily, just like other natural elements.

Q. What does the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” teach us about dealing with loss?

Answer: The poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” teaches us that death should be accepted calmly. It reminds us that life is temporary and everyone returns to nature someday.

Q. What does the poet mean by “A slumber did my spirit seal”?

Answer: The poet means that his mind was in a deep emotional sleep. He was not aware of reality and had no fear of losing his loved one. He never imagined that death could touch her.

Q. How does the poet react to the death of his loved one?

Answer: The poet does not express bitter grief. He accepts her death calmly and peacefully. His sorrow is silent and deep rather than emotional or dramatic.

Q. Which lines show that time does not affect her now?

Answer: “She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years.”
These lines show that time and ageing no longer affect her.

Q4. How does the poet imagine his loved one after death?

Answer: After death, the poet imagines his loved one as a part of nature. She has no movement or senses and moves with the earth along with rocks, stones, and trees.

Q. Explain the first stanza of the poem “A slumber did my spirit seal”.

Answer: In the first stanza of the poem “A slumber did my spirit seal”, the poet says his spirit was asleep and he had no fear of death. He believed his loved one was beyond time and ageing. He never thought she could die, as she seemed untouched by earthly years.

Q. What picture of death is presented in the second stanza of the poem “A slumber did my spirit seal”?

Answer: The second stanza of the poem “A slumber did my spirit seal” presents death as peaceful. The loved one has no movement, hearing, or sight. She has become part of the earth and moves with its daily rotation along with natural objects.

Q. Describe the theme of the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal.”

Answer: The poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” deals with the theme of death and acceptance. The poet, William Wordsworth, expresses his feelings after the death of a loved one. At first, he was emotionally unaware and had no fear of death. After her death, he does not mourn loudly but accepts the loss calmly. He imagines her as a part of nature, free from time and pain. Wordsworth presents death as natural and peaceful. The poem teaches that life is temporary and humans finally return to nature.

Q. How does Wordsworth show the poet’s emotional journey in the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”?

Answer: Wordsworth shows the poet’s emotional journey from ignorance to realisation. In the beginning, the poet’s spirit was in a deep sleep, and he had no fear of death. After the loss, he understands the reality of death. Instead of expressing sorrow openly, he accepts it quietly. This shows maturity and philosophical acceptance of life and death.

Q. Who wrote the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal”?

Answer: William Wordsworth.

Q. What literary device is used in “earth’s diurnal course”?

Answer: Imagery.

Q. What message does the poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” convey to humanity?

Answer: The poem “A Slumber Did My Spirit Seal” teaches us that death is a natural part of life and should be accepted calmly. It reminds us that human life is temporary and everyone ultimately becomes part of nature. Instead of fear and bitterness, we should accept death with understanding and peace.

Extract-Based Questions

Q. “A slumber did my spirit seal—

I had no human fears.”

a) What does ‘slumber’ mean here?
Answer: It means a state of emotional unawareness.

b) Why did the poet have no fear?
Answer: Because he thought his loved one was immortal.

Q. “No motion has she now, no force—”

a) Who is ‘she’?
Answer: She is the poet’s loved one.

b) What does this line suggest?
Answer: It suggests death and lifelessness.

Q. “Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course”

a) What is ‘diurnal course’?
Answer: Earth’s daily rotation.

b) What idea does this line convey?
Answer: Union of the dead with nature.

Q. A slumber did my spirit seal,” says the poet. That is, a deep sleep ‘closed off’ his soul (or mind).
How does the poet react to his loved one’s death? Does he feel bitter grief? Or does he feel a great peace?

Answer: The poet does not feel bitter grief. He reacts to his loved one’s death with calmness and peace. His sorrow is quiet and deep. He accepts her death as something natural and does not show loud emotions.

Q. The passing of time will no longer affect her, says the poet. Which lines of the poem say this?

Answer: “She seemed a thing that could not feel
The touch of earthly years.”

These lines show that time can no longer affect her.

Q. How does the poet imagine her to be after death?
Does he think of her as a person living in a very happy state (a ‘heaven’)?
Or does he see her now as a part of nature?
In which lines of the poem do you find your answer?

Answer: The poet imagines her as a part of nature after death. He does not think of her as living in heaven. He sees her united with the earth. The lines are:

“No motion has she now, no force—
Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course
With rocks and stones and trees.”

Multiple Choice Questions

Q. The poet had no fear because:

a) She was powerful
b) She was young
c) He thought death could not touch her ✅
d) She was rich

Q. The loved one after death becomes:

a) An angel
b) A spirit in heaven
c) A part of nature ✅
d) A star

Q. The tone of the poem is:

a) Angry
b) Excited
c) Calm and reflective ✅
d) Humorous

Q. The poem mainly talks about:

a) Love
b) War
c) Death and acceptance ✅
d) Nature alone

Q. The word “slumber” in the poem means:

a) Fear
b) Dream
c) Deep sleep ✅
d) Death

Q. The poet had no human fears because:

a) He was brave
b) He was careless
c) He thought his loved one was beyond death ✅
d) He believed in heaven

Q. The poet thought his loved one could not feel:

a) Happiness
b) Pain
c) Touch of earthly years ✅
d) Love

Q. “Earthly years” refers to:

a) Nature
b) Time and age ✅
c) Heaven
d) Death

Q. After death, the loved one:

a) Lives in heaven
b) Becomes a star
c) Loses all senses ✅
d) Becomes an angel

Q. Which sense is NOT mentioned in the poem?

a) Hearing
b) Seeing
c) Touch ✅
d) Movement

Q. “No motion has she now” suggests:

a) She is asleep
b) She is resting
c) She is dead ✅
d) She is thinking

Q. The poet imagines the dead woman as:

a) A ghost
b) A spirit in heaven
c) A part of nature ✅
d) A memory only

Q. “Diurnal course” means:

a) Yearly movement
b) Monthly movement
c) Daily movement ✅
d) Night movement

Q. Rocks, stones, and trees symbolise:

a) Life
b) Heaven
c) Nature ✅
d) Time

Q. The tone of the poem is:

a) Angry
b) Joyful
c) Calm and peaceful ✅
d) Funny

Q. The poem mainly talks about:

a) Love story
b) War
c) Death and acceptance ✅
d) Nature only

Q. The poet’s sorrow is:

a) Loud
b) Violent
c) Silent ✅
d) Angry

Q. The loved one moves with:

a) Wind
b) Water
c) Earth ✅
d) Fire

Q. The poet accepts death as:

a) A punishment
b) A tragedy
c) A natural process ✅
d) A mystery

Q. The poem has:

a) One stanza
b) Two stanzas ✅
c) Three stanzas
d) Four stanzas

Q. The rhyme scheme of the poem is:

a) AABB
b) ABAB CDCD
c) ABCB
d) Free verse

Q. The poet belongs to the:

a) Victorian Age
b) Romantic Age
c) Modern Age
d) Elizabethan Age

Q. The poem shows the union of:

a) Love and war
b) Life and time
c) Man and nature ✅
d) Body and soul

Q. The loved one is now free from:

a) Fear
b) Time ✅
c) Nature
d) Earth

Q. Who is “she” in the poem?

a) Poet’s mother
b) Poet’s sister
c) Poet’s loved one ✅
d) Nature

Q. What kind of grief is shown in the poem?

a) Bitter
b) Loud
c) Calm ✅
d) Angry

Q. The poem ends with the image of:

a) Heaven
b) Nature ✅
c) Fire
d) Light

Q. The word “sealed” suggests:

a) Opened
b) Closed ✅
c) Broken
d) Changed

Q. The poet’s state of mind in the beginning was:

a) Fearful
b) Angry
c) Unaware ✅
d) Sad


Rajesh Konwar

Author & Editor

Has laoreet percipitur ad. Vide interesset in mei, no his legimus verterem. Et nostrum imperdiet appellantur usu, mnesarchum referrentur id vim.

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