Bangle Sellers: Question and Answers

Bangle Sellers: Question and Answers

Q1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

Bangle sellers are we who bear

Who will buy these delicate, bright

Our shining loads to the temple fair..... Rainbow-tinted circles of light? Lustrous tokens of radiant lives,

For happy daughters and happy wives.

i. Who are the speakers and whom are they addressing? What are they describing? 

The speakers are bangle sellers at a temple fair. They are addressing the numerous visitors at the fair.

They are describing the different bangles they have on sale.

ii. What are the different ways in which bangles have been described in this stanza? 

The bangle sellers first describe the bangles as 'shining loads', giving an indication of the large number of shining bangles they have on sale. The bangles are also described as delicate and bright like rainbows. Further, they are said to be shining symbols of a woman's happiness. Thus, Naidu conjures up a vivid image of shining bangles.

iii. Which figure of speech has been used in the line 'Lustrous tokens of radiant lives'? Explain.

The line contains an example of metaphor or indirect comparison.

Here, the poet has indirectly compared the multi-hued bangles to symbols of the blissful lives of daughters and wives.

iv. Name at least three colours of bangles described in the poem. Who are they considered suitable for?

The bangles considered ideal for young maidens are of soft colours like blue, silver, light pink and so on, symbolising the innocence of the girls. In contrast, the bangles considered ideal for brides are of bright shades like yellow and red, symbolising the love and happiness brides experience.

v. What gives the poem a distinctly Indian flavour? Like in many of Sarojini Naidu's other poems, the Indian folk theme is evident in The Bangle Sellers Bangle sellers were a common sight in villages and small towns. Like the bangle sellers in the poem, they would often call out to potential customers. Furthermore, the bangles are being sold at a temple fair. Temple fairs continue to be held in many parts of India. Finally, bangles themselves bear religious and cultural significance for Indian women. Thus, both the setting and the subject of the poem is typically Indian.

Q2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

Some are meet for a maiden's wrist, Silver and blue as the mountain mist, 

Some are flushed like the buds that dream On the tranquil brow of a woodland stream, Some are aglow with the bloom that cleaves To the limpid glory of new born leaves

i. In this stanza, to what natural elements does the poet compare the bangles? 

The poet evokes images of several natural elements in this stanza. The bangles are compared to the mountain mist, flower buds growing near a woodland stream and blooms surrounded by newborn leaves.

ii. For whom are the bangles described in this stanza considered suitable? Why do you think these colours are considered suitable for them? 

The bangles described in this stanza are deemed suitable for young girls.

They are of colours like blue and silver, light pink and so on. Such light colours are considered suitable for young girls because they themselves are like blooming flowers - pure and innocent- and do not have much life experience.

iii. Which figures of speech have been used in the line 'Some are flushed like the buds that dream'

Naidu has used two figures of speech in this line. There is a simile or direct comparison where bangles are being compared to flower buds. In addition, personification has been used where buds have been given the human quality of dreaming.

iv In what way do the bangles considered ideal for brides differ from those for young maidens?

Naidu has described several colours of bangles in the poem. There are light blue and silver bangles that are suitable for young girls. Similarly, there are bright yellow bangles ideal for a bride on the morning of her wedding day. The bangle sellers also have purple coloured bangles for middle-aged women.

v. Explain the use of imagery in the poem. The poem has several instances of imagery. The most striking is the use of colour imagery. Readers can easily visualise the multicoloured bangles available on sale, as well as natural elements like the mountain mist' and 'new born leaves'. The shine and lustre of bangles is also easy to visualise considering the different words pertaining to brightness that have been used in the poem. For example, Naidu has used words like "luminous, lustrous' and 'radiant: Besides this, the poet also makes use of auditory imagery through the use of words such as 'tinkling' and 'bridal laughter'.

Q3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

Some are like fields of sunlit corn,

Meet for a bride on her bridal morn, Some, like the flame of her marriage fire, Or, rich with the hue of her heart's desire, Tinkling, luminous, tender, and clear, Like her bridal laughter and bridal tear.

i. Which are the different colours of bangles described in this stanza?

This stanza describes bangles of various bright colours. It mentions bangles that are yellow like corn and red like the sacred wedding fire.

ii. Why does the poet compare the bangles to 'fields of sunlit corn'? By comparing the bangles to 'fields of sunlit corn, the poet creates a vivid image in our minds of the bright yellow colour of bangles. In addition, corn fields also symbolise fertility. By making this comparison, the poet is subtly talking about the fertility of young women.

iii. What does the poet mean by 'rich with the hue of her heart's desire'? Which figure of speech has she used here?

Here, the poet is describing bangles that are as rich as the desi They are symbolic of the dreams and hopes she has wher phase of her life.

The poet has used alliteration, where the 'h' sound has been repeated at the beginning of three words: rich with the hue of her heart's desire.

iv. Which emotions is a bride said to experience on her wedding day?

According to the poem, a bride experiences a range of emotions. She experiences love, hope and immense happiness since she would be embarking on a new journey. At the same time, she is also sad at the thought of having to leave her parents' home..

v. The poem is more than just a description of various colours of bangles.

Comment. 

On the surface, 'The Bangle Sellers' appears to be a straightforward description of bangles being sold by bangle sellers at a temple fair. However, on a deeper level, the poem is symbolic of the different phases in a woman's life. The second stanza describes the innocence and joy in a young girl's life. The third stanza is about the emotions a bride or a newly married woman experiences. The final stanza revolves around middle age when a woman has matured and has accumulated a wealth of experiences.

Q4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.

Some are purple and gold flecked grey For she who has journeyed through life midway, Whose hands have cherished, whose love has blest, And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast, And serves her household in fruitful pride, And worships the gods at her husband's side.

i. Which colours of bangles are being described in the stanza? For whom are

they considered ideal? 

In this stanza, the bangle sellers describe bangles that are purple and grey with

gold flecks.

These colours of bangles are considered ideal for middle-aged women who have nurtured families and raised children, and is thus, experienced and mature.

ii. What are the different qualities associated with women in the phase described in this stanza?

This stanza deals with middle-aged women. They have been described as loving and nourishing, having raised children and looked after a household. They are also generous as they faithfully fulfilled their duties as both a mother and a wife. In addition, they also are proud to have carried out these roles.

iii. Which figure of speech has been used in the line 'And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast'? 

The line contains alliteration where the 'f' sound has been repeated: And cradled fair sons on her faithful breast.

The line also has an example of transferred epithet. Here, the mother's love and faithfulness is attributed to the word 'breast'.

iv. The portrayal of women in this stanza may not appeal to modern sensibilities. Do you agree?

Yes, I agree that the portrayal of women is not in keeping with changing times. In the stanza, women are presented as mothers and wives who 'serve' their households. While these may have been the primary roles of women at the time Naidu wrote the poem, today, women don more hats. They shoulder several responsibilities alongside their husbands and make a mark even outside their homes.

v. How has Naidu used colours to depict the phases in a woman's life?

Sarojini Naidu has used colours not only to evoke vivid images, but also as symbols of various phases of a woman's life. Soft colours, like those of the mist or of flower buds, are symbolic of freshness, innocence and purity associated with young girls, Bright colours like red and yellow stand for the range of emotions a bride experiences. In addition, in many sub-cultures in India, red is symbolic of marriage. Similarly, colours like purple and grey which symbolise maturity and authority have been used to refer to middle age. Thus, rich colour symbolism has given the poem a deep meaning.