SHORT QUESTIONS OF THE POEM DAYBREAK BY H.W. LONGFELLOW

1. Which time does the word “daybreak” refer? 

Answer:  Daybreak means dawn. It is the time when daylight first appears in the morning.

2. When was this poem published and where?

Answer:  This poem was published in “Birds of Passage” in 1858.

3. From where does the wind come out and when? 

Answer:  The wind comes out of the sea at dawn.

4. Whom does the wind address first?

Answer:  The wind addresses the mists first.

5. Whom does the wind request to make passage?

Answer:  The wind requests the mists to make passage.

6. What does the wind request the mists? 

Answer:  The wind requests the mists to give him passage to blow.

7. Why does the wind want to blow?

Answer:  The wind wants to blow to give the news of morning’s arrival to every natural object. 

8. What does the phrase ‘leafy banners’ mean?

Answer:  The phrase ‘leafy banners’ means branches full of leaves.

9. What does the wind inform the mariners?

Answer:  The wind informs the mariners that the night is gone.

10. What does the wind tell the forest?

Answer:  The wind tells the forest to murmur and to unfold its leaves, branches.

11. Why does the wind touch the wood-bird’s wing?

Answer:  The wind touches the wood-bird’s wing to wake up to sing.

12. What does the word ‘clarion’ mean?

Answer:  The word ‘clarion’ means ‘loud and clear sound’.

13. What does the word ‘churchyard’ mean? 

Answer:  Churchyard is an enclosed area surrounding a church, especially used for burials. 

14. What does the word ‘whisper’ mean? 

Answer:  The word ‘whisper’ means ‘speak in low tune’.

15. What does the bell proclaim?

Answer:  The bell proclaims the hour i.e. morning time.

16. What is belfry tower?

Answer:  Belfry tower is the highest tower of any church where a bell is always hung.

17. Why does the wind leave a sigh in churchyard?

Answer:  After awaking all the natural objects in the morning, the wind sighs in the churchyard as there it fails to awake the sleeping men as they are lying dead.

18. What did wind whisper to fields of corn & why?

Answer:  Wind whisper to fields of corn to bow their heads to greet the coming morning as the light of the sun is the source of life to the plants of the fields. They are looked after and nourished by it. They should be grateful to the sun. So the wind tells them to bow down their heads and express their gratitude.

Give the Significance of the title of the poem 'Daybreak'.

Dawn breaking

Ans:- Here in the poem Daybreak, the poet has described a beautiful scene of daybreak. Daybreak is a particular time when daylight first appears in the morning. At that time (getting arisen from the sea, a wind begins to blow to awake all the natural beings. As heavy mists obstruct the wind, it requests the mists to give a passage to blow. Then after awaking the mariners, it rushes to the forest to unfold its leaves, branches. Then the wind comes to the wood-bird and the domestic cocks to herald the day. The wind whispers to the fields of corn to bow down their heads to express their gratitude to the arriving morning. The wind passes through the church tower and urges the bell to ring. Finally, the wind arrives at the graveyard of the church and softly tells the buried persons to sleep quietly because it is not yet the time for them to rise.) Thus the poet has glorified the beauty of daybreak in this poem. So the title is very much apt.

River bank

Question: How does the poet personify the wind in the poem Daybreak ? 

Ans:- In the poem Daybreak, the poet Longfellow personifies the wind and presents the wind as a messenger of nature. (Put here the bracket portion of the answers furnished above) + Like a human being the wind performs its duty. Thus the poet personifies the wind.

Sea-shore during dawn

Give the substance of the poem Daybreak. OR, Describe the role of the wind in the poem Daybreak by Longfellow.

Dawn Scene

Ans:- At dawn, a wind rises from the sea. It takes up a duty to spread the news of dawn’s arrival. The heavy mists obstruct the wind. But the wind is determined to blow to make all awake. So it requests the mists to give a passage to blow. It first sees the ships anchored and it reminds the mariners to undertake a new journey. It rushes to the distant land and calls all to arise. It calls the forest to unfold its leaves, branches. It tells the wood-bird to get up and start singing. Then the wind prompts the domestic cocks to herald the day. 

Sunrise

The wind tells the fields of corn to bow down their heads and express their gratitude to the coming morning. The wind passes through the church tower and results the bell to ring in the pleasant hour. Finally, the wind arrives at the graveyard of the church. It sighs sadly for the dead and softly tells them to sleep quietly because it is not yet the time for them to rise.

Calm River during sunrise