Class 10 English Chapter 4: Lochinvar

Comprehension I:

Question 1.
Who was Lochinvar? Why did he ride to Netherby Hall?

Answer:
Lochinvar was a brave young knight who was in love with Ellen. Ellen was getting married to another person at Netherby Hall. Lochinvar came to claim her as his own.

Question 2.
What qualities of Lochinvar are highlighted in the first stanza?

Answer:
Lochinvar was confident as can be understood by the fact that he came alone and without any weapons other than his broadsword. He was faithful in love and hence came, even at the last minute, to claim his beloved.

Question 3.
Lochinvar rode the horse passionately to meet Ellen. What actions in lines 7 and 8 reveal his hurried movements?

Answer:
The lines, “He stayed not for brake, and he stopped not for stone. He swam the Esk river where ford there was none.”

Question 4.
What qualities of the bridegroom are listed in stanza 2?

Answer:
He was a ‘laggard in love’, so timid that he couldn’t even express his love to Ellen, and was a ‘dastard in war’, i.e., cowardly and hardly any competition to brave Lochinvar.

Question 5.
What evidence is there in stanza 3; to show that the bridegroom was a! coward? ‘

Answer:
The bride’s father spoke to Lochinvar with his hand on his sword because the poor craven bridegroom did not say a single word.

Question 6.
How did the bride’s father receive? Lochinvar? And what did he ask him?

Answer:
With his hand on his sword, the bride’s father wanted to know whether Lochinvar had come in peace or a war to the hall, or to dance at the bridal.

Question 7.
What answer did Lochinvar give the bride’s father?

Answer:
Lochinvar replied that he had wooed Ellen for a long time, and when he had asked Ellen’s father for permission to marry her, he had been denied permission. Still, for the sake of his old love for her; Lochinvar had come to dance the last dance with her and drink just one cup of wine with her.

Question 8.
What quality of love is highlighted by Lochinvar when he says,
a. “Love swells like the Solway, but ebbs like its tide.”
Answer:
Lochinvar wants to say that he had once loved Ellen, but upon being denied permission to marry her, had stopped loving her.

b. Does this truly reflect Lochinvar’s love for Ellen?
Answer:
No. It hides his true love for her.

c. If not, why does Lochinvar tell him what is not true?

Answer:
The bride’s father is surrounded by his brothers, kinsmen and many other people. Hence Lochinvar doesn’t want to reveal his love and his intention at once. He understands he will. be attacked and killed. He wants to gain time till he has got the girl near himself and can give her his signal to escape.

Question 9.
What other lies does Lochinvar tell Ellen’s father?

Answer:
Lochinvar tells that his only purpose. in coming there was to drink one cup of wine and dance one dance with her, for the sake of their old love together. He also says that there are many other, maidens in Scotland who are lovelier than Ellen and would gladly be his wife.

Question 10.
How did Ellen express her love towards Lochinvar?

Answer:
Ellen kissed the goblet of wine which Lochinvar took up. After he had drunk the wine and thrown down the cup, she looked down to blush and looked up to sight with a smile on her lips, and a tear in her eye.

Question 11.
What was the impression of the bride Qrmaidens about the pair- Lochinvar, and Ellen?

Answer:
Seeing Lochinvar and Ellen dance together very gracefully, the bride-maidens whispered that it would have been immensely better if their fair cousin had been matched with young Lochinvar.

Question 12.
What mixed feelings are brought out in stanza 5?

Answer:
Ellen is happy to see Lochinvar and is glad that he hasn’t forgotten her,’ but is also sad that she has too many someone else.

Question 13.
What clues of his plan does Lochinvar give Ellen?
Answer:
As they danced and came near the door, Lochinvar touched Ellen’s hand and whispered one word in her ear, signalling her to be ready to escape.

Question 14.
a. What brings a smile to Ellen’s face?
Answer:
Seeing Lochinvar about whom she had given up all hope, brings a smile to Ellen’s face.

b. Why does she shed a tear?
Answer:
She regrets having to marry someone else.

Question 15.
Pick out all the adjectives that describe Lochinvar.
Answer:
The adjectives describing Lochinvar are young, unarmed, faithful in love, daring in love, dauntless in war, stately form, brave, gallant.

Comprehension II:

Question 1.
Love swells like the Solway but ebbs like its tide.
a. What is Solway?
Answer:
Solway is a river that separates England from Scotland.

b. Who does, Lochinvar speak this line to?
Answer:
Lochinvar speaks these lines to Ellen’s father, the man who had turned down his love for her.

c. What is the figure of speech used here?
Answer:
The figure of speech used here is personification.

d. Explain the figure of Speech.
Answer:
Lochinvar’s love for Ellen had been great like the. swelling waters of the river Solway, but after getting to “know about her marriage to another person, it had ebbed, i.e., completely died out.

Question 2.
Then spoke the bride’s father, his hand on his sword (For the poor craven bridegroom, said never a word).
a. What did the bride’s father speak?

Answer:
The bride’s father had denied permission to Lochinvar to marry Ellen. Hence, when he saw him at the marriage hall, he demanded to know why he had come. Moreover, the bridegroom was a timid man who did not dare to question Lochinvar.

b. Why did he keep his hand on the sword?
Answer:
If Lochinvar had said that he had come to take away the bride, the bride’s father wanted to kill him.

c. Why didn’t the bridegroom say even a word?
Answer:
He was too afraid to speak to Lochinvar.

Comprehension III:

Question 1.
Pick out all the details from the poem that help Lochinvar to hide his real intentions.

Answer:
Lochinvar skillfully conceals his true intentions by adopting a disarming approach. He arrives unarmed, except for his broadsword, and comes alone, which makes him appear unthreatening. He convincingly reassures everyone that he no longer loves Ellen, stating that his passion for her has faded. His claim is so persuasive that even Ellen’s father believes him. Ellen’s silent blushing and sighing does not raise any suspicions, and when she readily agrees to dance with him, it further strengthens the appearance that Lochinvar harbours no ulterior motives.

When Ellen’s father confronts him, Lochinvar explains that his only purpose in visiting Netherby Hall is to dance at her wedding and drink a cup of wine to toast her happiness. He reassures the father by claiming that there are other, more beautiful brides in Scotland who would gladly marry him, making his presence seem entirely innocent and devoid of any hidden agenda.

Question 2.
How did Lochinvar finally win Ellen for himself?

Answer:
Lochinvar ultimately won Ellen for himself through a bold and decisive act. He initially gave Ellen’s father the impression that he had come to the wedding peacefully, with no intention of causing any trouble. During the festivities, Lochinvar took Ellen by the hand and began to dance with her. Under the guise of the dance, he skillfully manoeuvred her closer to the door, where his warhorse was waiting.

Once they reached the door, Lochinvar whispered something in Ellen’s ear, and without hesitation, they made their escape at a tremendous speed. The Netherby clan’s supporters were unable to catch up with them. In this daring manner, Lochinvar successfully won Ellen as his bride.

Question 3.
“Only the brave deserve the fair.” Justify the statement concerning the poem:

Answer:
The poem portrays the contrast between the brave Lochinvar and the cowardly groom who was undeserving of Ellen or any bride. Lochinvar and Ellen had been in love for a long time, but when Lochinvar asked for her hand in marriage, her father denied him. Instead, a coward was chosen as Ellen’s groom. Refusing to accept this, Lochinvar decided to take matters into his own hands.

He attended Ellen’s wedding as a seemingly peaceful guest, deceiving her father into believing he was there to wish her well. Under the guise of asking for just one dance with Ellen, Lochinvar cleverly led her toward the door where his horse was waiting. In a bold and daring move, he whisked her away before anyone could react. The cowardly groom stood by, offering no resistance, as Lochinvar escaped with his true love. Despite the efforts of the Netherby clan, they were never able to find the couple. The poem highlights that courage is rewarded, while cowardice results in loss.

Lochinvar Poem Summary