Mercy (William Shakespeare) Class 8th - English : Poem 6 -

THINKING ABOUT THE POEM

Q1. Where does the quality of the mercy come from? Who are blessed by it?

Ans. The quality of the mercy come from the heaven and takes a place in the heart of that person who deserves it. It is blessed on the people who gives it and on those who takes it.

Q2. How is mercy better than the crown of the king?

Ans. Mercy is better than the crown of king because king is crowned only on earth to show his mighty power but the mercy takes place in the heart of kings and comes from heaven with mightiest power.

Q3. What does the sceptre stand for? How does it affect the kings?

Ans. “Sceptre” stands for royal wand or authority used by kings to show their earthly power while punishing the culprits. It makes the king proud or dreadful on earth and keeps them away from the mercy.

Q4. When does the earthly power look like God’s power?

Ans. When the mercy is enthroned in the hearts of kings while punishing the culprits using sceptre, then the earthly power, looks like God’s power.

Q5. How is mercy alone the “sceptred sway”?

Ans. Mercy comes from the heaven and when it lies in the heart of kings, it is ‘sceptred sway’ above because God likes mercy than punishment.

Q6. What happens when mercy seasons justice?

Ans. When mercy seasons justice then the earthly power looks like God’s itself because justice is the symbol of mercy and mercy brings happiness.

LANGUAGE WORK

a) Find out the similes and/or metaphors in the poem.

Ans. Some of them found in the poem are; gentle rain, sceptre, doth earthly power.

b) Find out poetical words in the poem and also write their names;

Ans. Strain’d               means- forced

Droppeth                     means- drops, descends

Tis                               means- this

Blesseth                       means- blesses or bless