The Empty Heart

The Empty Heart

ENGLISH POETRY SECTION

Q. 1. What made the rich man in ‘The Empty Heart’ mad?

Ans⇒ Fill the empty pot with gold made the rich man mad.

Q. 2. Why did the poet pray to the wish-yielding tree?

Ans⇒ The wish-yielding tree gave the rich man seven silver pitchers which were filled with gold coins.

Q.3. What did the man lose while trying to fill the half-filled pitcher in “The Empty Heart’?

Ans⇒ The man, while trying to fill the half-filled pitcher in “The Empty Heart” lost his peace and health.

Q.4. Why was the tree called unkind?

Ans⇒ Because the tree gave him a half-filled extra pitcher to make him greedy.

Q.5. What makes our life happy-money or contentment or both? Discuss.

Ans⇒ Contentment is the root of all happiness. No doubt; money is also essential for us but up to a limit and it is contentment which ascertain that limit.

Q.6. Why was the man not content, although he was rich?

Ans⇒ He was greedy, so he was not content.

Q.7. What does “Silver pitcher’ symbolize in the poem?

Ans⇒ The ‘Silver pitcher’ in the poem symbolises wealth which should have been more than enough to fill the man’s heart with happiness and contentment.

Q.8. Contentment is the style of life. Discuss in the light of the poem.

Ans⇒ Contentment is the real wealth of human being. It is sure money is necessary, no doubt but how much money, cannot be limited. By our hard labour what we get is enough. We should have limited needs and desires.

Q.9. What was the reason of the greedy man’s death?

Ans⇒ The man was very rich but he had no satisfaction. Although his demand was granted sevenfold, yet his desire shaped a demon. He was also given a half-full pot. He worked day and night to fill an empty pot and so he died helplessly.

Q. 10. Explain the following lines :
Nothing is wrong with a half-filled purse;
Tis the void in the heart that is the curse.

Ans⇒ Desire is a restless bird that can’t be fulfilled even if the whole property of the world given to a single man. Each and every man needs some wealth; and it is enough to entertain our life in a good way; then why we need more ? So, it is said that if our heart is empty, it is a curse.

Q. 11. What does the name “Kalpaka” evoke? What light does it throw on the character of the person? 

Ans⇒ “Kalpaka’ is a Tamil word means god, that has enough power to produce anything. A god should be generous and so it was. The man demanded only one pot of gold, and the tree gave him seven pots. Even an eight pot was given, though it was half filled. It explains the greed of the person.

Q. 12. Why was he given seven pots?

Ans⇒ The tree granted his promotion heartly.

Q. 13. What is your opinion about a greedy man?

Ans⇒ A greedy man loses his existence quickly.

Q. 14. When did the man want one pot of gold?:

Ans⇒ When he prayed a lot, he demanded a pot of gold.

Q. 15. When was the gift given by the tree?

Ans⇒  When he went to the tree day to night and prayed a lot.

Q. 16. Comment on the title of the poem. Is the title justified?

Ans⇒ The title is justified as the whole poem describes about the greed of a man. The man was rich enough. After all he prayed the ‘Wish-yeilding Tree’ to give him a pot of gold. He was given eight pots at the place of one, after all he was not satisfied. At last, he met a sad death due to his greed.