The poem “Animals’ has been penned by Walt Whitman.
In the poem animals, the poet says that he sometimes wants to change and become an animal because he thinks animals are far better than human beings. Poet is impressed by the calmness and the purity of the animal’s mind.
Watch this video to understand the poem. Go through the word meanings, Appreciation and Figures of speech. It covers everything that you need for your board exams.
Word meaning
turn: transform
placid: not easily upset
self-contained: self-sufficient
sweat: (here) they tighten and become smaller
condition: Situation
make me sick: disgust me, disturb me, offend me
demented: made, insane
mania: craze, obsession, desire
kneels: bow
respectable: happy and satisfied
tokens: qualities, virtues like(innocence, simplicity, contentment etc)
evince: show, to display
negligently: Carelessly
Appreciation
The poem “Animals’ has been penned by Walt Whitman.
The poet has broken away from the conventional use of a rhyme scheme and has written the poem in free verse. The chief figure of speech used in the poem is Repetition. Lines such as They do not sweat …, They do not lie awake …’, “They do not make me sick … make a strong impact, expressing the qualities that humans should possess, but do not. The other figures of speech are Alliteration, Tautology, Hyperbole, etc.
The theme of the poem is, Animals have preserved many virtues like innocence, simplicity but human beings have destroyed them over a period of time due to negligence. Animals today are better than humans, So the poet wishes to be like animals and be with them. It’s a revolutionary idea, expressed beautifully in the poem.
Figures of speech
- I stand and look at them long and long.
Figures of speech: Repetition
Explanation: Here, the word ‘long’ has been repeated twice for poetic effect.
Figures of Speech: Tautology
Explanation: Here, the words ‘sweat’ and ‘whine’ have similar meanings. - They do not sweat and whine about their condition.
Figures of Speech: Onomatopoeia
Explanation: Here, the word whine denotes the sound of complaints made due to one’s unsatisfactory condition. - They do not make me sick discussing their duty to God.
Figures of Speech: Alliteration
Explanation: Here, the sound of d is repeated thrice for poetic effect. - —- not one is demented with the mania of owning things.
Figures of Speech: Tautology
Explanation: Here, the word mania and demented mean the same thing, that is crazy. - They bring me tokens of myself.
Figures of Speech: Alliteration
Explanation: Here, the sound of T is repeated for poetic effect. - No one is respectable or unhappy over the whole earth.
Figures of Speech: Antithesis
Alliteration: Here, two contrasting ideas respectable that means happy or satisfied and unhappy that means sad or dissatisfied are used in the same line.
Question and Answer
- What craze do animals never display?
Ans: Animals never show the craze of owning things. They are contented with their life.
- What could have happened to the tokens of the poet’s self?
Ans : Poet’s tokens were negligently dropped by poet and which was later picked up by Animals and today the tokens that should have been in poet’s possession are now in Animals possessions.
- Match the words given in table A with their meanings in table B.
| No | Words | Meaning |
| (i) | Whine | Complain in an annoying way |
| (ii) | Sin | an offence against the religious or moral law |
| (iii) | evince | Show |
| (iv) | mania | mental illness |
| (v) | negligent | failing to take proper care |
- Complete the following.
(a) The poet wishes he could turn and live with animals.
(b) Animals do not complain about their conditions.
(c) Animals do not merely discuss their duty to god.
(d) Animals are not crazy about the mania of owning things.
- State whether the following statements are true or false.
(a) Animals are self-reliant.
Ans: True
(b) Animals quarrel for their possessions.
Ans: False
(c) Animals do not worship other animals.
Ans: True
(d) Humans have given up many good qualities.
Ans: True
(e) Animals suffer humiliation.
Ans: False
(f) The poet has retained all his natural virtues.
Ans: False
- With the help of the poem find the differences between animals and
human beings.
| Human Beings | Animals |
| 1. Always complain about their condition | Never complain about their condition. |
| 2. lie awake at night and weep for their sins | do not worry about their sins |
| 3. Always dissatisfied | Never dissatisfied |
| 4. demented with the mania of owning things | No mania of owning things |
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Other poems from the textbook of SSC Maharashtra Board
1.1 Where the mind is without fear | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board
1.3 All the World’s a Stage | Explanation and appreciation | SSC Board | English Medium | Maharashtra Board
2.1 Animals | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board
2.4 The pulley | Explanation and appreciation | English Medium | Maharashtra Board
3.1 Night of the scorpion | Explanation and appreciation | SSC English Medium | Maharashtra Board
4.4 The Height of the Ridiculous | Explanation and appreciation | SSC English Medium | Maharashtra Board
