FIRST LANGUAGE ENGLISH - KSEEB - CLASS 10 - SUPPLEMENTARY - ULYSSES AND THE CYCLOPS

 

Supplementary Unit – 03

ULYSSES AND THE CYCLOPS

Charles Lamb

Comprehension Questions

I. Answer briefly the following questions.

1) Who was Cyclops?

Ans: The Cyclops was a savage race of shepherds living in an island. They were man eaters with only one eye in the center of forehead.

 

2) Pick any 5 details to show that they were not civilized.

Ans: i) They were man eaters.

ii) They were huge in size and lived in caves which were built by steep heads of mountains.

iii) They never tilled land and ploughed but they got wheat, barley and grapes naturally.

iv) Every Cyclops household governed by his own caprice or not governed at all.

v) They never involved in trade or commerce.

 

3) Why did Ulysses and his men enter the habitation of the Cyclops?

Ans: Ulysses and his men entered the habitation of the Cyclops because they wanted to travel around when they saw a huge cave which was built with stones and big trees, it was outlandish cave.

 

4) How strong was the Greek wine?

Ans: The Greek wine so strong and exhilarating that nobody drank it without an combination of twenty parts of water to one wine. It had a sweet fragrance and it was very delicious. Whoever drank it became very gallant and gutsy and could do any heroic deeds.

 

5) How did Ulysses introduce himself and his group to the Cyclops?

Ans: Ulysses told the Cyclops that they had come not to steal or for business. They were Grecians who had lost their way. He requested him to give them hospitality, thought they were minor in front of him.

 

6) What horrid response did the Cyclops give to Ulysses; request for hospitality?

Ans: The Cyclops gripped two of the men nearest and dashed their heads and tore away their limbs which were still alive and wobbly. He lapped the blood. Overall the Cyclops‘s response was awful and brutal.

 

7) What prevented Ulysses from attacking the Cyclops with his sword?

Ans: The entrance of cave was closed by huge rock and it would be impossible for them escape without the help of the Cyclops. Ulysses thought to stab with his sword but he prevented from attacking the Cyclops when he thought about entrance.

 

8) How did Ulysses prove that “manly wisdom excels brutish force”?

Ans: Ulysses proved that manly wisdom excels brutish when he planned to attack the Cyclops. Ulysses picked a strong stake and sharpened it and hardened it in the fire. He chose four men from his crew and instructed them what should be done when the Cyclops returned.

 

9) What “gift” does the Cyclops offer Ulysses in return for the wine?

Ans: The Cyclops offered Ulysses that he would eat him last after eating all others in return after drinking strong Greek wine.

 

10) How do the brave Greeks blinded the Cyclops?

Ans: When Ulysses offered the strong Greek wine, the Cyclops drank it greedily and enjoyed it, meanwhile wine had showed its impact and he was unconscious. As per instruction of Ulysses, four of his men took red hot stake and pierced it on the eye of the Cyclops. Thus, the brave Geeks blinded the Cyclops.

 

11) Why didn’t the fellow Cyclops help Polyphemus when he cried out for help?

Ans: The fellow Cyclops didn’t help Polyphemus because he told them that Noman had hurt him, Noman was with him in the cave and Noman had blinded him when neighboring Cyclops came hearing Polyphemus cry for help.

 

12) How did Ulysses help his men escape from the cave?

Ans: Ulysses helped his men to escape from the cave in a genius way, as he was aware of the Cyclops routine. The Cyclops pushed the stone from the cave entrance led the sheep out for grazing and Ulysses tied three rams together and under the middle ram tied a man. He followed same for remaining men. Lastly he tied himself the same way.

 

13) How did Ulysses himself escape from the cave?

Ans: Ulysses tied himself to the ram as he did with his other men. The Cyclops touched the hair of Ulysses but he could not recognize it and he thought it was fur of ram and Ulysses escaped from the cave.

 

14) How did Ulysses introduce himself to the Cyclops at the end of the story?

Ans: “Ulysses, son of Laertes, the King of Ithaca”.