1. The Portrait of a Lady - Class 11 - Hornbill

BhashaLab
Jul 4
5 min read

Author: Khushwant Singh

Textbook: Hornbill

Genre: Prose / Autobiographical Sketch

Summary

In this touching autobiographical account, Khushwant Singh describes his deep bond with his grandmother, portraying her as a symbol of love, spirituality, and simplicity. The author recounts three distinct phases in their relationship: the village days of close companionship, the city years that created emotional distance, and the final stage of silent admiration and understanding. His grandmother is depicted as a deeply religious, kind, and dignified woman who lived a disciplined and peaceful life. She was always dressed in white, told beads of her rosary, and spent her days in prayer and caring for animals like dogs and sparrows. As the narrator grew older and moved away for education, their relationship grew distant, but the affection remained. Even in his absence, she continued her quiet routines. Her peaceful and graceful death was marked by an unusual silence among the sparrows she once fed. The story is a gentle and nostalgic tribute to a grandmother whose spiritual strength and quiet dignity left a lasting impression on the author.

Character Sketch

Grandmother

The grandmother in this story is a symbol of purity, peace, and unconditional love. She is described as old, wrinkled, and dignified, always dressed in spotless white. Her life revolves around prayer, tradition, and service to others. She is deeply religious, spends time reading scriptures, and believes in moral and spiritual education. Though uneducated, she is wise and composed. Her silence often speaks volumes, especially when she disapproves of Western education. Her compassion is reflected in how she feeds dogs and sparrows. Even in death, she is serene and graceful, and her life leaves a spiritual impact on those around her.

Themes

Theme	Description
Grandparent-grandchild bond	The story highlights the warmth and depth of the relationship between the narrator and his grandmother.
Tradition vs Modernity	The grandmother represents traditional Indian values, while the narrator’s education introduces Western ideas.
Spirituality and Peace	The grandmother's life is centered around prayer and inner peace.
Death and Acceptance	Her quiet and graceful acceptance of death reflects her spiritual strength.
Change and Distance	The emotional distance grows as the narrator moves to a city and abroad, showing how time changes relationships.

✨ Literary Devices

Device	Example / Explanation
Metaphor	"An expanse of pure white serenity" compares the grandmother to a peaceful winter landscape.
Simile	“Like the winter landscape in the mountains” enhances the calm and quiet image of the grandmother.
Imagery	Vivid descriptions of her appearance, the sparrows, and the temple scenes create strong visual impressions.
Alliteration	“Spinning-wheel, sparrows, scriptures” – adds rhythm and emphasis.
Symbolism	Sparrows symbolize silent mourning and emotional connection without words.
Irony	Her death was peaceful, but the lively sparrows were silent, reflecting deep loss.

Title Justification

The title The Portrait of a Lady is highly appropriate as it reflects the essence of the story—an affectionate and respectful portrayal of the narrator’s grandmother. Although the story starts with the physical portrait of the grandfather, it is the grandmother’s mental and emotional portrait that forms the heart of the narrative. Through memories, actions, and daily routines, the author paints a vivid and moving picture of her. The title is thus metaphorical, representing the spiritual and emotional legacy of the grandmother more than a literal image.

One-Mark Questions

What made the grandmother appear timeless to the author?
The author had known her only as an old and wrinkled woman and found it hard to imagine that she was ever young. Her appearance never seemed to change over the years.
Why was the grandmother unhappy about the narrator’s English education?
She did not understand the subjects like science or law and felt sad that they didn’t teach about God or scriptures. She believed such education lacked spiritual value.
How did the grandmother spend her time in the city?
She spun the wheel, said prayers, and fed the sparrows in the courtyard. Feeding sparrows was the happiest part of her day.
What change occurred in the narrator’s relationship with his grandmother when he went to the university?
They shared separate rooms and interacted less. Their emotional connection weakened as he became more absorbed in his academic life.
How did the sparrows react to the grandmother’s death?
Thousands of sparrows gathered silently in her room and did not touch the crumbs of food. Their silent mourning showed their grief and respect.

Three-Mark Questions

Describe the three phases of the author’s relationship with his grandmother.
In the first phase, they lived in the village and were very close. She took care of him and accompanied him to school. In the second phase, after moving to the city, their interaction reduced as the narrator went to an English school. In the final phase, he went to university and they lived in separate rooms. Although the physical closeness faded, her love remained constant.
Why did the grandmother stop talking to the narrator after he started music lessons?
The grandmother associated music with low-class people like harlots and beggars. She felt that music was inappropriate for respectable families. Though she did not voice her displeasure, her silence reflected her disapproval. This marked a further emotional gap between them. She remained quiet and withdrawn afterward.
What was unusual about the grandmother’s behavior on the evening before she died?
Instead of praying, she gathered women, beat a drum, and sang songs of warriors’ homecoming. This was unusual since she had never missed her prayers. It seemed like a celebration, yet it drained her physically. Her family had to stop her to prevent exhaustion. This act symbolized her final farewell.

Value-Based Question

What values can we learn from the life of the grandmother as described in the story?

The grandmother’s life teaches us the values of simplicity, self-discipline, and devotion. Despite limited education, she showed wisdom and strength of character. Her love for animals and her calm acceptance of life’s changes show compassion and resilience. Her quiet dignity in life and death reflects spiritual maturity. She reminds us that strong values and unconditional love create lasting bonds.

End

About BhashaLab:

BhashaLab is a dynamic platform dedicated to the exploration and mastery of languages - operating both online and offline. Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Credit Framework (NCrF), we offer language education that emphasizes measurable learning outcomes and recognized, transferable credits.

We offer:

NEP alligned offline language courses for degree colleges - English, Sanskrit, Marathi and Hindi
NEP alligned offline language courses for schools - English, Sanskrit, Marathi and Hindi
Std VIII, IX and X - English and Sanskrit Curriculum Tuitions - All boards
International English Olympiad Tuitions - All classes
Basic and Advanced English Grammar - Offline and Online - Class 3 and above
English Communication Skills for working professionals, adults and students - Offline and Online