3.3. To a Butterfly - My English Coursebook - Std 9 - Marathi and Semi-English Medium - Maharashtra Board

Section 1 — Chapter Information / पाठ परिचय

मराठी टीप: हा पाठ MSBSHSE मार्गदर्शक तत्त्वांनुसार शालेय परीक्षेत येतो.

Section 2 — About the Poet / कवी परिचय

William Wordsworth (1770–1850) was a major English Romantic poet who helped launch the Romantic Age in English literature. He is best known for his deep love of nature and his belief that nature is a great teacher. In this poem, "To a Butterfly," Wordsworth beautifully connects a simple creature of nature to his fondest childhood memories and his deep affection for his sister.

मराठी टीप: (विल्यम वर्ड्सवर्थ हे एक महान इंग्रजी निसर्गकवी होते. या कवितेत त्यांनी एका फुलपाखराच्या माध्यमातून त्यांच्या बालपणीच्या आणि त्यांच्या बहिणीच्या गोड आठवणी जागवल्या आहेत.)

Exam Tip: Poet introduction may be asked as part of Poem Appreciation (5 marks) or as a short answer (2 marks).

Section 3 — Full Text / पूर्ण कविता

Stanza 1

Stanza 2

Section 4 — Stanza-wise Meaning / कडव्यांचा अर्थ

Stanza 1

English Meaning: The poet earnestly pleads with a butterfly not to fly away and to stay in his sight just a little longer. He addresses the butterfly as the "Historian of my infancy" because it serves as a living reminder of his childhood. Looking at this joyful ("gay") creature brings back vivid, solemn memories of his past and his father's family, reviving times that are long gone.  

मराठी अर्थ: कवी फुलपाखराला विनंती करतो की त्याने उडून जाऊ नये आणि त्याच्या जवळ थांबावे. फुलपाखरू हे कवीच्या बालपणाचे 'इतिहासकार' (Historian) आहे, कारण त्याला पाहिल्यावर कवीला त्याच्या बालपणीच्या आणि कुटुंबाच्या जुन्या आठवणी पुन्हा नव्याने आठवतात.

Exam Tip: Questions often ask why the poet calls the butterfly a "historian".

Stanza 2

English Meaning: The poet joyfully remembers the incredibly pleasant days of his childhood when he and his sister, Emmeline, used to play together and chase butterflies. He contrasts their behaviors: the poet would aggressively rush like a hunter, leaping and springing through bushes to catch his "prey". However, his gentle sister was so innocent and kind that she was afraid to even touch the butterfly, fearing she might brush the delicate dust off its wings.  

मराठी अर्थ: कवी बालपणीचे ते सुंदर दिवस आठवतो जेव्हा तो आणि त्याची बहीण एमेलिन फुलपाखरांच्या मागे धावत असत. कवी एका शिकाऱ्यासारखा उड्या मारत फुलपाखराला पकडायला जायचा, पण त्याची बहीण अतिशय प्रेमळ होती. फुलपाखराच्या नाजूक पंखांवरील धूळ उडेल या भीतीने ती त्याला स्पर्श करायलाही घाबरायची.

Exam Tip: The contrast between the brother (hunter) and sister (fearful/gentle) is highly tested.

Section 5 — Poetic Devices / काव्यात्मक उपकरणे

मराठी टीप: Figures of Speech हे Poem Appreciation मध्ये विचारले जातात. किमान 3 सांगणे आवश्यक आहे.

Section 6 — Central Theme and Values / केंद्रीय भाव आणि मूल्ये

6A. Theme Table / विषय सारणी

6B. Values / मूल्ये

• Appreciation of Nature (निसर्गप्रेम) — The poet shows deep emotional attachment to a simple creature of nature.

• Compassion (भूतदया) — Illustrated by Emmeline, who feared even brushing the dust off the butterfly's wings so as not to hurt it.  

• Family Bond (कौटुंबिक जिव्हाळा) — The strong connection the poet feels for his sister Emmeline and his father's family.  

6C. Central Message / केंद्रीय संदेश

Nature has a magical power to transport us back to our happiest memories and reconnect us with our innocent, childhood past and loved ones.

मराठी टीप: निसर्गातील अगदी लहान घटक (जसे की फुलपाखरू) आपल्याला आपल्या बालपणीच्या सुंदर आठवणी आणि कुटुंबातील प्रेमाची आठवण करून देऊ शकतात.

Section 7 — Model Poem Appreciation (5 Marks)

कविता कौतुक

The poem 'To a Butterfly' is written by William Wordsworth.  

The title clearly indicates that the poem is a direct address to a beautiful creature of nature, which serves as the inspiration for the poet's memories.

The poem consists of two stanzas, each with nine lines.

RHYME SCHEME: The rhyme scheme of the first stanza is aabbcbccb (flight/sight, thee/infancy, depart/art/heart, thee/family). The second stanza follows a slightly different pattern of aabbcdcd.  

FIGURES OF SPEECH: Metaphor: The poet uses Metaphor in 'Historian of my infancy!'. The butterfly is directly compared to a historian who keeps the records of the poet's childhood. Inversion: The poet uses Inversion in 'A little longer stay in sight!'. The correct prose order should be "Stay in sight a little longer", but it is changed for poetic effect. Exclamation: The poet uses Exclamation in 'Oh! pleasant, pleasant were the days' to express strong nostalgia and joy.  

THEME: The central theme of the poem is nostalgia and the profound impact of nature on human memory. The poet sees a butterfly and begs it not to fly away because it brings back precious, sweet memories of his childhood days spent playing with his sister, Emmeline.  

FAVOURITE LINES:

My favourite lines from the poem are:

"But she, God love her, feared to brush / The dust from off its wings."

I like these lines because they beautifully capture the extreme innocence and kindness of a young child. It shows how the sister was so gentle that she didn't want to cause even the slightest harm to the butterfly.

मराठी टीप — कविता कौतुक कसे लिहावे:

Rhyme Scheme: पहिल्या कडव्याची aabbcbccb अशी आहे हे लक्षात ठेवा.

Figures of Speech: निदान 3 — नाव + ओळ + परिणाम.

Favourite Lines: 2-3 ओळी + का आवडल्या ते 2-3 वाक्यांत.

Section 8 — Extract-Based Questions / उताऱ्यावर आधारित प्रश्न

Extract 1:

Q.(A)(i) — State True or False: (2 marks)

1. The poet wants the butterfly to fly away quickly. — False

2. The butterfly is a reminder of the poet's childhood. — True

3. The poet finds no converse (conversation) in the butterfly. — False

4. The butterfly brings a solemn image of the poet's family to his heart. — True  

   मराठी टीप: उताऱ्यातील माहितीवरूनच उत्तर द्या.  

   
   

Q.(A)(ii) — Choose the correct alternative: (2 marks)  

1. The word 'infancy' in the extract means: (a) old age (b) childhood (c) future (d) sadness Answer: (b)  

2. What does the butterfly revive for the poet? (a) dead times (b) dead animals (c) dead plants (d) bad dreams Answer: (a)  

Q.(B)(i) — Answer in 2-3 sentences: (2 marks) Why does the poet call the butterfly a "Historian of my infancy"?

Answer: A historian keeps records of the past. The poet calls the butterfly the "Historian of my infancy" because the simple sight of the creature holds his past and brings back vivid, sweet memories of his childhood days.

मराठी टीप: इतिहासकार जसा जुन्या गोष्टींची नोंद ठेवतो, तशीच फुलपाखरामुळे कवीला त्याच्या बालपणीच्या (infancy) आठवणी परत येतात, म्हणून त्याला हा शब्द वापरला आहे.  

Q.(B)(ii) — Answer in 3-4 sentences: (2 marks) What is the poet repeatedly pleading with the butterfly to do in the first stanza?

Answer: In the first stanza, the poet repeatedly pleads with the butterfly to "stay near" him and "not take thy flight". He desperately wants the creature to remain in his sight a little longer and not depart, because its presence keeps his cherished memories alive. मराठी टीप: कवी फुलपाखराला उडून न जाण्याची आणि त्याच्याजवळच थांबण्याची (stay in sight) विनंती करत आहे, जेणेकरून त्याला जुन्या आठवणींचा आनंद घेता येईल.  

Extract 2:

Q.(A)(i) — State True or False: (2 marks)

1. The poet's sister was named Emmeline. — True

2. The brother and sister used to chase birds together. — False

3. The poet rushed at the butterfly like a hunter. — True

4. Emmeline was very aggressive and caught the butterfly easily. — False

   मराठी टीप: उताऱ्यातील माहितीवरूनच उत्तर द्या.

Q.(A)(ii) — Choose the correct alternative: (2 marks)

1. The word 'brake' in the extract means: (a) stopping a car (b) a place overgrown with bushes (c) breaking glass (d) running fast Answer: (b)  

2. Why was Emmeline afraid to touch the butterfly? (a) It would bite her (b) She feared brushing the dust off its wings (c) She hated insects (d) It was too fast Answer: (b)  

Q.(B)(i) — Answer in 2-3 sentences: (2 marks) How did the poet chase the butterfly? Answer: The poet chased the butterfly very aggressively. He rushed upon it like a "hunter" going after its "prey," making wild leaps and springs as he followed it from bush to bush.

मराठी टीप: कवी एका शिकाऱ्यासारखा (hunter) आक्रमकपणे, उड्या मारत (leaps and springs) झुडपांमधून फुलपाखराचा पाठलाग करत असे.  

Q.(B)(ii) — Answer in 3-4 sentences: (2 marks) How was Emmeline's reaction to the butterfly different from the poet's?

Answer: While the poet acted like a fierce hunter rushing to catch his prey, his sister Emmeline was incredibly gentle and cautious. She loved the creature so much that she feared even touching it, worried that she might accidentally brush the delicate dust off its wings and harm it.

मराठी टीप: कवी शिकारीप्रमाणे वागायचा, पण त्याची बहीण एमेलिन इतकी नाजूक आणि प्रेमळ होती की फुलपाखराच्या पंखांना इजा होईल (धूळ उडेल) या भीतीने ती त्याला स्पर्शही करत नसे.  

Section 9 — Short Answer Questions / लघु उत्तरे

Q1. Who were the playmates in the poem and what game did they play?

Answer: The playmates in the poem were the poet (William Wordsworth) and his sister, Emmeline. During their childhood days, they played the simple game of running outdoors and chasing butterflies together.

मराठी टीप: कवी आणि त्याची बहीण एमेलिन हे बालपणीचे सवंगडी होते. ते मिळून फुलपाखरांचा पाठलाग करण्याचा खेळ खेळत असत.  

Q2. Explain the meaning of "Dead times revive in thee".

Answer: This phrase means that the past days which are long gone ("dead times") come alive again in the poet's mind when he looks at the butterfly. The sight of the insect acts as a trigger to bring back his forgotten childhood memories.

मराठी टीप: 'Dead times' म्हणजे भूतकाळ. फुलपाखराला पाहिल्यावर कवीच्या मनात भूतकाळातील आणि बालपणीच्या आठवणी पुन्हा जिवंत (revive) होतात.  

Q3. Identify and explain one figure of speech from: "A very hunter did I rush / Upon the prey"

Answer: The figure of speech is a Metaphor. The poet creates an indirect comparison by calling himself a "hunter" and calling the butterfly his "prey," highlighting his childish aggression while trying to catch it. मराठी टीप: 'Metaphor' (रूपक) ओळखा. कवीने स्वतःची तुलना शिकाऱ्याशी (hunter) आणि फुलपाखराची तुलना शिकारीशी (prey) केली आहे.  

Q4. Do you agree that small things in nature can bring back strong memories? Explain your view.

Answer: Yes, I strongly agree. Human memory is often tied to our senses. Smelling wet earth, hearing a specific bird, or seeing a beautiful butterfly can instantly transport us back to the innocent, carefree days of our childhood when we used to play in nature.

मराठी टीप: स्वतःचे मत मांडा (Personal Response). 'होय' असे म्हणून, निसर्गातील लहान गोष्टी (उदा. मातीचा सुगंध, पक्ष्यांचा आवाज) आपल्याला बालपणीच्या आठवणी कशा देतात हे ३-४ वाक्यांत लिहा.

Section 10 — Long Answer Questions / दीर्घ उत्तरे

Q1. Explain in detail the central theme and the values the poet wishes to impart through the poem 'To a Butterfly'.

Answer: The central theme of the poem 'To a Butterfly' is the profound feeling of nostalgia and the beautiful connection between nature and human memory. The poet starts by begging a butterfly to stay near him because it acts as the "historian" of his infancy, magically bringing back the "dead times" of his past. Through this simple creature, he is reminded of his father's family and the incredibly pleasant days of his childhood. The poem imparts the value of appreciating nature, showing how small creatures can hold immense emotional value. Furthermore, through the character of his sister Emmeline, the poet imparts the values of innocence and compassion, highlighting her fear of brushing the dust off the insect's wings. Ultimately, the poem teaches us that nature connects us to our purest, happiest past.

मराठी टीप: 1. सुरुवात: कवितेचा मुख्य विषय (बालपणीच्या आठवणी आणि निसर्ग) सांगा. 2. मुख्य मुद्दे: फुलपाखराला 'इतिहासकार' का म्हटले आहे ते सांगा. तसेच बहीण एमेलिनची दयाळू वृत्ती स्पष्ट करा. 3. शेवट: निसर्ग आपल्याला आपल्या भूतकाळाशी कसा जोडतो याचा निष्कर्ष मांडा.  

Q2. Compare and contrast the behavior of the poet and his sister Emmeline while chasing the butterfly.

Answer: The second stanza of the poem presents a beautiful contrast between the behavior of the young poet and his sister Emmeline during their childhood plays. The poet describes himself as highly energetic and aggressive. He compares himself to a fierce "hunter" rushing upon its "prey". He would physically exert himself, making wild "leaps and springs" and following the butterfly relentlessly from "brake to bush". In stark contrast, Emmeline represents ultimate innocence, gentleness, and compassion. Even though she chased the butterfly with her brother, she was deeply afraid of harming it. She would not touch it, fearing she might accidentally "brush the dust from off its wings". This contrast highlights the rough, playful nature of the boy against the tender, loving nature of the young girl.

मराठी टीप: 1. सुरुवात: कवी आणि त्याच्या बहिणीच्या स्वभावातील फरक. 2. मुख्य मुद्दे: कवीची आक्रमकता (शिकाऱ्यासारखे उड्या मारणे) आणि एमेलिनची नाजूकता (फुलपाखराच्या पंखांची काळजी घेणे) यांतील तुलना करा. 3. शेवट: मुलाचा खेळकर स्वभाव आणि मुलीचा प्रेमळ स्वभाव यातील फरक सांगून उत्तर पूर्ण करा. 

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