4.3. Golden Chain - My English Book - Std 8 - Marathi and Semi-English Medium - Maharashtra Board
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Chapter Information / पाठ परिचय
Chapter: | Unit 4 — Chapter 4.3: Golden Chain |
Type: | Poetry |
Poet: | Helen Steiner Rice |
Textbook: | My English Book, Std 8, Maharashtra State Board |
Assessment: | School-level examination following MSBSHSE guidelines |
मराठी टीप: हा पाठ शालेय परीक्षेत येतो. हे पाठ्यपुस्तक इयत्ता ८ वी साठी आहे — MSBSHSE च्या मार्गदर्शक तत्त्वांनुसार तयार केलेले.
About the Poet / कवी परिचय
Helen Steiner Rice was a famous American poet known for her inspirational poems. In this poem, she explains the true value of friendship. She beautifully tells us that a true friend is much more valuable than gold or jewels.
मराठी टीप: हेलन स्टेनर राईस या एक प्रसिद्ध अमेरिकन कवयित्री होत्या. या कवितेत त्यांनी खऱ्या मैत्रीचे महत्त्व सांगितले आहे. मैत्री ही सोन्यापेक्षा आणि रत्नांपेक्षाही मौल्यवान असते, हा संदेश त्यांनी दिला आहे.
Exam Tip: The poet's name and the central idea of comparing friendship to a golden chain may be asked as a short answer.
Full Text / पूर्ण कविता
Stanza 1
Friendship is a Golden chain, The links our friends so dear, And like a rare and precious jewel It's treasured more each year...
Stanza 2
It's clasped together firmly With a love that's deep and true, And it's rich with happy memories And fond recollections, too...
Stanza 3
Time can't destroy its beauty For as long as memory lives, Years can't erase the pleasure That the joy of friendship gives...
Stanza 4
For friendship is a priceless gift That can't be bought or sold, But to have an understanding friend Is worth far more than gold...
Stanza 5
And the golden chain of Friendship Is a strong and blessed tie Binding kindred hearts together As the years go passing by.
Stanza-wise Meaning / कडव्यांचा अर्थ
Stanza 1
Friendship is a Golden chain, The links our friends so dear, And like a rare and precious jewel It's treasured more each year...
English Meaning: Friendship is like a beautiful golden chain that connects dear friends together. It is like a rare and valuable jewel that becomes more precious with every passing year. मराठी अर्थ: मैत्री ही एका सोन्याच्या साखळीसारखी आहे जी जवळच्या मित्रांना जोडून ठेवते. ती एका दुर्मिळ आणि मौल्यवान रत्नासारखी आहे, जिचे मूल्य दरवर्षी वाढत जाते. Exam Tip: Questions asking what friendship is compared to (golden chain and precious jewel) are commonly asked from this stanza.
Stanza 2
It's clasped together firmly With a love that's deep and true, And it's rich with happy memories And fond recollections, too...
English Meaning: This golden chain of friendship is locked tightly with deep and true love. It is also full of happy memories and fond past experiences. मराठी अर्थ: मैत्रीची ही साखळी खऱ्या आणि खोल प्रेमाने घट्ट बांधलेली असते. तसेच ती आनंदी आणि जुन्या गोड आठवणींनी समृद्ध असते. Exam Tip: Be ready for questions on what holds friendship together firmly.
Stanza 3
Time can't destroy its beauty For as long as memory lives, Years can't erase the pleasure That the joy of friendship gives...
English Meaning: Time cannot ruin the beauty of true friendship as long as we keep our memories alive. Passing years cannot wipe away the joy and happiness that friendship brings. मराठी अर्थ: जोपर्यंत आठवणी जिवंत आहेत, तोपर्यंत वेळ मैत्रीचे सौंदर्य नष्ट करू शकत नाही. मैत्रीने दिलेला आनंद वर्षे उलटून गेली तरी पुसला जात नाही. Exam Tip: A 2-mark question usually asks what time and years cannot do to friendship.
Stanza 4
For friendship is a priceless gift That can't be bought or sold, But to have an understanding friend Is worth far more than gold...
English Meaning: Friendship is a highly valuable gift that no money can buy or sell. Having a friend who truly understands you is much more valuable than having gold. मराठी अर्थ: मैत्री ही एक अनमोल भेट आहे जी विकत घेता येत नाही किंवा विकताही येत नाही. एक समजून घेणारा मित्र असणे हे सोन्यापेक्षाही जास्त मौल्यवान आहे. Exam Tip: Expect true/false questions comparing the value of friendship and gold.
Stanza 5
And the golden chain of Friendship Is a strong and blessed tie Binding kindred hearts together As the years go passing by.
English Meaning: The golden chain of friendship is a very strong and holy connection. It binds similar and alike hearts together forever, even as many years pass by. मराठी अर्थ: मैत्रीची ही सोन्याची साखळी एक मजबूत आणि पवित्र नाते आहे. वर्षे उलटून गेली तरी, ती सारख्या स्वभावाच्या मनांना कायम एकत्र बांधून ठेवते. Exam Tip: Word meanings for 'kindred' and 'tie' often come from this final stanza.
Poetic Devices / काव्यात्मक उपकरणे
Device / उपकरण | Example from poem | Simple Effect | मराठी स्पष्टीकरण |
Metaphor (रूपक) | "Friendship is a Golden chain" | Directly compares friendship to a chain without using 'like' or 'as'. | 'like' किंवा 'as' न वापरता मैत्रीची तुलना थेट सोन्याच्या साखळीशी केली आहे. |
Simile (उपमा) | "And like a rare and precious jewel" | Compares friendship to a jewel using the word 'like'. | 'like' हा शब्द वापरून मैत्रीची तुलना दुर्मिळ रत्नाशी केली आहे. |
Antithesis (विरोधाभास) | "That can't be bought or sold" | Uses two opposite ideas (bought and sold) in the same line. | एकाच ओळीत दोन विरुद्ध अर्थाचे शब्द (विकत घेणे आणि विकणे) वापरले आहेत. |
Alliteration (अनुप्रास) | "Binding kindred hearts together" | Repetition of sounds makes the poem musical. | समान अक्षरांच्या ध्वनीची पुनरावृत्ती कवितेला नादमय बनवते. |
मराठी टीप: या पाठातील अलंकार लक्षात ठेवा — परीक्षेत नाव आणि एक उदाहरण विचारले जाऊ शकते.
Central Theme and Values / केंद्रीय भाव आणि मूल्ये
Theme Table / विषय सारणी
Theme / विषय | How it appears |
The True Value of Friendship (मैत्रीचे खरे मूल्य) | The poet says friendship is worth far more than gold and cannot be bought or sold. |
Everlasting Bonds (चिरंतन नाते) | Time and passing years cannot destroy the beautiful memories and joy of friendship. |
Values / मूल्ये
Loyalty (निष्ठा): True friendship stays strong and binds kindred hearts together even as years pass by.
Love (प्रेम): A deep and true love is the lock that clasps the chain of friendship firmly.
Central Message / केंद्रीय संदेश
The central message is that an understanding friend is life's most precious gift. Unlike money or gold, the bond of true friendship grows more valuable every year and lasts a lifetime.
मराठी टीप: मैत्री ही पैशाने विकत घेता न येणारी आणि सोन्यापेक्षाही मौल्यवान अशी भेट आहे. खऱ्या मैत्रीचे बंध वेळेसोबत अधिक घट्ट होतात, हाच या कवितेचा संदेश आहे.
Practice Questions / सराव प्रश्न
The questions for Types 1 to 6 are based on Stanza 4.
TYPE 1 — True/False (1M each)
State True or False: 'Friendship can easily be bought or sold.' Answer: False
State True or False: 'Friendship is called a priceless gift in the poem.' Answer: True
State True or False: 'Gold is worth far more than an understanding friend.' Answer: False
State True or False: 'A true friend understands you.' Answer: True
State True or False: 'An understanding friend is worth more than gold.' Answer: True
मराठी टीप: उताऱ्यातील/कवितेतील माहितीवरूनच उत्तर द्या.
TYPE 2 — Choose the Correct Alternative (1M each)
What kind of gift is friendship? (A) cheap (B) temporary (C) priceless (D) useless Answer: (C)
Friendship cannot be... (A) remembered (B) bought or sold (C) shared (D) trusted Answer: (B)
What is worth far more than gold? (A) money (B) an understanding friend (C) a big house (D) new clothes
Answer: (B)
Which word in the stanza means 'of very high value'? (A) sold (B) gold (C) priceless (D) bought
Answer: (C)
The poet compares the value of a friend to... (A) silver (B) gold (C) diamonds (D) pearls
Answer: (B)
मराठी टीप: चुकीचे पर्याय ओळखून बरोबर उत्तरापर्यंत पोहोचा.
TYPE 3 — Answer in One Word/Phrase (1M each)
According to the poem, what kind of gift is friendship? Answer: A priceless gift
According to the poem, what cannot be bought or sold? Answer: Friendship
According to the poem, what kind of friend is worth more than gold? Answer: An understanding friend
According to the poem, what is less valuable than friendship? Answer: Gold
मराठी टीप: उत्तर एका शब्दात किंवा वाक्यांशात द्या.
TYPE 4 — Complete the Lines (1M each)
Complete the line: 'For friendship is a priceless _____' Answer: gift
Complete the line: 'That can't be bought or _____' Answer: sold
Complete the line: 'But to have an understanding _____' Answer: friend
Complete the line: 'Is worth far more than _____' Answer: gold
मराठी टीप: यमक जुळणारे शब्द आठवा (उदा. sold आणि gold).
TYPE 5 — Answer in 2-3 Sentences (2M each)
Why does the poet call friendship a 'priceless gift'?
Answer: The poet calls friendship a priceless gift because no amount of money can buy it. It is a pure bond that cannot be sold in any market.
मराठी टीप: मैत्री पैशाने विकत घेता येत नाही आणि विकताही येत नाही, म्हणूनच ती अनमोल (priceless) आहे हे सांगा.
What does the poet say about gold in Stanza 4?
Answer: The poet says that gold is valuable, but it is not the most precious thing. Having an understanding friend is worth much more than having gold.
मराठी टीप: एक समजून घेणारा मित्र असणे हे सोन्यापेक्षाही जास्त मौल्यवान असते असे कवी सांगतो.
Why is an understanding friend so important?
Answer: An understanding friend is important because they support us and know our feelings. Such true friends make our lives rich with happiness and are more precious than wealth.
मराठी टीप: समजून घेणारा मित्र आपल्याला पाठिंबा देतो आणि तो संपत्तीपेक्षाही मोठा असतो.
What does Stanza 4 tell us about the true value of things?
Answer: Stanza 4 tells us that material things like gold can be bought and sold. But true feelings and human connections, like friendship, have the highest value in life. मराठी टीप: सोन्यासारख्या भौतिक वस्तूंपेक्षा मैत्रीसारख्या मानवी भावना जास्त मौल्यवान आहेत हे यातून समजते.
What does the poet mean by the words 'bought or sold'?
Answer: By 'bought or sold', the poet means making a business out of relationships. True friendship is based on love, not on money or trade.
मराठी टीप: मैत्री ही प्रेमावर आधारित असते, तिचा पैशाने व्यापार (bought or sold) करता येत नाही.
TYPE 6 — Answer in 4-5 Sentences (3M each)
Explain the comparison between gold and friendship in Stanza 4.
Answer: In this stanza, the poet clearly compares material wealth to true friendship. Gold is seen as a symbol of rich, worldly items that anyone can buy with money. However, an understanding friend is something you have to earn with love and trust. Therefore, the poet concludes that a true friend is worth far more than any piece of gold.
मराठी टीप: १) सोने ही भौतिक संपत्ती आहे जी पैशाने मिळते. २) पण समजून घेणारा मित्र मिळवण्यासाठी प्रेम आणि विश्वास लागतो. ३) म्हणूनच मैत्री सोन्यापेक्षा श्रेष्ठ आहे.
What is the central message of Stanza 4?
Answer: The central message of this stanza is about recognizing what is truly important in life. People often chase money and valuable metals like gold. But the poet reminds us that friendship is a priceless gift from God. True happiness comes from having an understanding friend, not from buying expensive things.
मराठी टीप: १) जीवनात काय महत्त्वाचे आहे ते ओळखा. २) लोक पैशाच्या मागे धावतात, पण खरी मैत्री ही देवाची अनमोल भेट आहे. ३) खरा आनंद मित्राकडून मिळतो, पैशातून नाही.
Explain the Antithesis in the line "That can't be bought or sold".
Answer: Antithesis is a figure of speech where two opposite words or ideas are placed together in the same line. In this line, the words "bought" (to purchase) and "sold" (to give away for money) are opposites. The poet uses these opposite words to emphasize that friendship has nothing to do with money or business. It highlights that friendship is purely a matter of the heart.
मराठी टीप: १) 'Bought' (विकत घेणे) आणि 'Sold' (विकणे) हे दोन विरुद्धार्थी शब्द एकत्र वापरले आहेत. २) यातून कवीला सांगायचे आहे की मैत्रीचा पैशाशी कोणताही संबंध नसतो.
TYPE 7 — Word Meanings / Vocabulary in Context (1M each)
(Questions are based on the whole poem)
The word 'clasped' means...
Answer: held tightly मराठी अर्थ: घट्ट पकडलेले किंवा बांधलेले मराठी टीप: मैत्रीची साखळी प्रेमाने घट्ट बांधलेली (clasped) असते.
The word 'recollections' means...
Answer: remembering the past
मराठी अर्थ: जुन्या आठवणी मराठी टीप: मित्रांसोबत घालवलेल्या जुन्या वेळा आठवणे.
The word 'erase' means...
Answer: wipe away मराठी अर्थ: पुसून टाकणे मराठी टीप: वेळ मैत्रीचा आनंद पुसून (erase) टाकू शकत नाही.
The word 'kindred' means...
Answer: alike, similar मराठी अर्थ: सारख्या स्वभावाचे मराठी टीप: समान विचार असणाऱ्या मित्रांची मने (kindred hearts).
The word 'precious' means...
Answer: of great value मराठी अर्थ: मौल्यवान मराठी टीप: दुर्मिळ आणि मौल्यवान (precious) रत्न.
TYPE 8 — Personal Response (2M each)
(Questions are based on the whole poem)
Do you have an old friend? What makes your friendship strong?
Answer: Yes, I have an old friend from my primary school. Our friendship is strong because we always help each other in times of trouble. Just like the poem says, we are bound by deep love and happy memories.
मराठी टीप: होय, माझा एक जुना मित्र आहे. आम्ही एकमेकांना नेहमी मदत करतो आणि आमच्यात खूप चांगल्या आठवणी आहेत. (तुम्ही तुमचे स्वतःचे अनुभव लिहू शकता.)
Which line from the poem do you like most, and why?
Answer: I like the line "But to have an understanding friend Is worth far more than gold..." the most. I like it because it reminds us that human relations and feelings are much more important than any money or wealth in the world.
मराठी टीप: तुम्हाला आवडलेली कोणतीही ओळ निवडा आणि ती का आवडली याचे एक सोपे कारण द्या.
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