Hawk Roosting by Ted Hughes: Questions and Answers for Class XII 4th Semester.
About the Poet:
Hawk Roosting TED HUGHESTed Hughes (1930-1998) was one of the most influential British poets of the 20th century. His poetry is known for its powerful, vivid imagery, often focusing on nature and the raw, untamed forces of life. He was deeply interested in the relationship between the natural world and human existence. His works often explore themes of survival, violence, and the instinctual aspects of life. “Hawk Roosting” is a prime example of his fascination with nature and its ruthless, predatory aspects.
About the Poem :
“Hawk Roosting” is a dramatic monologue in which a hawk speaks as a symbol of power, dominance, and control. The poem explores themes of power, arrogance, natural order, and the brutality of existence. The hawk, perched at the top of the food chain, represents the idea of absolute power, seeing itself as the ultimate ruler of nature. The poem can be interpreted as a commentary on dictatorship, showing the mindset of an authoritarian ruler who believes in their divine right to control and dominate. It also reflects Hughes’ view of nature as both beautiful and merciless, where survival depends on strength and instinct.
Questions with answers carrying 2 marks.
Question: Who wrote the poem ‘Hawk Roosting’? To which literary era did he belong?
Ans: Ted Hughes wrote the poem ‘Hawk Roosting’.
He belonged to the Post Modern era of English literature.
Question: When and where was the poem first published?
Ans: The poem was first published in Ted Hughes’ second collection of poems ‘Lupercal’ in 1960.
Question: What is the structure of the poem? How does it help the flow of the poem?
Ans: The poem consists of six quatrains (four-line stanzas) written in free verse, creating a compact and controlled structure.
This structure allows the hawk’s monologue to flow naturally, reflecting his confidence and authority. The variation of line-lengths helps the poem not to be monotonous.
Question: Discuss the significance of the title of the poem “Hawk Roosting”.
Ans: The title “Hawk Roosting” clearly suggests a hawk being at rest. But even while roosting, he remains confident and self-assured. This reflects the hawk’s arrogance, displaying his belief in his unchallenged supremacy over nature as well as life and death.
Question: “The sun is behind me.” – Explain the line.
Ans: Through this quoted line, we understand that the speaker, the hawk, views himself as the supreme ruler of nature. He believes that even powerful natural force, like the sun, supports his authority over nature. This suggests that the hawk feels invincible, assuming that nature itself is designed to serve his needs.
Question: “My eye has permitted no change.” – How does the line reflect the hawk’s belief in its control over the world?
Ans: The above-quoted line suggests that the hawk thinks himself to be the supreme ruler of nature. He also thinks that only he has the authority to permit or decline any change. It also suggests that the hawk resists any type of change as he wants to be the unchallenged dictator of nature indefinitely.
Question: What does the hawk Symbolise in the poem ?
Ans: A hawk is a bird of prey. The poet Ted Hughes has referred to his superior power over other creatures of the universe. The bird also stands for vitality and hence, we can say that the poet has used the bird symbolically.
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