Last Lesson of the Afternoon | Poem 8 | Poetry | Summary | Questions and Answers |

 

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English | Class 10th | Tulip Series |

 

Last Lesson of the Afternoon | Poem 8 | Poetry | Summary | Questions and Answers |

 

Last Lesson of the Afternoon (D. H. Lawrence)

 

When will the bell ring, and end this weariness?

How long have they tugged the leash, and strained apart

My pack of unruly hounds! I cannot start

Them again on a quarry of knowledge they hate to hunt,

I can haul them and urge them no more.

 

No longer now can I endure the brunt

Of the books that lie out on the desks; a full threescore

Of several work that they have offered me.

1 am sick, and what on earth is the good of it all?

What good to them or me, I cannot see.

 

So shall I take

My last dear fuel of life to heap on my soul

And kindle my will to a flame that shall consume

Their dross of indifference, and take the toll

Of their insults in punishments? -1 will not –

 

I will not waste my soul and my strength for this.

What do I care for all that they do amiss?

What is the point of their teaching of mine, and of this

Learning of theirs? It all goes down the same abyss.

What does it matter to me, if they can write

A description of a dog, or if they can't?

What is the point? To us both, it is all my aunt!

And yet I'm supposed to care, with all my might.

 

I do not, and will not, they won't and they don't and that's all!

I shall keep my strength for myself; they can keep theirs as well

Why should we beat our heads against the wall

Of each other? I shall sit and wait for the bell.

                                  (D. H. Lawrence)

 

Idea

Last Lesson of the Afternoon expresses a mood of bitter desperation at the thanklessness of a teacher's work. The speaker of the poem who happens to be a teacher compares his students with hounds, who hate to chase knowledge. The teacher has failed to inspire them. He thinks that his teaching and the pupils learning are both purposeless as he can no longer haul them and urge them anymore.

 

SHORT SUMMARY

            In "Last Lesson of the Afternoon" by D.H. Lawrence, the poet, who is also a teacher, expresses his frustration and disillusionment with teaching uninterested students. As the school day drags on, he feels drained and unmotivated, likening his effort to trying to ignite a dead fire. The students' lack of enthusiasm and engagement leads him to question the value of his efforts. The poem conveys a sense of fatigue and futility, highlighting the teacher's inner conflict between his duty and his waning passion for teaching.

 

Thinking about the Poem

Question 1. What is the tone in the opening line of the poem?

Answer: The tone in the opening line of the poem "Last Lesson of the Afternoon" is one of frustration and weariness. The teacher is clearly tired and exasperated, reflecting his impatience and disillusionment as he struggles to maintain interest in teaching a disinterested class. This sets the stage for the overall mood of the poem, which delves into the teacher's sense of futility and exhaustion.

Question 2. Who is the speaker of the poem?

Answer: The speaker of the poem "Last Lesson of the Afternoon" is a teacher who is reflecting on his frustration, weariness, and sense of futility as he tries to engage his disinterested students during the last lesson of the school day. The poem is a first-person expression of the teacher's thoughts and feelings.

Question 3. What are the pupils regarded as? Why has the teacher failed to 'haul them and urge them' anymore?

Answer: The pupils in the poem "Last Lesson of the Afternoon" are regarded as "unruly hounds" by the teacher, comparing their disinterest and lack of discipline to untamed dogs that are difficult to control.

The teacher has failed to "haul them and urge them" anymore because he is exhausted and disillusioned by their persistent lack of enthusiasm and engagement. He feels that his efforts to teach and motivate them are futile, leading him to give up on trying to force them to learn. This frustration and sense of futility result in his decision to no longer exert energy on students who seem uninterested in learning.

Question 4. Which words and phrases in stanza 2 convey the mood of the speaker?

Answer: In stanza 2 of "Last Lesson of the Afternoon," the following words and phrases convey the mood of the speaker:

1. "I am sick, and what on earth is the good of it all?" – This phrase expresses the speaker's frustration, exhaustion, and sense of futility.

2. "I will not!"– The repetition emphasizes the speaker's resolve to no longer force himself to continue teaching a disengaged class.

3. "Baited their minds with the bones of the scraps of fact" – This imagery reflects the speaker's disillusionment, suggesting that he feels he is offering them insignificant bits of knowledge that they neither appreciate nor understand.

These expressions highlight the speaker's tired, frustrated, and resigned mood as he struggles with the futility of his efforts in teaching an uninterested class.

Question 5. Why doesn't the speaker want to consume his fuel anymore?

Answer: The speaker doesn't want to consume his fuel anymore because he feels exhausted and believes his efforts to teach disinterested students are futile, making him unwilling to waste his remaining energy on a task he finds pointless.

Question 6. What do you think 'take the toll of their insults in punishment' means?

Answer: "Take the toll of their insults in punishment" means the teacher is tired of enduring the disrespect and indifference from the students, which feels like a punishment to him, draining his energy and enthusiasm for teaching.

Question 7. Why does the teacher feel that his teaching and the pupils' learning are both purposeless? Pick out words and phrases which show that he shares his pupils' indifference to their work.

Answer: The teacher feels that his teaching and the pupils' learning are purposeless because the students are uninterested, and he sees no meaningful outcome from his efforts. Phrases like "the hopeless waste of my teaching" and "What is the point of this teaching of mine and of this learning of theirs?" reflect his sense of futility. Additionally, "no longer now can I endure the brunt of the books that lie out on the desks" and "I will not waste my soul and my strength for this" show that he shares his pupils' indifference to their work.

Question 8. Do you find any connection between the beginning and the ending of the poem?

Answer: Yes, there is a connection between the beginning and the ending of the poem. Both parts reflect the teacher's frustration and disillusionment. At the start, he feels wearied by the students' indifference, and by the end, his exhaustion and sense of futility culminate in his decision to no longer invest effort in teaching them. This progression underscores the theme of disillusionment and the loss of purpose in his teaching.

Question 9. After reading this poem, write an account of your opinion / idea in 100 - 200 words about this poem?

Answer: "Last Lesson of the Afternoon" by D.H. Lawrence offers a poignant and introspective look into the challenges faced by educators. The poem captures the teacher's profound frustration and disillusionment with his students' apathy. The speaker's exhaustion is palpable, and his reflections on the futility of his efforts highlight a deep sense of resignation. The imagery of the teacher's struggle, such as comparing the pupils to "unruly hounds" and describing the teaching process as a "hopeless waste," effectively conveys his inner turmoil.

The poem resonates with anyone who has experienced the challenge of trying to inspire or engage an unresponsive audience. It raises important questions about the value of persistence in the face of indifference and the emotional toll that teaching can take. Ultimately, Lawrence’s portrayal of the teacher’s weariness underscores the universal struggle of maintaining passion and purpose in the face of persistent disengagement, offering a compelling reflection on the complexities of the teaching profession.

 

Learning about the Literary Device/s

• What is the metaphor used by the poet in stanza 1?

Answer: In stanza 1 of "Last Lesson of the Afternoon," the poet uses the metaphor of "the fire in my soul" to describe the teacher’s passion and enthusiasm for teaching. This metaphor illustrates how the teacher’s inner drive and energy have been diminished by the students' indifference, likening his fading motivation to a dying fire.

• Identify the metaphor in stanza 3.

Answer: In stanza 3 of "Last Lesson of the Afternoon," the metaphor used is "the brunt of the books". Here, the teacher compares the emotional and physical strain of enduring the students' indifference to bearing the heavy impact or weight of the books. This metaphor conveys the teacher’s sense of burden and exhaustion from the teaching process.

 

Suggested Reading

• Beautiful Soup by Lewis Carroll

• The song of Quoodle by G. K. Chesterton

• The Old Gumbie Cat by T. S. Eliot

• The Rest of School by D. H. Lawrence

• A Snowy Day in School by D. H. Lawrence