Comprehension

A. Answer these questions in one or two words.

Q1. Who was Alexander Selkirk?
Answer: Alexander Selkirk was a Scottish sailor.

Q2. What kind of an island was Selkirk marooned on?
Answer: Selkirk was marooned on an uninhabited island.

Q3. Does Selkirk regret his decision of living in solitude?
Answer: Yes, he eventually despairs and regrets his solitude.

Q4. For how many years was Selkirk stranded on the island?
Answer: Selkirk was stranded on the island for over four years.

Q5. Name one poetic device used in the poem.
Answer: The poem uses imagery, personification, alliteration, repetition, metaphor, and symbolism.

B. Answer these questions in a few words each.

Q1. What is the significance of the island in the poem?
Answer: The island is significant as both a place of absolute freedom and a prison of loneliness for Selkirk.

Q2. What is the emotional state of Alexander Selkirk in the poem?
Answer: Selkirk’s emotional state shifts from an initial sense of power and happiness to deep despair and longing for human company.

Q3. What do you understand by the words ‘sweet music of speech’?
Answer: “Sweet music of speech” refers to the beautiful sound of human conversation and companionship that Selkirk desperately misses.

Q4. What elements of nature does the speaker think of using while trying to connect with civilisation?
Answer: The speaker thinks of using the winds to “convey to this desolate shore / Some cordial endearing report” from his friends.

C. Answer these questions briefly in your own words.

Q1. What message did Selkirk want to convey to his friends?
Answer: Selkirk wanted to ask if his friends still think of him and to know that he has a friend, even if he will never see them again.

Q2. How does Selkirk reflect upon the flight of the mind?
Answer: Selkirk reflects on the speed of his mind’s flight, noting it can travel to his native land “in a moment,” faster than a storm or “the swift-winged arrows of light”.

Q3. What is Selkirk’s view about solitude?
Answer: Selkirk sees solitude as a “horrible place” and believes it is “better dwell in the midst of alarms / Than reign in this horrible place”.

Q4. How is mercy seen by Selkirk?
Answer: Selkirk sees mercy as a positive and encouraging presence that gives “affliction a grace” and helps him endure his fate.

D. Answer in detail.

Q1. Discuss the significance of the title ‘The Solitude of Alexander Selkirk’ in relation to the poem’s themes and content.
Answer: The title emphasizes the central theme of isolation and its psychological impact. “Solitude” initially suggests power and independence, but the poem reveals its true nature as a “horrible place”. Selkirk’s despair and longing for human connection show that real happiness comes from society and relationships, not from being “monarch of all I survey”. The title frames the poem’s meditation on the paradox of solitude: freedom versus loneliness.

Q2. How does the poem explore the theme of isolation and loneliness? Give examples from the poem.
Answer: The poem explores isolation through Selkirk’s separation from humanity and desperate need for companionship. He says, “I am out of humanity’s reach, / I must finish my journey alone,” highlighting his physical isolation. He laments, “Never hear the sweet music of speech, / I start at the sound of my own,” showing emotional loneliness. The tameness of animals appears “shocking” as they view him with “indifference,” and he hopes for news from friends, even if he may “never see” them. These lines show the deep emotional toll of his solitude.