Answer the questions

Based on the understanding of the poem, read the following lines and answer the questions given below.

1. Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes

Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon

Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie.

a) What is found beneath all uniforms?

A person is found beneath all uniforms.

b) What is same for every one of us?

The air we breathe and the land we walk and lie are the same for every one of us.

c) Where are we all going to lie finally?

We all are going to lie finally in the same land (grave).

2. They, too, aware of sun and air and water,

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv’d.

a) What is common for all of us?

Sun, air and water are common for all of us.

b) How are we fed?

We are fed by peaceful harvest.

c) Mention the season referred here?

The winter season is referred here.

3. Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read 

A labour not different from our own.

a) Who does ‘their’ refer to?

‘Their’ refers to men from different countries.

b) What does the poet mean by ‘lines we read’?

‘Lines we read’ means “we can read and understand the hard work of everyone through their palm lines”. They are not different from each other. '

c) What does not differ?

The work of other country’s people does not differ from the poet’s.

4. Let us remember, whenever we are told

To hate our brothers, it is ourselves

That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.

a) Who tells us to hate our brothers?

Our leaders tell us to hate our brothers.

b) What happens when we hate our brothers?

When we hate our brothers, we hate ourselves.

c) What do we do to ourselves?

We disposses, betray condemn ourselves, when we hate our brothers.

5. Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence

Of air that is everywhere our own,

Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.

a) What outrages the innocence?

Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence of air.

b) Who are not foreign?

People of other countries are not foreign.

c) What is not strange?

Other countries are not strange.

Literary devices:

Transferred Epithet

A transferred epithet is a figure of speech where an adjective or epithet describing a noun is transferred from the noun it is meant to describe to another noun in the sentence. In the lines, They, too, aware of sun and air and water,

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war's long winter starv'd. "starv'd" is an epithet which is placed beside the noun 'winter'. However, it does not describe the 'winter' as being starved, but describes the pronoun 'they'. Historically many wars were fought during the winter, while the harvest season was essentially peaceful. 'They' refers to the soldiers in uniform who had to starve during winter while fighting for their land.

e.g., Winter starv’d – transferred epithet

Metaphor

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable. Recorded from the late 15th century, the word comes via French and Latin from Greek metaphora, from metapherein ‘to transfer’.

e.g., Hells of fire - metaphor

Repetition

Poets often repeat single words or phrases, lines, and sometimes, even whole stanzas at intervals to create a musical effect; to emphasize a point; to draw the readers’ attention or to lend unity to a piece. In “No Men are Foreign” James Kirkup repeats the word ‘Remember’ five times in the poem to emphasize the serious message the poem has to convey. Similarly, the last line of the last stanza (“Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange”) though reversed, is the same as the first line of the first stanza (“Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign”). This repetition emphasizes the core message of the oneness of mankind.

Poem Lines : Figure of speech

Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes

Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon : Simile

Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie. : Simile

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war's long winter starv'd. : Transferred epithet

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war's long winter starv'd. : Metaphor

Their hands are ours, arid in their tines we read : Metaphor

Remember they have eyes like ours that wake. : Simile

Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence : Metaphor

Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign

.. .. .. ..

Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange. : Repetition

Poem Lines : Rhyme Scheme

Remember, no men are strange, no coun tries foreign

Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes

Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon

Is earth like this, "in which we all shall lie. : Rhyme Scheme: a b c d

They, too, aware of sun and air and water,

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war’s long winter starv d. 

Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read

A labour not different from our own : Rhyme Scheme: a b b c - Rhyming words: starv’d, read

A labour not different from our own.

Remember they have eyes like ours that wake.

Or sleep, and strength that can be won : Rhyme Scheme: a b a - Rhyming words: own, won

Poem Lines : Allitered Words

Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes : beneath, body, breathes

Or sleep, and strength that can be won : sleep, strength

Based on your understanding of the poem complete the following by choosing the appropriate words/phrases given in brackets:

This poem is about the brotherhood of all men. The subject of the poem is the unity of human race, despite of the difference in colour , caste, creed , religion , country etc. All human beings are same. We walk on the same land and we will be buried under it. Each and everyone of us are related to the other . We all are born same and die in the same way. We may wear different uniforms like 'languages',’ during wars the opposing side will also have the same breathing body like ours. We as human do they same labour with our hands and look at the world with the same eves Waging war against others as they belong to a different country is like attacking our own selves. It is the human earth we impair. We all share the same dreams and aspirations. We are similar to each other. So the poet concludes that we shouldn’t have wars as it is unnatural to fight against us.

(unity of human, dreams and aspirations, same   land,   our   hands,   unnatural, breathing body, same eyes, brotherhood, language, human earth)

Based on your understanding of the poem answer the following questions in a paragraph of about 100-150 words.

1. What is the central theme of the poem ‘No men are foreign’?

Poem : NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

Poet : James Falconer Kirkup

Theme : All people are equal

Poem outline : Unity of human race - all are same - life is common - do not hate - war is unnatural - fight against ourselves

The theme of the poem is the unity of human race, despite the differences in colour, caste, creed, religion,.country etc. All human beings are the same. We all walk on the human earth and we will be buried under it. Breathing, walking and lying are the same for every one of us. Sun, air and water are common to all of us. We can read and understand the hard work of everyone through their palm lines. The strength of men can be won by love. We can understand that life is common in every land. We deprive, deceive and condemn ourselves, when we hate our brothers. The men who fight with each other pollute our earth. Waging war against others, as they belong to a different country, is like attacking our own selves. The poem concludes that we shouldn’t have war, since it is unnatural to fight against ourselves.

ESSAY

• Introduction

• Theme of the poem

• All are equal

• Life is common

• Never hate our brothers

• Conclusion

Introduction

In his poem ‘No men are foreign’ James Falconer Kirkup discusses the dreams and aspirations of all men.

Theme of the poem

The theme of the poem is the unity of human race, despite the differences in colour, caste, creed, religion, country etc.

All are equal

All human beings are the same. We walk on the human earth and we will be buried under it. Breathing, walking and lying are the same for every one of us. Sun, air and water are common to all of us.

Life is common

We can read and imderstand the hard work of everyone through their palm lines. The work of ours does not differ from the work of another country’s men.The strength of men can be won by love. We can understand that life is common in every land.

Never hate our brothers

When we hate our brothers, it is like we hate ourselves. We deprive, deceive and condemn ourselves, when we hate them. The men who fight with each other only pollute our earth. Waging war against others, as they belong to a different country, is like attacking our own selves.

Conclusion

The poem concludes that we shouldn’t have war, since it is unnatural to fight against ourselves. The poet asks us to remember that people of other countries are not foreign and the other countries are not strange.     

Moral: Unity is Strength

2. The poem ‘No men are foreign’ has a greater relevance in todays world. Elucidate.

Poem : NO MEN ARE FOREIGN

Poet : James Falconer Kirkup

Theme : All men are equal

Poem outline : all are equal - life is common - co-operate each other - do not hate each other - war is unnatural - fight against

The poem "No men are foreign’’ has a greater relevance in today’s world. Generally people differ from each other in their attitude and thoughts. But the poem gives stress that all people are equal. Breathing, walking and lying are same for every one of us. Sun, air and water are common to all of us. The poet feels that attitudes may differ but life is common in every land. In this modem world, there are so many conflicts among the people related to religion, politics, economy and so on. But we have to co-operate with each other for our peaceful living. The strength of men can be won by love. Our leaders tell us to hate our brothers. When we hate our brothers, we hate ourselves. The men who fight with each other only pollute our earth. Waging war against others, as they belong to a different country, is like attacking our own selves. The poem concludes that we shouldn’t have war, since it is unnatural to fight against ourselves. The poem is more relevant in today’s world than in past times when conflicts were less personal.

ESSAY

• Introduction

• Attitude of people

• Poet’s opinion

• Conflicts in today’s world

• Main conflict

• Conclusion

·         Introduction

‘ In his poem ‘No men are foreign’ James Falconer Kirkup discusses the dreams and aspirations of all men.

·         Attitude of people

The poem "No men are foreign’ has a greater relevance in today’s world. Generally people differ from each other in their attitude and thoughts.

·         Poet’s opinion

But the poem lays stress on the fact that all people are equal. Beneath all uniforms, we can find a human. Breathing, walking and lying are same for every one of us. Sun, air and water are common to all of us. We are fed by peaceful harvest. The poet feels that attitudes may differ but life is common in every land.

·         Conflicts in today’s world

in this modem world, there are so many conflicts among the people related to religion, politics, economy and so on. But we have to co-operate with each other for „ur peaceful living. The strength of men can be won by love.

·         Main conflict

There are so many factors that can drive the world into conflict. One of the main drivers is militarisation. Our leaders tell us to hate our brothers. When we hate our brothers, we hate ourselves. The men who fight with each other only pollute our earth. Waging war against others, as they belong to a different country, is like attacking our own selves.

·         Conclusion

The poem concludes that we shouldn’t have wars, since it is unnatural to fight against ourselves. The poem is more relevant in today’s world than in past times when conflicts were less personal.

Moral: United we stand, divided we fall