Worksheet: Analyzing Gitanjali 35 by Rabindranath Tagore
Name: ______________________ Section: _____________ Date: __________
Part A. Match the Line with Its Meaning
Match the lines of the poem in Column A with the meanings in Column B. Write the letter of the correct answer.
Column A – Lines from the Poem Column B – Meanings
A. Society should not be divided by prejudice,
1. Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
caste, or religion
B. People should think freely and live with
2. Where knowledge is free
dignity
3. Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by
C. Education should be accessible to all
narrow domestic walls
D. Citizens must work hard to improve
4. Where words come out from the depth of truth
themselves and the nation
E. Logical thinking must not be replaced by
5. Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
blind traditions
6. Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the
F. People should speak with honesty
dreary desert sand of dead habit
7. Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening G. With God’s guidance, people grow in
thought and action wisdom and action
H. The poet dreams of a nation that is truly
8. Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake
free and progressive
Part B. Fill Out the Chart (Copy the table.)
Complete the chart below by identifying the literary device and explaining the meaning of the line.
Literary Device (e.g., metaphor,
Line from Poem imagery, symbolism, Meaning
personification)
“Where the mind is without fear and
the head is held high”
“Where knowledge is free”
“Where tireless striving stretches its
arms towards perfection”
“Where the clear stream of reason
has not lost its way…”
“Into that heaven of freedom, my
Father, let my country awake”
Part C. Symbolism Hunt (Copy the table.)
Underline the symbolism in each line and give its meaning.
1. Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Symbolism: ___________________________
Meaning: ____________________________
2. Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Symbolism: ___________________________
Meaning: ____________________________
3. Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake
Symbolism: ___________________________
Meaning: ____________________________
Performance Task 2.1
On an A4-size coupon bond, draw an editorial cartoon about flood control.
Language and Style in Poetry
Language and style refer to how poets use words creatively to express ideas, emotions, and images. It
includes word choice, figurative language, and sound devices.
1. Figurative Language
Meaning: Words that go beyond their literal meaning to create deeper effects.
Types and Examples:
Metaphor → Direct comparison.
“Time is a thief.” (time compared to a thief because it steals moments).
Simile → Comparison using like or as.
“Her smile is like sunshine.”
Personification → Giving human qualities to non-human things.
“The wind whispered through the trees.”
Hyperbole → Exaggeration for emphasis.
“I’ve told you a million times.”
Symbolism → An object or word represents a bigger idea.
A dove symbolizes peace; a chain can symbolize oppression.
2. Sound Devices
Meaning: Techniques that use sound to make the poem musical, rhythmic, and memorable.
Types and Examples:
Alliteration → Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.”
Assonance → Repetition of vowel sounds within words.
“Hear the mellow wedding bells.” (long e and o sounds).
Consonance → Repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words.
“The lumpy, bumpy road.”
Repetition → Words or phrases repeated for emphasis.
“Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.”
Onomatopoeia → Words that imitate sounds.
“Buzz,” “clang,” “whisper,” “boom.”
Work Sheet: Sound Devices
Directions:
Read the poem carefully. Find the sound devices used by the writer. Then, write your
answers in your notebook. Use the chart below as a guide.
Part I. Sound Devices
(Sound devices include: alliteration, assonance, consonance, repetition, rhyme, onomatopoeia, etc.)
Line from the Poem Sound Device Effect/Meaning
Example: "tireless striving Emphasizes effort and
Alliteration (s-sound)
stretches its arms" movement toward perfection.
Part II Activity:
On A4 size draw one symbol from the poem (e.g., "stream of reason," "heaven of freedom")
and explain your drawing in 2–3 sentences.
