A Nation's Strength
What makes a nation's pillars high
"A Nation's Strength" is a poem by Ralph Waldo
Emerson that reflects on the power of a nation being derived from the character
and spirit of its people.
SUMMARY
This poem reflects on what makes a nation
strong and successful. The poet suggests that wealth and military power are not
the defining factors, as gold and empires fade away. Instead, the poem argues
that a nation's true strength lies in the character of its people. It suggests
that the real foundation of a nation is built by people who are brave, work
hard, and are willing to stand up for truth and honor, even when others do not.
The poem argues that these qualities of character are what lift a nation to
greatness. In conclusion, the poem suggests that the strength of a nation is
dependent on the inner qualities of its people, such as their character,
virtue, education, and wisdom. The poem encourages individuals to strive for
personal growth and development in order to contribute to the strength and
success of the nation as a whole.
GLOSSARY
1. Pillars: a large, vertical structure that supports something, often used to symbolize strength or support.
2.
Foundations:
the basis or underlying structure of something.
3.
Defy:
resist or challenge something.
4.
Throng:
a large crowd of people.
5.
Kingdoms:
a sovereign state or territory ruled by a monarch.
6.
Battle
shock: the impact or effect of a battle.
7.
Shafts:
a vertical support or structure.
8. Sinking
sand: loose sand that gives way when weight is placed on it,
symbolizing instability.
9.
Red
dust: the aftermath of a battle or war, symbolizing death and
destruction.
10. Empires: a large, powerful
political system.
11. Crown: a symbol of royalty
or high status.
12. Luster: brightness or shine.
13. Ashes: the remains of
something that has been burned or destroyed.
14. Suffer long: endure
a long period of difficulty or hardship.
15. Brave: having or showing
courage.
16. Work: engage in an activity
in order to achieve a goal.
17. Dare: to be willing to take
a risk or do something difficult.
18. Fly: run away from a
difficult or dangerous situation.
19. Lift: raise or elevate
something.
PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTIONS OF WORDS
Pillars:
/ˈpɪlərz/ Foundations: /faʊnˈdeɪʃənz/ Defy: /dɪˈfaɪ/ Throng: /θrɔːŋ/ Kingdoms:
/ˈkɪŋdəmz/ Battle shock: /ˈbætl ʃɑːk/ Shafts: /ʃæfts/ Sinking sand: /ˈsɪŋkɪŋ
sænd/ Red dust: /red dʌst/ Empires: /ˈɛmpaɪərz/ Crown: /kraʊn/ Luster: /ˈlʌstər/
Ashes: /ˈæʃɪz/ Suffer long: /ˈsʌfər lɒŋ/ Brave: /breɪv/ Work: /wɜːrk/ Dare: /dɛər/
Fly: /flaɪ/ Lift: /lɪft/
STRUCTURAL
ANALYSIS OF THE POEM
The poem "What makes a nation's pillars
high" is a reflection on the factors that contribute to the strength and
stability of a nation. The speaker poses several questions about what gives a
nation its strength, and dismisses several potential answers: not gold, not the
sword, and not pride. The speaker then concludes that the true foundation of a
nation's strength lies in the character of its people. Brave, hardworking men
who stand for truth and honor are the ones who truly make a nation great and
strong.
The structure of the poem is made up of five
quatrains, with each quatrain exploring a different potential answer to the
question of what makes a nation strong. The final quatrain serves as the
conclusion, presenting the author's belief that the people are the true
foundation of a nation's strength. The rhyme scheme is AABB, with the second
and fourth lines of each quatrain rhyming. This creates a sense of unity and
coherence throughout the poem, reinforcing the central idea of the importance
of the people in making a nation great.
POETIC DEVICES USED IN THE POEM
1. Alliteration
- The repetition of the sound "m" in "makes
a nation's pillars high" and "Its foundations strong."
2. Rhyme
- The poem follows a rhyming pattern of AABB.
3. Metaphor
- The comparison of a nation's strength to its pillars
being high and its foundations being strong.
4.
Hyperbole
- The statement "Its shafts are laid on sinking
sand" is an exaggeration to emphasize the fragility of kingdoms built on
wealth and power.
5. Personification
- The use of the word "rust" to describe the
death of empires, giving the inanimate object of stones human-like qualities.
6. Antithesis
- The contrast between gold and men, with gold being seen
as inferior to the power of men.
7.
Repetition
- The phrase "Ask the red dust" is repeated in
line 9, emphasizing the inevitability of the death of empires built on
violence.
8.
Symbolism
- The use of the crown to represent pride and the ashes at
God's feet to symbolize the destruction of pride.
9. Imagery - The use of the words "red dust," "rust," and "ashes" creates a visual image of decay and destruction.
WORKING
WITH THE TEXT:
Q1.
In the first stanza, the poet wonders about certain things. What are they?
Ans. In the first stanza, the poet wonders about the
strength of a nation and what makes it great.
Q2.
What are the foundations of a strong kingdom built on?
Ans. The foundations of a strong kingdom are built on
truth, justice, and right, and strong faith in God.
Q3. What happens to a nation which depends on
an army to keep it strong?
Ans. A nation which depends on an army to keep it strong
is not truly strong and will eventually fall.
Q4.
When a nation becomes proud, what does God do?
Ans. When a nation becomes proud, God brings it low.
Q5.
Do you think that wealth can make a nation great and strong?
Ans. No, wealth cannot make a nation great and strong. A
nation must have moral and spiritual strength in order to be truly great.
Q6.
What can the brave do?
Ans. The brave can help to build a nation's pillars,
strengthen it, and preserve its freedoms.
Q7.
Explain the following lines:
They build a nation's pillars deep
And lift them to the sky.
Ans. The lines refer to the act of building a nation's foundations to be strong and solid, so that it can be lifted up to reach great heights and achieve greatness.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
QUESTIONS (MCQS) [ Try Yourself ]
1. What is the main
idea of the poem?
a.
Money and gold make a nation strong
b.
Swords and pride make a nation great
c. Men
and bravery make a nation strong
d.
Empires and their red dust are proof of greatness
2. What does the author say about
gold in the poem?
a. It
makes a nation strong
b. It
makes a nation's kingdoms grand
c. It
does not make a nation strong
d. It
builds a nation's pillars deep
3. What is the author's opinion on
the sword?
a. It
makes a nation great
b. It
has turned to rust and decay
c. It
makes a nation's foundations strong
d. It
builds a nation's pillars high
4. How does the author view pride
in the poem?
a. It
is sweet for nations but God has struck it down
b. It
is not important for a nation's greatness
c. It
makes a nation mighty to defy its foes
d. It
builds a nation's pillars to the sky
5. What is the author's conclusion
about the building blocks of a strong nation?
a.
Only gold can make a people great and strong
b.
Only pride can make a people great and strong
c.
Only men who work and dare can make a people great and strong
d. Only empires and their red dust can make a people great and strong.
LANGUAGE
WORK
1. In this poem certain consonantal sounds dominate, e.g., m, n, f. s. r. d. p, h, b, g, l.
List the words beginning
with these consonants.
Ans.
The following words begin with the consonants mentioned:
m: makes, moral
n: nation's
f: faith
s: strong, solid, standing
r: right
d: deep
p: pillars, pride
h: high, hands
b: build, brave
l: lift
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