Poem 7: When I set out for Lyonnesse

Summary

The poet is a young architect who went to Lyonnesse to supervise the renovation work of a dilapidated church. It was 100 miles away. It was winter season and snowfall was at the peak. He was in solitary state and during his journey he witnessed starlight. He becomes conscious about what would happen at Lyonnesse when he would stay there. According to him no prophet can declare this and even a wizard would not be able to say what would happen at Lyonnesse. When he returned from Lyonnesse, he had magic in his eyes. All could understand that he was filled with a rare and immeasurable radiance.

Textual Questions and Exercises

Q1. In the first stanza, find words that show 

(i) that it was very cold.

(ii) that it was late evening.

(iii) that the traveller was alone.

Ans. (i) Rime

(ii) Starlight

(iii) Lonesomeness
Q2. (i) Something happened at Lyonnesse. It was
(a) improbable.

(b) impossible.

Ans. c) unforeseeable.
(ii) Pick out two lines from stanza 2 to justify your answer.
Ans. (ii) ‘No prophet durst declare;

Nor did the wisest wizard guess’
Q3.(i) Read the line (stanza 3) that implies the following.

‘Everyone noticed something, and they made

guesses, but didn’t speak a word’.

Ans. All marked with mute surmise’
(ii) Now read the line that refers to what they noticed,

Ans. ‘My radiance rare and fathomless’
Q4. How poet is feeling while travelling to lyonnesse?

 Ans. The poet is feeling lonely while travelling as no one accompanied him.

Q5. What changes occur in poet after he returned from Lyonnesse?

 Ans. When the poet returned from Lyonnesse he have strange glows in his eyes. It seemed as if he had magical eyes that glowed from inner radiance.

Q6. Which season is there when poet is travelling?

 Ans. The winter season is in the poem. This can be understood by the line: The rime was on the spray.