HSC English First Paper - Unit Nine - Myths and Literature

Unit Nine: Myths and Literature

Lesson 1: Bengal's Face

1. Warm up activity:

□ What are myths? Look up the meaning of the word in a dictionary or search Google.

□ Do you think that there are myths to be found in Bangladeshi culture?

2. Now read the following poem by Jibanananda Das (1899-1954) in an English translation and then attempt to answer the questions that follow either by responding to your classroom teacher in English or by trying to write down answers in your notebook.

I Have Seen Bengal's Face¹

Because I have seen Bengal's face I will seek no more; 1

The world has not anything more beautiful to show me.

Waking up in darkness, gazing at the fig-tree, I behold

Dawn's swallows roosting under huge umbrella-like leaves. I look around me

And discover a leafy dome-Jam, Kanthal, Bat, Hijol and Aswatha trees- 5

All in a hush, shadowing clumps of cactus and zedoary bushes.

When long, long ago, Chand came in his honeycombed boat

To a blue Hijal, Bat and Tamal shade near the Champa, he too sighted

Bengal's incomparable beauty. One day, alas. In the Ganguri,

On a raft, as the waning moon sank on the river's sandbanks, 10

Behula too saw countless aswaths bats besides golden rice fields

And heard the thrush's soft song. One day, arriving in Amara,

Where gods held court, when she danced like a desolate wagtail,

Bengal's rivers, fields, flowers, wailed like strings of bells on her feet. 14

¹Translation of Jibanananda Das's "Banglar Mukh Ami Dekbiyachhi" by Fakrul Alam

3. Write down what you have guessed about the meaning of each of the following words from the context in which they have been used:

fig tree; roosting; dome; hush; honeycombed; waning; desolate; wagtail; wailed.

Now consult a dictionary or search Google for the words to see if you have guessed the meanings of the words correctly.

4. Discuss the following questions with members of your group and carry on the discussion in English as far as possible:

a. Have you heard about Chand Saudagar and Behula before? If so, in what context? Where is Ganguri and Amara?

b. Discuss with your class friends the Manasamangal medieval epic. Do you know of any modern Bengali versions of this epic?

c. Look up the story of Behula and Chand Saudagar from Wikipedia or Banglapedia. Make a summary in about 200-250 words.

d. How and why does Jibanananda Das use this mythical story in his poem?

e. The poem has fourteen lines and is divided into two thematic sections. What are such poems called in English and in Bangla?

5. Which of the following statements seem to be false and which true? Tick 'T' or 'F' after each statement to register your response:

a. The speaker saw the scene that he describes in his poem from a boat. T/F

b. The scene that he came across was noisy. T/F

c. Both Behula and Chand sailed down the river in a boat. T/F

d. The scene described in the second half of the poem is a very sad one. T/F

e. The poem is about a Bengal that is no more. T/F

6. Identify the parts of speech of the following words:

leafy (line 5); sighted (line 8); incomparable (line 9); besides (line 11); wagtail (line 13); strings (line 14).

7. Write down each answer in about 300 words:

a. What connection can you make among the speaker of the poem, the scene that he sees before him, and the story of Behula and Chand?

b. Line 9 offers a new idea and divides the poem into two. What, do you think, are the connections between the two sections?

c. Why does the poet use the medieval Bengali legend in his poem?

8. What other Bengali myths do you know about? Have you seen them represented in popular culture?

9. Follow up activity: Group Presentation

The Bangla poem first appeared in Jibanananda Das's collection of poems called Ruposhi Bangla, or in English, "Beautiful Bengal." As a group, find out more information about the poet, the book of poems, and its publication history and make group presentations on these topics in the next class in English.

  

Lesson 2: Orpheus

1. Warm-up activity:

Discuss the following questions:

□ Have you read Kazi Nazrul Islam's "Bidrahi" in Bengali? If so, did you find the use of any myths in the poem? If not, consider it your homework. Read "Bidrohi" at home for discussion in class later.

□ Were any of the myths associated with music and a musician?

2. Read the following passage and then fill in each gap with an appropriate word from the list given below.

Orpheus was the son of Apollo and the Muse Calliope. He was presented by his father with a lyre and taught to (i)………….. upon it, which he did to such perfection that nothing could withstand the (ii) ………….. of his music. Not only his fellow mortals, but (iii) …………..  animals were softened by his music. The very trees and rocks were charmed by him. The former crowded (iv) ………….. him and the latter relaxed somewhat of (v) …………..  hardness, softened by his notes.

i.   a) drum       b) play    c) jump         d) disco

ii.  a) charm     b) peace  c) silence      d) satisfaction

iii. a) tame       b) wild    c) rough        d) regular

iv.  a) on          b) for       c) around      d) below

v.   a) the         b) their     c) these         d) that

3. Answer the following questions:

a. Who were Orpheus's parents?

b. What is Orpheus famous for?

c. What was the impact of his music on human beings?

d. How did animals react to it?

e. What would be a suitable title for this passage?

4. Discuss with a friend in English the following:

a. What part music plays in your life

b. What kind of music you like

c. Who your favorite singers/bands are

d. Which musical programmes you listen to and where

5. Write a paragraph of about 150 words describing the effect music has on you.

6. Match the words in Column A with the appropriate word in Column B:

Column A	Column B
a. play	i. a guitar
b. perform	ii. in an orchestra
c. sing	iii. a horn
d. blow	iv. a song
e. strum	v. the drums

Lesson 3: The Legend of Gazi

Warm up activity:

Discuss the following questions:

□ What is meant by indigenous art?

□ Have you Been paat or scroll paintings?

□ If so, what arc some of the images depicted in them?

□ What other form* of indigenous art tan you think of?

2. Now read the following text and answer the questions that follow:

The Legend of Gazi

According to some myths and legends, Gazi Pir was a Muslim saint who is said to have spread Islam in the part of Bengal close to flue Sunderbans. He was credited with many miracles. For example, he could supposedly calm dangerous animals and make them docile. He is usually depicted in pants or scroll paintings tiding a fierce-looking Bengal tiger, a snake in his hand, but in no apparent danger. According to some stories, he also fought crocodiles who threatened the people of a region full of canals and cracker, indeed, a kid of watery jungle bordering the Bay of Bengal.

Because of his alert and vigilant presence, all predatory animals were said to have been kept within bounds. It was also believed that he enabled villages? to live close to forests and jungles and cultivate their lands. Consequently, people of these regions would pray to him fw protection. The story ofGazi Pir has beai preserved in folk literature as well as ait and has been performed in indigenous theater. In fact, some Gazir paat scrolls are part of the collection of foe British Museum.

3. Find out the meanings of the following words:

a. legends

b. docile

c. scroll

d. creeks

e. vigilant

f. predatory

g. collection

4. Answer the following questions:

a. According to some myths and legends, what kind of extraordinary power did Gazi have?

b. What was the geographical nature of the region where Gazi performed his miracles?

c. Why, do you think, was Gazi admired in parts of rural Bangladesh for a long time?

d. What are the different art forms in which the myth of Gazi is kept alive in Bangladesh and even outside the country?

5. Notice that the passage about Gazi contains words and phrases such as 'for example', 'also', 'indeed', 'consequently' and 'in fact'. These words and phrases are used either for emphasis or for transitions. What part of speech do these words belong to? Which of them are used for emphasis and which for transitions? Why are they needed in the passage and how different would the passage be without them?

Now make some sentences with these words and phrases. You will find that you will need more than a sentence for some of them.

Finally, try to make a list with these and similar adverb words and phrases that you can use for emphasis and transitions.

6. Which of the following statements seem to be false and which true? TickT* or 'F' after each statement to register your response:

a. Gazi was admired and followed because of the miracles he could perform. T/F

b. The miracles of Gazi are followed by people in all parts of Bangladesh. T/F

c. Gazi was said to have helped people in settling down in the southeastern parts of Bangladesh T/F

d. Gazi's deeds are celebrated in folk art and theatre. T/F

e. Gazi paats are to be found on display only in Bangladesh. T/F

7. Write a paragraph of about 150 words explaining what folk art is and your personal experience of some forms of folk art.

8. Follow up activity: Group Presentation

In class, discuss the different forms of the folk art of Bangladesh. Then form groups where each group should give a presentation on one of these forms.

Lesson 4: Hercules

1. Warm-up activity:

Discuss the following questions:

□ What is Hercules famous for?

□ What does it mean when someone says about a man, "He Is like Hercules"?

□ Do you know of other heroes who have comparable stories - either through your reading or from watching films and television?

2. Read the following passage about Hercules and answer the questions that follow:

Hercules was the son of Jupiter and Alcmena. Eurystheus, the King of Mycenae and his cousin, made him undergo some difficult tasks, which are known in Greek myths as the 'twelve labours of Hercules/ The first involved a light with a lion. The valley of Neoiea was being disturbed by a terrible lion and so Eurystheus ordered Hercules to slay the beast and bring him his skin. At first, Hercules tried to fight the lion with his club and arrows but this took him nowhere. Then Hercules attempted a different tactic: he decided he would use his hands. He thus managed to slay the animal on his own, relying entirely on his immense strength. Victorious, he returned to Mycenae carrying the dead lion on his shoulders, a sight that terrified the King.

His next task was to slay a monster called Hydra that was ravaging the country of Argos. The Hydra had nine heads, of which the middle one was said to be immortal. Our hero struck off its heads with his club, but whenever he knocked off a head, two new ones erupted in its place. Eventually with the help of his devoted servant lolaus, Hercules succeeded in burning all the heads of the Hydra except the ninth or immortal one, which he decided to bury under a huge rock. In other words, Hercules triumphed again, as he would every time he was given an impossible task by Eurystheus! And this is how he began to acquire the reputation of a hero possessing immense strength throughout the world.

3. Write the meanings of the following phrases:

a. had to undergo

b. involved a fight with

c. took him nowhere

d. a different tactic

e. entirely on his own

f. a sight

g. succeeded in

h. acquire a reputation

Now attempt to write five sentences with each of these phrases in your notebook.

4. Answer the following questions:

a. Describe in your own words the 'first labour' of Hercules?

b. How was Hercules's 'second labour' different from the first one?

c. What are some of the qualities that made Hercules succeed in impossible tasks?

d. Why did Hercules bury the ninth head of Hydra?

e. What reasons can you find for calling Hercules a hero?

5. Which of the following statements seem to be false and which true? Tick 'T' or 'F' after each statement to register your response.

a. Hercules decided to accomplish impossible tasks because he wanted to be a hero. T/F

b. The king was impressed when he saw Hercules after his first victory. T/F

c. Hercules managed to defeat Hydra entirely on his own. T/F

d. Hercules ended up burying all parts of Hydra. T/F

e. Every time he was given an impossible task, Hercules succeeded in doing it. T/F

6. Write a paragraph of about 150 words on a heroic man or woman that you heard or read about in your childhood. Explain in your account whether the story was a true or a mythical one, and why you consider the person you have described to be heroic.

7. Make a list of 10 prepositions you have come across in the passage. Now make sentences with each of these prepositions.

8. Follow up activity: Group Presentation

Who are some of the famous heroes of Bangladeshi History? For the next class, divide into groups and prepare brief presentations on a few Bangladeshi heroes famous for their fighting abilities.