Complete Summary and Solutions for The Peacock – Woven Words NCERT Class XI English Elective, Chapter 1 – Summary, Explanation, Questions, Answers
A beautifully vivid poem by Sujata Bhatt that captures the elusive image and vibrant colors of the peacock through rich sensory details and metaphorical language. The poem explores themes of nature, attention, and perception. It includes detailed NCERT questions, answers, and exercises for Class XI.
Tags: The Peacock, Woven Words, NCERT, Class 11, English, Elective Course, Poetry, Summary, Explanation, Questions, Answers, Literature, Comprehension, Chapter 1
The Peacock - Sujata Bhatt | Woven Words Poetry Study Guide 2025
The Peacock
Sujata Bhatt | Woven Words Poetry - Ultimate Study Guide 2025
Introduction to Poetry - Woven Words
The word ‘poetry’ originates from a Greek word meaning ‘to make’. A poet is thus a maker and the poem something that is made or created. No single definition of poetry is possible but some characteristic features of poetry may be mentioned. Poetry has a musical quality with rhythm, pitch, metre; and it may use figures of speech such as simile and metaphor.
While quite a few poems in this selection are in traditional forms, the unit also includes modern poems that are free from formal restrictions.
Examples of ‘haiku’ and ‘limerick’ have been included to introduce learners to these forms and to make students look to poetry for fun. Students need not be set questions or tested on this.
Key Elements
Musicality: Rhythm, pitch, metre for auditory appeal.
Figurative Language: Simile, metaphor for vivid imagery.
Forms: Traditional (structured) vs. Modern (free verse).
Purpose: Evoke emotion, fun, reflection; no rigid definition.
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Author: Sujata Bhatt (born 1956)
Sujata Bhatt was educated in the USA and now lives in Germany. She won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for the Asia section for her collection of poems, Brunizem (1988), from which ‘The Peacock’ is taken. Two other books of poems by her are Monkey Shadows (1991) and The Stinking Rose (1994). She has also translated Gujarati poetry into English.
Free verse with rich, visual language; evokes fleeting beauty through precise, evocative details.
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Full Poem Text: The Peacock
His loud sharp call
seems to come from nowhere.
Then, a flash of turquoise
in the pipal tree
The slender neck arched away from you
as he descends,
and as he darts away, a glimpse
of the very end of his tail.
I was told
that you have to sit in the veranda
And read a book,
preferably one of your favourites
with great concentration..
The moment you begin to live
inside the book
A blue shadow will fall over you.
The wind will change direction,
The steady hum of bees
In the bushes nearby
will stop.
The cat will awaken and stretch.
Something has broken your attention;
And if you look up in time
You might see the peacock turning away as he gathers
his tail
To shut those dark glowing eyes,
Violet fringed with golden amber.
It is the tail that has to blink
For eyes that are always open.
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Poem Summary: English & Hindi (Stanza-wise Overview)
English Summary
The poem captures the elusive beauty of a peacock through sudden sensory surprises: its sharp call and turquoise flash in a pipal tree, followed by a fleeting glimpse of its tail as it darts away. The speaker recalls advice to immerse in a favorite book on the veranda; immersion invites the peacock's presence—marked by a blue shadow, shifting wind, silenced bees, and a stirring cat—disrupting focus just in time to witness it folding its iridescent tail, those "dark glowing eyes" (violet with golden amber) blinking shut, guarding eternally open true eyes.
Themes of wonder, patience, and nature's mystery unfold in free verse, blending observation with ritualistic invitation.
हिंदी सारांश
कविता मोर की लुभावनी, क्षणभंगुर सुंदरता को चित्रित करती है: अचानक तीखी पुकार और पीपल के पेड़ में फ़िरोज़ा चमक, फिर पूंछ का झलकते हुए भागना। वक्ता स्मरण करता है कि बरामदे में पसंदीदा किताब में डूबकर पढ़ें; यह मोर को आमंत्रित करता—नीला परछाई, हवा का मोड़, भौंरों का मौन, बिल्ली का जागना—ध्यान भंग कर, पूंछ मोड़ते हुए 'काले चमकते नेत्रों' (बैंगनी सुनहरी किनारी) को बंद करते देखने का मौका देता। पूंछ झपकती है हमेशा खुले सच्चे नेत्रों के लिए।
आश्चर्य, धैर्य और प्रकृति रहस्य की थीम मुक्त छंद में उभरती।
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Imagery & Structure Analysis
Overview
Free verse structure mirrors the peacock's elusive flight—unrhymed lines of varying length evoke spontaneity. Vivid sensory imagery (visual turquoise, auditory call, tactile shadow) builds a ritual of sighting, contrasting human immersion with nature's intrusion.
Stanza Breakdown
Stanza 1: Sudden appearance—sound to sight, building anticipation.
Stanza 2: Ritual invitation via reading; environmental cues signal presence.
Stanza 3: Climax in folding tail—metaphor of blinking eyes for guarded mystery.
Points to Ponder
Symbolism: Peacock as elusive beauty/art; tail-eyes suggest watchful nature.
Cultural Insight: Indian peacock evokes national pride, blended with introspective calm.
Tip: Note enjambment for fluid, darting rhythm.
Understanding the Poem
1. Comment on the lines that make you visualise the colourful image of the peacock.
Answer:
Lines like "a flash of turquoise / in the pipal tree" and "Violet fringed with golden amber" paint a vibrant, jewel-toned portrait, evoking the peacock's iridescent plumage against natural backdrops.
"Dark glowing eyes" on the tail add mystical depth, transforming feathers into watchful sentinels, heightening visual allure through synesthetic glow.
These details immerse readers in the bird's splendor, blending motion ("darts away") with static beauty for dynamic imagery.
2. What are the cues that signal the presence of the peacock in the vicinity?
Answer:
Initial "loud sharp call / seems to come from nowhere" announces invisibly, building suspense.
Subtle environmental shifts: "A blue shadow will fall over you," "wind will change direction," "steady hum of bees... will stop," and "cat will awaken and stretch" create a symphony of omens, disrupting tranquility to herald arrival.
These multisensory cues ritualize the sighting, emphasizing harmony's break as nature's alert.
3. How does the connection drawn between the tail and the eyes add to the descriptive detail of the poem?
Answer:
The metaphor "It is the tail that has to blink / For eyes that are always open" personifies the tail's "eyes" as protective veils, enriching description with anthropomorphic depth—feathers guard the bird's eternal vigilance.
This inversion (tail blinks for real eyes) symbolizes hidden truths, amplifying the peacock's enigma and visual poetry through layered symbolism.
It elevates mere plumage to philosophical motif, blending beauty with introspection.
4. How does the poem capture the elusive nature of the peacock?
Answer:
Fleeting glimpses—"a glimpse / of the very end of his tail" and "turning away as he gathers / his tail"—evoke transience, mirroring the bird's shy darting.
Ritual patience (immersed reading interrupted precisely) underscores rarity, positioning the peacock as a momentary epiphany in everyday life.
Overall, elusiveness heightens allure, transforming sighting into sacred, unattainable wonder.
5. The peacock is a colourful bird. How does the poem capture the various colours that its plumage displays?
Answer:
Specific hues—"turquoise," "blue shadow," "dark glowing eyes, / Violet fringed with golden amber"—layer sapphire, indigo, purple, and amber for prismatic vividness.
These colors contrast natural elements (pipal tree, veranda), making plumage pop ethereally.
Poem's palette evokes national bird's splendor, symbolizing India's vibrant heritage.
Talking about the Poem - Discussion Prompts
Discuss in pairs or small groups
1. In English the peacock is associated with pride. ‘As proud as a peacock’ is a commonly used simile. With what qualities is the peacock associated in the literature of your language?
Discussion Points:
In Hindi/Sanskrit literature (e.g., Kalidasa), peacock symbolizes romance (rain-dance caller) and beauty; contrast English pride—explore cultural lenses on vanity vs. grace.
Personal ties: Mythological links to Krishna's feather; discuss how Bhatt subverts to elusiveness, not ostentation.
Modern views: Environmental angle—peacock as biodiversity icon amid habitat loss.
2. The peacock is the national bird of India. Why do you think the peacock has been chosen?
Discussion Points:
Symbol of beauty/diversity (colors mirror India's pluralism); cultural reverence in epics/art.
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