Poem-2 “Quality of Mercy”
Multiple choice questions
1.The quality of mercy is compared toA. fire B. sceptre C.crown D. the gentle rain from heaven
2.Scepter shows only
A. Earthly power B. a temporal power C.Royal power D. forced power
3.Whose attribute does Quality of mercy stand for ? It stands for the attribute of
A. Man B. Devil C. kings D.God .
4.The quality of Mercy is blessed
A. once B.twice C.thrice D.many times
5. According to Portia “Throned king” is better than his
A.crown B. Army C. kingdom D. ancestors
6. According to Portia the mightiest in the mightiest is
A quality of justice B. The quality of bravery C.The quality of Mercy D.The quality of cruelty
7. The poem”Quality of mercy ” is an extract from Shakespeare’s play
A. Macbeth B. KingLear C.The Tempest D.The merchant of Venice
8.Who speaks about the quality of mercy?
A. William Shakespeare B.Portia C. The king D. Antonio
9) According to Portia the earthly power looks like divine when The Quality of Mercy Tempers
A.royal power B. bravery C. justice D.humanity
10) The quality of mercy is not strained .It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven-The figure of speech used here is
A. personification B.metaphor C. simile D.synecdoche
Answer the following questions in two or three sentences(2 marks)
1. Mercy is compared to something in the poem ‘The quality of Mercy’. What is it? How is this comparison apt? Justify your answer Ans: Mercy is compared to the gentle rain from the sky to the earth. Yes, the comparison is apt. Because the quality of mercy in man is as important as rain to the earth.
2.Portia says that mercy is twice blessed. What does she mean by this?
Ans:The quality of mercy is blessed twice. It is blessed by the one who gives and the one who receives.
3.’Sceptre shows the force of temporal power’.In contrast, what or whose quality does mercy stand for?
Ans: scepter is a symbol of the temporal power or the earthly power of the kings. It is an attribute of awe and fear of kings. But the quality of mercy is the divine power of God.
3. The speaker compares the power of the king with the power of mercy, saying that mercy is the mightiest of the mightiest. How does she justify this?
Ans: The power of the kings is temporal because this power is the result of dread and fear of kings. But mercy is a divine quality of God. If any king has a heart of mercy, then he can enjoy the divine power.
4. The poem ‘The quality of Mercy’has fourteen lines.But it is not a sonnet. Look at the ending of the lines and justify the above statement.
Ans: This poem has fourteen lines but it is not a sonnet. Because Shakespearean sonnets have three quatrains and a couplet. The idea expressed by the quatrains is summed up in the couplet. But in the poem’ Quality of Mercy’. the poem is divided into 5+5+4. So the poem is not a sonnet.
Extracts(3 marks)
Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow:-1. “It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blest”
A. What is compared to the gentle rain from heaven? Ans. : Mercy
B. Why does the speaker feel it is twice blest?
Ans.: According to the speaker, the person who shows mercy and the person who receives mercy is also blest
C. What is blessed twice? Ans: The quality of mercy is blessed twice.
2. “His sceptre shows the force of temporal power.”
A. How does the sceptre show temporal power? Ans.: The sceptre creates fear among people.
B. In contrast, what quality does mercy stand for? Ans.: Mercy stands for divine quality and it flows from the heart.
C. What does scepter stand for? Ans: Scepter stands for temporal or earthly power.
3. “Its mightiest in the mightiest”
A. What is the mightiest thing here? Ans.: Mercy
B. How is it mightier? Ans.: Quality of Mercy is more powerful than all the symbols of power on earth.
C. When does it become the mightiest? Ans : When the mercy is blessed, it becomes mightiest.
4. “It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes”
A. How does it bless the one who gives? Ans.: The giver gets the blessing as he has helped the other person.
B. How does it bless the one who takes? Ans.: The taker is blest because he is forgiven
C. What does ‘it’ refer to? Ans.: It refers to mercy
6. “Mercy is above the Sceptred sway.”
A. What is a Sceptre? Ans.: It is a decorated rod carried by monarchs.
B. How is mercy above the Sceptred sway? Ans.: Mercy is a divine quality or Godly power whereas Sceptre is an earthly temporal power.
C. Why is the scepter said to possess temporal power? Ans: Because the power of scepter is an attribute of awe and fear of kings.
Essay type question (4 marks)
Write the summary of the poem”quality of Mercy” Ans: The poem quality of Mercy is written by William Shakespeare for the play “The Merchant of Venice”. Portia One of the main characters in the play argues why mercy is the greatest virtue of all. According to Portia the quality of mercy is not strained and it is as gentle as rain to the earth. It is divine and blessed twice, both by the giver and by the taker. It is the mightiest of all the human virtues. Portia argues that the king is more important than his crown. She says scepter shows only the force of temporal power which is only a result of awe and royal power. It is full of dread and fear of kings. But the quality of mercy is above that sceptred power. The quality of mercy should be enthroned in the heart of kings as it is an attribute of God. When the quality of mercy tempers justice, then the earthly power looks like Divine power.
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