Another Woman

           

Important Question Answers of the Poem

Another Woman

 

1.The woman thought of buying a white radish but later on decided against it thinking it an extravagance. Do you think it is an extravagance? Support your answer.

Ans: Normally buying a white radish is not an extravagance. But it is an extravagance for the woman in the poem. First, her mother-in-law always scolds her about their expenditure. Secondly, they are very poor. So the woman thought that it was unnecessary expenditure.

 

2. What does the phrase ‘mother-in-law’s dark looks’ suggest?

Ans: The phrase, ‘mother-in-law’s dark looks’ suggests that she is angry with her daughter-in-law. She never treats her daughter-in-law with love and affection. She thinks that her daughter-in-law is her natural enemy.

 

3. “The usual words came and beat…..”(line 19). Where did the words come from? Why?

Ans: The words come from her mother-in-law. Mother-in-law scolds her saying she spends extra money. She also blames daughter-in-law’s parents. Her words beat the young women. Yet she suffers in silence.

 

4. Why did the woman crouch on the floor? (line 24)

Ans: The woman crouches on the floor. That shows her modesty. It also expresses her obedience and submissive nature. She also tries to convey to her mother-in-law her position in that home.

 

5. Why do you think the woman bent her back a little more when her husband came home? Was her husband helpful? Support your answer quoting from the poem.

Ans: The woman bent her back a little more when her husband came home. This shows, he was not helpful to her. He was unconcerned about her feelings. He listened to his mother’s harsh words. Yet he didn’t say a single word. So she did not have faith in him.

 

6. What does the phrase ‘as usual’ suggest?

Ans: The phrase ‘as usual’ suggests that the mother-in-law’s scolding her is common. It is not new and no hope it change.

 

7. The last line of the first stanza talks about the woman shielding her face from heat where as the last line of the poem talks about people shielding their face from the heat. How are they different?

Ans: In the first stanza, the woman shielding her face from heat. She tries to protect herself from the heat of the stove. The last line of the poem suggests that the people are turning their faces from the harsh realities of our society. Though the people know about the sufferings being faced by the women, no one comes forward to act against it.