Sea Fever by John Masefield | Madhyamik English Question and Answer
Sea Fever by John Masefield is an important poem for WBBSE Class 10 English. The poem expresses the speaker’s deep and irresistible longing to return to the sea. The repeated desire to “go down to the seas again” creates the central mood of the poem.
The poet imagines the sea, the wind, the gulls, the whale, the running tide, the ship and the open sky as parts of a life he cannot resist. The poem presents the sea voyage not merely as a journey but as a strong emotional and spiritual attraction. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Sea Fever – Madhyamik English Question and Answer
This article brings together the important MCQs, True or False questions, fill-in-the-chart work, short questions and descriptive questions connected with Sea Fever. The focus remains on the poet’s desire for the sea, his ideal voyage, the sea’s call and the life he wishes to lead. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
Sea Fever – MCQ Questions and Answers
1. The poet asks for a sail the colour of which would be —
(A) Blue (B) Grey (C) Black (D) White2. While going down to the sea, the poet wants to hear the crying of —
(A) Seagulls (B) Cuckoos (C) Eagles (D) Swallows3. The wind on the sea is like a whetted —
(A) Sword (B) Axe (C) Knife (D) Spear4. The poet must go down to the —
(A) Hills (B) Seas (C) Plains (D) Rivers5. The ship that the poet wants should be —
(A) Small (B) Short (C) Tall (D) Narrow6. To steer the ship, the poet asks for a —
(A) Star (B) Bird (C) Compass (D) Moon7. The poet wants to hear a __________ yarn from a fellow rover.
(A) sad (B) merry (C) tragic (D) serious8. The poet wants the wind to be like a —
(A) flower (B) cloud (C) whetted knife (D) featherSea Fever – True or False with Supporting Statements
1. To steer the ship the poet needs the moon.
Answer: False.
2. The call of the running tide is wild and clear.
Answer: True.
3. The poet is going out to the sea for the first time.
Answer: False.
4. The poet wishes to set out on a breezy day.
Answer: True.
5. The poet wants to live a settled life in one particular place.
Answer: False.
6. The wind is compared to a whetted knife.
Answer: True.
Sea Fever – Fill in the Chart
The poet hears the call of the running tide.
Effect: He feels that he must go down to the seas again.
The call is wild and clear.
Effect: The poet cannot deny the call of the sea.
Sea Fever – Short Questions and Answers
1. During what time of the day does the poet wish to go down to the seas?
Answer: The poet wishes to go when the dawn is breaking.
2. What kind of day does the poet prefer for sailing?
Answer: The poet prefers a windy day with white clouds flying.
3. What does the poet want to hear from a fellow rover?
Answer: He wants to hear a merry yarn from a fellow rover.
4. What is meant by “sea-fever”?
Answer: “Sea-fever” means an uncontrollable or irresistible desire to go to the sea.
5. Where must the poet go down to?
Answer: The poet must go down to the seas.
6. How is the call of the running tide described?
Answer: The call of the running tide is described as wild and clear and impossible to deny.
7. Why must the poet go down to the seas again?
Answer: He must return to the sea because its call is irresistible and creates a strong longing within him.
8. How does the poet want his ship to be?
Answer: The poet wants his ship to be tall.
9. What does the poet want to see on the sea’s face?
Answer: The poet wants to see a grey mist on the sea’s face.
10. Which star is referred to in the poem?
Answer: The star refers to the guiding star used to steer the ship.
11. What kind of life does the poet desire?
Answer: The poet desires the vagrant gypsy life associated with wandering and freedom.
12. With what has the wind been compared?
Answer: The wind has been compared to a whetted knife.
13. What does the poet want after the long journey?
Answer: After the long journey, the poet wants to sleep and dream.
Important Questions and Answers
1. What does the poet desire for himself?
Answer: The poet strongly desires to go on a sea voyage. The attraction of the sea is so powerful that he feels unable to resist its call.
2. What does the poet want in the first stanza of Sea Fever?
Answer: In the first stanza, the poet wants a tall ship, a star to steer her by, the call of the running tide, a windy day with white clouds, and the crying of the sea-gulls.
3. Why can the poet not deny the call of the running tide?
Answer: The poet cannot deny it because the call of the running tide is wild and clear. It creates such a strong emotional pull that he feels compelled to return to the sea.
4. Why does the poet want a tall ship?
Answer: The tall ship represents the kind of vessel the poet imagines for his desired sea voyage. It is part of the freedom and adventure he seeks at sea.
5. Why does the poet ask for a star to steer the ship?
Answer: The poet asks for a star as a natural guide for steering the ship during his voyage.
6. Why does the poet want to hear the crying of the sea-gulls?
Answer: The cry of the sea-gulls forms part of the natural atmosphere of the sea that the poet longs to experience. It strengthens the feeling of freedom and adventure.
7. Why does the poet choose the life of the gypsies?
Answer: The poet is attracted to the freedom and wandering spirit of the gypsy life. He wants to escape a fixed, settled existence and experience movement and adventure.
8. Why does the poet compare the wind to a whetted knife?
Answer: The comparison emphasizes the sharp, powerful and cutting force of the wind at sea.
9. What does the poet want at the end of the voyage?
Answer: After the long voyage or “long trick,” the poet wants to sleep and dream.
10. What is the attitude of the poet in Sea Fever?
Answer: The poet’s attitude is one of deep attraction and longing for the sea. He feels emotionally connected with the life of a sailor and cannot resist the sea’s call.
Sea Fever – Central Idea
The central idea of Sea Fever is the irresistible attraction of the sea. The poet repeatedly expresses his desire to return to the seas and experience the freedom, movement and adventure of a sailor’s life.
The sea is presented through vivid natural images: a breaking dawn, a windy day, white clouds, sea-gulls, the running tide, the grey mist, the whale’s way and the sharp sea-wind. These images together create the atmosphere of a life that is wild, free and constantly moving. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
The most important idea in the poem is the poet’s irresistible longing for the sea. The phrase “the call of the running tide” represents a powerful attraction that the poet cannot refuse.
Sea Fever – Major Themes
| Theme | How It Appears in the Poem |
|---|---|
| Love for the Sea | The poet repeatedly expresses his desire to return to the sea. |
| Freedom | The poet is attracted to a wandering and unrestricted life. |
| Adventure | The sea voyage, ship, wind and wandering life create a spirit of adventure. |
| Nature | The poem is filled with images of sea-gulls, clouds, wind, tide and mist. |
| Longing | The repeated wish to return to the sea expresses a deep emotional desire. |
Sea Fever – Important Literary Images
- Grey mist on the sea’s face: creates a mysterious maritime atmosphere.
- White clouds flying: suggests movement and freedom.
- Crying of the sea-gulls: emphasizes the natural soundscape of the sea.
- Running tide: represents the irresistible call of the sea.
- Whetted knife: conveys the sharp force of the wind.
- Vagrant gypsy life: symbolizes a wandering and unrestricted existence.
Sea Fever – Quick Revision Table
| Question Point | Quick Answer |
|---|---|
| Poet | John Masefield |
| Central desire | To go down to the seas again |
| Ideal ship | A tall ship |
| Guide for the ship | A star |
| Preferred weather | A windy day with white clouds |
| Sea-bird mentioned | Seagull |
| Wind compared with | A whetted knife |
| Desired lifestyle | Vagrant gypsy life |
| Meaning of sea-fever | Irresistible desire to go to the sea |
| Final desire | To sleep and dream after the long journey |
How to Prepare Sea Fever for Madhyamik English
Start by reading the complete poem carefully and understanding why the poet repeatedly wants to return to the sea. Then revise the important images and details mentioned in each stanza.
Read the poem → understand the poet’s longing → revise the sea, wind, ship and sky imagery → practise MCQs → prepare True/False → write short answers → revise the central theme.
Focus Areas for Examination
- Why the poet must go down to the seas again.
- What kind of ship and weather the poet wants.
- Why he asks for a star to steer the ship.
- What the “call of the running tide” means.
- The meaning of “sea-fever.”
- Why the wind is compared to a whetted knife.
- Why the poet wants the vagrant gypsy life.
- What the poet wants after the long voyage.
Conclusion
Sea Fever by John Masefield is a poem of intense longing for the sea and the freedom of a sailor’s life. The poet imagines a tall ship, a guiding star, windy weather, white clouds, sea-gulls, the running tide and the sharp sea-wind as essential parts of the life he desires.
For WBBSE Class 10 preparation, students should pay particular attention to the meaning of “sea-fever,” the call of the running tide, the tall ship, the guiding star, the whetted knife comparison, the vagrant gypsy life and the poet’s desire to sleep and dream after the long journey. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
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