Extra Questions and Answers
from the Poem Palm Tree
by Rabindranath Tagore
🌴 Palm Tree by Rabindranath Tagore – Summary
Rabindranath Tagore’s poem Palm Tree beautifully personifies a tall palm tree as a restless, ambitious being. The tree, standing high above others, appears to stretch endlessly upward, as if yearning to touch the sky. It wishes to break free from its roots and climb beyond earthly bounds. Tagore describes how the palm tree, despite its height, feels confined, longing for freedom and vastness like a bird flying to distant lands. Yet, its roots firmly bind it to the ground. The poem reflects the human desire for growth, ambition, and liberation, while also reminding us of the limitations imposed by nature and destiny.
Another Summary
In Palm Tree, Rabindranath Tagore presents the tall palm tree as a symbol of restless ambition. The tree seems eager to rise higher and higher, yearning to touch the sky and escape earthly ties. Its tall, slender form gives the impression of a creature constantly striving upward, dissatisfied with its rooted condition. The tree wishes it could travel like a bird, reaching distant lands and seas, free from limitations. Yet, despite its height and aspiration, it remains tied to the earth by its roots. The poem becomes a metaphor for human ambition, showing our desire to reach beyond limits, while also reminding us that certain constraints—like responsibilities, duties, and destiny—bind us firmly to reality.
Line-by-Line Meaning
“Palm-tree: single-legged giant,
Toppling skyward at the night,”
👉 The palm tree is described as a giant with a single leg (its tall trunk). It seems to rise endlessly upward, especially at night, as though trying to touch the sky.
“With your hundred arms to heaven,
Like a hermit’s prayer in light,”
👉 The palm’s long leaves (arms) stretch upward like hands raised in prayer. The image compares the tree to a hermit or saint yearning for the divine, symbolizing aspiration.
“Standing in a lonely silence,
Listening to the mother ground,”
👉 The palm tree appears solitary, standing silently, but always connected to and listening to the earth (its roots). This shows its dependence on the ground despite its lofty ambition.
“What if all the birds have flown,
Still your arms are reaching round.”
👉 Even if no birds come to rest on it, the tree continues stretching its arms toward the sky. This shows endless yearning, even without reward.
“Skyward thrusting, restless, ceaseless,
Hoping still to climb and rise—”
👉 The tree’s restless ambition is highlighted. It keeps thrusting upward, never satisfied, always dreaming of rising higher.
“O palm-tree, how like man’s spirit,
Bound by roots it vainly tries.”
👉 The poet compares the palm tree to human ambition. Like the tree, man’s spirit is restless, wanting freedom and expansion, but tied down by life’s roots—responsibilities, limitations, and destiny.
Part A: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
Who is the poet of “Palm Tree”?
a) Sarojini Naidu
b) Rabindranath Tagore
c) Toru Dutt
d) William Wordsworth
Answer: b) Rabindranath Tagore
What natural object is personified in the poem?
a) A river
b) A mountain
c) A palm tree
d) A star
Answer: c) A palm tree
What does the palm tree aspire to reach?
a) The earth
b) The sky
c) The sea
d) The wind
Answer: b) The sky
Which poetic device is dominant in the poem?
a) Simile
b) Personification
c) Alliteration
d) Hyperbole
Answer: b) Personification
What binds the palm tree to the earth?
a) Its branches
b) Its roots
c) Its leaves
d) Its flowers
Answer: b) Its roots
The palm tree symbolizes—
a) Contentment
b) Ambition and yearning
c) Wealth
d) Beauty alone
Answer: b) Ambition and yearning
What quality of man does the palm tree reflect?
a) Humility
b) Desire for freedom and growth
c) Laziness
d) Fear of failure
Answer: b) Desire for freedom and growth
What kind of poem is Palm Tree?
a) Satirical
b) Narrative
c) Lyric
d) Ballad
Answer: c) Lyric
Why does the palm tree feel restless?
a) It wants to grow wider
b) It wants to reach beyond the earth
c) It wants to bear fruit
d) It wants to shed leaves
Answer: b) It wants to reach beyond the earth
What theme dominates the poem?
a) Nature’s cruelty
b) Human ambition vs. limitation
c) Joy of simplicity
d) Love for homeland
Answer: b) Human ambition vs. limitation
Part B: One-Line Answers
Who wrote Palm Tree?
Answer: Rabindranath Tagore.
What does the palm tree symbolize?
Answer: Human ambition and the desire for freedom.
What is the tree trying to touch?
Answer: The sky.
Why is the tree compared to a bird?
Answer: Because it wishes to fly beyond its limits.
What binds the tree to the ground?
Answer: Its roots.
What human quality is reflected in the tree’s ambition?
Answer: Restlessness and yearning for something higher.
What type of imagery is used in the poem?
Answer: Natural imagery and personification.
What emotion does the palm tree convey?
Answer: Longing and aspiration.
What is the central conflict in the poem?
Answer: Desire for limitless growth vs. the reality of being rooted.
What poetic form is Palm Tree?
Answer: A lyrical poem.
Part C: Short Answer Questions (3–4 sentences)
How does Tagore personify the palm tree?
Answer: Tagore gives the palm tree human qualities of ambition and restlessness. It appears as if the tree is yearning to touch the sky and escape the earth’s grip.
What does the palm tree symbolize in human life?
Answer: It symbolizes man’s restless ambition, his desire for progress, freedom, and the urge to go beyond boundaries.
Why does the palm tree feel restless?
Answer: The palm tree is tall and powerful, yet feels restricted by its roots. It longs to soar higher, like a bird, beyond earthly ties.
How does the palm tree reflect human ambition?
Answer: Just as humans constantly aspire for greater heights and freedom, the palm tree too stretches upward, dreaming of the unattainable sky.
What role do roots play in the poem?
Answer: The roots represent limitations and responsibilities that keep the palm tree tied to the earth despite its desire to fly.
Why does Tagore compare the palm tree to a bird?
Answer: Because both share the longing to travel, to fly beyond limits, and to explore new horizons.
What mood does the poem create?
Answer: A mood of yearning, ambition, and inner conflict between desire and limitation.
What lesson does the poem teach us?
Answer: It teaches us that while ambition is natural, we must also accept life’s limitations.
How does the imagery enhance the poem?
Answer: The imagery of the tall tree, the sky, and flight makes the theme of aspiration vivid and powerful.
What is the central theme of the poem?
Answer: Human ambition and the conflict between dreams and reality.
Part D: Brief Answer Questions (5–6 sentences)
Describe the palm tree’s ambition as shown in the poem.
Answer: The palm tree desires to grow beyond its natural limits. Standing tall, it stretches upward as though trying to touch the sky. It imagines itself free, like a bird, flying into vast distances. However, its roots hold it firmly to the earth, symbolizing life’s restrictions.
How is the palm tree symbolic of human beings?
Answer: Like the palm tree, human beings also aspire to achieve more, to go higher, and to break limitations. Yet responsibilities, duties, and reality keep them grounded. The tree becomes a metaphor for man’s restless ambition and inability to escape destiny.
Explain the conflict presented in the poem.
Answer: The conflict is between the tree’s desire for freedom and its bondage to the ground. While the tree yearns to escape and touch the sky, it cannot overcome its roots. This conflict mirrors human life where dreams often clash with limitations.
What imagery does Tagore use to express ambition?
Answer: Tagore uses the imagery of height, sky, flight, and roots. The tree’s tallness symbolizes ambition, the sky represents dreams, and roots stand for reality and bondage.
Why is the poem relatable to human life?
Answer: The poem reflects universal human emotions of ambition, desire, and restlessness. Everyone aspires to achieve beyond their current state but must also deal with life’s restrictions, making the poem deeply relatable.
What role does nature play in the poem?
Answer: Nature acts as a mirror of human life. The palm tree, a part of nature, is given human emotions to express the universal struggle between aspiration and limitation.
How does the poem balance aspiration and acceptance?
Answer: While it highlights the palm tree’s ambition, it also reminds us that roots symbolize necessary ties to reality. Ambition must coexist with acceptance.
What tone does Tagore use in the poem?
Answer: The tone is reflective and philosophical, expressing longing but also quiet acceptance.
How does the palm tree represent restlessness?
Answer: Despite standing tall, the palm tree is not content. It stretches endlessly upward, restless to touch something beyond reach.
What makes Palm Tree a timeless poem?
Answer: Its universal theme of ambition and limitation, vivid imagery, and philosophical depth make it timeless and relatable across generations.
Part E: Long Answer Questions (150–200 words)
Explain how Tagore uses the palm tree as a metaphor for human ambition.
Answer: In Palm Tree, Rabindranath Tagore beautifully uses the image of a tall palm tree as a metaphor for human ambition. The tree stretches upward endlessly, as though yearning to touch the sky. This symbolizes mankind’s constant struggle to reach beyond what is possible, to achieve greater heights, and to break free from limitations. However, just like the tree is bound by its roots, humans too are tied by responsibilities, relationships, and the limitations of life. The palm tree’s desire to soar like a bird reflects our dreams of freedom and success, but the reality of being grounded emphasizes that every ambition has its boundaries. The poem portrays the universal conflict between aspiration and destiny, restlessness and acceptance. Through natural imagery, Tagore suggests that while ambition is a natural human instinct, it is equally important to accept life’s ties that bind us to the earth.
Discuss the central theme of the poem Palm Tree.
Answer: The central theme of Palm Tree is the conflict between human ambition and natural limitations. The palm tree, with its tall height, symbolizes aspiration, while its roots signify the unavoidable restrictions of life. Tagore highlights the universal human desire to rise higher, to achieve the unattainable, and to be free like a bird. Yet, just like the tree cannot escape its roots, humans too cannot entirely free themselves from responsibilities and realities. The poem becomes a philosophical reflection on human life, suggesting that ambition is noble, but one must balance it with acceptance of destiny.