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Karnataka State Syllabus Class 10 English Poem Chapter 9 Buttoo
Buttoo Questions and Answers, Summary, Notes
Pre – Reading Activity:
Our great epics Ramayana and Mahabharata reflect the highest forms of our culture and tradition. They also present a galaxy of idealistic characters who personify the noblest human qualities. Can you name one such character from our great Epics? And say why you chose that character. In pairs, share with your partner.
Answer:
There are many great characters in the Mahabharata. To name a few:
- Lord Krishna – for his wisdom, cunningness, sense of justice
- Dharmaraya/Yudhisthira – for his truthfulness and sense of justice
- Kama – for his loyalty, humility, courage, bravery, generosity
- Draupadi – for her intelligence, courage, fortitude.
- Ekalavya – for his sincerity, selflessness, humility
- Gandhari – for her loyalty towards her husband, intelligence
- Bhishma – for his loyalty to the families of the Kauravas and the Pandavas
- Arjuna – for his excellence at various martial skills, courage
II. Comprehension Questions
A. Answer the following questions briefly.
Question 1.
Why had Buttoo gone to Dronacharya?
Answer:
Buttoo had gone to Dronacharya to learn the science of archery.
Question 2.
How did Drona respond to Buttoo’s request?
Answer:
Buttoo was neither from a royal family nor rich. Hence he was rejected and driven away.
Question 3.
“I came here to learn ‘thy science’, says Buttoo? What does ‘thy science’ refer to?
Answer:
Dronachaiya’s science refers to his expertise in archery.
Question 4.
Why did Buttoo revere Drona as his master?
Answer:
Buttoo revered Drona as his master because Drona was the best in archery, and Buttoo got his inspiration and knowledge from him.
Question 5.
Buttoo says “All that I have, all I shall conquer by my skill, gladly shall I to thee resign”. This shows Buttoo’s
a. reverence to Drona
b. generosity
c. gratitude
d. foolishness
Answer:
(a) reverence to Drona.
Question 6.
“Rash promises ever ends in strife.” By saying this Drona is
a) warning Buttoo of unpleasant consequences
b) offering Buttoo a chance to change his stance
c) hinting that his demand for recompense could be damaging or destructive to Buttoo
d) regretting the rash promise he had made to Arjuna
Answer:
Both (c) and (d).
Question 7.
What did Drona seek from Buttoo as recompense?
Answer:
Drona asked for Buttoo’s right-hand thumb as recompense.
Question 8.
What justification did Drona give for his unfair demand?
Answer:
He says that he had promised Arjuna that he shall make Arjuna the best archer ever, and there shall be no equal to Arjuna at Archery.
Question 9.
“Buttoo”, a small extract from a very long poem is composed in an Epic form. It makes use of archaic words like “unto”, “thee” (line 1). Pick out the other archaic words from this extract.
Answer:
‘thy’, ‘lo\ ‘thou’, ‘hast’, ‘wilt’, ‘canst’, ‘aught’.
Question 10.
The poem makes use of the dialogue form. The two speakers in the poem are Drona and Buttoo. Identify the lines/passages spoken by each of the two.
Answer:
Drona: “It I’m Master ……… between us new,”
“It is a promise ?”
“Beware! Rash promise ever ends in strife.”
“If it is so – Arjuna hear !”
“For thy sake ………. for thee.”
“For this ……….. Modesty.”
Buttoo: “Oh Master, unto thee ………. from thee.”
“All that I have ………. they gracious will.”
“Yes. I swear ………… thou wilt.”
“Thou art my Master …………. from blame.”
B. Close Study:
Read the following extracts carefully. Discuss in pairs and then write the answers to the questions given below them:
Question 1.
“I press for this sad recompense”, says Drona.
a) What does ‘sad recompense’ refer to?
Answer:
‘Sad recompense” refers to the compensation or the fee that Dronachaiya is asking from Buttoo for having learnt archery indirectly from him.
b) What does it tell us about Drona?
Answer:
It tells us that Drona is a very shrewd person, and also a person of his word. He has promised Arjuna that he will make Arjuna the best archer in the world. Now Drona realizes that Buttoo might prove to be better than Arjuna, and so to keep his promise to Arjuna, Drona asks for the gift from Buttoo.
c) If it was ‘sad recompense’, why did Drona demand it?
Answer:
Drona knows that what he is asking for is something very cruel. By asking for Buttoo’s right thumb, Drona is ensuring that Buttoo will never be able to use the bow and arrow in his lifetime. Drona is aware that Buttoo worships him as his teacher and is ready to give up even his life for his sake. Yet he takes advantage of this reverence and favours his royal protege, Arjuna. It is ‘sad’ because Drona has actually not done anything to make Buttoo an expert archer.
Question 2.
“The severed thumb was on the sod There was no tear in Buttoo’s eye.”
a) Why was the thumb severed?
Answer:
Drona asks for the right-hand thumb as a compensation for his teaching in absence. In reality, Drona wanted to ensure that there was no rival to Arjuna in archery.
b) Why was there no tear in Buttoo’s eye?
Answer:
Buttoo understands his teacher’s dilemma when Drona announces that he is doing this for Arjuna’s sake, and to keep his own promise to Arjuna. Hence Buttoo doesn’t regret cutting his thumb.
c) What does it tell you about Buttoo?
Answer:
Buttoo is truly more ‘royal’ insensibility and nobler than the other students of Drona. He had once been rejected by Drona for not being from a royal family, and for being poor. But after his family, and for being poor. But after this incident, Buttoo appears richer and greater than any other person there, even his master.
III. Paragraph Writing:
Question 1.
Discuss, in pairs, the great qualities of Buttoo and write down any five.
Answer:
Buttoo was low in caste but still aspired to be a great archer. He was also very dedicated to pursue knowledge.
Though he was rejected knowledge by Drona, he still worshipped Drona as a teacher and perfected the science of archeiy by himself. Buttoo was never vain, despite his talent; he was humble and acknowledged Drona as his inspiration.
Butto was not only physically strong but also emotionally strong. Even unfairly losing his vital thumb, knowing that he would never be a great archef, he still didn’t get angry or reject Drona, he left the matter to God. He was at peace with nature and God.
Drona also saw Butto as a role model for ‘self-help, truth and modesty’. Conclusively we can say ‘dedication, loyalty, humility, truthfulness, selflessness, sacrificing nature, brilliance in his art, intelligence, etc. are the great qualities of Butto.
Question 2.
Discuss the following in groups of 4 each and write in a paragraph. Was Drona unfair in his demand?
Answer:
Drona was the teacher of the Pandava and Kaurava princes. He lived under their patronage and was responsible for making the princes the best in the land of their chosen areas of warfare.
Thus, when Buttoo approached him for help in learning the art of archery, Drona rejected him and sent him away. Probably he had realized that Buttoo was not an ordinary hunter’s boy. Yet he was loyal to the royal family and declined to teach Buttoo. Buttoo, on his part, should have understood the sentiments of Drona and stayed away from archery. But he did not do so. He created an image of Drona and learnt archery in front to it.
When Drona realized that Butto had turned out to be a greater archer than Arjuna, he foresaw the threat to the princes. When Buttoo also confessed that he had learnt it secretively from Drona’s image, Drona got his opportunity.
Very shrewdly, and rather ruthlessly, he asked for the gift of his right-hand thumb from Buttoo, and eliminated all competition to his richer and more powerful students. He cannot be said to be unfair in his demand, though he was rather heartless.
Points to Remember:
- This is a story from the Indian epic. The Mahabharata.
- Buttoo, a hunter’s boy, was interested in learning archery from Dronacharya, the teacher of the royal princes, the Kauravas and the Pandavas.
- Drona was committed to making Arjuna the best archer and hence refuses to teach Buttoo.
- Buttoo makes an image of Drona, and practicing in front of it regularly, becomes an expert archer.
- Buttoo comes in front of Drona once and bowing before him, thanks him for teaching him to shoot.
- Drona is surprised at that, and asks for his fee. Buttoo replies that he could have anything he wished.
- Drona warns him to make promises very carefully as rash promises might bring conflicts. Buttoo again pledges to give whatever Drona wishes.
- Drawing the attention of Arjuna, Drona says that he was doing that for his sake, and asks Buttoo to give him his right-hand thumb.
- Without any hesitation or regret, Buttoo cuts off his right-hand thumb.
- Glad, Drona blesses him with immortal fame and name for his noble deed.
Buttoo by Toru Dutt About the Author:
Toru Dutt was born on March 4, 1856 in Bengal and she died on August 30, 1877, in the prime of her youth, at 21. She is often called the Keats of the Indo English literature. She was a natural linguist and in her short life became proficient in Bengali, English, French and, later on, Sanskrit. She left behind an impressive collection of prose and poetry.
Her two novels, the unfinished Bianca or The Young Spanish Maiden written in English and Le Journal de Mademoiselle drivers, written in French, were based outside India with non- Indian protagonists. Her poetry comprises A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields consisting of her translations into English of French poetry, and Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan which compiles her translations and adaptations from Sanskrit literature. Her collection of Sanskrit translations Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan was published posthumously in 1882.
Buttoo Poem Summary in English
This poem depicts the interaction between Dronacharya, the teacher of the royal families of the Pandavas and Kauravas, and the student-in-absentia, Buttoo, also called Ekalavya. Buttoo is a tribal hunter’s boy who wants to learn archery from the master archer, Dronacharya. But he is rejected because he is not from a royal family and is also poor.
However, Buttoo doesn’t give up. and creating an image of Dronacharya. he practices in front of it every day and becomes an expert archer. Once Dronacharya happens to witness his skill, and when he calls Buttoo and demands to know more about him, the interaction shown in the poem takes place. Buttoo reveals that he is the same student who had been
rejected by Dronacharya, and expresses his gratitude towards Dronacharya.
Dronacharya immediately realizes the threat to his favorite student, Arjuna, and cunningly goes on questioning Buttoo. He says that since Buttoo claims to have learnt at Dronacharya’s feet, he should give something in return to the master. Buttoo readily offers everything that he has to his teacher. Dronacharya warns him against making promises that he might regret later.
But Buttoo doesn’t retract. Then Dronacharya draws the attention of Arjuna who was also present there and asks Buttoo to give his right-hand thumb as the gift. Buttoo doesn’t hesitate even for a moment, and immediately cuts off his thumb with his sharp knife, and offers it to the teacher. Pleased, Dronacharya blesses him with everlasting fame and glory.