Two Important Questions with Answer from "On The Vanity of Earthly Greatness" and Summary

Arthur Guiterman

English | Questions
On The Vanity of Earthly Greatness
Arthur Guiterman
Class : 11 | The Magic of Words

Summary

This poem has been composed by Arthur Guiterman. In this poem, the poet has tried to show the greatness of human being. And he says that vanity of greatness is bubble reputation. His poem refers to valuelessness of any bubble reputation of any person in the world. According to this poem, the tusks of mastodons which were fought in the past up to now, it has changed into billiard balls. The light of the sword of the great emperor Charlemagne has rusted now. Great mighty and grizzle bear for which people were frightened, but it has now been a rug. Julius Caesar was a Roman statesman and general who won large empire those days but he has become self as an object of decoration. So the greatness of today will be useless for tomorrow. Thus, the poet has given satire for the earthly greatness. This poem makes us the regretting of time and the vanity of earthly greatness. We know that power and superiority can be converted into minority and useless things. All the things of universe are changeable. He says that all the greatness beauty, honor, power, rank, and adventures are like bubble reputation like a drop of water on leaf. So it is irony piece for greatness. 

Important Questions 

1. What changes to people and objects are described in the poem, "On the vanity of Earthly Greatness?" 

Ans: In this poem, the poet shows greatness of time. According to the poet time is powerful. It brings the changes to people or objects. The tusks of mastodons that fought powerful fights in the past have now become playthings (i.e. billiard balls). The brave emperor Charlemagne's sword has now rusted. People were afraid of grizzly bear in the past but now its skin has changed into rug in the same way, the bust powerful Roman general is kept in the self. This shows that every powerful person or things become powerless with the passage of time. So the poet makes the fun of greatness of human beings and things. Every greatness becomes the subject of decay, death and worthless. 

2. What are the different examples used by the poet to show the vanity of early greatness? 

Ans: There are different examples being used by the poet to show the vanity of earthly greatness in the poem. Generally, we think that the great persons or things of today will be equally great tomorrow but greatness of persons or things of present time may be worthless with the passage of time. The poet makes the fun of greatness and power of great people and things. The tusks of mastodons that fought powerful fights in the past have now become playthings (i.e. billiard balls). The brave emperor Charlemagne's sword has now rusted. People were afraid of grizzly bear in the past but now its skin has changed into rug in the same way, the bust powerful Roman general is kept in the self. This shows that every powerful person or things becomes powerless with the passage of time. So the poet makes the fun of greatness of human beings and things. Every greatness becomes the subject of decay, death and worthless. 

Questions for Practice 

1. Describe the examples with which Arthur Guiterman has illustrated the vanity of human greatness in his poem "On the vanity if Earthly Grayness?" 41

2. What changes to people and objects are described in the poem, "On The Vanity of Earthly Greatness"? 3. Give a summary of the poem "On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness". Tell what is ironical about the poem. 4. Explain the irony in the poem "On the Vanity of Earthly Greatness".

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