Bihar Board Class 10 English The Empty Heart Summary, Lesson Explanation with difficult word meanings from Panorama-II Book
The Empty Heart– Are you looking for Summary and Lesson Explanation for Bihar Board Class 10 English Poem 5 The Empty Heart from Panorama-II Book. Get notes, summary of the Lesson followed by line by line explanation of the lesson along with the meanings of difficult words and Question and Answers.
The Empty Heart Bihar Board Class 10 English
Periasamy Thooran
- The Empty Heart Introduction
- Theme of the Lesson The Empty Heart
- The Empty Heart Summary
- The Empty Heart Summary in Hindi
- The Empty Heart Lesson Explanation
- The Empty Heart Figures of Speech
The Empty Heart Introduction
“The Empty Heart,” a poem by Periasamy Thooran, tells the story of a wealthy man who is never satisfied with what he has. Despite his riches, he constantly seeks more, driven by an insatiable greed. Every day, he prays to a magical tree called Kalpaka, asking for a pot of gold. His wish is granted many times over, and he receives seven full pitchers of gold coins. However, the tree also gives him an eighth pitcher, only half-filled. Obsessed with filling this last pitcher, the man forgets about the abundance he already has and becomes consumed by his desire for more gold. He works tirelessly, neglecting his health, family, and basic needs, and turns to dishonest means to achieve his goal. In the end, he dies before he can fill the last pitcher. The poem teaches that while greed is endless, life is not. It reminds us that true happiness does not come from collecting and getting wealth, but from being content with what we have and avoiding the emptiness that greed brings to the heart.
Theme of the Lesson The Empty Heart
The theme of ‘The Empty Heart’ revolves around the destructive nature of greed and the importance of contentment with oneself. The poem highlights how an insatiable desire for wealth can lead to the neglect of health, family, and ethical values, ultimately resulting in personal ruin. It emphasizes that true fulfillment and contentment do not come from collecting material possessions, but from appreciating what one already has and finding contentment within. The poem conveys the message that endless greed can create a void in the heart, whereas a grateful approach to life can lead to happiness.
The Empty Heart Summary
“The Empty Heart,” a poem by Periasamy Thooran, tells a story about a wealthy man who is never satisfied with his wealth. Even though he is already rich, he feels discontented and wants more. Every day, from morning to night, he goes to a magical tree called Kalpaka, which has the power to grant wishes, and asks for a pot of gold. One day, the tree grants his wish in abundance, giving him not just one, but seven full pitchers of gold coins. However, along with these, the tree also gives him an eighth pitcher that is only half-full. Instead of being happy with the seven full pitchers, the man becomes obsessed with filling the eighth one. His obsession with filling the half-empty pitcher makes him forget about the seven full ones he already has. Driven by an intense desire for more gold, he says goodbye to his family and spends all his time and energy trying to gather more coins. He stops caring about eating, drinking, and sleeping, and even uses dishonest methods to get more gold. In the end, his greed leads to his downfall. He works himself to death, trying to fill the eighth pitcher, but he dies before he can achieve his goal. The poem concludes with the message that while greed can be endless, life is not. It teaches that having a half-filled purse is not a problem; the real issue is the emptiness in one’s heart caused by insatiable greed.
The Empty Heart Summary in Hindi
पेरियासामी थोरन की कविता “द एम्प्टी हार्ट” एक अमीर आदमी की कहानी बताती है जो कभी भी अपने धन से संतुष्ट नहीं होता है। हालाँकि वह पहले से ही अमीर है, फिर भी वह असंतुष्ट महसूस करता है और और अधिक चाहता है। हर दिन, सुबह से रात तक, वह कल्पका नामक एक जादुई पेड़ के पास जाता है, जिसमें इच्छाएं पूरी करने की शक्ति होती है, और सोने का एक बर्तन मांगता है। एक दिन, पेड़ उसकी इच्छाओं को बहुतायत से पूरा करता है, उसे सिर्फ एक ही नहीं, बल्किपरन्तु सोने के सिक्कों से भरे सात घड़े भी देता है। । हालाँकि, इनके साथ, पेड़ उसे आठवां घड़ा भी देता है जो आधा भरा होता है। इंसान सात भरे घड़ों से खुश होने की बजाय आठवें घड़े को भरने के चक्कर में पड़ जाता है। आधे-खाली घड़े को भरने का उसका जुनून उसे पहले से मौजूद सात भरे हुए घड़ों के बारे में भूल जाने पर मजबूर कर देता है। अधिक सोने की तीव्र इच्छा से प्रेरित होकर, वह अपने परिवार को अलविदा कहता है और अपना सारा समय और ऊर्जा अधिक सिक्के इकट्ठा करने में बिताता है। वह खाने, पीने और सोने की परवाह करना बंद कर देता है और अधिक सोना पाने के लिए बेईमान तरीकों का भी इस्तेमाल करता है। अंततः उसका लालच ही उसके पतन का कारण बनता है। वह आठवें घड़े को भरने की कोशिश में जी-जान लगा देता है, लेकिन अपना लक्ष्य हासिल करने से पहले ही उसकी मौत हो जाती है। कविता इस संदेश के साथ समाप्त होती है कि लालच अनंत हो सकता है, लेकिन जीवन नहीं। यह सिखाता है कि आधा भरा पर्स रखना कोई समस्या नहीं है; असली मुद्दा किसी के दिल में अतृप्त लालच के कारण पैदा हुआ खालीपन है।
The Empty Heart Lesson Explanation
Poem:
The man was rich, but not content,
Morning, noon and night he went
To the Wish-yielding Tree and prayed:
‘O Kalpaka, I seek your aid;
All I want is a pot of gold.’
Word Meanings:
yielding (n): to produce or provide
Kalpaka (n): Possibly the Kalpavriksha tree here, a mythical tree mentioned in Indian scriptures that fulfills whatever the one sitting under it wishes for.
Explanation: The poem begins with the tale of a rich man who is not happy with his wealth. Despite having plenty of money, he feels discontent and wants more. Every day, at all times—morning, noon, and night—he goes to a magical tree called Kalpaka, which has the power to grant wishes. He prays to the tree and asks for just one thing: a pot of gold. This shows his deep desire for more wealth, even though he already has a lot. The passage depicts the man’s greed and lack of satisfaction with what he already possesses.
Poem:
His prayer was granted sevenfold:
For as a gift to him was given,
Glistering gold in pitchers seven.
Seven silver pitchers were now with him
Each with gold coins filled to the brim.
But the tree unkind took into its mind
To add an eighth, a half-full pot.
Word Meanings:
glisten (v): to shine
pitcher: a large clay container
brim (n): edge or lip of a vessel
Sevenfold (adverb): by seven times
Unkind (adj.): lacking kindness, unpleasant
Explanation: The man’s prayer for a pot of gold is answered generously by the magical tree, Kalpaka. Instead of receiving just one pot of gold, he is given seven silver pitchers, each filled to the top with glittering gold coins. However, the tree also decides to give him an eighth pitcher, but this one is only half-full. This unexpected half-filled pot becomes significant because it plays on the man’s greed, tempting him to focus on filling it, despite already having more than enough gold. It shows us how even a small gap or feeling a lack in one’s possessions can stir an insatiable desire for more.
Poem:
To fill this quick was his thought;
The seven full vessels he clean forget,
The demon Desire now made him mad.
To mother, wife, children ‘goodbye’ he bade.
He rose before cock-crow, past midnight he worked;
Eating, drinking and sleep he shirked.
He wrecked his health, his conscience sold
And tried all tricks to gather gold.
Word Meanings:
vessels (n): utensils for holding something
demon (n): an evil spirit
shirk (v): to avoid doing one’s work or duty
wreck (n): a person who is in a bad physical or mental condition
conscience(n): the sense of right and wrong that governs a person’s thoughts and actions
Explanation: The man’s obsession with filling the half-full pot of gold becomes all-consuming. He becomes so focused on this task that he completely forgets about the seven full pitchers of gold he already has. Driven by an overpowering desire, he abandons his family, saying goodbye to his mother, wife, and children. He starts working tirelessly, waking up before dawn and staying up past midnight, neglecting basic needs like eating, drinking, and sleeping.
His relentless pursuit and want of gold leads to severe consequences. He ruins his health and loses his moral compass, resorting to any means necessary, whether honest or dishonest, to gather more gold. The destructive power of greed is depicted here, showing how it can take over a person’s life, leading them to leaving everything else in pursuit of more wealth.
Poem:
Eager and anxious he shamelessly took
Each coin he could clutch by hook or crook.
Harder and harder he tried, but died
Before he could quite fill the pot.
Greed and endless, but life is not.
Nothing is wrong with a half-filled purse;
‘Tis the void in the heart that is the curse.
Word Meanings:
Anxious (adj.): worried or tense because of possible misfortune or danger
Eager (adj.): feeling or showing keen desire
Shamelessly (adj.): having no sense of shame
void (n): a large empty space, completely making devoid
‘Tis: it is
Explanation: The man’s eagerness and anxiety to fill the half-full pot of gold drives him to desperate measures. He shamelessly grabs every coin he can, using any means necessary, whether they be honest or dishonest. Despite his efforts, he ultimately fails and dies before he can completely fill the pot. The poem and the story of the man concludes by emphasizing that greed is endless, but human life is not and is limited. The poet suggests that there is nothing wrong with having a half-filled purse, i.e., it is completely fine to have less than everything and everyone. The true problem lies in the emptiness and dissatisfaction in the man’s heart, caused by his greed. This “void in the heart” is the real curse, not the lack of material wealth.
BSEB Class 10 English Poem 5 The Empty Heart Figures of Speech
- Metaphor: It is a figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between objects that are different in nature.
- “The demon Desire”- Desire is metaphorically described as a demon
- “The void in the heart”- The feeling of emptiness and dissatisfaction is described metaphorically
- Imagery: Imagery is used to make readers perceive things involving their five senses.
- “Glistering gold in pitchers seven”- Visual imagery of shining gold
- “He rose before cock-crow, past midnight he worked; Eating, drinking and sleep he shirked”- Imagery depicting the man’s exhaustive and obsessive routine
- Hyperbole: Hyperbole is a literary device used to draw emphasis through extreme exaggeration, with examples in film and literature.
- “He wrecked his health, his conscience sold” – This hyperbolic comparison exaggerates the extent of his moral and physical degradation.
- Repetition: It is a literary device in which a word or phrase is used multiple times to create rhythm or emphasize a word or phrase.
- “Morning, noon and night”- Emphasizes the man’s constant obsession
- “Harder and harder he tried”- Highlights his relentless but futile efforts
- Personification: Personification is the representation of an abstract quality or idea in the form of a person, creature, etc., as in art and literature.
- “The demon Desire now made him mad”- Desire is personified as a demon causing madness
- “The tree unkind took into its mind”- The tree is personified as having thoughts and being unkind