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The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt

🎓 Class 11 English CBSE Theory Ch 9 — Poetry: The Peacock ⏱ ~35 min
🌐 Language: [gtranslate]

This CBSE English Passage Assessment will be based on: The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt

Assessment Format:
• 2 Short Answer Questions (2 marks each) = 4 marks
• 2 Fill in the Blanks Questions (1 mark each) = 2 marks
• 2 Short Answer Questions (1 mark each) = 2 marks
• 2 Multiple Choice Questions (1 mark each) = 2 marks
Total: 8 Questions, 10 Marks

This CBSE English Grammar Assessment will be based on: The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt

Assessment Format:
• 10 Randomized Grammar Questions (1 mark each)
• Question Types: Fill in the Blanks, MCQs, Error Identification, Reported Speech, Sentence Completion
Total: 10 Questions, 10 Marks

This English Vocabulary assessment will be based on: The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt
Targeting Vocabulary & Usage with Intermediate difficulty.

Before You Read — The Peacock

Sujata Bhatt's poem captures the elusive peacock through patient, sensory observation. Prepare your attention before entering the poem.

1. The peacock is India's national bird, associated with pride and beauty. Before reading, think: What makes a creature "elusive"? How do you catch a glimpse of something that doesn't want to be seen?

Elusive things reveal themselves only when we stop actively looking. Bhatt's poem is about exactly this paradox: you must lose yourself in a book before the peacock appears. The poem teaches a philosophy of attention — indirect, patient, open.

2. Notice these words from the poem and guess their meaning from context: turquoise and darts. What do these words suggest about the peacock?

Turquoise: A blue-green colour, like the peacock's neck feathers — brilliant, jewel-like, startling against the green of trees. Darts: Moves rapidly and suddenly in a particular direction — suggesting the peacock's speed, its flashes of movement that vanish as quickly as they appear.

3. The poem's final lines describe the peacock's tail as having "eyes." How can a tail "blink"? What might this image mean?

The eye-like markings on the peacock's tail feathers are the poem's central paradox: they look like eyes, yet they never close. When the peacock gathers its tail, the "eyes" disappear — effectively "blinking." Bhatt uses this to suggest that beauty reveals and conceals itself, and that seeing requires being seen in return.

4. In English, "as proud as a peacock" is a common idiom. In Indian literature and mythology, the peacock has different associations. What qualities does the peacock symbolise in Indian culture?

In Indian tradition, the peacock is associated with rain (it dances at the onset of monsoon), with Lord Murugan (whose mount it is), with Krishna's feathered crown, and with the beauty and energy of nature itself. Unlike the Western association with pride or vanity, Indian traditions link the peacock with joy, grace, and divine beauty.

About the Poet

SB
Sujata Bhatt
Born 1956 Indian-born, Germany-based Commonwealth Poetry Prize Lyric Poetry

Sujata Bhatt was born in Ahmedabad, India, educated in the USA, and now lives in Germany. She is one of the most significant Indian poets writing in English, known for her multilingual sensibility — she has translated Gujarati poetry into English and often incorporates Gujarati words into her English verse. Her debut collection Brunizem (1988), from which "The Peacock" is taken, won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize for the Asia section. Her poetry is marked by acute observation of the natural world, a celebration of colour and the senses, and a persistent meditation on identity, language, and belonging. Other collections include Monkey Shadows (1991) and The Stinking Rose (1994).

The Peacock — Complete Poem (Annotated)

Poetry Note The full poem is presented below in a single, unbroken block as required. Literary device tags appear inline. Click highlighted keywords to open vocabulary modals.
The Peacock
— Sujata Bhatt | from Brunizem (1988)
Section 1 — The First Glimpse
1His loud sharp call 2seems to come from nowhere. 3Then, a flash of turquoise Imagery 4in the pipal tree 5The slender neck arched away from you Imagery as he descends, and as he darts away, a glimpse of the very end of his tail.
Section 2 — The Art of Waiting
9I was told 10that you have to sit in the veranda And read a book, preferably one of your favourites with great concentration. The moment you begin to live inside the book Metaphor 15A blue shadow will fall over you. Imagery The wind will change direction, The steady hum of bees In the bushes nearby will stop. 20The cat will awaken and stretch. Personification Something has broken your attention;
Section 3 — The Revelation
22And if you look up in time You might see the peacock turning away as he gathers his tail 25To shut those dark glowing eyes, Imagery Violet fringed with golden amber. Colour Imagery It is the tail that has to blink For eyes that are always open. Symbolism

Section-by-Section Analysis

Section 1 — The First Glimpse: Hearing Before Seeing

"His loud sharp call / seems to come from nowhere. / Then, a flash of turquoise / in the pipal tree"

The poem opens with sound before sight — the peacock's call first, then a "flash of turquoise." This sequence is deliberate: the peacock announces itself aurally before it can be seen visually. The word "flash" suggests both speed and light — the turquoise is so vivid it dazzles. The pipal tree (a sacred fig, associated with meditation and the divine in Indian tradition) provides a spiritually charged backdrop. "The slender neck arched away from you" is the poem's first image of evasion — the peacock always turns away. The glimpse of "the very end of his tail" is tantalising, partial, incomplete: you see the least of him, the trailing edge.

Section 2 — The Art of Waiting: Indirection as Method

"The moment you begin to live / inside the book / A blue shadow will fall over you."

The poem's philosophical centre: to see the peacock, you must stop trying to see it. You must lose yourself completely in a favourite book — "begin to live / inside the book" (a beautiful metaphor for deep reading). Only then does the peacock approach. The signs of his coming are environmental: a blue shadow, a change in the wind, silence of bees, the stirring of a cat. These are peripheral signals — the world reorients before the peacock becomes visible. The poem suggests that certain rare beauties reveal themselves only to those who are not actively hunting them — a lesson in the nature of attention, and perhaps of poetry itself.

Section 3 — The Revelation: Eyes That Are Always Open

"It is the tail that has to blink / For eyes that are always open."

The poem's climax and its most original image. The observer looks up in time to see the peacock turning away — again, evasion. He "gathers his tail to shut those dark glowing eyes, / Violet fringed with golden amber." The eye-like markings on the tail feathers — iridescent, jewel-coloured — are described as eyes that are "always open." When the peacock closes his tail, the visible "eyes" disappear: the tail blinks for what cannot blink. This is both a precise zoological observation and a profound symbol: some kinds of beauty are always watching, always present, but visible only fleetingly. The poem's ending is a riddle and a wonder simultaneously.

Theme Web — "The Peacock"

Central themes and their connections in Bhatt's poem.

Elusive Beauty Indirect Attention See by not-looking Sensory Richness Colour, sound, movement Nature's Mystery Peacock as divine symbol Paradox of Seeing "Eyes always open" Patience & Reward Beauty rewards the patient

Vocabulary Engine

Key words from the poem with contextual and etymological analysis.

turquoise
noun / adjective — colour
A blue-green colour, like the gemstone turquoise or the neck-feathers of a peacock. From French turqueis — "Turkish stone," as it was imported through Turkey.
"A flash of turquoise in the pipal tree" — the colour is sudden, vivid, jewel-like.
darts
verb — movement
Moves suddenly and rapidly in a particular direction. Suggests the peacock's quickness and unpredictability — it cannot be tracked or followed.
"As he darts away, a glimpse / of the very end of his tail."
pipal tree
noun — botany / culture
The sacred fig tree (Ficus religiosa), associated with meditation, the Buddha's enlightenment, and divinity in Indian tradition. Its rustling leaves are said to whisper with the wind.
The peacock sits in the pipal tree — a spiritually charged perch.
veranda
noun — architecture
An open-sided, roofed gallery or porch attached to the outside of a house. From Hindi/Portuguese varanda. In Indian homes, the veranda is a transitional space — between inside and outside.
Sitting in the veranda — a liminal space where human domestic life meets the natural world.
violet
noun / adjective — colour
A blue-purple colour, the colour of the "eye" markings on peacock tail feathers. One of the colours of the visible spectrum, associated with mystery and royalty.
"Violet fringed with golden amber" — a painterly description of the tail's eye markings.
amber
noun / adjective — colour
A warm golden-orange colour, like the fossilised resin. The fringe of the peacock's tail-eye markings. Paired with violet, it creates a jewel-toned contrast.
"Golden amber" — the outermost ring of the peacock's tail feathers.

Literature CBQ — Extract-Based (CBSE Format)

CBQ 1

Reference to Context — The Art of Waiting

"I was told / that you have to sit in the veranda / And read a book, / preferably one of your favourites / with great concentration. / The moment you begin to live / inside the book / A blue shadow will fall over you."
Q1. What does it mean to "begin to live inside the book"? What literary device is used here? (2 marks)
L2 Understand
Model Answer: "Begin to live inside the book" is a metaphor for deep, immersive reading — the state in which the reader becomes so absorbed that the external world fades. The literary device is metaphor: living inside a book is literally impossible, but the expression captures the experience of total imaginative engagement. Bhatt uses this as the precise condition for the peacock's appearance — you must be fully elsewhere, inside a fiction, before the beautiful real thing reveals itself. The paradox is the poem's central insight: presence requires absence of conscious attention.
Q2. What are the environmental signals that announce the peacock's approach? What effect do these details create? (3 marks)
L4 Analyse
Model Answer: The signals are: (i) "A blue shadow will fall over you" — the peacock's large body casts a shadow; (ii) "The wind will change direction" — the bird's movement affects the air; (iii) "The steady hum of bees will stop" — animals detect the peacock before humans do; (iv) "The cat will awaken and stretch" — the cat senses the large bird's presence. These peripheral, indirect details create an effect of heightened sensory awareness. The world reorients itself around the peacock before the observer becomes conscious of it. This establishes the peacock as a presence that reorganises its environment — it is not just a bird but a force.
Q3. Why does the poem say you must read "preferably one of your favourites"? What does this detail reveal about the poet's philosophy? (2 marks)
L5 Evaluate
Model Answer: A favourite book draws you deeper into itself — you are less likely to look up, less likely to be self-conscious. The detail reveals Bhatt's philosophy that genuine beauty requires genuine absorption: not performance of attention, but actual loss of self in something beloved. It also suggests that the ability to appreciate nature's wonders is connected to one's capacity for imaginative engagement with art. The peacock and the beloved book are both experiences of beauty that reward total immersion.
CBQ 2

Reference to Context — The Revelation

"You might see the peacock turning away as he gathers / his tail / To shut those dark glowing eyes, / Violet fringed with golden amber. / It is the tail that has to blink / For eyes that are always open."
Q1. Explain the paradox in "It is the tail that has to blink / For eyes that are always open." (3 marks)
L4 Analyse
Model Answer: The paradox operates on two levels. Literally: the eye-like markings on the peacock's tail feathers appear as eyes — "dark glowing eyes, / Violet fringed with golden amber." Real eyes blink; these "eyes" cannot. When the peacock folds its tail, the markings disappear — the tail has "blinked" for what cannot blink. Figuratively: the poem suggests that natural beauty is always "watching" — always present, always open. Human observers are the ones who blink, who miss, who look at the wrong moment. The tail-eyes represent a kind of permanent, unyielding presence of beauty in the world; it is human attention that is intermittent, not the beauty itself. This is both scientifically precise and philosophically profound.
Q2. The poem ends with "might see" — not "will see." Why does Bhatt retain this uncertainty? (2 marks)
L5 Evaluate
Model Answer: "Might see" preserves the peacock's essential elusiveness — the poem cannot guarantee a sighting even after following all the instructions. This is both realistic (wildlife cannot be commanded) and philosophically honest: beauty is not a reward that can be earned mechanically. Even perfect absorption in a book does not guarantee the vision. The poem teaches patience without promising outcome, which is a more truthful and ultimately more respectful relationship with the natural world. "Might" also keeps the reader's sense of wonder intact — certainty would diminish the joy.

Comprehension — Understanding the Poem

Question 1 — Short Answer
Comment on the lines that make you visualise the colourful image of the peacock.
4 marks | 80 words
The most vivid colour lines are: "a flash of turquoise in the pipal tree" (the peacock's brilliant neck); "Violet fringed with golden amber" (the jewel-toned eye-markings on the tail); and "A blue shadow will fall over you" (the peacock's presence cast as colour before form). Bhatt uses colour as the primary mode of description — the peacock is known through its colours before its shape. Turquoise, violet, amber, and blue are all exotic, jewel-like colours that together create a painterly image of extraordinary beauty and visual richness.
Question 2 — Short Answer
What are the cues that signal the presence of the peacock in the vicinity?
3 marks | 60 words
The cues are: (i) a blue shadow falling over the reader; (ii) the wind changing direction; (iii) the steady hum of bees stopping; (iv) the cat awakening and stretching. These are all indirect, environmental signals — the peacock's presence is first registered by the natural world around it (the bees, the cat) before the human observer becomes conscious of it.
Question 3 — Long Answer
How does the poem capture the elusive nature of the peacock?
5 marks | 120 words
Bhatt captures the peacock's elusiveness through a series of partial, incomplete encounters. In the first section, the observer catches only "a flash of turquoise," then sees "the very end of his tail" as the bird darts away. Even at the poem's climax, the peacock is "turning away" — always in the process of departing. The poem's instructions — read a book, lose yourself, wait — emphasise that the peacock cannot be directly sought or cornered. The conditional "might see" further underlines this: even patient waiting offers no guarantee. The bird reveals itself only to those who have given up the chase. This makes the peacock a symbol of all beauty that resists possession and yields only to patient, indirect attention.
Question 4 — Evaluative
How does the connection drawn between the tail and the eyes add to the descriptive detail of the poem?
4 marks | 80 words
The connection between tail and eyes is the poem's most original image. The eye-like markings on the peacock's tail — "dark glowing eyes, / Violet fringed with golden amber" — are described as eyes that cannot blink. The tail "blinks" for them when the peacock folds it shut. This adds dramatic depth: the peacock's most beautiful feature is also its most watchful. It transforms the tail from a decorative display into a kind of gaze — the peacock sees with its beauty, while the human observer struggles to see at all. It also underlines the poem's theme of the observer being observed.

Writing Task — Creative Response

Descriptive Writing: A Glimpse of Wild Beauty

Bhatt's poem captures an elusive animal through patient, sensory observation. Now apply this technique to a creature you have observed.

Prompt: Write a short descriptive poem or prose piece (120–150 words) about a moment when you glimpsed a wild animal, insect, or bird. Use at least three of the following techniques Bhatt uses: colour imagery, sound-before-sight, indirect signals, a paradox or final image that resonates.

Techniques to use:
  • Begin with sound or shadow — not direct sight
  • Use specific colour words (not just "green" but "pistachio," "jade," "olive")
  • Include environmental signals — how does the world respond to the creature?
  • End with an image that carries a double meaning (literal + symbolic)
  • Maintain wonder — do not over-explain

FAQ

What is The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt about?

The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt is a lesson from the NCERT English textbook covering important literary and language concepts with vocabulary, literary devices, and exercises.

What vocabulary is in The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt?

Key vocabulary words from The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt are highlighted with contextual meanings and usage examples throughout the lesson.

What literary devices are in The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt?

The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt uses various literary devices including imagery, symbolism, and figurative language identified with coloured tags.

What exercises are in The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt?

Exercises include extract-based comprehension questions, grammar workshops, vocabulary activities, and writing tasks with model answers.

How does The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt help exam prep?

The Peacock — Sujata Bhatt includes CBSE-format questions and model answers following Bloom's Taxonomy levels L1-L6.

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