Chapter 9 – Hawk Roosting Explanation, Summary, Questions and Answers

Content Structure

1. About the author – Ted Hughes
2. Theme of the Hawk Roosting
3. Summary of the Hawk Roosting
4. Word meanings
5. Exercises solutions
6. Additional Questions and Answers
- 6A. Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)
- 6B. Fill in the blanks
- 6C. True or False
- 6D. Short questions & answers
- 6E. Long questions & answers
7. Grammar
- 7A. Tense transformation

1. About the author – Ted Hughes

Edward James ‘Ted’ Hughes was an English poet born on August 17, 1930. His poems describe nature, animals, and deep human thoughts. He served as the Poet Laureate of Great Britain from 1984 until his death. In his poetry, he describes the magical experience of a young child in an oakwood and shows that human beings and trees should thrive as a single family. His famous books include Birthday Letters, The Hawk in the Rain, and Tales from Ovid. He died in 1998.

2. Theme of the Hawk Roosting

The poet presents the hawk as a ruler of the world and a powerful figure. The hawk believes that every living creature exists only for its hunting, without needing any explanation. This shows its power, pride, and ability to act with violence.
The poem explores the idea of taking life to suggest that the hawk’s actions are natural. It shows that violence is a natural part of the world and is necessary for survival.
The poem also highlights the hawk’s controlling nature from an early stage in its life. It feels proud of the strength in its legs and the sharpness of its eyes, which shows its strong belief in its own power and control over the world.

3. Summary of the Hawk Roosting

In the poem, the speaker is a hawk that sits at the top of a tree with its eyes closed, silently observing the world with complete awareness. It looks still and calm on the outside, but the hawk remains fully alert and watchful at all times. The hawk enjoys the fresh air, the warm sunlight, and the advantage of sitting high in the tree, which gives it a clear view of everything below. It sees itself as the ruler of the world and believes that all creatures and the natural world exist to serve or be hunted by it. Its calm nature gives it strong control over its body, symbolizing its power over life and death. The hawk’s sharp claws and feathers reflect its powerful and ruling character. It believes it has the right to everything and hunts without needing to explain its actions or feel guilt. At the end of the poem, the hawk says that nothing has changed since the beginning and that everything remains the same, shown by its sharp eyes and strong confidence.

4. Word meanings

Word	Meaning
Inaction	No action
Falsifying dream	False dream
Rehearse	Practice
Convenience	Something that is easy and useful
Buoyancy	The ability to float or rise in air or water
Inspection	Looking at something carefully to check it
Sophistry	False argument
Allotment	Share
Assert my right	To strongly say or show that you have a right to something

5. Exercises solutions

1. Comment on the physical features and prowess of the hawk. Discuss their significance. (6 marks)
Ans: The poet presents the hawk as a powerful ruler that dominates the entire world. It has a hooked beak, sharp claws, strong wings, and piercing eyes, all of which help it hunt and kill without hesitation or explanation. The hawk takes pride in its physical strength, which symbolizes its control over life and death. Its body reflects pride, confidence, and control in every part, clearly showing that it sees itself as stronger and more important than all other creatures in nature.

2. Discuss the significance of the title of the poem. (2 marks)
Ans: The title Hawk Roosting is powerful and meaningful because it shows the hawk resting at the top of a tree while observing and controlling everything in nature. The word roosting suggests calmness and confidence, showing that the hawk feels powerful even while it is resting. This idea clearly connects to the main theme of the poem, which is the hawk’s pride, strength, and desire to control.

3. What does the poet means by ‘Now I hold the creation in my foot’? (2 marks)
Ans: The line “Now I hold the creation in my foot” expresses the hawk’s belief that it has complete power over the natural world. It sees itself as the ruler, with everything in nature existing for its use. This line highlights the hawk’s pride in its strength and its sense of control over life and death. It also shows a kind of cruelty, as the hawk feels no guilt in holding such power with confidence and control.

6. Additional Questions and Answers

6A. Multiple choice questions & answers (MCQs)

1. Where was the hawk sitting at the beginning of the poem?
(a) On the ground
(b) On the shed
(c) At the top of a tree
(d) Under a tree

Ans: (c) At the top of a tree

2. What natural elements help the hawk?
(a) The rain
(b) The thunder
(c) The air and sun
(d) The moon

Ans: (c) The air and sun

3. What was the hawk doing at the beginning of the poem?
(a) Sleeping
(b) Eating
(c) Sleeping with closed eyes
(d) Flying

Ans: (c) Sleeping with closed eyes

4. What does the rough bark hold?
(a) The hawk’s leg
(b) The hawk’s wings
(c) The hawk’s beak
(d) The hawk’s feet

Ans: (d) The hawk’s feet

5. What does the poet mean by “I hold Creation in my foot”?
(a) It controls nature
(b) It fears nature
(c) It protects nature
(d) It is angry at nature

Ans: (a) It controls nature

6. How did the hawk fly?
(a) Downward
(b) In circles
(c) Straight
(d) Zigzag

Ans: (c) Straight

7. What is the meaning of “allotment of death”?
(a) A right to birth
(b) A gift of life
(c) The right to kill
(d) The freedom to fly

Ans: (c) The right to kill

8. What hawk manners are shown in the poem?
(a) Tearing of heads
(b) Helping animals
(c) Sweet singing
(d) Playing on the ground

Ans: (a) Tearing of heads

9. What does the hawk mean by the line “It is all mine”?
(a) It protects the natural world
(b) It rules the natural world
(c) It is the owner of the forest
(d) It shares everything with all animals

Ans: (b) It rules the natural world

10. What is the tone of the poem?
(a) Fear and kind
(b) Proud and powerful
(c) Joyful and fearful
(d) Joyful and helpful

Ans: (b) Proud and powerful

11. Who is the speaker in the poem?
(a) The poet
(b) The hawk
(c) The people
(d) The forest

Ans: (b) The hawk

12. What does the hawk revolve around slowly in flight?
(a) The forest
(b) The sky
(c) The earth
(d) The clouds

Ans: (c) The earth

13. What kind of dream does the hawk avoid?
(a) Peaceful dream
(b) Falsifying dream
(c) Happy dream
(d) Colourful dream

Ans: (b) Falsifying dream

14. What is the central theme of “Hawk Roosting”?
(a) Freedom and joy
(b) Love and compassion
(c) Power and arrogance
(d) Nature and peace

Ans: (c) Power and arrogance

15. What does the hawk symbolize in the poem?
(a) Nature’s beauty
(b) Mercy and kindness
(c) Power, control, and dominance
(d) Fear and weakness

Ans: (c) Power, control, and dominance

16. What poetic device is used in “I hold Creation in my foot”?
(a) Simile
(b) Irony
(c) Hyperbole
(d) Personification

Ans: (c) Hyperbole

6B. Fill in the blanks

1. The hawk’s feet are locked upon the _________________ bark. (rough)
2. The air’s _______________ and the sun’s rays help the hawk. (buoyancy)
3. The hawk sits on top of the ____________________. (wood)
4. The hawk said it holds ______________ in its feet. (creation)
5. The hawk does not dream any _______________ dream. (falseflying)
6. The hawk said there is no ________________ in its body. (sophistry)
7. The hawk inspects the _______________ from above. (earth)
8. The hawk believes it can kill __________________. (please)
9. The hawk said its eye has ______________ no change. (permitted)
10. The hawk’s manners are ______________ off heads. (tearing)
11. The sun was ______________ the hawk. (behind)
12. The hawk talks about the _________________ of death. (allotment)
13. The hawk said that no ________________ asserts its right. (arguments)
14. The hawk ______________ nothing has changed since it began. (eyes)
15. The poem “Hawk Roosting” is written by ________________. (Ted Hughes)

6C. True or False

1. The hawk thought it was a ruler of the whole world. (True)
S/S: The hawk is proud of its power and control over nature and believes it rules the world.

2. The poem uses the hawk as a symbol of power and pride. (True)
S/S: The hawk believes every living being exists for its hunting, showing its pride and violent power.

3. The hawk did not want to control all living beings. (False)
S/S: The hawk shows its controlling nature and takes pride in its strong legs and sharp eyes.

4. The poet uses a peaceful tone in the poem. (False)
S/S: The poet uses a strong and violent tone to show the hawk’s dominance and pride.

5. The hawk has shining eyes that protect all people. (False)
S/S: The hawk uses its sharp eyes to hunt, not to protect people.

6. The poet shows the violent action that helps survival in the natural world. (True)
S/S: The poet shows the hawk’s hunting behavior as a part of survival in nature.

7. The poet uses the themes of birth and death to highlight the hawk’s natural actions. (True)
S/S: The poet uses the words “birth” and “death” to show how the hawk naturally lives and hunts.

8. The hawk sleeps in its nest at the beginning of the poem. (False)
S/S: No, the hawk sits at the top of a tree with its eyes closed at the start of the poem.

9. The hawk says that nothing in the world has changed under its watch. (True)
S/S: The hawk believes everything has stayed the same, which shows its strong sense of control and power over the world.

10. The hawk does not have confidence in its work. (False)
S/S: The hawk believes it is powerful and hunts without guilt or the need to explain its actions.

11. The hawk is proud of its strength and power. (True)
S/S: The hawk feels it controls the world and is proud of its strength.

12. The hawk is sitting under a tree for hunting at the beginning of the poem. (False)
S/S: No, the hawk is sitting at the top of a tree, looking down at the world.

13. The hawk believes in false and imaginary dreams. (False)
S/S: No, the hawk does not believe in false or imaginary dreams. It only focuses on real things like hunting and power.

14. The hawk enjoys the advantages of nature, like the fresh air and the sunlight. (True)
S/S: At the top of the tree, the hawk enjoys nature and looks over the world.

15. The hawk says it controls the world with its foot. (True)
S/S: The hawk feels that its strong feet give it control over life, death, and everything in the world.

16. The hawk’s manners are helping other animals. (False)
S/S: The hawk believes in hunting and does not help other animals.

17. The hawk said its eye has permitted no change. (True)
S/S: The hawk believes nothing in the world has changed under its watchful eye.

6D. Short questions & answers

1. Where is the hawk sitting at the beginning of the poem?
Ans: The hawk sits at the top of the woods with its eyes closed, silently observing the world below while enjoying the comfort of nature which feels calm yet it is fully aware of its surroundings.

2. What does the hawk mean by “no falsifying dream”?
Ans: In the line the hawk says that it does not dream of anything false or imaginary, only focusing on real actions like hunting and surviving without feeling guilty or needing an explanation.

3. What advantages does the hawk enjoy from the top of the tree?
Ans: At the top the hawk enjoys fresh air, sunlight and a clear view of the world below which help it stay powerful and in control.

4. What is meant by “My feet are locked upon the rough bark”?
Ans: The hawk states that its feet are tightly gripping the tree’s rough bark which demonstrates its strength and stability as it is not afraid of falling or losing control of its position.

5. What does the hawk do while sleeping?
Ans: The hawk practices perfect hunting and eating in its dreams or even while sleeping which shows its strong instinct and sharp focus that never forgets its true nature even while sleeping.

6. What does the hawk mean by “I kill where I please”?
Ans: The hawk claims it can kill wherever it desires without fear or guilt and believes that everything belongs to it which demonstrates its pride and confidence in its natural right to hunt.

7. How does the hawk describe its “manners”?
Ans: The hawk describes its manners as “tearing off heads” indicating that it kills without kindness, takes pride in its violent nature and views killing as a natural behavior.

8. What is the “allotment of death”?
Ans: The “allotment of death” means the hawk decides who will die and believes it has the right to control life and death which shows its complete belief in its authority.

9. What does the hawk say about arguments?
Ans: The hawk says it does not need arguments to prove anything. It demonstrates its power through action rather than words and strength alone is enough to prove its right to rule.

10. What does the line “The sun is behind me” suggest?
Ans: The line shows the hawk feels supported by nature and believes the sun gives it power and strength which reflects its belief that all nature works for its benefit.

11. Why does the hawk believe everything is made for it?
Ans: The hawk believes nature created everything for its benefit and thinks all living things exist for it to use which reflects its proud and selfish view of the world.

12. What does “revolve it all slowly” mean?
Ans: The hawk imagines flying above and slowly turning the world in its vision which shows that the hawk feels it controls everything and reflects its calm and complete power.

13. What do the hawk’s hooked head and feet represent?
Ans: The hawk’s hooked head and feet serve as tools for hunting and killing representing strength and danger; these body parts help it survive and maintain control.

14. What is the main theme of the poem?
Ans: The main theme is power, pride and control which suggests that the hawk believes it rules nature and that nothing can stop it; this also illustrates how nature’s power can become cruel.

15. How does the hawk show no guilt in its actions?
Ans: The hawk claims it kills wherever it chooses and never feels guilty believing that its actions are natural and justified which demonstrates its lack of concern for the lives of others.

6E. Long questions & answers

1. Describe the physical features of the hawk and explain how they reflect its personality.
Ans: The poem tells us that the hawk has a sharp head, strong feet, sharp claws, and bright eyes. These body parts are mentioned many times in the poem to show that the hawk is made for hunting, able to catch and kill other animals easily. The poet uses them to show the hawk’s proud and powerful nature. Its body shows that it is strong, fearless, and always ready for action. Nature has given the hawk everything it needs to be a leader, not soft or caring. The hawk thinks it is better than other animals, and its body shows this proud and bold nature clearly.

2. Explain the meaning and importance of the line “It took the whole of Creation to produce my foot.”
Ans: This line shows that the hawk believes its body, especially its strong foot, was made through the combined efforts of all of nature. The hawk feels proud and thinks that everything in the world helped create it, showing how full of itself it is and how strongly it believes in its own worth. The line also shows that the hawk sees its strength as the most important gift from nature. This idea supports the poem’s main message of pride, power, and the belief that nature exists to serve the strong.

3. How does the hawk express its sense of control over life and death?
Ans: The hawk clearly believes that it has full power over everything around it, including life and death. It thinks it has the right to decide who will live and who must die without feeling any guilt or needing to explain its actions. This control feels natural to the hawk, and its strong legs and sharp hunting skills give it confidence and a strong control over the world around it. The hawk’s calm and confident attitude throughout the poem strengthens this idea. The poem connects nature, power, and control, showing the hawk’s belief in its right to rule without showing kindness.

4. What does the hawk mean when it says, “I kill where I please because it is all mine”?
Ans: The hawk believes it owns everything and has the right to kill anyone, anywhere, without worry. It does not care about rules, guilt, or ideas of right and wrong, which shows its pride and strong belief in its own power. The line shows both pride and cruelty, as the hawk sees killing as something natural and doesn’t feel the need to explain its actions. This reflects its belief in dominance, where the strong can act as they wish, and the hawk believes nature gave it this power.

5. Discuss the hawk’s attitude towards dreams and imagination.
Ans: The hawk does not dream about imaginary or made-up things, as its focus is always on real actions like hunting and survival. It is so driven by nature that it continues to practice perfect killing even in its sleep, which shows the strength of its natural behavior. This way of thinking suggests that the hawk has no interest in goals or desires outside its own power and depends fully on its strength and skill. Its rejection of imagination reflects its realistic nature, along with its bravery and strong self-belief. The hawk sees action as more important than dreaming, which makes it seem focused, strong-minded, and based in the real world.

6. How does the hawk view other living beings in the poem?
Ans: The hawk sees all other living creatures as less important and believes that everything in nature exists only to serve its needs. It acts without care for others and sees them only as things to use or harm. This way of thinking reflects the hawk’s pride and strong belief in its own importance. The hawk’s cold and unkind attitude shows that it cares more about power than being kind, which makes it seem even more powerful in the poem.

7. What does the hawk say about change in the world?
Ans: The hawk says that nothing has changed since it took control and believes its sharp vision has kept everything the same. This shows that the hawk sees itself as the center of all power and wants everything to stay the same. It doesn’t accept new ideas or different ways of thinking, which shows its pride and need for control. The hawk feels it can watch and handle everything because of its strong eyesight, which shows its wish to hold on to power and its fear of losing control.

8. What is the hawk’s final message at the end of the poem?
Ans: At the end, the hawk says it will keep everything the same, believing that its rule is perfect and nothing should change. It claims that its eye has never allowed any change and never allows it, showing its strong belief in its own control. The hawk wants to stay in power forever and does not want to leave or lose that control. Its final message expresses both the fear of losing power and the pride in keeping it, showing the hawk’s wish to hold on to power without any change.

7. Grammar

7A. Tense transformation

1. I sit on the top of the wood. (Change into past tense)
Ans: I sat on the top of the wood.

2. My eyes are closed. (Change into past tense)
Ans: My eyes were closed.

3. I kill where I please. (Change into past tense)
Ans: I killed where I pleased.

4. My manners are tearing off heads. (Change into past tense)
Ans: My manners were tearing off heads.

5. I sit on the top of the wood. (Change into future tense)
Ans: I will sit on the top of the wood.

6. The sun is behind me. (Change into past tense)
Ans: The sun was behind me.

7. I am going to keep things like this. (Change into past tense)
Ans: I was going to keep things like that.

8. My feet are locked upon the rough bark. (Change into past tense)
Ans: My feet were locked upon the rough bark.

9. The earth’s face is upward for my inspection. (Change into past tense)
Ans: The earth’s face was upward for my inspection.

10. I fly up and revolve it all slowly. (Change into past tense)
Ans: I flew up and revolved it all slowly.

11. I rehearse perfect kills in sleep. (Change into future tense)
Ans: I will rehearse perfect kills in sleep.

12. I hold Creation in my foot. (Change into past tense)
Ans: I held Creation in my foot.

13. I kill where I please. (Change into future tense)
Ans: I will kill where I please.

14. I kill where I please because it is all mine. (Change into past tense)
Ans: I killed where I pleased because it was all mine.

15. Nothing has changed since I began. (Change into future tense)
Ans: Nothing will change since I begin.

16. It took the whole of Creation to produce my foot. (Change into present tense)
Ans: It takes the whole of Creation to produce my foot.

17. I hold Creation in my foot. (Change into future tense)
Ans: I will hold Creation in my foot.

18. I fly up and revolve it all slowly. (Change into future tense)
Ans: I will fly up and revolve it all slowly.

19. My eye has permitted no change. (Change into past perfect)
Ans: My eye had permitted no change.

20. I am going to keep things like this. (Change into simple future tense)
Ans: I will keep things like this.

21. She was cleaning the room when I entered. (Change into Future Continuous tense)
Ans: She will be cleaning the room when I enter.

22. My eye has permitted no change. (Change into simple present tense)
Ans: My eye permits no change.

23. I have been waiting for you since morning. (Change into Past Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: I had been waiting for you since morning.

24. She will have been teaching for ten years by next April. (Change into Present Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: She has been teaching for ten years.

25. They had been living here before the war started. (Change into Future Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: They will have been living here before the war starts.

26. He was reading a novel when I called him. (Change into Present Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: He has been reading a novel since I called him.

27. The boy had finished his meal before his father arrived. (Change into Simple Past tense)
Ans: The boy finished his meal before his father arrived.

28. I have never seen such a brave child. (Change into Past Perfect tense)
Ans: I had never seen such a brave child.

29. The workers have been repairing the road all day. (Change into Past Continuous tense)
Ans: The workers were repairing the road all day.

30. He was playing when the guests arrived. (Change into Future Continuous tense)
Ans: He will be playing when the guests arrive.

31. She writes poems and stories in her free time. (Change into Present Perfect tense)
Ans: She has written poems and stories in her free time.

32. I shall have completed my project by Monday. (Change into Past Perfect tense)
Ans: I had completed my project by Monday.

33. They have gone to the market and bought vegetables. (Change into Past Perfect tense)
Ans: They had gone to the market and had bought vegetables.

34. We have been watching this show for years. (Change into Future Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: We will have been watching this show for years.

35. She had been dancing before she fainted. (Change into Simple Past tense)
Ans: She danced before she fainted.

36. He writes letters to his grandmother every week. (Change into Future Perfect tense)
Ans: He will have written letters to his grandmother.

37. He studies in this college. (Change into Present Continuous tense)
Ans: He is studying in this college.

38. I was working on the project all night. (Change into Past Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: I had been working on the project all night.

39. She had left the room before I entered. (Change into Past Continuous tense)
Ans: She was leaving the room before I entered.

40. They will complete the task by tomorrow. (Change into Future Perfect tense)
Ans: They will have completed the task by tomorrow.

41. The children had been shouting loudly. (Change into Present Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: The children have been shouting loudly.

42. He writes a diary every night. (Change into Past Perfect tense)
Ans: He had written a diary every night.

43. I will be meeting my uncle this evening. (Change into Present Continuous tense)
Ans: I am meeting my uncle this evening.

44. They watch a movie every Sunday. (Change into Future Continuous tense)
Ans: They will be watching a movie every Sunday.

45. We have completed the assignment. (Change into Past Perfect tense)
Ans: We had completed the assignment.

46. The girl was singing a song. (Change into Present Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: The girl has been singing a song.

47. I had worked in Delhi before shifting here. (Change into Future Perfect tense)
Ans: I will have worked in Delhi before shifting here.

48. She has been waiting for the bus. (Change into Future Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: She will have been waiting for the bus.

49. We are playing cricket in the field. (Change into Past Continuous tense)
Ans: We were playing cricket in the field.

50. She is working hard these days. (Change into Present Perfect Continuous tense)
Ans: She has been working hard these days.