For Anne Gregory Solutions and Questions & Answers

Content Structure

1. About the author – William Butler Yeats
2. Summary of the poem For Anne Gregory
3. Word meanings
4. Thinking about the poem For Anne Gregory
5. Extra Questions and Answers of the poem For Anne Gregory
- 5A. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- 5B. Fill in the blanks
- 5C. True and false
- 5D. One-sentence questions and answers
- 5D. Short Questions and Answers
- 5E. Long Questions and Answers

1. About the Author – William Butler Yeats

William Butler Yeats was one of the greatest poets and playwrights in English literature and a leading figure of the Irish Literary Revival. He was born on 13th June 1865 in Dublin, Ireland. He developed a deep interest in Irish mythology, folklore, and national culture, which greatly influenced his writings. His poetry combines romantic imagination, symbolism, spirituality, and philosophical thought, making him one of the most influential literary figures of the twentieth century. Yeats wrote many famous poems, including The Lake Isle of Innisfree, A Prayer for My Daughter, The Second Coming, and For Anne Gregory. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to literature, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923. His works continue to be admired for their rich imagery, profound themes, and musical language, securing his place as one of the most celebrated poets in world literature. He died on 28 January 1939.

2. Summary of the poem For Anne Gregory

For Anne Gregory by William Butler Yeats is a thoughtful poem that explores the theme of true love and physical beauty. The poem is presented as a conversation between a young man and Anne Gregory. The young man says that people are attracted to Anne because of her beautiful yellow hair and that no young man can love her only for her inner qualities. Anne replies that she can easily change the colour of her hair and hopes that then people will love her for who she really is. However, the poem concludes with the idea, expressed by an old religious man, that only God can love a person completely for their inner self without being influenced by outward appearance. Through this conversation, Yeats highlights the difference between external beauty and inner beauty and suggests that while human beings are often attracted by physical charm, true and unconditional love is rare and belongs only to God.

3. Word meanings

Word	Meaning
Despair	A feeling of great sadness or hopelessness
Ramparts	Protective walls; here it refers to Anne’s hair falling around her ears
Yesternight	Last night
Religious man	A person devoted to religion and spiritual beliefs
Declare	To state or announce something clearly
Unconditional love	Love that is not based on appearance or conditions
Appearance	The way someone looks outwardly
Admire	To regard with respect, approval, or pleasure
Attraction	A feeling of liking or being drawn towards someone

4. Thinking about the poem

1. What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloured ramparts at your ear?” Why does he say that young men are “thrown into despair” by them?
Ans: The phrase “great honey-coloured ramparts at your ear” is a poetic description of Anne Gregory’s beautiful golden-yellow hair. The word honey-coloured refers to the rich golden shade of her hair, while ramparts means strong protective walls. Here, the poet compares her hair to golden walls surrounding her face. The young man says that young men are “thrown into despair” because they become deeply attracted to her beauty and cannot stop admiring her appearance. They are so fascinated by her lovely hair that they fail to notice her inner qualities and personality. Thus, the young man believes that Anne’s physical beauty strongly influences the feelings of her admirers.

2. What colour is the young woman’s hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do so?
Ans: The young woman’s hair is yellow or golden in colour. She says that she can easily change its colour by using a hair dye. According to her, she can dye her hair brown, black, or carrot-red. Anne Gregory wants to do this because she does not want people to admire her only for her physical beauty. She hopes that if her attractive yellow hair is no longer there, young men may begin to appreciate her real personality, character, and inner qualities. By changing her hair colour, she wishes to discover whether people truly value her for who she is rather than for how she looks.

3. Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise?
Ans: Different objects become desirable because of their special qualities. For example, a car may be preferred because it is comfortable, fuel-efficient, safe, and stylish. A mobile phone may attract buyers because of its fast performance, high-quality camera, long battery life, and modern features. A dress may be considered desirable because of its attractive design, good fabric, comfort, and durability. If I were trying to sell a mobile phone, I would emphasize its excellent camera quality, powerful battery, smooth performance, large storage capacity, attractive design, and affordable price. These qualities would help convince people that the phone offers good value and meets their needs. In general, people are usually attracted to objects that are useful, attractive, reliable, and long-lasting.

4. What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it possible to love someone “for themselves alone”? Are some people ‘more lovable’ than others?
Ans: People are different from objects because they have emotions, thoughts, and personalities. Sometimes we are attracted to people because of their physical appearance, intelligence, kindness, talents, or other qualities. However, true love goes much deeper than these qualities. It involves accepting and caring for a person even when they are imperfect. A parent’s love for a newborn baby or a child with physical or mental challenges is a good example of unconditional love. Such love is not based on beauty, intelligence, or achievement. Similarly, we may love a friend, brother, or sister because of the special bond we share with them. People often admire film stars, athletes, or politicians because of their talents and achievements, but this admiration is different from deep personal love. Love for a pet also shows how affection can go beyond appearance or ability. Pets love their owners faithfully without judging them. Therefore, while people may initially be attracted to certain qualities, genuine love often means loving someone for who they truly are. Some people may seem more lovable because of their kind and caring nature, but every person deserves love and respect.

5. Is it possible to separate ‘the person himself or herself’ from how the person looks, sounds, walks, and so on? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your relationship also changed? In what way?I
Ans: It is very difficult to completely separate a person from the way they look, speak, behave, or express themselves because these things are part of their identity. A person’s appearance and behaviour help us recognize and understand them. However, as we get to know someone better, their character and personality become much more important than their outward appearance. For example, a friend or family member may change physically as they grow older. Their hairstyle, appearance, voice, or habits may be different from before. Yet our relationship with them often becomes stronger because we understand them better and share more experiences together. In my opinion, true relationships are built on trust, affection, understanding, and shared memories rather than physical appearance. Although people change over time, genuine love and respect can continue to grow because they are based on deeper emotional connections.

5. Extra Questions and Answers of the poem For Anne Gregory

5A. Multiple choice questions and answers

1. Who is the poet of For Anne Gregory?
a) Robert Frost
b) William Shakespeare
c) William Butler Yeats
d) John Keats

Ans: (c) William Butler Yeats

2. The poem is written in the form of a ______.
a) Story
b) Conversation
c) Letter
d) Speech

Ans: (b) Conversation

3. Who is speaking in the first stanza?
a) Anne Gregory
b) An old religious man
c) A young man
d) The poet

Ans: (c) A young man

4. What colour is Anne Gregory’s hair?
a) Black
b) Brown
c) Grey
d) Yellow

Ans: (d) Yellow

5. The young man says that young men love Anne because of her ______.
a) Wealth
b) Intelligence
c) Yellow hair
d) Kindness

Ans: (c) Yellow hair

6. What does the phrase “honey-coloured” refer to?
a) Brown hair
b) Golden-yellow hair
c) Black hair
d) White hair

Ans: (b) Golden-yellow hair

7. The word “ramparts” literally means ______.
a) Rivers
b) Gardens
c) Protective walls
d) Windows

Ans: (c) Protective walls

8. Anne says she can change her hair colour with a ______.
a) Shampoo
b) Hair-dye
c) Ribbon
d) Scarf

Ans: (b) Hair-dye

9. Which of the following hair colours is NOT mentioned by Anne?
a) Brown
b) Black
c) Carrot
d) White

Ans: (d) White

10. Anne wants young men to love her for her ______.
a) Beauty
b) Wealth
c) Yellow hair
d) True self

Ans: (d) True self

11. What does Anne hope after changing her hair colour?
a) She will become famous
b) Young men will love her for herself alone
c) She will look younger
d) She will become richer

Ans: (b) Young men will love her for herself alone

12. Who does the speaker mention in the last stanza?
a) A king
b) A teacher
c) An old religious man
d) A doctor

Ans: (c) An old religious man

13. When did the speaker hear the old religious man?
a) This morning
b) Last week
c) Yesternight (last night)
d) Last month

Ans: (c) Yesternight (last night)

14. According to the old religious man, who alone can love Anne for herself?
a) A young man
b) Her family
c) Her friends
d) God

Ans: (d) God

15. The poem mainly deals with the theme of ______.
a) War and peace
b) Nature and beauty
c) Physical beauty and true love
d) Friendship

Ans: (c) Physical beauty and true love

16. What does the young man believe about human love?
a) It is always unconditional
b) It is often influenced by physical beauty
c) It never changes
d) It is based only on character

Ans: (b) It is often influenced by physical beauty

17. Anne Gregory disagrees with the young man’s view by saying that she can ______.
a) Leave her home
b) Change her hair colour
c) Travel abroad
d) Become famous

Ans: (b) Change her hair colour

18. The phrase “for yourself alone” means ______.
a) For your wealth
b) For your beauty
c) For your true personality and character
d) For your family background

Ans: (c) For your true personality and character

19. The poem suggests that true worth lies in a person’s ______.
a) Appearance
b) Hair colour
c) Inner qualities
d) Fashion sense

Ans: (c) Inner qualities

20. Which statement is true according to the poem?
a) Human beings always love others unconditionally.
b) Physical beauty never influences people.
c) Only God can love a person completely for their inner self.
d) Hair colour determines a person’s character.

Ans: (c) Only God can love a person completely for their inner self.

21. What is Anne Gregory trying to prove?
a) Beauty is more important than character.
b) Hair colour can never be changed.
c) People should love her for her inner self rather than her appearance.
d) Young men are always honest.

Ans: (c) People should love her for her inner self rather than her appearance.

22. The tone of the poem is mainly ______.
a) Humorous and thoughtful
b) Angry and violent
c) Sad and tragic
d) Fearful and mysterious

Ans: (a) Humorous and thoughtful

23. What does the poem encourage readers to value?
a) Wealth and fame
b) Physical beauty only
c) Inner beauty and character
d) Expensive possessions

Ans: (c) Inner beauty and character

24. “Yesternight” means ______.
a) Tomorrow night
b) Last night
c) Tonight
d) Afternoon

Ans: (b) Last night

25. Anne Gregory’s argument reflects her desire for ______.
a) Popularity
b) Fame
c) Genuine love and acceptance
d) Wealth

Ans: (c) Genuine love and acceptance.

5B. Fill in the Blanks

1. Anne Gregory’s hair is described as __________ coloured. (honey)
2. The poem is written in the form of a __________. (conversation)
3. The speaker heard an old __________ man declare a truth. (religious)
4. The old religious man claimed that only __________ could love Anne for herself alone. (God)
5. The word “yesternight” means __________ night. (last)
6. The young man believes that Anne’s beauty throws young men into __________. (despair)
7. The phrase “honey-coloured ramparts” refers to Anne’s beautiful __________. (hair)
8. Anne wants people to admire her inner __________ rather than her appearance. (qualities)

5C. True or False

1. The poem is a conversation between a young man and Anne Gregory. (True)
2. Anne Gregory has black hair. (False)
3. The young man believes that people love Anne only for her inner qualities. (False)
4. Anne says that she can change the colour of her hair. (True)
5. Anne wants to be loved for her personality rather than her appearance. (True)
6. The young man compares Anne’s hair to honey-coloured ramparts. (True)
7. Anne says she can dye her hair blue and green. (False)
8. The old religious man appears in the final stanza of the poem. (True)
9. Anne argues that changing her hair colour may change how people see her. (True)
10. The poem was written by William Butler Yeats. (True)

5C. One-Sentence Questions and Answers

1. Who is the poet of For Anne Gregory?
Ans: The poet of For Anne Gregory is William Butler Yeats.

2. What does the phrase “honey-coloured” refer to?
Ans: The phrase “honey-coloured” refers to golden-yellow hair.

3. What is the meaning of the word “ramparts”?
Ans: Ramparts are protective walls around a fort or castle.

4. How does Anne say she can change her hair colour?
Ans: Anne says she can change her hair colour with a hair-dye.

5. Which hair colour is not mentioned by Anne?
Ans: White hair is not mentioned by Anne.

6. What does Anne want young men to love?
Ans: Anne wants young men to love her true self.

7. What is the main theme of the poem?
Ans: The main theme of the poem is physical beauty and true love.

8. What does the young man believe about human love?
Ans: He believes that human love is often influenced by physical beauty.

9. What is the tone of the poem?
Ans: The tone of the poem is humorous and thoughtful.

10. What does the poem encourage readers to value?
Ans: The poem encourages readers to value inner beauty and character.

11. What does the word “yesternight” mean?
Ans: The word “yesternight” means last night.

12. What does Anne Gregory desire most?
Ans: Anne Gregory desires genuine love and acceptance.

5D. Short Questions and Answers

1. Why does the young man think that no young man can love Anne Gregory for herself alone?
Ans: The young man believes that Anne Gregory’s beautiful yellow hair is so attractive that it captures the attention of all young men. According to him, they are fascinated by her physical beauty and cannot look beyond her appearance. Therefore, he thinks that they love her because of her beauty rather than her true personality and inner qualities.

2. How does Anne Gregory respond to the young man’s opinion?
Ans: Anne Gregory disagrees with the young man’s view. She says that she can easily change the colour of her hair by using a hair dye. By changing her hair colour, she hopes that people will stop focusing on her beauty and start loving her for her real self and inner qualities.

3. What does the phrase “honey-coloured ramparts” mean?
Ans: The phrase “honey-coloured ramparts” refers to Anne Gregory’s beautiful golden-yellow hair. The word “honey-coloured” describes the colour of her hair, while “ramparts” suggests walls surrounding her face. It is a poetic image used to highlight her striking physical beauty.

4. Why does Anne want to dye her hair?
Ans: Anne wants to dye her hair because she wishes to know whether people love her for her true personality or simply for her beautiful yellow hair. She hopes that changing her appearance will encourage people to appreciate her inner qualities rather than her physical beauty.

5. What is the central idea of the poem?
Ans: The central idea of the poem is the contrast between physical beauty and inner beauty. The poet suggests that people are often attracted to outward appearance, while true love should be based on a person’s character and inner qualities.

6. What does Anne Gregory want from her admirers?
Ans: Anne Gregory wants her admirers to value her for who she really is rather than for her physical beauty. She wishes to be loved for her personality, character, and inner qualities instead of her attractive yellow hair.

7. Why is the poem presented as a conversation?
Ans: The poem is presented as a conversation to show two different viewpoints about love and beauty. The young man believes that beauty attracts love, while Anne Gregory hopes that people can love someone for their inner qualities. This dialogue makes the theme more interesting and effective.

8. What message does the poem convey about physical beauty?
Ans: The poem conveys that physical beauty can attract people’s attention, but it should not be the basis of true love. A person’s character, values, and inner qualities are more important than outward appearance and deserve greater appreciation.

9. How does the poem distinguish between human love and divine love?
Ans: The poem suggests that human love is often influenced by physical appearance and external qualities. Divine love, however, is pure and unconditional. According to the old religious man, only God can love a person entirely for their inner self without being influenced by beauty.

10. Why does the young man use the expression “thrown into despair”?
Ans: The young man uses the expression “thrown into despair” to show how deeply young men are affected by Anne Gregory’s beauty. Her golden hair attracts so much attention that they become emotionally overwhelmed and are unable to think about anything except her appearance.

5E. Long Questions and Answers

1. Discuss the theme of physical beauty and inner beauty in the poem For Anne Gregory.
Ans: The poem For Anne Gregory explores the contrast between physical beauty and inner beauty. The young man tells Anne Gregory that her beautiful yellow hair attracts young men, making it impossible for them to love her solely for her true self. He believes that her physical appearance plays a major role in their admiration for her. Anne Gregory, however, disagrees. She argues that she can change the colour of her hair and hopes that people will then appreciate her inner qualities rather than her appearance. Her response shows her desire to be valued for her character and personality. The poem concludes with the words of an old religious man who states that only God can love a person completely for their inner self. Through this idea, the poet emphasizes that physical beauty may attract attention, but inner beauty and character are far more important. The poem teaches readers to look beyond outward appearance and appreciate a person’s true worth.

2. How does Anne Gregory challenge the young man’s belief about love?
Ans: Anne Gregory challenges the young man’s belief by refusing to accept that her beauty is the only reason people admire her. The young man claims that no young man can love her for herself alone because her golden hair attracts all attention. According to him, her physical beauty prevents others from seeing her true personality. Anne responds confidently by saying that she can dye her hair brown, black, or carrot-red. She believes that changing her appearance may help people focus on her inner qualities instead of her beauty. Through her reply, she expresses her wish to be loved for her real self. Although Anne’s argument is hopeful, the poem ends with the old religious man’s statement that only God can love someone entirely for their inner nature. Thus, Anne challenges the young man’s opinion, but the poem leaves readers thinking deeply about the nature of love and human attraction.

3. Explain the significance of the old religious man’s statement in the poem.
Ans: The statement of the old religious man is very important because it presents the main message of the poem. He says that only God can love Anne Gregory for herself alone and not for her yellow hair. This idea introduces the distinction between human love and divine love. Human beings are often influenced by outward appearance, beauty, wealth, or talent. As a result, their love may not always be completely selfless or unconditional. The old religious man suggests that people naturally notice physical beauty and are affected by it. God, however, sees beyond external appearance and understands a person’s true nature. Divine love is based on inner qualities rather than physical attractiveness. This statement gives the poem a spiritual depth and reinforces the idea that true and unconditional love is rare among humans. It encourages readers to value character and inner beauty above outward appearance.

4. Describe Anne Gregory’s character as revealed in the poem.
Ans: Anne Gregory appears as a thoughtful and self-aware young woman. She does not accept the idea that her beauty is the only reason people admire her. When the young man claims that no one can love her without being influenced by her yellow hair, she immediately challenges his opinion. Anne believes that if she changes her hair colour, people may begin to appreciate her true personality. This shows that she values inner qualities more than physical appearance. She wants to be respected and loved for who she really is rather than for her looks. Her response also reveals her confidence and independence. She is willing to question common beliefs about beauty and attraction. Through Anne Gregory, Yeats presents a character who seeks genuine affection and understanding rather than superficial admiration.