Dreams Poem by John Dryden: Question & Answers Class 8 Book Lavender

‘Dreams’ poem by John Dryden is a part of Class 8 English textbook ‘Lavender’. Here you would get solutions to exercises given in the book. Click here to study notes on ‘Dreams’ poem. Visit our YouTube channel to see video explanations.

Dreams by John Dryden: Q&A

Time to answer

A. Choose the correct option.

1. What is the main theme of the poem?

• that our unconscious runs rampant when we are asleep
• that everyone has dreams
• that dreams are a result of reason, not imagination
• that both people and dreams are reasonable

Ans. that our unconscious runs rampant when we are asleep

2. Which figure of speech has the poet used in these lines?
Dreams are but interludes which Fancy makes; When monarch Reason sleeps

• metaphor
• simile
• personification
• alliteration

Ans. metaphor/personification (metaphor: ‘Dreams’ compared to ‘interludes’ and reason compared to monarch; personification: ‘Reason’ and ‘fancy’ are personified)

What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

• aaabbccddeeffgggh
• aaabbbcccdddeeefff
• ababcdcdefefghghh
• aabbccddeeffggghi

Ans. aabbccddeeffggghi

Which of these lines/sets of lines illustrates that our unconscious mind runs rampant when we are asleep?

• Dreams are but interludes which Fancy makes
• Sometimes forgotten things long cast behind Rush forward in the brain, and come to mind.
• A mob of cobblers, and a court of kings:
  • Light fumes are merry, grosser fumes are sad,
  • Both are the reasonable soul run mad
• The nurse’s legends are for truths received
  • And the man dreams but what the boy believed.

Ans. Dreams are but interludes which Fancy makes (students can have their own choices; for example- 3rd in the list: ‘A mob…..mad.

B. Answer these questions.

1. Why does the poet call dreams as ‘interludes’?
2. Why does the poet describe Fancy and Reason as two opposite forces working in our minds?
3. What does the poet mean by the phrase ‘medley of disjointed things? Explain in reference to the poem.
4. How does the poet conclude the poem?

ANSWERS: Here short and long answers are given. You may choose as per your choice pr requirement.

Short Answers:

1. The poet calls dreams “interludes” because they are short breaks or interruptions in our regular thinking, much like a short break in a play.
2. The poet describes Fancy (imagination) and Reason (logic) as opposites because when our logical mind (Reason) is resting, our imagination (Fancy) takes over and creates dreams.
3. The phrase “medley of disjointed things” means a mix of unrelated and random things. In the poem, this means dreams often combine different and strange elements that don’t usually go together, like ordinary people with kings, creating a confusing and jumbled scene.
4. The poet concludes the poem by saying that dreams are like a comical and absurd play (farce), filled with strange and impossible things (chimeras), and they are always somewhat ridiculous.

Long Answers:

1. The poet calls dreams “interludes” because they are like short breaks or pauses in our regular thinking. An interlude is a brief interval or a period of time that happens in between the main events. Similarly, dreams occur during sleep, which is a break from our usual conscious thoughts and actions. They provide a temporary escape from reality, where our imagination takes over.
2. The poet describes Fancy (imagination) and Reason (logical thinking) as opposites because they take turns controlling our thoughts. During the day, our logical mind (Reason) helps us make sense of the world and think rationally. However, when we sleep, our logical mind rests, and our imagination (Fancy) becomes active, creating dreams. These two forces work in opposite ways: Reason keeps our thoughts organized and sensible, while Fancy creates wild, imaginative scenarios.
3. The phrase “medley of disjointed things” means a mix of unrelated and random things. In the poem, this refers to how dreams often combine different and strange elements that don’t normally go together. For example, the poet mentions a “mob of cobblers” (shoemakers) and a “court of kings,” showing how dreams can mix ordinary people with royalty in the same scenario. This creates a confusing and jumbled scene, illustrating how dreams can be a chaotic blend of various, unrelated parts.
4. The poet concludes the poem by summarizing that dreams are like a comical and absurd play (farce). He says that dreams are filled with strange and impossible things (chimeras), which are mythical creatures made of different animal parts. This comparison highlights the bizarre and fantastical nature of dreams. The poet emphasizes that dreams are always somewhat ridiculous, blending absurd elements together in a way that makes little logical sense. This conclusion reinforces the idea that dreams are the product of an overactive imagination running wild when reason is asleep.

Reference to the context

Read these lines from the poem and answer the questions that follow.

And many monstrous forms in sleep we see,
That neither were, nor are, nor e’er can be.
Sometimes forgotten things long cast behind
Rush forward in the brain, and come to mind.
The nurse’s legends are for truths received,
And the man dreams but what the boy believed.

a. What is typical about the ‘monstrous forms’ we see in our dreams?

• I. They are too violent.
• II. They only appear in our nightmares.
• III. They do not exist.
• IV. They existed many years ago.
  • i. I and II
  • ii. II and III
  • ii. I and III
  • iv. III and IV

b. What can be the summary of these lines?
Sometimes forgotten things long cast behind Rush forward in the brain, and come to mind.

i. that dreams are where are deepest desires are stirred
ii. that when we wake up, we don’t remember our past dreams
iii. that forgotten things of the past can appear in our dreams
iv. that our inner demons sometimes get manifested in our dreams

c. Who believed the nurse’s legends as true?

d. What does the poet mean by the last two lines of the above stanza?

ANSWERS:

a. What is typical about the ‘monstrous forms’ we see in our dreams?

• Answer: ii. II and III

b. What can be the summary of these lines?

• Answer: iii. That forgotten things of the past can appear in our dreams.
  The poet is saying that things we have long forgotten can suddenly reappear in our dreams.

c. Who believed the nurse’s legends as true?

• Answer: The man believed the nurse’s legends as true when he was a boy.
  The poet mentions that the stories told by a nurse in childhood are accepted as true, and these childhood beliefs can appear in a man’s dreams.

d. What does the poet mean by the last two lines of the above stanza?

“The nurse’s legends are for truths received,
And the man dreams but what the boy believed.”

• Answer: The poet means that the stories and legends we hear as children are often believed to be true. As adults, we sometimes dream about these things we believed in as children. Our dreams can reflect our childhood beliefs and the stories we accepted as true when we were young.

Time to think and answer

1. The poet starts with defining dreams and, through the poem, underlines the farce-like nature of dreams. Do you agree? Why or why not?
2. What do you think the dreams actually are? Do you believe we can control them if we like? Give a reason for your answer.
3. How often do you remember the dreams after waking up? Is it possible to alter the course of our dreams? Give reasons for your answer.
4. Why do you think did John Dryden write ‘Dreams’? Give your answer in about 75 words.

ANSWERS:

1. The poet starts with defining dreams and, through the poem, underlines the farce-like nature of dreams. Do you agree? Why or why not?

• Answer: Yes, I agree with the poet that dreams have a farce-like nature. Dreams often present absurd and illogical scenarios that mix unrelated elements, such as ordinary people with royalty or fantastical creatures. They can be humorous or bizarre, much like a comical play. This reflects the poet’s view that dreams are whimsical and nonsensical, creating a medley of disjointed things that don’t follow the rules of reality.

2. What do you think dreams actually are? Do you believe we can control them if we like? Give a reason for your answer.

• Answer: Dreams are a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in the mind during sleep. While most dreams are not controllable, some people can experience lucid dreaming, where they are aware they are dreaming and can influence the dream’s course. However, this requires practice and isn’t something everyone can do easily. Our subconscious mind primarily drives dreams, making complete control difficult for most people.

3. How often do you remember dreams after waking up? Is it possible to alter the course of our dreams? Give reasons for your answer.

• Answer: Remembering dreams can vary from person to person. Some people remember their dreams frequently, while others rarely do. Factors like the sleep cycle stage and waking up during or immediately after a dream can influence recall. Altering the course of dreams, known as lucid dreaming, is possible with practice and techniques such as reality checks and maintaining a dream journal. However, it requires consistent effort and isn’t always guaranteed.

4. Why do you think John Dryden wrote “Dreams”? Give your answer in about 75 words.

• Answer: John Dryden likely wrote “Dreams” to explore the nature of dreams and their whimsical, absurd qualities. By highlighting the disjointed and fantastical elements of dreams, he aimed to show how our imagination takes over when our rational mind rests. The poem reflects on how dreams mix memories, beliefs, and daily experiences into surreal and often nonsensical scenarios, emphasizing the playful and farcical aspects of our subconscious mind.

Time to enjoy

1. You have learnt that personification is a literary device in which poets and authors give human-like characteristics to non-living things, ideas or elements of Nature.
   Describe with examples how the poet used personification in the poem.
2. Juxtaposition is a literary device where the poet places two things side by side, often to bring out their differences. For example, wealth and poverty, beauty and ugliness, or darkness and light.
   Find examples of juxtaposition in the poem.
3. You have learnt that imagery is a literary device in which poets and authors use vivid description to paint images in the reader’s mind so that they can easily imagine the situation, setting, the characters and the emotions they go through.
   Identify some lines of the poem that are examples of imagery.

ANSWERS:

1. Personification in the Poem

• Explanation: Personification is when non-living things or abstract concepts are given human characteristics.
• Examples from the Poem:
• “When monarch Reason sleeps, this mimic wakes:”
  • Here, Reason is described as a monarch (a king or queen) who sleeps, and Fancy (imagination) is given the human ability to wake up.
• “Both are the reasonable soul run mad;”
  • Reasonable soul is described as being able to go mad, giving it a human trait of losing sanity.

2. Juxtaposition in the Poem

• Explanation: Juxtaposition is placing two contrasting things side by side to highlight their differences.
• Examples from the Poem:
• “A mob of cobblers, and a court of kings:”
  • The poet places ordinary shoemakers (cobblers) next to royalty (kings) to highlight the contrast between commoners and nobility.
• “Light fumes are merry, grosser fumes are sad;”
  • This contrasts light, happy dreams with heavy, sad ones, highlighting the different emotional tones of dreams.

3. Imagery in the Poem

• Explanation: Imagery uses vivid and descriptive language to create mental images for the reader.
• Examples from the Poem:
• “Compounds a medley of disjointed things,”
  • This line creates an image of a chaotic mix of unrelated items.
• “And many monstrous forms in sleep we see,”
  • The reader can visualize strange and frightening shapes appearing in dreams.
• “Sometimes forgotten things long cast behind / Rush forward in the brain, and come to mind.”
  • This description vividly portrays how old memories can suddenly reappear in our thoughts during dreams.
• ‘’As hounds in sleep will open for their prey ‘and ‘monstrous forms in sleep we see’’