"The Seekers" - A Journey of Discovery..

"The Seekers" by John Masefield portrays individuals on a journey to discover life's truths, driven by curiosity and determination. Despite the challenges and uncertainty, they persist, showing that the journey of seeking knowledge and purpose is just as important as finding answers.

1. The Seekers John Mansfield

2. About the Poet The Seekers is a poem where the poet talks about how people are always striving to achieve their dreams and goals .

3. John Masefield (1874-1967) was an English poet, playwright, and novelist. His poems are full of energy, and some of his early works were influenced by Kipling. In 1930, he became the Poet Laureate. Some of his famous works include Salt Water Ballads (1902), Multitude and Solitude (1909), and his autobiography So Long to Learn (1952).

4. Lines 1-2
“Friends and loves we have none, nor wealth nor blessed abode,
But the hope of the City of God at the other end of the road.” Glossary :
Abode: Home or residence.
City of God: An ideal, heavenly place of perfect peace. Explanation : In these lines, the seekers lack material possessions and personal relationships but are motivated by the hope of reaching an ideal, perfect place, the ‘City of God.’

5. Extract-Based Questions and Answers: 1. What do the seekers lack according to the given lines? The seekers lack friends, love, wealth, and a comfortable home. 2. What motivates the seekers despite their lack of personal relationships and wealth? They are motivated by the hope of reaching the ideal ‘City of God,’ a perfect and peaceful place. 3. Explain the significance of the ‘City of God’ in the context of the poem. The ‘City of God’ represents an ideal place of perfection and peace that the seekers long for but can never fully attain.

6. lines 3 -4 Not for us are content, and quiet, and peace of mind, F or we go seeking a city that we shall never find.” Glossary: Content: Satisfied or happy. Seeking: Searching for something. Explanation: The seekers reject the notion of being content or at peace and are focused on their quest for an ideal city, which they acknowledge they might never actually find.

7. Extract-Based Questions and Answers: 1. What is the seekers' attitude towards contentment and peace of mind? The seekers are not interested in being content or at peace; they are driven by their quest. 2. How does the stanza reflect the seekers’ view of their quest? The stanza shows that the seekers are constantly searching for an ideal city, even though they might never find it. 3. What does the stanza suggest about the possibility of finding the ideal city? It suggests that the ideal city may be impossible to find, as they are always searching but never reaching it.

8. Lines 5-6 “There is no solace on earth for us—for such as we— Who search for a hidden city that we shall never see.” Glossary: Solace: Comfort or consolation. Hidden: Not easily seen or found. Explanation : The seekers find no comfort on earth because they are focused on finding a city that remains elusive. Their journey is marked by a lack of earthly satisfaction.

9. Lines 7-8 “Only the road and the dawn, the sun, the wind, and the rain, And the watch-fire under stars, and sleep, and the road again.” Glossary : Dawn: The morning when the sun rises. Watch-fire: A campfire used at night. Explanation : The stanza describes the essential and continuous elements of the seekers’ journey: the road, natural phenomena, and their nightly campfires. Their experience is marked by simplicity and perpetual movement.

10. Lines 9 – 10 “We seek the City of God, and the haunt where beauty dwells, And we find the noisy mart and the sound of burial bells.” Glossary : Haunt: A frequently visited place. Mart: A marketplace. Burial bells: Bells used during funerals. Explanation : Instead of discovering the ideal ‘City of God’ or a place of beauty, the seekers find a bustling marketplace and hear funeral bells, reflecting their encounter with a harsh reality.

11. Lines 11-12 “Never the golden city, where radiant people meet, But the dolorous town where mourners are going about the street.” Explanation : The seekers never reach the ‘golden city’ where people live joyfully. I nstead, they end up in a sorrowful town filled with mourners, showing a stark contrast between their dreams and reality . Glossary : Golden city: A metaphor for an ideal place. Radiant: Shining brightly. Dolorous: Expressing sorrow. Mourners: People grieving.

12. Lines 13-14 We travel the dusty road till the light of the day is dim, And sunset shows us spires away on the world's rim.”   In these lines, the poet describes the seekers traveling along a dusty road, continuing their journey until the light of day fades and it becomes evening. As the sun sets, they see tall, pointed structures (spires) far off in the distance, at the edge of the world. This symbolizes their ongoing search for something that always seems far away and difficult to reach.

13. Lines 15-16 “We travel from dawn to dusk, till the day is past and by, Seeking the Holy City beneath the Holy Sky. Explanation : In these lines, the poet explains that the seekers travel all day, from morning (dawn) until evening (dusk), without stopping. They are searching for the "Holy City," a perfect and sacred place, which they believe exists under the "Holy Sky," symbolizing something divine and far beyond their reach. Their journey is continuous, showing their strong desire to find this ideal place. Glossary: Dawn: Morning light. Dusk: Evening light. Holy City: A sacred, ideal place.

14. Lines 17-18 “Friends and loves we have none, nor wealth nor blest abode, But the hope of the City of God at the other end of the road.” Explanation : T he poet explains that the seekers have no friends, loved ones, wealth, or home. Their only hope is to reach the City of God at the end of their journey. Glossary: Blest: Blessed or fortunate.