On an Infant Dying as Soon as It Was Born – MCQs & Summary

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman Shamil | Last updated: February 11, 2025

Summary:

Charles Lamb’s poem “On an Infant Dying as Soon as It Was Born” is a deeply emotional and philosophical reflection on the brief life of a new born who passes away immediately after birth. The poem explores themes of innocence, fate, and the transient nature of life.

Lamb presents the infant’s death as a release from the suffering and struggles of the world, portraying it as a soul untouched by pain or corruption. The tone is both sorrowful and contemplative, as the poet mourns the loss while also finding solace in the thought that the child has been spared from earthly hardships.

The poem resonates with a sense of quiet resignation, suggesting that the infant’s short-lived existence might be a merciful escape rather than a tragic loss. It reflects Lamb’s philosophical approach to life and death, blending grief with a sense of divine reasoning.

On an Infant Dying as Soon as It Was Born - MCQs & Summary
On an Infant Dying as Soon as It Was Born – MCQs & Summary

MCQs:

  1. What is the main theme of the poem?
    a) The beauty of childhood
    b) The fleeting nature of life and innocence
    c) The importance of education
    d) The joy of parenthood
    Answer: b) The fleeting nature of life and innocence
  2. How does the poet describe the infant’s death?
    a) As a great tragedy
    b) As a merciful escape from life’s struggles
    c) As an accident
    d) As a punishment
    Answer: b) As a merciful escape from life’s struggles
  3. What is the tone of the poem?
    a) Joyful and celebratory
    b) Sorrowful and contemplative
    c) Angry and bitter
    d) Humorous and sarcastic
    Answer: b) Sorrowful and contemplative
  4. What literary device is prominent in the poem?
    a) Simile
    b) Personification
    c) Metaphor
    d) Irony
    Answer: c) Metaphor
  5. What message does the poem convey about life and death?
    a) Life is always joyful
    b) Death can sometimes be a relief from suffering
    c) People should fear death
    d) The world is a perfect place
    Answer: b) Death can sometimes be a relief from suffering
  6. Which literary era does the poem belong to?
    a) Victorian Era
    b) Romantic Era
    c) Renaissance Period
    d) Modernist Period
    Answer: b) Romantic Era
  7. What feeling does the poem evoke in the reader?
    a) Excitement
    b) Grief and reflection
    c) Confusion
    d) Laughter
    Answer: b) Grief and reflection
  8. What philosophical idea does Lamb suggest in the poem?
    a) Life is full of happiness
    b) Short-lived existence may be a blessing
    c) People should never have children
    d) Fate is always cruel
    Answer: b) Short-lived existence may be a blessing
  9. Why does the poet believe the infant is spared from suffering?
    a) Because it never experienced worldly pain
    b) Because it was weak
    c) Because it was too innocent to survive
    d) Because it had a loving family
    Answer: a) Because it never experienced worldly pain
  10. What is the structure of the poem?
    a) Sonnet
    b) Lyrical elegy
    c) Epic poem
    d) Free verse
    Answer: b) Lyrical elegy
QuestionAnswer
Poem NameOn an Infant Dying as Soon as It Was Born
PoetCharles Lamb
Poem TypeLyrical elegy
Main ThemeThe fleeting nature of life and innocence
ToneSorrowful and contemplative
Subject of the PoemA newborn who dies immediately after birth
Literary EraRomantic Era
Key Literary Device UsedMetaphor and imagery
Emotion EvokedGrief and reflection
Why Does the Poet Find Comfort in the Infant’s Death?The baby is spared from worldly pain
What Does the Poem Highlight?The contrast between innocence and suffering
Notable FeatureA philosophical perspective on death and fate

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