The Laburnum Top Questions and Answers Class 11 NCERT offers detailed solutions from Hornbill. These NCERT Class 11 questions answers explain the poem’s theme, imagery, and symbolism of the laburnum tree and the goldfinch. Step-by-step answers help learners grasp the poet’s ideas clearly. A complete study guide for Class 11 English Hornbill preparation.
About The Poet:
Ted Hughes (1930–1998) was a renowned English poet and children’s writer. He was known for his vivid imagery and deep connection with nature and animals. Hughes served as the Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1984 until his death.
Summary of “The Laburnum Top”
The poem describes a laburnum tree on a quiet afternoon in September. The tree is silent, still, and seems lifeless. Its leaves are turning yellow, and all its seeds have fallen. It looks dull and inactive under the golden sunlight.
Suddenly, a small bird called the goldfinch appears. As soon as she comes, there is a sudden movement and sound. The goldfinch moves quickly and smoothly, like a lizard, and enters the thick branches of the tree where her nest is hidden.
Once inside, the nest becomes alive with sounds—the chirping of the chicks, the flutter of wings, and the trilling sounds. It seems as if the whole tree has started working like a machine, full of life and energy. The poet calls this the “engine of her family“, showing that the goldfinch is the source of life for her young ones.
The bird feeds her babies, then flies to the end of a branch and shows her barred (striped) face, which acts like her identity mark. She makes a soft, mysterious whistle, then suddenly flies away into the endless sky. After she leaves, the tree becomes silent and empty again, just like in the beginning.
Main Ideas:
- The poem shows how life and activity can suddenly come into a still place.
- The goldfinch symbolizes energy, motherhood, and nature’s beauty.
- The laburnum tree represents silence and waiting, which turns into joy when the bird arrives.
- Ted Hughes uses the poem to show how even the smallest creature can bring life to the world around it.
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The Poem Stanza-wise Explanation, Meaning, and Literary Devices
This section explains each stanza of the poem “The Laburnum Top” in simple English. It helps students understand the meaning, message, and beauty hidden in poetic lines. Literary devices are also highlighted to enhance appreciation of poetic techniques.
Stanza 1
The Laburnum top is silent, quite still
In the afternoon yellow September sunlight,
A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.
Explanation:
The top part of the laburnum tree is very quiet and not moving at all. It is afternoon in September, and the sunlight looks yellow. Some of the leaves have turned yellow, and all the seeds have already fallen from the tree. The tree looks calm, lifeless, and empty.
Word Notes:
- Laburnum → a type of tree with yellow flowers → एक पेड़ जिसके पीले फूल होते हैं
- Top → the upper part of the tree → पेड़ का ऊपरी हिस्सा
- Silent → without sound → शांत, कोई आवाज़ नहीं
- Quite still → completely unmoving → बिल्कुल स्थिर
- Afternoon → the time after 12 noon → दोपहर के बाद का समय
- Yellow September sunlight → the golden sunlight of early autumn → सितम्बर की सुनहरी धूप
- Leaves yellowing → leaves turning yellow as they age → पत्ते बूढ़े होकर पीले हो रहे हैं
- Seeds fallen → seeds have dropped from the tree → बीज पेड़ से गिर गए हैं
Stanza 2
Till the goldfinch comes, with a twitching chirrup
A suddenness, a startlement, at a branch end.
Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt,
She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up
Of chitterings, and a tremor of wings, and trillings —
The whole tree trembles and thrills.
It is the engine of her family.
She stokes it full, then flirts out to a branch-end
Showing her barred face identity mask
Explanation:
Suddenly, a small yellow bird called the goldfinch comes to the tree. She makes a sharp, quick sound while moving her body quickly. This surprises the still tree, especially at the end of a branch. She moves smoothly and quickly like a lizard, staying very alert and active. She goes inside the thick part of the tree where her nest is hidden. As soon as she enters, the whole tree becomes alive. There are chirping sounds, the flutter of wings, and sweet musical noises. The tree starts to shake gently and feels full of energy. It looks as if the bird is the engine (source of energy) for her family. She feeds her chicks, fills them with energy, and then flies to the end of a branch. Her face has special stripes that act as her identity mask — it helps to recognize her.
Word Notes:
- Till → until that time → उस समय तक
- Goldfinch → a small yellow bird → एक छोटा पीला पक्षी
- Comes → arrives or enters → आता है या प्रवेश करता है
- Twitching → quick, small, sudden movements → झटके या अचानक छोटे हिलना
- Chirrup → short, sharp chirping sound → चहचहाहट की आवाज़
- Suddenness → something happening quickly without warning → अचानक घटित होना
- Startlement → a feeling of surprise or shock → आश्चर्य या चौंकना
- Branch end → the tip of a tree branch → पेड़ की डाली का अंतिम सिरा
- Sleek → smooth and shiny → चिकना और चमकदार
- Lizard → a small reptile → एक छोटा सरीसृप
- Alert → watchful and ready → सतर्क
- Abrupt → sudden and quick → अचानक और तेज़
- Thickness → dense part of the tree → पेड़ का घना हिस्सा
- A machine starts up → something begins with energy and movement → जीवन्तता या गति शुरू होना
- Chitterings → rapid, repeated bird-like sounds → पक्षियों जैसी तेज़-तेज़ आवाज़ें
- Tremor of wings → shaking or fluttering of wings → पंखों की कंपकंपी
- Trillings → soft, musical bird sounds → मधुर चहचहाहट
- Trembles → shakes slightly → हल्का कांपना
- Thrills → feels excited or full of life → उत्साह या जीवन्तता से भरना
- Engine of her family → the driving force or energy of her nest → उसके परिवार की शक्ति या प्रेरक बल
- Stokes it full → fills with food or energy → भोजन या ऊर्जा से भरना
- Flirts out → moves out lightly and quickly → हल्के और तेज़ी से निकलना
- Branch-end → end point of a branch → डाली का अंतिम सिरा
- Barred face → face with stripes or markings → धारियों वाला चेहरा
- Identity mask → a marking that shows who she is → पहचान बताने वाला निशान
Literary Devices with Explanation:
1. Simile
Line: “Then sleek as a lizard…”
Explanation: The goldfinch’s smooth and quick movement is compared to a lizard’s movement using “as”, which makes the image vivid and clear.
2. Alliteration
Line: “Suddenness, a startlement” / “twitching chirrup” / “flirts out to a branch-end”
Explanation: Repetition of the same starting sound in words close together (e.g., ‘s’ in suddenness, startlement) creates a musical or rhythmic effect.
3. Metaphor
Line: “A machine starts up”
Explanation: The noise and activity in the tree after the goldfinch arrives are compared to a machine starting, showing how the nest becomes full of life and energy.
Line: “It is the engine of her family”
Explanation: The goldfinch is compared to an engine, meaning she is the driving force or source of energy for her young ones.
4. Personification
Line: “The whole tree trembles and thrills”
Explanation: The tree is given human qualities—it shakes and feels joy, as if it is alive and excited by the bird’s presence.
5. Imagery
Line: Multiple lines: “twitching chirrup,” “tremor of wings,” “barred face”
Explanation: The poet uses words that appeal to our senses of sound and sight, helping us imagine the scene clearly.
6. Symbolism
Line: “Engine of her family” / “Identity mask”
Explanation: The goldfinch becomes a symbol of motherhood and life, while the barred face is a symbol of her unique identity.
Simile Stanza 2, Line 6 ‘sleek as a lizard’ [comparison between the two using ‘as’]
Metaphor Stanza 2, Line 10 ‘engine of her family’ [engine represents the goldfinch and machine represents the nest]
Alliteration Stanza 1, Line 2 ‘September sunlight’ [repetition of the initial letter ‘s’]
Stanza 2, Line 5 ‘A suddenness, a startlement’ [repetition of the initial letter ‘s’]
Stanza 2, Line 6‘alert and abrupt’ [repetition of the initial letter ‘a’]
Stanza 2, Line 9 ‘tree trembles’ [repetition of the initial letter ‘t’]
Onomatopoeia Stanza 2 ‘chirrup’, ‘chitterings’, ‘trillings’ and ‘whistle-chirrup’ [words formed from sounds similar to them]
Transferred Epithet Stanza 2, Line 12 ‘her barred face identity mask’ [the shadow of the flowers on her face looks like she is wearing a mask that has bars on it)
Stanza 3
Then with eerie delicate whistle-chirrup whisperings
She launches away, towards the infinite
Explanation:
The goldfinch bird makes a soft, strange, and musical sound—a mix of whistling, chirping, and whispering. After that, she flies away gently into the open, endless sky. Her departure brings back the silence to the tree.
Word Notes:
- Eerie → strange and mysterious → अजीब और रहस्यमय
- Delicate → soft and gentle → कोमल और मृदु
- Whistle-chirrup → a sound that is a mix of whistling and chirping → सीटी और चहचहाहट का मिला-जुला स्वर
- Whisperings → soft, low sounds like quiet talking → धीमी और मृदु फुसफुसाहट
- Launches away → flies off or takes flight → उड़ जाता है / आकाश में उड़ान भरता है
- Towards the infinite → in the direction of the endless sky → अनंत आकाश की ओर
Literary Devices:
Alliteration
- Line: “whistle-chirrup whisperings”
- Explanation: Repetition of the ‘w’ sound creates a musical and flowing effect, matching the bird’s soft flight.
b. Imagery
- Line: Both lines
- Explanation: The use of words like “eerie,” “delicate,” and “whisperings” appeals to our sense of hearing, helping us imagine the soft, magical sound.
c. Metaphor / Symbolism
- Line: “towards the infinite”
- Explanation: The infinite symbolizes the endless sky or freedom. The bird’s flight represents freedom, departure, or the return of stillness.
Last Line
And the laburnum subsides to empty.
Explanation:
After the goldfinch bird flies away, the laburnum tree becomes silent and lifeless again. There is no sound, no movement — it becomes empty and quiet, just as it was before the bird came.
Word Notes:
| Word | Meaning (English) | Bengali Meaning |
| Laburnum | A tree with yellow flowers | লাবার্নাম গাছ (হলুদ ফুলযুক্ত এক গাছ) |
| Subsides | Becomes quiet / reduces gradually | স্তিমিত হওয়া / ধীরে ধীরে শান্ত হয়ে যাওয়া |
| Empty | Without sound or life | খালি / নিস্তব্ধ / প্রাণহীন |
Literary Devices:
a. Personification
- Line: “the laburnum subsides”
- Explanation: The tree is given human-like quality — it is described as if it can become calm or quiet by itself.
b. Alliteration
- There is a soft repetition of the ‘s’ sound in “subsides to silent” (if taken in full context of previous lines).
- This creates a soothing, calming tone, reflecting the quiet after the bird has gone.
c. Contrast (Implied)
- Before: The tree was full of life and sound when the bird arrived.
- Now: It becomes silent and empty again. This contrast highlights the impact of the goldfinch.
NCERT Hornbill Textual Questions Answers Class 11 [Page No 31]
NCERT Hornbill Textual Questions Answers Class 11 CBSE offers clear and accurate solutions to all textbook questions. These answers help students understand themes, characters, and literary devices with ease. Perfect for revision, exam preparation, and building strong conceptual knowledge.
Find Out (NCERT Page 31)
1. What laburnum is called in your language.
Ans. In Hindi, a laburnum tree is called the amaltaas tree.
2. Which local bird is like the goldfinch.
Ans. The local bird similar to the goldfinch is the Indian Lutino Ringneck.
Think It Out (NCERT Page 31)
1. What do you notice about the beginning and the ending of the poem?
Ans. The beginning and the ending of the poem present a similarity that the Laburnum tree is still and silent on both occasions.
2. To what is the bird’s movement compared? What is the basis for the comparison?
Ans. The bird’s (goldfinch’s) movement is compared to that of a lizard. The basis of the comparison is that the goldfinch’s movement is sudden and abrupt which is quite similar to the movement of a lizard.
3. Why is the image of the engine evoked by the poet?
Ans. The poet evokes the image of the engine as it is the source of energy for a machine. The poet compares the bird with an engine as she is the source of energy for the nest where the chicks are resting.
4. What do you like the most about the poem?
Ans. I like the description of the Laburnum tree laden with yellow flowers. Apart from this, I also like the arrival of the goldfinch which changes the silent tree into one full of noise and activity.
5. What does the phrase ‘her barred face identity mask’ mean?
Ans. The Laburnum tree has flowers that fall like bars and when the bird sits behind the flowers, the shadow of the flowers on her face looks like she is wearing a mask that has bars on it. Thus, ‘barred’ is actually an adjective for the flowers and has been transferred and applied to the bird.
Note down (NCERT Page 31)
1. Sound Words:
- whistle
- chirrup
- whisperings
- trill
- twitching
2. Movement Words:
- twitching
- tremor
- starts up
- launches away
- sleeks
- subsides
3. Dominant Colour in the Poem:
- Yellow (mentioned as the “yellow September sunlight” and suggested through “Laburnum,” which is a yellow-flowering tree)
List the following (NCERT Page 31)
1. Words which describe ‘sleek’, ‘alert’, and ‘abrupt’:
- sleek: smooth, graceful
- alert: quick, watchful
- abrupt: sudden, jerky, rapid
2. Words with the sound ‘ch’ (as in ‘chart’):
- chirrup
- chitterings
Words with the sound ‘tr’ (as in ‘trembles’):
- tremor
- trembles
- trill
3. Other Sounds That Occur Frequently in the Poem:
- s sound: whisperings, sleek, subsides
- t sound: twitching, tremor, trill
- w sound: whistle, whisperings
These sound patterns create the musical and lively atmosphere in the poem.
Exam Pattern-Based Questions Answers
Exam Pattern-Based Questions Answers are designed according to the latest CBSE guidelines to help students score better. These include MCQs, short and long answers, and competency-based questions. They ensure thorough practice and clear understanding of the exam format
Extract-Based Questions: The Laburnum Top Questions Answers
One Poetry extract from the book Hornbill, to assess comprehension, interpretation, analysis, inference and appreciation. 3×1=3 Marks
Extract-Based Question 1
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow
1. The Laburnum top is silent, quite still
In the afternoon yellow September sunlight.
A few leaves yellowing, all its seeds fallen.
Till the goldfinch cames, with a twitching chirrup
A suddenness, a startlement, at a branch end.
(i) Read the Assertion (A) and the Reason (R) below with reference to the given extract.
Assertion (A) The laburnum tree’s seeds have fallen and its leaves are yellow.
Reason (R) It is the afternoon time of the day,
Choose the correct option regarding their relationship.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation for A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation for A.
(c) A is true, but R is false,
(d) A is false, but R is true.
(ii) Which characteristic is associated with the Laburnum Top in the above stanza?
(a) Peaceful
(c) Dying
(b) Quiet
(d) Beautiful
(iii) Select the correct option from those given in brackets to fill in the blank.
The yellow colour of the leaves of the laburnum tree and its fallen seeds suggest that it was the……… (autumn/spring) season.
Ans. (i) (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation for A.
(ii) (b) Quiet
(iii) autumn
Extract-Based Question 2
Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow
2. Then sleek as a lizard, and alert, and abrupt.
She enters the thickness, and a machine starts up
Of chitterings and a tremor of wings, and trilling
The whole tree trembles and thrills.
(i) What does the imagery of ‘tree trembles and thrills’ primarily represent?
(a) The tree dances when she comes.
(b) The tree experiences fear and shock,
(c) The tree seems to stir up
(d) The tree feels shock and dies,
(ii) Who is making the chittering sounds when the goldfinch arrives?
(iii) What is the phrase ‘a machine starts up’ a reference to?
Ans. (i) (c) The tree seems to stir up.
(i) The goldfinch’s baby birds are making the chittering sounds when she arrives.
(iii) The phrase is a reference to the activity and the liveliness that has filled the tree.
Short Answer Type Questions: The Laburnum Top Questions Answers
One short-answer type question (one from Poetry from the book Hornbill), to be answered in 40-50 words. Questions should elicit inferential responses through critical thinking. 3×1=3 Marks
1. Explain the reason behind the title. The Laburnum Top’.
Ans. The poem has been titled “The Laburnum Top because the top of the Laburnum tree has been described in detail in the poem. It is on the top of the Laburnum tree that the nest of the goldfinch is located and where all the activity takes place when the goldfinch visits the nest.
2. Interpret the use of the colour ‘yellow’ in visual imagery by Ted Hughes in the poem ‘A Laburnum Top
Ans. The flowers of the Laburnum tree and its leaves (in autumn) both are yellow in colour. Apart from this the goldfinch’s feathers are also yellow in colour. The poem highlights the high security that the mother be (goldfinch) ensures for her babies and the colour yellow helps in camouflaging the babies. Hence, they escape being noticed by any predator.
3. Explain how is the tree transformed during the bird’s visit.
Ans. After the goldfinch arrives on the tree, the silent and still Laburnum tree suddenly starts trembling and moving. The whole tree comes to life as the chicks of the goldfinch make a lot of noise as they chitter of seeing their mother.
4. The laburnum tree and the goldfinch maintain a mutually beneficial relationship. Explore this theme in relation to the poem “The Laburnum Top’.
Ans. Both the tree and the goldfinch are important for each other’s survival. The goldfinch’s presence, the sounds of the birds chirping and the branches twitching bring life to the tree. Its dead silence is broken by the bird’s arrival. The laburnum tree, in return, provides a safe haven for the goldfinch and its young. The relationship between the tree and the goldfinch is, thus, similar to the relationship between the body and the soul. The tree is the body and the goldfinch is the soul, and both are essential to each other.
5. How does the Laburnum ensure security for the nestlings?
Ans. According to a popular belief, the bark and the seeds of the Laburnum tree are poisonous. So, predators normally do not come near the tree. Apart from this, its yellow flowers and yellowing leaves in the autumn season complemented by the yellow coloured feathers of the goldfinch help in camouflaging the nestlings from the predators.
6. Explain the line-‘And the Laburnum subsides to empty’. Also, elaborate on its importance.
Ans. This is the last line of the poem. It describes that, after the departure of the goldfinch from the Laburnum tree, it falls silent. The tree was noisy and lively when the goldfinch came to feed its chicks but it reverts to its earlier self after its departure from the tree. This return to the initial image from the start of the poem aligns with the circle of life. It also asserts the importance of the goldfinch.
7. Comment on the tone of the poem and how it reflects the theme.
Ans. The tone of the poem is contemplative and observational. It begins with a calm and serene description of the laburnum tree in September, portraying a sense of stillness and calm. As the poem progresses, the tone becomes more vibrant and animated when the goldfinch arrives. There is a sense of excitement and energy in describing the bird’s sudden presence and activity within the tree. Towards the poem’s end, the tone becomes melancholic as the laburnum tree subsides to emptiness once the goldfinch departs. This shift in tone reflects the transient nature of life and beauty.
8. ‘The Laburnum Top’ by Ted Hughes is primarily a nature poem with elements of lyricism. Elucidate.
Ans. “The Laburnum Top’ by Ted Hughes is primarily a nature poem with elements of lyricism. While it focuses on describing a laburnum tree and the arrival of a goldfinch in a natural setting, it also contains aspects of lyricism in the poet’s observations and emotions. The poem captures a brief moment of liveliness in nature. It expresses the poet’s feelings and reflections on that moment, blending nature’s and lyric poetry’s characteristics.
9. How the free verse structure of the poem impacts it?
Ans. Structure The poem consists of a single stanza with 15 lines. It doesn’t follow a traditional rhyme scheme or meter, which gives it a free-verse structure. The poem’s structure mirrors the suddenness and unpredictability of nature, with the goldfinch’s arrival and departure disrupting the laburnum tree’s initial stillness.
10. Assess how the laburnum tree can be seen as a symbol of the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life.
Ans. The laburnum tree can be seen as a symbol of the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life. Its yellowing leaves and fallen seeds represent ageing and the end of one phase of life. The goldfinch symbolises vitality, transformation and the fleeting moments of vibrancy that punctuate the stillness of life. It represents the unexpected and the beauty that can emerge suddenly and disappear just as quickly. The tree’s transformation from stillness to activity symbolises the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the natural world.
11. What do you like most about the poem?
Ans. The aspect that stands out most about the poem is its vivid imagery and how Ted Hughes captures the intricacies of nature’s rhythms. The poem immerses the reader in the sensory experience of the scene, from the golden September sunlight to the tremor of wings and trillings of the goldfinch. Hughes skillfully explores themes of life, movement, and emptiness, inviting reflection on the fleeting beauty of existence.
12. How does the goldfinch’s departure contribute to the broader themes of impermanence and renewal in “The Laburnum Top’?
Ans. The goldfinch’s departure is a poignant reminder of life’s impermanence, emphasising the transient nature of vibrant moments. Additionally, its exit hints at the theme of renewal, suggesting that the fading of one moment paves the way for new cycles of growth and vitality within the natural world.
13. What emotions does the goldfinch’s departure evoke in the poem?
Ans. The goldfinch’s departure evokes a sense of longing and nostalgia, highlighting the bittersweet nature of transient experiences. It prompts reflection on the fleeting beauty of existence and the human desire to hold onto fleeting moments of vitality.
Long Answer Type Questions: The Laburnum Top Questions Answers
One Long answer type question, from Poetry of Hornbill, to be answered in 120-150 words. Questions can be based on incident / theme / passage / extract / event, as reference points to assess extrapolation beyond and across the text. The question will elicit analytical and evaluative response from the student. 1×6=6 Marks
1. The arrival of the goldfinch on the Laburnum top brings about a change in the poem. Interpret this change. What role does change play in life? Give your views.
Ans. At the start of the poem, the top of the Laburnum tree in the poem is silent and still. There is hardly any activity on it as the sunlight falls on it on a September afternoon. However, with the arrival of the goldfinch, it suddenly becomes a place of feverish activity. The silence of the place is broken by the twittering and chirruping of the chicks and the goldfinch. I think that the change brought about by the arrival of the goldfinch on the Laburnum top is good as it breaks the monotony. The tree becomes alive and lively with the movement of the goldfinch and the twitterings and chirrupings of the chicks. Change can be good or bad in life depending on a situation. However, an important fact is that change is
the only constant in life. So, even if a change is bad, we have to accept it and move on in life.
2. The poem ‘Laburnum Top’ beautifully describes how the goldfinch transforms the tree and makes it come alive. Imagine yourself to be a primary school teacher who has to address the students. Write this address in 120-150 words, elaborating on the values that can be learnt from the goldfinch in the poem. You may begin like this:
Good morning, students!
The goldfinch has its nest on the top of.
Ans: Good morning, students!
The goldfinch has its nest on the top of a laburnum tree. At first, the tree looks silent and empty. But the moment the little goldfinch bird arrives, everything changes. The tree becomes full of life, sound, and energy.
From this beautiful poem, we learn some wonderful values. The goldfinch teaches us how one small creature can bring big changes. Just like her, you too can spread joy and happiness wherever you go.
We also learn about care and love. The bird rushes to her young ones and feeds them lovingly. This shows us the value of responsibility and caring for others.
So, my dear students, always remember — even a small act of kindness or energy from you can make your surroundings come alive, just like the goldfinch made the laburnum top joyful again!
Thank you!
3. In what ways does Hughes employ figurative language and poetic devices to convey the interconnectedness of nature and the cyclical rhythms of life?
Ans: In The Laburnum Top, Ted Hughes uses figurative language and poetic devices to show how nature and life are deeply connected and follow a natural cycle. He personifies the tree by showing how it changes from silent and still to alive and energetic when the goldfinch arrives. This shows the bond between the bird and the tree — they depend on each other.
Hughes uses metaphors like “engine of her family” to show how the bird powers life in the nest, just like an engine powers a machine. The tree “trembles and thrills,” using alliteration and imagery to show how full of life it becomes. The cycle is shown when the bird flies away and the tree becomes silent again — life returns to stillness, ready to begin again.
Through these poetic techniques, Hughes highlights the beauty of life’s natural rhythm — stillness, activity, and stillness again — just like the cycle of seasons and nature.
