NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Woven Words Poetry Chapter 8:For Elkana

‘For Elkana’ is a poem composed by the famous Indian contemporary writer Nissim Ezekiel. The poet has picturised the lives of the common people of India in the poem. He has added realistic elements to show how an evening looks like in the lives of a middle-class family. He adds the day to day incidents to make his readers relate to the text. The poet has presented the poem in a very engaging manner.

The family consists of three people, a husband, a wife and their son. The wife complains to her husband about not repairing a windowpane that has been broken for a long time. She says this is not the first time she has brought up the topic. The husband, on the other hand, ignores his wife’s squabbles. To avoid any further argument, he agrees with her and says that she is always right. Both parents pamper the child. He is an attention seeker, and all his wants are taken care of by both parents.

The poem ends on a positive note of finding completeness in the incomplete lives of people. The husband is grateful for having her as his wife because she loves him despite all his flaws. On the other hand, the wife finds joy in having conversations regarding trivial issues. It ensures that there is no place of miscommunications or misunderstandings in their lives. Their son is their bundle of joy. The family is not rich, but they know how to be happy. This poem brings out the simplicity that prevails in families that do not own much, but that is enough to lead a peaceful life.