Class 10 : English – Lesson 19. For Anne Gregory
EXPLANATION & SUMMARY
💠 Explanation
🌟 Introduction to the Poem
For Anne Gregory by William Butler Yeats is a short yet thought-provoking poem that explores the theme of inner beauty versus outer beauty. Through a playful conversation, the poet suggests that true love should be based on inner qualities, not external appearance.
📚 About the Poet
W.B. Yeats (1865–1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, and Nobel laureate in Literature (1923). One of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature, his poetry combines mythology, symbolism, and deep philosophical thought.
💡 Theme and Context
The poem reflects the universal truth that outer beauty fades, but inner goodness is eternal. The poet highlights that love based solely on physical appearance is shallow, while true love values character and virtue.
🎭 Key Sections / Episodes
First Stanza: The speaker tells Anne Gregory that men fall in love with her golden hair (physical beauty), not with her true self.
Second Stanza: Anne Gregory playfully says she can dye her hair brown, black, or carrot, implying beauty is temporary and changeable.
Third Stanza: The speaker concludes with wisdom from an old religious text—only God loves humans for their “inner self,” beyond outward appearance.
🖋️ Tone, Style, and Devices
Tone: playful, reflective, philosophical.
Devices:
Imagery: Golden hair as a symbol of beauty.
Contrast: Physical beauty (hair) vs. inner goodness.
Allusion: Reference to religious wisdom.
Rhyme: Simple rhyme scheme (AA BB), making it lyrical and easy.
🕊️ Themes and Takeaways
Temporary vs. Eternal Beauty: Outer appearance fades, but inner qualities remain.
True Love: Should be based on character, not looks.
Wisdom: Only divine love is beyond physical attraction.
Satire on Society: People often value looks over inner virtues.
💠 Summary
In For Anne Gregory, W.B. Yeats conveys that men usually fall in love with Anne for her golden hair, symbolising outer beauty. Anne replies that she could change her hair colour anytime, showing that physical beauty is not permanent. The poet concludes with a deeper truth, drawn from religious wisdom—that only God’s love looks beyond physical appearances and values inner goodness. The poem highlights the difference between superficial attraction and true, spiritual love.
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PASSAGE
PASSAGE
“But I can get a hair-dye
And set such colour there,
Brown, or black, or carrot,
That young men in despair
May love me for myself alone
And not my yellow hair.”
💠 (Short Answer – 30 words)
What does Anne Gregory mean by dyeing her hair different colours?
Answer: Anne Gregory means that outer beauty is changeable, and men should love her for her true self, not for her temporary golden hair.
💠 (Multiple Choice)
What hair colour is Anne Gregory originally described with?
A. Brown
B. Black
C. Carrot
D. Yellow (golden)
Answer: D. Yellow (golden)
💠 (Fill in the blank)
Anne Gregory suggests dyeing her hair __, black, or carrot.
Answer: brown
💠 (Fill in the blank)
Anne Gregory wants young men to love her for __ alone.
Answer: herself
💠 (Assertion and Reason)
Assertion (A): Anne Gregory believes young men truly love her inner qualities.
Reason (R): She says they fall in love only because of her golden hair.
A. Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
B. Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
C. A is false, but R is true.
D. Both A and R are false.
Answer: C. A is false, but R is true.
💠 (Short Answer – 30 words)
How does this passage highlight the theme of the poem?
Answer: The passage shows that outer beauty is artificial and temporary, and true love must be based on inner self, not on changeable physical appearance like hair colour.
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OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
🔴 Q1. Who is the poet of For Anne Gregory?
🔵 Answer: William Butler Yeats.
🔴 Q2. What is the central theme of the poem?
🔵 Answer: The difference between outer beauty and inner beauty, and the need for true love beyond appearances.
🔴 Q3. What feature of Anne Gregory is admired by men in the poem?
🔵 Answer: Her golden (yellow) hair.
🔴 Q4. What does Anne Gregory suggest she can do to change her appearance?
🔵 Answer: She says she can dye her hair brown, black, or carrot.
🔴 Q5. Why does Anne Gregory want to change her hair colour?
🔵 Answer: To prove that men should love her for her true self, not for her golden hair.
🔴 Q6. According to the poet, why do men fall in love with women?
🔵 Answer: Men usually fall in love with physical beauty rather than inner qualities.
🔴 Q7. What wisdom from religious text does the poet share?
🔵 Answer: That only God loves humans for their inner self, not for their outer looks.
🔴 Q8. What does the golden hair symbolise in the poem?
🔵 Answer: Outer physical beauty, which is temporary and changeable.
🔴 Q9. How does the poem reflect on human nature?
🔵 Answer: It shows that humans are often shallow, valuing appearances over real character.
🔴 Q10. What is the tone of the poem?
🔵 Answer: Playful, reflective, and philosophical.
🔴 Q11. How does the poet highlight the contrast between temporary and eternal love?
🔵 Answer: By showing that physical attraction fades, while inner goodness, valued by God, is eternal.
🔴 Q12. What poetic device is used in the poem to emphasise inner vs outer beauty?
🔵 Answer: Contrast (between golden hair and true self) and symbolism (hair = physical beauty).
🔴 Q13. What message does For Anne Gregory convey?
🔵 Answer: That true love must be based on inner virtues, not outer looks, and only divine love values the real self.
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