NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English (First Flight) Poem 10: For Anne Gregory

Complete solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem 10 – “For Anne Gregory” by William Butler Yeats: an original summary, theme and message, hard-word meanings, and every Thinking about the Poem question answered in full. We keep the textbook questions exactly as in the NCERT book and add extra questions, MCQs with key, Assertion–Reason items and exam tips for the 2026–27 session.

Class: 10 Subject: English Book: First Flight Type: Poem (Poem 10) Poet: William Butler Yeats Session: 2026–27
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About the poet

William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) was an Irish poet and a leading figure of twentieth-century literature, as well as an Irish nationalist. He was educated in London and Dublin and was deeply interested in folklore and mythology, themes that often colour his verse. Considered one of the greatest poets in the English language, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1923. “For Anne Gregory” is a short, deceptively simple poem written as a conversation, reflecting Yeats’ lifelong fascination with beauty, love and deeper truth.

Summary

“For Anne Gregory” is a brief, three-stanza poem cast as a gentle argument between an older speaker and a beautiful young woman with striking golden (“honey-coloured”) hair. The poem opens with the speaker declaring that no young man will ever be able to love the girl “for herself alone”; instead, they will all be drawn to and thrown into despair by her lovely yellow hair. In other words, her outer beauty is so dazzling that it will always come between her and any honest, deeper love.

In the second stanza the young woman replies confidently. She insists that the problem can easily be solved: she can simply use a hair-dye and change the colour of her hair to brown, black or carrot-red. Once her famous golden hair is gone, she argues, young men will be forced to look past her appearance and love her “for herself alone” rather than for her hair. She believes that altering her physical beauty can change how people value her.

The speaker, however, gently disagrees in the final stanza. He recalls that only the night before he had heard an old, religious man declare that he had found a text (a religious authority) to prove a hard truth: that only God could love her “for herself alone, and not her yellow hair.” Through this quiet conclusion, Yeats suggests that perfect, selfless love — love for the inner self with no thought of outward charm — is beyond ordinary human beings and belongs to the divine alone. The poem thus moves from a light, almost teasing exchange to a profound reflection on beauty, love and human limitation.

Theme & message

The central theme of the poem is the difference between physical (external) beauty and inner worth, and the question of whether human beings can love someone purely for their true self. Yeats gently argues that people are almost always attracted first by outward appearance, and that only God is capable of perfect, selfless love that ignores looks entirely. The poem also touches on vanity, the futility of altering one’s appearance to be valued differently, and the rarity of genuine, unconditional love. Its message is that true love should reach beyond the surface, even though such ideal love is divine and very hard for humans to achieve.

Word meanings

Word / PhraseMeaning
thrown into despairmade to feel hopeless and unhappy
honey-colouredgolden, the warm colour of honey
rampartsthe high, wide protective walls around a castle or fort (here, a metaphor for her thick hair)
at your earthe hair falling beside her ears
for yourself alonefor your true inner self, not your looks
yellow hairgolden / blonde hair
hair-dyea colouring substance used to change hair colour
set such colourfix or apply a particular colour
carrot(here) reddish-orange colour, like a carrot
religious mana holy or devout person, here a sage/priest
but yesternightonly last night
declareto state firmly and openly
a texta passage from scripture used as proof or authority
to proveto establish the truth of something
only GodGod alone; no human being

Thinking about the Poem

The textbook exercise heading is reproduced verbatim from NCERT First Flight. Each question is answered fully below.

1. What does the young man mean by “great honey-coloured /Ramparts at your ear?” Why does he say that young men are “thrown into despair” by them?

ANSWERBy “great honey-coloured ramparts at your ear” the young man means the girl’s thick, golden (honey-coloured) hair falling beside her ears. He compares her hair to ramparts — the strong, high walls of a fort — because, like a fortress wall, her beautiful hair stands as a powerful barrier that no young man can get past.He says young men are “thrown into despair” by this hair because they are so overwhelmed and dazzled by its beauty that they fall hopelessly in love with her appearance. Their despair comes from the fact that they can never love her for her true self — her outer beauty captures them completely and stands in the way of any honest, deeper love.

2. What colour is the young woman’s hair? What does she say she can change it to? Why would she want to do so?

ANSWERThe young woman’s hair is yellow, that is, golden or honey-coloured.She says she can use a hair-dye to change it to brown, black or carrot (reddish-orange).She wants to do so because she believes that if her famous golden hair is gone, young men will no longer be distracted by it. Then they will be forced to look beyond her appearance and love her “for herself alone” — for her true, inner self — rather than for her beautiful hair.

3. Objects have qualities which make them desirable to others. Can you think of some objects (a car, a phone, a dress…) and say what qualities make one object more desirable than another? Imagine you were trying to sell an object: what qualities would you emphasise?

ANSWERYes. Different objects are made desirable by different qualities:A car: a sleek design, powerful engine, good mileage/safety features, comfort and a trusted brand make one car more desirable than another.A phone: a fast processor, a good camera, long battery life, a bright display and an attractive look raise its appeal.A dress: fine fabric, fashionable design, perfect fit, pleasing colour and durability make it more desirable.If I were selling an object — say a smartphone — I would emphasise its standout qualities: its excellent camera, all-day battery, smooth performance, stylish design and reasonable price, because these are the features buyers value most. (Like the poem’s argument, we usually highlight outward, attractive qualities to make something desirable.)

4. What about people? Do we love others because we like their qualities, whether physical or mental? Or is it possible to love someone “for themselves alone”? Are some people ‘more lovable’ than others? Discuss this question in pairs or in groups, considering points like the following.(i) a parent or caregiver’s love for a newborn baby, for a mentally or physically challenged child, for a clever child or a prodigy(ii) the public’s love for a film star, a sportsperson, a politician, or a social worker(iii) your love for a friend, or brother or sister(iv) your love for a pet, and the pet’s love for you.

ANSWERIn most relationships we are first attracted by some quality — physical (looks, voice, charm) or mental (intelligence, kindness, talent). However, true love can grow beyond these qualities and become love “for themselves alone.”(i) A parent’s love is the clearest example of love “for themselves alone.” A mother loves a newborn before it has shown any talent or beauty, and loves a mentally or physically challenged child as deeply as a clever child or prodigy — her love does not depend on the child’s qualities at all.(ii) The public’s love for a film star, sportsperson, politician or social worker is usually based on qualities — talent, success, glamour or good deeds. This love is conditional and can fade if those qualities fade, so it is rarely love “for themselves alone.”(iii) Love for a friend, brother or sister often begins with shared interests or qualities, but over time it deepens into genuine affection that survives faults and changes — coming close to selfless love.(iv) Love for a pet, and the pet’s love for us, is wonderfully selfless. A dog loves its owner regardless of looks, wealth or status, which shows that unconditional love is possible.So while some people may seem ‘more lovable’ because of attractive qualities, the deepest love — like a parent’s or a pet’s — can indeed value a person for who they truly are. (Discuss in pairs/groups and add your own views.)

5. You have perhaps concluded that people are not objects to be valued for their qualities or riches rather than for themselves. But elsewhere Yeats asks the question: How can we separate the dancer from the dance? Is it possible to separate ‘the person himself or herself’ from how the person looks, sounds, walks, and so on? Think of how you or a friend or member of your family has changed over the years. Has your relationship also changed? In what way?

ANSWERIt is very difficult, perhaps impossible, to separate ‘the person’ from the way the person looks, sounds, moves and behaves — just as Yeats says we cannot separate the dancer from the dance. A person’s appearance, voice, expressions and gestures are part of their identity, and they shape how we recognise and respond to them.Yet the inner self — one’s nature, values and the bond of love — runs deeper than these outer features. Over the years, people change a great deal: a friend or family member may grow taller, look older, change their hairstyle, voice or habits, and develop new interests.In my own experience, a close family member has changed in looks and manner as they have grown older, yet our relationship has only grown stronger and warmer, because it rests on love, trust and shared memories rather than on appearance alone. This shows that while we cannot fully separate the person from how they look or sound, real love is able to look past these changes and value the unchanging inner self. (Share your own example.)

Extra questions

Short answer (30–40 words)

1. Why does the poet compare the girl’s hair to ‘ramparts’?

ANSWERHe compares her thick golden hair to the high, strong walls of a fort because, like a rampart, it forms a powerful barrier that captivates young men and prevents them from looking beyond her beauty to her true self.

2. What solution does the young woman suggest, and is it effective?

ANSWERShe suggests dyeing her hair brown, black or carrot-red so men will love her for herself. It is not truly effective, because the poem concludes that only God, not men, can love a person for the inner self alone.

3. Who is the ‘old religious man’ and what did he declare?

ANSWERHe is a holy, devout man whom the speaker heard the previous night. He declared that he had found a scriptural text proving that only God could love the girl for herself alone and not for her yellow hair.

4. What does ‘honey-coloured’ tell us about the girl’s hair?

ANSWER‘Honey-coloured’ tells us her hair is a rich, warm golden colour like honey — bright, attractive and so striking that it dazzles young men and stands out as her most noticeable feature.

5. What is the tone of the poem?

ANSWERThe tone is light and conversational, almost teasing, in the first two stanzas, but turns thoughtful and serious in the last stanza, where the poet reflects on the deeper, divine truth about selfless love.

Long answer (100–120 words)

6. How does Yeats use the conversation form to convey the theme of inner beauty versus outer beauty?

ANSWERYeats casts the poem as a gentle argument between an older speaker and a beautiful young woman, which lets two opposing views meet naturally. The speaker insists that men are dazzled by her golden hair and cannot love her “for herself alone,” voicing the power of outer beauty. The young woman counters that she can dye her hair and force men to value her inner self, defending the idea that appearance can be changed. The speaker then closes the debate by recalling the old religious man’s text, which proves that only God can love perfectly and selflessly. Through this back-and-forth, Yeats shows that human love clings to outward beauty, while truly seeing the inner self is divine — making the conversation itself carry the theme.

7. ‘Only God could love you for yourself alone.’ Discuss the meaning and significance of this line.

ANSWERThis closing line is the heart of the poem. It means that perfect, selfless love — love that ignores outward beauty completely and values only the true inner self — is beyond ordinary human beings and belongs to God alone. Throughout the poem, the speaker has shown that men are captivated by the girl’s golden hair, and that even dyeing it cannot guarantee honest love. By quoting the old religious man’s scriptural text, Yeats gives the idea spiritual authority. Its significance lies in lifting the poem from a playful exchange about hair to a profound reflection on the limits of human love and the rarity of unconditional affection, reminding us that divine love alone is truly pure and complete.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Who is the poet of “For Anne Gregory”?

(a) Robert Frost   (b) William Butler Yeats   (c) John Keats   (d) Walt Whitman

2. The girl’s hair is described as:

(a) silver   (b) honey-coloured / yellow   (c) jet black   (d) brown

3. The word ‘ramparts’ in the poem refers to:

(a) a castle gate   (b) the girl’s thick hair   (c) her earrings   (d) a fort’s tower

4. According to the young man, young men are “thrown into despair” by the girl’s:

(a) cold behaviour   (b) wealth   (c) yellow hair   (d) sharp words

5. The young woman says she can change her hair colour to:

(a) gold or silver   (b) brown, black or carrot   (c) blue or green   (d) white

6. Why does the young woman want to change her hair colour?

(a) to look fashionable   (b) so men love her for herself alone   (c) to please her parents   (d) to hide grey hair

7. Who, according to the old religious man’s text, could love the girl for herself alone?

(a) a true poet   (b) her parents   (c) only God   (d) a wise king

8. The phrase “but yesternight” means:

(a) tomorrow night   (b) only last night   (c) every night   (d) at midnight

9. The central theme of the poem is:

(a) the beauty of nature   (b) patriotism   (c) inner beauty versus outer beauty   (d) the fear of death

10. W.B. Yeats won the Nobel Prize for Literature in:

(a) 1913   (b) 1923   (c) 1939   (d) 1945

Answer key: 1-(b)   2-(b)   3-(b)   4-(c)   5-(b)   6-(b)   7-(c)   8-(b)   9-(c)   10-(b)

Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

1. Assertion (A): The poet compares the girl’s hair to ramparts.

Reason (R): Her thick golden hair acts like a fort wall that prevents men from seeing her true self.

2. Assertion (A): The young woman wants to dye her hair brown, black or carrot.

Reason (R): She believes changing her hair colour will make men love her for herself alone.

3. Assertion (A): According to the poem, ordinary young men can easily love the girl for herself alone.

Reason (R): The old religious man declared that only God could love her for herself alone.

4. Assertion (A): The tone of the last stanza is thoughtful and serious.

Reason (R): The poet introduces a religious truth about divine, selfless love.

5. Assertion (A): The poem suggests that human love is usually based on outward appearance.

Reason (R): Yeats was an Irish nationalist who won the Nobel Prize in 1923.

Answer key: 1-(a)   2-(a)   3-(d)   4-(a)   5-(b)
1: R correctly explains the rampart metaphor. 2: R gives her exact motive. 3: A is false — the poem says only God can; R is true. 4: R explains the serious tone. 5: Both true, but R (about the poet’s life) does not explain A (about the theme).

Exam tips

Score full marks on this poem

  • Remember the structure: three stanzas — the man’s claim, the woman’s reply, the man’s final answer quoting the old religious man.
  • Learn the key metaphor: “honey-coloured ramparts” = the girl’s thick golden hair as a fortress wall.
  • The theme line to quote is “only God / Could love you for yourself alone / And not your yellow hair.”
  • For value-based questions, link the poem to inner beauty vs outer beauty and selfless, unconditional love.
  • Mention the poet: W.B. Yeats, Irish nationalist, Nobel Prize 1923 — useful for one-mark/author questions.

FAQs

What is the central message of ‘For Anne Gregory’?

The poem argues that human love is usually drawn to outward beauty, and that only God can love a person for their true inner self alone, ignoring physical appearance.

Why does the young woman want to dye her hair?

She wants to change her famous golden hair to brown, black or carrot so that young men will stop being dazzled by it and love her for herself alone, not for her hair.

What do the ‘honey-coloured ramparts’ symbolise?

They symbolise the girl’s thick, golden hair, compared to the high walls of a fort because her beauty forms a barrier that keeps men from seeing her true self.

The ‘Thinking about the Poem’ questions are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT First Flight textbook; the summary, explanations and answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

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