ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -“Sweet are the uses of adversity, which, like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head; and this our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in every thing.” This passage from William Shakespeare’s “As You Like It ” (II.

Detailed explanation-2: -Like a strict school-master who punishes students for their good, adversities to give a lesson. Herbs give sweet fragrance when they are crushed, while a doctor gives bitter pills to his patient to cure him.

Detailed explanation-3: -In this poem explains the hard ships. He says that when the reed bears the hardship of sharpening then it writes clearly and fluently. In the same way reduced wick of lamp gives shining light. In this way he tries to make us under stand that ups and downs of life and hard ships have their own uses.

Detailed explanation-4: -The phrase the uses of adversity is the subject and are sweet is the predicate. The sentence would normally be written “The uses of adversity are sweet”; in this case it has been turned around for effect.