Question

What an Indian thought when he saw the comet

Select two excerpts from the poem that best support the answer in Part A.
Flaming wonderer! that dost leave vaunting, proud / Ambition
boasting its lightning fringed (lines 1-2)
Or wingest thou with direful speed, the ear / Of some flaming god of
far off systems (lines 16-17)
Far behind all that for long ages gone / Dull, gray headed dames
have prated of- (lines 22-23)
The splendors of vast intelligence-/Frizzling little, puny humanity
(lines 27-28)
Into icy horrors-bursting the big / Wide-spread eyeball of dismay-to
recount (lines 29-30)

Answer 1

The Indian thought upon seeing the comet is one of awe and a sense of insignificance compared to the vast universe. The lines "Flaming wonderer ... Ambition boasting its lightning fringed" and "The splendors of vast intelligence ... puny humanity" best capture this sentiment in the poem.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question relates to a poem and asks which excerpts from it best support the idea of an Indian's thoughts upon seeing a comet. Given the provided excerpts and the theme of comets in poetry and culture, the poem explores various responses to witnessing a comet.

One excerpt, "Flaming wonderer! that dost leave vaunting, proud / Ambition boasting its lightning fringed" (lines 1-2), conveys both admiration and awe, suggesting the comet's impressive and commanding nature.

A second excerpt that supports this sentiment is "The splendors of vast intelligence-/Frizzling little, puny humanity" (lines 27-28), which contrasts the grandeur and intelligence of the cosmos with the insignificance of humanity.

These lines together imply that for the observer, the comet is a magnificent and potentially overpowering phenomenon that highlights the grand scope of the universe in contrast to the small scale of human affairs.