NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Reader Chapter 9

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Reader Chapter 9 Lord Ullin’s Daughter offer comprehensive and easy-to-understand answers that help students grasp the deeper meaning of the poem. As a part of the CBSE Class 9 English syllabus, this poem by Thomas Campbell explores themes of love, sacrifice, nature’s fury, and regret. These solutions not only guide students through the poem's plot and character emotions but also explain important literary devices such as imagery, alliteration, and transferred epithets. Ideal for revision and Class 9 exam preparation, the solutions are structured as per the NCERT guidelines and help students build a strong foundation in literature with clarity and confidence.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Reader Chapter 9 Lord Ullin’s Daughter

Lord Ullin’s Daughter is a dramatic and emotional narrative poem that tells the tragic story of a young couple’s desperate attempt to escape the wrath of the girl’s father. The poem begins with the lovers trying to cross a stormy sea with the help of a brave boatman. As they flee, the danger of nature and the anger of Lord Ullin chase them. Despite the father's change of heart at the last moment, the wild storm claims the lives of the lovers.

This poem is rich in emotion, imagery, and poetic devices. It highlights themes like love, courage, nature’s power, and regret. Thomas Campbell uses vivid descriptions and a powerful setting to create a moving story that leaves a lasting impact on the reader.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Ch 9 Question Answer

Below are the detailed answers to all the textbook questions from the poem Lord Ullin’s Daughter by Thomas Campbell. These solutions will help students understand the poem’s story, emotions, and poetic expressions more clearly and prepare well for their exams.

Question 1. Scotland stretches away in a spectacular fusion of wooded glens, sweeping moors, rugged coasts, towering mountains, green valleys and deep blue lakes known as Lochs. The Scottish people have long been famous for their close-knit clans organised under chieftains who often led fierce warriors to savage feuds.

Answer:
Scotland is described as a land of breathtaking natural beauty, with a mix of wooded glens, moors, rugged coastlines, mountains, green valleys, and deep blue lakes called Lochs. This rich and varied landscape makes it a truly spectacular place.

The passage also highlights the cultural aspect of Scotland, focusing on its close-knit clans, each led by a chieftain. These clans were known for their loyalty and bravery, often engaging in fierce battles and feuds. This historical and natural background is important in understanding the setting of poems like Lord Ullin’s Daughter, which is based in the Scottish Highlands.

Question 2. Lord Ullin’s Daughter is one of the most popular romantic poems of Thomas Campbell. It describes how a Scottish Chieftain and his beloved flee her wrathful father, but their defiance leads to their deaths, in a surging, stormy sea.

Answer:

Lord Ullin’s Daughter is a famous romantic ballad written by Thomas Campbell. The poem narrates the tragic love story of a Scottish Chieftain and his beloved, who try to escape her father's anger by crossing a violent, stormy sea.

Their decision to elope shows their deep love and courage, but sadly, their act of defiance leads to their death as the rough sea claims them before they can be saved. The poem powerfully captures themes of love, sacrifice, parental opposition, and the uncontrollable force of nature.

 Question 3. Your teacher will play a recording of the poem. Listen to it with your books closed and conjure up a scene of mystery, adventure and high drama that the poem portrays.

Answer:

As I listened to the recording of the poem with my book closed, a dramatic and mysterious scene played in my mind. I imagined a dark, stormy evening by a wild Scottish lake, with grey clouds swirling above and strong winds howling across the water. A young couple, frightened yet determined, stood at the edge of the rocky shore, their cloaks fluttering in the wind. The girl looked back nervously as the sound of galloping horses grew louder — her father’s men were near.

A brave boatman, moved by the girl’s innocence and fear, stepped forward and guided them into a small boat. The waves crashed around them as they began their dangerous journey across the loch.

Thunder rumbled above, and the boat rocked violently. Just as the furious Lord Ullin arrived at the shore, shouting for his daughter, a giant wave engulfed the boat. The lovers disappeared into the stormy sea, leaving behind cries of sorrow and a father’s helpless wail. It was a heartbreaking moment filled with love, danger, regret, and the raw power of nature.

Question 4. Now, listen to the poem again. As you listen this time, read the poem aloud, alongwith the recording. Try to copy the rhythm of the recording.

Answer:

A Classroom Activity.

Question 5. On the basis of your understanding of the poem, answer the following questions by ticking the correct choice.
(a) Lord Ullin’s daughter and her lover are trying to______
(i) escape the wrath of her father.
(ii) settle in a distant land.

 (iii) challenge the storm in the lake.

(iv) trying to prove their love for each other.

Answer:

(i) escape the wrath of her father.

(b) The boatman agrees to ferry them across because _________
(i) he has fallen in love with Lord Ullin’s daughter.
(ii) he wants to avenge Lord Ullin.
(iii) he has lost his love.
(iv) he is sorry for the childlike innocence of the lady.
Answer:
(iv) he is sorry for the childlike innocence of the lady.

(c) The mood changes in the poem. It transforms from ________
(i) happiness to fear.
(ii)anxiety to grief.
(iii) fear to happiness.
(iv) love to pain.
Answer:
(ii)anxiety to grief.

(d) The shore of Lochgyle has been referred to as ‘fatal shore !’ The poetic device used here is_______
(i) metaphor.
(ii) simile.
(iii) transferred epithet.
(iv) onomatopoeia
Answer:
(i) metaphor.

Question 6. In pairs copy and complete the summary of the poem with suitable words/ expressions.
A Scottish Chieftain and his beloved were (a) ______ from her wrathful father. As they reached the shores, the (b) _____ told a boatman to (c) ________ them across Lochgyle. He asked him to do it quickly because if (d) _______ found them, they would kill him. The boatman (e) _______ to take them not for the (f) ______ that the Chieftain offered but for his (g) ______. By this time, the storm had (h) ______ and a wild wind had started blowing. The sound of (i) ______ could be heard close at hand. The lady urged the batman (j) ______ as she did not want to face an angry father. Their boat left the (k) ______ and as it got caught in the stormy sea, Lord Ullin reached the deadly (l) _____ His anger changed to wailing when he saw his daughter (m) _______. He asked her to return to the shore. But it was (n) ______ as the stormy sea claimed his daughter and her lover.

Answer:
(a) fleeing/escaping
(b) Chieftain
(c) row
(d) Lord Ullin’s men
(e) promised
(f) silver pound
(g) winsome bride
(h) grown furious
(i) stamping
(j) to make haste
(k) stormy land
(l) shore
(m) caught in the storm
(n) in vain/too late

Question 7. Why does Lord Ullin’s daughter defy her father and elope with her lover? (Stanza 1)

Answer:

Lord Ullin’s daughter defies her father because she is deeply in love with the Scottish chieftain, but her father strongly opposes their relationship. Knowing that he would never allow them to be together, she chooses to run away with her lover to escape her father’s anger. Her decision shows her courage and determination to follow her heart, even if it means going against her family.

Question 8. Give two characteristics of the boatman who ferries the couple across the sea.

Answer:
The boatman is shown as a kind-hearted and courageous man. He agrees to help the couple, not because of the money offered, but because he feels sympathy for the young girl. He is also very brave, as he chooses to row the boat across the stormy sea, risking his own life to help them escape. His actions show that he is both compassionate and fearless.

Question 9. “Imagery” refers to something that can be perceived through more than one of the senses. It uses figurative language to help form mental pictures. Campbell uses vivid, diverse and powerful imagery to personify the menacing face of nature. Pick out expressions that convey the images of anger in the following stanzas:

Answer:

Question 10. Read the following lines and answer the questions that follow:
“His horsemen hard behind us ride; Should they our steps discover,
Then who will cheer my bonny bride When they have slain her lover?”
(a) Who is ‘his’ in line 1? Who does ‘us’ refer to?
(b) Explain: ‘cheer my bonny bride’.
(c) Why would the lover be slain?

Answer:
(a) ‘His’ stands for Lord Ullin. ‘Us’ refers to Lord Ullin’s daughter and her lover.
(b) It means that if the Scottish chieftain is killed, there will be no one to look after and make his beautiful bride happy.
(c) If the lover is caught, it is sure that he will be killed by Lord Ullin and his armed men. Lord Ullin doesn’t want his daughter to marry her lover.

Question 11. "The water-wraith was shrieking”. Is the symbolism in this line a premonition of what happens at the end ? Give reasons for your answer. (Stanza 7)

Answer:
Certainly the symbolism in this line is a premonition of what is about to happen at the end. The stormy sea is getting furious and the rising waves have assumed the shape of ghosts threatening to swallow the lovers in the tempest. Certainly, Lord Ullin’s beautiful daughter and her lover are going to meet their watery graves in the sea at the end.

Question 12.
The poet uses words like ‘adown’, ‘rode’ which contain harsh consonants. Why do you think the poet has done this? (Stanza 8)

Answer:
The poet uses harsh-sounding words like ‘adown’ and ‘rode’ to create a strong and intense mood. These hard consonants reflect the anger and urgency of Lord Ullin and his men as they chase the couple. They also help express the fury of nature, like the stormy sea, the wild wind, and the dark sky. These sounds add to the feeling of danger, tension, and drama in the poem.

Question 13.
In Stanza 10, the poet says—
The boat has left a stormy land,
A stormy sea before her,
(а) In both these lines, the word “stormy” assumes different connotations. What are they?
(b) The lady faces a dilemma herS. What is it? What choice does she finally make?

Answer:
(a) In these lines, the word “stormy” is used with two different meanings. The “stormy land” refers to the danger and tension on land, where Lord Ullin and his angry men are chasing the couple. It shows the emotional storm caused by the father’s rage. On the other hand, the “stormy sea” refers to the natural storm — the rough, dangerous sea full of strong winds and waves that lies ahead of them.

(b) The girl faces a difficult choice — whether to return to the land and face her angry father or to risk her life in the stormy sea with her lover. She chooses to go forward into the sea because she is too afraid to face her father’s wrath and would rather risk dying with the one she loves.

Question 14. (a)“Lord Ullin reached that fatal shore” just as his daughter left it. (Stanza 11). Why is the shore called fatal?
(b) Why does Lord Ullin’s wrath change into wailing on seeing his daughter?

Answer:
((a) The shore is called fatal because it becomes the place from where the couple leaves for the stormy sea and never returns. By the time Lord Ullin arrives, it’s too late — the sea has taken the lives of his daughter and her lover. The shore becomes the starting point of a tragic ending.

(b) At first, Lord Ullin is furious and determined to stop his daughter from running away. But when he sees her drowning in the stormy sea, his anger turns into deep sorrow. Realizing he is about to lose his daughter forever, he cries out in regret and pain. His love for her takes over, but sadly, it’s too late to save her.

Question 15. “One lovely hand she stretch’d for aid.” Do you think Lord Ullin’s daughter wanted to reach out to her father? (Stanza 12) If yes, why?

Answer:
Yes, it seems that Lord Ullin’s daughter wanted to reach out to her father. When she saw him arriving and heard him calling out in sorrow, she might have realized that he was no longer angry and was ready to forgive them. In that moment of fear and helplessness, she stretched out her hand, hoping her father would save them. It shows that deep down, she still trusted her father and longed for his help in the final moments.

Question 16. You are already familiar with the poetic device “alliteration”. The poet makes extensive use of the same throughout the poem. Pick out as many examples of alliteration as you can.
Example: fast – father’s; horsemen – hard.

Answer:
stormy – sea
bonny- bride
human- hand
loud – lashed
water – wild went
did – discover
left – lamenting
fast – father’s

Question 17. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

Answer:
The rhyme scheme of the poem is ab, ab. In the last stanza, it is: ab, cb

Question 18. Imagine you are one of the chiefs of the cavalry riding behind Lord Ullin. You and your men ride for three days at the end of which you reach the shore. Narrate your experience as you witnessed a father lamenting the loss of his child, in the form of a diary entry.

Answer:
20th March 20XX
Today was a day I will never forget. For three days, we rode tirelessly behind Lord Ullin, determined to find his daughter who had run away with the Chieftain of Ulva. Lord Ullin was furious—his pride wounded, and his heart full of rage. None of us dared question him as we followed through rain, wind, and rough terrain.

Finally, we reached the shore of Lochgyle. What we saw shook us all. A small boat was struggling in the middle of the stormy sea. Waves were crashing violently, and the sky looked dark and angry. Lord Ullin shouted out in desperation, begging his daughter to return. His voice cracked as he cried, not as a lord, but as a heartbroken father. He promised forgiveness—but it was too late.

The boat disappeared into the roaring sea, swallowed by the waves. When we rushed to the water’s edge, the lifeless bodies of the young lovers lay there. The girl’s hand was stretched out, as if reaching for help… or for her father’s touch. Her other hand still held her lover. It was the most tragic and painful scene I have ever witnessed. Lord Ullin fell to his knees, weeping like a broken man. In that moment, his anger melted into unbearable grief. I will carry this memory with me for the rest of my life.

Question 19. Imagine that you are Lord Ullin. You bemoan and lament the tragic loss of your lovely daughter and curse yourself for having opposed her alliance with the chieftain. Express your feelings of pain and anguish in a letter to your friend.

Answer:
201, Market Street
Aberdeen, Scotland
20th March, 20XX

Dear James,

I write to you today with a heart heavier than words can express. They say time heals, but I fear this wound will never fade. I have lost my beloved daughter — and I hold myself responsible for the tragedy.

She fell deeply in love with the Chieftain of Ulva, a match I disapproved of from the start. I was blinded by pride and the name of my clan. I refused to accept their love, and in doing so, pushed her to flee with him — far from my anger, far from my control.

We chased them for three long days through rugged land and stormy skies. I was determined to punish the man she loved. But when we reached the shore, I saw a sight that broke me. The sea was raging. A boat was caught in its fury. And there, in the midst of the chaos, was my daughter — crying, frightened, and stretching her hand toward the shore… toward me.

In that moment, my wrath vanished. I begged her to return. I promised forgiveness. But the sea was cruel and unforgiving. It swallowed them before my eyes. She died in the arms of her lover — one arm wrapped around him, the other reaching out… perhaps for my love that had come too late.

I now live with the unbearable weight of regret, James. I lost her not to fate, but to my own stubborn heart. I can only pray that others will learn from the sorrow that now haunts me.

Yours, in grief,
Lord Ullin

Question 20. In pairs, argue in favour of or against the topic “Lord Ullin’s daughter was right in her decision to defy her father.” Give logical and relevant reasons, and present your point of view to the class.

Answer:
In Favor: Lord Ullin’s Daughter Was Right to Defy Her Father

Yes, Lord Ullin’s daughter was right in her decision to defy her father. Love is a personal choice, and she had every right to choose her life partner. Her father was rigid, proud, and unwilling to accept her feelings. She was brave to follow her heart, even though she knew the risks. In a world where women often had no say, she showed great courage by standing up for what she believed in. Her decision was based on love, not rebellion. Unfortunately, nature was cruel, not her intentions.

Against: Lord Ullin’s Daughter Was Wrong to Defy Her Father

No, Lord Ullin’s daughter was wrong to go against her father. While love is important, so is respecting your parents. Instead of running away, she could have tried to convince her father or waited for a better time. Her decision to elope not only endangered her life but also her lover’s. It led to a tragic end that could have been avoided. Sometimes patience and understanding can solve things more peacefully than defiance.

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Reader Chapter 9 PDF Download

NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Reader Chapter 9  Lord Ullin’s Daughter PDF Download provides detailed and easy-to-understand answers that help students grasp the poem’s theme, emotions, and literary devices. You can download the PDF from the link below and access these helpful notes anytime for exam preparation or class discussions.

Benefits of Using NCERT Solutions for Class 9 English Literature Reader Chapter 9 Lord Ullin’s Daughter

•  The solutions provide detailed explanations of stanzas, themes, and poetic devices to help students fully grasp the meaning of the poem.
  
  
• Answers are written in simple, student-friendly English to make learning easy and engaging.
  
  
• These solutions follow the latest Class 9 CBSE English syllabus, making them highly relevant for exams and class assessments.
  
  
• Students learn how to frame structured and well-written answers for both short and long questions.
  
  
•  Ideal for quick revision before tests, as they summarize key points and provide ready-to-use answers.
  
  
•  The explanations build deeper appreciation for poetry, imagery, emotions, and storytelling.
  
  
•  Includes textbook-based questions with accurate answers, boosting confidence and preparation for exams.
  
  
•  Perfect for students who want to study independently or clarify doubts without external help.