Question

A happy man is ........................ to breathe his native air.

• A. able
• B. content
• C. sad
• D. unable

Hint:

Contentment is the key theme of 'Ode on Solitude'. Almost any question about this poem will relate back to the idea of being happy with what one has.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This question is based on Alexander Pope's poem, 'Ode on Solitude'. The poem outlines the characteristics of a truly happy and fulfilled life.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The central theme of the poem is contentment. The happy man does not desire fame, fortune, or power. His happiness comes from self-sufficiency and simple pleasures.
The first stanza reads:
"Happy the man, whose wish and care
A few paternal acres bound,
Content to breathe his native air,
In his own ground."
This means he is perfectly satisfied and happy ('content') just to be on his own land, breathing the air of the place where he belongs. He has no desire to be anywhere else.

Step 3: Final Answer:
A happy man is content to breathe his native air.