O Me! O Life!

Read the following poem and answer the questions: 

O Me! O Life!

Walt Whitman

[Line by Line Paraphrase]

Oh me! Oh life! of the questions of these recurring,

[Oh me, oh life! I keep asking so many questions.]

Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the foolish,

[I see unkind people everywhere, doing foolish things.]

Of myself forever reproaching myself (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)

[I feel bad about myself, thinking I’ve made many mistakes.]

Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew'd,

[I see people longing for happiness but failing to find it.]

Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me,

[I see everyone struggling, and sometimes it feels pointless.]

Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined.

[I see crowds of people who live dull and boring lives.]

The question. O me! so sad. recurring What good amid these. O me. O life?

[I feel sad, wondering if life has any meaning.]

Answer.

[But there is an answer!]

That you are here that life exists and identity,

[You are alive, and that is amazing!]

That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.

[Life is like a big, powerful play, and you are part of it.

You get to write your own special lines in this play.]

Summary of the Poem "O Me! O Life!"

In this poem, Walt Whitman expresses his feelings of doubt, sadness, and frustration with life. He questions the purpose of living when the world seems filled with foolish people, struggles, and disappointments. He criticizes himself for being as flawed as others and wonders if life has any meaning amid all this chaos and sorrow.

However, the poet finds hope in the realization that simply being alive is meaningful. He compares life to a powerful play and reminds us that everyone has a unique role to play. Whitman encourages us to contribute something special to the world, making life worth living despite its challenges.

NCTB Text Questions & Answers

i. What is the main theme of the poem?

•  The poem is about finding meaning in life, even when it seems full of struggles and sadness.

ii. What recurring questions does the poet mention?

•  The poet keeps asking what the purpose of life is and whether anything good can come from it.

iii. What does the poet mean by 'useless years'?

•  The poet feels that some years of life seem wasted or without meaning.

iv. Is age an identity marker? What are the attributes of old age?

•  Yes, age can be a part of a person’s identity. Old age is often associated with wisdom, experience, and sometimes sadness or regret.

v. What do 'sordid' and 'plodding' mean?

•  Sordid means dirty or unpleasant.
•  Plodding means slow and boring.

vi. What 'faith' does the poet mention here?

•  The poet talks about losing faith in people and life because of the foolishness and struggles he sees around him.

vii. Is there a symbolic meaning of 'contribute a verse' in the last line?

•  Yes, it symbolizes that every person has something unique to offer to life, like adding their own special line to a great story or play.

Probable Questions and Answers for SSC 2026:

1. What does the poet mean by "Oh me! Oh life!"?

•  The poet is questioning the meaning of life and his place in it.

2. What are the "questions of these recurring"?

•  These are the poet’s repeated thoughts about the struggles and problems of life.

3. What does the poet say about "the faithless"?

•  He sees many people who have lost hope and don’t believe in goodness.

4. Why does the poet call the cities "filled with the foolish"?

•  He thinks people in cities often act selfishly or foolishly.

5. What does "reproaching myself" mean?

•  It means the poet is blaming himself for his own mistakes.

6. Why does the poet call himself foolish and faithless?

•  He feels he has made mistakes and lost hope, just like others.

7. What do the "eyes that vainly crave the light" represent?

•  They represent people who are searching for happiness or meaning but cannot find it.

8. What does "the struggle ever renewed" mean?

•  It means people face challenges in life over and over again.

9. Why does the poet feel sad about "the poor results of all"?

•  He feels that people’s efforts don’t always lead to good outcomes.

10. What are the "plodding and sordid crowds"?

•  They are the dull and unhappy groups of people the poet sees around him.

11. What does the poet mean by "empty and useless years"?

•  He thinks some years in life feel meaningless or wasted.

12. Why does the poet feel intertwined with others?

•  He feels connected to the struggles and problems of all people.

13. What is the "question" the poet keeps asking?

•  He asks if there is any good or purpose in life.

14. How does the poet describe his feelings in the poem?

•  The poet feels sad, hopeless, and confused.

15. What does the poet mean by "life exists and identity"?

•  He is saying that being alive and having a sense of self is a great gift.

16. What is the "powerful play" the poet talks about?

•  The "powerful play" is life itself, full of drama, challenges, and opportunities.

17. What does "you may contribute a verse" mean?

•  It means everyone has something unique and special to add to life.

18. What is the message of the poem?

•  The poem tells us that life is meaningful because we are alive and can make a difference.

19. Why does the poet feel hopeful at the end?

•  He realizes that just being alive gives him a chance to create something valuable.

20. What can we learn from this poem?

•  We learn that even when life feels hard, it’s still worth living because we have the power to make it meaningful.