Bihar Board Class 12th English : प्रिय विद्याथियों, “Mindbloom Study” (#1 Online Study Portal For Bihar Board Exams) आपके लिए लाया है बिहार बोर्ड कक्षा 12th अंग्रेजी के MACAVITY : THE MYSTERY CAT
THOMAS STEARNS ELIOT (1888-1965) was born in St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A. but eventually settled in England. A classicist in literature, an Anglo-catholic in religion, and a royalist in politics, he rose to become one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century. He was also a distinguished critic and a dramatist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1948. His best known poems are The Waste Land, Ash Wednesday and Four Quartets. As a poet and spokesman for his age he truly represents the intellectual, social and philosophical moods of the twentieth century. The present poem ‘Macavity : The Mystery Cat’ is from his collection called Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, which was made into a very successful music on stage by the great composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber. It is a light poem in the mock heroic vein. It does not need any solemn or detailed analysis; its charm comes from its neat rhymes and galloping rhythm as well as the comic effect of a monster- criminal who is in fact a cat.
थॉमस स्टर्न्स इलियट (1888-1965) का जन्म सेंट लुइस, मिसौरी, अमेरिका में हुआ था, लेकिन अंततः वे इंग्लैंड में बस गए। साहित्य में एक क्लासिकिस्ट, धर्म में एक एंग्लो-कैथोलिक और राजनीति में एक राजभक्त, वे बीसवीं सदी के सबसे महान कवियों में से एक बन गए। वे एक प्रतिष्ठित आलोचक और नाटककार भी थे। उन्हें 1948 में साहित्य के लिए नोबेल पुरस्कार दिया गया था। उनकी सबसे प्रसिद्ध कविताएँ द वेस्ट लैंड, ऐश वेडनसडे और फोर क्वार्टेट्स हैं। एक कवि और अपने युग के प्रवक्ता के रूप में वे सही मायने में बीसवीं सदी के बौद्धिक, सामाजिक और दार्शनिक मूड का प्रतिनिधित्व करते हैं। प्रस्तुत कविता ‘मैकाविटी: द मिस्ट्री कैट’ उनके ओल्ड पॉसम्स बुक ऑफ़ प्रैक्टिकल कैट्स नामक संग्रह से इसका आकर्षण इसकी सुन्दर तुकबंदियों और तेज लय के साथ-साथ एक राक्षस-अपराधी, जो वास्तव में एक बिल्ली है, के हास्य प्रभाव से आता है।
MACAVITY : THE MYSTERY CAT
Macavity’s a Mystery Cat: he’s called the Hidden Paw-
For he’s the master criminal who can defy the Law.
He’s the bafflement of Scotland yard, the Flying Squad’s despair:
For when they reach the scene of crime-Macavity’s not there!
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
He’s broken every human law, he breaks the law of gravity.
His powers of levitation would make a fakir stare,
And when you reach the scene of crime – Macavity’s not there!
You may seek him in the basement, you may look up in the air-
But I tell you once and once again, Macavity’s not there!
Macavity’s a ginger cat; he’s very tall and thin;
You would know him if you saw him, for his eyes are sunken in.
His brow is deeply lined with thoughts, his head is highly domed;
His coat is dusty from neglect, his whiskers are uncombed.
He sways his head from side to side, with movement like a snake;
And when you think he’s half asleep, he’s always wide awake.
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
For he’s fiend in feline shape, a monster of depravity.
You may meet him in a by-street, you may see him in the square –
But when a crime’s discovered, then Macavity’s not there!
He’s outwardly respectable. (They say he cheats at cards.)
And his footprints are not found in any file of Scotland Yard’s.
And when the larder’s looted, or the jewel-case is rifled,
Or when the milk is missing, or another Peke’s been stifled,
Or the greenhouse glass is broken, and the trellis past repair
Ay, there’s the wonder of the thing! Macavity’s not there!
And when the foreign Office find a Treaty’s gone astray,
Or the Admiraltry lose some plans and drawings by the way,
There may be a scrap of paper in the hall or on the stair –
But it’s useless to investigate, – Macavity’s not there!
And when the loss has been disclosed, the Secret Service say:
‘It must have been Macavity!’ but he’s a mile away.
You’ll be sure to find him resting, or a-licking of his thumbs,
Or engaged in doing complicated long division sums.
Macavity, Macavity, there’s no one like Macavity,
There never was a Cat of such deceitfulness and suavity.
He always has an alibi, and one or two to spare:
At whatever time the deed took place
-MACAVITY WASN’T THERE!
And they say that all the Cats whose
wicked deeds are widely known
(I might mention Mungojerrie, I might mention Griddlebone)
Are nothing more than agents for the Cat who all the time
Just controls their operations: the Napoleon of Crime!
T. S. Eliot द्वारा रचित कविता MACAVITY : THE MYSTERY CAT का विस्तृत हिन्दी भावार्थ
यह कविता एक अनोखी और रहस्यमयी बिल्ली “Macavity” के बारे में है, जिसे “The Hidden Paw” यानी “छुपा हुआ पंजा” कहा गया है। यह बिल्ली सामान्य बिल्ली नहीं है, बल्कि एक चालाक अपराधी है जो हर प्रकार के कानून को तोड़ देती है — चाहे वो मनुष्य का कानून हो या प्रकृति का नियम, जैसे गुरुत्वाकर्षण का नियम।
कवि कहता है कि जब कोई अपराध होता है और स्कॉटलैंड यार्ड (ब्रिटेन की पुलिस एजेंसी) या फ्लाइंग स्क्वाड (जांच एजेंसी) वहाँ पहुँचती है, तो Macavity वहां नहीं होता। वह हमेशा अपने अपराधों के बाद ऐसे गायब हो जाता है जैसे कभी था ही नहीं। चाहे आप उसे ज़मीन पर ढूंढें या आसमान में देखें, वह कभी नहीं मिलेगा।
Macavity की शारीरिक बनावट का भी वर्णन किया गया है — वह पतला, लंबा, पीले रंग का है, उसकी आंखें धंसी हुई हैं, माथे पर गहरी लकीरें हैं जो बताती हैं कि वह बहुत सोचता है। उसका सिर ऊँचा और गोल है, उसका शरीर मैला है और मूंछें अस्त-व्यस्त। वह अपने सिर को धीरे-धीरे साँप की तरह हिलाता है और जब लगता है कि वह सो रहा है, दरअसल वह चुपचाप सतर्क रहता है।
Macavity एक धोखेबाज, शातिर और मक्कार बिल्ली है — एक ऐसा अपराधी जो सब कुछ चुपचाप करता है। जब भी कोई बड़ा अपराध होता है — चाहे वह चोरी हो, किसी दस्तावेज़ का गायब होना हो, दूध की चोरी, गहनों की चोरी, या किसी कुत्ते को नुकसान पहुँचाना — सबके पीछे Macavity का ही हाथ होता है। पर जब जांच होती है, कभी कोई सबूत नहीं मिलता।
यहाँ तक कि गोपनीय सरकारी दस्तावेज़ गायब हो जाएं, सीक्रेट सर्विस भी कहती है, “यह तो Macavity ने ही किया होगा”, लेकिन वह तो किसी और जगह पर आराम से बैठा मिला, जैसे वह कुछ जानता ही नहीं।
Macavity इतना चालाक है कि उसके पास हमेशा एक बहाना (alibi) होता है, और कभी-कभी तो दो-तीन बहाने। वह इतना धूर्त है कि उसके अपराधों का कोई सीधा प्रमाण नहीं मिलता।
कविता के अंत में कवि कहता है कि जितनी भी बिल्लियाँ कुख्यात हैं, जैसे Mungojerrie और Griddlebone, वे भी केवल Macavity की एजेंट हैं। असली मास्टरमाइंड और अपराधों का संचालन करने वाला कोई और नहीं बल्कि Macavity ही है। इसीलिए उसे “Napoleon of Crime” कहा गया है — अपराधों का बादशाह।
भावार्थ का सार
यह कविता व्यंग्यात्मक और हास्यपूर्ण शैली में लिखी गई है, जिसमें एक बिल्ली के माध्यम से अपराध, रहस्य और चालाकी को मज़ाकिया ढंग से प्रस्तुत किया गया है। Macavity एक ऐसा पात्र है जो हर अपराध के पीछे होता है, लेकिन कभी पकड़ा नहीं जाता। वह चतुर, चालाक, योजनाबद्ध और रहस्यमयी है, और कवि उसे सभी बिल्लियों का सरगना कहता है।
Summary
‘Macavity: The Mystery Cat’ is a mysterious (रहस्यमय) poem written by T.S. Eliot. According to the poet, Macavity is a mysterious cat (रहस्यमय बिल्ली), because it commits (करना) various kinds of crimes (बहुत प्रकार के अपराध), but it is never nabbed (गिरफ्तार करना) by the police. Really (वास्तव में), it is a master criminal who defies (धमकी देना, ललकारना) both human and natural laws. The poet calls it the Hidden Paw because of its serious (गंभीर) acts. It always commits crimes such as drinking milk, breaking glass, but it never leaves (छोड़ना) any type of clue (किसी प्रकार के सबूत) at the place of occurrence (घटना स्थल पर). It moves like a snake and it always alerts (चौकना रहना). It is the leader of the gang of the criminal cats. Thus, the poet means to say that Macavity is a clever and cunning cat who makes problems for anybody.
B.1. 1. Read the following sentences and write ‘T’ for true and ‘F’ for false statements :
a) Macavity is an ordinary cat. → F
b) Macavity is an outlaw. → T
c) Macavity is always there on the scene of crime. → F
d) Macavity can be found in the basement. → F
e) The poet finds Macavity lazy and half-asleep. → F
f) It can be seen in the by-street. → T
g) Mungojerrie and Griddlebone are also cats. → T
h) The poet is really angry with Macavity. → F
i) The poet compares Macavity to Napolean. → T
B.1. 2. Answer the following questions briefly :
1) Why does the poet call Macavity, a mystery cat?
Ans :- Because Macavity commits many crimes cleverly, yet no one ever sees him at the crime scene. He disappears without a trace, making him a true mystery.
2) What are the adjectives that have been used to describe Macavity’s character?
Ans :- Mystery, Hidden, Fiend, Monster of depravity, Deceitful, Suave, Respectable (outwardly), Clever
3) Why is Macavity termed a ‘criminal’?
Ans :- He breaks every human law, cheats, steals food and valuables, destroys property, and is suspected in even high-level government secrets going missing.
4) What is suggested by the phrase ‘powers of levitation’?
Ans :- It suggests that Macavity seems to float or disappear mysteriously, as if he has magical powers to defy gravity, making him uncatchable.
5) What would you do if a cat enters your kitchen? Would you keep a cat as pet?
Ans :- If a cat enters my kitchen, I would gently take it out. If it’s harmless and friendly, I might consider keeping it as a pet, but definitely not if it’s like Macavity!
C. 1. LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS
1) Discuss the poet’s impression of Macavity, the mystery cat. Why does he call it mysterious?
Ans :- The poet is both amused and amazed by Macavity. He sees him as an extraordinary and clever cat, involved in every kind of mischief and crime. Macavity is mysterious because no matter how serious the crime, when the police arrive, he vanishes without a trace. No one ever catches him red-handed, which makes him a true “mystery cat.”
2) ‘Macavity is never there.’ Elaborate.
Ans :- The repeated line “Macavity’s not there” is central to the poem. Whenever a crime happens — theft, missing treaties, broken glass, or stolen food — Macavity is suspected. But when someone tries to catch him, he’s never at the crime scene. This clever disappearing act is what makes him notorious and untraceable.
3) Why does the poet call Macavity ‘outwardly respectable’? Discuss.
Ans :- Although Macavity is a master criminal, he appears decent and respectable on the outside. People might not suspect him just by looking at him. He is sly and keeps a low profile, often pretending to be innocent. The contrast between his appearance and his actions adds to the humor and mystery.
4) There are other cats like Mungojerrie and Griddlebone, but ‘there’s no one like Macavity’. Explain.
Ans :- The poet says other cats may commit crimes, but Macavity is unique. He is not just a criminal but a mastermind who controls others. Mungojerrie and Griddlebone might be mischief-makers, but they only work as agents under Macavity’s leadership. That’s why Macavity is called the “Napoleon of Crime.”
5) Make a list of crimes Macavity is capable of.
Ans :- • Looting the larder (stealing food)
• Rifling jewel-cases (stealing jewelry)
• Making milk disappear
• Killing small dogs (like Pekingese)
• Breaking greenhouse glass
• Making treaties disappear
• Stealing government plans and documents
• Cheating at cards
6) What would you do to tame Macavity?
Ans :- To tame Macavity, I would try to understand his clever ways and keep him engaged in good activities. Giving him attention, food, and affection might reduce his mischief. But if he stayed dangerous, I’d have to report him or keep him away!
7) Do you find the poem humorous? Give your comments on the poem.
Ans :- Yes, the poem is full of humor, imagination, and exaggeration. The idea of a cat being compared to a master criminal and controlling other cats like a mafia boss is both funny and clever. The poet’s use of rhyme, repetition, and dramatic tone adds to the comic effect. It is a delightful and entertaining poem, loved by both children and adults.
– : The End : –