NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Woven Words Chapter 3

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Chapter 3 Patterns of Creativity – complete answers & explanations 

This NCERT solutions blog for Class 11 English Chapter 3 Patterns of Creativity is designed to help students understand the essay in a clear, structured, and exam-oriented manner. Written by S. Chandrasekhar, the essay explores the differences and connections between creativity in science and creativity in poetry. Through references to Wordsworth, Keats, Shelley, Darwin, Faraday and others, the author examines whether science and literature oppose or complement each other. These solutions strictly follow the latest NCERT textbook (Woven Words) and present answers in the exact order of the exercises without adding or omitting any question.

What this NCERT chapter covers? 

1. Differences between artistic and scientific creativity 
2. Attitudes of poets towards science 
3. Shelley’s defence of science 
4. Darwin’s confession and its implications 
5. Relationship between imagination and reason 
6. The central argument of the lecture 

How to use these NCERT solutions? 

1. Read the essay carefully and note references to poets and scientists 
2. Understand contrasting viewpoints presented 
3. Identify the speaker’s neutral and analytical tone 
4. Attempt answers independently before checking 
5. Use textual support in long answers 

Important tips & tricks for students 

1. Focus on examples of Shelley and Wordsworth 
2. Understand Darwin’s “atrophy” comment clearly 
3. Differentiate between emotional and analytical creativity 
4. Write structured and comparative answers 
5. Revise key quotations for examinations 

NCERT Solutions – Complete Answer Key 

Look for these expressions and guess the meaning from the context 

cold philosophy – Dry, analytical reasoning without emotion 
mutually sustaining endeavours – Activities that support each other 
picaresque tale – An adventurous, lively narrative 
cenotaph – A symbolic tomb 
atrophy – Gradual weakening or loss 
looked askance – Viewed with suspicion 
prophetic discernment – Insightful foresight 
apposite – Appropriate or relevant 
hierophants of an unapprehended inspiration – Interpreters of a hidden spiritual force 
interlunations of life – Dark intervals between phases of life 

UNDERSTANDING THE TEXT 

1. How does Shelley’s attitude to science differ from that of Wordsworth and Keats? 

Wordsworth and Keats viewed science as cold and destructive of beauty. Shelley, however, embraced science and saw it as a source of joy, illumination and creative inspiration. 

2. ‘It is not an accident that the most discriminating literary criticism of Shelley’s thought and work is by a distinguished scientist, Desmond King-Hele.’ How does this statement bring out the meeting point of poetry and science? 

The statement shows that a scientist could deeply understand and appreciate Shelley’s poetry. This suggests that poetry and science share intellectual depth and creativity, and are not entirely separate fields. 

3. What do you infer from Darwin’s comment on his indifference to literature as he advanced in years? 

Darwin suggests that intense scientific engagement may have reduced his sensitivity to poetry and art. His mind became analytical, leading to a kind of atrophy in aesthetic appreciation. 

4. How do the patterns of creativity displayed by scientists differ from those displayed by poets? 

Scientific creativity relies on logical reasoning, experimentation and formulation of laws. Poetic creativity is rooted in imagination, emotion and symbolic expression. Scientists seek explanations, while poets interpret and elevate experience. 

5. What is the central argument of the speaker? 

The central argument is that while science and poetry may appear different, both involve creativity and imagination. The speaker questions why there is no ‘Defence of Science’ like Shelley’s Defence of Poetry, suggesting the need to recognise scientific creativity equally. 

TALKING ABOUT THE TEXT 

1. ‘Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world’. 

This statement implies that poets influence society’s moral and cultural direction even if they do not hold political power. Their ideas shape thought and values. 

2. Poetry and science are incompatible. 

The essay challenges this view by showing that both require imagination, insight, and creativity, though expressed differently. 

3. ‘On reading Shelley’s A Defence of Poetry, the question insistently occurs why there is no similar A Defence of Science written by a scientist of equal endowment.’ 

The statement highlights the imbalance in defending creative disciplines. Science, though creative, has not been defended with equal literary passion. 

APPRECIATION 

1. How does the ‘assortment of remarks’ compiled by the author give us an understanding of the ways of science and poetry? 

By presenting various opinions, quotations, and examples, the author offers a balanced analysis. These remarks collectively illuminate differences and similarities between scientific and poetic creativity. 

2. Considering that this is an excerpt from a lecture, how does the commentary provided by the speaker string the arguments together? 

The speaker uses transitional comments, examples, and reflective questioning to logically connect arguments. This creates coherence typical of a structured lecture. 

3. The Cloud ‘fuses together a creative myth, a scientific monograph, and a gay picaresque tale of cloud adventure’—explain. 

Shelley’s The Cloud combines mythological imagination, scientific detail about natural processes, and lively narrative elements. It demonstrates how poetry can integrate science with artistic creativity. 

LANGUAGE WORK 

1. How do the words in bold illustrate the poet’s ability to convey criticism cryptically? 

Words like “meddling intellect”, “misshapes” and “murder to dissect” indirectly criticise scientific analysis by suggesting that excessive reasoning destroys natural beauty. 

2. Explain the contradiction in the similes, ‘Like a child from the womb, like a ghost from the tomb’. 

The first simile suggests birth and renewal, while the second suggests death and resurrection. Together they highlight transformation and cyclical existence. 

3. Explain the metaphor in the line: ‘Poets are … the mirrors of gigantic shadows that futurity casts on the present’. 

The metaphor suggests that poets reflect future possibilities in the present. They anticipate and interpret ideas that shape future generations. 

SUGGESTED READING 

1. ‘Literature and Science’ by Matthew Arnold 

Why NCERT solutions help students? 

NCERT solutions help students analyse complex arguments, understand comparative essays, and develop structured critical responses. Textbook-aligned answers improve clarity and exam preparedness. 

Strengthen your analytical skills and understanding of creative thought with expert-guided NCERT solutions.