Bihar Board Class 10 · English · Matric exam 2027
Chapter 3: Polythene Bag — notes
The chapter’s 6 parts in the book’s order — the first idea of each and the points Medha Ma’am writes on the board — and the summary at the end. The full lesson and a check question for each part are in the app.
1. About the Poet and the Poem
Okay, so let's talk about the poet of this poem.
- • Poet: Durga Prasad Panda
- • Known as a linguist; writes poetry in English
- • Famous works: 'Sawarani', 'Rays'
- • Poem links human emotion 'hurt' with a polythene bag
2. The Polythene Bag Never Dissolves
Okay, so, look at the board.
- • 'Hurt' is a strange polythene bag
- • It never gets dissolved into the earth's crust
- • dissolved = disappeared gradually, ceased to exist
- • crust = outer surface
3. The Noise, the Smell and the Pollution
Okay, so now let's see what the poet says this polythene bag actually does.
- • When touched: makes a squeaky noise
- • squeaky = short and shrill
- • When burnt: exudes a pungent smell
- • exudes = comes out slowly; pungent = poisonous
- • When left to itself: pollutes the environment
4. Hurt Melts with Warmth, but Germs of Disease Grow
Okay, so now the poet brings this idea back to a human feeling — hurt.
- • Hurt melts with a little touch of warmth
- • grief's garbage bin = where sorrow is hidden
- • gaze = long, steady look
- • Germs of disease keep on growing inside
5. The Polythene Bag Remains Buried Within
Okay, so let's look at the last lines of this poem.
- • buried = placed under the earth
- • The polythene bag remains buried within
- • Only the pain caused by the 'hurt'
- • keeps coming back again and again
6. Why 'Hurt' is Called a Metaphor
Okay, so look at this line — 'Hurt' is such a strange polythene bag.
- • Metaphor: implicit comparison, no 'like' or 'as'
- • 'Hurt' is such a strange polythene bag - a metaphor
- • Example: She is the moon on the earth
- • Example: He is a lion in the fight
- • Simile uses 'like' or 'as' (explicit comparison)
Summary
Okay, so let's recap the poem. 'Polythene Bag' is written by Durga Prasad Panda. He talks about the polythene bag, and its bad effects on the environment. The poet first tells us — the bag never dissolves in the earth's crust. It makes a squeaky noise when touched. It gives out a pungent smell when burnt. And it pollutes the environment when left lying around. Then, he compares this bag to the feeling of hurt. Hurt too melts, with a little warmth. But deep inside, far from everyone's gaze, the germs of disease keep growing. So the polythene bag stays buried within, just like the pain of hurt — it keeps coming back, again and again. Now, here's something nice. When the poet calls hurt a polythene bag, without using words like 'like' or 'as', that makes it a metaphor. That's different from a simile. Can you tell me — what word would turn this into a simile instead of a metaphor?
AskMedha · Medha Ma’am — Bihar Board Class 10 English, Chapter 3. Written from the textbook, checked twice.
Questions parents and students ask
- How do I get the "Polythene Bag" notes as a PDF?
- Press "Save as PDF" — the phone’s print sheet opens; choose "Save as PDF" there. The PDF holds the notes only.
- Where are these notes written from?
- From the chapter’s own textbook text, part by part, in the book’s own terms; a second, independent model then checked every part against the book. The full lesson, a check question for each part and the practice are in the AskMedha app.
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