For Anne Gregory Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 (Poem) CBSE Notes (2025-26)

“For Anne Gregory” from CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 is a poem by William Butler Yeats that explores profound questions about love, identity, and the distinction between loving a person for their true self versus outward appearances. 

The poem unfolds as a dialogue between a young woman called Anne Gregory and a young man, with an important lesson about inner worth versus external beauty. Below are key revision points and explanations to help you clearly remember and understand this chapter.

William Butler Yeats, an Irish poet (1865–1939) and Nobel Laureate (1923), was known for engaging with themes like folklore, mythology, and human emotions. In “For Anne Gregory,” Yeats uses a simple conversation to address whether it is possible to be loved for who one truly is, rather than for outward beauty or superficial characteristics.

The poem is structured as a conversation. The young man admires Anne’s striking yellow (honey-coloured) hair, describing it as “great honey-coloured ramparts at your ear.” He expresses the belief that no man can love Anne solely for herself and not her beautiful hair. 

Anne responds playfully, suggesting she could dye her hair any colour—brown, black, or even carrot—to test if men would still love her for her true self. The poem concludes with the mention of an old religious man (a priest) who claims that only God can truly love someone for themselves alone and not for their appearance.

• Superficial versus True Love: The poem asks whether human love can ever look beyond physical beauty and truly value a person for who they are.
• Self-Identity: Anne challenges the idea that her identity should be tied to her physical attributes, emphasizing individuality and the desire to be loved for one’s inner qualities.
• Limit of Human Affection: The priest’s claim suggests that only divine love is truly selfless and unconnected to outward appearances.

• Imagery: “Great honey-coloured ramparts at your ear” uses a metaphor comparing Anne’s hair to castle walls, showing its allure and power.
• Dialogue Format: The poem is conversational, making its message easier to understand and relatable to readers.
• Irony: Anne’s argument about dyeing her hair to see if love is more than skin-deep is ironic and highlights the poem’s central message.
• Repetition: The phrase “love you for yourself alone / And not your yellow hair” is repeated to stress the theme.

• Ramparts: High, wide defensive walls around a castle; here, it symbolizes Anne’s impressive hair.
• Honey-coloured: Implies an attractive golden-yellow shade.

• What do “honey-coloured ramparts” refer to, and why do they make young men despair?
• Why would Anne want to change her hair’s colour? What outcome is she hoping for?
• Is it truly possible to separate a person’s inner self from their outward appearance?
• Who does the priest say can love Anne “for herself alone”? Why?

The poem ultimately teaches that while people often value external beauty, true love is rare and possibly only divine. 

Yeats questions if human love can ever be free from bias toward attractiveness, and whether anyone can look past appearances to love someone’s inner qualities. Anne’s willingness to change her hair color is a symbolic wish to find such unconditional love.

Yeats uses simple language and vivid imagery to address a universal question. Even though the poem seems light, it carries a deep emotional weight, making readers think about their own values and experiences with love and acceptance. The format is accessible, making it appealing to students.

• Understand the poem’s summary and overall theme.
• Revise important quotations from the poem and be able to explain them or relate them to the main idea.
• Practice short and long answer questions, focusing on the themes of love, identity, and human nature.
• Be prepared to answer questions that ask for personal opinion or comparison of the poem’s ideas with real-life experiences.

• Appreciate people beyond appearances and superficial qualities.
• Reflect on how real love should focus on a person’s character, feelings, and spirit.
• Understand the limitations of human affection, as presented in the poem.

1. Explain the significance of “ramparts” in the poem’s context.
2. How does Anne challenge the young man’s view of love?
3. Do you agree with the priest’s conclusion? Why or why not?
4. Can you relate any incident from real life where a person’s inner qualities mattered more than their appearance?

“For Anne Gregory” not only acts as a mirror for society’s notions of beauty and love but also invites students to think deeper about their own values and relationships. The poem’s clear structure and relatable language make it a powerful chapter for exam preparation and personal growth.

Class 10 English Chapter 8 Notes – For Anne Gregory Poem: Key Revision Points

These Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 8 Notes cover all the main ideas, important lines, and exam-focused themes of the poem "For Anne Gregory". With clear explanations, easy language, and keyword-rich summaries, students can review concepts quickly before exams. Make use of these notes for both in-depth understanding and last-minute revision of this beautiful poem.

Use our detailed notes to revisit the chapter’s core message, literary devices, and short-answer questions. These revision notes are organized to help learners remember why the poem is important for CBSE exams and encourage independent and critical thinking about love, beauty, and identity.