CBSE Class 11 English Chapter 5 Tribal Verse NCERT Solutions

Reviewed by NCERT Help Editorial Team · Updated on 29 Jul 2026

NCERT Solutions PDF Class 11 PDF

This section provides NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English, Chapter 5, "Tribal Verse." It delves into the unique characteristics of tribal communities worldwide, highlighting their cohesive social structures, distinct worldviews where nature, humanity, and divinity are interconnected, and their intuitive approach to life. The solutions explore the nature of tribal imagination, contrasting it with secular perspectives by illustrating how tribal narratives fluidly blend different realities and timeframes. It also emphasizes the significance of oral literary traditions, detailing the richness, thematic depth, and ornamental value of tribal stories and songs passed down through generations. Furthermore, the solutions outline the distinctive features of tribal arts, including their hallucinatory imagery, playful spirit, and adherence to convention, while also discussing the misnomer of 'New Literature' for these ancient traditions. Finally, it addresses the preservation and growth of tribal arts, considering whether their non-commercial nature aids or hinders their development. These solutions are designed to aid students in understanding the nuances of tribal culture and literature, crucial for exam revision.

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Board	CBSE
Class	Class 11
Subject	English
Session	2026
Language	English
Type	NCERT Solutions
Chapter	5. Tribal Verse

Chapter summary

Chapter 5, "Tribal Verse," focuses on understanding the distinct characteristics of tribal communities globally. The NCERT Solutions explore the unique tribal imagination, contrasting it with secular perspectives, and highlight the profound importance of oral literary traditions. Key features of tribal arts, such as their imagery and playfulness, are discussed. The solutions also address the classification of tribal literature and its preservation, offering insights into the richness and depth of these often-overlooked traditions.

Learning outcomes

Understand the common characteristics of tribal communities worldwide.
Differentiate between tribal and secular imagination.
Appreciate the significance and richness of oral literary traditions.
Identify the distinctive features of tribal arts.
Analyze the concept of 'New Literature' in the context of tribal writings.
Discuss the preservation and growth of tribal arts.

Topics covered

Paper topics

Characteristics of Tribal Communities
Tribal Worldview
Tribal Imagination vs. Secular Imagination
Oral Literary Tradition
Richness of Tribal Literature
Features of Tribal Arts
Hallucinatory Imagery in Tribal Art
Playfulness in Tribal Arts
Concept of 'New Literature'
Oral Traditions vs. Written Literature
Preservation of Tribal Arts
G. N. Devy's Perspective

Important topics

Tribal Imagination and Worldview
Significance of Oral Literary Traditions
Distinctive Features of Tribal Arts
G. N. Devy's Argument on 'New Literature'
The Need to Redefine 'Literature'

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Questions and Solutions

Understanding the Text

Identify the common characteristics shared by tribal communities all over the world.

Solution: The essayist highlights several common characteristics of tribal communities globally. These groups tend to be cohesive and organically unified. They generally exhibit minimal interest in accumulating wealth or using labor as a means to generate capital. Tribals perceive a worldview where nature, humanity, and the divine are intrinsically connected. They believe in the human capacity to discern and interpret truth, often relying more on intuition than on strict reasoning. Furthermore, they perceive the surrounding space as more sacred than secular, and their sense of time is personal rather than objectively measured.

1. What distinguishes the tribal imagination from the secular imagination?

What distinguishes the tribal imagination from the secular imagination?

Solution: The tribal imagination is characterized as dreamlike and hallucinatory, naturally allowing for a fusion between different planes of existence and varying levels of time. This is a key distinction from the secular imagination. For instance, in tribal narratives, elements like oceans can transform into birds flying in the sky, mountains can swim like fish, animals can converse like humans, and stars can grow like plants. This imaginative capacity extends to attributing emotions such as anger, sadness, or happiness to inanimate objects and natural elements like stars, seas, mountains, and trees.

2. How does G. N. Devy bring out the importance of the oral literary tradition?

How does G. N. Devy bring out the importance of the oral literary tradition?

Solution: G. N. Devy emphasizes the significance of the oral literary tradition by referencing the profound richness found in the works of tribal communities, which have been passed down through generations via oral transmission. He asserts that despite being transmitted orally, these literary compositions are exceptionally rich in both theme and ornamentation. Devy highlights that the stories and songs originating from the oral tradition are unique and present an exclusive worldview of the tribals, noting their immense wealth and variety. To further illustrate the importance of this tradition, Devy discusses the distinct characteristics of tribal arts, such as their unique, almost 'hallucinatory' construction of space and imagery, and their inherent playfulness. He advocates for proper recognition of the oral literary tradition due to its extensive variety and richness.

List the distinctive features of the tribal arts.

List the distinctive features of the tribal arts.

Solution: According to essayist G. N. Devy, tribal arts possess several distinctive features. One prominent characteristic is their unique approach to constructing space and imagery, often described as 'hallucinatory.' In both oral and visual forms, tribal artists tend to interpret space with highly flexible boundaries, blurring the lines between art and non-art. For example, a tribal Ramayana might unexpectedly include an episode from the Mahabharata, or tribal paintings might blend traditional and modern imagery. Tribal arts also adhere to strict conventions, where each performance or creation builds upon previous ones, with the artist's creativity lying in respecting the past while subtly innovating. Playfulness is central to tribal arts; they rarely adopt a serious or pretentious tone and are generally relaxed. Additionally, tribal oral stories and songs often employ bilingualism in a sophisticated manner.

'New Literature' is a misnomer for the wealth of the Indian Literary tradition. How does G. N. Devy explain this?

'New Literature' is a misnomer for the wealth of the Indian Literary tradition. How does G. N. Devy explain this?

Solution: G. N. Devy argues that labeling tribal literature as 'New Literature' is inaccurate because these traditions have existed for a very long time. The songs and stories of tribal communities have been transmitted orally for generations, and their lack of written documentation has often led to them being overlooked. Devy challenges the view of Western literary critics who categorize this literature as 'new.' He contends that the novelty lies not in the literature itself but in the contemporary effort to recognize imaginative expressions in tribal languages as genuine literature, rather than mere folklore, and to perceive tribal speech as a distinct language rather than just a dialect.

Talking about the Text: 'It is time to realise that unless we modify the established notion of literature as something written, we will silently witness the decline of various Indian oral traditions'

'It is time to realise that unless we modify the established notion of literature as something written, we will silently witness the decline of various Indian oral traditions'

Solution: This statement emphasizes that the conventional understanding of literature often limits it to written compositions like poetry and prose. By adhering to this narrow definition, the aesthetic beauty inherent in many oral traditions might be overlooked. There exists a rich stream of literature comprising compositions that are profound thematically and aesthetically pleasing, yet they fail to gain recognition as literature because they are not written. This is particularly true for many Indian oral traditions. The author warns that if our criteria for literature remain rigid and exclusively focused on the written form, we risk passively observing the disappearance of these valuable Indian oral traditions.

Another View: Oral literary tradition is not a unique phenomenon in India. Oral traditions have been in existence in all parts of the world. Oral traditions do not die out because of their very nature of being transmitted orally. So it hardly matters whether we modify our notion about literature or not , the oral traditions will continue to exist. What needs to be done is promotion of oral literary tradition through patronage of the state.

Oral literary tradition is not a unique phenomenon in India. Oral traditions have been in existence in all parts of the world. Oral traditions do not die out because of their very nature of being transmitted orally. So it hardly matters whether we modify our notion about literature or not , the oral traditions will continue to exist. What needs to be done is promotion of oral literary tradition through patronage of the state.

Solution: This perspective offers a counterpoint, suggesting that oral literary traditions are universal, not exclusive to India, and have existed globally. It posits that oral traditions possess an inherent resilience due to their mode of transmission, implying they are unlikely to disappear regardless of how literature is defined. Therefore, modifying the definition of literature might not be crucial for their survival. Instead, this view advocates for the active promotion and support of oral literary traditions through state patronage, ensuring their continuity and flourishing.

3. "Tribal arts are not specifically meant for sale." Does this help or hamper their growth and preservation?

"Tribal arts are not specifically meant for sale." Does this help or hamper their growth and preservation?

Solution: The statement that tribal arts are not specifically meant for sale is generally considered to be beneficial for their growth and preservation. Because these arts are not driven by commercial demands, they can retain their authentic characteristics, such as their unique hallucinatory and dreamlike imagination, and their inherent playfulness. This lack of commercial pressure allows the art forms to develop organically according to their own conventions and aesthetic values, which are thematically and aesthetically rich. Consequently, their non-commercial nature aids in preserving their cultural integrity and fosters their genuine growth, rather than being shaped by market trends.

Common mistakes

Confusing oral traditions with folklore, thus undervaluing their literary merit.
Assuming tribal literature is 'new' without recognizing its ancient oral roots.
Overlooking the unique worldview and interconnectedness in tribal imagination.
Applying rigid, written-centric definitions of literature to oral traditions.

Revision tips

Focus on the key differences between tribal and secular imagination as explained in the text.
Note down the specific examples of tribal art and storytelling to recall their distinctive features.
Understand why G. N. Devy argues against calling tribal literature 'New Literature'.
Consider the arguments presented regarding the preservation and sale of tribal arts.
Review the definition of literature and how it might need to be broadened to include oral traditions.

Practice MCQs

Q1. What is a key characteristic of tribal communities regarding wealth accumulation?

Q2. How does the tribal imagination differ from the secular imagination regarding reality?

Q3. According to G. N. Devy, why is the term 'New Literature' a misnomer for tribal writings?

Q4. Which of the following is identified as a distinctive feature of tribal arts?

Q5. What is a potential consequence of rigidly defining literature as only 'written' compositions?

Frequently asked questions

What are the common characteristics of tribal communities mentioned in the text?

Tribal communities are described as cohesive groups with little interest in accumulating wealth. They share a worldview where nature, humans, and God are linked, and they tend to live more by intuition than reason, valuing personal time and sacred spaces.

How does the text explain the difference between tribal and secular imagination?

The tribal imagination is seen as dreamlike and hallucinatory, allowing for a natural fusion of different realities and times. In contrast, secular imagination typically maintains a clearer distinction between these elements.

Why is the oral literary tradition considered important in 'Tribal Verse'?

The oral tradition is vital because it carries rich, thematically deep, and artistically valuable stories and songs passed down through generations, preserving the unique worldview of tribal communities.

What are some distinctive features of tribal arts?

Distinctive features include their 'hallucinatory' imagery, flexible boundaries between art and non-art, a playful and relaxed tone, and the complex use of bilingualism. They also adhere to conventions while subtly subverting them.

According to G. N. Devy, why should tribal literature not be called 'New Literature'?

Devy argues that tribal literature is ancient, having been transmitted orally for years. What might be considered 'new' is the attempt to recognize its imaginative expression as literature rather than mere folklore.

What is the main argument regarding the preservation of tribal arts?

The text suggests that tribal arts not being primarily for sale helps in their preservation and growth, allowing them to maintain their unique characteristics without commercial pressures.

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