- True love cares for the beloved's safety; it does not demand dangerous proofs.
- Vanity — the desire for glory and admiration — can make people cruel and selfish.
- Courage and dignity go together: de Lorge does the brave deed but refuses to be used.
- Outward charm ("smiling lips and sharp bright eyes") can hide a calculating heart.
Foundation first
Two kinds of irony meet in the last lines.
- Situational irony: the lady expects admiration and gets shame.
- Verbal irony: "Then threw the glove, but not with love". The glove, a token of love, is thrown back "but not with love".
Moral means the lesson of a story. In this poem the King states the moral himself, which makes it easy to quote.
Worked examples
Example 1 (MCQ, 1 mark; ICSE 2027 specimen, Q1(viii)). In the poem, which words best describe the lady's action? 1. scornful 2. provocative 3. challenging. (a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3 (c) 1 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3.
Solution. (b). She provokes the Count and challenges him to prove his love. She is proud of his bravery, so "scornful" is wrong.
Example 2 (MCQ, 1 mark; ICSE 2026, Q1(xiv)). King Francis exclaims "rightly done!". What action of Count de Lorge does he applaud? (a) leaping into the pit (b) retrieving the glove (c) flinging the glove angrily in the lady's face (d) sighing for the lady.
Solution. (c). The King approves the rebuke to her vanity. Options (a) and (b) are brave acts, but they are not what he applauds.
Example 3 (4 marks; ICSE 2027 specimen, Q6(v)). If you had to give the poem a title of your own, what would it be? Give one reason.
Model answer. I would call it Vanity Rebuked. The poem ends with the King condemning the lady's vanity and the Count publicly rejecting her selfish test.
Why this scores: the title is suitable and the reason is clear and refers to the end of the poem. A title without a reason would earn no credit for the reason.
Example 4 (3 marks). What lesson does the poem teach?
Model answer. The poem teaches that true love cares for the loved one's safety and does not demand dangerous proofs. It also warns that vanity can make a person selfish and cruel. De Lorge shows that courage should go with dignity.
Why this scores: one lesson on love, one on vanity, one on courage and dignity.
Doubts cleared
Q. Is the poem a happy one or a sad one? It is lively and a little humorous in the telling, and the ending satisfies us because vanity is shamed. Nobody dies, and the Count is safe.
Q. Does the poem say the lady was punished? It shows only her public shame. We are not told what happens next.
Q. What is the main theme? The conflict between true love and vanity.
Q. Can I give any title for the poem? Yes, if the reason links the title to the poem. Vanity Rebuked and The Glove are good, and a reason from the ending makes them stronger.
Mistakes to avoid
- Giving a title without a reason. The question asks for both.
- Mixing up who says what. The King gives the moral, not the Count.
- Writing that the Count threw the glove "in love". He threw it "but not with love".
Check yourself
- Who states the moral of the poem?
- Name the two kinds of irony in the ending.
- Give a suitable title for the poem and one reason.
Answers: 1. King Francis. 2. Situational irony and verbal irony. 3. For example, Vanity Rebuked, because the ending condemns the lady's vanity.