Money Madness
– D H Lawrence
Money Madness D H Lawrence question and answers FY B.COM sppu Orient Blackswan
English sem II
English for professional purposes
Money madness fybcom question and answers
COMPREHENSION
I. Read the following lines and answer the questions given below.
We quail, money makes us quail.
It has got us down; we grovel before it in strange terror.
And no wonder, for money has a fearful cruel power among men.
a. Why does money make us ‘quail’?
Ans – “quail” means fills with fear and anxiety. In the poem “Money Madness”, D.H. Lawrence says that money makes us “quail”, which means it causes us to feel afraid, nervous, or anxious.
People are scared of being poor, judged, and mistreated by society.
And without money, they are denied respect and basic needs. People are dependent upon money.
Having or not having money deeply affects people’s lives.
They are rejected by the society if they lack money. This fear controls lives of the people.
Money makes us quail because it represents a kind of social survival, and its absence can lead to shame, exclusion, and suffering in a materialistic world.
b. Why do you think money should have ‘a fearful cruel power among men’?
Ans- Money has a “fearful cruel power among men” because society has given it too much importance.
Money has this cruel power not because it is evil itself, but because people have made it more valuable than human kindness or fairness.
I don’t think money should have ‘a fearful cruel power among men’.
Money is meant to be a tool to help people exchange goods and services, not something that controls people’s lives or decides their worth.
When money gains too much power, it creates fear, inequality, and injustice.
People without money are often treated badly, ignored, or denied basic needs like food and shelter.
This is wrong. Every human being deserves respect and dignity, no matter how much money they have.
We should not let money become more important than humanity and kindness.
c. What reasons might there be for the ‘strange terror’?
Ans – In the poem “Money Madness”, the phrase “strange terror” refers to the deep fear people have about losing or not having money.
This fear comes from the way society treats those who are poor—often with disrespect, cruelty, and neglect.
People are afraid that without money, they won’t be able to meet their basic needs like food, shelter, and warmth. More than that, they fear being judged, ignored, or forced to live without dignity.
This constant anxiety about money creates a strange kind of terror that affects both individuals and society as a whole.
II. Answer the following questions in a sentence each.
a. Explain ‘vast collective madness’.
Ans – “Vast collective madness” means the widespread and shared obsession with money that has taken over the minds of most people in society.
b. Who does the poet mean by ‘multitude’?
Ans – By “multitude,” the poet means the large group of people or the general public who are all affected by money madness.
c. What does mankind say with one voice?
Ans – Mankind says with one voice, “How much is he worth?”, judging people based on their money.
d. What things should be provided free of cost?
Ans – According to the poet, bread, shelter, and fire should be provided free of cost to everyone.
III. Answer the following questions in about 30-40 words each.
a. What are the changes money has made in each individual?
Ans – In the poem “Money Madness”, D.H. Lawrence describes several changes that money has made in each individual:
1. Fear of giving – People feel a pang or tremor even when giving small amounts of money, showing how hard it is to part with it.
2. Anxiety and hesitation – Individuals feel nervous and uncomfortable when dealing with money, especially while spending or helping others.
3. Judging others by wealth – People ask, “How much is he worth?”, meaning they judge a person’s value based on how much money they have.
4. Lack of compassion – Those without money are made to “eat dirt”, meaning they are treated with cruelty and disrespect.
5. Fear of poverty – Individuals fear being left out, insulted, or ignored if they have no money.
6. Mental disturbance – This fear of money and poverty can lead to delirium, showing how deeply it affects the mind.
7. Dependence on money for dignity – People feel that without money, they will lose their self-respect and humanity.
In short, money has made individuals fearful, selfish, judgmental, and mentally disturbed, according to the poem.
b. In what way has money come to determine the value of everything?
Ans – In the poem “Money Madness”, money has come to determine the value of everything by making people judge worth based on wealth rather than character or humanity.
Society asks, “How much is he worth?”, meaning a person’s value is measured in money, not in kindness, wisdom, or goodness.
Even basic needs like bread, shelter, and fire are denied without money.
This shows that money controls not just material things, but also social respect, dignity, and survival, giving it power over all aspects of life.
c. What, according to Lawrence, should be provided free of cost?
Ans – According to D.H. Lawrence, bread, shelter, and fire should be provided free of cost to all people, everywhere in the world.
He believes that these are basic human needs, essential for survival and dignity. No one should be denied food, a place to stay, or warmth just because they don’t have money.
d. State the chief cause of fear in the speaker’s mind.
Ans – The chief cause of fear in the speaker’s mind is the money-madness of society—the fear that if he has no money, people will mistreat him, make him eat dirt, and deny him basic needs like respect, food, and shelter.
He is not just afraid of being poor, but of how cruelly society treats those without money.
IV. Answer the following in about 150 words each.
a. How does Lawrence show that the possession of money is a kind of madness? What evidence does he bring up to substantiate argument?
Ans – In the poem ‘Money Madness’ poet D.H. Lawrence explains how people in the society are obsessed with money.
He shows that the possession of money is a kind of madness by describing how people have become fearful, greedy, and cruel because of it.
He calls it a “vast collective madness”, meaning that almost everyone in society is affected by this obsession with money.
According to the poet the possession of money is a kind of madness. This madness could be seen through the behaviour of the people. People are scared of loosing money. Being without money makes them anxious. Lending money to other is difficult for them. Handing money to others causes distress to them.
People put themselves under the control of money. They grovel before money in strange terror. The strange terror arises when the fear in them is deep rooted in their minds. This fear is irrational.
To substantiate his argument the poet put forth some evidences that shows the vast collective madness of the society:
Fear of spending – People feel a “pang” or “tremor” even when giving a small amount of money, showing how deeply money controls them. Giving money is painful for people. A man cannot hand out a pound note without a pang. And if he hands out a ten-pound note that would be a real tremor for him. A sharp intense pain is
felt in his heart & he trembles while handing out money to others. This is the madness of people.
Judging human worth by wealth – Another example he gives is that of the mankind. Society asks, “How much is he worth?”, meaning people are valued based on money, not character or kindness.
Mankind says with one voice that a man is valued based on how much money he has. His worth is measured by the amount of money he possesses. The mankind let the
individual with no money eat dirt and die.
Cruelty toward the poor – If someone has no money, they are given only a little help but are made to “eat dirt”, showing the shame and humiliation poor people suffer. The poor is humiliated, ignored & considered insignificant by the mankind. They might give some bread to the penniless but they will make him eat dirt with it. They are left to suffer without basic needs like food. Moreover he has to suffer shame & humiliation.
The poet also says that people being terrified of money are actually the collective money madness of the mankind.
They put money at the centre of everything. They behave unnaturally. The madness creates unnecessary anxiety among people. This madness makes people selfish, greedy & cruel.
b. Lawrence offers some solutions to the problems caused by money mindedness. Do you think they are practical?
Ans – D.H. Lawrence offers idealistic but powerful solutions to the problems caused by money-mindedness in his poem “Money Madness”.
He says that bread, shelter, and fire should be free for everyone, meaning that the basic needs of life should not depend on money.
He also urges society to regain its sanity about money before it leads to violence and destruction.
In today’s world, his solutions may seem difficult to achieve fully, because most societies are built around money and capitalism.
Providing free food, shelter, and warmth for everyone requires major economic and political changes, which are complex.
However, it is possible to say that Lawrence’s solutions can work if society is willing to change its mindset and priorities.
A shift in mindset can begin with the people and government both simultaneously.
If people and governments recognize that basic needs like food, shelter, and warmth are human rights, then steps can be taken to make them free or accessible to all.
When more individuals act with compassion, fairness, and generosity, society can slowly move away from money-madness toward a more caring and equal world.
While individual and community efforts can spark awareness and begin a shift in mindset, lasting, large-scale change is often only possible through government action and policy.
Many countries already offer free education, healthcare, and food programs to its people, which shows that such changes are possible with the right policies and collective effort.
I think, individuals can lead the way, but governments are essential for bringing lasting change at scale.
While society’s mindset matters, the power and responsibility of the government are crucial to make those ideals practical and widespread.
And, the idea behind Lawrence’s solution is meaningful, he wants people to be more humane, less greedy, and more equal.
So yes, if we all work together and value people over profit, Lawrence’s vision can become a reality.
c. This poem was written nearly ninety years ago. Is the poem still relevant today? Justify your answer.
Ans – Society has changed in some ways since the poem was written, but many of the core issues that D.H. Lawrence pointed out still remain.
Many governments now provide free or subsidized education, healthcare, food, and housing to the poor.
There is more awareness today about income inequality, social justice, and human rights.
Charities, NGOs, and social movements work to bridge the gap between rich and poor.
Some societies and individuals are more conscious of kindness, fairness, and equality.
While we now have better awareness of poverty, human rights, and support systems like free education and healthcare in some countries, money still plays a powerful role in shaping a person’s status, opportunities, and dignity.
So yes, the poem Money Madness is still very relevant today, even though it was written nearly ninety years ago.
Because –
1. Money still controls people’s lives – In today’s world, people are still judged by their wealth, job, or possessions, just as Lawrence described. Society often asks, “How much is he worth?”, not in moral terms, but in money.
2. Basic needs still depend on money – Many people around the world still struggle to afford food, shelter, education, and healthcare. Lawrence’s idea that “bread, shelter, and fire should be free” remains a dream for many.
3. Fear and stress over money – Like in the poem, people today still live with anxiety and fear about money — worrying about paying bills, losing jobs, or facing poverty. Money continues to create stress and inequality.
4. Widening rich-poor gap – The gap between the rich and poor is growing. A few people have extreme wealth while millions live in poverty, showing that money’s power has become even more cruel and unfair, just as Lawrence warned.
5. Moral values are affected – Many people compromise honesty, kindness, or fairness to gain money, proving that money-madness still affects human behavior and relationships.
Although the world has advanced in many ways, the issues Lawrence raised—materialism, injustice, and the power of money—are still deeply present today.
The “money madness” that Lawrence spoke of continues to affect human values, relationships, and social systems.
That makes his poem not only relevant but also a powerful reminder of what society still needs to change.
d. ‘It’s one thing or the other.’ Why does Lawrence end the poem with this statement? What message does he wish to convey?
Ans – The phrase “It’s one thing or the other” means that there are only two clear choices — you must choose one and cannot stay in between.
In the poem, D.H. Lawrence uses this line to say that society must either:
Regain its sanity about money and treat people with fairness and compassion,
or
Continue in its mad obsession with money, which could lead to cruelty, injustice, and even violence.
It shows that the situation is serious, and a decision must be made — we cannot ignore the problem or stay neutral.
Lawrence ends the poem with this statement because it was necessary and powerful for him to end the poem with the phrase “It’s one thing or the other”. It gives the poem a strong and urgent conclusion.
The line “It’s one thing or the other” at the end of the poem is a powerful way for Lawrence to make readers think seriously. This sharp ending forces the reader to reflect and act, making the message more serious and memorable.
He is saying that society must make a clear choice — we cannot continue living in fear and greed caused by money.
Either we choose a fair and humane way of living, where everyone gets basic needs like food, shelter, and warmth, or we continue in this “money madness”, where people are judged and treated badly based on how much money they have.
Lawrence uses this line to warn that if we don’t change, this madness could lead to people hurting or even killing each other over money.
Throughout the poem, Lawrence discusses how money controls people, causes fear, and leads to injustice.
By ending with this phrase, he leaves the reader with a clear warning and a choice — either change our attitude toward money and treat everyone with dignity, or continue allowing money to rule us and face the dangerous consequences.
Message he wants to convey –
D.H. Lawrence wishes to convey that money should not control human life or define a person’s worth.
He warns that society’s obsession with money has led to fear, injustice, and loss of compassion.
His message is that basic needs like food, shelter, and warmth should be available to all, regardless of wealth.
He urges people to regain their sanity about money before it leads to violence and the breakdown of human values.
Ultimately, he wants us to remember that human dignity is more important than material wealth.
So, the message is simple: we must change our attitude toward money, or suffer the painful results of not doing so.
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