BA II English (Paper II)

Biyani's Think Tank Concept based notes

English BA-II

Mr Ashish E. John Deptt. of Arts Biyani Girls College, Jaipur

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Published by :

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Edition : 2014

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Prefa!e

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a4 gla" to present this 6ook, especially "esigne" to ser;e the nee"s of the stu"ents.

The 6ook has 6een 8ritten keeping in 4in" the general 8eakness in un"erstan"ing the fun"a4ental concepts of the topics. The 6ook is self-e3planatory an" a"opts the style. :t is 6ase" on ?uestion-ans8er pattern. The language of 6ook is ?uite easy an" un"erstan"a6le 6ase" on scientific approach. Any further i4pro;e4ent in the contents of the 6ook 6y 4aking corrections, o4ission an" inclusion is keen to 6e achie;e" 6ase" on suggestions fro4 the rea"ers for 8hich the author shall 6e o6lige". : ackno8le"ge special thanks to @r. a(ee; Biyani, Chair"an  Dr. San(ay Biyani, #irector &Acad.) Biyani Group of Colleges, 8ho are the 6ack6ones an" 4ain concept pro;i"er an" also ha;e 6een constant source of 4oti;ation throughout this en"ea;our. They playe" an acti;e role in coor"inating the ;arious stages of this en"ea;our an" spearhea"e" the pu6lishing 8ork. : look for8ar" to recei;ing ;alua6le suggestions fro4 professors of ;arious e"ucational institutions, other faculty 4e46ers an" stu"ents for i4pro;e4ent of the ?uality of the 6ook. The rea"er 4ay feel free to sen" in their co44ents an" suggestions to the un"er 4entione" a""ress. "uthor

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Sylla#us

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E$E%&E'(S P)ET*+ ,- 1

"ns-

"ssess E.ekiel(s !ontri#ution to &ndo/English Poetry)r rite a !riti!al note on the poeti! a!hieement of issim E.ekielEaluate the !hara!teristi! features of issim E.ekiel(s poetryissim E.ekiel(s 3igh *ank as an &ndo/English Poet Eekiel occupies a ;ery high rank as a 8riter of :n"o-English poetry9 an" his contri6ution to this poetry is ;ery su6stantial, 8eighty, an" ;alua6le. :n fact, 8e can regar" hi4 as one of the to8ering figures a4ong the :n"o-English poets though 8e fin" it "ifficult to accept hi4 as an :n"ian poet 6ecause he is essentially an" a foreigner 8ho 8as 6orn in :n"ia an" 8ho has li;e" in :n"ia all his life. is poetry has 4any facets9 an" it has certainly enriche" :n"o-English poetry an" gi;en a ne8 "i4ension to it 6y e3ten"ing its scope an" its range. At the sa4e ti4e 8e cannot ignore the critic  8ho says that although Eekiel

is a poet4ore of historical i4portance to :n"o-English literature, his actual achie;e4ent re4ains li4ite" than it 4ight ha;e 6een. 3is Contri#ution to Philosophi!al Poetry Eekiel has 4a"e a "efinite contri6ution to the philosophical poetry pro"uce" 6y :n"oEnglish poets. :n"ee", Eekiel has sho8n a certain profun"ity in his nature9 an" this profun"ity has foun" an e3pression in se;eral poe4s 8ritten 6y hi4. The poetic self of Eekiel has e3perience" t8o "i;ergent pulls the e3istential enig4a on the one han", an" the poetic enig4a on the other. &The poetic enig4a i4plies the nee" for a correspon"ence 6et8een art an" life). e has the sensi6ility of a 4o"ern poet 8hose self confronts the fallen 8orl" an" stan"s in an ironic contrast to the i"eal 8orl". e sho8s that the culture of the city an" the represi;e social co"es in the 4o"ern 8orl" inhi6it a 4anFs in"i;i"uality an" his free"o4 to gro8. This culture sprea"s per;ersion in all 8alks of life. Thus 4arriage has 6eco4e 4ore of a 6on"age in 8hich a 4an an" a 8o4an lose their free"o4 an" their i"entities, 8ith the result that . e therefore stresses the nee" of co44it4ent, sincerity, an" integrity as essential con"itions for the co4pleteness of a poet an" 8ithout such co4pleteness there can 6e no association of sensi6ilities os that a poetFs i4agination 8oul" re4ain frag4ente". Ee"kiel has illustrate" this ;ie8 of his in the poe4 entitle" Enterprise. :n this poe4 the pilgri4s face a para"o3 8hich is "ue to their 8ant of co44it4ent, sincerity, an" integrity. To8ar"s the en" of their (ourney, the pilgri4s "isco;er, to their "is4ay, that their "estination &na4ely the centre of ;ision) is as unaccepta6le to the4 as the city fro4 8hich they ha;e trie" to run a8ay. :n the last line of the poe4, Eekiel points out i8th con;iction that the grace of fulfil4ent consists in the i"entification of the

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self 8ith the o6(ecti;e 8orl". :f such an i"entification is achie;e", then art, philosophy, religion, an" reality 8oul" all appear to 6e a unifie" concept. The poe4s entitle" *hilosophy an" A ti4e to change also sho8 EekielFs philosophical 6ent of 4in", although the for4er poe4 sho8s a "istinct tilt to8ar" s poetry as co4pare" to philosophy. 3is !ontri#ution to Psy!hologi!al Poetry or the Poetry of the 3uman ind Eekiel is a poet of the 4in". e sho8s a 4arke" ten"ency to pro6e the hu4an 4in", an" his poe4s re;eal not only the conscious 6ut also the su6conscious thoughts an" conflicts of hu4an 6eings an", 4ore particularly, his o8n thoughts an" conflicts. :n"ee", his pri4ary concern is 8ith 4an an" 4anFs 4in". is stri;ing to 6eco4e a 4an co4pels hi4 to self analysis an" introspection. The poe4 entitle" Case Stu"y is one of his se;er al atte4 pts at an e3ploration of his o8n 4in". ere he portrays his o8n personality an" his 4in", though he appears here in "isguise, 4aking it see4 that he is portraying so4e6o"y else. Self-e3ploration is also ;ery 4uch in e;i"ence in the poe4 entitle" on"on. ere the protagonist is searching an" pro6ing the inner4ost recesses of his self. is personal ?uest goes on relentlessly. :slan" is another of EekielFs poe4s

8here 8e fin" the sa4e search for the self-lea"ing to a resigne" acceptance of his en;iron4ent. :n"ee", Eekiel 4ay 6e "escri6e" as an en"less e3plorer of the la6yrinths of the 4in". 3is *ealism in epi!ting City 'ife Eekiel has 4a"e an e?ually su6stantial contri6ution to :n"o-English poetry 6y ha;ing 8ritten poe4s "epicting :n"ian life, 4ore particularly city life, ;i;i"ly an" realistically. @any are the poe4s in 8hich he has "epicte" the sights 8hich are seen "aily in the city of Bo46ay, though he has "epicte" these sights in a 8itty an" satirical ;ein. The poe4 entitle" in :n"ia is an outstan"ing e3a4ple of his realistic i4agery. ere he enu4erates the city sights, focussing our attention upon the po;erty of the people as represente" 6y the 6eggars, ha8kers, pa;e4ent sleepers, an" the "8ellers in slu4s. ere he also "ra8s our attention to the 6urning of 8o4en 8ho "i" not 6ring enough "o8ry, an" to the ;irgins

8ho are frightene" of 6eing 4oleste" 6y rogues an" ruffians- <6urnt-out 4others>, . The poe4 entitle" The Truth A6out the 2loo"s also 6elongs to the category of realistic poe4s, through here he is not particularly speaking a6out city life. 3is Contri#ution to 3umour5 it5 and &rony in &ndo/English Poetry 7e ha;e spoken a6o;e of EekielFs "eeply philosophical nature an" his strong interest in hu4an psychology. But there is another aspect of his poetic genius too. e has a rich sense of hu4our, an" he has a fertile 8it. e has 8ritten 4any poe4s ri"iculing the a6sur"ities an" follies of the :n"ian people9 an" his chief 8eapon of attack is irony. Hne of the a6sur"ities 8hich he has ri"icule" is the half-e"ucate" or se4i-e"ucate" :n"ian

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co44itting errors of tense, synta3, an" i"io4 8hile speaking English. e has ri"icule" this fault of the :n"ians in the poe4s entitle" Goo" 6ye *arty for @iss *ushpa an" The ail8ay Clerk. Then he has poke" fun at the :n"ians for their hypocrisy, an" their pretence at piety, in such poe4s as The ealers an" Guru. e has also ri"icule" the :n"ians, particularly the in"us, for their practising =oga to attain spiritual enlighten4ent. e see4s to 6e of the ;ie8 that persons trying to attain spiritual illu4ination through such 4etho"s continue to re4ain in "arkness. There is, in"ee", a large fun" of hu4our an" 8ith in EekielFs poetry. 3is Contri#ution to 'oe/Poetry and to udity in &ndo/English Poetry Ee"iel has 4a"e a fairly large contri6ution to the lo;e poetry 8ritten 6y :n"oEnglish poets. is lo;e-poe4s are 4ostly concerne" 8ith physical an" se3ual relationships 6et8een 4en an" 8o4en. The the4e of such poe4s is sensuality an" lust, an" not true lo;e, or lo;e 8hich has its 6asis in the heart an" e4otions. ere again the use of irony is per;asi;e. The series of poe4s in the se?uence entitle" #u"es, gi;es us so4e ;ery interesting an" spicy, though ;ery 6rief an" terse, pictures of se3ual relationships 6et8een 4ales an" fe4ales of the hu4an species. The poe4 entitle The

Couple is another outstan"ing poe4 of this category. 3is Contri#ution to the Sense of 6orm and Stru!ture in &ndo/English Poetry Eekiel is not one of those poets 8ho 8rite at ran"o4, gi;ing free reins to their inclinations an" using 8or"s (ust as they co4e to their 4in"s. Eekiel has a high sense of his ;ocation as a poet. Although so4e of his poe4s are certainly loose in their structure, the 6ulk of his poetic 8ork sho8s a keen sense of for4 an" structure, an" a special concern for the use of the right 8or"s in the right places. e 6elie;es that a poet shoul" la6or to fin" the right 8or"s (ust as in a 8ell-kno8n poe4 6y 7.B. =eats, a 6eautiful 8o4an says+ <7e 4ust la6or to 6e 6eautiful>. :n his poe4 entitle", *oet, o;er Bir"8atcher, Eekiel has 8ritten + :n"ee", Eekiel has 4a"e a ;alua6le contri6ution to stylistic felicities in :n"o- English poetry. e has also 4a"e a su6stantial

contri6ution the useThe of collo?uial an" the con;ersational 4anner an" tone inis :n"o- Englishtopoetry. 8hole of English his auto6iographical poe4 Backgroun", Casually 8ritten in a con;ersational tone9 an" the poe4 entitle" The 7ay it 7ent is a goo" e3a4ple of his use of collo?uial English. 2urther4ore, he is e?ually at ho4e in 8riting 4etrical an" non 4etrical ;erse9 an" his poe4s, 8ritten in 4etrical lines an" his poe4s 8ritten in <;ers li6re> are also a contri6ution to the techni?ue of 8riting poetry.

"n "#le Seaman5 Though ot the Captain of the Ship of &ndo/English oetry

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2inally, 8e 4ust take into account 8hat a critic has sai" a6out Eekiel. Accor"ing to this critic, Eekiel has trie" a ;ariety of poetic 4o"es in his latest poe4s 8hich inclu"e poster poe4s, poster prayers, hy4ns, psal4s, songs, Sanskrit-inspire" passion poe4s, an" so on. An" this critic then a""s that, in poetry, EekielFs "rea4 of 6eco4ing captain of the ship 4ay not ha;e 6een realie", 6ut that he has certainly 6een an A6le Sea4an on the ocean of poetry. ,-2 "ns.

7E.ekiel(s poe try is #oth th e ins trument and th e out! ome of his att empt as am an to !ome to terms 8ith himself-9 is!ussPoetry as a eans of *esoling 3is &nner is!ord As a critic has pointe" out, EekielFs poetry is 6oth the instru4ent an" the outco4e of his atte4pt to co4e to ter4s 8ith hi4self. Eekiel 8as face" 8ith the pro6le4s of a choice 6et8een the outer 8orl" an" his o8n inner 8orl"9 an" he then procee"e" to stri;e to 6ring a6out a har4ony 6et8een these t8o 8orl"s 6y stating his pro6le4 in his poe4s. :n other 8or"s, he has treate" poetry as a 4eans of resol;ing the conflicts an" the tensions 8hich he 8as e3periencing. *oetry see4e" to his to ser;e as a 4eans of achie;ing a catharsis an" thus of attaining 4ental har4ony an" peace. E.ekiel(s ,uest5 a %ind of Cy!li!al ourney :n this en"ea;our, Eekiel 8rote 4uch confessional poetry 8hich ena6le" hi4 to <8ith"ra8 to look at his con"ition 8ith secret faults conceale" no 4ore> &A ti4e to Change). Through this type of poetry he not only accepte" his failures 6ut also recor"e" his e3perience of constant interactions 8ith the 4ultitu"inous reality of life an" 8ith the "ichoto4ies in hu4an thinking an" in his o8n thinking. *oetry helpe" hi4 to un"erstan" the inconsistencies 6et8een his co4pulsi;e urge for re"e4ption an" his intense yearing for the outer 8orl". EekielFs ?uest has a4ounte" to a kin" of cyclical (ourney fro4 hi4self, through the outer 8orl" of reality, to his o8n self. is poetry thus e46o"ies the e3perience of a 4an 8ho tra;els 8i"ely to unkno8n lan"s in or"er to ac?uire pri4al kno8le"ge. The Struggle to Esta#lish a 3armony #et8een 3is &nner 'ife and )uter 'ife :n the early phases of his poetic career, Eekiel felt that the essential function of a poet 8as not only the o6(ecti;e interpretation of life 6ut also the satisfaction of his spiritual urges 6y re4o;ing his o8n "ou6ts. Eekiel ha" therefore 6een 4o;ing 6et8een the t8o e3tre4es of introspection or conte4plation an" the out8ar" or physical 8orl" of acti;ity. :n a poe4 entitle" *oetry, he trie" to (u3tapose poetry, art , an" life 8ith a ;ie8 to 6ringing a6out har4ony 6et8een the inn er life an" the outer li fe. :n a poe4 entitle " The Great, he trie" to peep into history in or"er to learn a lesson fro4 the li;es an" para"o3es of the great 4en of the past9 an" so he tells us in that poe4 that the great are egoistical, sensual, self-sacrificing, lo;a6le an" "a4na6le, selfish an" sy4pathetic. The

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poetFs self therefore felt "esirous of associating 8ith 8hate;er 8as pure in the li;es of the great 4en9 6ut he foun" hi4self an insepara6le part of the ;icious si"e of hu4an life an" so he 8rote in a poe4+ < : a4 corrupte" 6y the 8orl", continuallyIe"uce" to so4ething less than hu4an 6y the cro8".> is 4oral self thus "enounce" the 4o"ern ur6anity in hi4. Poems of Self/ "nalysis to Come to Terms 8ith 3imself :t 8as in or"er to co4e to ter4s 8ith hi4self that Eekiel 8rote a large nu46er of poe4s of self-analysis an" self-e3ploration. e has actually 6een conscious of his split personality9 an" he has continually 6een stri;ing to achie;e a synthesis of the "ichoto4y in hi4self an" attain a serenity of 4in". is poe4s 8ere thus ai4e" at pro;i"ing hi4 8ith sta6ility an" 8ith a 4ental e?uili6riu4. Then poe4 entitle" Case Stu"y is e;i"ently a poe4 of self-e3ploration. ere Eekiel takes stock of his o8n failures inclu"ing the failure of his 4arriage, an" his sense of ha;ing har"ly achie;e" anything 8orth 8hile, though he "oes fin" so4e sort of consolation in the tough that e;ery 4an, 8ho fails in life, is not regar"e" as a cheat or a frau". Eekiel tries to e3plore the la6yrinths of his o8n 4in" as 8ell as the 4in"s of others in or"er to achie;e a feeling of sta6ility an" co4fort.

The poe4 entitle" on"on is also an e3ercise in self-e3ploration, though it gi;es us o6(ecti;e pictures of e3ternal life too. The poe4 entitle" :n :n"ia is another such poe4. ere he "epicts the 6eggars, the ha8ker s, an" the pa;e4ent sleepers9 6ut he also e3a4ines his o8n plight, saying+ : ri"e 4y elephant of thought A Ceianne slung aroun" 4y neck E.ekiel5 an Endless E;plorer of the 'a#yrinths of the ind As a critic  says, Eekiel is a poet of the city, a poet of the 6o"y, an" an en"less e3plorer of the la6yrinths of the 4in", an" he is constantly stri;ing to "efine hi4self an" to fin" through all a 8ay to honesty an" lo;e. Eekiel 6elie;es that, as long as the city 4an lacks a perception of the i4aginati;e reality, he is 6oun" to re4ain inco4plete or unfinishe", an" he 8oul" continue to suffer fro4
frag4ente" :n the poe4a 4an entitle" A @orning 7alk, e3actly such8ith a person. The ;ie8.> e3istence of such is 8ithout 9 an"8e the8itness <6ar6aric city, sick slu4s>, cannot pro;e to 6e a source of grace to hi4. By 6ringing the protagonist of his poe4s close to an a8areness of their situation. Eekiel suggests the possi6ility of re"e4ption for hi4self as 8ell as for others 8ho li;e in the city. 2ro4 this point of ;ie8, EekielFs art is highly therapeutic. As a result of this aesthetic therapy, he fin"s se;eral of his poetic characters on the threshol" of a ne8 a8akening9 an" this is a 4ental state in 8hich self-analysis plays a 4a(or role. :n the poe4 entitle" @arriage, Eekiel "epicts the failure of his o8n con(ugal life9 an" in the poe4 entitle" E;ent his personal e3periences

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lea" hi4 to a "isgust 8ith the se3ual lo;e of a 8o4an in 8hose presence he cannot "efine hi4self. The 8o4an i"ealies hi4, 6ut she har"ly un"erstan"s hi4. The 3ope of "! Thus through self  analysis an" self  recognition, Eekiel tries to achie;e the in8ar" eye an" greater poetic po8er, an" in this 8ay to gain spiritual strength. ,=

"ns

E;amine ho8 E.ekiel offers a !hara!teristi!ally self/depre!atinge;planation for the sense of imaginatie de#ility dis!erni#le in his poetry)r o you think that E.ekiel(s poetry suffers from 7imaginatie de#ility9> o Eiden!e of &ma ginatie e#ility in E. ekiel(s Poetry The critic, 8hose ;ie8 has here 6een ?uote" for our "iscussion, "oes not poe4 to us to ha;e correctly assesse" the poetry of Eekiel. :n the first place ha;e "o not agree that there is any i4aginati;e "e6ility in EekielFs poetry or that Eekiel sho8s any a8areness of this "eficiency in his 8ork9 an", econ"ly, 8e "o not agree that Eekiel has offere" any self-"eprecating &or self-"isparaging) e3planation of this suppose" "eficiency. :4agination is a faculty 8hich perfor4s se;eral tasks. These tasks inclu"e a (u"icious selection, fro4 the a;aila6le ra8 4aterial, of those facts 8hich suit the poetFs purpose, an" an arrange4ent of the selecte" facts so as to offer to the rea"er a

coherent picture fro4 8hich the rea"er 4ay 6e a6le to "ra8 the 4eanings an" the significance 8hich the poet 8oul" like to con;ey to hi4. The i4agination of a poet ena6les hi4 also to "ra8 upon his accu4ulate" treasure of his o6ser;ations of life, his e3perience of life, his 4e"itations on life, an" his thoughts an" i"eas a6out life, a6out people, a6out 4ankin" in general, an" a6out hi4self also. :n our opinion, Eekiel has pro;i"e" sufficient e;i"ence of his i4aginati;e po8er an" of the fertility of his i4agination so that, to our 4in"s, the charg e of i4agi nati;e "e6il ity again st hi4 is al4ost 6aseless. So4e sort of self-"isparage4ent there certainly is on EekielFs part, 6oth in his general state4ents a6out his 8ork an" in his poetry9 6ut this self"isparage4ent is 4ore in the nature of 4o"esty than any accusation against hi4self. :n

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fact, Eekiel 6erates an" 6elittles other poets 6y co4parison 8ith hi4self, thus in"irectly asserting his o8n super iority. 2or instance, in one of his poe4 s he 4ocks at those ;ersifiers an" poetasters 8ho try to a";ertise the4s el;es an" their 8ork in or"er to esta6lish a reputation for the4sel;es. An" he "eprecates hi4self too in one of his poe4s, saying that it 8as a long ti4e ago that he ha" 8ritten a genuine poe4. Poems Sho8ing the "!tiity and 6ertility of E.ekiel(s &magination 7e fin" e;i"ence of the fertility an" the acti;ity of EekielFs i4agination in poe4s like on"on, :n :n"ia, A Ti4e of Change, A 7o4an H6ser;e", an" al4ost all those of his poe4s 8hich "eal 8ith the the4e of se3 an" 4arriage. All these poe4s contain ;i;i" pictures of the sights 8hich Eekiel ha" hi4self 8itnesse" in the streets of Bo46ay an" else8here. The arrange4ent of the facts in these poe4s is syste4atic enough fro4 the poetic point of ;ie8, an" the 8or"s use" in these poe4s also sho8 an acti;e i4agination. "n "derse ?ie8 of E.ekiel(s Poetry5 E;pressed #y "nother Criti! Too Another critic has also e3presse" an a";erse opinion a6out EekielFs poetry.

Accor"ing to this critic, Eekiel is a representati;e poet of :n"ian 8riting in English an", in this respect, he rese46les o6ert o8ell of A4erica an" Austin Clarke of :relan". Eekiel has trie", in his o8n 4o"est 8ay, to e3press the :n"ian ethos through the English language, an" has al8ays aspire" to gi;e ;ent to the genius or the soul of :n"ia. e is a poet of the poe4 Backgroun", Casually, Eekiel says that one of his co44it4ents no8 is to stay 8here he is, in The fact, says this critic, is that in this country Eekiel "oes not ha;e to e3perience that co4petition 8hich other poets ha;e to face in so4e other parts of the 8orl". This has naturally inhi6ite" his art 6y gi;ing hi4 an un"esira6le sense of co4placency. An" the sort of s4ugness, 8hich he en(oys, is not con"ucti;e to the creation of great poetry. is later poetry, through technically a";ance", suffers fro4 a repletion of the4es an" e4otions. e has aspire" to the si4ple an" the su6li4e 6ut not to the intricate an" the 6eautiful. So4eti4es he is too 4atter-of fact an" pe"estrian to 4ake any profoun" or per4anent appeal. The Best Poems of E.ekiel5 3ighly &maginatie: Enterprise 7e are of the fir4 ;ie8 that the 6est poe4s of Eekiel are highly i4aginati;e an" that Eekiel, far fro4 "eprecating hi4self, has keenly 6een a8are of the 4erit of these poe4s 8hich sho8 6oth his capacity for srcinal thinking an" his crafts4anship so far as the choice of 8or"s an" the arrange4ent of those 8or"s into phrases, clauses, an" lines is concerne", an" also so far as a co44an" of rhyth4 is concerne". As another criticsays, EekielFs poe4s sho8 the i4print of a keen, analytical 4in" trying to e3plore an" co44unicate on a personal le;el the feelings of loss an" "epri;ation. Enterprise is a poe4 8hich, in our opinion, clearly sho8s the i4aginati;e po8er of Eekiel.

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Suggesti;eness in poerty is possi6le only if the poetFs i4agination is at 8ork9 an" Enterprise is a highly suggesti;e poe4. Being an allegory, it "oes not state the poetFs 4eaning in e3plicit ter4s. EekielFs i4agination here sho8s in the suggesti;eness 8hich is the 4ost "o4inant ?uality of this poe4. The "ifferent stages of the (ourney "escri6e" in this poe4 ha;e 6een so "escri6e" as to set us thinking as to 8hat the poet has in 4in". Thus the poet has not only 4a"e use of his o8n i4aginati;e faculty 6ut succee"e" in sti4ulating our i4aginati;e faculties too. :t is through the e3ercise of our i4agination that 8e co4e to the conclusion that this (ourney is a 4etaphor for life itself, an" that the "ifferent stages of the (ourney stan" for the ;arious stages through 8hich any thinking 4an or any intellectual 8oul" pass 6efore fin"ing that . An" this last line of the poe4 again sho8s EekielFs i4aginati;e po8er 6ecause this line has t8o possi6le 4eanings. <o4e> 4ay 4ean the city fro4 8here the tra;elers ha" set out to escape fro4 it9 an" 4ay 6e the inner self of each of the tra;elers. Si4ilarly the 8or" 4ay 4ean an a"(ust4ent to the ur6an en;iron4ent or it 4ay 4ean a har4ony 6et8een oneFs inner self an" oneFs outer life. To us the poe4 Enterprise is richly an" 4eaningfully i4aginati;e. ight of the S!orpion5 "lso &ndi!atie of E.ekiel(s "!tie &magination #ight of the Scorpion is another poe4 8hich 4ay 6e a""uce" as e;i"ence of EekielFs i4aginati;e fertility. This poe4 is apparently a si4ple narration of certain happenings. The happenings are of an or"inary kin" an" the narration is al4ost prosaic. An" yet the poe4 has a "eeper layer of 4eaning an" significance 8hich sho8s the i4agination of the poet an" 8hich also "e4an"s an e3ercise of the rea"erFs i4agination. A ;ein of irony runs through the 8hole poe4 through the poet has a serious purpose in 8riting his account of the happenings. The poe4 "epicts the "ifferent approaches to the inci"ent of a 8o4an ha;ing 6een 6itten 6y a scorpion. There is the approach of the superstitious peasants9 there is the approach of the scientific an" rationalistic father9 an" there is the approach of the holy 4an 8anting to nullify the effect of the sting 6y his incantations. The speaker in the poe4, 4ost pro6a6ly the poet hi4self, is the "etache" o6ser;er of the 8hole scene, perhaps s4iling to hi4self 8hen the 8o4anFs pain en"s after a lapse of

t8enty hours. An", finally, there is the 8o4anFs feeling of relief an" the feeling of (u6ilation at the thought that the scorpion ha" 6itten her an" spare" her chil"ren. Can such a poe4 he charge" 8ith i4aginati;e "e6ility Philosophy5 "nother 3ighly &maginatie Poem The poe4 entitle" *hilosophy again sho8s not only the fertility of EekielFs i4agination 6ut also its 8i"e range. The 8orl" of philosophy is here co4pare" to the <4ills of Go"> 8hich, accor"ing to the poet, are ne;er slo8. 2ro4 philosophy, the poet a6ruptly turns to the 6enefi ts 8hich geology has confer re" upon hu4an 6eings 6y pro;i"ing the4 8ith so4e essential an" 6asic kno8le"ge. But
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re4ain> after philosophy an" geology ha;e "one their (o6. The poet fin"s philosophy an" geology to 6e ina"e?uate, an" he e3presses the ;ie8 that these 6ranches of hu4an learning shoul" not try to e3plain 8hat they are una6le to e3plain. The poet is a 6elie;er in the <4un"ane language of the senses> 8hich is "ifferent fro4 the language of logic an" reasoning. The poe4 entitle" *oet, o;er, Bir"8atcher is no less i4aginati;e than the poe4s alrea"y consi"ere"9 an" the poe4s in the series calle" <#u"es> are e3ceptionally i4aginati;e an" ;ery interesting too. So is *oe4 of the Separation. The ant of &maginatie Po8er in Some of the Poems So, 8here ha;e 8e to look for the sense of 8hich one of the critics has "iscerne" in EekielFs poetry *erhaps in poe4s 8hich 4ock at the or"inary :n"ianFs use of the English language. But here no i4agination 8as nee"e" at all. These poe4s si4ply e3press EekielFs conte4pt for the :n"ians 8ho are una6le to speak English accor"ing to his stan"ar"s of correctness or e3cellenc e. :n these poe4s he succee"s as a satirist an" a 4ocker, 6ut his conte4pt for a 4isuse of the English language 6y :n"ians is entirely 4isconcei;e" an" al4ost irrational. Eekiel shoul" ha;e 6een tol" 6y so4eone that English is at present the only link language in this country. #one of the nati;e

languages has 6een foun" accepta6le to e;ery region of :n"ia9 an" English, incorrectly an" i4precisely through it is spoken 6y the ;ast 4a(ority of the :n"ians, is the only language through 8hich the people of one region can co44unicate 8ith the people of another region, an" through 8hich the tourists fro4 foreign countr ies can co44unicate 8ith our porters, shopkeepers, ta3i-"ri;ers, hotel 8aiters, an" e;en the or"inary 8ayfarers. ,1=

rite a !riti!al appre!iation of the poem ight of the S!orpion)r hi!h of the )r rite a !riti!al note on issim E.ekiel as a poet in the light of your reading of the

"ns

poem The ight erits oof f ththe is PS!orpionoem #ight of the Scorpion sho8s se;eral of #issi4 EekielFs ?ualities as a poet9 an" he appears in this poe4 in a ;ery fa;oura6le light. #ight of the Scorpion is un"ou6te"ly an e3cellent poe4-realistic, "ra4atic, lyrical, 8ith plenty of ;i;i" i4agery, an" possessing a narrati;e interest. The si4plicity of the language use", an" the collo?uial 8or"s an" phrases e4ploye" in it, are a""itional 4erits of the poe4. 2urther4ore, it is 8ritten in an srcinal kin" of free ;erse, possessing its o8n rhyth4 an" renouncing the use of capital letters at the 6eginning of each line 8ith the e3ception of only a fe8 lines 8hich 6egin 8ith capital letters. That is not all. The poe4 strikes us as authentic e;en if the e3perience

14

"escri6e" in it 4ight 6e i4aginary. An" it also strikes us as a spontaneous poe4, 8ritten 8ithout the least effort. The 8or"s see4 to ha;e flo8e" fro4 the poetFs pen auto4atically an" naturally to the paper 6efore hi4. An" 8e 8oul" not 6e 8rong if 8e say that this poe4 is the e3pression of e4otion recollecte" in tran?uility. " ramati! Beginning5 and the 3eightening of the ramati! Effe!t The poe4 6egins si4ply 6ut "ra4atically 8ith the author infor4ing us that he re4e46ers the night 8hen his 4other 8as stung 6y a scorpion. The "ra4atic effect increases 8ith e;ery line that follo8s. The co4ing of the neigh6ours in large nu46ers9 the reactions of the neigh6ours to 8hat has happene"9 their eff orts to assuage the 8o4anF s pain9 the efforts of the authorFs father to "o the sa4e 6ut 6y "ifferent 4eans an" the poetFs 8atching the fla4e 8hich rises fro4 his 4otherFs toe- such is the progression of the poe4. ?iid and ?aried &magery The i4agery in the poe4 is not only ;i;i" 6ut ;arie". The scorpion has cra8l e" into the house an" hi""en hi4self 6eneath a sack of rice. There is the scorpionFs <"ia6olic tail in

the "ark roo4>. The peasants co4e like s8ar4s of flies. The si4ile here is note 8orthy, though it is so4e 8hat inflate". The can"les an" lanterns thro8 huge sha"o8s on the sun6ake" 8alls. This particular "etail-the 8alls 8hich are sun-6ake"-is note 8orthy 6ecause the poet here sho8s a ten"ency to 4inute o6ser;ation. Then there is the picture of the 4other groaning on a 4at, 8ith her 6o"y t8isting an" turning 6ecause of the pain. The picture of paraffin 6eing poure" upon the 6itten toe, an" its 6eing set afla4e 8ith a 6urning 4atchstick is e;en 4ore ;i;i". The S!orpion5 a Sym#ol of Eil The scope of the poe4 8i"ens 8hen the poet tells us that the neigh6ours regar"e" the scorpion as the . The scorpion 6eco4es a sy46ol of e;il, an" is e;en regar"e" as an agent of the "e;il. The scorpion here ac?uires a certain character an" a certain personality, re4in"ing us of all the e;il in this 8orl". Thus a ;ery s4all 6ut ;ery har4ful

creature ser;es to represent so4ething 4uch 6igger than itself. Superstition ?ersus *ationality Hne of the 4ost striking, an" also interesting, features of the poe4 is the contr ast 6et8een the superstitious ;ie8 of the neigh6ours an" the rationalistic attitu"e of the father of the speaker in the poe4. 7hile the ortho"o3 neigh6ours, steepe" in superstition, utter prayers an" e3press their holy 8ishes, the father tries e;ery scientific 4etho" kno8n to hi4 to assuage the 8o4anFs pain.

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The Streak of &rony in the Poem The irony of the 8hole inci"ent is that, 8hile the neigh6ours an" the father ha;e 6een 4aking earnest efforts to assuage the 8o4anFs pain, actually the pain su6si"es naturally after the long t8enty hours of suffering. Thus the t8o lines After t8enty hours it lost its sting. 4ark a kin" of cli4a3 to the 8hole situation. ere 8e feel really a4use" 6y the futility of all the efforts 8hich ha;e 6een 4a"e. :t is the 8orking of nature 8hich 6rings the 4uchnee"e" relief to the suffering 8o4an. Actually a streak of irony runs through the 8hole poe4. This irony sho8s itself in the 8ay in 8hich the author has "escri6e" the efforts 6eing 4a"e 6y all those 8ho ha;e gathere" at the spot to relie;e the 8o4anFs pain. The Speaker(s Emotional eta!hment from the )!!urren!e es!ri#ed The e4otional "etach4ent of the speaker in the poe4 is another striking feature of it. The speaker "escri6es the 8hole inci"ent like a spectator not personally in;ol;e" in it. e 4akes no e3plicit co44ent on the efforts 4a"e 6y the neigh6ours an" 6y his o8n father. :n the case of his fatherFs efforts, the speaker 4erely says that he 8atche" the fla4e

fee"ing on his 4other, an" this is all that he says. This e4otional "etach4ent of the speaker is inten"e" 6y the poet to let the rea"ers for4 their for4 their o8n opinions a6out 8hat has happene". :n other 8or"s, the poet "oes not try to influence the rea"erFs (u"g4ent. The *hythmi! 6lo8 of the 6ree ?erse The poe4 is 8ritten in free ;erse9 an" this free ;erse is EekielFs o8n. The free ;erse here is inno;ati;e. 2ree ;erse has its o8n rhyth4s9 an", as 8e go through this poe4, 8e "o e3perience the pleasure 8hich co4es fro4 a rhyth4ic flo8 of 8or"s. The @nforgetta#le Closing 'ines of the Poem The last three lines of the poe4 6ring the poe4 to a close 8hich is unforgetta6le 6ecause these three lines e3press the 6itten 8o4anFs o8n reaction to her e3perience of the agony

of the sting. ere a typical, ortho"o3 :n"ianher 4other 8ho,ere forgetting her o8n agony, thanks Go" for theisscorpionFs ha;ing spare" chil"ren. is 4aternal solicitu"e9 here is 4aternal ten"erness an" affection. This is, of course, a 4ost 4o;ing conclusion to the poe4. The 8o4anFs pain an" agony 8ere certainly 4o;ing9 6ut the close of the poe4 is 4uch 4ore "eeply 4o;ing. " ost *emarka#le Poem 7e ha;e in #ight of the Scorpion a 4ost re4arka6le poe4, gripping 6ecause of its narrati;e interest, fascinating 6y ;irtue of its "ra4atic ?uality, an" "eeply 4o;ing 6ecause of its poignant an" yet e3hilarating close.

16

"run %olatkar ,1

"ns

"ttempt a !omparatie study of the poeti! a!hieement of "run %olatkar and *Parthasarathy)r Compare "run %olatkar and *- Parthasarathy as &ndo/"nglian poetsSi4ilarities Bet8een the T8o *oets There are certain o6;ious si4ilarities 6et8een Kolatkar an" *arthasarathy. Each of the4 has 8ritten a long 8ork "i;i"e" into a nu46er of sections. *arthasarathyFs <ough *assage> consists of three parts, each su6"i;i"e" into short poe4s, an" all the parts taken together containing thirty nine poe4s. KolatkarFs consists of thirty-one sections, each section 6eing a poe4 in itself an" ha;ing a separate title. Then, the se?uence of

poe4s 8ritten 6y each of these t8o poets has a ?uest as its the4e. <ough *assage> "escri6es a ?uest 6y *arthasarathy for his o8n i"entity an" an effort 6y hi4 to e3plore his roots in the ancient culture of his nati; e region &na4ely Ta4il #a"u). is KolatkarFs ?uest for spiritual truth an" an e3a4ination an" in;estigation of past legen"s an" 4yths. :n fact, , 4ay also 6e "escri6e" as a serious att e4pt 6y Kolatkar to re;ie8 his ancient heritage. Accor"ing to a critic, coul" ha;e 6een a far 4ore su6stantial achie;e4ent than it actually is if KolatkarFs ;ision ha" 6een less frag4entary an" if he ha" not re4aine" content 8ith scratching the surface of the pro6le4. *arthasarathyFs The4es Speaking a6out <ough *assage>, *arthasarathy hi4self tells us that here he has "8elt upon the ?uestion of language an" i"entity, an" upon the inner conflict that arises fro4 6eing 6rought up in t8o cultures. The first part of <ough *assage> is entitle" . :n this part, the culture of Europe is contraste" 8ith that of :n"ia9 an" the conse?uences of British rule for an :n"ian 4an, especially his loss of i"entity as an :n"ian, are e3a4ine". An :n"ianFs loss of his o8n nati;e culture an" the nee" for hi4 to re-"isco;er his roots is e4phasie". The secon" part, 8hich has the title of , cele6rates lo;e as a reality here an" no8. o;e alone hol"s forth the pro4ise of <6elonging> so that the tur4oil cause" 6y oneFs loss of oneFs culture an" i"entity 4ay 6e ease". The thir" an" final part of <ough *assage> has the title of <o4eco4ing>. This part e3plores the pheno4enon of returning to oneFs ho4e an" to oneFs nati;e culture. This part is a sort of preli4inary to hol"ing a "ialogue 6y the poet 8ith his Ta4il past. Accor"ing to one  of the critics, <ough *assage> is auto6iographical poetry 8ritten 6y *arthasarathy a6out his trau4atic e3perience of e3ile &fro4 :n"ia to Englan"), an" the e;en 4ore trau4atic e3perience of

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17

ho4e-co4ing, the e3perience of lo;e, an" the e3perience of se3. There are so4e the4es in the 6ackgroun", such as the "a4age "one 6y i4perialis4 an" the "egra"e" ?ualit y of 4o"ern :n"ian life. But it is *arthasarathyFs personal an" persistent unhapppiness 8hich fin"s an e4phatic e3pression throughout his accoun t of the rough (ourney of life. *arthasarathyFs poetry is pri4arily a poetry of feeling, of feeling e3presse" concretely an" concisely. The ifferen!es Bet8een the Tones of 7*ough Passage9 and eAuri9 The "ifference 6et8een Kolatkar an" *arthasarathy, so far as their the4es are concerne", is clear fro4 the a6o;e analysis of <ough *assage>. The the4es are si4ilar no "ou6t 6ut the e4phasis in *arthasarathyFs case is upon the poetFs o8n pre"ica4ent an" "istress, 8hile the e4phasis in KolatkarFs case is upon the a6sur"ity of the 6eliefs 8hich a pilgri4 to Je(uri hol"s. Besi"es, there is a "ifference 6et8een the t8o poets so far as their treat4ent of their the4es is concerne". *arthasarathyFs genius is essentially lyrical. Each poe4 6y hi4 in <ough *assage> is a lyric9 it is short9 it is intensely e4otional9 it is "eeply personal9 an" it "oes ha;e a pleasing rhyth4. Kolatkar is chiefly an" pri4arily a satirist or a 4ocker. is poe4s in "o ha;e a lyrical ?uality. The Butterfly is, for

instance, a pure lyric, though it "oes not e3press any personal e4otion an" it "oes not ha;e the intensity of *arthasarathyFs poe4s. The Great ?alue of the Poems of 7eAuri9 As a critic points out, 4any of KolatkarFs shorter poe4s present a "ark, surrealistic ;ision in 8hich his personaFs , the cat 9 an" a hag <"e;ours oranges in self-"efence.> :n , this techni?ue yiel"s 6etter results. ere the protagonistFs i4pressions of the fa4ous te4ple at Je(ur(i are (u3tapose" 8ith those at the rail8ay station at the en". The surrealistic si4ilarities startlingly "isclose ho8 at 6oth the places the protagonist co4es across the sa4e 6line faith 8hich people ha;e in tra"ition, the sa4e e3clusi;eness, an" the sa4e "ilapi"ation an" general "ea"ness. :n other 8or"s, there is har"ly any "ifference 6et8een the outlook in the te4ple an" the outlook at the rail8ay station, e;en though the te4ple

represents rail8ay represents 4achinery a 4echanical ci;iliation.spirituality The last 6utan" onethe poe4 in thissation se?uence offers an e3periencean" 8hich pro;i"es a sharp contrast to the at4osphere in the te4ple an" at the rail8ay station. ere 8e rea" + A "oen cocks an" hens in a fiel" of Ja8arin a kin" of a har;est "ance. This is o6;iously a ;ision of pri4e;al ;igour an" the (oy of life 4issing 6oth fro4 the te4ple &that is, the religious tra"ition) an" the rail8ay station &that is, a ci;iliation 6ase" on 4achinery). The Different Ser;ices en"ere" 6y the T8o *oets to Their 2ello8 Country4en

18

Kolatkar is, on the 8hole, sceptical an" ironic in the poe4s of though there are one or t8o 4o4ents of huan sy4pathy as in the poe4s "epicting an ol" 6eggar 8o4an an" a teenage 8ife. :t cannot 6e "enie" that Kolatkar has "one a ser;ice to his fello8 country4en 6y trying to "e4olish ol", 8orn out religious 6eliefs. *arthasarathy too has "one a ser;ice to his fello8 country4en 6y trying to 4ake the4 realie the nee" of not forgetting their nati;e culture an" not 6eco4ing so 8esternie" as to lose their i"entity as :n"ians. Parthasarathy(s Superior Craftmanship

*arthasarathy ranks higher than Kolatkar in respect of crafts4anship. 2or instance, the 8hole of <ough *assage> is 8ritten in a three-line, free ;erse stana-for4 that *arthasarathy has hi4self "e;elope" an" 8hich he han"les 8ith great skill. The 4anage4ent of line-length, an" of pauses an" run-on lines9 the "eft place4ent of short, one line sentences9 an" the sophistication of synta3 are all a"4ira6le. Then there is constant play of 4etaphor. @etaphor is in"ee" the hall-4ark of *arthasarathyFs poetry. The 4etaphors "o not preten" to profun"ity. 2or instance, the line &in the poe4 entitle" Ghosts) is only another, 6ut refreshing, 8ay of saying that one sees a lot of churches in Goa. #o large state4ent a6out Christianity in Goa or a6out *ortuguese i4perialis4 is inten"e" 6y the poet here. %olatkar(s 'u!idity5 Pre!ision5 and eta!hment Arun KolatkarFs poetry "oes not a6oun" in 4etaphors, though it certainly has its 4erits so far as "iction an" synta3 are concerne". KolatkarFs chief 4erit is luci"ity, as has alrea"y 6een pointe" out. Kolatkar has 8ritten 8ith the sa4e naturalistic precision an" "etach4ent 8hich he sho8e" in the 6oatri"e9 an" yet constantly ;erges on the surreal. The strength of this 8ork lies in its tantaliing interplay 6et8een the physical an" the 4etaphysical. o8e;er the 4etaphysical co4e"y is so4eti4es o;er"one. The ani4ation of o6(ects appro3i4ates to a 7alt Disney effect. The story of A(a4il an" the Tigers is a strange co4poun" of the Bi6lical lion-an" la46 the4e an"

e8is Carroll. :n any case, the tensions 6et8een go" an" stone, priest an" station 4aster ha;e not 6een e3plore" 8ith 4uch rigour or anguish. The Sensuous Glo8 in *arthasarathyFs *oetry, an" the Lse of :rony 6y Kolatkar *arthasarathy is, a4ong other things, a poet of se3, lo;e, an" passion. The poe4s in the secon" part of <ough *assage> clearly sho8 that. A fe8 lines fro4 those poe4s 8oul" illustrate the sensuous an" passionate ?uality of his lo;e-poetry + &)

@y han"s fill up, slo8ly, 8ith your 6reasts, cur;e to the pressure of spheroi"s

English &%)

19 The touch of your 6reasts is ripe in 4y ar4s. They o6literate 4y eyes 8ith their tight para6olas of gol".

Kolatkar is a poet specialiing in the use of irony. :n this connection, 8e ha;e only to refer to a poe4 like =esh8ant ao. ere Kolatkar carries his capacity for 4ockery to its height. ere he says that there are go"s 8ho seek you for your gol", go"s 8ho seek you for your soul, go"s 8ho can gi;e you the po8er to 8alk on a 6e" of 6urning coal, go"s 8ho can 4ake your 6arren 8ife pregnant, go"s 8ho can sta6 your ene4y, go"s 8ho can tell you ho8 to "ou6le your 4oney an" ho8 to triple your lan"9 an" so on. 7hile Kolatkar has 8ritten nothing like the lines 8hich 8e ha;e ?uote" a6o;e, *arthasarathy has 8ritten nothing like =esh8ant ao. As alrea"y pointe" out, the t8o 4en are cast in "ifferent 4oul"s e;en though there are point s of contact 6et8e en the4 so far as their "esire to e3plore the past 6eliefs an" the past cultures is concerne". 7e can "ispense 8ith neither of the4, though so4e anthologists can. ,-2

"ns

rite an essay on "run %olatkar(s poeti! !raft)r hat idea hae you formed of "run %olatkar(s te!hni &magery in %olatkar(s Poetry &magery in %o latkar(s Po etry The initial consi"eration in assessing the poetic craft of a 8riter is the kin" of i4agery 8hich he supplies in connection 8ith the e3position or ela6oration of an i"ea. :4agery is an in"ispensa6le ingre"ient of poetry 6ecause it is i4agery 8hich len"s soli"ity to an i"ea. So4eti4es no "ou6t the i4agery itself is ;ery a6stract an", in that case, it "oes not i4part any concreteness to an i"ea though it 4ay still ser;e as a clarification of the i"ea in philosophical language. KolatkarFs i4agery is perfectly concrete e3cept here an" there. &magery in The Boatride The Boatri"e is a 8holly ;isual poe4. :t contains a series of pictures, 6eginning fro4 the ;ery opening passage in 8hich 8e are tol" a6out the long-hooke" poles 8hich kno8 the nooks an" crannies, 8hich fin" fla8s in stone-8ork or, grappling 8ith granite, cause a 6atch of pigeons to fly a8ay une3pecte"ly. The 6oat is then <(ockeye" a8ay> fro4 the lan"i ng-place. E;ery stan a in this poe4 presents a picture an" in fact, se;eral pictures. :n one of the stanas, for instance, 8e first ha;e the picture of a <4ousy patriarch> &or a ;ery ti4i" ol" 4an) 8ho is acco4panie" 6y a large group of gran"chil"ren to 8ho4 he "eli;ers a "iscourse, urging the4 to 6e careful an" not to fall into the 8ater. This ela6orate picture is follo8e" 6y another 8hich "epicts the youngest chil" 4e"itating o;er 8hat the gran"father has sai", 8hile the eyes of the other chil"ren are

20

ri;ete" prou"ly to the *ortuguese ship 8hich, they ha;e 6een tol", 8as capture" 6y the :n"ians &8hen they "ro;e the *ortuguese a8ay fro4 the s4all territories 8hich the *ortuguese ha" continue" to occupy e;en after the British ha" "eparte").2ro4 the point of ;ie8 of i4agery, The ag is also a note8orthy poe4 . :t "epicts an ol", tottering 8o4an eating, not eating 6ut "e;ouring, oranges of 8hich she is e3traor"inary fon". This sketch of a hag, this ;ignette of a gluttonous 8o4an, is si4ply unforgetta6le. Si4ilarly the poe4 entitle" :rani estaurant Bo46ay contains plenty of i4agery though it is other8ise a tough poe4. The "ppropriateness of %olatkar(s i!tion: either Erudite or Plain The 4ost i4portant consi"eration, so far as poetic techni?ue is concerne", is the "iction. After all, poetry is e3pression9 poetry is state4ent9 poetry is an unfol"ing an" a re;elation. An" e3pression, state4ent etc., are possi6le only through the use of 8or"s. To 8hat e3tent has a poet succee"e" in e3pressing hi4self 7hat kin" of 8or"s has he use" to e3press his i"eas, to "epict a scene, to "escri6e an inci"ent, an" so on These are the ?uestions to 6e aske". 7or"s 4ay 6e si4ple or 8or"s 4ay 6e "ifficult. 7or"s 4ay 6e or"inary an" 8or"s 4ay 6e scholarly. An" then there is the arrange4ent of 8or"s on

8hich "epen"s the synta3 or the inter-relationships 6et8een the 8or"s as arrange" 6y the 8riter. #o8, in all these conte3ts, Arun Kolatkar rises to the occasion. ike e;ery 4a(or :n"o-Anglian poet, he has a thorough un"erstan"ing of the 4eanings of English 8or"s an" an unerring instinct for choosing the right 8or"s for his purpose. The "iction in his poe4s is not eru"ite &as is that of #.K. Daru8alla, for instance). #or is his "iction ornate or ostentatious. At the sa4e ti4e the "iction is not too or"inary or prosaic. is "iction is perfectly appropriate, an" fre?uently elicits our a"4iration. !ery often his choice of 8or"s sho8s an e3?uisite taste an" he arranges those 8or"s skillfully. A fe8 lines fro4 The Boatri"e 4ay 6e taken as an e3a4ple of ho8 6eautifully so4eti4es Kolatkar han"les the Engli sh language. :n these lines Kolatkar speaks of a t8o-year ol" chil" 8ho renounces his 4otherFs ear &that is, ?uits his pro3i4ity or closeness to his 4other), an" 6egins to casca"e "o8n her person, re(ecting her tattooe" ar4, "enying her thighs, un"aunte" 6y her knees, an" further "o8n her shanks in or"er to go to his father near6y an" get 6alloons fro4 hi4. E;amples of the "ptness of i!tion from the Poems in 7eAuri9 Then there are the poe4s of . :n the ;ery first poe4 here 8e co4e across the follo8ing lines 8hich are re4arka6le 6ecause of the use of effecti;e an" appropriate 8or"s. ere 8e are tol" that a col" 8in" keeps 8hipping an" slapping a corner of the tarpaulin. :n the ne3t poe4 8e rea" that, 8ith a thu" an" a 6u4p, the 6us passes o;er a pot-hole an" rattles past the priest, painting his eye6alls 6lue. ere again the 8or"s e4ploye" are 4ost appropriate, an" 6ring 6efore us the picture of the 6us 4ost ;i;i"ly. The sa4e picture coul" ha;e 6een "epicte" 6y the use of "ifferent 8or"s9 6ut the 8or"s

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actually use" 6y Kolatkar strike us at the 4ost satisfactory. :n another poe4 8e ha;e the follo8ing lines in 8hich, again, the 8or"s are perfectly appropriate an" highly satisfactory+ Hne 6y one the go"s co4e to light. A4use" 6rone. S4iling stone. Lnsurprise". eart of uin is also 8ritten in an e3cellent style e;en though so4e critics ha;e o6(ecte" to the repetition of the line <4ay 6e he &or she or they) like a te4ple 6etter this 8ay.> ere, apart fro4 this repetition, 8e ha;e so4e ;ery 8ell-8ritten lines such as the follo8ing+ &) &%) &)

The 6itch looks out at you guar"e"ly The pariah puppies tu46le o;er her :tFs enough to strike terror in the heart of a "ung 6eetle

The poe4 entitle" The Butterfly is e;en 6etter 8or"e", 8ith its 4etaphorical language. ere 8e rea" such lines as the follo8ing + &) &%)

:t &the 6utterfly) is split like a secon". :t hinges aroun" itself :t has not future :t is pinne" "o8n to no past. :tFs a pun on the present.

The alliteration in the thir" ?uotation a6o;e is note8orthy. The <*> soun" occurs four ti4es in t8o lines. Alliteration is note8orthy else8here also. :n the 6oatri"e 8e co4e across the follo8ing alliterati;e phrases+ 9 9 9 the long trail toils on>. 'u!idity :/ Another 4erit of KolatkarFs style of 8riting is luci"ity. 7e har"ly co4e across any o6scurity in his poe4s e3cept, to so4e e3tent, in :rani estaurant Bo46ay. The 4eaning in all the poe4s of is al4ost transparent9 an" 8e really en(oy the

irony an"the the6oatri"e 4ockery. Thereirritates are no us co4plications synta3 a6sence in KolatkarFs poe4s, although certainly 6ecause of a of co4plete of punctuation an" the resulting intricacy of synta3. The Collo is 8ritten in the collo?uial or con;ersational style. H6;ious e3a4ples of the use of this style are The *riestFs Son9 A Scratch9 =esh8ant ao9 an" @akaran", The last na4e" poe4 is actually 8ritten in the style of a "ialogue so that 8e i4agine oursel;es to 6e the persons 8ho4 the speaker is a""ressing here.

22 Breity5 the Soul of it in %olatkar(s Case 7e generally speak of a poetFs capacity to eon"ense or co4press his 4aterial in case he possesses that capacity. Kolatkar "oes not nee" that capacity 6ecause his natural 4anner is not one ofproli3ity or profusion 6ut reser;e an" econo4y. e "oes not ha;e to con"ense his 4aterial 6ecause he naturally 8rites in an econo4ical style. Bre;ity is the soul of 8it in his case.

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%amala as ,-1

&n 8hat 8ay is %amala as(s poetry different from the poetry of other &ndo/"nglian 8omen poets> hat are her distin!tie

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" Confessional Poet Ka4ala Das has 6een "escri6e" as a confessional poet on the groun" that she has re;eale" 8hat strikes the rea"ers as the secrets of her life an" as her secret thoughts an" feelings. She 6elie;es in her 4in" an" . She "issects her 4in" an" her psyche, freely "8ell ing upon 4atte rs 8hich are strictly personal an" pri;ate. er confessional 4o"e of 8riting poetry is pro6a6ly "eri;e" fro4 the A4erican poet, o6ert o8ell. 2urther4ore, she is essentially a poet of se3ual relationship, of 4arriage, se3, an" lust. :n all her three collections of poe4s
Calcutta>, an" - she concentrates on the the4es of lo;e, the failure of lo;e or the a6sence of lo;e, an" the frustration e3perience" 6y her in her con(ugal life. The ost istinguished of Thirty )dd omen Poets riting in English Ka4ala Das is the 4ost "istinguishe" of all the :n"o-Anglian 8o4en poets. That is not so 6ecause there is any "earth of :n"o-Anglian poets 6elonging to the fair se3. As the e4inent literary historian, @.K. #aik, points out, there are at present 4ore than thirty 8o4en ¬ counting those of the pre;ious generations) 8ith 4ore than one collection of poe4s each to their cre"it. But, as the sa4e literary historian also points out, the 8ork of only a fe8 of the4 possesses the in"i;i"uality an" po8er of Ka4ala DasFs ;erse. Hne of these other 8o4en is @onika !er4a 8ho pu6lishe" as 4any as si3 ;olu4es of poe4s 6et8een the years 1M% an" M/M. The chief of these ;olu4es 8ere ,

, to <*ast :4perati;e>, an" . er;ery poe4s often an acute responsi;eness #ature9 6ut her sense of "iction is not soun" or re;eal sure. She is capa6le of 8riting such a line as <6i;ouac or 6ulrushes 6or"ering the 6rackish pool.> Gauri eshpande Another :n"o-Anglian fe4ale poet "eser;ing 4ention is Gauri Deshpan"e. er three ;olu4es of poe4s, na4ely , <ost o;e>, an" , also sho8 a sensiti;eness to the changing 4oo"s of #ature, 8hile so4e of her lo;e-poe4s recreate the "ra4a of 4an-8o4an relationship as suggesti;ely an" concretely as the poe4s of Ka4ala Das "o, though on a 4uch 4ore

24

li4ite" scale an" in a less "aring 4anner. An", so4e of Gauri Deshpan"eFs lyrics are 4arre" 6y o;er-senti4entality. amta %alia @a4ta Kalia is another :n"o-Anglian fe4ale poet "eser;ing attention. er poe4s in the t8o ;olu4es- an" <*oe4s>  ha;e a refreshingly astringent ?uality. @a4ta Kalia can talk a6out lo;e, 4arriage, fa4ily life, an" society 8ith irony an" 8it. 2or instance she can 8rite+ Gi;e up all hope =e that enter the king"o4 of Go;ern4ent ser;ice.

But she has not 6een a6le to continue 8riting in this 4o"e. Suniti #a4(oshi Suniti #a4(oshi has an al4ost si4ilar talent. er ;olu4es of poetry inclu"es <*oe4s>, , an" . er poe4 entitle" Benefits echoes so4e of Saro(ini #ai"uFs lines. Suniti here 8rites+ :f you call 4e : 8ill co4e Together 8eFll 4ake @any 6astar"s. @eena Ale3an"er an" So4e Hthers Then there are other 8o4en :n"o-Anglian poets 8ho ha;e pu6lishe" 4ore than one ;olu4e of poetry each. There is @eena Ale3an"er, the author of an" <7ithout *lace>. There is oshen Alkai, the author of an" . @argaret Chatter(ee has pu6lishe" an" . Hther na4es 8orth 4entioning are @ary Ann Dasgupta, eela Dhar4ara(, aksh4i Kannan, an" Anna Su(atha @o"ayil. This "oes not e3haust the list. :n"ee", it is highly gratifying to note the increasing nu46er of 8o4en 8ho are 8riting poetry through the 4e"iu4 of the English language, each ha;ing so4ething "istincti;e a6out her 8ork. %amala as(s Candour in ealing 8ith the Su#Ae!t of 3er arriage But Ka4ala Das to8ers a6o;e the4 all, as 4uch 6y ;irtue of her the4es as 6y ;irtue of her co44an" o;er the English language an" so4e of her stylistic ?ualities an" crafts4anship. 7e ha;e alrea"y note" the principal the4es of her poetry 6ut 8hat is e;en 4ore i4portant is the fact that she "eals 8ith those the4es in a 4ost uninhi6ite" 4anner. Ka4ala Das "eals 8ith the su6(ect of her 4arriage, the failure of her 4arriage, an" her e3tra 4arital se3ual relationships 8ith a can"our 8hich is shocking to ortho"o3 :n"ians. :n the poe4s entitle" The Hl" *layhouse, she censures her hus6an" 8ith a 6rutal frankness. *ointing an accusing finger at hi4, she says that he ha" traine" her to carry out her "uties as his 8ife in a su6ser;ient 4anner so that,

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co8ering 6eneath his 4onstrous ego, she ha" 6eco4e a s8arf, losing all her 8ill-po8er an" her capacity for in"epen"ent thinking. :n this poe4 she also "escri 6es his cru"e 4anner of 4aking lo;e to her, his only o6(ect 6eing to satisfy his lust an" gi;e nothing to her in ter4s of lo;e or affection. :n other 8or"s, she "epicts hi4 as a 6rute seeking the grati fication of his lust an", of course, satisfying her se3ua l "esire also in the process, an" yet lea;ing her sorely "issatisfie" an" frustrate" 6ecause of the co4plete a6sence of any e4otion fro4 his 4anner of perfor4ing the se3ual act. 3er Poems "#out "dulterous 'oe 7hat is "istincti;e a6out Ka4ala DasFs poetry of 4arriage an" se3 is the 6ol"ness an" the "aring 8hich she e3hi6its in her treat4ent of these the4es. She e;en a"4its, 8ithout the least hesitation or reluctance, the 4any se3ual relationships into 8hich she entere" 8ith other 4en 6ecause of her "issatisfaction 8ith her hus6an" an" the sor"i" kin" of con(ugal life that she ha" to lea". An" she "oes so in poe4 after poe4. The ookingGlass, The 2reaks, an" Su6stitute are only a fe8 such poe4s. :n Su6stitute she goes to the e3tent of 8riting that, after a ti4e, she 6eca4e reckless an" in"iscri4inate in her choice of 4en as her 6e"-fello8s. :n lines 8hich are often ?uote", she has 8ritten +

After that, lo;e 6eca4e a s8i;el-"oor, 7hen one 8ent out, another ca4e in These lines "epict the anarchic se3-life 8hich she ha" 6egun to lea" after her rift 8ith her hus6an" . :n 8riting poetry of this kin", Ka4ala "iffers fro4 all other :n"o-Anglian 8o4en poets 6ecause her e3periences are "ifferent fro4 theirs an" 6ecause she has greater courage than they ha;e. 3er Poetry ot Cheap Stuff #y a ymphomania Turning to @.K. #aik once again, 8e fin" that he singles out this uninhi6ite" treat4ent of se3ual lo;e as the 4ost striking feature of her poetry. At the sa4e ti4e, this critic e3presses the ;ie8 that this perfect frankness in speaking a6out se3 an" using such e3pressions as the <4usk of s8eat 6et8een the 6reasts> , an" is not (ust a che?p e3ercise or a 8anton "isplay of thighs an" sighs,

nor a case of . Ka4ala DasFs persona, accor"ing to this critic, is no4erely ny4pho4aniac. The persona, 8ho 4ay 6e Ka4ala Das herself, is si4ply e;ery 8o4an 8ho seeks-lo;e9 she is , e3pressing her an" . Ka4ala Das 4ay flaunt a , 6ut in her heart of hearts she re4ains the eternal E;e prou"ly cele6rating her essential fe4ininity. The personaFs e3perience e;i"ently to . The result is confessional poetry o6sessi;ely treating of lo;e, se3 an" 4arriage.

26 The Poetry of Protest Thus Ka4ala Das is not to 6e "istinguishe" fro4 other :n"o-Anglian 8o4en poets 4erely 6y the choice of her the4es, an" 6y her frank treat4ent of those the4es. er poetry e3ihi6its the se;eral faces of E;e- 8o4an as s8eetheart, as filirt, as 8ife, as 8o4an of the 8orl", as 4other, as 4i""le age" 4atron an", a6o;e all, 8o4an as anuntiring seeker of the nature of the psychological processes 6ehin" 6oth fe4ininity an" 4asculinity. o;e too in her poetry appears in se;eral roles such as a , an o;erpo8ering force, an escape, a longing, an" a hunger resulting in satiety. er generally se3-"o4inate" poetry has unfortunately pushe" into the 6ackgroun" her fe8 6ut sensiti;e poe4s 8hich e;oke chil"hoo" 4e4ories of her ancestral ho4e in Kerala. At the sa4e ti4e her poetry 4ay 6e regar"e" as the poetry of protest. er protest is "irecte" against the in(ustices an" the persecution to 8hich 8o4en in :n"ia ha;e al8ays 6een su6(ecte". :n a poe4 entitle" The Conflagration, she scol"s the :n"ian 8o4en for thinking that their only function is to lie 6eneath a 4an in or"er to satisfy his lust. ere she tells the 8o4en that the 8orl" e3ten"s a lot 6eyon" the si3-foot fra4e of a hus6an". Thus her poetry ser;es a social purpose an" a refor4ati;e function too. :n this respect too her poetry "iffers fro4 the poetry of 4ost other 8o4en poets

8riting in English. The E;!eptional "rtistry or Craftsmanship As alrea"y hinte", Ka4ala DasFs choice of 8or"s an" her skill in co46ining 8or"s into phrases, clauses, an" sentences also "istinguish her fro4 other 8o4en poets 8riting in the English language. E;en 8hen 8riting in a hurry, she re;eals a 4astery of phrase an" a control o;er rhyth4. She often e4ploys 8or"s in such a 8ay as to e3press the ;ehe4ence of her e4otion an" the intensity of her resent4ent. ere are a couple of e3a4ples of the forceful use of 8or"s an" phrases + Co8ering Beneath your 4onstrous ego : ate a 4agic loaf an" Beca4e a "8arf. The heart

An e4pty cistern, 8aiting Through long hours, fills itself 7ith coiling snakes of silence :t 4ust, ho8e;er, 6e a"4itte" that Ka4ala Das is not a perfect artist in the use of the English language or in her craft 4anship. er use of 8or"s so4eti4es "escen "s to the 6anal &4eaning unpoetic an" clu4sy).

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3er Short!omings and 3er Strength As @.K. #aik has pointe" out, 4any of Ka4ala DasFs lo;e poe4s ha;e a Bro8ninges?ue "ra4atic ?uality. ike Bro8ningFs 8o4en, her persona too sees herself in "ifferent situations against a concrete 6ackgroun", reacting to inci"ents in the "e;elop4ent of the soul. The intensity of her utterance so4eti4es results in a lack of ;er6al "iscipline an" her constant harping upon se3 cannot escape the la8 of "i4inishing aesthetic returns. She has her 4o4ents of ro4antic claptrap an" senti4entality also &for instance, in such lines as ). But the total i4pression 8hich Ka4ala DasFs poetry pro"uces is one of a 6ol", ruthless honesty tearing passionately at con;entional attitu"es to re;eal the ?uintessential 8o4an 8ithin. Trend Setter 7e can 8ith confi"ence affir4 at the en" that Ka4ala Das is a solutionary poet 8ho starte" the tren" to8ar"s frankness an" can"our in the treat4ent of a su6(ect 8hich 8as al4ost ta6oo an" 8hich 8o4en poets particularly hesitate" to "eal 8ith. She 8as thus a tren"-setter9 an" the tren" starte" 6y her has no8 6eco4e al4ost the ;ogue. E;ery fe4ale author, 8ho 8ishes to 6e regar"e" as 4o"ern an" sophiissticate", 8oul" like her poe4s 8ith a si4ilar, :f not an e?ui;alent, frankness. ,-1

"ns-

rite a !riti!al appre!iation of " 3ot oon in ala#ar)r hat is the su#Ae!t of the poem entitled " 3ot oon in ala#ar5 and ho8 has %amals as dealt 8ith this su#Ae!t > An Auto6iographical *oe4 E3pressing a 2eeling of o4e sickness A ot #oon in @ala6ar is an auto6iographical poe4 in 8hich Ka4ala Das recalls so4e of her e3periences in her @ala6ar ho4e at noon-ti 4e in the course of her life there. Ka4ala Das looks 6ack at those e3periences fon"ly an" longingly. Thus it is a nostalgic poe4 or a poe4 in 8hich she has e3presse" her feeling of ho4e-sickness. :n respect of its the4e or su6(ect 4atter, therefore, this poe4 strongly rese46les the poe4 entitle" 4y Gran"4otherFs ouse. *ealisti! &magery in the Poem Ka4ala Das has successfully create" the at4osphere of her @ala6ar ho4e through the i4agery "epicting the 4en an" 8o4en 8ho passe" that house or ;isite" it. Those 4en an" 8o4en inclu"e" 6eggars, fortune tellers, girls offeri ng to re" pal4s, 6angle sellers carrying their 8ares &na4ely the re" an" green an" 6lue 6angles), an" strangers 8ho sought shelter or ai" of so4e other kin". The i4agery is perfectly realistic an", therefore, i4parts the ?uality of authenticity to the poe4. There is a6solutely nothing fanciful or re4ote or far-fetche" a6out any of the pictures presente" here to our 4in"s. The realis4 of the i4agery is enhance" 6y such "etails as the 6angle sellers 6eing co;ere" 8ith the "ust of the roa"s an" the cracks on their heel)

28

an" also 6y a reference to the <6rickle"ge" 8ell> &4eaning the to8n 8ell ha;ing a l8, protecti;e 8all, 4a"e of 6ricks, aroun" it. Another such "etail is the grating soun" pro"uce" 6y the 6angle sellers 8hen they cli46e" up the porch of the house to offer their 6angles for sale. ?er#al 6eli!ities in the Poem and the 3eightening of ostalgia at the End So4e of the phras es inclu"ing a couple of si4iles sho8 the ;er6a l felicities 8hich Ka4ala Das is capa6le of "e;ising in her poetry. The 6angle sellersF feet <"e;ouring rough 4iles>, the hot eyes of the 6angle-sellers <6ri44ing 8ith the sun>, an" the strangers 8ho rarely spoke so that 8hen they "is speak, their ;oice s ran 8il" are a4ong the ;er6al felicities here. The feeling of ho4e sickness has effecti;ely 6een e3presse" in the 8or"s+ An" the effect is further enhance" 6y the lines 8hich follo8 + 7il" feet Stirring up the "ust, this hot noon, at 4y o4e in @ala6ar, an" : so far a8ay. :n these closing lines 8e are again re4in"e" of the tra;ellers 8ith their "ust-co;ere" feet

arri;ing at the house, an" then once again tol" of the poetessFs feeling of nostalgia. " Compa!t Poem Sho8ing the Poetess(s Talent for Condensation 7e ha;e here a short, co4pact poe4 8ith nothing irrele;ant in it. Ka4ala Das, a4ong other things, possesses the skill to con"ense her 4aterial an" thus to pro"uce an effect of concentratio an" co4pression. er style of 8riting is not proli3. Ka4ala Das is not a garrulous 8riter9 an" she "oes not 6elie;e in 8asting 8or"s. This poe4 is characterie" 6y the 4a3i4u4 possi6le econo4y in the use of 8or"s. *hythmi! 'ines and the ,uality of Clarity This poe4 also sho8s Ka4ala DasFs Capacity to 8rite rhyth4ic lines, though not using any rhy4e. Hf course, her poetry "oes not ha;e 4uch of 4usic in it an" cannot 6oast of any 4elo"ic ?uality9 an" e;en this poe4 rese46les prose 4ore than it rese46les

poetry. o8e;er, this poe4, unlike 4any others 6y her, "oes possess the ?uality of clarity an" luci"ity. The use of co44as, 8here;er they are nee"e" in this poe4, certainly contri6utes to its clarity 6ecause in 4ost of her poe4s she "oes a8ay 8ith such 4arks of punctuation as the co44a an" the se4i-colon, thus creating "ifficulties for the rea"er. ,-2

rite a !riti!al appre!iation of the poem 7y Grandmother(s 3ouse9)r is!uss 7y Grandmother(s 3ouse9 as a poem e;pressing the author(s sense of depriation and despair-

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" ramati! onologue or a ramati! 'yri! @y Gran"4otherFs ouse is a re4iniscent poe4, 8ritten in the for4 of a "ra4atic 4onologue. The speaker here is Ka4ala Das herself, an" she see4s to 6e talking to her hus6an" 8ho, ho8e;er, says nothing in the poe4. Thus, in this poe4 rese46les the "ra4atic 4onologues 8ritten 6y o6e rt Bro8ning. The poe4 4ay also 6e classifie" as a "ra4atic lyric. %amala as(s 6eeling of 'oss and of epriation ?erging on espair This poe4 offe rs a striking contrast 6et8een Ka4ala DasFs chil"hoo" "ays an" her present life as a gro8n up 8o4an. As a little girl, too young to rea", she en(oye" her gran"4otherFs lo;e, 8hile no8 she gets no lo;e fro4 any6o"y an" therefore feels as if she ha" lost her 8ay in life. er sense of loss is intense9 an" her feeling of "epri;ation is so great that she seeks lo;e fro4 strangers like a 6eggar asking for al4s at the houses of people 8ho4 she "oes not e;en kno8. Thus 8e ha;e here a poe4 e3pressing the authorFs sense of "epri;ation an" her feeling of utter hopelessness. Ka4ala Das has 8ritten 4any other poe4ss of the sa4e kin". The %eynote of this Poem *athos is the keynote of this poe4. There is no "ou6t that the poetess arouses in us a "eep sy4pathy for her plight. Any6o"yFs life 8oul" see4 to 6e 4eaningless if there is no lo;e in it. The sense of the futility of life has 4ost effecti;ely 6een con;eye" to us 6y this poe4. There are so4e key phrases in this poe4 to con;ey to us the sense of "isappoint4ent an", conse?uently, the feeling of futility. ere are the 4ost significant lines or phrases in this conte3t+ &) &%) &) &) &0) &M)

. . . <*ick an ar4ful of "arkness>. . .

The Similes and etaphors in the Poem is ?uite an appropriate si4ile. is ?uite a satisfactory 4etaphor. <ike a 6roo"ing "og> is a clu4sy si4il e. <:n s4all change> is a perfectly appropriate 4etaphor. Condensation of aterial and a Compa!t Stru!ture The poe4 is re4arka6le for its co4pression an" for the con"ensation of its 4aterial. A po8erful e4otional effect has 6een achie;e" 6y the author 6y a use of athe 4ini4u4 posssi6le nu46er of 8or"s. Ka4als Das has sho8n a re4arka6le capacity to

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a;oi" garrulity an" copiousness. The poe4 is co4pact an" 8ell knit so far as its structure is concerne". There is nothing rele;ant in the poe4, an" no "igression at all. The style of 8riting here is terse. The poe4 is (ustly fa4ous as one of Ka4als DasFs poetic achie;e4ents. ,-=

"ns-

hat eiden!e do you find in the poetry of %amals as to support the ie8 that she is a !hampion of the easuse of the &ndian 8omen > )r rite a !riti!al note on the femininity of %amala as(s poetry)r Sho8 that %amala as(s poetry is peraded #y her feminine sensi#ility)r hat eiden!e do you find in %amala as(s poetry to sho8 that her feminine sensi#ility is the for!e #ehind her 8riting of poetry> 3er 6eminine Sensi#ility5 the otiating 6or!e Behind 3er Poetry Ka4ala DasFs poetry is essentially the poetry of a 8o4an. This poetry centres roun" Ka4ala Das as a 8o4an  As a 8ife, as a se3ual partner for 4any 4en 6esi" es her

hus6an", an" as a 4other. er fe4inine sensi6ility is the 4oti;ating an" go;erning force 6ehin" her poe4s9 an" it is this sensi6ility 8hich has gi;en to her poetry a "istincti;e character. Hther 8o4en too ha;e 8ritten poe4s sho8ing their fe4inine sensi6ilities9 6ut Ka4al a Das is one of the pioneers in this respect an" one of the inno;ators. 6our of the any Poems &nspired #y 3er 6eminine Sensi#ility Ka4ala DasFs fe4inine sensi6ility appears 4ost e4phatically an" forcefully in poe4s in 8hich she has "escri6e" the te4pera4ent an" "ispo sition of her hus6a n". The Hl" *layhouse is one of the poe4s 8hich are per4eate" 6y her fe4inine sensi6ility. er fe4inine sensi6ility re;olte" against her hus6an"Fs 4anner of 4aking lo;e to her. is lo;e 4aking in;ol;e" only lust an" sho8e" no lo;e at all. Hnly a 6ol" 8o4an 8oul" thus e3press her "isgust 8ith a hus6an" 8ho seeks only the gratification of his lust,

neither gi;ing any lo;e to, nor e3pe cting any lo;e fro4 , her. The 4an 8ho ha" allo8e" his sali;a to flo8 into her 4outh an" ha" penetrate" e;ery nook an" cranny of her 6o"y "i" not feel the least lo;e or affection for her. This is fe4inine sensi6ility ;oicing its protest agai nst a 4an 8ho perfor4s the se3ual act in a 4echanical an" une4otional 8ay (ust to satisfy his lust. :n the poe4 entitle" The 2reaks, Ka4als Das Co4plains that her hus6an"Fs finger tips can "o nothing 4ore than a8aken her skinFs lay hungers, an" that, though she has li;e" 8ith hi4 so long, lo;e has e;a"e" the4, an" her heart is therefore like an e4pty cistern. She then calls herself a freak, a""ing that it is only to sa;e her face that she flaunts, at ti4es, a gran", fla46oyant lust. :n The Sunshine Cat it is Ka4ala DasFs fe4inine sensi6ility 8hich co4pels her to

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"escri6e her hus6a n" as a selfish an" co8ar "ly 4an 8ho neit her lo;e" her nor use" her prope rly. er hus6an", she says, ha" 6een treating her as a prisoner 8ith only a yello8 cat &or a streak of sunshine) to keep her co4pany. is treat 4ent of her ha" re"uce" her to no longer of any use to a 4an nee"ing se3ual satisfaction. T8o Poems "#out aternity and otherhood Ka4ala DasFs fe4inine sensi6ility sho8s itself also in the t8o poe4s 8hich she has 8ritten a6out the 6irth of a son to her. The poe4 entitle" Jaisurya is an e3pression of a 8o4anFs 4ost precious feelings 8hen she is a6ou t to gi;e 6irth to a chil" an" su6se?uently 8hen she has actual ly gi;en 6irth to the e3pecte" chil ". This poe4 has 4aternity or 4otherhoo" as its su6(ect9 an" only a fe4inine sensi6ility coul" ha;e "one (ustice to this the4e. This poe4, an" the other poe4 too, cele6rate the glory of chil"6irth an" the (oy of 4otherhoo". The other poe4 is entitle" The 7hite 2lo8ers. 6eminine Sensi#ility Behind The 'ooking DGlass :t is only 6y ;irtue of her fe4inine sensi6ility that Ka4ala Das coul" ha;e 8ritten the

poe4 entitle" The ooking-Glass. ere she has so4e ;alua6le suggestions to 4ake to a 8o4an 8ho 8ishes to please a lo;er. et the 8o4an stan" nu"e 6efore a 4irror, 8ith her lo;er also stan"ing nu"e 6y her si"e. et a 8o4an also gi;e to a lo;er 8hate;er she is capa6le of gi;ing hi4. et a 8o4an tell her lo;er all her>en"less fe4ale hunger>, 4eaning her "eepest longings so far as the se3ual act is concerne".

6ier!e 6emale Protest and Charming 6eminine Sentiments in 3er Poetry As a critic says, typical fe4i nine the4es, an" e;en the i4ages an" sy46ols chosen 6y Ka4ala Das, 4ake her poe4s "istinctly fe4inine. She can 6ol"ly recor" the 8ar4 shock of 4enstrual 6loo", an" also the (erky 8ay a lo;er urinates. She regar"s the hu4an 6o"y, 6oth 4ale an" fe4ale, as a rare possession, an" a gift fro4 Go". er poe4s are fe4inine in the4e an" fe4i nine in tone. She is sensi ti;e, sensuo us, an" senti4ental. She is

intensely so4eti4es e4otionalis8ithout 2or fe4inine instance, sensi6ility. her forgi;ing attitu"e ine4otional, her poe4 entitle" Co4position typical restraint. of the :n"ian :n that poe4 she says that she has reache" an age at 8hich one forgi;es all an" that she is rea"y to forgi;e frien" s an" to forgi;e those 8ho ruine" frien"s hips. :n"ee", she has successfully 6len"e" fierce fe4ale protest an" char4ing fe4inine senti4 ents in her poe4s.

,=

rite an essay on %amala as(s !on!ept of loe as reealed in her poems-

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)r hat opinion hae you formed a#out %amala as(s !on!ept of loe on the #asis of the poems 8hi!h you hae read and 8hat is your rea!tion to that !on!ept> The Se3ual elationship an" E4otional Attach4ent The 8or" , as it is generally use" in relation to cine4a-fil4s, an" in relation to no;els an" short stories, 4eans an e4otional attach4ent 6et8een a 4an an" a 8o4an, the kin" of attach4ent 8hich 4akes a 4an an" a 8o4an feel that their separation fro4 each other 8oul" 6e the greatest catastrophe or 4isfortune in their li;es an" 8oul" ruin their happiness in life for e;er. An" it is only 6y i4plication that the 8or" con;eys also the "esire for a se3ual relationship 6et8een a 4an an" a 8o4an. The thought of a se3ual relationship is certainly there in the 4in"s of 6oth the 4an an" the 8o4an9 6ut it e3ists only at the 6ack of their 4in"s an" not in the forefront of their thinking. The se3ual relationship is un"ou6te"ly an essential ingre"ient of lo;e 6ut 6oth the 4an an" the 8o4an treat it as so4ething secon"ary, at least in theory. #o8, Ka4ala Das too regar"s lo;e as an e4otional attach4ent, an" a "eep one, 6et8een a 4an an" a 8o4an9 an" she too regar"s the se3ual relationship 6et8een the4 as so4ething essential 6ut secon"ary. The "ifference 6et8een the general ;ie8 of lo;e an" Ka4ala DasFs ;ie8 of it is that,

8hile people in general "o not speak openly an" freely a6out the essentiality of the se3ual relationship, Ka4ala Das not only speaks a6out it openly an" freely in her poetry 6ut puts a great "eal of enphasis on it. Ka4ala Das "oes not think it in"ecent or ;ulgar or in"elicate e;en un"ignifie" to speak a6out the nee" of the se3ual relationship in plicit an" specific ter4s. She e;en goes to the e3tent of using such 8or"s , , <8o46>, an" <4enstrual 6loo"> in this connection, she "oes not shrink fro4 suggesting to 8o4en ho8 they shoul" e3tract the 4a3i4u4 possi6le pleasure fro4 the se3ual act. Ka4ala Das confronts a 8o4anFs se3uality, treating it as a ;ery i4portant part of her physical an" 4ental 4ake-up. %amala as(s Se;ual 6ulfilment and Emotional 6rustration Ka4ala DasFs poetry has rightly 6een "escri6e" as confessional poetry 6ecause it re;eals to us those facts an" those e3periences of hers 8hich 8o4en or"inarily "o not "isclose to

anyone an" 8hich they 8oul" shrink fro4 confessing e;en to the4sel;es. Ka4ala DasFs se3ual e3periences 8ith her hus6an" an" 8ith 4any other 4en ha;e 4ost can"i"ly 6een "escri6e" in her poetry9 an" she has state" in specific ter4s her feeling of "isappoint4ent an" frust ration in all these e3peri ences. er frustration arose fro4 the 8ant of lo;e &4eaning the senti4ent or the e4otion of lo;e as "istinct fro4 se3ual ratification) in the hearts of the ;arious 4en 8ith 8ho4 she ha" those se3ual e3periences. She has frankly a"4itte", in poe4 after poe4, that the han"s of her se3uality ha" fully 6een 4et 6oth in the case of her e3tra-4arital relationships. But at the core of her poetry is the "isappointing an" pressing thought that she ne;er recei;e" lo;e in its proper sense fro4 any her se3ual partners. At the core of her poetry is the painful, al4ost goniing, thought

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that her lo;e has re4aine" unfulfille"9 an" it is this thought 8hich has ruine" all her happiness an" ren"ere" her poetry pessi4istic. Se;ual E;perien!e ithout 'oe from a Se;ual Partner5 ot el!ome :n the poe4 entitle" The 2reaks, Ka4ala Das says that, although she an" her hus6an" ha" li;e" together for a ;ery long ti4e, they ha" faile" in lo;e, an" tha t her heart ha" 6eco4e an e4pty cistern. :n the poe4 @y Gran"4otherFs ouse, she says that she recei;e" 4uch lo;e fro4 her gran"4other 6ut that no8 she has lost her 8ay an" stan"s at strangersF "oors to 6eg for lo;e, at least in s4all change>. :n The Sunshine Cat, she 6luntly says that her hus6an", 6eing a selfish an" co8ar"ly 4an, ha" neither lo;e" her nor use" her properly an" that, in the long run, the streak of sunshine, 8hich ha" looke" like a yello8 cat, 8as re"uce" to a hair-thin line an" that she herself 8as re"uce" to , no longer of any use to any 8anting se3ual pleasure. An" in the sa4e poe4, she has also gi;en pression to her "isappoint4ent 8ith her other se3ual partners 8ho ne;er offere" her their lo;e on the groun" that they 8ere incapa6le of lo;ing her. As a conse?uence of her "isappoint4ent she use" to lie in 6e" 8eeping an" trying :n the poe4 entitle" The :n;itation, she

a"4its that she e3perience" perfect se3ual pleasure in 6e" 8ith a 4an 8ho, ho8e;er, ga;e her no real lo;e an" sho8e" no real e4otion in his relationship 8ith her. The 6e", in 8hich she use" to sleep 8ith hi4, see4e" to 6e a para"ise to her if (u"ge" only 6y the e3tent of her se3ual pleasure9 6ut his une4otional or 4echanical 4anner of perfor4ing the se3ual act an" his su6se?uent "esertion of her ga;e rise to thoughts of suici"e in her 4in". The Emptiness of Se;ual "!t ithout 'oe :n all these poe4s, the fact of her se3uality a4ounting to lust has can"i"ly 6een a"4itte" 6y Ka4ala Das9 an" the a6sence of lo;e on the part of her se3ual partners in all these cases has also 6een can"i"ly state". :t is clear, then, that she 6elie;es the sensual or the se3ual e3perience to 6e hollo8 if it is not acco4panie" 6y a feeling of lo;e on the part of a se3ual partner. er failure to recei;e lo;e fro4 any of her se3ual partners le" her to say

in the poe4 entitle" Su6stitute that a stage ca4e 8hen shelo;e no longer 4ere"oor+ sensual gratification to 6e of any i4portance 8hatsoe;er9 6eca4ethought a s8i;el8hen one 8ent out, another ca4e in. The se3ual e3perience ha" 6eco4e for her a purely 4echanical act, fulfilling a 6o"ily nee" 6ut affor"ing no pleasure or satisfaction to her. %amala as(s efinition of 'oe5 "!!ording to a Criti! Accor"ing to a critic Ka4ala DasFs "efinition of lo;e is entirely "ifferent fro4 that of other poets as she thinks that the 6asis of i"eal lo;e is in its e3perience through se3. :n the poe4 entitle" Ghanashya4, Ka4ala Das speaks a6out a husk-ga4e 8hich she an" her lo;er ha" playe" 6ecause his 6o"y nee"e" hers an" 6ecause his ageing 6o"y in its pri"e

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nee"e" her 6o"y to gratify his lust. Ka4al a Das has al8ays sought se3ual-spiritual fulfill4ent in her e3tra-4arital relationships. She is ne;er asha4e" of a"4itting that her hus6an" allo8e" her to toss her youth like coins into ;arious han"s, that he allo8e" her to sleep 8ith other 4en, an" that he 8ante" her to seek ecstasy in other 4enFs ar4s. This confession she 4akes in the poe4 entitle" A @an is a Season. An" she 4akes a si4ilar confession in the poe4 entitle" The Sunshine Cat in 8hich she says that her hus6an" 8as a of her se3ual acts 8ith other 4en. 'oe5 a Spiritual E;perien!e5 Possi#le )nly Through a Se;ual *elationship The sa4e critic goes on to say that the lo;e-the4e in Ka4ala DasFs poetry is a 4ulti"i4ensional pheno4enon. Hn the one han", she realies lo;e as the 4echanical act of 6o"ily union an" says that, like a con;ict stu"ying his personFs geography, she use" to stu"y her lo;erFs li46s an" organs. Hn the other han", she seeks e4otional an" spiritual sustenance an" foo" fro4 a lo;er. She yearns for a kin" of lo;e 8hich is a spiritual e3perience, an" she seeks that lo;e through a se3ual relationship. She feels that getting a 4an to lo;e is easy 6ut that li;ing 8ithout hi4 after8ar"s is un6eara6le. :t is like &The ooking-Glass). %amala as5 the ?i!tim of a Sado/aso!histi! alady Accor"ing to another critic, Ka4ala DasFs poetry, fro4 her earliest poe4 to her latest &till the year 1/) is one long, en"less strea4 of 4isery an" se3ual hu4i liation, an en"less tale of a 8o4an too 8ronge" 6y the 4ale 8orl" aroun" her. 7ithin the 8alls 6uilt 6y her 8ith her tears, she pro(ects herself as a person suffering fro4 an incura6le 4ala"y of sa"o-4asochistic kin". =9" 3)T )) & "'"B"*9 " S@"*+ )6 T3E P)E The poetess recalls so4e of her e3periences in her ho4e in @ala6ar. She of the hot noonti4e 8hen all sorts of persons use" to pass her ho4e pause an" to stop there in or"er to sell the 8ares 8hich they carrie" place to place. She first thinks of the 6eggars 8ho use" to co4e to her to 6eg al4s in their characteristic ;oices e3pressi;e of their "iscontent life an" their nee" for charity. Then she thinks of the 4en 8ho ca4e the hills 8ith parrots in a

cage an" fortune-car"s, all staine" 6ecause of long ti4e "uring 8hich those car"s ha" 6een use" again an" again. She of the 6ro8n-co4ple3ione" girls 8ho 6elonge" to the class of 6asket-4akers an" 4anufactures of 6ir"-catching traps. These girls 8ere pal4an"ers 8ho offere", in their 4onotonous ;oices, to rea" the pal4s of those 8ho 8ante" their fortunes tol" on the 6asis of the lines on their pal4s. The poetess then recalls the 6angle-sellers 8ho ha" 8alke" 4iles an" 4iles of the roa"s in or"er to sell their 6angles of ;arious colors &re", green, an" ). #e3t she thinks of the strangers 8ho use" to co4e an" peep into her through the 8in"o8-curtains 6ut 8ere una6le to see anything 6ecause roo4s of the house 8ere "ark 8hile their eyes carrie" the heat an" the of sunlight in the4. The strangers 8ere suspicious a6out ho8 they 6e recei;e" an" 8hat treat4ent

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they 4ight get fro4 the in4ates of the . These strangers re4aine" silent 4ost of the ti4e 6ut, 8hen they "i" so in ;oices 8hich 8ere 8il" like the soun"s that are hear" in a (ungle. The poetess then e3presses the ;ie8 that noon-ti4e in @ala6ar 8as not only a ti4e for the ;isits of 8il" 4en 6ut also for 8il" thoughts to enter her 4in", an" for a 8il" "esire for lo;e-4aking to arise in her 4in". The poetess la4ents the fact that she is no8 li;ing so far a8ay fro4 her @ala6ar ho4e. She e3periences an intense longing to go 6ack there an" to look at all those 4en at 8ho4 she use" to look "uring her life there. The feeling that she is no8 so far a8ay for4 that ho4e is a torture to her. )TES " EP'""T&)S 7hining-co4plaining9 gru46ling. E3planation. 7ith parrots in a cage an" fortune-car"s &line )- This line "epicts one of the ;ery co44on slights in our country. 7e often see a 4an sitting on the roa"si"e 8ith a parrot in a cage an" a nu46er of car"s lying 6efore hi4 in a ro8, 8ith the faces of the car"s turne" "o8n8ar"s. 7e then feel te4pte" to go to this 4an an" sit in front of hi4 to let his parrot tell us our fortunes. The parrot is allo8e" to co4e out of the cage an" pick up one of the car"s 8ith its 6eak. The right si"e of this car" is then sho8n to us 6ecause there 8e can rea" our fortune or our future. &This is, of course, not a real or relia6le gui"e to our future "estiny9 6ut it is ?uite an intresting e3perience for us an" a 4eans of li;elihoo" to the o8ner of the parrot 8hich has 6een 8ell traine" 6y hi4 to perfor4 its task. The 4an 8ith the parrot 4ay 6e co4pare" to the 4an 8ith a pair of 4onkeys 8hich are 8ell traine" to perfor4 a nu46er of interesting tricks an" antics at the 6ehest of the trainer. An" 6oth these 4en 4ay 6e co4pare" to the 4an 8ith a 6ear 8hich has 6een 8ell traine" to perfor4 certain interesting an" a4using tricks). All staine" 8ith ti4e- The fortune-car"s ha;e 6een use" 6y the 4an 8ith the parrot so 4any ti4es that they all ha;e stains on the4. Kura;a girls-girls 6elonging to the co44unity of 6asket-4akers an" 4akers of 6ir" catching traps. These girls are a co44on sight in @ala6ar. 7ith ol" eyes-8ith e3perience" eyes. 7ho rea" pal4s-These girls tell the fortune of their custo4ers or clients 6y rea"ing their pal4s. The 4an 8ith the parrot tells the fortunes of his clien ts 6y the use of fortune-car"s, 8hile these girls are pal4-rea"ers 8ho tell fortunes 6y scrutiniing theinlines on the pal4s their clients. :n light singsongI!oiceslight-hearte" an" of 4onotonous ;oices. The 8or" i4plies a lack of ;ariety in the tone of the ;oices. The sa4e 8or"s are 6eing repeate" 6y these girls in the sa4e tone. E3planation. 7hose feet, "e;ouring roughI@iles, gro8 cracks on the heels- The 6anglesellers ha;e 6een tru"ging along the roa"s, fro4 one ;illage to another an" fro4 one to8n to another. :n the course of their (ourney their feet get co;ere" thickly 8ith "ust, an" their heels 6eco4e cracke" on account of the toil an" la6or of the (ourney. The phrase <"e;ouring rough 4iles> is note 8orthy. The 8or" <"e;our> has here 6een use" 4etaphorically to con;ey the i"ea of the tra;elers co;ering 4iles an" 4iles of the "usty

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roa". The phrase <"e;ouring rough 4iles> here 4ay 6e cite" as an e3a4ple of a felicity in the use of 8or"s or in phrase-4aking. Cla46ere" up-cli46e" up. Grafting-(arring. The 8in"o8-"rapes-the 8in"o8-curtains. *eer-peep Bri44ing 8ith the sun-fille" 8ith the sunli ght. ere 8e ha;e another original an" e3pressi;e phrase. The sun is ;ery hot9 an" the eyes of the ra;ellers see4 to ha;e 6een fille" to the 6ri4 8ith the heat of the sun. =earningly-longingly. The longing refers to the possi6ility of the ra;ellers seeking so4e6o"y 8ho 4ight recei;e the4 hospita6ly. ike (ungle ;oices-like the soun"s 8hich are hear" in a (ungle. ere 8e ha;e a 4ost appropriate si4ile. The ;oices of the tra;elers are 8il" or fierce like the 8eir" soun"s 8hich are au"i6le in a (ungle or a forest.

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"-%- *amanuAan ,1

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rite a short essay on *amanuAan(s !ontri#ution to &ndo/"nglian poetry)r hat is distin!tie a#out the e;perien!e re!orded in "-%- *amanuAan(s poems !ompared 8ith other &ndo/"nglian poets> )r Bring out the distin!tie features of the poetry of "-%- *amanuAan)r hat is your assessment of *amanuAan as a poet> Gie illustrations support your ie8s" 'eading &n do/"nglian P oet a4anu(an is one of the lea"ing :n"o-Anglian poets. Although his output is not as 6ulky as that of 4any other :n"o-An glian poets, he stan"s a6o;e 4any of the4 as regar"s the

?uality an" the appeal of his 8ork. Besi"es, he "iffers for4 4ost of the4 8ith regar" to the the4es an" 4otifs 8hich for4 the su6stance of his poetry. 6amily/)riented Poetry Hne "istincti;e feature of ananu(anFs poetry is that it is fa4ily-oriente". The fa4ily figures 4ost pro4inently in his poe4s. So a6un"ant are he references to the 4e46ers of the fa4ily, his o8n or so4e other, that his yello8 Ta4ilian poet, . *arthasarathy, has sai" that the fa4ily, for a4anu(un, is in fact one of the central 4etaphors 8ith 8hich he thinks. The poe4 entitle" Hf @others, A4ong Hther Things is a6out a4anu(anFs o8n nother. ere a4anu(an recalls his 4otherFs youth, 4i""le age, an" ol" age, an" he has the feeling that his tongue is licking 6ark in his 4outh at his ecollection of her four still sensi6le fingers slo8ly 6en"ing to pick a grain of rice fro4 the kitchen floor. o;e *oe4 for a 7ife : concerns the poetFs relationship 8ith his 8ife, a relationship 8hich has 6een

4arke" 6y 4uch happiness. on aan" Great ouse poe4 in 8hich a4anu(an recal ls theS4al lifel-Scale in his eflections ancestral house so4e of is hisarelati;es. H6ituary relates to a4un(anFs father 8ho ha" left >"e6ts an" "aughters> an" a 6e"8etting gran"son 6ehin" hi4. #o :n"o-Anglian poet has 8rit ten so 4uch a6out his fa4ily, or so freely an" uninhi6ite"ly. The *ole of *amanuAan(s 3indu 3eritage in 3is Poetry Another "istincti;e feature of a4anu(anFs poetry is the in"u outlook 8hich per4eates it. is in"u heritage is an i4portant 4otif in this poetry. The 4ost striking e3a4ple of a4anun(anFs o6session 8ith his in"u heritage is the poe4 Con;entions of Despair in

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8hich there is a tension or conflict 6et8een the clai4s of 8estern culture an" those of the in"u heritage of a4anu(an. The poe4 entitle" Snakes highlights one of the superstitions of the in"us. a4anun (anFs 4other use" to fee" the snakes 8ith 4ilk, 8hile the chil" a4anun(an use" to feel panicky at the sight. Then there are the se;eral in"u poe4s. There is the one entitle" The in"oo 8ho rea"s his Gita. A in" oo is suppose" to 6e cal4 at all e;ents 6ut actually he is ne;er cal4 at a ti4e of crists. The other in"oo poe4s inclu"e The in"oo+ he "oesnFt hurt a fly or a spi"er either9 an" The in"oo+ the Hnly isk. The in"oo poe4s attest that a 4ask &such as rea"ing the Gita or not hurting an insect) cannot pro;i"e a stea"y "efence to the self 6ecause it can ne;er fully cope 8ith eh ;ariety an" "epth of inner life 6rought into an interplay through oneFs encounter 8ith the realities of this 8orl". Psy!hologi!al *ealism a4anu(anFs poetry is characterie" 6y psychological realis4. Hf course, the poetry of 4any other :n"o-Anglian poets also possesses this ?uality9 6ut in the case of a4un(an this ?uality has a special significance. This ?uality is particularly in e;i"ence in such poe4s as Ecology, o;e *oe4 2or a 7ife :, Self-*ortrait, an" Con;entions of

Despair. :n Ecology 8e ha;e the para"o3 of the 4other ha;ing an attack of 4igraine "uring the rains 8hen the cha4pak tree 6ursts into flo8er 6ut refusing to ha;e the tree cut "o8n 6ecause she has reason to 6elie;e that the tree has also "one a lot of goo" to the fa4ily. :n Self-*ortrait he persona or the protagonist has lost his i"entity, an" he speaks of his helpless position in this respect. e says, ironically, that he rese46les e;eryone e3cept hi4self. The speaker here appears as a representati;e of the 4o"ern 4an 8ho has lost his anchorage. The loss of his roots is reflecte" in the "istorte" reflection of hi4self in the 4irror. The 4irror, instea" of reflecting the speakerFs i4age, "espite the 8ellkno8n la8s of optics, reflects the portrait of a stranger9 an" this portrait of the stranger is signe" in the corner 6y the speakerFs father. The irony is that the ;ery preser;ation in his 4e4ory of his fatherFs i4age 4akes the speaker uneasy. The loss of tra"itional ;alues in the son is 4etaphorically represente" 6y the "istortion of the reflection in the 4irror. The signature of his father is a re4in"er to hi4 that the tra"itional ;alues cannot 6e easily an" entirely forsaken. :n o;e *oe4 for a 7ife : 8e get, in an ironical ;ein, a penetrating analysis 6y the speaker of his o8n 4in", of his 8ifeFs 4in", of the 4in" of his 8ifeFs father, an" of a couple of other relati;es too. :n the Con;entions of Despair, 8e 8itness a confrontation in the speakerFs 4in" 6et8een the 4o"ernity of A4erican life an" culture on one han", an" on the other the ortho"o3y of the in"u faith 8ith its superstitious 6elief in the tortures to 8hich a sinner is su6(ecte" in hell. :n ooking for a Cousin on S8ing chil"-psychology as 8ell as a"ult-psychology has 6een "epicte" in an ironic ;ein. Hf @others, A4ong Hther Things re;eals the 8orking of the poetFs 4in" 8ith regar" to his 4e4ories of his 4other, an" H6ituary re;eals his thoughts a6out his father.

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Predominan!e of &rony Another striking feature of a4anu(anFs poetry is the pre"o4inance in it. :rony too is a "e;ice 8hich is e4ploye" 6y al4ost e;ery :n"o-Anglian poet9 6ut a4anu(an 4akes use of this "e;ice in al4ost e;ery poe4 has 8ritten, 8ith the e3ception of a ;ery fe8 such as Brea"e" 2ish is a serious an" gra;e poe4. S4all-Scale eflections on a Great ouse helpe" in irony. There is irony in the ;ery opening lines+ The speaker, a4anu(an hi4self, then goes on to say, in an ironic tone, that things in e;ery"ay H6ituary is another 8holly ironic poe4. The speaker, again a4anu(an hi4self, has a goo"-hu4oure" laugh at father 8ho, at his "eath, left 6ehin" <"e6ts an" "aughters>, an" <4ore than one annual ritual> for his fa4ily to perfor4. ooking an" 2in"ing is another 8holly ironic poe4. Hne looks for so4ething 6ut fin"s ?uite another9 an" the speaker gi;es se;eral e3a4ples of this in an ironic ;ein. a4an(un uses irony not only for co4ic effects 6ut also to aggra;ate the 8hich he 8ishes to e3press in his poe4s. 2or instance, in A i;er, he ironically a6out the Ta4il poets 8ho fin" a floo" in the ri;er to 6e a fit for 8riting poe4s a6out, 6ut 8ho har"ly take any notice of the lines 8hich the floo" causes in hu4an life, such as the 8iping out of

;illages, an" the "ro8ning of pregnant 8o4en. :n the poe4 istory 4any has 6een e4ploye" not only to e3pose the gree" of the relati;es of great-aunt 6ut also to heighten the feeling of "istress 8hich the e3periences an" 8hich he arouses in our hearts too. The tragic effect 6y the use of irony in the poe4 entitle" The in"oo. ere the rea"s his Gita an" thinks that he can re4ain cal4 at all e;ents 8hen fact is that a thoughtful 4an cannot re4ain cal4 e;en after rea"ing regularly 6ecause a thoughtful 4an 8oul" see on a little 6oyFs face of pri4e;al 4alice an" pre-historic e;il. Signifi!ant *ole of Self in this Poetry The self plays a significant role in a4anu(anFs poetry. The poe4 Self-not only illustrates a 4o"ern concern 8ith the self 6ut "ra4aties a those essential passi;ity allo8s it to rese46le others o;er an "eter4inate stretch of ti4e. This i"entification is i4portant 6ecause it the self the free"o4 to share "ifferent i"entities an" attitu"es, each of se;eral

in an" <4ysterious> in apprehension &4ysterious 6ecause 8in"o8s "efy the of feeling optics to re;eal a strangerFs face). The 6et8een the co4pulsion to 6e 8hat one is la8s an" to retain oneFs achie;es an intense e3pression in the poe4 entitle" Con;entions of 8here the passi;e self, conscious of its religious an" cultural roots longing to "efine itself in ter4s of their 4ythic particulars, re(ects the fashiona6le postures of 4arginality, alienation, toughness, an" pessi4is4, an" chooses to fin" <4y particular hell only in 4y in"u 4in">. :n a4anu(anFs poetry passi;ity 6eco4es an essential pre-con"ition for suggesting the ine3hausti6le potential of the self. :n Chicago Nen the 4agnification of or"inary e3perience into surreal proportions is achie;e" 8ithin the negotia6le fra4es of 4ental space 6y "ispensing 8ith the for4al connections of ti4e an" place.

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The istin!tie &magery in this Poetry Then a4anu(anFs poetry contains i4agery 8hich is "istincti;e, an" "istinguisha6le fro4 the i4agery of other :n"o-Anglian poets. a4anu(anFs genius looks for the particular, the precise, an" the concrete as against the general, the ;ague, an" the a6stract. This is clear e;en fro4 the titles 8hich he gi;es to his poe4s+ The Stri"ers, Snakes, Brea"e" 2ish, A i;er, A *oe4 on *articulars, an" An :4age 2or *olitics. e has an eye for the particular physiogno4y of the o6(ect an" an insight into the characteristic ?uality infor4ing it. Apart fro4 this aspect of his i4agery, is the richness an" fullness of his i4agery. :n this respect he is closer to Keats than to Shelley. e has use" all catagories of i4ages len"ing his poetry the po8er to e;oke the 4ulti-"i4ensional e3perience of life. Hften the i4ages are co4ple3, An i4age 4ay arouse ;isual an" au"itory sensations at the sa4e ti4e. 2or instance, &in Snakes). ere the i4age of the slo8-noon roa"s an" the far4ers 8alking alone those roa"s is ;ery ;i;i" as 8ell as realistic9 an" along 8ith this ;isual i4age 8e ha;e the au"itory i4age of the hissing of snakes. An" this sort of thing is fre?uent in a4anu(anFs poetry. So4eti4es he also pro"uces ta6leau-like effects as, for

e3a4ple, in the poe4s Still ife an" A i;er. :n these poe4s 8e notice not only a4anu(anFs eye for "etail 6ut also his a6ility to "epict the "etail 8ith photographic fi"elity. 7e also ha;e e3a4ples of such ca4eo-like pictures in the poe4s *oona Train 7in"o8 an" So4e :n"ian Lses of istory on a ainy Day. The )utstanding Craftsmanship of *amanuAan a4anu(an stan"s apart fro4 4ost of the :n"o-Anglian poets in respect of his crafts4anship. :n this respect he to8ers a6o;e 4ost of the4. As pointe" out 6y a critic, a4anu(an has the surest touch, a4ong all his conte4poraries, so far as poetic techni?ue is concerne". Although he 8rites 4ostly in free ;erse, his ;erse is tightly constructe". e can also surprise us 8ith the aptness an" the srcinality of his phrases as in e can 6len" i4age an" 8or"-4usic perfectly as 8hen he "escri6es the snakes as <8riting a si6ilant alpha6et of panicIon 4y floor>. As another critic has

&) &%)

pointe" out, a4un(an is one of the 4ost significant poets in :n"ia 6y ;irtue of the terseness of his "icti on, the consu44ate skill 8ith 8hich he intro"uces rhy4e an" assonance into his ;erse, his sharply etche" an" crystallie" i4ages, an" his "iscipline" han"ling of the language. There often an intelligent play on 8or"s in his poe4s as, for instance, in Snakes an" in ooking for a Cousin on a S8ing. e e4ploys the trick of repetition 8ith telling effect as, for instance+ "8elling on the yello8er ;ein in the yello8 a46er &Snakes) City of te4ples an" poets 8ho sing of cities an" te4ples &A i;er)

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&)

is first son, trainee in telegraphy, has telegraphe" thrice alrea"y for 4oney. &The ast of the *rinces)

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rite a !riti!al appre!iation of *amanuAan(s poem entitled " )r hat do you learn a#out *amanuAan as a poet from " *ier> )r hat light does " *ier thro8 on the poeti!al !hara!teristi! of *amamuAan> Annual 2loo", an" the Da4age Cause" 6y it #e;er tells us of the annual floo" in the ri;er 8hich flo8s through the @a"urai. 7hat a4anu(an here really 8ants to tell us is that, although floo" in the ri;er inspires poetry, it "oes not e;oke any real fro4 the authorities or e;en for4 the 8riters of poe4s the4sel;es. is "one to protect hu4an 6eings, ani4als, an" houses against the 8hich is "one 6y the floo"-8aters. *oignant *oe49 an" the 7eapon of :rony Lse" 6y a4anu(an in it

"ns

A i;er is a touching an" poignant poe4. But it is note 8orthy that a4anu(an si4ply 8rites as an o6ser;er, 4aintaining an attitu"e of co4plete "etach4ent an" not 4aking any "eli6erate effort to touch or 4o;e his rea"ers. *athos is the key-note of this poe4, 6ut a4anu(an "oes not e4ploy any particular "e;ice to arouse the pity of his rea"ers. e 4erely co44unicates certain facts to the rea"ers, letting the facts the4sel;es pro"uce the "esire" effect on the4. 2ar fro4 using any particular "e;ice to arouse the feeling of pity in the hearts of the rea"ers, he e4ploys the 8eapon of irony against the poets 8ho 8rite poetry all right 6ut 8ho take no practical steps in the 4atter. E;en so far as the poets are concerne", only the ol"er ones "ealt 8ith the floo"s in their poe4s 8hile the ne8 poets ha;e no roo4 in their poetry to "escri6e, or refer to, the ha;oc 8hich the annual floo" 8orks. The ne8 poets 4erely ?uote the ol" poets 6ut "o not 4ention the trage"ies 8hich occur "uring a floo". There is 4ore irony in the closing passage in 8hich a4anu(an says that the ri;er has 8ater enough to urge a poet to 8rite a poe4 a6out it, only casually 4entioning the "a4age 8hich the floo"-8aters cause in the ;ery first half an hour. Tou!hes of 3umour in the Poem: " Tragi/Comi! Poem #ote 8orthy is the casual 4anner in 8hich a4anu(an refers to the 4isfortunes 8hich are cause"s 6y the annual floo" in the ri;er. A couple of co8s an" three ;illage ho4es are s8ept a8ay 6y the floo"-8aters, an" one life is lost. The person 8ho is "ro8ne" in the floo"-8aters is a 8o4an. As the 8o4an 8as pregnant, it 4eans that actually t8o li;es ha;e 6een lost. But the 8o4an 4ay ha;e 6een ha;ing t8ins in her 8o469 an" that 4eans that three li;es ha;e 6een lost. There is a touch of hu4our here also. a4anu(an says that the 8o4an, perhaps carrying t8ins in her 8o46, 4ight e;en ha;e felt the 6a6ies kicking

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against the 8alls of her 8o469 an" there is another touch of hu4our 8hen 8e are tol" that the pregnant 8o4an e3pecte" i"entical t8ins 8ith no 4oles on their 6o"ies to ena6le anyone to "ifferentiate 6et8een the4 after their 6irth. The 4other herself 8oul" ha;e foun" it "ifficult to "istinguish one chil" for4 the other, an" 8oul" ha;e 4a"e the4 8ear "iapers of "ifferent colors to 6e a6le to "istinguish the one fro4 the other. There is also a touch of hu4our in the na4ing of the t8o co8s. :t 8as not necessary for the author to gi;e us the na4e of the co8s, 6ut he has "one so (ust to a4use us. The co8s ha;e the na4es of Gopi an" Brin"a. Thus 8e 4ay la6el A i;er as a tragi-co4ic poe4. *ealisti! etails and a Couple of Similes in the Poem So4e of the "etails gi;en to us in the opening lines a6out the ri;er 6eing re"uce" to a 4ere trickle or a narro8 strea4, the stra8 an" 8o4enFs hair clogging the 8ater-gates, an" the patches of repair upon the 6ri"ges a"" to the realis4 of the poe4. The realistic effect of the poe4 as a 8hole is, of course, one of its outstan"ing features9 an" these "etails, though a6solutely unnecessary so far as the real su6(ect-4atter of the poe4 is concerne", "o ser;e to enhance the realistic effect. Then there are a couple of srcinal, though not ;ery con;incing si4iles in the poe4. The 8et stones glisten like sleepy croco"iles, 8hile the "ry stones look like sha;en 8ater-6uffaloes roa4ing a6out in the sun. &rregular 6orm of the Poem and the "#sen!e of *hyme ike 4ost poe4s 6y :n"o-Anglian poets, A i;er is irregular in for4, of lines of ;arying length, an" ha;ing no rhy4e. #or "o the lines this poe4 &8ith the e3ception of the first line of each passage) 6egin the capital letters. ike 4ost :n"o-Anglian poets, a4anu(an too is con;entional, an" keen to pro"uce an i4pression of no;elty or inno;ation. Criti!(s )pinion Accor"ing to a critic, this poe4 is a "ig at the poets 8ho 8ill sing only the e;ent that tickets the4 4ost un4in"ful of 8hat it 4eans to others, to 8hose for 8ho4 poetry is no 4ore than a for4 of self-in"ulgence. The ri;er in is (ust a trickle, too "ry an" uninspiring9 6ut a ri;er in floo" is an citing pheno4enon+ The ri;er has 8ater enough to 6e poetic a6out only once a year. the 4o4ent, 8hich sen"s a poet into raptures, 6rings ha;oc an" "isaster a near 6y ;illage 6y carrying a8ay in the first half hour three houses, a couple of co8s, an" one pregnant 8o4an. The con;entional poet has no for all this. e 8oul" only sing an" ?uote ol" poets 8ho ha" 8ritten a6out floo"s. "nother Criti!(s )pinion Another critic, tells us that A i;er is a poe4 on the !aikai 8hich through @a"urai, a city that has for a6out t8o thousan" years 6een the at of Ta4il culture. An" then he a""s that as an e;ocation of a ri;er, the poe4 succee"s a"4ira6ly. e further says that the ri;er 6eco4es a point of parture for ironically contrasting the relati;e attitu"es of the

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ol" an" ne8 Ta4il poets, 6oth of 8ho4 are e3pose" for their callousness to the suffering, 8hich is so o6;ious, cause" 6y the floo"s. ,11

"ns

rite a !riti!al appre!iationof the poem )f others5 "mong )ther Things)r hat opinion of *amanuAan as a poet 8ould you form on the #asis the poem )f others5 "mong )ther Things> a4a4nu(anFs :nterest in the 2a4ily an" in the Different @e46ers of the fa4ily. The first thing, that strikes us a6out the poe4 entitle" Hf @others, a4ong Hther-Things, is the speake rFs interest in a 4other, his o8n or so4e6o"y elseFs. a4anu(an feels particularly intereste" in the fa4ily. e has 8ritten a nu46er of poe4s a6out the ;arious 4e46ers of a fa4ily. e has 8ritten a6out fathers, a6out 4others, a6out hus6an"s, a6out 8i;es, a6out a fa4ily li;ing in a great house, an" so on. e has 8ritten so 4uch a6out the fa4ily an" the ;arious 4e46ers of a fa4ily that the poet-critic, . *arthasarthy has e3presse" the opinion that the fa4ily, for a4anu(an, is one of the central 4etaphors 8ith 8hich he thinks. *ealisti! and ?iid &magery "lso &n!oherent &magery Another striking feature of this poe4 is its i4agery9 an" this i4agery re;eals to us one of the fore4ost 4erits of a4anu(anFs poetry. !i;i" an" realistic i4agery is surely a4anu(anFs forte, e;en though his i4agery has its 8eak points too. :n this poe4, a4anu(an has "epicte" through graphic pictures, the youthfulness of a 8o4an, her 4aturity into a 4other, an" her su6se?uent fla66iness an" her loose flesh. Thus 8e are 4a"e to see the 4other in our i4agination al4ost e3actly as a4anu(an has "epicte" her. o8e;er, it 4ust 6e pointe" out that so4e of a4a4u(anFs i4agery, particularly in this poe4, is ;ague an" e;en incoherent an" confusing. 7e can certainly ;isualie the silk an" 8hite petal of the 4otherFs youth, 8ith her three "ia4on"s sparkling an" ra"iating light. But 8e cannot really un"erstan" 8hat a4anu(an 4eans 8hen he says that the rains se8 an" stitch, 8ith 6roken threa", the rags of the tree-tasselle" light. Then 8e can certainly ;isualie a 8et eagleFs t8iste" cla8s9 6ut it is not clear 8hether it 8as the

eagleFs talon 8hich 8as in ineffecti;e a gar"en-trap it 8as one the 4otherFs fingers 8hich 8as 6a"ly hurt an"cripple" ren"ere" an"orunusa6le 6y of ha;ing 6een caught in the gar"en-trap. The three closing lines 4ake it see4 that it 8as the 4otherFs finger 8hich 8as ren"ere" ineffecti;e an" inoperational 6ecause in these lines the speaker sees her four still sensi6le fingers picking up a grain of rice fro4 the kitchen floor. This last picture has the 4erit of 6eing realistic an" ;i;i". Clear an" ;i;i" also is the picture of the 4otherFs saris, no longer clinging to her flesh, 6ut hanging loose 6ecause she is no8 an ol" 8o4an 8ho no longer has fir4 flesh on her 6o"y. " Poignant Poem 8ith an Element of oyousness

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7e ha;e here a touching, poignant poe4. There is certainly an ele4ent of (oy an" (u6ilation in the opening lines 8ith their reference to the silk an" the 8hite petal of the 8o4anFs youthful years, an" also in the picture of her three "ia4on"s thro8ing out rays of 6right light. But the rest of the poe4 is characterie" 6y pathos 6ecause there 8e ha;e references to the crying 6a6ies, the crippling of a cla8 an" a finger, an" the 4otherFs flesh 6eco4ing loose. " Criti!(s ?ie8 A critic re4in"s us that a4anu(anFs poetry is stre8n 8ith references to father, 4other, gran"4other, sister, 8ife, cousin, an" so on, an" that this sort of thing has create" an i4pression that the fa4ily is a4anun(anFs 4ain concern. :n reality, says this critic, a4anu(an is o6sessi;ely copie" 8ith inner an" physical ;iolence, 8ith "erange4ent, an" 8ith. is the4es inclu"e fear, an3iety, an" "espair. Hf course, fa4ilial in his poetry sho8 "eep an" 4o;ing attach4ents9 6ut e;en in the "o4ain, "arkness "oes enter. An" in the poe4 Hf @other, A4ong Things too, 8e ha;e i4ages of pain. Another CriticFs !ie8 Another critic points out that the i4ages in the first four stanas of this poe4 are la6ore"

an" incoherent, an" that these stanas are really "ifficult interpret an" un"erstan". Thus, accor"ing to this critic, there is a lack of in this poe4 8hich is, in fact, 4arke" 6y o6scurity. o8e;er, the in the last stana is fairly coherent an" e;en precise. Accor"ing to lines of this stana e4phasie the futility of the poetFs language to the rough, 6itter taste of the 4e4ory, an" the conclu"ing t8o lines of stana pro;i"e an irresisti6le of the e4otion. :t is picture of the last t8o lines that 4akes the pre;ious i4agery of the poe4 la6ore" an" incoherent, says this critic.

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English

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