Themes in the Poetry of Nissim Ezekiel
THE POWER (AND LIMITS) OF LANGUAGE
EZEKIEL'S POEMS OFTEN TOUCH UPON LANGUAGE AND THE
WRITING PROCESS. IN "A TIME TO CHANGE," EZEKIEL IMAGINES
THE POET AS "A STUBBORN WORKMAN" WHO MUST TOIL OVER
LANGUAGE IN ORDER TO REACH TOWARDS "THE PERFECT
POEM." THIS "PERFECT POEM" IS CHARACTERIZED BY "PRECISE
COMMUNICATION OF A THOUGHT" (P 5). IN "ON MEETING A
PEDANT," EZEKIEL REVOKES LANGUAGE, WHICH IS "COLD AS
PRINT" AND "INSIDIOUS" FOR THE PLEASURES OF THE WORLD:
"GIVE ME TOUCH OF MEN AND GIVE ME SMELL OF /
FORNICATION, PREGNANCY AND SPICES" (P 9).
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE THEME OF THE POWER AND LIMITS
OF LANGUAGE IN EZEKIEL'S WORK IS "A WORD FOR THE WIND,"
WHICH LAMENTS THE SPEAKER'S INABILITY TO FIND A WORD
FOR THE WIND BESIDES THE ONES WHICH ARE ALREADY
ASSIGNED TO THE WIND. IRONICALLY, EZEKIEL'S POEM FLOWS
EXACTLY LIKE THE WIND HE IS DESCRIBING, AND BECOMES
ITSELF A "WORD" FOR THE WIND. EZEKIEL DOES NOT SHY AWAY
FROM ENJAMBMENT OR THE MANIPULATION OF RHYTHM AS
HIS WORDS TWINE OVER THE LINES OF THIS POEM. FOR
EXAMPLE, LINES 3-5 EVOKE THE FLOWING NATURE OF THE WIND
AS THE THOUGHT STRETCHES OVER THREE LINES: "VERSES /
MOVING SLOWLY LIKE THE WIND / OVER GRASS" (21).
INDIAN IDENTITY
THIS IS PERHAPS THE MOST CHALLENGING AND CONTROVERSIAL
THEME THAT SURFACES IN THE POETRY OF
NISSIM EZEKIEL. THE IDEA
OF THE “INDIANNESS” OF A WORK MANIFESTS TIME AND AGAIN IN HIS
POETRY. THE CONTENT WRITTEN BY NISSIM EZEKIEL IS VERY INDIAN IN
ITS SOCIAL CONTEXT. POEMS LIKE “GOODBYE PARTY FOR MISS PUSHPA
T.S
.”
AND “NIGHT OF THE SCORPION” DEAL WITH EXTENSIVELY INDIAN
ISSUES, SUCH AS THE PRESTIGE ACCORDED TO THE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE, AND THE ROLE OF SUPERSTITIONS. IN “NIGHT OF THE
SCORPION,” THE SPEAKER RECALLS AN INCIDENT FROM HIS
CHILDHOOD IN WHICH HIS MOTHER WAS STUNG BY A SCORPION. THE
POEM USES COLLOQUIAL BUT MUSICAL LANGUAGE TO RELAY THE
MEMORY, AND INTRODUCE QUESTIONS OF CLASS DIFFERENCE,
COLLECTIVE MYTHOLOGY, RELIGION, AND FAMILY.
EZEKIEL DESCRIBES INDIA THROUGHOUT HIS FIFTH COLLECTION
OF POETRY,
THE EXACT NAME.
IN THE FIRST PART OF “IN INDIA,”
HE PROVIDES A COLLAGE OF IMAGES THAT HELP TO PROVIDE A
SENSE OF A PLACE: “ALWAYS, IN THE SUN’S EYE, / HERE AMONG
THE BEGGARS, / HAWKERS, PAVEMENT SLEEPERS, / HUTMENT
DWELLERS, SLUMS / DEAD SOULS OF MEN AND GODS, / BURNT-
OUT MOTHERS, FRIGHTENED / VIRGINS, WASTED CHILD / AND
TORTURED ANIMAL, / ALL IN NOISY SILENCE” (131). THE SLIGHT
IAMBIC METER OF THESE LINES ADDS A MUSICALITY AND
VIBRANCY TO EZEKIEL’S DESCRIPTIONS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO
NOTE THAT EZEKIEL’S DESCRIPTIONS OF INDIA CENTER ON THE
PEOPLE RATHER THAN THE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH SUGGESTS
AN INTENTION ON EZEKIEL’S PART TO DEFINE A PLACE
ACCORDING TO ITS INHABITANTS.
EZEKIEL’S LATER POEMS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY AN INCREASED
SKEPTICISM TOWARDS RELIGION AND WHAT THE SPEAKER CALLS
“SUPERSTITION.” IN “AFTER READING A PREDICTION,” THE
SPEAKER REVEALS: “I AM NOT SUPERSTITIOUS. / THE ZODIAC
PREDICTS A NEW / CREATIVE PHASE OF SEVEN YEARS / FOR
SAGITTARIANS” (155). SIMILARLY, THE SPEAKER ADDRESSES GOD
IN “THEOLOGICAL” WITH COMPLAINTS: “YOUR TRUTH / IS TOO
MOMENTOUS FOR MAN / AND NOT ALWAYS USEFUL. / I’VE
STRIPPED OFF A HUNDRED VEILS / AND STILL THERE ARE MORE /
THAT COVER YOUR CREATION” (156).
POETRY IS A MAJOR THEME IN “POET, LOVER, BIRDWATCHER,” IN
WHICH THE SPEAKER COMPARES WRITING POETRY TO WATCHING BIRDS
OR WOMEN: “THE BEST POETS WAIT FOR WORDS. / THE HUNT IS NOT
AN EXERCISE OF WILL / BUT PATIENT LOVE RELAXING ON A HILL” (135).
BY THIS POINT IN HIS CAREER, EZEKIEL’S POETRY HAD PROGRESSED TO
THE POINT WHERE AN
ARS POETICA
OR STATEMENT OF POETICS WAS
IMMEDIATELY WELL-RECEIVED. CRITICS SPECULATED THAT THE BIRDS IN
THE POEM SYMBOLIZE THE QUEST FOR SELF-KNOWLEDGE WHILE THE
WOMEN REPRESENT MUSE-LIKE INSPIRATION. EZEKIEL BRINGS THE
NATURAL WORLD—AN ELUSIVE, SOUGHT AFTER, AND OFTEN FRAUGHT
LANDSCAPE IN HIS EARLIER WORKS—INTO HIS WRITING PROCESS,
WHICH SUGGESTS HARMONY, EASE, AND INDEPENDENCE AWAY FROM
THE URBAN SPHERE. THE SPEAKER EMPHASIZES, “TO WATCH THE
RARER BIRDS, YOU HAVE TO GO / ALONG DESERTED LANDS AND WHERE
THE RIVERS FLOW” (135).
Explore the themes of power and limits of language and Indian identity in the poetry of Nissim Ezekiel. Delve into how Ezekiel's poems reflect on the challenges of communication, cultural identity, and social issues in India. Analyze the nuances of language, poetic process, and the complexity of Indian identity in his works.
Download Presentation
Please find below an Image/Link to download the presentation.
The content on the website is provided AS IS for your information and personal use only. It may not be sold, licensed, or shared on other websites without obtaining consent from the author. Download presentation by click this link. If you encounter any issues during the download, it is possible that the publisher has removed the file from their server.
E N D
Presentation Transcript
I.B. P.G. COLLEGE PANIPAT CLASS : M.A. (ENGLISH) PREVIOUS YEAR UNIT : POETRY OF NISSIM EZEKIEL TOPIC : THEMES IN THE POETRY OF NISSIM EZEKIEL
PRESENTED BY PREETI PAL ASSISTANT PROFESSOR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
THEMES IN THE POETRY OF NISSIM EZEKIEL
EZEKIEL'S POEMS OFTEN TOUCH UPON LANGUAGE AND THE WRITING PROCESS. IN "A TIME TO CHANGE," EZEKIEL IMAGINES THE POET AS "A STUBBORN WORKMAN" WHO MUST TOIL OVER LANGUAGE IN ORDER TO REACH TOWARDS "THE PERFECT POEM." THIS "PERFECT POEM" IS CHARACTERIZED BY "PRECISE COMMUNICATION OF A THOUGHT" (P 5). IN "ON MEETING A PEDANT," EZEKIEL REVOKES LANGUAGE, WHICH IS "COLD AS PRINT" AND "INSIDIOUS" FOR THE PLEASURES OF THE WORLD: "GIVE ME TOUCH OF MEN AND GIVE ME SMELL OF / FORNICATION, PREGNANCY AND SPICES" (P 9).
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE THEME OF THE POWER AND LIMITS OF LANGUAGE IN EZEKIEL'S WORK IS "A WORD FOR THE WIND," WHICH LAMENTS THE SPEAKER'S INABILITY TO FIND A WORD FOR THE WIND BESIDES THE ONES WHICH ARE ALREADY ASSIGNED TO THE WIND. IRONICALLY, EZEKIEL'S POEM FLOWS EXACTLY LIKE THE WIND HE IS DESCRIBING, AND BECOMES ITSELF A "WORD" FOR THE WIND. EZEKIEL DOES NOT SHY AWAY FROM ENJAMBMENT OR THE MANIPULATION OF RHYTHM AS HIS WORDS TWINE OVER THE LINES OF THIS POEM. FOR EXAMPLE, LINES 3-5 EVOKE THE FLOWING NATURE OF THE WIND AS THE THOUGHT STRETCHES OVER THREE LINES: "VERSES / MOVING SLOWLY LIKE THE WIND / OVER GRASS" (21).
THIS IS PERHAPS THE MOST CHALLENGING AND CONTROVERSIAL THEME THAT SURFACES IN THE POETRY OF NISSIM EZEKIEL. THE IDEA OF THE INDIANNESS OF A WORK MANIFESTS TIME AND AGAIN IN HIS POETRY. THE CONTENT WRITTEN BY NISSIM EZEKIEL IS VERY INDIAN IN ITS SOCIAL CONTEXT. POEMS LIKE GOODBYE PARTY FOR MISS PUSHPA T.S. AND NIGHT OF THE SCORPION DEAL WITH EXTENSIVELY INDIAN ISSUES, SUCH AS THE PRESTIGE ACCORDED TO THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, AND THE ROLE OF SUPERSTITIONS. IN NIGHT OF THE SCORPION, THE SPEAKER RECALLS AN INCIDENT FROM HIS CHILDHOOD IN WHICH HIS MOTHER WAS STUNG BY A SCORPION. THE POEM USES COLLOQUIAL BUT MUSICAL LANGUAGE TO RELAY THE MEMORY, AND INTRODUCE QUESTIONS OF CLASS DIFFERENCE, COLLECTIVE MYTHOLOGY, RELIGION, AND FAMILY.
EZEKIEL DESCRIBES INDIA THROUGHOUT HIS FIFTH COLLECTION OF POETRY, THE EXACT NAME. IN THE FIRST PART OF IN INDIA, HE PROVIDES A COLLAGE OF IMAGES THAT HELP TO PROVIDE A SENSE OF A PLACE: ALWAYS, IN THE SUN S EYE, / HERE AMONG THE BEGGARS, / HAWKERS, PAVEMENT SLEEPERS, / HUTMENT DWELLERS, SLUMS / DEAD SOULS OF MEN AND GODS, / BURNT- OUT MOTHERS, FRIGHTENED / VIRGINS, WASTED CHILD / AND TORTURED ANIMAL, / ALL IN NOISY SILENCE (131). THE SLIGHT IAMBIC METER OF THESE LINES ADDS A MUSICALITY AND VIBRANCY TO EZEKIEL S DESCRIPTIONS. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EZEKIEL S DESCRIPTIONS OF INDIA CENTER ON THE PEOPLE RATHER THAN THE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH SUGGESTS AN INTENTION ON EZEKIEL S PART TO DEFINE A PLACE ACCORDING TO ITS INHABITANTS.
EZEKIELS LATER POEMS ARE CHARACTERIZED BY AN INCREASED SKEPTICISM TOWARDS RELIGION AND WHAT THE SPEAKER CALLS SUPERSTITION. IN AFTER READING A PREDICTION, THE SPEAKER REVEALS: I AM NOT SUPERSTITIOUS. / THE ZODIAC PREDICTS A NEW / CREATIVE PHASE OF SEVEN YEARS / FOR SAGITTARIANS (155). SIMILARLY, THE SPEAKER ADDRESSES GOD IN THEOLOGICAL WITH COMPLAINTS: YOUR TRUTH / IS TOO MOMENTOUS FOR MAN / AND NOT ALWAYS USEFUL. / I VE STRIPPED OFF A HUNDRED VEILS / AND STILL THERE ARE MORE / THAT COVER YOUR CREATION (156).
POETRY IS A MAJOR THEME IN POET, LOVER, BIRDWATCHER, IN WHICH THE SPEAKER COMPARES WRITING POETRY TO WATCHING BIRDS OR WOMEN: THE BEST POETS WAIT FOR WORDS. / THE HUNT IS NOT AN EXERCISE OF WILL / BUT PATIENT LOVE RELAXING ON A HILL (135). BY THIS POINT IN HIS CAREER, EZEKIEL S POETRY HAD PROGRESSED TO THE POINT WHERE AN ARS POETICA OR STATEMENT OF POETICS WAS IMMEDIATELY WELL-RECEIVED. CRITICS SPECULATED THAT THE BIRDS IN THE POEM SYMBOLIZE THE QUEST FOR SELF-KNOWLEDGE WHILE THE WOMEN REPRESENT MUSE-LIKE INSPIRATION. EZEKIEL BRINGS THE NATURAL WORLD AN ELUSIVE, SOUGHT AFTER, AND OFTEN FRAUGHT LANDSCAPE IN HIS EARLIER WORKS INTO HIS WRITING PROCESS, WHICH SUGGESTS HARMONY, EASE, AND INDEPENDENCE AWAY FROM THE URBAN SPHERE. THE SPEAKER EMPHASIZES, TO WATCH THE RARER BIRDS, YOU HAVE TO GO / ALONG DESERTED LANDS AND WHERE THE RIVERS FLOW (135).
