1) Indian Civilization And Culture — Mahatma Gandhi
• Born :- 2 Oct 1869
• Died :- 30 Jan 1948
• Popularly known as Bapu or the Father of the Nation
• He was more a spiritual leader than a politician
• Chief weapons :- Truth and Non-violence
• Gandhian Era :- 1915-1948
• Autobiography :- My Experiments with Truth
• He wrote articles for Young India
• In this chapter Gandhiji talks about the sound foundation of Indian Civilization which has successfully withstood the passage of time.
• The western civilization has the tendency to privilege materiality.
• The Indian civilization elevates the moral being.
• The rulers of ancient Egypt are known as Pharaohs.
Summary
‘Indian civilization and culture’ is an important prose which is written by Mahatma Gandhi. He praises our ancient civilization and says that no other civilization of the world can be compared with our civilization. Our civilization is the most ancient and the strongest of all the civilizations of the world. Many civilizations are born and wasted in the world. But our civilization has remained unchanged. Gandhiji says that the western civilization is inferior (घटिया, हीन) to the Indian civilization, because it is based on materialism (भौतिकवाद) and immorality (अनैतिकता). While the Indian civilization is based on spiritualism (अध्यात्मवाद) and morality (नैतिकता). Gandhiji says that mind is a restless bird, because it is never satisfied. The more it gets, the more it wants, and still remains unsatisfied. We have endless desires and such desires make our mind restless. If we want to become happy. We should keep away from wealth and luxuries (विलासिता), because they do not make us happy. A rich man may be unhappy in his palace, while a poor man may be happy in his cottage (झोपड़ी). Our civilization promotes moral development and real happiness.
2) Bharat Is My Home — Dr. Zakir Hussain
• Born :- 1897 (Hyderabad)
• Died :- 1969
• He was one of our greatest freedom fighters as well as an eminent educationist.
• He became the President of India in 1967.
• He had served as the Governor of Bihar.
• ‘Bharat Is My Home’ is an extract from the speech he gave in 1967 after taking the oath as President.
• Dr. Zakir Hussain pledges himself “to the service of the totality of India’s culture”.
Summary
‘Bharat is My Home’ is an extract from the speech of Dr Zakir Husain. He delivered this speech in 1967 after taking the oath (शपथ) as the president of India. In this speech he pledges (प्रतिज्ञा) to be loyal (देश-भक्त) to the nation and work for the welfare of the people of the country. On this occasion (अवसर), he remembers Dr Radhakrishnan, who brought a lot of erudition (पांडित्य या ज्ञान) and wealth of knowledge to the presidency. Dr Husain says that Bharat is his home. Its people are his family and he has been elected by the family members. This statement expresses his national feelings (भावना). According to him, our past culture is very important for the nation. It is not static (स्थिर), it is alive (जीवित) and dynamic (गतिशील). He advises us to labour hard to build the new life of the nation. Dr Husain says that there are two aspects (पहलू) of work. They are worked for self and work for society. Thus Dr Zakir Husain wants to work for the cultural development of the nation.
3) A Pinch Snuff — Manohar Malgaonkar
• Born :- 1913
• Died :-
• He is well known novelist and short story writer with over 25 publications to his credit.
• Important work :- Distant Drum, The Princes, A Bend in the Ganges, Bombay Beware etc.
• ‘A Pinch of Snuff’ is taken from Contemporary Indian Short Stories in English.
Summary
‘A Pinch of Snuff’ is a very humorous (हास्यकार) and interesting (रोचक) story which is written by Manohar Malgaonkar. The story is about Nanukaka who is the maternal uncle (मामा) of the writer. The writer is an under secretary (अनु-सचिव) in the government. Nanukaka has come to see some ministers. He is a cunning (चालाक) and shrewd (चतुर) man. He always tells a lie. He can fool anyone with his lies. He can manage any difficult situation and get rid of (छुटकारा पाना) any difficulty. He travels second class on a third class ticket. Nanukaka goes to meet the minister but he fails to meet him. He comes back and thinks a plan. He changes his clothes and goes to Sohanlal, the party Boss in Delhi. Nanukaka tells him that Hajarat Barkat Ali, the ambassador (राजदूत) of India in Beirut, is his close friend. After this he goes to the ministers’ residence (आवास) and poses (ढोंग करना) as the hereditary (वंशानुगत) astrologer (ज्योतिषी) of the Maharaja of Ninnore. He writes his name and designation (पदनाम) on the visitor’s register. This trick helps him and the welfare minister himself comes to meet him. The story shows that a person like Nanukaka will be successful in the present society.
4) I Have A Dream — Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Born :- 1929
• Died :- 1968
• He became a civil rights activist early in his career.
• Influenced by Gandhiji, his philosophy of non-violent resistance brought him worldwide attention.
• In 1964, he became the youngest person to receive the Noble Prize for his efforts to end segregation and racial discrimination through civil disobedience and other non-violent ways.
• He was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee.
• Important works :- Strength to Love (1953), Stride toward Freedom : The Montgomery Story (1958), Why We Can’t Wait (1964), Where do We Go from Here : Chaos or Community? (1968)
• ‘I Have A Dream‘ is a speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC on August 28, 1963.
• He speaks about his dream of seeing Alabama as a developed state, free of racial distinction between the whites and the blacks.
• He is one of the greatest orators in American history.
Summary
‘I have a dream’ is an important speech of Martin Luther King Junior, delivered in 1963. In this speech King Jr. describes the pitiable (दयनीय) condition (स्थिति) in America. He wants to see his country free from racial distinction (जातीय अन्तर) between the whites (गोरे) and the blacks (काले). Through his speech King Jr. raises his voice (आवाज) for equality (समानता) and right (अधिकार) for Negros in America. He reminds (याद दिलाना) them that slavery (गुलामी) in America has been abolished (समाप्त करना), but Negroes are not free. America is a rich country, but Negros live in poverty. They are treated (व्यवहार करना) as slave (गुलाम) in their own country. Social and economic (आर्थिक) justice is a dream (सपना) for them. So, King Jr. asks them to continue (जारी रखना) their struggle (संघर्ष) for justice (न्याय) and right (अधिकार). He has dream that one day white boys and girls join (मिलाना) hands with black boys and girls. He has a dream that all the people of America will walk together. One day there would be the atmosphere (माहौल) of brotherhood (भाईचारा) in America.
5) Ideas That Have Helped Mankind — Bertrand Russell
• Born :- 1872
• Died :- 1970
• Full Name :- Bertrand Arthur William Russell
• He is a British philosopher, historian, mathematician, advocate for social reform, pacifist and a prominent rationalist of the twentieth century.
• In 1950, Russell was awarded Nobel Prize in literature ‘in recognition of his varied and significant writings in which he champions humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought’.
• Important works :- A History of Western Philosophy, Human Knowledge : It’s Scope and Limits, Authority and the Individual, Has Man a Fact and Fiction, My philosophical Development, Conquest of Happiness, Marriage and Morals, Roads to Freedom, In Praise of Idleness, Why I am not a Christian etc.
Summary
‘Ideas that have helped Mankind’ is an important essay written by the famous scientist and thinker (विचारक), Bertrand Russell. In this essay he describes the Ideas and inventions (खोज) that helped in human development. Long ago (बहुत पहले) humans lived in forests and caves (गुफा). They were afraid (भयभीत) of wild (जंगली) animals. They had to move from place to place in search of food (भोजन की तलाश में). Their number was small. Russell says that humans and animals suffer from calamities (आपदाओं से पीड़ित होना). Humans remember the causes of their sufferings (पीड़ा) and want to get rid of it in future. According to Russell, the ideas that helped mankind can be broadly divided into two categories (श्रेणियाँ), The first category of ideas is related to knowledge and technique (तकनीक). The second category of ideas is concerned with morals (आचार-विचार से संबंधित) and politics (राजनीति). The inventions of fire and agriculture (कृषि) were a great step in man’s development. All these ideas made us developed. We can say that no development was possible without these ideas.
6) The Artist — Shiga Naoya
• Born :- 1883
• Died :- 1971
• He is a celebrated Japanese short story writer of the twentieth century.
• ‘The Artist’ unfurls before us the world of a talented Japanese boy, Seibei.
Summary
‘The Artist’ is a very sensitive story written by a Japanese writer Shiga Naoya. According to the story, Seibei is a Japanese boy, who has a peculiar hobby (अजीब शौक) to collect gourds (कोहड़ा या कद्दु). He generally goes to market and buys a gourd. He brings it, first he makes a neat hole in the top of it and extracts (निकालना) the seeds. After that he applied (लगाना) tea-leaves to get rid of the unpleasant gourd-smell. Seibei is a twelve years old boy. He lives in a harbour town and read in a primary school. One day he goes to school with a gourd and starts polishing it in the class while the teacher has been teaching. The teacher catches him red-handed (रंगे-हाथों) and rebukes (फटकारना) him. The teacher complains to his mother. When his father comes and hears about the teacher’s complaint, he becomes angry and beats his son, Seibei. Then he smashes (तोड़ना) all his gourds. When he is forced to give up (छोड़ना) collecting gourds, he begins making pictures and becomes an artist. But, his father scold him for painting the pictures.
7) A Child Is Born — Germaine Greer
• Born :- 1939
• Died :-
• She is born and educated in Australia.
• She is a famous feminist writer.
• Important works :- The Female Eunuch (1970), Sex and Destiny : The Politics of Human Fertility (1984), The Change (1991)
• She explores the social and cultural aspects of life of women.
• ‘A Child is Born’ is taken from her book Sex and Destiny : The Politics of Human Fertility.
• In this chapter, she explores the cultural peculiarities of the East and the West regarding childbirth and parent-child relationship.
Summary
‘A Child is Born’ is a social and cultural essay written by Germaine Greer. According to the writer, in traditional societies a mother is kept free from the anxiety (चिंता) of childbirth (प्रसव). A woman during her pregnancy (गर्भावस्था) is cared by her husband and every member of her family. She does not feel alone, Because she has the support (सहारा) of the whole (पूरा) family. In many traditional societies women after marriage go to live with their mother’s-in-law and other members of the family in a joint family. But they are not accepted as the member of the new family until (जबतक) they have borne (जन्म) a child. In such societies a child plays an important role in the life of mother. A mother is known by the name of her child. She goes to her mother’s house for the birth of her child. When the baby is seven days old, there is naming ceremony (नामकरण समारोह). The baby is given new clothes. The women and girls gather and sing songs. Thus, when a baby is born, it is an occasion (अवसर) of joy for the whole family.
8) How Free Is The Press — Dorothy L. Sayers
• Born :- 1893
• Died :- 1957
• Full name :- Dorothy Leigh Sayers
• She is an essayist, playwright poet and writer of detective fiction.
• Educated at Somerville College, Oxford
• In 1915, She became one of the first women to graduate from Oxford University.
• Important works :- Clouds of Witness, Unnatural Death, Lord Peter Views the Body, Nine Tailors, Gaudi Night
• She has edited Great Short Stories of Detection and published a competent verse translation of Inferno.
Summary
‘How Free is the Press’ is an interesting essay written by Dorothy L. Sayers. According to the writer, the freedom of the press is essential (आवश्यक) for the development of democracy (लोकतंत्र के विकास). It is also an essential factor (कारक) for the growth of a nation (राष्ट्र के विकास). She says that the press should be free from the censorship. The press should work freely (आजादी से), but its freedom is restricted (प्रतिबंधित) during war (युद्ध). In this situation the British Press is singularly free. The editorial (संपादकीय) policy (नीति) of a popular (प्रसिद्ध) newspaper (अखबार) is controlled (नियंत्रण करना) by two factors (कारकों). It takes care of (देखभाल करना) the interest (रुचि) of the advertiser (विज्ञापनदाता) from whom (जिससे) it gets money. It does not support (समर्थन करना) a public policy which is against the interests (रुचि) of its advertisers. So, its policy is determined (तय करना) by the personal and political (राजनीतिक) of its owner (मालिक). Thus, the writer means to say that the press in India is not as free as the British Press. She points out that the press often misuses its freedom and cheats (धोखा देना) the general readers.
9) The Earth — H.E. Bates
• Born :- 1905 (Northampton in central England)
• Died :- 1974
• Well known Short Story writer and worked as journalist
• His first novel was published when he was only 21 years old.
• Important works :- Fair Stood the Wind for France (1944), The Purple Plain (1947), The Jacaranda Tree (1949), The Scarlet Sword (1951), The Darling Buds of May (1958)
• The present short story ‘The Earth’ set in the English countryside, is about a farmer Johnson and his son Benjy who appears to be a simple minded person.
Summary
‘The Earth’ is a short and interesting story written by H.E. Bates. In this story, Johnson was a tenant (किरायेदार) farmer. He was kind-hearted (दयालु) person, but he was very lazy. He believed more in luck than work. He had no land (भूमि) of his own. He had a simple-minded son named Benjy. He was worried (चिंतित) about son. On the advice of doctor, Johnson built a wire coop (तार का खांचा) in a corner (कोना) of his farm (खेत) and gave him some hens to keep engaged (व्यस्त) in work. Benjy took interest in keeping hens and knew all the tricks (चाल) of the trade (व्यापार). When Benjy knew the trick of the trade, he began to earn money. He deposited (जमा करना) a lot of money in his account. When he was about forty, he married Florence against the wishes (इच्छा) of his parents. Florence was one of Benjy’s employees (कर्मचारी). He did not treat his parents justly (उचित ढंग से). He became so cruel that he drove them out (निकाल बाहर करना) of his home. Thus, in this story we find that a selfish (स्वार्थी) and cunning son deceived his parents and too much trust (विश्वास) became the reason (कारण) of the tragedy (दुःखद घटना) of the parents.
10) India Through A Traveller’s Eye — Pearl S. Buck
• Born :- 1892
• Died :- 1973
• She, American by birth, reared in China by her missionary parents
• She is known for her travelogue and memoirs.
• She won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1938.
• Important works :- The God’s Earth (1931), Come, My Beloved
• ‘India Through A Traveller’s Eyes’ is an extract from My Several Worlds, which is a personal record of her life.
Summary
‘India through a Traveller’s Eyes’ is a historical (ऐतिहासिक) essay which has been written by Pearl S. Buck. The writer says about her visit (यात्रा) to India. She says that the purpose (उद्देश्य) of her visit to India was not to see the Taj Mahal or Fatehpur Sikri or any other historical places, but she saw all these things. She visited India to see and listen to two groups of people, the young intellectuals (युवा बुद्धिजीवियों) in cities and the peasants (किसान) in villages. She met the young intellectuals in small rooms in cities. She heard their plans (योजना) for freedom. The writer visited rural (ग्रामीण) India and she was shocked to see the miserable condition of the peasants (किसान). The writer was very much impressed (प्रभावित) by Indian culture. She was fascinated (मोहित होना) by the joint family life of Indians who was living in villages. The master of the house was respected (आदर करना) by everyone. In their opinion, a man can be their leader, who is honest, and trustworthy (भरोसे मंद). Thus, the writer presents a picture of India as she saw and understood herself.
11) A Marriage Proposal — Anton Chekhov
• Born :- 1860
• Died :- 1904
• He was a dramatist and short story writer of Russia. He was a doctor by profession.
• He began his literary career by writing comic sketches.
• Important works :- Uncle Vanya (1900), The Three Sisters (1901), The Cherry Orchard (1904)
• George Bernard Shaw paid tribute to him in Heartbreak House (1919).
Summary
‘A Marriage Proposal’ is a comedy which has been written by Anton Chekhov. In this comedy there are three characters who are Choobookov, Natalia and Lomov. Choobookov is an old landlord (जमींदार). He has a daughter named Natalia, who is unmarried (कुंवारी). Lomov is their neighbour and he is also a landlord. He wants to marry Natalia. Lomov goes the house of Choobookov and talks (बात करना) about the marriage of Natalia. Choobookov becomes very happy to know it. Choobookov goes in and sends Natalia to Lomov. When Natalia comes to Lomov. He becomes so nervous that he cannot say his proposal directly. In his nervousness he begins to talks about the ownership of the meadows (चरागाह). They begin to quarrel (झगड़ा करना) on this point. Choobookov tells Natalia that he wants to marry her and he has put his marriage proposal with her. Choobookov goes to Lomov and comes back with him. When Lomov comes back Natalia accepts that the meadows were his own. At last, Natalia accepts his marriage proposal and they become for each other. Thus this comedy revolves round the two emotional (भावुक) characters.
1) Sweetest Love, I Do Not Goe — John Donne
• Born :- 1572
• Died :- 1631
• He was the pioneer of a new kind of lyrical and satirical verse called ‘Metaphysical’.
• He was forced to leave Oxford University without a degree because of his religion.
• He became one of the greatest preachers of his time.
• He is well known for his Songs and Sonnets, Satires and the Elegies and Sermons.
Summary
‘Sweetest Love I Do Not Goe’ is a love poem written by John Donne. In the poem the poet describes (वर्णन करना) the importance of true love in human life. The poet is going away from his beloved (प्रेमिका, प्रियतम). She becomes very sad. The poet consoles (सांत्वना देना) his beloved over a temporary separation (थोड़े समय का जुदाई). He says that he is going away from her but not because he is tired (उबना) of her. The poet assures (भरोसा दिलाना) his beloved that he will come back just as the sun comes back. He tells her that this parting (जुदाई) is nothing in comparisons to the final parting (जुदाई) which comes with death. So, she should not shed (बहाना) tears over his departure (मौत, स्वर्गवास). He further (आगे) says that even if (भले ही) he dies, he will be present in her. So, there is no question of separation. Thus the poet means to say that true lovers cannot be separated even by death. They are never parted from each other.
2) Song of Myself — Walt Whitman
• Born :- 1819
• Died :- 1892
• He is known as the people’s poet.
• The most individualistic literary figure that America has ever produced.
• Important works :- Leaves of Grass (1855), Drum Taps (1866)
Summary
‘Song of Myself’ is a very nice poem written by Walt Whitman. He enjoys himself and sings for the self. According to the poet, every atom (कण) belongs to him, belongs to (संबंध रखना) every human being. The human beings are made of the same soil (मिट्टी). They are born from parents and their blood is same. They also breathe the same air. He is ready at every danger in his life. He accepts that life is not bed of roses. It is full of difficulties (कठिनाइयों से भरा हुआ) and also happiness. He feels that life is the finest (सबसे अच्छा) gift given by God. The poet says that everyone should think that there is nothing in life. So, we should always be happy and try to make others happy. Thus, the poet means to say that there is no difference between the two human beings.
3) Now The Leaves Are Falling Fast — W.H. Auden
• Born :- 1907
• Died :- 1973
• Full Name :- Wystan Hugh Auden
• He won the Pulitzer Prize in 1948 for his collection The Age of Anxiety.
• He left England as early as 1939 to settle permanently in the US.
• Important works :- The Orators, The Dance of Death, Look Stranger Spain, Another Time, New Year Letter, For the Time Being, The Age of Anxiety, The Shield of Achilles
Summary
‘Now The Leaves Are Falling Fast’ is a very fine poem which has been written by W.H. Auden. Here, the poet says that now the leaves are falling fast. It means all human beings are going towards death very fast, due to diseases (बीमारी) and other reasons (दूसरे कारणों से). The messengers (दूत) of death are present everywhere in different form (अलग-अलग रूपों में) to snatch (छीनना) human happiness. The people, who are today, will die tomorrow. They are suffering from (से पीड़ित होना) the sense of loneliness (अकेलापन की भावना) in which they live and die. The poet says that starving trolls are suppressing the people in this world and they dare not oppose them and they are silent. The poet also says that like a tree every human life to be destroyed (नष्ट).
4) Ode To Autumn — John Keats
• Born :- 1795 (Moonfields, London)
• Died :- 1821
• He was one of the greatest of English Romantic poets.
• Deeply interested in Cricket and Boxing.
• He even started a translation of Virgil’s Aeneid.
• His ambition to become a poet was fired by his first acquaintance with Spenser’s Faerie Queene.
• His first poem ‘Lines in Imitation of Spenser’ was published in 1814.
• His first volume of poetry entitled Poems was published in 1817.
• His poem ‘Endymion’, which was published in 1818, was well appreciated by Wordsworth.
• Important works :- On Indolence, On a Grecian Urn, To Psyche, To a Nightingale, On Melancholy, Ode to Autumn etc.
• He died of tuberculosis in 1821 at the age of 26.
Summary
‘Ode To Autumn’ is a very nice poem which is composed by John Keats. He was born in 1795 in London and died in 1821. The poet was a great lover of nature (प्राकृतिक). In this poem, the poet describes (वर्णन करना) the beauty and music of autumn (शरद ऋतु या पतझड़) in a series (श्रृंखला) of memorable (यादगार) pictures. He says that autumn is the season of mists (कुहरा, कुहासा) and ripening (पकना) of fruits. Autumn is a friend of the sun. There is neither heat of summer nor cold of winter. The rays of the sun make the fruits fleshy (गुददार), fat and tasty (स्वादिष्ट). Nature looks beautiful everywhere. Wind blows friendly (मिलनसार) and birds sing sweet songs. People are happy in this season. They can do their work easily in this season. In the last lines of the poem the poet presents autumn as a store-house of music. He says that autumn is not without its music. Nature remains calm and cool (शीतल) in this pleasant (मनोहर) season everywhere.
5) An Epitaph — Walter de la Mare
• Born :- 1873 (Kent, England)
• Died :- 1956
• He is known for his sensitive concerns with the world of children and the world of the supernatural.
• Important works :- Songs for Children, Peacock Pie
• Queen Elizabeth II honoured him with the Order of Merit in 1953.
Summary
‘An Epitaph’ is a short poem. It has been written by Walter de la Mare. Here, the poet expresses (व्यक्त करना) his bad feelings (भावना) for a very beautiful lady who has died. She was the most beautiful lady in the West Country. She was light of step and heart. Her beauty was very attractive, but it is short lived. There is no way to save beauty from destruction. After her death, her beauty vanishes. The poet feels that nobody will remember him after his death. Thus, the poet means to say that beauty is not internal. It vanishes with the passes of time.
6) The Soldier — Rupert Brooke
• Born :- 1887
• Died :- 1915
• W.B. Years, the famous poet described him as ‘the handsomest young man in England’.
• He died of septicaemia on April 23, 1915, off the island of Lemnos in the Aegean on his way to a battle at Gaviipoli.
• He is remembered as a ‘war poet’ who inspired patriotism in the early phase of the First World War.
Summary
‘The Soldier’ is a war poem written by Rupert Brooke. According to him, a soldier lives and dies for his country. The poet wants to die in battle (युद्ध) for his country. He says that if he dies in a foreign land (विदेशी भूमि) fighting (लड़ते-लड़ते) for his motherland, he will be buried (दफन) in that land. He wants the plot of land (भूमि का टुकड़ा), where his dead body will be buried. He remembers his country with fondness (ममता, शौक), because he was born and brought up there. He says that his country has given him flowers to love, ways to walk and the air to breathe. All these things show the poet’s deep love for his motherland. Thus, in his poem, he shows his patriotism (देशभक्ति) for his country.
7) Macavity : The Mystery Cat — T.S. Eliot
• Born :- 1888 (St. Louis, Missouri, USA) eventually settled in England.
• Died :- 1965
• Full Name :- Thomas Stearns Eliot
• He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1948.
• Important works :- The Waste Land, Ash Wednesday, Four Quartets
• ‘Macavity : The Mystery Cat’ is taken from his collection called ‘Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats’.
• ‘Macavity : The Mystery Cat’ was made into a very successful music on stage by the great composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Weber.
Summary
‘Macavity: The Mystery Cat’ is a mysterious (रहस्यमय) poem written by T.S. Eliot. According to the poet, Macavity is a mysterious cat, because it commits various kinds of crimes, but it is never nabbed (गिरफ्तार करना) by the police. Really, it is a master criminal who defies (धमकी देना, ललकारना) both human and natural laws. The poet calls it the Hidden Paw because of its serious acts. It always commits crimes such as drinking milk, breaking glass, but it never leaves any type of clue (किसी प्रकार के सबूत) at the place of occurrence (घटना स्थल पर). It moves like a snake and it always alerts. It is the leader of the gang of the criminal cats. Thus, the poet means to say that Macavity is a clever and cunning cat who makes problems for anybody.
8) Fire-Hymn — Keki N. Daruwalla
• Born :- 1937
• Died :- 26 September 2024
• Recipient of Sahitya Akademi Award (1984) and Commonwealth Poetry Award.
• He claims his poems to be rooted in the rural landscape and hence ‘earthy’.
• He had been in police service.
• The themes of his poetry are love, death, domination, cynicism, plight of human society and violence.
• Important works :- Under Orion (1970), Apparition in April (1971), Crossing of Rivers (1976)
Summary
‘Fire-Hymn’ is heart-touching poem written by Keki N. Daruwalla. In this poem, the poet describes the scene of a burning ghat, where the dead body of a man is consigned (सुपुर्द करना) to the flame of fire. The poet says that when he was a child, he and his father used to visit the burning ghat of the Hindus. He says that the sight of the burning dead body becomes shocking (घिनौना) and dreadful (भयानक) at night. It frightens (डराना) passers-by (राही). Sometimes the limbs of a dead body are left half-burnt, and the redness of fire appears very cruel. The poet is a Parsi, who worships fire as a God, but he had to consign (डालना) his new born into fire, because there was no tower (मीनार) of silence there. Thus, this poem is a song in praise of fire. Here the poet shows the importance of fire for the Hindus after their death.
9) Snake — D.H. Lawrence
• Born :- 1885 (Nottinghamshire, England)
• Died :- 1930
• He is a poet, novelist, short story writer and essayist.
• Important works :- A Collection of Poems (1909), The White Peacock (1911), The Trespasser (1912), Sons and Lovers (1913), The Rainbow (1915), Plumed Serpent (1926), Lady Chatterley’s Lover (1926)
Summary
The poem ‘Snake’ has been written by an eminent English poet D.H. Lawrence. In this poem the poet describes the activities of a snake who looks so innocent. The poet says that one night when he felt thirsty, came out to drink water. But, as soon as he came out, he saw a black cobra, which also came to drink water. It was moving towards the tap to drink water. To see its politeness the poet did not fear and he began to watch its movement. His worldly education told him that it was a poisonous snake and he must kill it. After some time he decided to hit it and hit the snake with a stick when it was moving into a hole after quenching (बुझाकर) its thirst. But, anyhow it entered the hole and the poet began to regret after hitting the innocent snake. He asserts us to love all the creatures of the world made by God.
10) My Grandmother’s House — Kamala Das
• Born :- 31 March 1934
• Died :- 2009
• She has earned a respectable place in both English and Malayalam literature.
• Her autobiography, published in 1976, created quite a stir.
• She was short listed for the Nobel Prize for literature.
• She is known for sexual adventures in her writings.
• Important works :- Summer in Kolkata (1963), Sirens (1964), The Descendants (1967), The Old Playhouse and other Poems (1973), The Anamatal Poems (1985), Only Saint Knows How to Sing (1996), Yes Allah (2001)
Summary
‘My Grandmother’s House’ is a wonderful poem written by Kamala Das. In this poem, the poetess describes a particular house where she spent sweet days (मधुर दिन) of her childhood. The poetess says that she lived with her grandmother (दादी) in the same house during her childhood. The house belonged to her grandmother. Everything was very good round the house. But, when her grandmother died and the poetess began to live in other place, the condition (स्थिति) of the house become very bad. Everywhere round that house become pitiable (दयनीय). Bushes (झाड़ियाँ) grew (उगना) around it and snakes were moving there. The house became silent (सुना). When she reached (पहुंचना) there to see the house, she got (पायी) earlier love. She saw the house damaged (क्षतिग्रस्त). Everything was changed. But, she feels proud, because she got love very much in this house. The poetess says that her grandmother’s death shocked (सदमा पहुंचाना) her and she felt as if her blood became cold. Thus, in this poem the poetess wants to tell that she lived with her grandmother in the house, where she was too young.
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