LitAide

Nissim Ezekiel, known as the father of modern Indian English poetry, wrote "The Patriot" in an Indianized English. The poem doesn't seem British in style and diction. In fact, there are a lot of Hindustani words used in the poem to give a native and humorous taste. It can be said that it is written keeping in mind of the English-speaking Indians. The poem satirizes Indian conventions yet the narrator is ready to embrace Indian culture and its diversity. The narrator hails and supports the Gandhian principles of peace and non-violence. He is fed up of all "fightings" (conflicts) sprouting in the world. He criticizes people who ignore Mahatma Gandhi and his principles. The narrator then proclaims the "Ancient Indian wisdom" and its authenticity. He takes a jibe at the modern generation's tendencies featuring nothing but excessive flaunting of fashion and imported items. He reveals that he reads Times of India to improve his English language skill...

The poem "Aftermath" is penned by Sylvia Plath. The narrator describes a accident scene where crowd assemble to watch what's going on in the house where a calamity occured. They stare and roam there to get a preview on the inside. They are so occupied with the thoughts of getting real-time updates as if their own house is on the fire. They predict that "some scandal" i.e. something bad might happen in the house. Their only concern to take a look at what happens. "Smoke-choked closet" refers to some secret or private thing. People in the crowd are keen to receive such information. Their contention is not with someone's well-being. The narrator compares them with "hunters after an old meat/ Blood-spoor of the austere tragedies", in other words, these people care and trail hot or sensational news. They are like scavengers, sufficing their appetite on dead. In the next stanza, the narrator refers a lady named "Mother Medea"...

The narrator notices a crow at his window, cawing exactly three times. It exhibits sinister look in its eyes and posture. It stares the narrator in an awkward manner like it is trying to say something to him. He compared it with "a nagging woman" who dominates with her personality and voice wherever she goes. The crow's cawing of exact three times hints the narrator that a visitor is going to come over his house. In Indian culture, there is a belief that a crow's arrival marks the arrival of a guest. Believing it, this knowledge of a coming visitor keeps looming in his head while sleeping. He begins to prepare his house to make way for a visitor. The idea of having a guest prevents him to be attentive to his "muddy clothes". He knows that he will have to compromise on his own terms with the choices or preferences of the guest. The narrator waits all day for his upcoming visitor. He thinks about the belief and wonders if the visitor would be "an angel in...

The recent verdict of the Supreme Court in India struck off Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code which deals with Adultery. It reminds me of a famed novel of Nathaniel Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" which also narrates the story of a woman who committed Adultery. Hawthorne's novel puts the limelight on the life of Hester prynne who is convicted of adultery and given the punishment of carrying the mark of her sin. The legal system resonates with the Puritan overview of Boston in the eighteenth century, deriving the crime as grave and eager to set an example out of her sentence. They make her stand on Scaffold to show townsmen the committer of the "heinous" crime. But, in spite of her criticism from all strata of people, we find that the narrative or Hawthorne's voice takes pity on her and her crime. His story-telling takes a soft stance on her and even. He through the character of Dimmesdale who was equally a partner of Hester in adultery. The follo...

This poem written by Wordsworth brings a story of an old Huntsman dealing with old age and absence of everything he possessed in his prime days. He was gifted with great physique and speed. But in his later life, he lost not only his youth but fame, friends, animals and resources. The narrator narrates his story and describe his encounter with the old man and aiding him and earning his praise and gratitude Explanation In the town of Cardigan, an old Huntsman lived for thirty-five years. He was a successful Huntsman in his time. His physique too was tall which diminished with time and now he is an old "little man". His countenance is still "red as a ripe of cherry" showing the image of his past awesomeness. He was a productive Huntsman who never had to take agriculture work to support him. His magnificence ruled the vicinity. His horn's halloo (sound) echoed throughout hills and valleys, instructing his hounds in their pursuit of the hunt. Simon was the fi...

The sonnet is one of the 108 sonnets and 11 songs published in the sonnet sequence of "Astrophel and Stella" by Philip Sidney. It is a love poem depicting the narrator's unfulfilled love and his issue of writer's block i.e he is not able to produce new work. Rhyme scheme: Petrarchan (abbaabba cdecde) Astrophel wants to show his true love for Stella in his verse. His love might give pleasure to Stella as women love to torment their lovers. When Stella gets pleasure in Astrophel's love, she might also come to understand his love for her. He believes that this knowledge might evoke pity in her heart for him and she might recognize and reciprocate him with love too. Astrophel is in search of the right words to describe his innermost sad emotions. Moreover, he reads the works of literary masters to get inspiration, so that he can entertain his beloved with his verse (poetry). But all his toil generates no ideas in his mind. He feels helpless due to his inability to ...

The sonnet is penned by Philip Sidney in his sonnet sequence " Astrophel and Stella ". The poem presents the tussle between Astrophel's reasoning and emotion (passion). His heart (emotional side) wants to resign before the ruthless and "vain love". He requests his virtue to take rest and leave him at love's mercy and oppression. He urges virtue to use its sceptre (a royal stick) i.e. correction measure in schools or churches which is well suited for its purpose. Astrophel confesses that he has done a wrong by falling in love with Stella. His couldn't deny its charges because he can't stand against virtue's power. He can convince virtue with the little "reason that is left" in him about his feelings. He believes he can show "true a deity" which resides in his heart and even virtue would also fall in love with Stella. This love sonnet shows the contention of the narrator against love. It's an internal fight inside his mind. ...

Keats reveals that in his journey, he has travelled in some of the most prominent and prosperous cities and kingdoms of the world. There, he also meets many poets who have the grace of Apollo, the Greek god of music and poetic inspiration. He has heard that the great poet, Homer, author of Odyssey and Iliad resided in this great land (ancient Greece). Keats couldn't believe if this land belonged to the bard. It doesn't have "pure serene". Only when he read George Chapman's translation of Homer's work, he comes to imagine the glory of the work and the ancient place which it represents. George Chapman was a 16th-century playwright and a translator. His realization is just like an astronomer when he discovers a new planet. He resembles himself like Hernan Cortez (establisher of Mexico city) when he first envisages a land beyond the Pacific and take a brave step in seeking this land and afterwards this land hosts people from other lands. Keats' fascination...

The poem narrates the story of a newly-wedded bride in her own words who tells about the incidents of her wedding night and the following day. The wind blew heavily that day and the next day witnessed too the same weathering phenomenon. This blowing of the wind symbolises the passion arisen in the heart of the bride. On her wedding night, she is with her husband and then someone knocks the door to call her husband and he leaves his bride alone in the light of "candlestick". It is raining and she felt stupid upon his husband's act of leaving her alone on their wedding night. After his return, he tells her the reason for his departure i.e. their horses were growing restless and he had to tame them. She sarcastically feels that on her special day, every man and creature should be as happy as her husband. For any girl, the wedding is the most special and anticipated day of her life. She wishes to love her husband and receive the same in return. The next day, the newly-wed...

"Church Going" is written by Philip Larkin, a Movement poet. He was a prominent English literary figure of the second half of the twentieth century. In this poem, the poet wrote about the disillusionment of the church and its calming mysterious atmosphere despite its unworthiness. Stanza 1 The narrator visits a church whenever he finds that no one is inside or nothing important is going on in the church. In other words, he wants to be alone and reflects in the church. Perhaps, people might find him there and he doesn't want them to know it. From the beginning of the poem, it seems that he is an atheist who doesn't believe in Christ, but still, he goes to the abode of the god. He describes the interior of the church and things kept there - "little books", "brownish flowers". "Another church" shows his indifferent attitude towards this holy place. An "unignorable silence" prevails there for a long time. He enters the church ...

Stanza 1 The narrator heard the sound of blowing trumpet in a ballroom. It draws his attention and he visits there to watch the show. All the dancers in the room are under the age of twenty-five. They are dancing in couples on the jubilant beat. Stanza 2 He can feel the nervousness caused by the presence of beautiful girls there. The question of entering the ballroom and attending the dance party or being out there bewilder the narrator. In the party, the presence of female sex attracts and cheers him. He points out that the couples dancing in the room are happy in their pursuit. But, at the same time, he disagrees with this thought. He found it "sheer inaccuracy". Stanza 3 One person who prefers to go to the dance party says that he is present there only for Art, a "rough-tongued bell" fascinates him. The narrator makes a point that he is also an individual and he and other people can hear the sound of that unusual bell. It can't be the sole reason for s...

The poem is written by Larkin after reading about an incident of a rape of a girl. He used a rape victim's statement from a magazine named "London Labour and the London Poor" of the 1840s as an epigraph.  Larkin feels the agony suffered by the victim and consoles her. The narrator consoles the rape victim and supports her in her worst encounter with hell itself. He says that he can feel her agony even this far from her. He can imagine the ordeal which the rapist put her through. It was a sunny day when she was raped and the place where she was raped was near the road which has a lot of hustle and bustle with vehicles moving continuously. The narrator wants to highlight this fact that her chastity was destroyed under broad sunlight, no one came to her rescue. It is not possible for her to forget that day, she is unable to cast out the memories of her worst nightmare. The stark daylight when she was raped forbids the scars to heal. She was so devastated that her mind is ...

The poem "No Road" has two interpretations - one is abstract and another is literal. Both are analysed below. The narrator is addressing a person with whom he shared a good relationship but for past some time their ties received a blow. The road is an allegory of human relationship or ties. The road and vicinity are symbolically making references to the human ties. The narrator says that the road which connects them remains unused since they last used them to meet. The gates that were earlier left open to each other, also bore the brunt of their separation as they are bricked. To avoid absolute contact with each other, they cover their houses with trees. They let the destructive/ageing power of time to work on its course of erasing the roads between them. Silence prevailed in the vicinity for a long time. The space around between them has also witnessed a bit change. Strangers too come and go from the road. In spite of these shortcomings, there is no major effect on the path ...

The poem "Next, Please" written by Philip Larkin has both literal and symbolic meaning which sends a philosophical and realistic message to the readers. It makes a criticism on our unrealistic expectations. The poem uses a recurring rhyme scheme of aabb throughout the poem. According to the poet, in our long pursuit of leading a happy and desirous life, we inculcate some unsound habits in our character. We are always too hopeful about the coming future and we add various fantasizing expectations to it. We long for better prospects in future. It doesn't matter what we say as "something is always approaching us; every day" whether it's acceptable to us or not. The poet finds this common human nature quite absurd and it seems to us that he is a pessimist but we should note that he is a  practical man. The narrator standing on a bluff (a high steep bank), watches a fleet of ships arriving towards the shore. He finds them too slow, wasting precious time. He...

The poet mentions a girl named Lucy about whom he has heard from various sources. She is a mysterious character who resides alone in the woods. When the poet crosses the woods at the end of the day, he sees a mysterious figure there. It is not mentioned who is this Lucy and how can she survive in the forest on her own. She has no friends and no one to give company to her. According to the narrator, she dwells "on a wide moor". He calls this residing "the sweetest thing that ever grew/ Beside a human door", perhaps because of nature's association and we know how much Wordsworth loves nature. It is difficult to discover Lucy in comparison to fawns (young deer) and hares which roam in the green surroundings. We don't know at this point that why her face "will never more be seen". In the next stanza, we get to travel back to the story of this girl. Her father asks her to go to town to accompany her mother. He hurriedly tells her to take the lante...