E-LESSON-6 ENGLISH LITERATURE-1

IDOL Institute of Distance and Online Learning ENHANCE YOUR QUALIFICATION, ADVANCE YOUR CAREER.

B.A. 2 All right are reserved with CU-IDOL ENGLISH LITERATURE - I ENGLISH LITERATURE - I Course Code: BAQ 105 Semester: First SLM Unit : 6-7 E-Lesson: 6 www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105)

ENGLISH LITERATURE - I OBJECTIVES INTRODUCTION 33 Rabindranath Tagore’s spiritual presence was Rabindranath Tagore, 7 May 1861 – 7 August awesome.Rabindranath Tagore’s spiritual presence was awesome. 1941), also known by his pen name Bhanu His words evoked great beauty. Nobody had ever Singha Thakur (Bhonita), and also known by read anything like it his sobriquets Gurudev, Kabiguru, and To Nelson Mandela, he was the writer ““the father of African literature”. Biswakabi, was a polymath, poet, musician, and artist from the Indian subcontinent. Chinua Achebe born Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe, 16 November 1930 – 21 March 2013) was a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic. His first novel “Things Fall Apart” (1958), www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BBAAQQ110015)) INSTAITllUrTiEghOtFaDreISrTeAsNeCrvEeAdNwDitOhNCLUIN-EIDLOEALRNING

TOPICS TO BE COVERED 4 > Main Themes in Rabindranath Tagore’s Poems > Where the Mind is Without Fear – Rabindranth Tagore ENGLISH LITERATURE - I > Theme https://in.pinterest.com/pin/539024649122474495/ > Analysis > Refugee Mother and Child www.cuidol.in https://www.google.com/search?q=Refugee+ All right are reserved with CU-IDOL Mother+and+Child+Chinua+Achebe&rlz=1C1 CHBD_enIN701IN701 Unit-6-7(BAQ105)

BACKGROUND 5 Rabindranath Tagore is one of the greatest poets of India. He has https://www.google.com/search?q=theme+where composed various poems, stories, essays, novels, dramas and songs. +the+mind+is+without+fear&tbm=isch&ved=2ah  The poem \"Where the mind is without fear\" was written during the All right are reserved with CU-IDOL period when India was struggling for freedom from the British rule.  It was a part of ‘Gitanjali’, a compilation of all his poems which was published in English in 1912.In this poem, Rabindranath Tagore expresses his love for his country and prays to the Almighty for its well being.  In his prayer, the poet says that his countrymen should not live in fear anymore and must do away with the evils of society.  They must live with respect, dignity, honesty and perfection. He prays to God for the freedom of his beloved nation. www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105)

MAIN THEMES IN RABINDRANATH TAGORE’S 6 POEMS  The main theme of Rabindranath Tagore’s poetry is the essential unity (or continuity) of all creation, which is also the main theme of the ancient Hindu Upanishads. Indeed, a brief summary of Hindu belief provides a useful introduction to Tagore’s work. According to Hindu thought, the only absolute, unchanging, eternal thing is Brahman, the supreme being or world soul who forms the essence of everything.  Gitanjali Song Offerings Published in 1910, Gitanjali Song Offerings is Tagore’s most popular work. The English edition, published in 1912, includes translations not only from the original Gitanjali but also from other collections, particularly Naivedya (offerings). As light work to keep his mind occupied, Tagore did the translations himself while he was convalescing from an illness at Shelidah and on board a ship for Great Britain. He showed them to British friends who wanted to read his work. They in turn, showed the translations to William Butler Yeats, and the result was English publication followed by the 1913 Nobel Prize in Literature. www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

WHERE THE MIND IS WITHOUT FEAR – 7 RABINDRANTH TAGORE  Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high  Where knowledge is free  Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls  Where words come out from the depth of truth  Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection  Background Rabindranath Tagore is one of the greatest poets of India. He has composed various poems, stories, essays, novels, dramas and songs. The poem “Where the mind is without fear” was written during the period when India was struggling for freedom from the British rule. It was a part of ‘Gitanjali’, a compilation of all his poems which was published in English in 1912. www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

THEME 8  The poem was composed in the early 1900s when India was struggling for independence from the British rule. It is the poet’s prayer to the Almighty, seeking his guidance and support to help the countrymen attain freedom. The poem is patriotic in nature. The poet expresses his love for his country and speaks about the vision he has for India and its people. https://www.slideshare.net/Tamanna-Amir/lesson-31831199 Unit-6-7(BAQ105) https://englicist.com/notes/summary-where-the-mind-is-w www.cuidol.in ithout-fear-rabindranath-tagore All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

ANALYSIS 9  Where knowledge is free The poem begins with these two short lines which are the basis of the hopes that Tagore has for his country. These partial sentences, along with the following six are finished by the last line of the poem in which Tagore explains, these are places into which he wishes India would wake up. That a change will come over the country and it will be able to move to a more culturally and politically free period.  “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high,” ‘fear’ in this line refers to the fear inculcated in the minds of Indians under the British rule. Here the poet is speaking about the miserable life led by people dominated by the British. The poet envisions India as a country where the people’s minds are free from fear and they live a dignified life. He also wants to. www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

 Where the world has not been broken up into fragments 10 By narrow domestic walls The third statement describing this ideal world refers to home and societal life and the way in which women and men are separated, and how narrow their differences are. This idea of walls can also be expanded to once again include different classes of people, a problem faced by the Indian people for decades. www.cuidol.in https://www.google.com/search?q=theme+where+the+mind+is+without+fear&tbm=isch&ved=2 All right are reserved with CU-IDOL ahUKEwivrYDpg_noA Unit-6-7(BAQ105)

REFUGEE MOTHER AND CHILD 11  Historical Context to Refugee Mother and Child Chinua Achebe was born to the Igbo of southeastern Nigeria in 1930, putting him in Nigeria at the exact right time for British colonialism to begin dictating the lives of the Igbo in the form of the Royal Niger Company. A number of events that took place during his colonial education were later recorded in his works; there are a number of parallels, for instance, between things he observed as a child and events that take place in “Things Fall Apart,” his first novel. Refugee Mother and Child Themes Motherly Love The main theme of this poem is motherly love. One proverb in particular that relates to the poem is “Love never |gets lost, it’s only kept.” This proverb means love is a feeling you can never www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

• Historical Context to Refugee Mother and Child Chinua Achebe was born to the Igbo of southeastern 12 Nigeria in 1930, putting him in Nigeria at the exact right time for British colonialism to begin dictating the lives of the Igbo in the form of the Royal Niger Company. A number of events that took place duri-ng his colonial education were later recorded in his works; there are a number of parallels, for instan-ce, between things he observed as a child and events that take place in “Things Fall Apart, ” his first novel. www.cuidol.in https://www.slideshare.net/rickneale/refugee-mother-and-child-by-chinua-achebe All right are reserved with CU-IDOL Unit-6-7(BAQ105)

Summary 13 • Chinua Achebe is a great Nigerian novelist poet and short story writer. His first novel “Things Fall Apart” has been translated into 45 languages. His poem “Refugee Mother and Child” is a celebration of motherhood. It is a refugee camp somewhere in Africa. The poet gives us a realistic picture of a mother and her child. But the poet draws our attention to a particular mother and her child. They are compared with St. Mary holding infant Jesus in her arms. Madonna loves her child because Jesus is the Saviour of mankind and the son of God. The world worships her and her child. Juxtaposed with this, the poet introduces a poor ordinary, unknown mother and child. The mother knows her child is slowly dying. It is of no use caring for him. www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

REFUGEE MOTHER AND CHILD INTRODUCTION 14 “Refugee Mother and Child” is a poem composed by Chinua Achebe depicting the destitution and starvation of displaced people. The poem is about a displaced person, mother and her child who endure in the arms of neediness. In the long run, her child perishes and as a mother she feels despondency, upset and vulnerable. In the poem, Achebe joined love, lament, religion,confidence, enduring, recollections, agony and change into the lives of the outcasts’ mom and tyke. Chinua Achebe expressed “Refugee Mother and Child” as a reaction to his experienced childhood in neediness, with unprivileged kids and enduring, and felt propelled by their psychological quality. All through the poem, Achebe drives us to a comprehension of mother`s delicate love. In 1967, common war broke out in Nigeria when the Catholic ruled region of Biafra endeavoured autonomy from the Moslem overwhelmed focal state. Amid those pivotal years, Achebe filled in as a minister for the Biafran government. The war went severely for the Biafrans who endured hugely, and starvation was overflowing. The writer’s first hand involvement of the hardship and battle propelled him to state “Displaced person Mother and Kid”. www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

REFUGEE MOTHER AND CHILD THEMES 15 • Motherly Love The main theme of this poem is motherly love. One proverb in particular that relates to the poem is “Love never gets lost, it’s only kept.” This proverb means love is a feeling you can never get rid of. This proverb relates to the poem with the mother’s relationship with her child. Even when the child has passed away, the mother still will always love her child regardless. A mother’s love is the strongest love no matter what the situation is. This proverb can also relate to another proverb that is written “Love is a pain killer.” A mother will go through hell and back for their loved ones no matter what. Struggle Struggle is another theme of this poem. A proverb that relates to Achebe’s poem is “A united family eats from the same plate.” This proverb means regardless of the situation,family should always be taken care of: even if the family is struggling, not knowing when the next meal will come. The fact of the matter is family is family, nobody should be left behind. This proverb is related to the poem with the idea of struggle. For instance, in the poem it talks about how hungry the children were when it said “struggling in labored steps behind blown empty bellies.” This relates because if one person starved they all starved, even though they tried their best to survive in their situation, it was hard because they were in a refugee camp. www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 1. Tireless striving’ tell us about 16 (a) Continuous efforts (c) Blind faith (b) Enthusiastic efforts (d) Strike hard 2 Where the mind is led forward by thee means (a) Heaven (b) Nation (c) God (d) People 3.What is the scene described in the poem of? (a) A war (b) A flood (c) A refugee camp (d) A prison Answers: 1(a) 2.(c ) 3.(a) www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

SUMMARY 17  The poet envisions India as a country where the people live without any kind of fear or oppression and hold their head high with pride, dignity and self reliance. He also says that knowledge should be attained without any restriction. There should be no discrimination based on caste, creed, race or religion. India must reach towards its goal of attaining freedom and being an ideal nation. The countrymen must possess noble thoughts and do away with all the superstitious beliefs that defy logic and reason.  Chinua Achebe is a great Nigerian novelist poet and short story writer. His first novel “Things Fall Apart” has been translated into 45 languages. His poem “Refugee Mother and Child” is a celebration of motherhood. It is a refugee camp somewhere in Africa. The poet gives us a realistic picture of a mother and her child. Hundreds of poor people are thrown out of their homes due to political disturbances or natural calamities. The refugees are in a miserable condition. There are innumerable mothers and children in the same miserable condition in the refugee camp. Their children are slowly dying of poverty and diseases.  But the poet draws our attention to a particular mother and her child. They are compared with St. Mary holding infant Jesus in her arms. Madonna loves her child because Jesus is the saviour of mankind and the son of God. The world worships her and her child. Juxtaposed with this, the poet introduces a poor ordinary, unknown mother and child. The mother knows her child is slowly dying. It is of no use caring for him. Other mothers in the camp know this truth about their children and so they are careless about their dying children. www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

Frequently Asked Questions 18 1. Who is the poet of ‘Where the mind is without fear’? (For more information see SLM) Ans: Rabindranath Tagore is the poet. 2. In an ideal nation what should not be there? (For more information see SLM) Ans: There should be no discrimination based on caste, creed, race or religion. India must reach towards its goal of attaining freedom and being an ideal nation. 3. Give the detail of the poet “Refugee Mother and child”? (For more information see SLM) Ans: Chinua Achebe is a great Nigerian novelist poet and short story writer. His first novel “Things Fall Apart” has been translated into 45 languages. His poem “Refugee Mother and Child” is a celebration of motherhood. 4. To whom is the mother in the poem is compared to? (For more information see SLM) Ans: They are compared with St. Mary holding infant Jesus in her arms. Madonna loves her child because Jesus is the Saviour of mankind and the son of God. www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

REFERENCES 19 1. Tagore, Rabindranath. Gitanjali. London: Macmillan and Co., Limited, St.Martin’s Street, 1913. 2. Selected Letters of Rabindranath Tagore. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1997. 3. The Religion of Man, Appendix II. London: George, Allen & Unwin, Ltd., 1931. Print. 4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinua_Achebe 5. https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2013/mar/26/chinua-achebe-leader-of-ge 6. https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/refugee-mother-and-child/ 7. https://poemanalysis.com/refugee-mother-and-child-by-chinua-achebe-poem-analysis/ www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL

20 THANK YOU For queries Email: [email protected] www.cuidol.in Unit-6-7(BAQ105) All right are reserved with CU-IDOL