Words Come Out: Poem by Alok Mishra

Words Come Out

It melts; it freezes;

Swings with blows and sympathy,

Swells with love and affection.

Wind pats the soul;

Melting emotion

Within reservoir of heart

Comes and embrace Eternal Ocean

Where no voice is dead!

Monday, 20 October 2014

Alok Mishra

For Rupesh: Synopsis of some poems by Auden, de la Mare, and John Donne

Sweetest Love, I Do Not Goe

The poem written by Donne is a parting poem (often written in Elizabethan and the age just ahead). In the flux of the poem, simply the poet is consoling his beloved who is weeping at his departure. Donne is a master of images and so he reflects some of his imagery skills here. The first image he makes to console his beloved is that of the Sun. According to the poet, the Sun comes daily and daily goes in the western horizon. He follows his routine daily without taking a leave. Even without having sense or any desire, the Sun rises daily! The poet, however, has senses and desires to be with his beloved life-long; so, anywhere the poet goes, he would return to his beloved!

Hard Times: A Study of the Theme, Characters, and the Motive

 

Tennyson in his In Memoriam taught the Victorian world the lesson of Soul and tried successfully to pacify his own aching heart. So did the great scholar of that age, Arnold. He escaped with his gypsy and left the world exposed to material pursuits and selfishness. However, Dickens only could do what they could not do; Dickens showed the world the truth- the real figure of life. He tried to bring in what was expelled out from the mechanic life of the Victorian people.

Hard Times, one of the many masterpieces by Dickens, torches the growing utilitarianism in the Victorian society. Moreover, Dickens exposes the commercialization of education, manpower and even the leisure of people in the form circus. However, Dickens, the one ranked next only to Shakespeare in appeal, does not leave the world astray in the dry world of mechanism; he shows the way towards a better life with all the virtues of heart instead of the facts and figures world. For this purpose, Dickens draws the three noble and humble character in his novel- Louisa, Sissy, and the poor fated Rachael. These three ladies are tender heated, affectionate towards goodness and the aesthetic values in life and abhors the selfish people who are in the guise of goodness and welfare. On the other side, there are characters like Mr Gradgrind, Bounderby, M’Choakumchild, Tom and Harthouse. These characters, when unified together, take a pose of storm and are ready to slay the noble and gentle souls, crush them within an eye’s blink with the imposing education, loveless affection, ingratitude and faithlessness, and selfish ends.

When we examine from the beginning, where the innocents are being murdered, we can point that all attempts of blowing the little candles are in vain. Gradgrind, as a man as his name is, is always ready to crush the rose buds under his legs. In his school, in Stone-Lodge, everywhere he is reinforcing the facts and figures theory upon his children Tom and Louisa. His doctrine, however, cannot hold the knots of restriction upon the hearts of children fastened; very soon he finds Tom and Louisa ‘peeping with all might’ the circus act. His facts taste the first defeat:

“Thomas, though I have the fact before me, I find it difficult to believe…”

The tiny hole in the circus camp represents a ray of hope in the life of Louisa, as she very soon finds Sissy in her home to accompany her in the loneliness. Now, the stone man of Stone-Lodge, Gradgrind attempts every possible way to poison the heart of Sissy with facts and figures. Sissy, however, with a single ray of hope in life that a day her father would return, bears everything but keeps herself unchanged. She does not let the venom of dry facts and colourless figures enter inside her heart.

“… to the question, “What is the first principle of this science?” the absurd answer, “To do unto others as I would that they should do unto me.”

Sissy returns the golden rule from the Bible for the questions of science. She only accepts education and does not welcome the ugly selfish knowledge to grind one’s own axe. Here also, the little candle inside the heart of Sissy cannot be blown dark by Gradgrind and Choakumchild. Later, with only hope that Tom can get better position, Louisa, despite her all broken dreams, accepts the bully, Bounderby as her husband. She loves Tom and sacrifices her life almost for his good only! However, during the conversation of marriage proposal by Bounderby, when Gradgrind asks Louisa if she had some secret proposal from anyone else, she very humbly utters:

“… What other proposal can have been made to me? Whom have I seen? Where have I been? What are my heart’s experiences?”

This reply from Louisa exposes all about the dry and emotionless life of the girl at Stone-Lodge. Yet, the ray of hope that her brother could do well, wins over the virgin heart of this innocent lady…

Loveless marriage, wooing of a countryman, Harthouse and the faithlessness of Tom, the brother whom she loves, aids to the growing morbidity of Louisa. She returns back to Stone-Lodge, but only to change the once tender heart of the now stone man to softness once again. Moreover, the ray of hope again comes from the tiny hole, conspicuous in the discourse of Gradgrind and Bounderby.

“… The enlightenment has been painfully forced upon me, and discovery is not mine…”

“I-I had intended to recommend, my dear Bounderby, that you should allow Louisa to remain here on a visit, and be attended by Sissy, who understands her, and in whom she trusts.”

At last, we see that the pride-pyramid of Gradgrind’s facts and figures falls down and accepts its loss near faith, hope and charity. Another, one Rachael, I’d like to quote at last, nurses the mad wife of the thorn and thorn won Stephen Blackpool. Rachael becomes the friend to Sissy. Louisa is nurtured and loved by Sissy and her children grant Louisa the tender love that she lacked. Tom, the faithless brother is forgiven and sent away by the clever Sissy to save the cap of Gradgrind. It is Sissy, the sole solace, who pardons the refuge to everyone trapped in the world of facts and figures. Thus, the candle light horns the triumph over storms and keeps the world warm with a ray of hope from the tiny hole. 

Becky Sharp: Character Sketch: Vanity Fair: William Thackeray

This is a formal start for the sketch, you will get a base then you have to put your own ideas in play.

One of the most animated characters, sharpest woman character, and perhaps the most cunning of all female protagonists that have been created so far by the pen of any author, Becky Sharp, the character of Vanity Fair, reflects all these qualities from her personality and actions. She is short but not at all short in her wit. She smiles with the most gracious movements of her lips but strikes the sentiments of the victim so ungraciously! Becky Sharp justifies her name and she is sharp from all the angles one can observe.

Becky, the ill-bred girl with some inherit gifts like French in natural accent and humour to amuse all around her, is very ambitious since her childhood. Ambition- something like integrated in the character of Becky, we may say that it is the gift of the society to her. When in the Pinkerton’s school, everyone is harsh towards Becky except Amelia only. (Amelia has the reason; Thackeray has made her stupid.) The harsh behaviour of the school, Pinkerton’s now and then rebuke on Becky makes Becky ill and sick with the typical Victorian arrogance to grow up and up in the society. Moreover, the Pinkerton’s style, the Pinkerton’s hatred, and everything about modern and socially aware Pinkerton enter into the life of Becky and later we see that Becky is the perfect resemblance of Pinkerton.    ..............

The Lion in Love

Aesop’s Fable (47)

Love slays the mightiest heart; it does.

The barbarous jaws, eager paws,

And eyes with tremendous fire,

A lion ties no calendar or laws,

He kills in East and wounds in Shire!

Once ages ago, a lion fell in love

And demanded woodcutter’s daughter.

Ah! but the love was not any above

Of mere infatuation for the slaughter.

‘I want your girl as my wife’

Said the blind lion to the poor man,

For whom it was on his life

To deny the proposal of mighty insane!

‘Lust like glutton dies.’

The witty woodcutter found a way.

With humble guise in voice, he said:

‘O lion, my daughter fears the play

‘Of your sharp teeth and claws, so made

‘A pleading- you let me take out

‘The agents of fear- the teeth and claws

‘And she will end her fearful bout

‘To swear with you the marriage vows.’

The wanton, the lewd, without any delay,

Was ready for his Pride and Life

To be very easily taken away,

For nothing but a ‘mere’ wife!

Losing thus the pearl, the clam went

Without guessing the certain loss

That fate for him would invent.

Days passed, the lion came

Back with his demand with pride,

Alas! He returned with guilt and shame

Instead of smiles, gain and ‘mere’ bride!

Sunday, 10 November 2013

The Demo Essay (The Education System of India)

Education is said to be the basic and essential need of the human beings. In the words of Vivekananda, “Education is the manifestation of perfection that is already within us.” Moreover, it is true and proved that without the education no country can touch the shores of development. Today, in our country India, we are facing a conflict of ideas; and this is the result of the education policy of our country that is baseless to an extent! No student is secure about his future whether he is studying in MBA, BA, and B. Tech or any other programs.

Except these facts, if we consider the basic structure of our education policy, we will find several bitter realities those chide the bombastic boasting of the Indian Government and Indian constitution. We know that the education for the children of six to fourteen is free of cost. However, this promise made in our constitution seems just a joke when we see the poor boys and girls begging in trains, sweeping in the homes of aristocratic families, selling tobaccos and other smoking materials etc. The other much anticipated program of the Indian Government was mid-day-meal policy; it failed in many ways; and the recent massacre were just the most grotesque failure of it! Therefore, instead of boosting the children to go to school, it has done the rather contrary work. No parents will send their children to the school to eat poisonous food, drink poisonous water, and die!

We have other conspicuous loopholes in our education system. Particularly, the most highlighted is the lack of qualified teachers in schools, colleges, and universities. We see daily in the newspapers the humorous news of school inspections and teachers failing to solve the sums of class three or failing to write their names on the blackboard! Who is responsible for this pathetic condition of the education system of the country who was once the ‘guru’ of the world? Indeed, we will look lefts and rights instead of searching for the real culprit; because we know that to an extent, the country people are also responsible for this situation, which is the real headache for us. 

And now, you need to carry on this essay in this way. You have to present the arguments in paragraphs P. All the best, I want to see you doing best. 

Mighty and the Weak, A poem by Alok Mishra

Mighty and the Weak

Difficile est proprie communia dicere.

In solace of night, two tormented fought

Over the issue of right to exist,

It is though accepted, anticipated and sought,

Weaker for the stronger is always a feast!

Poor candle with her tender light,

In the dense dark, served a sight.

Mighty wind with his bloody eager sword

Was ready to slay the sweet poor chord.

‘Pardon me, my frail existence, show mercy

‘O broad chested, O devouring wind

‘Omit me of your morsel, set free

‘I beg you… my life, not you grind!’

Pleaded thus, she stood calm, and did wait

For the reply of her piranha, her fate,

And he, the swollen might, in anger tried

To make her afraid, he thus replied:

‘I’m mighty; I love mighty; you be mighty

‘Or I slay you, you feeble poor creature!

‘To do you justice, to endure propriety

‘Are for the mighty like me just a torture!

‘To maintain peace, you weaker must die

‘And with peace and hope in grave lie!’

The gentle flame, the thin spirit, the brave soul

Boldly stood but in calm pose she listened his whole.

‘For the perils like you, might is right.

‘In His abode, where justice happens always,

‘Still the echoes say that right is might,

‘There devils are imprisoned and put in cage.’

The candle, true and upright, but weak,

Said these in her tender voice, so meek.

Arrogant and wild, the mighty wind lost sense,

For the thirsty of blood, nothing is offense!

With a blow, he collected some dry leaves

And pushed the innocent flame over them.

Pathetic! How one of her life he bereaves

With no regret, no mercy, and no shame!

The melting candle, dying of enormous pain,

Thought she how her stronger sisters grew insane!

‘How your beautiful earth will survive?

‘Shall you see with silence, or thrive?

‘If your world is for the might and power,

‘Why do you make creepers sans bower?’

With these words, she melted; she did die!

But she left questions to God, to be done.

The God who sits and watches all from high

The world that with same Moon and Sun,

To escape from these questions always does try…

Alok Mishra

28-07-2013