The New Website of Alok Mishra

Dear friends and readers,
Alok Mishra will share his personal opinions on various events nationally and internationally on his new personal and official website. The main purpose of his website is to 'loud the voice in words,' as his company logo displays.
Alok Mishra will keep writing on English literature as he used to in the past. You can read his useful articles as usual, however, in a more professional and precise way.
Alok hopes to get your support and readership as before.

Alok Mishra Official Website

This is the link to his official website.

Thoughts on the poetry, theory, and a poet by Alok Mishra

The world has moved far ahead of the Wordsworthian age. Now, you are not in a position to expect sheer romantic verses romancing with nature from a poet. In fact, even a versatile figure like T. S. Eliot seems out of the context in the present scenario. Why did the circumstances change? To be able to be in a position from where you can ponder about the current developments in English poetry, you have to think certain facts.

In the past, there used to be a parallel line that connected the creation and theory. By theory, I mean the literary theory of a particular age. Several instances are the neo-classical theory, romantic theory, and post-modern theory. For the clarity of thoughts, the romantic theory dominated later eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Poets were producing the works that moved along with it. Keats, Byron, Shelley, and others wrote great romantic poems. However, what is the theory that governs today's poetical canvas? Thinking from another side of the thread, what theory do the poets keep in mind when they compose? Apparently, there is no theory today! I remember to have read in a book of literary theory that the present age, in fact, is a no-theory age. Poets enjoy the liberty to write what suits them.

Getting into the debate to a further level, the social and cultural conditions, that are somehow disordered, add additional pain to the writing of poets. The question of any 'how,' if it arises at any level, may seek an answer in the poem by Harold Pinter - "Modern Love". The poem describes the absence of feeling from the act of love. Moreover, it also shows the disgust of poet for the soulless society.

There is a classic phrase that like gets like. The life of modern people has actually become lifeless. That, a poet is someone from the society is an inevitable truth! Now, what a poet will write will be the same that he feels and observes.

"The hollow eyes,

scrutinizes the hollow apartments

hiding the hollow men

inside."

What else can one expect from a poet? The seeds of this hollowness on the pages of poetry have the roots in ancient times. Matthew Arnold and his 'melancholy roar' depicts the story well. T. S. Eliot further protracted the story by adding his wrath in that roar. Today, the poets are in a quandary over what to write and what to avoid. They have much to write; they have much to avoid!

Do you write such articles on literary theory and poetry? Please submit your articles for publication in the international journal Ashvamegh (ISSN: 2454-4574). The address is http://ashvamegh.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alok_Mishra

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9139294

Re-Defining Literature and trying to establish what is Literature

Re-Defining Literature

Literature, in a weird sense, can be said to be a genuinely rendered sum total of someone’s sociological, psychological, philosophical, anthropological, historical, theosophical, ontological, scientific, and political sense. Now, that I say it, I have already asked for an apology that I might sound complicated. However, if one sits to frame literature within a certain framework, either he will run away pinching his hairs or he will not be able to digest something said by a Victorian figure after reading something by Terry Eagleton. That is why Literature needs a definition that can suit everyone's perception.

The definition that I have put forth is not a rash verdict. Moreover, nor is it a display of the little knowledge I have earned. The line that I speak of Literature has come to my mind after examining various works of Literature itself. Yet, I confirm that I find this definition lacking a lot! Let us assume a novelist writing a novel. Undoubtedly, he/she will take the inspiration from history; put a layer of the psychological, philosophical and sociological sense; give the resultant a certain political turn and if necessary, there is going to be a sort of theosophical polish! Nevertheless, it is never essential that we find all these in a literary piece. I remember a novel, Animal Farm. It does not give you anything else except the sarcastic political commentary and yes, the fun! The things that it lacks are theosophical sense and ontological sense, at the least. However, it is a piece of literature because it has a good number of elements as per the theory propagated above. Having said that, the conclusion that we arrive at is - we cannot give a 'proper' definition of Literature. Nevertheless, I think that I have tried something in this field...

Alok Mishra

Editor-in-Chief

Ashvamegh

Ashvamegh... the literary flight Ashvamegh Journal

Dear authors, poets, writers, Greetings of the season.

We have started a new online international journal Ashvamegh… the literary flight at www.ashvamegh.net

You can submit your articles, poems, essays or whatever you write to us round the year; however, you can have a chance to be featured in the very first issue of the journal to come in February if you submit now!

Like us on http://facebook.com/Ashvamegh

Follow us on http://twitter.com/AshvameghJourn

Visit us at www.ashvamegh.net

(Ashvamegh Journal, Poetry, Journal, Ashvamegh literary flight, February issue, Alok Mishra)

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

Wordsworth and Nature... Debate. Issue. Poetry of Wordsworth and Nature. Poet Wordsworth and Nature Poetry

CONCLUSION

It is well-known in the world of poetry readers and literary persons that nature and Wordsworth more or less work like synonymous to each other. Without nature, the poetry of Wordsworth is nothing; since the beginning of his poetic career to the end of his poetry, one can easily find the impression that nature marked upon him and his poetry. Nature is the inevitable force when we talk about the poetry of Wordsworth; it works like the central object around which the cobweb of Wordsworth’s poetry is weaved. Nature to Wordsworth means everything in his last stage… however, it was not a sudden ‘flash’, rather it was a gradual process that integrated nature to the poetry and even the life of Wordsworth. Nature in the beginning was only of a ‘secondary pursuit’ to the poet and eventually it became the ‘mistress’ and later ‘mother’ and sustainer of the poet. All the story, Wordsworth records in his celebrated autobiography – The Prelude.

To Wordsworth, nature does not only mean the object to see and be pleased with; he perceives nature as offering security and protection to the world, to humankind, and acting like an authority to manage the movements of the environment. Writes an author about this unique trait of Wordsworth:

“In Wordsworth’s The River Duddon: A Series of Sonnets (1820), the speaker is again drawn to the thought that nature actively protects – as the stream descends from bare upland, ‘to form a shade / For Thee, green alders have together wound / Their foliage; ashes flung their arms around; / And birch-trees risen in silver colonnade’. In the sequence, individual sonnets present different parts of the landscape, often raising the possibility of an allegorical meaning for them, sometimes making it unmistakable. In this case, the trees are like parents watching over and nurturing the young stream; the course of a life, charted by the stream, has reached childhood and nature’s nursing of the human soul is visible in the trees’ protective efforts and again, a moment later, in the cottage nearby where a ‘mother’s eyes / Carelessly watched’ her children at play (Sonnet 5). This movement of thought is typical of the sonnets and, as here, the fancifulness of Wordsworth’s language draws attention to the mind creating the allegorical sense at the same time as it claims that that sense is genuinely present.” ¹

Indeed, to Wordsworth, ‘human soul is visible in the trees.’ Wordsworth is a unique poet with such blessed eyes that can actually see nature and human so commingling that one without the other cannot exist! When the sister of the poet calls him to stay with her, he composes a poem and writes the first line:

“On Nature’s invitation do I come,” ²

For Wordsworth, it was not merely the call of his sister, rather it was the call of Nature unto him… it was in the habit of Wordsworth, in his poetry and his sensibility to relate everything to Nature. A serious poetry reader can find certainly the quality in the poetry of Wordsworth that mingles human emotions and sufferings with nature – nature that endures all; nature that returns only good; and nature that acts like the guardian to humankind! It is the company of nature that lets Wordsworth listen –

“The still, sad music of humanity,”

And for the asylum, for the peace Wordsworth releases himself in the arms of nature and so he advises to everyone else. Wordsworth is the genuine flag-holder of the romantic revival’s call that advocates ‘return to the nature’.

Wordsworth wished always the development of humankind and the mutual harmony between man and man, and man and nature, ‘By Nature’s kind and ever-present aid’.

At last, to conclude this dissertation, there is no better way than quoting his lines that muse the Nature:

“The spot was made by Nature for herself;

The travellers know it not, and 't will remain

Unknown to them; but it is beautiful;

And if a man should plant his cottage near,

Should sleep beneath the shelter of its trees.

And blend its waters with his daily meal,

He would so love it, that in his death-hour

Its image would survive among his thoughts:” ³

REFERENCES

1.     Stephen Gill, The Cambridge Companion to Wordsworth. p. 193.

2.     William Wordsworth, The Complete Poetical Works of Wordsworth (New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1919), p. 213.

3.     Ibid. p. 310.

Further Reading

Primary Sources:

1.     Wordsworth, William. The Complete Poetical Works of Wordsworth. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1919.

2.     Wordsworth, William. The Collected Poems of William Wordsworth. Hertfordshire: Wordsworth Editions Limited, 2006.

3.     Wordsworth, William. The Prelude. Agra: Narain, 2007.

4.     Wordsworth, William. Selected Poems. New Delhi: Vimal Prakashan, 2006.

Secondary Sources:

1.     Herford, Charles H. The Age of Wordsworth. Kolkata: Books Way, 2008.

2.     Gill, Stephen. The Cambridge Companion to Wordsworth.

3.     Hopkins, Kenneth. English Poetry: A Short History. New York: J. B. Lippincott Company, 1962.

4.     Legouis, Emily and Louis Cazamian. History of English Literature. Gurgaon: Macmillan, 2012.

5.     EVANS, Ifor. A Short History of English Literature. Noida: Penguin, 1990.

Arun Kolatkar: Poem Woman by Kolatkar: MA Syllabus: MU, PU

Woman by Kolatkar

a woman may collect cats read thrillers
her insomnia may seep through the great walls of history
a lizard may paralyze her
a sewing machine may bend her
moonlight may intercept the bangle
circling her wrist

a woman my name her cats
the circulating library
may lend her new thrillers
a spiked man may impale her
a woman may add
a new recipe to her scrapbook

judiciously distilling her whimper the city lights
may declare it null and void
in a prodigious weather
above a darkling woman
surgeons may shoot up and explode
in a weather fraught with forceps
woman may damn
man

a woman may shave her legs regularly
a woman may take up landscape painting
a woman may poison
twenty three cockroaches

This is a poem by Arun Kolatkar, often prescribed in MA Syllabus of many universities. Hope this article will help you. Soon, the analysis will be placed here. 

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!

Moments with Oneself: Poem by Alok Mishra: Artist and Art~~ the thought

Moments with Oneself

‘They liked it, but demanded

‘More openness in my art

‘Before I am eligible to be displayed!’

An artist with heavy heart

Closed his eyes, thought and prayed.

‘You will do.’ He commanded

To his soul in dilemma and dismay.

A horrible cry of silence spread…

Accepted the dejected, having no other way

But the only choice for bread.

Dead artist cannot produce art!

Friday, 25 July 2014

Alok Mishra

A Passage to India: E. M. Forster: Themes: Synopsis: Details

Theme of A Passage to India

A Passage to India, the novel, is the masterpiece of twentieth century, written by the great novelist of the age, E. M. Forster. This novel reveals the heart of a nation; the heart of the inhabitants of a nation; and the heart of the outsiders dwelling inside a nation. Forster presents his ideas and views about the countrymen and the British in a very well manner. He has visited India many times; this is the record of his first visit to India which he made in the year 1914. This novel records various events, important religious believes, relationship between English and Indians.

Political Themes:

Thematically the story begins over dinner in Hamidullah’s house where Dr Aziz and another friend Mehmoud Ali discuss ‘whether or not it is possible to be friends with an English man’. Mehmoud Ali argues that it is not. Hamidullah disagrees. He contends that it is possible in England. He had been to that country long ago, and received a cordial welcome at Cambridge. In India, any English man (Torton or Burton) changes his attitude in two years and any English women in six months. Leaving aside exceptions, English men become distrustful and feel superior, English women appear haughty and venal. When the English arrive in India, they intend to be gentleman but are told by their country men it will not do. So they change. Turton was a gentle man once, now he is not. Mr fielding is gentleman today, tomorrow he may not be.

Culture Clash

At the heart of A Passage to India −and in the background−Is a clash between two

fundamentally different cultures, those of East and West. The British poet Rudyard

Kipling, who was born in India and lived there for several years as an adult, wrote:

"East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet."_ Without quoting or

acknowledging Kipling, Forster adopts this premise as a central theme of A Passage to

India.

The West is represented by the Anglo−Indians (the British administrators and their

families in India) in Chandrapore. They form a relatively small but close−knit

community. They live at the civil station, apart from the Indians. Their social life

centers around the Chandrapore Club, where they attempt to recreate the

entertainments that would be found in England. Although these Westerners wish to

maintain good relations with the Easterners whom they govern, they have no desire to

"understand" India or the Indians. Early in the book Ronny Heaslop remarks that "No

one can even begin to think of knowing this country until he has been in it twenty

years."' When Adela Quested rebukes him for his attitudes, he replies that "India isn't

home"−that is, it is not England.

God and Religion

E. M. Forster was not a religious man nor a religious writer. However, religion is a

major preoccupation in the book. India is seen as a meeting point of three of the

world's historic religions−Islam, Christianity, and Hinduism. Indeed, the three parts of

the book−"Mosque," "Cave," and "Temple"−generally correspond to these religions.

Aziz loves the cultural and social aspects of his Moslem (Islamic) heritage, but he

seems less concerned with its theology and religious practice. He is aware that

Moslems are in the minority in India, and he thus feels a special kinship with other

Moslems such as Hamidullah. The Anglo−Indians are nominal representatives of

Christianity, although there is little overt sign of such Christian virtues as charity,

love, and forgiveness. Ronny Heaslop admits that for him Christianity is fine in its

place, but he does not let It interfere with his civil duty. Mrs. Moore is basically

Christian in her outlook. However, she experiences a crisis of faith during her visit to

the Marabar Caves, and her belief in God or in any meaning to life is destroyed.

Hinduism is the main religion of India, and Professor Godbole is the central Hindu

figure in the book. He is also, by far, the most religious character. For Godbole,

Hinduism is "completeness, not reconstruction." The central principle of this religion

is the total acceptance of things as they are. Forster suggests that this is the most

positive spiritual approach to life. It is also most representative of the true spirit of

India.

(Taken from a book)

William Wordsworth and Nature: Poetry of Wordsworth: Role of Nature... A Piece describing the connection of these two

It is well-known in the world of poetry readers and literary persons that nature and Wordsworth more or less work like synonymous to each other. Without nature, the poetry of Wordsworth is nothing; since the beginning of his poetic career to the end of his poetry, one can easily find the impression that nature marked upon him and his poetry. Nature is the inevitable force when we talk about the poetry of Wordsworth; it works like the central object around which the cobweb of Wordsworth’s poetry is weaved. Nature to Wordsworth means everything in his last stage… however, it was not a sudden ‘flash’, rather it was a gradual process that integrated nature to the poetry and even the life of Wordsworth. Nature in the beginning was only of a ‘secondary pursuit’ to the poet and eventually it became the ‘mistress’ and later ‘mother’ and sustainer of the poet. All the story, Wordsworth records in his celebrated autobiography – The Prelude.

Alok Mishra awarded Best Student of the Batch Award (MA in English, Nalanda College, Biharsharif)

On 27th of AUGUST this year, Alok Mishra, student of Nalanda College, Biharsharif, was awarded the "BEST STUDENT OF THE BATCH of MA IN ENGLISH LITERATURE STUDENTS" award. This award was given on the day of their farewell. Dr. Swarn Prabhat, honourable head of the English Department awarded Alok Mishra the award. The Principal and other faculties of the English department and other departments as well were present on the event. 

Here are some photos of the event:

Here is a list of the persons who attended the Farewell Function cum Homour Ceremony of the Faculties of English Department, Nalanda College, Biharsharif:

Dr. S. N. Sinha - Current Principal, Nalanda College, Biharsharif

Dr. Swarn Prabhat - Head, Dept. of English

Dr. R. K. Paramhansa - Faculty, Dept. of English

V. P. Sinha - Faculty, Dept. of English

N. K. Dar - Faculty, Dept. of English

Dr. Ishwarchand - Head, Dept. of Hindi

Manjar Ali - Faculty, Dept. of English

Dr. K. K. Jetley - Faculty, Dept. of Hindi

Dr. Z. M. Sabir - Head. Dept. of Urdu

and many others.

361 Degrees

361 Degrees

Corpses float eaten, sunk by worms

In the vale of death.

Away of trust, faith

Steps move endlessly – no rules or norms!

What is changed?

Same earth; the same mirth;

The same animal imagery in verse!

Same round and round movement

Of our planet in the universe…

Ah!

Only change I see is the curve –

The new 361 degrees shape of our earth!

Saturday, 20 September 2014

Alok Mishra

COMMUNAL HARMONY IN INDIA. COMMUNALISM. HINDU, MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, ESSAY ON COMMUNAL HARMONY IN INDIA

Seeking what is impossible is a ‘sheer foolishness’ in the terms proper! However, looking for what might come true, what has some possibilities, if we are ready to make an effort for that task, is a bright side that we must get into. ‘Communal Harmony’ in our country India is not a daydream! We can achieve this heavenly bliss in our great nation. People of India want it; children of India do not know what to talk about community; they know the muslim boy as a boy and a hindu girl as a girl! When and how did ‘Love Jihad’ occur? Our children do not really understand!

The question arises then who knows all these? Who is the cause? What is the cause behind the scenes who is governing all these bull-shit in our nation? You people know the answer already! Some so called leaders, and mostly the media of our nation. A small issue and the media people are ready to make a hype of it in a single night of debates and ‘bayanbaji’ from the ‘netas’. Did you first see the ‘naked poster’ of Amir Khan? (I think only the netizens must have seen it over some facebook or twitter.) And  the people, the simple people who sat down to watch the news on their television, had to see the nude Amir Khan with a radio in his hands and trying to hide what he wished people to see!

Ah! The dilemma!

People, now we have to be prepared to do what we really need to. To bring down the dream of ‘COMMUNAL HARMONY’ in our nation, try to act with your heart. ALL PEOPLE ARE same. No one is more; no one is less; now understand this ultimate lesson of humanity and accept all with open chest. The leaders will always be in a way of grinding their own axe and making us fool. So do not be more a fool and act like clever, sensible, responsible citizen of our glorious country. Wish you all the best!

#Being Human is not that easy as Salman Khan Thinks!

It takes 12 years to be a high school pass-out. Next three years to be a graduate and two further to be a post graduate. If you need and want – maximum five to ten years to be Doctor of Philosophy! However, it takes more than your lifetime to become a MAN! #Being #Human is the toughest degree that you can have. Go and give it a #TRY.

Alok Mishra

Tragedy: Shakespeare, Greeks, About Tragedy in general.

The Greeks were highly civilized and could see with ease the unidentified simplicity in the baffling variety of human emotions and suffering in relation to an established set of principals. They could present in their dramas all the terrors of living, and their clear vision of life and world order helped them to put things in their proper place.

Their world order was basically religious. It was not a narrow religion, but one which provided not only a broad base but also spiritual adequacy and moral sufficiency to a civilized race of men. It was a religion devoid of dogma, martyrs and sacred books. It was a religion very fleetingly concerned with sin, and one which treated sex as normal human function. It had its concept of “aidos” or punishment and “hamartia” or purification thrust on them by fate or their own destiny beyond the Gods. They had an abundance of tolerance towards Gods of other religions. This made them healthy and profoundly spiritual. Within such a framework there was naturally a greater scope for independent human action and suffering and also for a more wiling sense of reverence. The Greeks were not optimistic of their world but through the freedom to perform the Dionsian act, they thought they could hope to falter their way to the Appolonian grace by way of self realization.

Purification or expiation is the one which brings the full realization of the tragic density of the individual life as well as that of life viewed as a whole. It also vindicates the Gods who allowed things to take its own course and merely watched as spectators. Aristotle understood this concept and proposed of tragedy, and if he led so much emphasis on the catharsis of pity and fear, it was because he wanted the spectators to rise above pity and fear, to be able to see this grand design in tragic drama of life.

The main concern of tragedy is with truth and the pleasure it gives is the pleasure of knoeledge. Plato had used the word catharsis to mean purification or sublimation. Accepting this meaning, Aristotle seems to confirm that tragdye, first by arousing pity and fear, ultimately sublimates and raises the spectator to a state of understanding. Pity and fear in that nakedness distort our vision of truth. Tragedy takes us to various rational responses, culminating in intellectual purification. Plato’s approach to tragedy was emotional. Aristotle sought an intellectual response to tragedy, and that response applied consistently to Shakespeare.

Greek tragedy was myth, ritual and drama, all in one. Their view of tragedy was all encompassingly tragic and gloomy, mainly because their dramas justified the ways of the Gods not in the ethical sense, but in terms of cosmic law and order that their Gods stood for. Shakespeare felt the need for questioning their believes of God as a cosmic, divine power, because he found the existing world more definitely theological than mysteriously cosmic. He, however, did gradually see a design in the suffering of the world and the law of tragedy justifying it. This design he brought out in his tragedies. Shakespeare was always concerned with justice. It varied with his characters and situations though there was a distinct moral purpose in his kind of justice. His justice was sometimes poetic, sometimes tragic, sometimes wild, but it always gave an impression of being just sufficient to serve his tragic cause of rousing pity and fear in audience and finally bringing about both sublimation and nemesis. Shakespeare established a moral order, as his suffering characters grew in stature, and acquired wisdom. Shakespeare’s tragic vision was thus almost similar to that of Aristotle. His approach to tragedy was intellectual and not physical as that of Plato, and catharsis to him was the culmination of the intellectual response to the tragedy.

Samuel Johnson once said Shakespeare’s plays are not “in the rigorous sense either tragedies or comedies, but compositions of distinct kind.” His plays express the course of the world where the malignity of one is sometimes defeated by the frolic of another. Shakespeare united the powers of exciting laughter and sorrow and all his plays are divided between the ludicrous and serious characters, producing sometimes sorrow but on other times joy and laughter.

Yet Shakespearean plays have been divided into comedies, histories and tragedies. Shakespearean tragedy may, in the simplest terms, be stated as a story of exceptional calamity and sorrow, leading mostly to the death of the hero, in high estate. Thus it is prominently the story of one person, the hero, or at most of two, the hero and the heroine, the latter coming into prominence mainly in love tragedies like Romeo and Juliet.

Shakespearean tragedies, however, cannot be typified into any particular slot as has been often stated of late. Each tragedy is a new beginning, a fresh “raid on the inarticulate,” for although there is development there is no repetition. There are even marked differences of manner, approach and intention in each of his tragedies. Thus Othello is a revelation of character and its focus is own individual and domestic qualities. Lear is universal allegory and its dramatic technic is determined by the need to present certain human situations. Macbeth defines a particular kind of evil that results from a lust for power. Antony and Cleopatra brings out a conflict in our moral bearings, in sharp contrast to Macbeth where we are never in any such doubt.

It is too that there are certain similarities. Tragedy, in simple terms, means that the protagonist dies. In Shakespearean tragedy too a hero of high standing dies in the end. Throughout the play he opposes some conflicting force, either external or internal. The tragic hero should be dominated by “hamartia” or a so called tragic flaw, but really an excess of some character outrage, that is “hubris” or pride. It is this “hamartia” that leads to his downfall, and because of his status, to the downfall of others. The action in the tragedy must appear real to the audience, so that its passion or emotion is heightened, and the conclusion of the action thus brings release from the passion.

Tragedy thus purifies the mind by means of pity and terror, which purges the mind of these emotions themselves, and is termed as catharsis. Shakespeare, like Aristotle believed that his hero of a tragedy must never be commonplace and, his faults notwithstanding, must never be inherently bad. The hero must not be depicted in such a manner that when  he comes to his fated end we are only to be pleased and think there has been a good riddance. The disaster should arouse feelings of pity and terror in the minds of the audience; terror because of the terrible consequence of our weakness and the formidable authority which prohibits even a person of hero’s standing to trespass against its decrees; pity at his downfall despise his nobility and grandeur. Since the hero is a man of exceptional intelligence and sensibilities, his sufferings due to his tragic flaw and due to the forces of nature that are trust on him owing to that tragic flaw are also more acute than what may be suffered by ordinary man.

The elements of tragedy have often been split up into three aspects from the point of view of individual action and solution. The three aspects are:

a)     The tragic individual must be the champion of a great purpose into which he devotes his whole existence.

b)    The tragic action must be such that in the story there must be threads which connect the different characters with one another, although each of them must have some special purpose in view.

c)     The tragic solution is usually held to be the triumph of the principal of the ethical world.

Shakespearean tragedy, however, does not follow the above characteristics in their entirety. We do not admit that his tragedy is the work of an arbitrary fate or chance since it proceeds from the activity of the hero. The hero has a fatal flaw despite his noble and honourable existence. It is the combination of these two diverse characteristics that brings out the emotions of pity and fear, as nemesis catches up with him.

Dowden has said that tragedy as convinced by Shakespeare is concerned with the ruin or the restoration of the soul and of the life of man. Its subject is the subject of good and evil in the world. In his tragedies there are certain problems which Shakespeare pronounces as insoluble. He does not say anything about the origin of evil, nor, as her pursues the soul of man, through the unending torture of inferno or through the spheres made happy and radiant by the perennial presence of a benevolent God. According to Shakespeare, evil exists and it exists with an emphasis. In the same way, pure love also exists. Shakespeare presents a man groping from among these myriad pull and pushes of the moral world. He gives us no easy solution to our problems through religion. If anything he conveys moral values based on an inviolate thought process. He also understands that the despite his flaws man will ultimately assert himself.  

Adieu to April: Poem by Alok Mishra

Adieu to April

Adieu, ‘the cruellest month’

Adieu to thy sorrow, pain

And the burden.

Thou, with all your effort,

Thou hast been toiling

Thy month long tenure.

Lifelong is the tedium!

Lo, the April is dead!

Live the groove and pass away!

‘Wretched, fool, o the bald giant

‘Thy sorrows are thine with all means.’

The melancholy shore roars.

Thirsty Ocean countersigns the echo.

‘Throw away the dead.’

Wednesday, 30 April 2014

A Poem for the Rajasthani Women who walk endlessly for water... Jal

जल

श्वानों के शौक हैं तैराकी

मस्ती जल के सैलाबों में,

यहाँ थकती है माँ कि छाती,

बढती है वो निरंतर बिना बैठे और सुस्ताती |

लिये गगरी वो निकल पड़ी

खाली पैर बालू के चादर पे,

हे नभ इन्हें क्षमा कर दे

माँ कि ममता को तो आदर दे !

बातें होतीं बड़ी बड़ी

यहाँ बूंदों को लोग तरसते हैं,

यहाँ अश्रु पड़ते हैं पिने,

वहाँ फुहारों में वो हँसते हैं |

तपती गर्मी सूरज कि

और क़दमों के निचे रेगिस्तान,

देखो खोल के ऑंखें सब

कैसे तपता है हिंदुस्तान

एक गागर पानी पाने को,

और वहाँ पे लाखों जलमीनार हैं

एक अदा पे लुट जाने को !

राजस्थान के मरुभूमि में रहने वाली उन लाखों महिलाओं को समर्पित जो शायद ही समझ पायीं होंगी कि इतने साल गुजर गए सता अंग्रेजों के हाथ से हमारे नेताओं के हाथ में आये हुए | आज हमारे यहाँ बहुत से लोग हैं जो दावे तो बहुत बड़े बड़े करते हैं पर उनमे इतना पुरुषार्थ शायद ही है जो इनकी किस्मत को बादल सके | अपील है लोगों से कि आगे आयें और कुछ सोचें, फिर जल्दी से करें, कहीं ऐसा ना हो कि जैसे 70 साल गुजर गए वैसे ही और गुजर जाएँ !

Thursday, 17 April 2014

Please come ahead and lend a hand to them who need it. Do not only wave and clap for them who are simply after money! Wake up; those too are human! 

The Guide: R K Narayan: Summary: Characters: Sketch of important characters: Review

The Guide, simple as the typical R.K Narayan’s novels, narrates a story to the readers and says nothing more than this. You will be surprised when you consider the story and the narration deeply. The story, as simple as a children story, has a gravity and a message to deliver to the curious minds contemplating the meaning and worth of life, musing about death, and thinking about the world.

The major characters in the novel are Raju, Rosie, Marco, Gafur, Mani, and others are supporting yet important characters who push the novel ahead at times. Raju is an impetuous young man. He hurries in the actions without considering the pros and cons of present and the future. He sees only one thing in the life of him, the chance to enjoy the life in full colours. Rosie is a young woman, married to Marco. She is a dancer but has to promise her husband during the marriage that she will never think of dancing anymore in the future. She, however, is a supressed artist and wants to flourish one day. Marco is an author searching for the ancient caves and sculptures here and there. He is a miser in the terms of his slips. He does not seem to enjoy his conjugal life in spite of a beautiful wife and ignores her to his works. Gafur is a taxi driver and friend of Raju. He is a good man who often advises Raju about his bad decisions or anything else Raju does wrong in his view. Mani is the later clerk of Raju and Nalini. (Nalini is the changed name of Rosie when she becomes a very famous dancer.)

The outline summary of the novel is very easy to remember.  I will be posting that soon.

R K Narayan The Guide: Review, Summary, Critical Summary

I just read The Guide by R. K. Narayan, yesterday I finished it, started a day before yesterday. First impression is very inspiring. This novel holds you around the text and cannot leave you free until you complete.
I will soon be posting the critical summary of the book with my opinions. It will be helpful for the classmates, the students of MA English, Magadh University, and anyone who is interested.
Thank you.
And remember to CAST YOUR VOTE.