Gitanjali 34, 35, 36 by Rabindranath Tagore poem summary, Indian Literatures in English, 3rd Year 6th Semester, B.A English Literature, Syllabus, University of Madras

 B.A English Literature

3^rd Year 6^th Semester

Indian Literatures in English

UNIT-1: Poetry

1.3 Gitanjali – (34, 35, 36) - Rabindranath Tagore

About Poet:

Rabindranath Tagore, whose name means “Lord of the Sun” was born on May 7, 1861 in Calcutta, India. He was a Bengali writer who reshaped its literature and uniquely placed in Bengali society, philosopher and a well known painter. In his childhood, he was first taught at home and later joined at school Tagore wrote novels, short stories, essays, songs, dramas, autobiographies and travelogues. His first poem was published anonymously in the journal “TattavabodhiniPatrika” entitled Abhilasha (Desire). He received the Noble Prize for Literature in 1913 for Songs Offerings, which is his own translation of his Bengali poems that published on August 14, 1910. He is the first non-European and first lyricist who received this prize. His writings involve common people lives, histories and spirituality with optimistic and lyrical nature.

About Poem:

    Gitanjali which was translated as “Song offering” is a collection of 103 English prose published in 1912. This translation was published with an introduction by William Butler Yeats.

    The original collection of 156/157 poems in Bengali was published on August 14, 1910. The English collection is not a translation of poems from Bengali volume of the same name. Half the poems (52 out of 103) in the English version were selected from Bengali volume, the remaining poems were taken from his ‘Gitimalya’ (1914-17), ‘Naiveidya’ (1901-15), ‘Kheya’ (1906-11) and from his other works.

Gitanjali Poem 34 :

Let only that little be left of me whereby I may name thee my all.
Let only that little be left of my will whereby I may feel thee on every side, and come to thee in everything, and offer to thee my love every moment.
Let only that little be left of me whereby I may never hide thee.
Let only that little of my fetters be left whereby I am bound with thy will, and thy purpose is carried out in my life - and that is the fetter of thy love.

POEM 34 - SUMMARY:

Tagore here talks about God and his love and devotion for God from a new aspect. 

He prays to God to take away all his material desire and all his worldly longings and yet have just so much that is needed to love and serve God. 

Then he prays that the only small portion of his will be left which would allow him to see and feel God on every side, so that he could come to God in everything and offer his love and prayer to God at every step.

He also prays that all his ties be taken away and only that part be left that would bound him to God, and his will so that God's purpose is carried out in the poet's life and this purpose be only tie of God's love.

Tagore here, thus advocates that man should leave his worldly and material longings, desires and attachments but doesn't advocate complete asceticism, he does want to retain some part, and this part is necessary to maintain a relationship with God. He thus prays that all that is evil and wicked be removed and only love and devotion be left.

Gitanjali Poem 35:

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;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of
dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action ⎯
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake. 

POEM 35 - SUMMARY:

The Poet prays to God for the countrymen that they should live without fear of oppression in their mind. Instead of that, they should hold their head up high with dignity. He wishes for the cost free knowledge(education) for everyone in the world which is not separated into fragments (caste, colour, religion and gender). People should not be divided with prejudices and superstitions, as unity is considered to be their strength. Everyone around should be truthful without fear. Words of truth should come from the depth of the heart (Freedom of Speech). People should work hard with all their efforts (without laziness) to reach their goal (Independence) and continue to reach its perfection.

Here in this poem, the Poet has represented clear stream of reason as logical thinking and dead habits as superstitious beliefs. As per the representation he says, reason should not get lost in the way of desert of preconceived beliefs. People should overcome the narrowness of their mind with broad open thinking which will eventually lead them to remarkable actions. In the final line, the Poet prays to God by addressing him as "Father" and asks him to awaken his countrymen in the heaven of freedom.

Gitanjali Poem 36:

THIS is my prayer to thee, my lord ⎯ strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart.
Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.
Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might.
Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles.
And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love. 

POEM 36 - SUMMARY:

        Tagore prays to God to put an end to poverty of the spirit and help him rise above all else to serve God with love. He says that his prayer to God is that God striking at the very root, the very beginning remove his spiritual poverty.

He prays that God grant him strength to bear his joy and sorrows and yet not be too affected by them. He then prays that God again grant him strength that his love would be used in the service of God and thus be fruitful. 

He wants strength to use his love in the service of God but not mere prayer or in following religious conventions but by serving the poor and battling the proud and mighty.

Tagore goes on to pray for strength that would make him strong before the arrogant and proud and never bow before them or ever to be weak and disown the poor. He also prays for strength to raise himself above the insignificant daily events. And finally asks for strength and ill to completely surrender to the service of God.

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