All language subtitles for YTDown_YouTube_Lecture-01-Introduction-to-Indian-Englis_Media_SdqkHHkjamA_002_720p
Afrikaans
Akan
Albanian
Amharic
Arabic
Armenian
Azerbaijani
Basque
Belarusian
Bemba
Bengali
Bihari
Bosnian
Breton
Bulgarian
Cambodian
Catalan
Cebuano
Cherokee
Chichewa
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Corsican
Croatian
Czech
Danish
Dutch
English
Esperanto
Estonian
Ewe
Faroese
Filipino
Finnish
French
Frisian
Ga
Galician
Georgian
German
Greek
Guarani
Gujarati
Haitian Creole
Hausa
Hawaiian
Hebrew
Hindi
Hmong
Hungarian
Icelandic
Igbo
Indonesian
Interlingua
Irish
Italian
Japanese
Javanese
Kannada
Kazakh
Kinyarwanda
Kirundi
Kongo
Korean
Krio (Sierra Leone)
Kurdish
Kurdish (SoranĂ®)
Kyrgyz
Laothian
Latin
Latvian
Lingala
Lithuanian
Lozi
Luganda
Luo
Luxembourgish
Macedonian
Malagasy
Malay
Malayalam
Maltese
Maori
Marathi
Mauritian Creole
Moldavian
Mongolian
Myanmar (Burmese)
Montenegrin
Nepali
Nigerian Pidgin
Northern Sotho
Norwegian
Norwegian (Nynorsk)
Occitan
Oriya
Oromo
Pashto
Persian
Polish
Portuguese (Brazil)
Portuguese (Portugal)
Punjabi
Quechua
Romanian
Romansh
Runyakitara
Russian
Samoan
Scots Gaelic
Serbian
Serbo-Croatian
Sesotho
Setswana
Seychellois Creole
Shona
Sindhi
Sinhalese
Slovak
Slovenian
Somali
Spanish
Spanish (Latin American)
Sundanese
Swahili
Swedish
Tajik
Tamil
Tatar
Telugu
Thai
Tigrinya
Tonga
Tshiluba
Tumbuka
Turkish
Turkmen
Twi
Uighur
Ukrainian
Urdu
Uzbek
Vietnamese
Welsh
Wolof
Xhosa
Yiddish
Yoruba
Zulu
Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:31,280
A very good morning and welcome to all
the listeners, lovers and learners to
2
00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:35,920
NPTEL course entitled Indian Poetry in
English.
3
00:00:36,700 --> 00:00:39,960
You will be listening to the lecture by
Vinod Mishra.
4
00:00:40,700 --> 00:00:47,660
But before I start the first lecture,
let me share with you some facts as to
5
00:00:47,660 --> 00:00:50,040
why should we read or learn poetry.
6
00:00:51,220 --> 00:00:55,850
Most of you might be thinking, as to why
this course on poetry.
7
00:00:56,590 --> 00:01:01,570
Dear friends, as human beings, most of
us
8
00:01:01,570 --> 00:01:08,530
actually crave for delight and then also
9
00:01:08,530 --> 00:01:09,530
for happiness.
10
00:01:11,170 --> 00:01:17,310
Happiness, which has always been, if we
have to quote Thomas Hardy,
11
00:01:17,510 --> 00:01:24,490
the famous English novelist, who says,
happiness, was but an
12
00:01:24,490 --> 00:01:28,590
occasional episode in the general drama
of pain.
13
00:01:29,390 --> 00:01:35,710
But my dear friends, yet all of us try
to extract pleasure,
14
00:01:36,030 --> 00:01:39,590
joy, delight in different ways.
15
00:01:40,430 --> 00:01:47,310
And most of you will agree with me that
the changing situations and
16
00:01:47,310 --> 00:01:52,250
circumstances in life have actually
prepared us to such a situation.
17
00:01:52,830 --> 00:01:59,230
way to think of delight is of course at
times a puzzle.
18
00:01:59,550 --> 00:02:06,310
And then you can come out of this puzzle
by opening a world
19
00:02:06,310 --> 00:02:09,930
of delight through the pages of poetry,
my dear friends.
20
00:02:10,350 --> 00:02:17,050
It is in order to neutralize the
complexities of human life that poetry
21
00:02:17,050 --> 00:02:18,150
to stay, my dear friends.
22
00:02:19,070 --> 00:02:25,480
Since poetry comprises not only Joy. It
also comprises pain.
23
00:02:25,900 --> 00:02:29,540
It comprises rest, unrest.
24
00:02:29,900 --> 00:02:35,680
It actually records all our lived and
unlived experiences of life.
25
00:02:36,180 --> 00:02:42,380
That is why the quote entitled Indian
Poetry in English
26
00:02:42,380 --> 00:02:48,340
will become very relevant. And of
course, in a corporate world of today,
27
00:02:48,540 --> 00:02:52,830
when as human beings, We get tired.
28
00:02:53,210 --> 00:02:55,170
We find there are no ways out.
29
00:02:55,750 --> 00:03:01,890
We find that we are in an age of
anxiety, in an age of trouble, in an age
30
00:03:01,890 --> 00:03:03,010
we do not see the light.
31
00:03:03,830 --> 00:03:10,070
Of course, we need to explore this
delight in the form of light
32
00:03:10,070 --> 00:03:12,450
through the world of poetry.
33
00:03:13,310 --> 00:03:14,650
And why Indian poetry?
34
00:03:15,470 --> 00:03:20,870
Because all of us, being Indian, we
actually feel the need.
35
00:03:21,210 --> 00:03:26,970
to understand and explore the joys
through our Indian culture, through our
36
00:03:26,970 --> 00:03:31,310
Indian writings, through the sayings of
our sages, through our mythological
37
00:03:31,310 --> 00:03:37,550
heroes, through the legacies that we
have. And we have really been proud to
38
00:03:37,550 --> 00:03:42,310
all these, not only in our own country,
but in the world.
39
00:03:42,710 --> 00:03:49,570
So, my dear friends, that is actually
why the need to have a course entitled
40
00:03:50,460 --> 00:03:52,500
Indian poetry in English.
41
00:03:52,780 --> 00:03:59,520
Now most of you might be thinking
especially those who are new
42
00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:04,620
to the world of poetry might be thinking
what actually is poetry?
43
00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:07,640
Can poetry be defined?
44
00:04:08,500 --> 00:04:14,520
What can be the nature and scope of
poetry? So first we shall try our level
45
00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:20,040
to understand poetry and then we shall
slowly come to Indian poetry.
46
00:04:20,800 --> 00:04:27,760
There can be any number of definitions
about poetry but one that actually
47
00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:34,340
I like very much is by a famous
theologian and a philosopher named
48
00:04:34,340 --> 00:04:40,440
Saint Augustine who says, if not asked I
know,
49
00:04:40,580 --> 00:04:43,360
if you ask me I know not.
50
00:04:43,660 --> 00:04:49,940
My dear friend, poetry is such a
phenomena that it is very difficult to
51
00:04:50,460 --> 00:04:57,040
Though most of the poets and many
critics as well, they have defined
52
00:04:57,540 --> 00:05:04,080
Many of you might be familiar with
Wordsworth calling poetry as a
53
00:05:04,080 --> 00:05:08,580
overflow of powerful feelings
recollected in tranquility.
54
00:05:09,420 --> 00:05:14,700
If we go by what Coleridge says,
Coleridge has a different view.
55
00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:21,570
And Coleridge would say, that poetry is
the best word in the best order.
56
00:05:21,970 --> 00:05:26,870
Later on Coleridge would also say,
poetry is the antithesis of science.
57
00:05:27,890 --> 00:05:34,870
Since we are doing with and dealing with
Indian poetry, I thought it cannot
58
00:05:34,870 --> 00:05:41,310
be anything better if we quote what an
Indian critique and what an exponent of
59
00:05:41,310 --> 00:05:45,270
Indian writing in English writes about
poetry.
60
00:05:46,220 --> 00:05:48,740
What he says is quite relevant.
61
00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:54,360
The true poetic word thus strives to
catch the inward eye.
62
00:05:54,660 --> 00:05:57,120
Look at the word, inward eye.
63
00:05:57,420 --> 00:06:03,600
To reach the inward ear from the inward
eye that you see
64
00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:10,460
and to reach the inward ear because the
moment we talk of poetry, sometimes
65
00:06:10,460 --> 00:06:15,200
or the other you start having a feeling
of some pleasantry in your ears.
66
00:06:15,930 --> 00:06:22,450
and to sink into the deeper profundities
of the awakening or awakened soul.
67
00:06:23,430 --> 00:06:29,850
The real aim of the art, architecture,
sculpture, painting, music,
68
00:06:30,030 --> 00:06:36,830
poetry is to speak the spirit of man
through meaningful images and only the
69
00:06:36,830 --> 00:06:43,390
media vary in their different arts, the
poet being the word that is charged with
70
00:06:43,390 --> 00:06:44,650
power and purpose.
71
00:06:45,310 --> 00:06:50,130
Most people are content to live in the
outer mind and senses.
72
00:06:50,650 --> 00:06:56,470
I think here lies the difference which
many people would feel when they talk
73
00:06:56,470 --> 00:07:02,470
about distinguishing poetry from other
forms of art and even also from science.
74
00:07:02,630 --> 00:07:09,010
But the aim of art and especially poetry
is to help us live in the soul.
75
00:07:09,650 --> 00:07:16,230
I mean when we talk about poetry
naturally majority of us Start thinking
76
00:07:16,230 --> 00:07:17,550
should have something special.
77
00:07:17,970 --> 00:07:22,090
Not only something that can appeal to
the eye and the ear.
78
00:07:22,290 --> 00:07:27,770
But something that can generate feelings
in our heart. That is why when you look
79
00:07:27,770 --> 00:07:29,290
at a beautiful flower.
80
00:07:29,670 --> 00:07:31,670
When you look at a beautiful sight.
81
00:07:32,010 --> 00:07:35,730
When you look at a beautiful object.
When you look at a beautiful scenery.
82
00:07:36,350 --> 00:07:37,350
Think of it.
83
00:07:37,470 --> 00:07:41,590
What sort of reaction is there in your
heart?
84
00:07:42,300 --> 00:07:48,820
How thoroughly you feel yourself
transported to a different world, the
85
00:07:48,820 --> 00:07:51,400
of reality but maybe the world of
imagination.
86
00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:57,560
To enable us to see into the utter truth
of things and the poet has to find the
87
00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,100
words and the rhythm that would achieve
this aim.
88
00:08:01,380 --> 00:08:06,800
So this in a way tells us that poetry
will somehow be different.
89
00:08:07,420 --> 00:08:10,400
And the poet will be the magician of
words.
90
00:08:10,700 --> 00:08:17,580
He will throw some words and those words
will enlighten you and transport you
91
00:08:17,580 --> 00:08:19,700
to a world of delight, my dear friend.
92
00:08:20,280 --> 00:08:25,360
Most of you would like to know, how did
this word poetry come into being?
93
00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:33,059
Our ancient Greek philosophers say, or
what they talk about the origin of
94
00:08:33,059 --> 00:08:39,020
as, the ancient Greek word poie, that
actually means to create.
95
00:08:39,360 --> 00:08:45,900
And the Latin poem, that is to compose
something in words, meaning thereby
96
00:08:45,900 --> 00:08:51,440
something which could have a melody,
something which could have a sort of
97
00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:56,980
Because when we talk about poetry,
naturally something that comes to our
98
00:08:57,020 --> 00:09:02,380
since we have been talking about
imagination being an important
99
00:09:02,380 --> 00:09:07,310
poetry. Why the other day when you
looked at the rainbow, suddenly you were
100
00:09:07,310 --> 00:09:09,390
transported into a different realm?
101
00:09:10,130 --> 00:09:16,130
Why you like others, those people who
really feel that it is only a scientific
102
00:09:16,130 --> 00:09:23,030
process, why did you simply look at it
and say it is a rainbow? Because it had
103
00:09:23,030 --> 00:09:26,530
different sort of echoes that you felt
within.
104
00:09:26,970 --> 00:09:30,970
So when we talk about or when we try to
differentiate poetry,
105
00:09:32,319 --> 00:09:38,340
adverts to science, we find that both
poetry and science may deal with the
106
00:09:38,340 --> 00:09:41,300
phenomena, but may have different
approaches.
107
00:09:41,940 --> 00:09:45,440
Science will deal with the application
of knowledge.
108
00:09:46,300 --> 00:09:50,880
Science will deal with a sort of system,
whereas poetry will somehow be
109
00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:54,220
different. Science will look at the
objectivity of things.
110
00:09:54,820 --> 00:10:00,620
Science will look at a sort of
detachment, whereas poetry will be
111
00:10:00,860 --> 00:10:06,400
It will suggest, isn't it? Most of the
poems that you might have read, you will
112
00:10:06,400 --> 00:10:08,960
find that there is a sort of
subjectivity in it.
113
00:10:09,180 --> 00:10:14,630
Fine. It is not technical for the sake
of are saying technicalities maybe when
114
00:10:14,630 --> 00:10:18,330
we talk about the form when you talk
about the style when you talk about the
115
00:10:18,330 --> 00:10:22,990
metrical compositions and all we can say
that these are the technicalities but
116
00:10:22,990 --> 00:10:27,950
these technicalities finally lead us to
a world of delight where we feel a sort
117
00:10:27,950 --> 00:10:34,670
of musicality and this music actually
enthralls poetry will actually
118
00:10:34,670 --> 00:10:40,810
touch upon because it is a world which
recreates your emotion the emotion
119
00:10:40,810 --> 00:10:46,710
suddenly that is created generated and a
poet will recreate those emotion into a
120
00:10:46,710 --> 00:10:51,810
different sort of feeling into a
different sort of experience and then
121
00:10:51,810 --> 00:10:56,650
emotive language that is why i mean
there can be n number of lectures on the
122
00:10:56,650 --> 00:11:03,350
language of poetry itself but to say it
briefly it will touch upon the sensation
123
00:11:04,250 --> 00:11:09,450
isn't it and in a way it is related to a
human soul the feelings that are
124
00:11:09,450 --> 00:11:14,050
generated the language at times may be
scientific but at times the language may
125
00:11:14,050 --> 00:11:21,050
be unscientific when you create
something which you call beautiful maybe
126
00:11:21,050 --> 00:11:26,430
reactions to it will be different say
for example here you find the picture of
127
00:11:26,430 --> 00:11:31,910
flower fine when a poet will look at it
the poet will say it is the lady of the
128
00:11:31,910 --> 00:11:38,600
garden It is a flower of delight, of
light, isn't it? But when a
129
00:11:38,600 --> 00:11:44,040
scientist will say, and the scientist
will have a different sort of nomination
130
00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:50,840
for it, they can go for exploring its
botanical name, which can
131
00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:54,080
be Hexendria monogemia.
132
00:11:55,680 --> 00:11:59,180
Hexendria monogemia. Fine.
133
00:11:59,380 --> 00:12:01,980
But now, when you talk about...
134
00:12:02,220 --> 00:12:08,960
this flower and you want to deal with it
in a poetic way,
135
00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:15,140
you will find that you actually want to
see it in a sort of comprehensive
136
00:12:15,140 --> 00:12:18,020
reality, beauty in totality.
137
00:12:18,300 --> 00:12:24,240
I mean, what sort of sense does it
evoke? What sort of feeling? Suddenly
138
00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:29,440
look at a flower and you are actually
transported to a different world, to
139
00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:31,080
other beautiful object.
140
00:12:31,500 --> 00:12:37,120
Maybe many poets have always, you know,
compared the faces of their beloveds to
141
00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:40,800
roses. No, my love is like a red, red
rose.
142
00:12:41,020 --> 00:12:46,480
No, sometimes they will. And, you know,
with the help of their symbols, with the
143
00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:51,040
help of metaphors, with the help of
several literary devices, they can.
144
00:12:51,380 --> 00:12:55,520
They are talking of something else, but
they're referring to something else.
145
00:12:55,560 --> 00:12:58,020
That is how poetry differs.
146
00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:03,480
From science, my dear friend, because
poetic truth will completely be
147
00:13:03,480 --> 00:13:05,140
from scientific truth.
148
00:13:05,820 --> 00:13:12,380
And it is in this regard that we can say
poetry begins where matter of
149
00:13:12,380 --> 00:13:16,960
fact or of science ceases to be merely
such.
150
00:13:17,420 --> 00:13:23,500
Lee Hunt, a famous English poet and
critic, who says that poetry begins
151
00:13:23,500 --> 00:13:27,680
matter of fact or of science ceases to
be merely such.
152
00:13:28,160 --> 00:13:33,620
And to exhibit a further truth, the
connection it has with the world of
153
00:13:33,620 --> 00:13:37,060
and its power to produce imaginative
pleasure.
154
00:13:37,480 --> 00:13:44,060
That is why on a morning or an evening
when you are passing
155
00:13:44,060 --> 00:13:50,380
by, when you are crossing by the seaside
and you look at the waves
156
00:13:50,380 --> 00:13:55,000
and suddenly there are different
emotions that are evoked.
157
00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:59,790
Fine? Maybe The scientist will say, it
is quite, no?
158
00:14:00,350 --> 00:14:02,970
Yes, since it is sea, there can be
waves.
159
00:14:03,250 --> 00:14:08,610
But a poet will say, these are the
waves, like the waves in my soul.
160
00:14:08,890 --> 00:14:14,970
Here I can see my anxieties. Here I can
see the ups and downs. Here I can see
161
00:14:14,970 --> 00:14:16,850
the sensations of life.
162
00:14:17,690 --> 00:14:24,590
My dear friends, a poet will always and
of necessity deal
163
00:14:24,590 --> 00:14:31,470
largely with such aspects of things as
which will appeal directly
164
00:14:31,470 --> 00:14:38,430
to the senses and the feelings. That is
why those many of you who read
165
00:14:38,430 --> 00:14:43,830
poetry and enjoy poetry will find that
whenever you are reading a piece of
166
00:14:43,830 --> 00:14:48,050
poetry, you are not confined only to one
meaning.
167
00:14:48,270 --> 00:14:50,790
You are not confined only to one
reaction.
168
00:14:51,110 --> 00:14:55,530
There can be several interpretations of
one poem.
169
00:14:56,060 --> 00:15:00,900
which you cannot find in something that
is scientific.
170
00:15:01,260 --> 00:15:06,940
There is nothing to prevent him, no one
can prevent a poet from penetrating
171
00:15:06,940 --> 00:15:13,420
beneath their surface or from taking as
his subject matter those more
172
00:15:13,420 --> 00:15:20,340
recondite truths rather, hidden truths.
Can you really think when
173
00:15:20,340 --> 00:15:22,540
you look at a rose and its petals?
174
00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:27,860
And when the petals are being broken, my
dear friend, not like the scientists
175
00:15:27,860 --> 00:15:32,220
you want to see from where the fragrance
comes, but you actually want to see the
176
00:15:32,220 --> 00:15:38,180
beauty of the rose in its totality. But
still you want to find some hidden
177
00:15:38,180 --> 00:15:43,240
truth, truths of nature which are
revealed by science. There are a number
178
00:15:43,240 --> 00:15:50,080
points which are actually inspired by
nature. And you know, the truth that
179
00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:52,100
have found those truths.
180
00:15:52,430 --> 00:15:56,510
are going to be permanent, those truths
are going to be relevant in all those
181
00:15:56,510 --> 00:16:03,290
times. Fine? That is why most of the
time you might be reminded of what
182
00:16:03,290 --> 00:16:06,770
in one of the poems entitled Rainbow.
183
00:16:07,130 --> 00:16:12,810
The veteran romantic poet says, my heart
lifts up when I behold a rainbow in the
184
00:16:12,810 --> 00:16:15,870
sky. So was it when my life began.
185
00:16:16,450 --> 00:16:18,670
So is it now I am a man.
186
00:16:19,090 --> 00:16:21,690
So be it when I shall grow old.
187
00:16:22,190 --> 00:16:23,190
Or let me die.
188
00:16:23,450 --> 00:16:25,750
The child is the father of the man.
189
00:16:26,170 --> 00:16:32,050
And I could waste my days to be bound
each to each by natural piety.
190
00:16:32,370 --> 00:16:37,690
My dear friends, and then he actually
relates it to human life. That how, no?
191
00:16:37,910 --> 00:16:43,270
So was it when I was a child. So it
shall be when I shall grow old. And so
192
00:16:43,270 --> 00:16:44,910
shall be when I shall die.
193
00:16:45,450 --> 00:16:47,510
The child is the father of the man.
194
00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:54,060
Fine. So actually he talks about human
nature and also talks about the nature
195
00:16:54,060 --> 00:17:00,160
that is real, the nature that is, I
mean, the nature in which, around which
196
00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:05,900
live. And, you know, poets taking the
background of nature and other natural
197
00:17:05,900 --> 00:17:11,980
objects have actually talked about so
many things which perhaps scientists
198
00:17:11,980 --> 00:17:16,420
cannot think of because science believes
in truth.
199
00:17:16,970 --> 00:17:20,609
It believes in the practicality of
knowledge. It believes in wisdom.
200
00:17:22,050 --> 00:17:24,550
Now, what is actually the function of
poetry?
201
00:17:25,130 --> 00:17:26,670
Do we really need poetry?
202
00:17:27,030 --> 00:17:28,550
Do we really need art?
203
00:17:28,810 --> 00:17:35,350
There can be n number of questions as to
if poetry is art like other forms of
204
00:17:35,350 --> 00:17:41,030
art, should there be art for art's sake
or art for life's sake?
205
00:17:41,560 --> 00:17:44,280
I mean, this is actually a debatable
question.
206
00:17:44,500 --> 00:17:46,340
It can be a debatable essay.
207
00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:52,520
But my dear friend, when you look at an
object with an artistic bent of mind,
208
00:17:52,640 --> 00:17:59,280
and if you simply get yourself involved
it in being simply an art, perhaps you
209
00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:03,740
will be ignoring the other realities. As
I said in the beginning, that the
210
00:18:03,740 --> 00:18:06,120
realities of life are changing.
211
00:18:06,320 --> 00:18:13,190
Human lives are changing. And so we
also, and of course, as we read and as
212
00:18:13,190 --> 00:18:20,150
we explore poetry in all edges, be it
from any nation, you will find the
213
00:18:20,150 --> 00:18:25,310
is changing. Not only in terms of its
content, not only in terms of its form,
214
00:18:25,430 --> 00:18:29,910
not only in terms of its interpretation,
but here it is quite important to
215
00:18:29,910 --> 00:18:36,790
mention what Wallace Stevens said about
poetry. What he says was, poetry was
216
00:18:36,790 --> 00:18:38,870
one of the enlargements of life.
217
00:18:39,660 --> 00:18:44,840
Oscar Wilde, marvelous critic and
dramatist, who himself was a weak poet,
218
00:18:45,060 --> 00:18:51,600
remarked that all art was perfectly
useless and irony we need not
219
00:18:51,780 --> 00:18:57,300
When you talk of poetry in general
conversations and all, many people may
220
00:18:57,440 --> 00:19:02,560
fine, because those people who believe
that poetry is simply a pastime affair
221
00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:08,100
it is only a wastage of time. But then
Wilde knew better than almost all of us.
222
00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:13,540
that Shakespeare, Michelangelo, and
Bajart are superbly useful.
223
00:19:13,860 --> 00:19:19,260
Had it not been so, my dear friend,
despite the progress and the development
224
00:19:19,260 --> 00:19:22,960
that we have so far made, poetry still
continues.
225
00:19:23,260 --> 00:19:26,760
Poetry writing is still in a continuing
process.
226
00:19:27,000 --> 00:19:28,520
It has not come to an end.
227
00:19:28,900 --> 00:19:34,820
They give the more difficult pleasures
that can persuade us to abandon
228
00:19:34,820 --> 00:19:36,260
that are too easy.
229
00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:42,980
The pleasure that we derive, the
satisfaction that we derive out of
230
00:19:43,300 --> 00:19:46,480
fine, is not instant, my dear friends.
231
00:19:46,700 --> 00:19:53,060
It actually, these pleasures are not
easily available as other pleasures are
232
00:19:53,060 --> 00:19:56,320
adopt Sully's formulation of the sublime
mode.
233
00:19:56,560 --> 00:19:59,020
This has been quoted from Harold Bloom.
234
00:20:00,100 --> 00:20:05,460
Now, do we really or should we really
consider the poet as a powerful being?
235
00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:08,280
What is actually the use of a poet?
236
00:20:08,540 --> 00:20:13,180
I mean, you might be aware that there
have been people who have criticized
237
00:20:13,180 --> 00:20:18,320
poetry. There have been critics who have
actually stopped poets.
238
00:20:18,540 --> 00:20:20,700
Fine, you might know well.
239
00:20:20,900 --> 00:20:24,000
But then, does the poet have some power?
240
00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:25,280
Yes, of course.
241
00:20:25,940 --> 00:20:32,740
If we go by what Sri Aurobindo says in
Future of Poetry, vision
242
00:20:32,740 --> 00:20:34,420
is the characteristic of the poet.
243
00:20:35,160 --> 00:20:42,000
I mean, a poet can have a reason, and
I'll give you certain examples
244
00:20:42,000 --> 00:20:48,140
as to how, when one of the Indian poets,
you know, one of the Indian poets,
245
00:20:48,200 --> 00:20:55,160
more than 100 years before, wrote
actually a book, a
246
00:20:55,160 --> 00:21:02,140
journal, it was actually by Kailash
Chandra Dutta, who wrote a journal of
247
00:21:02,140 --> 00:21:03,920
48 hours.
248
00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:05,600
in 1945.
249
00:21:06,040 --> 00:21:11,500
And my dear friends, here he actually,
here the poet made use of his emotions
250
00:21:11,500 --> 00:21:14,120
and his imagination rather.
251
00:21:14,340 --> 00:21:20,960
And you will find in 1947, India got
independence.
252
00:21:21,460 --> 00:21:27,700
You will be surprised to know that how
could this poet might have a vision of
253
00:21:27,700 --> 00:21:33,240
1945 and that also 100 years before.
254
00:21:33,850 --> 00:21:39,110
So that is actually the power of a poet.
So vision I was talking about. Vision
255
00:21:39,110 --> 00:21:44,450
is the characteristic power of the poet
as is discriminated thought the
256
00:21:44,450 --> 00:21:49,710
essential gift of the philosopher and
analytic observation the natural genius
257
00:21:49,710 --> 00:21:50,649
the scientist.
258
00:21:50,650 --> 00:21:54,090
The Kabhi, I mean that is the Hindi word
for poet.
259
00:21:54,310 --> 00:21:59,990
The Kabhi was in the idea of the
ancients, the seer and the revealer of
260
00:22:00,530 --> 00:22:07,050
Those... who are passionate lovers of
poetry might have found how the poet
261
00:22:07,050 --> 00:22:13,090
actually looks more and looks rather
further than what is not possible.
262
00:22:13,290 --> 00:22:18,890
That is why they have been called
reasonaries. Fine? And there are certain
263
00:22:18,890 --> 00:22:24,950
you will find not only in English but
also in Indian English poetry where you
264
00:22:24,950 --> 00:22:28,950
can find what the poet said some years
before.
265
00:22:29,500 --> 00:22:33,800
could happen so is it not the reason
therefore the greatest poets have been
266
00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:38,860
always those who have had a large and
powerful interpretive and intuitive
267
00:22:38,860 --> 00:22:44,540
intuitive vision don't you remember my
dear friends when sally uh wrote that
268
00:22:44,540 --> 00:22:51,500
poem uh sally's sally's famous poem owed
to the west wind
269
00:22:51,500 --> 00:22:58,320
fine and there when he talks about the
difficulties on his own of his own
270
00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:04,600
life When he says, oh, make me a liar.
What if my leaves are falling like the
271
00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:10,340
forest? But many people might consider
and rather think that Sally was a
272
00:23:10,340 --> 00:23:15,360
pessimist. But towards the end, you see,
what sort of vision did he give when he
273
00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:22,060
says, can spring, if winter comes, can
spring
274
00:23:22,060 --> 00:23:23,360
be far behind?
275
00:23:23,900 --> 00:23:25,240
See the optimistic note.
276
00:23:25,520 --> 00:23:31,000
So therefore the greatest poets have
been always those who have had a large
277
00:23:31,000 --> 00:23:37,020
powerful interpretive and intuitive
vision of nature and life and the man
278
00:23:37,020 --> 00:23:42,740
whose poetry has origin out of that in a
supreme revelatory utterance of it my
279
00:23:42,740 --> 00:23:49,080
dear friend. You remember what when
Wordsworth says child is the father of
280
00:23:49,080 --> 00:23:50,420
man. You see.
281
00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:52,600
It is not a simple statement.
282
00:23:52,820 --> 00:23:58,620
It is not a simple utterance rather. It
actually talks volumes about how the
283
00:23:58,620 --> 00:24:04,720
influences that we have in our childhood
continues till long.
284
00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:11,800
So, can there be anything better than a
reason which Wordsworth has given
285
00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:18,520
in a very short poem? And you will find
there are endless poems like
286
00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:23,390
this. And a good number of poets have
been practicing their art where they
287
00:24:23,390 --> 00:24:28,750
been talking about their vision. My dear
friends, since we are talking about
288
00:24:28,750 --> 00:24:34,950
Indian poetry in English, we should also
rather try to discuss
289
00:24:34,950 --> 00:24:41,130
where are the ancient roots of our
literature. Did Indian
290
00:24:41,130 --> 00:24:46,250
poetry in English or for that matter,
even before Indian literature in
291
00:24:46,670 --> 00:24:52,770
My dear friends, as Aurobindo mentions,
the Vedic poets regarded their poetry as
292
00:24:52,770 --> 00:24:58,350
mantras. Now, when you talk about the
artificial, the element of artificiality
293
00:24:58,350 --> 00:25:04,170
in poetry, can you also think of Indian
literature where our Vedic poets
294
00:25:04,170 --> 00:25:09,390
regarded their poetry as mantras? They
were the vehicles of their own
295
00:25:09,390 --> 00:25:13,750
realization and could have become
vehicles of realization for others.
296
00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:21,820
Even today we find the Vedas are one of
the greatest relations that mankind
297
00:25:21,820 --> 00:25:26,500
has. And not only in India, my dear
friend, but all over the world, all our
298
00:25:26,500 --> 00:25:31,960
ancient literature, say for example, the
Ramayana, the Mahavarata, the Gita, and
299
00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:38,760
the lines which are there, they are
still true. They are still becoming the
300
00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:39,800
eye -openers.
301
00:25:40,060 --> 00:25:45,120
not only to a people of one country, but
also to the people of other countries,
302
00:25:45,180 --> 00:25:46,180
my dear friends.
303
00:25:46,320 --> 00:25:53,180
Now, when we talk about Indian English
literature, because we have named
304
00:25:53,180 --> 00:25:59,460
this course as Indian Poetry in English,
did we really have English even before?
305
00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:00,560
No, my dear friends.
306
00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:07,420
All our English influences came through
foreign people.
307
00:26:07,900 --> 00:26:12,440
especially you know through basco de
gama portuguese and dutch there were
308
00:26:12,440 --> 00:26:17,800
several invasions in our country if you
have be you you might have read from the
309
00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:24,220
pages of the history and still in india
when the east india company came this
310
00:26:24,220 --> 00:26:30,500
east india company historically you know
actually they had come as merchants
311
00:26:30,500 --> 00:26:37,400
but they became rulers and later on we
could find that In
312
00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:43,700
order to have people who could work for
them, they actually wanted the people of
313
00:26:43,700 --> 00:26:46,500
this country to have the knowledge of
English.
314
00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:53,660
So the English education which came to
India and especially which was
315
00:26:53,660 --> 00:26:59,700
given to us by none other than these
Britishers, they actually felt the need
316
00:26:59,700 --> 00:27:03,100
because they also wanted people who
could work for them.
317
00:27:03,500 --> 00:27:09,800
And we will see when we come across
Macaulay's minutes that they wanted a
318
00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:16,740
of people, class of people who could
help them govern millions of
319
00:27:16,740 --> 00:27:22,940
people. And who should these people be?
These people should actually be Indian
320
00:27:22,940 --> 00:27:27,980
in blood and color, but English in
taste, in morals.
321
00:27:28,320 --> 00:27:29,299
and in opinion.
322
00:27:29,300 --> 00:27:33,260
That is what Macaulay says in his
minutes.
323
00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:38,540
And we find that with this, because in
the beginning there were several
324
00:27:38,540 --> 00:27:44,580
oppositions as to why we should have
English, but it was actually the need of
325
00:27:44,580 --> 00:27:45,279
the hour.
326
00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:51,840
And that is why after the disintegration
of Mughal Empire, these Britishers
327
00:27:52,240 --> 00:27:56,500
These actually, since they wanted to
rule over for a longer time and they
328
00:27:56,500 --> 00:28:02,480
rule only because of English. So when we
find that English came to India through
329
00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:09,460
East India Company, of course, many of
the historians and others
330
00:28:09,460 --> 00:28:14,960
find that it was actually a shock for
many people. But then this shock had its
331
00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:21,300
own advantage, my dear friend. We'll see
later. Now, why did we need English?
332
00:28:21,740 --> 00:28:27,260
And what did Indian English literature
mean to us? How did it help?
333
00:28:27,540 --> 00:28:32,900
Because we are living under the rule of
the East India Company. And the country
334
00:28:32,900 --> 00:28:34,280
was not united.
335
00:28:34,660 --> 00:28:40,840
And these people wanted to rule over our
country with the help of the select
336
00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:46,980
group of people who could, to quote the
words of Macaulay, who could be Indians
337
00:28:46,980 --> 00:28:50,980
in blood and color, but English.
338
00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:55,400
In taste, in morals and in opinion.
339
00:28:55,700 --> 00:28:57,760
So, but then how did it help?
340
00:28:57,980 --> 00:29:02,180
This actually gave the voice to the
voiceless in the struggle for social
341
00:29:02,180 --> 00:29:08,820
justice. You cannot suppress a country
or a people for a long time even with
342
00:29:08,820 --> 00:29:14,540
help of only language, my dear friend.
Of course, language is a great weapon to
343
00:29:14,540 --> 00:29:20,180
control. But for that, you needed people
who could speak your language, isn't
344
00:29:20,180 --> 00:29:25,640
it? But initially, Indians who were
writing, they were writing in their own
345
00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:31,140
language. But in order to survive, they
wanted a language which was alien
346
00:29:31,140 --> 00:29:36,520
though, but which was friendly in order
to carry out their own objectives.
347
00:29:37,500 --> 00:29:42,140
English worked as an elixir to the
wounds caused by the social chaos. There
348
00:29:42,140 --> 00:29:43,440
a great division in the society.
349
00:29:43,860 --> 00:29:49,880
And these people who were considered
baboos, they were considered to be an
350
00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:53,200
class. Fine, among the common people,
common masses.
351
00:29:53,740 --> 00:29:58,540
But then with their knowledge of
English, sometimes so the other, you
352
00:29:58,580 --> 00:30:03,380
since I said you cannot control or you
cannot suppress a country for a long
353
00:30:03,380 --> 00:30:08,900
time, these people also might have
realized that it is their own soil. It
354
00:30:08,900 --> 00:30:14,000
their own mati to say because it started
in Bengal.
355
00:30:14,820 --> 00:30:18,620
And, you know, till that time, even
Indian women.
356
00:30:19,070 --> 00:30:24,530
who did not have, because our tradition
had, if some certain good qualities,
357
00:30:24,630 --> 00:30:30,650
there were some lapses also, and for
that, we actually needed to have a sort
358
00:30:30,650 --> 00:30:34,570
education that was not only moderate,
but that was forward -looking.
359
00:30:34,790 --> 00:30:39,770
And in this regard, English did a human
service, my dear friend. It also helped
360
00:30:39,770 --> 00:30:43,070
discover a sense of identity and...
361
00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:49,680
stability identity and stability my
different and indians got a sense of
362
00:30:49,680 --> 00:30:55,080
belonging with the health of english now
they could know because majority of the
363
00:30:55,080 --> 00:30:59,980
people started learning english since
the schools were also started you know
364
00:30:59,980 --> 00:31:05,640
when english schools were started and
when hindu college was started in
365
00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:10,260
one of the directors of the east india
company had said
366
00:31:10,970 --> 00:31:16,970
We actually had created a folly and had
lost America because of the
367
00:31:16,970 --> 00:31:18,870
establishment of schools there.
368
00:31:19,150 --> 00:31:23,990
And we are going to repeat the same
folly. And my dear friend, it has really
369
00:31:23,990 --> 00:31:30,540
become true. They started English
education and it was only a group of
370
00:31:30,540 --> 00:31:35,800
educated people most of them are
Britishers who founded some of these
371
00:31:35,800 --> 00:31:40,320
and colleges and the Hindu college was
the first to come into existence and
372
00:31:40,320 --> 00:31:47,200
the Hindu college coming to existence
now English education started and it
373
00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:54,140
started creating among Indians a sense
and a sort of you know a sort
374
00:31:54,140 --> 00:32:00,000
of realization that they can have their
own identity my different What were
375
00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:05,240
actually the repercussions? And the
repercussions was they wanted that their
376
00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:08,960
country should be free from the clutches
of a foreign rule.
377
00:32:09,420 --> 00:32:15,900
And for that, if you are a student of
history, you might realize how
378
00:32:15,900 --> 00:32:21,740
several revolutions, because the
Britishers came to colonize India, but
379
00:32:21,740 --> 00:32:26,640
colonizing India, they civilized India.
They civilized India in the sense that
380
00:32:26,640 --> 00:32:31,480
they gave Indians a sort of language a
weapon of language through which they
381
00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:38,320
became more conscious and then there was
birth of nationalism there from time to
382
00:32:38,320 --> 00:32:43,020
time came to be some collision between
Indian religion and the colonial
383
00:32:43,020 --> 00:32:49,680
education because many people were
against this colonial education there
384
00:32:49,680 --> 00:32:55,400
some poets even and there were some
novelists who while writing They often,
385
00:32:55,500 --> 00:33:01,360
especially to quote Bankim Chandra who
said, why is India a subject country?
386
00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:05,360
Who will praise our noble qualities if
we do not praise them ourselves?
387
00:33:05,820 --> 00:33:11,560
And they wanted to praise their own
country. So even when Bankim Chandra
388
00:33:11,560 --> 00:33:17,600
his own work, even though he was writing
in Bengali, but a new consciousness
389
00:33:17,600 --> 00:33:20,240
was created in their mind.
390
00:33:20,480 --> 00:33:26,620
of people and you will find that many
indians they started writing in english
391
00:33:26,620 --> 00:33:32,720
so in a way something that was actually
a sort of imposition
392
00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:39,400
that actually become a compulsion and it
stirred the minds of millions and they
393
00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:45,060
thought they could write uh they could
write even though with the help of
394
00:33:45,060 --> 00:33:51,420
english language they could actually
bring the indian problems to the masses
395
00:33:51,420 --> 00:33:55,580
to the world my dear friend and this
happened you will realize when we
396
00:33:55,580 --> 00:34:00,960
Michael Madhusudan Dutt and others how
they started writing in English of
397
00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:06,100
they initially were writers who were
writing in their own mother tongue and
398
00:34:06,100 --> 00:34:10,760
only Michael Madhusudan Dutt but in
other parts of the country many people
399
00:34:10,760 --> 00:34:16,260
writing in their own language but they
realized That the need of the hour was
400
00:34:16,260 --> 00:34:22,179
propagate the Indian problem and in a
language that the world could know. And
401
00:34:22,179 --> 00:34:24,900
that really worked a miracle, my dear
friend.
402
00:34:25,360 --> 00:34:31,040
Now, when we talk about the history of
English literature, as I said, my dear
403
00:34:31,040 --> 00:34:37,020
friend, in the beginning, there were
several views about Indian English
404
00:34:37,020 --> 00:34:42,260
literature. Some of them started calling
it an Indo -Anglian literature.
405
00:34:42,800 --> 00:34:47,159
Some started calling it Indian writing
in English. And then some started
406
00:34:47,159 --> 00:34:48,540
Indo -English literature.
407
00:34:48,840 --> 00:34:54,679
Now, all these terms had actually some
differences. But in a way, all they
408
00:34:54,679 --> 00:34:59,740
wanted, what they wanted was, they
actually wanted to say that the
409
00:34:59,740 --> 00:35:05,700
written by Indians and that also in
English. It was.
410
00:35:06,540 --> 00:35:13,360
Only when V .K. Gokak wrote his first
book in the year 1964, it is there that
411
00:35:13,360 --> 00:35:19,040
he makes explicit differences between
the terms Indo -Anglian literature and
412
00:35:19,040 --> 00:35:20,140
Indo -English literature.
413
00:35:20,420 --> 00:35:27,100
While he calls Indo -Anglian literature
as literature created by
414
00:35:27,100 --> 00:35:31,480
Indians, when he talks about Indo
-English literature, he talks about the
415
00:35:31,480 --> 00:35:33,040
translated literature. Why different?
416
00:35:33,300 --> 00:35:39,540
And then, you know, Because by 1800, by
1850,
417
00:35:39,540 --> 00:35:46,360
these things had already subsided, my
dear friends. And Indians
418
00:35:46,360 --> 00:35:52,600
now wanted to write their own stories
and that also in English.
419
00:35:53,060 --> 00:35:56,000
Their own poems and that also in
English.
420
00:35:56,380 --> 00:35:57,319
J .B.
421
00:35:57,320 --> 00:36:03,820
Alfonso Caracalla in his book titled
Indo -English Literature in the 19th
422
00:36:03,820 --> 00:36:04,820
Century.
423
00:36:05,420 --> 00:36:11,920
suggests the term to mean literature
produced by indians in english so after
424
00:36:11,920 --> 00:36:12,920
debate
425
00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:19,600
as many people had started calling it by
different names. Some of them felt that
426
00:36:19,600 --> 00:36:26,120
when we say Anglo -Indian, Indo
-Anglican, there is actually a tinge of
427
00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:29,740
But then we wanted our own literature.
428
00:36:30,080 --> 00:36:35,460
One of the writers has gone to the
extent of saying that when we say Anglo
429
00:36:35,460 --> 00:36:39,800
-Indian, what we mean, we are not
talking about language, but we are
430
00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:41,100
about a language and a country.
431
00:36:41,500 --> 00:36:48,500
And it was only in 1962 when Srinivas
Iyengar wrote a book,
432
00:36:48,660 --> 00:36:50,340
Indian Writing in English.
433
00:36:50,600 --> 00:36:52,540
So everyone accepted.
434
00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:59,400
And later on, it was also accepted by
Sahitya Academy, Indian English
435
00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:04,740
Literature as a new branch. And since
then...
436
00:37:05,070 --> 00:37:11,590
Not only have we come a long way, but we
have our own literature, my dear
437
00:37:11,590 --> 00:37:18,090
friends. It was, of course, the by
-product of an eventful encounter, as
438
00:37:18,090 --> 00:37:20,250
M .K. Nayak in his book says.
439
00:37:20,570 --> 00:37:26,850
But then, all these terms with different
appellations wanted only one thing,
440
00:37:26,930 --> 00:37:31,630
wanted the contributions of Indians in
English writing.
441
00:37:32,200 --> 00:37:37,920
And as I have been mentioning that it
was Bengal which was the home of Indian
442
00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:44,820
English literature where it flourished
before it did in Bombay. Later on
443
00:37:44,820 --> 00:37:49,640
as you go into the details of Indian
English literature and for that matter
444
00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:54,160
Indian poetry in English you will find
that there came to be several groups.
445
00:37:54,620 --> 00:38:00,200
Bombay groups, Calcutta groups, and then
many of the people who were writing in
446
00:38:00,200 --> 00:38:04,920
their regional languages, they also
tried their hand at English.
447
00:38:05,340 --> 00:38:11,260
If we take a look at the political
repercussions, we'll find that when
448
00:38:11,260 --> 00:38:17,880
Hindi was being introduced, there were
several slogans against it
449
00:38:17,880 --> 00:38:22,340
because Hindi was not being accepted as
a link language.
450
00:38:23,000 --> 00:38:29,220
And that is why later on, English also
started being used as a language for all
451
00:38:29,220 --> 00:38:35,100
purposes. And this is how the journey of
Indian writing in English began.
452
00:38:35,480 --> 00:38:41,740
So people like Swami Vivekananda once
said that
453
00:38:41,740 --> 00:38:47,940
the system of Sanskrit education can be
best calculated to keep India in
454
00:38:47,940 --> 00:38:52,980
darkness. Now for the first time, my
dear friends, People like Swami
455
00:38:52,980 --> 00:38:59,300
and others, they also felt the need that
English was actually the need of the
456
00:38:59,300 --> 00:39:03,960
hour. And it was only through English
that India could come a long way and
457
00:39:03,960 --> 00:39:04,960
show its own contribution.
458
00:39:05,300 --> 00:39:09,400
Of course, we have talked about
Macaulay's minutes on education.
459
00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:15,840
And you will really appreciate that
there were some Britishers,
460
00:39:15,920 --> 00:39:22,650
namely William Jones, Hal Hard, And
Charles Wood, who actually
461
00:39:22,650 --> 00:39:28,330
said that a medium of intercourse was
necessary in order to have the
462
00:39:28,330 --> 00:39:32,770
administrative facility available to all
people. And that is how English
463
00:39:32,770 --> 00:39:39,530
actually in India got recognized and
English education had its own dividends
464
00:39:39,530 --> 00:39:41,390
reap in the days to come, my dear
friend.
465
00:39:41,610 --> 00:39:48,150
But then as we came forward, we found
that even many
466
00:39:48,150 --> 00:39:53,410
novelists also, Of course, they realized
that English was a sort of imposition.
467
00:39:53,410 --> 00:40:00,090
Here, I would like to make a mention of
the quote that Raja Rao, one of the
468
00:40:00,090 --> 00:40:05,650
famous Indian English novelists, I mean,
the four runners of Indian novel in
469
00:40:05,650 --> 00:40:10,190
English, who said, the telling has not
been easy. One has to convey in a
470
00:40:10,190 --> 00:40:14,110
language that is not one's own and the
spirit that is one's own.
471
00:40:14,380 --> 00:40:19,080
So they felt that when you were speaking
in a different language or writing in a
472
00:40:19,080 --> 00:40:25,720
different language, you were not able to
create or to show the spirit that was
473
00:40:25,720 --> 00:40:31,120
your own. One has to convey the various
said and omissions of a certain thought
474
00:40:31,120 --> 00:40:34,460
movement that looks maltreated in an
alien language.
475
00:40:34,780 --> 00:40:39,500
They actually thought that English
language was against the spirit of
476
00:40:41,020 --> 00:40:47,320
There are many people who later will
come to have a further discussion when
477
00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:53,020
have the second lecture on it. When they
also realized that no, we should
478
00:40:53,020 --> 00:40:59,520
actually write in English. And before I
conclude, my dear friend, let me also
479
00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:05,460
make a mention of how the famous Bengali
poet.
480
00:41:06,320 --> 00:41:12,740
who got Nobel Prize in Literature,
especially for his work Gitanjali, how
481
00:41:12,740 --> 00:41:17,700
also felt that English was a sort of
imposition and it was a sort of
482
00:41:17,860 --> 00:41:23,120
And in one of his letters to his niece,
he says, you have written to me about my
483
00:41:23,120 --> 00:41:27,340
English translations of Gitanjali,
because Tagore had translated his own
484
00:41:27,340 --> 00:41:32,160
Gitanjali into English. How I wrote them
and why people like them so much, I
485
00:41:32,160 --> 00:41:33,580
still cannot quite comprehend.
486
00:41:34,250 --> 00:41:40,970
That I cannot write English is such a
plain fact that I never had the pride to
487
00:41:40,970 --> 00:41:46,310
ever feel ashamed of it. If nobody wrote
to me in English inviting me to tea, I
488
00:41:46,310 --> 00:41:48,370
didn't have the courage to even write a
reply.
489
00:41:49,090 --> 00:41:52,750
You are thinking perhaps that I have rid
myself of that illusion today?
490
00:41:53,410 --> 00:41:57,810
Absolutely on the contrary, that I have
written in English seems to me to be the
491
00:41:57,810 --> 00:42:02,750
illusion. So he could never think that
he could write in English, but later on
492
00:42:02,750 --> 00:42:09,260
it is said, that Tagore was also highly
influenced by English and one more
493
00:42:09,260 --> 00:42:15,960
Indian poet especially when Seerudh
because you know gradual change in
494
00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:21,620
came and people accepted that they had
to write in English if they really had
495
00:42:21,620 --> 00:42:27,560
survive and if they really had to make a
mention of their own and they wanted
496
00:42:27,560 --> 00:42:34,120
that India should be known elsewhere So
what she says in one of her poems,
497
00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:39,460
you can read, only I'll talk about the
lines which I have emphasized.
498
00:42:39,820 --> 00:42:44,080
I speak three languages, write in two,
dream in one.
499
00:42:44,520 --> 00:42:46,200
Don't write in English, they said.
500
00:42:46,420 --> 00:42:50,060
English is not your mother tongue. Why
not leave me alone?
501
00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:55,700
Critics, friends, visiting cousins,
every one of you, why not let me speak
502
00:42:55,700 --> 00:43:00,240
any language I like? The language I
speak becomes mine.
503
00:43:00,890 --> 00:43:06,330
My dear friends, to say that English is
only the language of the British, here
504
00:43:06,330 --> 00:43:11,470
Kamaladas gives a very good retort and
she says the language I speak becomes
505
00:43:11,470 --> 00:43:16,790
mine, its distortions, its queerness,
all mine, mine alone, it is half
506
00:43:16,890 --> 00:43:22,970
half Indian, funny perhaps, but it is
honest, it is as human as I am human. My
507
00:43:22,970 --> 00:43:27,990
dear friends, language not only
humanizes, language civilizes.
508
00:43:28,400 --> 00:43:35,320
But a language of one's own actually
allows one to express one's own
509
00:43:35,320 --> 00:43:41,100
spirit, one's own reactions, one's own
feeling. And that is how English came to
510
00:43:41,100 --> 00:43:47,480
be accepted, my dear friend. And when we
talk about the first writers of
511
00:43:47,480 --> 00:43:52,740
English, we will find that even though
they had started writing in English much
512
00:43:52,740 --> 00:43:54,020
before, fine.
513
00:43:54,540 --> 00:43:58,420
Much before even say Henry de Roggio who
is considered to be the first English
514
00:43:58,420 --> 00:44:02,940
poet. But even before that there were
many who had started writing
515
00:44:02,940 --> 00:44:08,680
autobiographies, who had started writing
letters. And you know in this regard
516
00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:15,640
even in 18th century you know 1794 when
one Indian named Dean Muhammad who had
517
00:44:15,640 --> 00:44:22,520
written, who had published in 1794 a
book called The Travels of
518
00:44:22,520 --> 00:44:23,520
Dean Muhammad.
519
00:44:24,690 --> 00:44:29,130
Unfortunately, later on he got settled
in England because he was one of the
520
00:44:29,130 --> 00:44:33,570
employees of East India Company and that
is why he is not mentioned in many of
521
00:44:33,570 --> 00:44:38,950
the books, my dear friend. So, before we
come to the conclusion, let us also
522
00:44:38,950 --> 00:44:43,750
make a mention that those people who had
started writing in English, they had
523
00:44:43,750 --> 00:44:47,770
not been writing in English and they
were not accepted because they had
524
00:44:47,770 --> 00:44:53,150
translated some of the works. in english
and that is why we cannot consider them
525
00:44:53,150 --> 00:44:57,050
to either to be the first indian english
writer or to be the first indian
526
00:44:57,050 --> 00:45:03,890
english poet my different so before we
conclude let us say that language is
527
00:45:03,890 --> 00:45:10,470
a weapon and it is it is in our ability
to learn language and we can of course
528
00:45:10,470 --> 00:45:15,930
learn a language and with the help of
language we can really make our
529
00:45:15,930 --> 00:45:19,350
felt elsewhere across
530
00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:26,560
the seven seas in other nations in other
countries with this i come to the end
531
00:45:26,560 --> 00:45:32,300
of lecture and in the second lecture i
shall start talking how indians also
532
00:45:32,300 --> 00:45:37,840
started writing in english because and
we shall come to indian poetry in
533
00:45:38,240 --> 00:45:44,480
And I think since Indian English poetry
is a vast corpus like Indian English
534
00:45:44,480 --> 00:45:50,360
literature, but then a discussion on it
is essential because we want to
535
00:45:50,360 --> 00:45:54,880
familiarize people with the Indian ways
of life, with the Indian ethos, with the
536
00:45:54,880 --> 00:45:59,200
Indian strain, with the Indian
sensibility, my dear friend. So before
537
00:45:59,200 --> 00:46:03,360
for the next talk, till then, thank you
very much. Have a nice day. Bye.
52202
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.