Waiting for Godot

Samuel Beckett :-

Samuel Beckett was born near Dublin, Ireland, on April 13, 1906 into a Protestant, middle class home. His father was a quantity surveyor and his mother worked as a nurse. At the age of 14 he was sent to the same school that Oscar Wilde attended. Beckett is known to have commented, "I had little talent for happiness." This was evidenced by his frequent bouts of depression, even as a young man. He often stayed in bed until late in the afternoon and hated long conversations. As a young poet he apparently rejected the advances of James Joyce's daughter and then commented that he did not have feelings that were human.  This sense of depression would show up in much of his writing, especially in Waiting for Godot where it is a struggle to get through life.

Samuel Beckett moved to Paris in 1926 and met James Joyce. He soon respected the older writer so much that at the age of 23 he wrote an essay defending Joyce's magnum opus to the public. In 1927, one year later, he won his first literary prize for his poem entitled "Whoroscope." The essay was about the philosopher Descartes meditating on the subject of time and about the transiency of life. Beckett then completed a study of Proust which eventually led him to believe that habit was the "cancer of time." At this point Beckett left his post at Trinity College and traveled.

All of Beckett's major works were written in French. He believed that French forced him to be more disciplined and to use the language more wisely. However, Waiting for Godot was eventually translated into the English by Beckett himself. Samuel Beckett also became one of the first absurdist playwrites to win international fame. His works have been translated into over twenty languages. In 1969 he received the Nobel Prize for Literature, one of the few times this century that almost everyone agreed the recipient deserved it. He continued to write until his death in 1989, but towards the end he remarked that each word seemed to him "an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness."

 Works by Samuel Beckett :-

1.  Act Without Words
2. Happy Days
3. Malone Dies
4. “Waiting for Godot”
5. “The Unnamable”
6. “Molloy”
7. “Watt”
8. “Endgame”
9. “Murphy”
10. “Whoroscope

 Waiting for Godot :-

Waiting for Godot is generally considered as a masterpiece example of what has come to be known as the theater of the absurd. The play is written by an Irish novelist, Samuel Beckett, a prominent literary figure well known for this work, and remembered as the founder of the theatre of absurd. The play was performed in 1949, having the theme of existentialist philosophy. The play Waiting for Godot is famous for purposeless characters, meaningless actions, and lacking a basic plot.

Setting of the play :-

one such play of an Irish playwright Beckett presents this image of a tree differently in the setting of his play. The setting of the play 'Waiting for Godot' by Samuel Beckett is inspired by two paintings by Caspar David Friedrich - a 19th-century German Romantic landscape painter. The title of this painting is 'longing'.

Themes of Waiting for Godot :-

1. ABSURDITY :-

The play has the repetition of many words and phrases, nonsensical lines, purposeless characters, meaningless dialogues, and wordplay. Characters both Vladimir and Estragon have forgotten everything even about their own identities. The text is full of humor but mixed up with tragedy . Vladimir and Estragon's nonsensical actions, suicide attempts, and rude behavior with Lucky on the Pozo's side create a discomforting effect on the audience. The play confuses readers as well as the audience whether to laugh or cry at the events presented on the stage. The useless conversations and extreme utterance of characters showed the emptiness and aimless world after World War II.

2. PURPOSELESSNESS OF LIFE :-

  Vladimir and Estragon have some purpose, but Godot's not arriving make their waiting vain. The visiting of Pozo and Lucky in the first act likely seems that Pozo wants to sell him but failed to do so as the play progress and ultimately shown to be equally purposeless. They are simply wandering from place to place, while on the other hand, Estragon and Lucky doing different acts even an empty suicide attempt. . The theater of absurd has a special message that life is purposeless vividly shows in the play Waiting for Godot. The boy's message is also equally vain, that Godot is never coming. Both Estragon and Vladimir are waiting for a long time without any purpose completely conform to the characteristics of the theater of absurd.

3. UNCERTAINTY OF TIME :-

Time is uncertain in this play, but in the opening scene, it passes normally. Morning, daytime, and evening pass systematically, but the characters are sometimes showing confusion about it again and again. Many scenes show that they wait a long time. In the second act, the growth of leaves also suggests the same, and on the other hand, Estragon and Vladimir have no firm idea of how long they have been together or how long ago they did .the scenes and event repeating the same way every day, but Estragon and Vladimir never remember to bring the rope they would need to hang themselves.It shows the meaningless life and cheap use of time.

4. THEME OF RELATIONSHIP :-Relationship and Friendship is one of the major themes of the play Waiting for Godot. The writer explores and portrays different types of relationships ranging from friendship to slave and ownership. Of course, they are different entities with different physical as well as mental problems but on combining they play a big role in the play.

1. Relationship between Estragon and Vladimir

2. Association of Pozzo and Lucky

3. Relationship of Estragon and Vladimir with Godot.

5. THEME OF EXISTENTIALISM :-

Both the characters Vladimir and Estragon put themselves into an absurd situation just like humans have been put in the world without any motivation.Samuel Beckett's play 'Waiting for Godot' exposes that it is up to the individual to change the meaning of life through personal experience in the world and make it better.

In very simple words the philosophy of existentialism means that every person is responsible for his actions and no second person is pulling his strings or controlling his fate.

Characters of Waiting for Godot :-

Vladimir (Didi) :- An old derelict dressed like a tramp; along with his companion of many years, he comes to a bleak, desolate place to wait for Godot.

Estragon (Gogo) :- Vladimir's companion of many years who is overly concerned with his physical needs, but is repeatedly told by Vladimir that, above all, they must wait for Godot.

Pozzo :-  A traveling man dressed rather elaborately; he arrives driving another man (Lucky) forward by means of a rope around the latter's neck.

Lucky :- The "slave" who obeys Pozzo absolutely.

Boy Messenger :- I and Boy Messenger II Each is a young boy who works for "Mr. Godot" and brings Vladimir and Estragon news about "Mr. Godot"; apparently he takes messages back to "Mr. Godot."

Godot :-  He never appears in the drama, but he is an entity that Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for.

Waiting for Godot :-

Two men, Vladimir and Estragon, meet near a tree. They converse on various topics and reveal that they are waiting there for a man named Godot. While they wait, two other men enter. Pozzo is on his way to the market to sell his slave, Lucky. He pauses for a while to converse with Vladimir and Estragon. Lucky entertains them by dancing and thinking, and Pozzo and Lucky leave.

After Pozzo and Lucky leave, a boy enters and tells Vladimir that he is a messenger from Godot. He tells Vladimir that Godot will not be coming tonight, but that he will surely come tomorrow. Vladimir asks him some questions about Godot and the boy departs. After his departure, Vladimir and Estragon decide to leave, but they do not move as the curtain falls.

The next night, Vladimir and Estragon again meet near the tree to wait for Godot. Lucky and Pozzo enter again, but this time Pozzo is blind and Lucky is dumb. Pozzo does not remember meeting the two men the night before. They leave and Vladimir and Estragon continue to wait.

Shortly after, the boy enters and once again tells Vladimir that Godot will not be coming. He insists that he did not speak to Vladimir yesterday. After he leaves, Estragon and Vladimir decide to leave, but again they do not move as the curtain falls, ending the play.

Existentialism

 Hello, readers

                       This blog is a part of Flipped Learning activity in which our task is to watch videos about Existentialism and write down whatever we understand.

  1.What is Existentialism?

Though existentialists differs in their views on Existentialism but in one or another way they share a basic belief of this term. From this video, I like that triangle idea of freedom, individuality, and passion which are the three sides of Existentialism. Along with it, the idea of philosophical suicide is quite interesting.

2.The Myth of Sisyphus : The Absurd Reasoning

Second video about the myth of Sisyphus; the Absurd Reasoning. taking about an absurd reasoning Comus starts this essay.
Absurd Reasoning there is but one truly serious philosophical problem, and that is suicide. he focuses on the matter of suicide. he shot himself on the Brooklyn bridge. he said it was the best artwork of the 19th century. life is filled with despair and absurdity and life is meaningless. life is the most urgent of questions." the silence of the heart ad is a great work of art. this video comparison with the movie "stay".

  3.  The notion of philosophical suicide

It’s worth watching the video to understand the concept of Philosophical suicide. . When we start to kill our own self as philosophers at that time it becomes Philosophical suicide. Why the absurdity takes place? It takes place because of the conflict between humans and the world. If there are no human beings, there would not be any desire. Without human beings, there should not be the question of absurdity. It can be said that absurdity is an ultimate reality of human life but at the same time for an absurd mind reason is useless and there is nothing beyond reasons. In this situation may our reliance be the ultimate solution of absurdity.

4.  Dadaism, Nihilism, and Existentialism :-

This video these are Dadaism, Nihilism, and Existentialism movement values and it deals with the movement. Dadaism is a quest for change new value and new path. Dadaism contents and value itself but it is against the value of Existentialism hence it essence with Nihilism. it was in 1916 that the Dada movement, and it is associated with Nihilism. The absurdity of life connected with Dadaism.
Dada + Art Movement = Nihilism
                           Dadaism a a way of becoming free of everything.

5.   Existentialism – a gloomy philosophy

Existentialism came after the second world war when the people tried to find the meaning in life among the gloominess of despair. Though life is full of anxiety, despair, and absurdity, we are free to give our own values to ourselves. But after following whatever we have chosen it’s become one’s own responsibility. The result should be either in favor or in against but escapism in a bad situation should not be there. Being an individual is also considered narcissistic but in actual it’s not true.

  6.Existentialism and Nihilism: Is it one and the same?

Existentialism is not said like nihilism say there is no meaning or purpose to life, but existentialism dealing with finding exist behind anything.
NIHILISM = THE LOSS OF INDIVIDUALITY (LEVELING)
             That the highest values devaluate themselves. nihilism is not a necessary characteristic of Existentialism. Existentialism dealing with one can create their own personal subjective meaning. nihilism dealing with this idea with no personal subjective meaning.
    7.Existentialist again!
Existentialists reject systems that propose to have to define answers to the questions of meaning and purpose in life. Generally, it questions human existence.

    8.Existentialism and Nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche, who gave the idea of "Ubermensche". is the philosophy for freedom. freedom of doing whatever human wants. as it says that no universal morality can make us individual or give us the meaning to life.

    9.Why I like Existentialism? Eric Dodson

Existentialism is a way of life and understands life deeply. Existentialism says about what I am Eric Dodson said that it is honest and shows the reality of life and accept your fault and your abilities.
 

10.From Essentialism to Existentialism:-

In this video, there is an example of an army man who wants to serve his mother and nation at the same time but it’s not possible to serve them at the same time. No one gives an answer to him as it’s a matter of individual choice. Because it is an individual choice to make their decision or follow the path suggested by others. There is no answer until we choose for ourselves. Individual meaning to our life is given by only us as well as a truly authentic decision can only be made by one's own moral code.

I like the video-8 "Explain Like I'm Five: Existentialism and Nietzsche that human beings have the power of everything it means human being can make their own rules and be a superman and he/she can do whatever they want.
Flipped learning is best to learn from anywhere, I like it most because it provides us content with appropriate pictures and signs so it would easy to understand the content.  through this learning, we can improve our listening skill from a native speaker and also we can improve our memory to remember the speaker's words and note down. And also we can learn how to pronounce spells. At last, I can say that we can learn from anywhere in our time through flipped learning.

I.A.Richards Figurative Language

 I.A.Richards Figurative Language:-

Ivor Armstrong Richards was a pioneer in the domain of New Criticism. His practical approach gave a new path to literary criticism. Instead of intuitive and impressionistic criticism, it became more factual & scientific. In his methodology, a lot of importance is given to the “words”.

He believed that the poet writes to communicate, and language is the means of that communication. Language is made of words, and hence a study of words is all-important if we are to understand the meaning of a work of art. Words carry four kinds of meaning: Sense, Feelings, Tone, and Intention.

To him, the language of poetry is purely emotive, in its original primitive state. This language affects feelings. Hence we must avoid the intuitive and over-literal reading of poems. Words in poetry have an emotive value, and the figurative language used by poets conveys those emotions effectively and forcefully.

Therefore here, I have done a verbal  Analysis of Bollywood Song: Tip Tip Barsa Paani

आहा हा हा हा आहा.. टिप-टिप बरसा पानी 

टिप-टिप बरसा पानी 

पानी ने आग लगाई 

आग लगी दिल में तो 

दिल को तेरी याद आई 

तेरी याद आई तो 

जल उठा मेरा भीगा बदन 

अब तू ही बताओ साजन मैं क्या करूं.. 

न न न न नाम तेरा मेरे लबों पर आया था

हो नाम तेरा मेरे लबों पर आया था 

हो मैंने बहाने से तुम्हे बुलाया था 

झूम कर आ गया सावन मैं क्या करूं 

टिप-टिप बरसा पानी  

पानी ने आग लगाई

आग लगी दिल में तो 

दिल को तेरी याद आई

तेरी याद आई तो  

जल उठा मेरा भीगा बदन 

अब तुम ही बताओ साजन मैं क्या करूं.. 

ये हे आ हा हा.. आ हा आहा..  

डू डू डू डू डूबा दरिया में खड़ा मैं साहिल पर 

हो डूबा दरिया में खड़ा मैं साहिल पर 

तू बिजली बनकर गिरी मेरे दिल पर 

चली ऐसी ये पागल पवन मैं क्या करूं.. 

टिप-टिप बरसा पानी पानी ने आग लगाई 

आग लगी दिल में तो दिल को तेरी याद आई

तेरी याद आई तो छा गया मुझपे दीवानापन

मेरे बस में नहीं मेरा मन मैं क्या करूं..

ये हे आ हा हा.. आ हा आहा..

Analysis of song:- 

Tip Tip Barsa Paani is Hindi song, taken from movie Mohra (1994) sung by Alka Yagnik, Udit Narayan. Lyrics penned by Anand Bakshi. Composed by Viju Shah. Starring Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon.

This song represents the situation of the beloved during the Rainy season whenever she socks in water at that time her feelings become more powerful thus she feels like fire in her heat as well as in her body. These feelings recognized her about her lover, and when she remembered him Once again A rainy season comes back with enthusiasm. Then the second part was sung by her lover and he sang that he was standing at rivage and the whole sea gets drown. Then he said that her beloved fall like thunder on him and then walk like a crazy wind and asked what I do?

I.A. RICHARD'S suggested that misunderstanding in understanding poems happens oftenly. there for he gave four kinds of meaning.

1]Sense

2]Feeling

3]Tone 

4]Intention

Then He gave Tenor - Vehicle - Metapher

and then He gave -Two use of language Emotive & Scientific. Metaphorical language always suggests Connotative or Emotive use of language, whereas Denotative or literal suggests Scientific language. So according to Richard's we have to give more importance to words rather than any Metaphorical language.

टिप-टिप बरसा पानी  

पानी ने आग लगाई

  आग लगी दिल में तो 

    दिल को तेरी याद आई

This song is absolutely nonsensical Because we all know that Water and Fire are opposite of one another, whenever Water appears; Fire will definitely Disappear. but here this song suggests something else which is nothing more than nonsensical or highly exaggerated of language. If Plato was alive he will definitely Ban this song because it impacts very harmful on children's mind as well as there is nothing true in it, means this song teach lies. This song suggests that her Heart is Fired by water and therefore she recognized her beloved. but a common logic is that If her heart was fired then how she could be alive? means she has to die!

ये हे आ हा हा.. आ हा आहा..  

             डू डू डू डू डूबा दरिया में खड़ा मैं साहिल पर 

    हो डूबा दरिया में खड़ा मैं साहिल पर 

  तू बिजली बनकर गिरी मेरे दिल पर 

     चली ऐसी ये पागल पवन मैं क्या करूं..

These lines also suggest that how lies can be spoken by songs. I could not understand that how is this possible that one can stand on littoral and sea was drawn? The second last line insists, How a human being can befall like thunder and If we supposed for a moment then science says that a normal human being definitely dies of shock.

So, I found that there are many things, which are just misuse of language nothing else and therefore it sounds nothing Worthful.

Mahendrasinh Parmar

Mahendrasinh Parmar 

He was born on 2 October 1967 in Naliya, a town in the Kutch district of Gujarat. He completed his Master of Arts in Gujarati literature from Bhavnagar University and received Ph.D. from the same University in 1998. He serves as a professor at Bhavnagar University since 1996. He married in 1996 and has two daughters. He lives in Bhavnagar.

Since 2002, his short stories appeared in various collections of Gujarati short stories. He has done numerous shows of the public reading of literary works under the title Vachikam. His critical works published as Pratham in 2009. Polytechnic (2016) is a short story collection while Rakhdu no Kagal (2016) is a collection of his personal essays. He wrote several plays.

His book Polytechnic (2016) was shortlisted for the Sahitya Akademi Award (2020)

"ISI no Haath ":-

"ISI no Haath" is a very wonderful short story by Mahendrasinh Parmar. This short story is a satire on "Religion". By reading it the first time I thought it is about "ISI " who might have done some wrong work and he is responsible for that, but when I read it twice then I realize that it is about the partial behavioral pattern of religion and how it creates terrorists. 

In this short story, we knew about the people whose life ruined because of the temple. their name is Ishvar Dabhi, Sharad Joshi, Indrajit Dholakiya.

Ishvar was a scrap collector or scavenger or junk man. He used to collect old newspapers but when the temple was built it was told to people to give old newspapers to them. so, people thought that it would be better to give newspaper to the temple so in the name of faith and religion people don't give old newspaper to Ishvar that was a reason that his business was broken.

Sharad was belonging to a poor family. her mother was the best to cook.  His mother and father feed people and earn money. due to the temple, their business was broken as we know that temple provides food to people for 600 Rs per month. when his father knew the reality he died.

Indrajit was a professor. He talks about religious people. Temple was the Profession for earning money. He talked about the temple. the land was given by Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji for education purposes but later on, the land was taken by religious people to build temples. we can see how religion ruined education.

 Here, we can see the imaginative power of Mahendrasinh parmar .we can say that he indirectly criticized the reality of Aksharvadi Temple of Bhavnagar. In this short story when we read the words of professor Indrajeet, when a policeman was inquiring and telling them that this land was donated to the University for educational purpose by his highness Maharaja Krishnakumarsihnji, the last Maharaja of Gohil Dynasty. Hence, the professor and many others against this temple and also the professor from the Chemistry department, and also Sir P.P Institute is connected with the Aksharvadi temple and also this event actually happened in the past. So it is an imaginative truth very aptly conveyed by writes through this story and also a satire on politics and on religious institute also that they shut the mouth of people who spoke against the temple through the power and we also see in the story that all three characters turned in the favor of the temple.

 In contemporary times also we can see that leaders are taking interest in making their idols instead of making hospitals. there are many people who are not getting one-time food but leaders do not care. In previous years which grounds were for children to play not it has built with a building.

2) Intellectual Indubhai:

'Intellectual Indubhai' is a very interesting short story in Polytechnic by Mahendrasinh Parmar. This short story is about one professor, Indubhai. He was a very intellectual and kind-hearted person. He was teaching a lesson of humanity. He was also taught his thoughts of Gandhiji, Narsinh Mehta, Meera, Eliot, and Rilke. But one day he faced the cruel situation in which majority and minority communal riots happened and people killed and burned each other. After seeing that kind of situation Indubhai remembered the western thinkers. Here, the writer of this story seems very knowledgeable because he reminds me of western literature. The story begins with one sister telling a story to his brother about Indubhai.’Intellectual Indubhai’. The beginning of the story is quite interesting. Both Brother and sister create a satire on English words. It also describes still lots of people having trouble with the English language and education. At the end of the story, Indubhai becomes made. He lost his memory and just indicated everyone by using the name of a great poet, philosopher, and author.

Waiting For Godot

 Samuel Beckett:-

Samuel Beckett adopted several features of James Joyce’s style and narrative technique while searching for an original and authentic manner of expressing his struggle to represent the alienation of the modern mind. Consequently, he gave is he gave the form of the narrative almost exclusive attention. Thus, the idyllic, the comic, and the dreamlike presented in contrast with the tragic and the melancholic way of life were his main instruments to confer shape and form to a narrative that was to express the feeling of nothingness in an ever-changing world.

 Melancholy influenced Beckett’s writings most. He stated in his German Diaries that he felt most happily melancholic. However the tragic, the dreamlike, the comic, and the idyllic play a good part in his dealing with modern themes, the alienation of modern man in particular. His own temperament opened his work to romantic influences.1 His literary work has been translated into 20 languages ensuring recognition that its enduring features are of a universal nature. This paper’s main aim is to analyze the extent to which the tragic, the idyllic, the humoristic, and the dreamlike features of his short prose writings are addressed by Romanian translations and original literary Romanian workings, in order to prove the imperishable dimension of Beckett’s artistic work.

1. What do you think about the characters of the play?

Godot is a hope and a belief of the two protagonists, Estragon and Vladimir, in Waiting for Godot. The character is someone who enables the protagonists to carry on with their own existence and becomes the grand narrative of the play even though he is absent and never arrives to fulfill Vladimir and Estragon’s needs. Godot’s absence creates a mystery for both the protagonists, who are hoping for a better day, and the audience, who wish for some kind of solution at the end of the show. In his play, Samuel Beckett is questioning what it is that keeps people going through the absurdity of the life they live. Beckett debates the meaning of one’s existence in this world. Godot becomes a symbol of something that people find encourages them to live for another day. He could be seen in many ways, portraying many different identities. This study will explore how the character of Godot and the things that he symbolizes can be seen and understood in the twenty-first century, as well as considering the nature of modern human living now and the social and cultural norms that shape our identities and personalities.  

2. What do you say about their activities and their significance?

This study has raised a debate about the character of Godot in Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot, a timeless piece that challenged theatre norms in 1950s Europe, even now is still keeping audiences/readers interested by questioning the persona of Godot and the values the character represents. The play’s cultural, philosophical, and sociological contexts force the viewer/reader to reflect upon our own existence and beliefs about the world we are living in. The era in with the play was created and the issues that Beckett was exploring within the play are still relevant today.  As mentioned in the chapter: Roots and Textual Meanings, it is up to the reader/audience to read the metaphors and the symbols within the context of the text, and one may find different meanings from what Beckett had intended. Watching or reading the play incorporates us in the endless waiting for a person who we do not know.

3. Is there any similarity between the situations in the play and the lockdown period of 2020?

This study intends to raise a debate around the absent person of Godot and what meaning the character has today. Since the premiere of Waiting for Godot on the 5th January 1953 in the Theatre de Babylone in Paris, audiences have sought to understand the unknown being of Godot. This study evaluates previous interpretations of the character as well as searches for parallels in the twenty-first century.  The research was undertaken through the use of qualitative secondary sources which assisted in forming the opinions expressed in this study. There was no previous literature found exploring the comparison of social media platforms and the universe of Godot. For this reason, this study attempts to find the comparisons and define Godot in the twenty-first century.  

Godot is the absent character in Waiting for Godot. This study attempts to analyze what meaning the character has today in the twenty-first century. The research undertaken reflects on Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot roots and textual meanings. It studies the writer’s influences in order to understand what the character of Godot meant to the creator, as well as exploring themes in the play such as religion, hope, salvation, and higher powers, which the character of Godot could be seen to represent. Philosophies and theories of Camus, Sartre, and Freud are examined to support the arguments made and throw light on how Godot can be interpreted.  Similarities between the protagonists, Estragon and Vladimir, relationship with Godot and social media in the twenty-first century are explored.

4.  Did you feel like an existential crisis?

An existential crisis often occurs after major life events, such as career or job change, death of a loved one, diagnosis of a serious or life-threatening illness, a significant birthday, experiencing a tragic or traumatic experience, having children, divorce, or even marriage.

For existentialists, an existential crisis is considered to be a journey, a necessary experience, and a complex phenomenon. It comes from an awareness of your own freedoms and how life will end for you one day. That journey may reveal to us that where there was structure and familiarity, now there is a mystery, unfamiliarity, a sense of discomfort, and a feeling like somehow, things don’t fit so well anymore.

5. What did you do to pass time?

During the lockdown, I was preparing for my B.A SEM 6 exam, after reading I was thinking to watch tv shows but due to lockdown new show was not telecast so, I used to watch old Indian shows, Pakistani popular shows & turkey shows...etc. when I feel bored that time this thing helps me to pass time. 

6. How was your psychological condition?

I was scared that if my exam will not be taken then how I will complete my graduation and without that I can not plan anything that what stream to choose. I  was head many people died due to covid - 19 so, I was worried that if we will not able to go to our hometown then...Sometimes mind was blank and not able to understand that what to do? 

Hello,
Everyone welcome to my blog, here I am going to sahre my view upon given task. This task was about modernism and modernist poem. We have to find modernist symbol, metaphor and imagery from the very short poem.  Before starting let's know that what is modernism?

Modernism :-

‘Modernism’ might be said to have been characterised by a deliberate and often radical shift away from tradition, and consequently by the use of new and innovative forms of expression Thus, many styles in art and literature from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are markedly different from those that preceded them. The term ‘modernism’ generally covers the creative output of artists and thinkers who saw ‘traditional’ approaches to the arts, architecture, literature, religion, social organisation  had become outdated in light of the new economic, social and political circumstances of a by now fully industrialised society ‘modernism’ might be said to have been characterised by a deliberate and often radical shift away from tradition, and consequently by the use of new and innovative forms of expression Thus, many styles in art and literature from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are markedly different from those that preceded them. The term ‘modernism’ generally covers the creative output of artists and thinkers who saw ‘traditional’ approaches to the arts, architecture, literature, religion, social organisation had become outdated in light of the new economic, social and political circumstances of a by now fully industrialised society. 

The Main Characteristics of Modernist Literature :- 

• Individualism

• Experimentation

•  Absurdity

• Symbolism

•  Formalism

Characteristics of 20th Century Literature :-

1) 'The Embankment'- T.E.Hulme :-

Once, in finesse of fiddles found I ecstasy, 

 flash of gold heels on the hard pavement. 

Now see I 

That warmth’s the very stuff of poesy. 

Oh, God, make small 

The old star-eaten blanket of the sky, 

That I may fold it round me and in comfort lie.

   

This poem iterates, that only what is essential to human existence makes good poetry. In other words, good poetry deals with the necessary and includes only what is necessary. Hulme pushes this point home by choosing ‘fiddles’ and ‘gold heels’ as the images with which he rejects sound and sight respectively; both are associated with luxury, with what is not necessary but merely desired. But warmth is something different: warmth is not only desired but needed for us to live.

2)Darkness- by Joseph Campbell

I stop to watch a star shine in the boghole –
A star no longer, but a silver ribbon of light.
I look at it, and pass on.

In this poem we can find the modern metaphor like "Silver ribbon" and image like "Boghole". Joseph Campbell strict modern poet, his poem against the Victorian themes. The present poem's title itself suggest the contradiction between darkness and shiny star. speaker might be tell about the illusions in the life.

3) Image- by Edward Storer

"Forsaken lovers,

Burning to a chaste white moon

upon strange pyres of loneliness and drought".

In this poem, poet used the symbol of "white moon" as it connects the heart of two lover, but poet here used it in opposite side that it burns lovers and they can't chaste with each other. Their loneliness is there though they are together. So, here we can interpret that modernist think that we all are alone in crowd.

4) "In a station of the metro" by Ezra Pound

"The apparition of these faces in a crowd,
petals in wet, black bough

This poem's structure against the Victorian poems, Victorian used to write very lengthy poem but here poet use very short poem like the metro speed. Here, poet used very good metaphor "Petals on wet black bought". This poem suggest the busy life of city people they have not time to face each other like city life is lifeless. we can say that this poem is about the loneliness in crowd.

5)The pool- by Hilda Dolittle

"Are you alive?

I touched you

you quiver trembling like a sea fish

I cover you with my net

What are you banded one?

Very first line of the poem, 'Are you alive? arise the question of existence which is one of the important aspect of modern literature. People of modern time became like sea fish that they are controlled or bound by some chain that they can't free from them. The title "Pool" is also symbolize the stillness like water store in it which don't have flowness which is most important things in the life to flow from one to another.

6) "Insouciance"- By Richard Aldington

"In and out of the dreary trenches
Trudging cheerily under the stars
I make for myself little poems
Delicate as a flock of dovesin 
Thy fly away like white-winged Doves.

In this poem the poet presents that how people are living their life insouciance way with carelessness. They try to express their feeling in literature as poet says "I make for myself little poem" the way of living is with no excitement "In and out of the dreary trenches" but though all are walking on their path with such cheer, the reference of "White-winged Doves" is used for modern culture of living life and feeling of isolation is there.

7) “Morning at the Window”- T.S.Eliot

They are rattling breakfast plates in basement kitchens,
And along the trampled edges of the street
I am aware of the damp souls of housemaids
Sprouting despondently at area gates.
The brown waves of fog toss up to me
Twisted faces from the bottom of the street,
And tear from a passer-by with muddy skirts
An aimless smile that hovers in the air
And vanishes along the level of the roofs.

He present poem about the modern view of England. The main idea of the poem is poverty, it presents the picture of poor people. who have to face several hardship from morning to the late night.
There are vivid images that makes the poem imagist one for e.g- "Rattling breakfast plates", "Damp souls", "brown waves", "Twisted faces", "Muddy Skirts", "Aimless smile".

8) "The Red wheelbarrow- William carols 

William

so much depends

Upon
a red wheel
Barrow
glazed with rain
Water
beside the white
chickens

The poem sings a song of craftsmanship. Poet says, 'so much depends upon a red Wheelbarrow. It glazes in rain like white chickens. Though industry and factories have took place, craftsmanship is also important.

9) Anecdote of the Jar- Wallace Stevens

I placed a jar in Tennessee,  
And round it was, upon a hill.  
It made the slovenly wilderness  
Surround that hill.
The wilderness rose up to it,
And sprawled around, no longer wild.  
The jar was round upon the ground  
And tall and of a port in air.
It took dominion everywhere.  
The jar was gray and bare.
It did not give of bird or bush,  
Like nothing else in Tennessee.

This is a imaginative poem which exaggerate the picture of jar. Poet placed that jar upon hill, jar reminds us the Grecian urn of Keats. Poets sing the glory of the jar and also ask the question that which is superior 'a work of art or nature?'

10)   “ I” – E.E.Cummings

“A leaf falls with loneliness”

This is has many images, reader can interpret anything which they want. The image in the poem is loneliness and a leaf. we can connect with death of human with fallen leaf. So, isolation is the  main theme and image of this one line poem.

The Waste Land

 The Waste Land 

Introduction :-

T. S. Eliot as an important nature poet whose reflections on human/nature relations remain relevant to our current understanding of the environmental crisis. Challenging conventional associations of nature writing with rural places, the importance of urban-centred poetry in representing modern relationships with nature and voicing concern against the negative environmental impact of modernity. Focusing predominantly on The Waste Land the article explores the material reality of the poem’s landscapes, the under-examined centrality of place in Eliot’s work and the idea of the poem as a prescient warning of climate change. 

                                                                  T. S. Eliot not considered as a nature poet  Few writers have been as  influential in modernising literary representations of the physical environment, yet despite being the subject of exhaustive critical interest this aspect of Eliot’s work remains notably under-examined. The cause of this omission cannot be attributed to Eliot’s creative or critical output, which consistently foregrounds the physical, psychological and artistic importance of the non-human world and engages with the difficulty of representing it through language.

The Waste Land :-

The Waste Land should be considered a vital poem in the history of nature writing because it represents an important cultural response to a period of significant changes in human nature relations following the disruptive experience of war and modernity. T. S. Eliot was writing during a period of immense change in relation to urbanisation, when for the first time in Britain more people lived in the city than the countryside. The Waste Land is important in this context because it explores the physical and psychological impact of Britain’s transition from a rural to an urban nation. The poem reflects the reality of the rapid growth of urban places by making the city the vibrant focal point at the heart of modernity.

About the theme of The Waste Land, various interpretations have been given, Those interpretations are often conflicting and cintraductiry. One of the important themes of The Waste Land is 'a vision of dissolution and spiritual drought.' This spiritual drought arises from the degeneration, vulgarisation, and commercialisation of sex, Eliot's study of the source of life and vitality, when it is exercised for the sake of procreation and when it is an expression of love. But when it is severed from its primary function, and is exercised for the sake of momentary pleasure or monetary benefit, it becomes a source of degeneration and corruption. It then represents the primany of the flesh over the spirit, and this results in spiritual decay and death. It was a woman, and Adma's concupiscence or obedience to the flesh. that led to the original sin and the Fall of Man . and it is this very obedience to the flesh which accounts for the spiritual and emotional barrenness of the modern age. The Waste Land is sexual perversion amongthe middle-class people. This is seen in the mechanical relationship of the typist and the clerk. The typist gives herself to the clerk with a sense of total indifference and apathy. There is neither repulsion nor any pleasure, and this absence of feeling is a measure of the sterility of the age. It is just animal like copulation. As soon as the young man has departed , the typist rearranges her hair, and puts a record on the gramophone, ''with automatic hands''. This perversion of sex is also to be seen in the lower classes of society. The songs of three Thames daughters clearly show that they have been sexually exploited but they can do nothing about it. They and their people are too poor and too apathetic to make any efforts for the betterment of their lot Man has grown inhuman; humanity has lost its humanity.

online session taken by Dilip Barad sir :-

1) What are your views on the following image after reading 'The Waste Land'? Do you think that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzche's views? or Has Eliot achieved universality of thought by recalling mytho-historical answer to the contemporary malaise? 

Here we can see the conflict of different views between Eliot and Nietzsche. Eliot believe in supernatural power whereas Nietzsche like an atheist, but both are right in their own way. Through the mythical views like Upnishada ,logic, supernatural power and various cultures, Eliot wants to evoke the people that past is very good lesson to make  better future, people can learn through past and from supernatural things.

While Nietzsche believe in human power as 'superman', he is not believe in supernatural things and tradition, for him The God is dead and he says that man can survive and make better future himself.

So we cannot say that Eliot is regressive as compared to Nietzsche's  views because Eliot is using the past reference to answer contemporary malaise. Because myth and religion changed and influence in the way of thinking of the people, because religions are about the betterment of people it is path giver, you should blame people not religion. Every religion teach and developed the humanity in the people. There is one example in the Quran about Firon(Pharaoh)Egyptian King who believe himself as God and killed innocent people then God mentioned his hubris and gives lesson to upcoming generation to developed humanity instead of hatredness so we can say that religion cultivate morality. Every Holi book says that don't attache too much with material thing(life) all have to taste flavour of death, so be a spiritual soul. Nietzsche believe in "Ubermensch" who gave solution to the problem for contemporary crisis. For instance, we can take an example of Hitler, he also want to give solution to contemporary crisis but it bring chaos in the society. So, I personally do not support the views of Nietzsche.
 According to me, the views of Eliot can be considered as more realistic than Nietzsche, Nietzsche finds the solution of present in future while Eliot is finding the solution of present and future in past because past is like a mirror as well as lesson for people that is why Eliot make his views universally and realistic.

2.Prior to the speech, Gustaf Hellström of the Swedish Academy made these remarks: T.S. Eliot and S. Freud What are your views regarding these comments? Is it true that giving free vent to the repressed 'primitive instinct' lead us to happy and satisfied life? or do you agree with Eliot's view that 'salvation of man lies in the preservation of the cultural tradition'?

 Ans :- As per my views the idea of Freud of primitive instinct is more appropriate than the Eliot's view. For Freud the cause of confusion lies in discomfort and uneasiness in the culture of modern man whereas Eliot speaks about the preservation of the cultural tradition. Freud's view is direct and it clearly speaks about the satisfaction of human needs through satisfying primitive things. For Example- Human beings are always hungry and lustful creature and they like to satisfy their hunger with the process of sexual act.

Even if human grows older the desire never gets old. This should always remains in conscious or subconcious state and whenever they want they fulfils it.

Hence Freud's Idea is more powerful. Eliot Idea about preservation, self control is not work in the present time. As human grows older he/she may learn to control over his/her feelings but only because of age they are controlling but inside there is same desire as found in the Young generation, but because of inability they couldn't fulfills it.

Eliot speaks about the conscious state that, when  human was doing things consciously he/she can control his/her feelings or anything. But according to Freud there always the presence of subconscious state of mind that make us doing things which we can't imagine or never think of it directly.

3) Write about allusions to the Indian thoughts in 'The Waste Land'.

Ans :- In the entire poem there are lots of reference which describes the indian though indirectly. Some of them are:-

a) Three 'Da' :-
    1)Datta- to give not only charity but giving oneself for some noble cause.
     2) Dayadhvam- Sympathies yourself with the sorrows and suffering of others, come out of your isolation and love into others.
      3)Damyata- Self control, control over one's passion and desire.

b) Shantih Shlok :-
The peace that passes beyond all understanding. We always get peace at the end. Similarly the poem also ends with the hope that one day everything should be redeemed.

c) Holy river Ganga :-
"Ganga was sunken, and the limp lives, waited for rain, while the black clouds, Gathered far distant, over Himavant....."
Eliot also used the reference of the Mythical Indian Holy river Ganga which was known for its purity.

Indian thoughts :-
There is very important reason of making the use of Indian thoughts in 'Wasteland'. Whenever foreigners think of India, they think of Spiritualistic value rather than materialistic. In a way Indian culture answers to the problems which was faced by the west. Whenever the west is rotten, the great poet of west looks at India to find solution, to attain spirituality. That is the thing which makes Indian people to feel pride.

Indian Idea of Spirituality always attracted the western people who came in India just to get peace which they were not found in any corner of the world. In India there are most of faithful and spiritual people living who with their positive wives affects and attracts the other.

Eliot referred Indian Thoughts. Eliot finds sexual perversion, spiritual decay everywhere and with a hope to get solution he looks on the Indian Idea of spirituality to attain salvation. But he ended his poem with hope, even he is not sure that whether it could be done, achieved or not. That's why Freaud's concept of ubermensch becomes more powerful because it goes progressively and also offers solution.'

 Thanks !!