Introduction of the Poem:
In the poem entitled “And I Reject The Indian Noise”, atmosphere full of noise has been depicted. The poet also depicts the harmful impacts of noise on the minds of people. He observes that in India the noise is assuming a very awful form. It has completely disturbed the peace of mind of the men of this physical world. It has also affected man's inner conscience. Man's soul has become unhealthy. Under the influence of noise, man has wandered from his right way. He has lost his thinking power. The extremity of noise has become the cause of disaster.
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| Nissim Ezekiel’s Poem, And I Reject the Indian Noise—A Critical Study |
Some Critical Points of the Poem:
1. The noise creates a commotion in the mind of the people.
2. The noise not only disturbs the peace of mind, but also it scatters the chain of thoughts rising in the mind of people.
3. The noise weakens man's thinking power.
4. The intensity of noise is beyond description and it cannot be explained clearly.
5. Harmony of sounds can be endured.
6. A sort of battle of the voices has started and one sound suppresses another.
7. The grand ideas do not knock the door of mind every time.
Summary of the Poem:
Stanza 1:
I drown it
In my inner silence,
Sheer strength of mind,
A trick of violent levitation
Not to be demonstrated
I shut it out
With symphonies
Not meant to be heard
Or news in languages unknown
It is a form of self - defence;
One noise cancels out the other,
And I am free
Underground or in the sky.
Explanatory Word - Meanings:
1. I drown it= the poet says that the surroundings of this materialistic world is full of noise. It creates a commotion in the mind of the poet. He tries his best to suppress this intensity of noise. 2. In my inner silence= the noise not only disturbs the peace of his mind, but also it scatters the chain of the thoughts rising in his mind. 3. Sheer ... mind= the noise weakens his thinking power. It carries him away from proper subject. 4. A trick ... demonstrated= the terrific form of noise is beyond control. No process can be adopted to resist it. 5. Levitation = rising and floating in the air. The noise floats in the air in invisible form. It can only be heard. It appears as if some supernatural power were scattering it in the atmosphere. 6. Demonstrated= to explain clearly. The intensity of noise is beyond description. It cannot be explained clearly. 7. I shut it ... symphonies= the poet wants to suppress this materialistic curse with the help of harmony of sounds and in this way, the noise can be endured. 8. Not meant ... unknown= when the different kinds of noise are mingled in the atmosphere, its intensity reaches at the top stage and in this condition it is difficult to hear the voice of some particular person. 9. It is a form ... other = one sound protects it from another and in this battle of sounds; one sound gets victory against other. It means that one sound suppresses other. 10. And I ... sky= the poet will feel liberty if the great intensity of noise is reduced extently.
Paraphrase in English:
The poet observes that this materialistic world is full of different kinds of noise. This noise has disturbed the poet's peace of mind. It has also disturbed his inner conscience. It has snatched his contemplated power. Now the poet feels that he has lost his thinking power. He finds himself unable to give his thoughts a right way. He cannot form a chain of thoughts. This materialistic curse has strayed him from his way. The commotion of this noise cannot be explained clearly. The poet wants to suppress this materialistic curse with the harmony of sounds and thus the noise may be endurable. When the atmosphere of this physical world is filled with different kinds of noise, its intensity reaches at its highest pitch and the voice of a particular person cannot be heard. A kind of battle is waged among the sounds one sound suppresses another. The poet will feel ease, comfortable and liberty if the sound in the atmosphere is reduced extently or is completely ended.
Stanza 2:
I curse the noise
That's the worst way,
But the sudden heat
Cools my kingdom,
Keeps my reason dry.
On rare occasions,
Ragged spirit roused to scorn,
I play the ogre, striding out
To crush the vulgar source...
This does the job at least,
But only in my imagination.
Explanatory Word - Meanings:
1. I curse the noise = the poet badly condemns the noise and he also expresses his hateredness. 2. That's ... way= the noise is an embodiment of disaster. 3. But the sudden heat= great and glorious ideas do not knock the door of mind every time. They suddenly come up in mind and if not preserved, can disappear again. 4. Cools my kingdom = mixture of different noises disturb the kingdom of his thoughts. His ideas become monotonous by the violent attacks of noises. The expression of his words disappears. 5. Keeps ... dry = the disturbance of noises makes him unable to impart a sort of extremity to his words. 6. On ... scorn = sometimes wild spirits arouse in his heart and mind and he begins to hate this world of noises. 7. I play ... imagination= in his imagination, he assumes the role of a monster and decides to trample this physical world, so he walks with long steps with arrogance as if he were the most powerful creature of another world. 8. Ogre = a monster in fairy tales, a monstrously ugly, cruel or barbarous person. 9. Stride = walk with long steps as with vigour, haste, impatience or arrogance.
Paraphrase:
The poet observes that the noise snatches the peace of mind of the human being. It creates a commotion in their life style. It makes them discontented and irritated. Indeed the noise is very terrific, so the poet badly condemns it and as the noise creates obstacles in the way of man, he begins to hate it. He is unable to resist it. The great intensity of noise brings disaster. Suddenly the grand ideas come in his mind, but the noise breaks the chain of grand ideas. The empire of his thoughts is disturbed due to this extremity of noise. Sometimes his spirits become wild and he is filled with great anger against this physical world. He, at once, in his imagination, assumes the role of a monster and with the feelings of arrogance; he walks with long steps as if he were a powerful supernatural power.
Critical Analysis of the Poem:
Introduction:
In the poem entitled “And I Reject the Indian Noise”, the poet presents the hectic activities of the world which are extently responsible to create and enhance the intensity of noise. He observes that in India the noise is assuming a very terrific form day by day. It has entirely disturbed the peace of mind of the man of this physical world. It has made the human mind completely handicapped. It has also affected man's inner conscience. It has overpowered the strength of poet's mind and has scattered the thoughts and ideas of the poet completely. Under this influence of the noise, he has wandered from his subject. He has forgotten the true way of life. He feels himself unable and weaponless before this terrific form of the noise. The extremity of noise has become the cause of disaster for the human minds.
Thought - Content:
The poet thinks that this materialistic world is full of different kinds of noise. This great mixture of noise has ruined the state of his mind and even his inner conscience. He finds himself unable to give his thoughts a right way. The commotion of this noise cannot be explained clearly. The poet wants to suppress this materialistic curse with the harmony of sounds and thus the noise may be endurable extently. When the intensity of the noise reaches at its highest pitch, the voice of a particular person cannot be heard clearly. A fierceful battle of the voices has started. The poet thinks that if this noise is reduced extently, he will feel liberty and comfortable. This noise makes the people discontented and irritated. The poet badly condemns it, but he is unable to control it. The great intensity of noise brings disaster for the empire of his thoughts. The noise confuses him and breaks the chain of his splendid ideas. Sometimes his spirit becomes wild against this materialistic world and he becomes agitated. In his fancy he plays a role of cruel monster to trample the main region of the noise.
Presenting the Harmful Effects of the Noise:
The poet also depicts the harms or losses created by noise. It has weakened the strength of mind. Even the pure thoughts cannot come from man's inner conscience. Under the heavy weight of noise, man remains in great tension. This extremity of noise leaves direct impacts on the region of man's thoughts. Due to wrong thinking, it is sure that man can wander from his proper subject. He cannot express his ideas. Violent storms are always rising in human mind.
Poet's Showing His Inability to Control the Noise:
The poet is unable to resist this great influence of noise. The poet is weaponless before this disastrous force. But sometimes he grows violent, aggressive and wild against this great intensity of noise. Only in his imagination, he can display his wrath against this noise, so he at once assumes the role of a man eater monster and with the feelings of arrogance, he walks with long steps towards the origin sphere of the noise and wants to crush it forever so that the people may live with ease and peace.
Poet's Planning to Harmonise the Different Voices:
The poet observes that there is no sweetness of the voices rising and floating in the atmosphere. They are harsh for human ears. Everyone likes to hear the sweet melodies in order to soothe and comfort his mind. So, the poet plans to reduce this noise with the harmony of sounds and in this way this noise can be endured. He accepts that sweet music is regarded the best source of consolation and peace in the world of full of tensions and worries. The man hears the sweet music in order to get rid of the tensions, tiredness of the overwork, and other problems. If the noise is harmonized, there will be an extent peace in the physical world.
Language and Style:
There is great simplicity of language. The poet has used very common words which do not create any difficulty for an average reader. He has chosen the words carefully with reference to their sense and their sound. He aims at avoiding superfluity and at achieving terseness, economy and condensation. The poet is economical in the use of language but he is never obscure. He goes straight to the deeper issues. He always imparts a new meaning and suggestive significance to common, everyday words.