Nissim Ezekiel as a Poet

Nissim Ezekiel is normally known as a poet who has written in only language, and his instance is often cited in contrast to the careers of other Indian poets who are usually bilingually accomplished (for instance, Arun Kolatkar, Kamla Markandaya, Dilip Chitre and Kamla Das). In Ezekiel’s case, English functions as his mother tongue, the only language he can use for creative expression. Ezekiel is an intensely private poet his writing is inextricably interwoven with his life and that poetry is guided by a search for commitment. A characteristic function of Ezekiel’s poetry, one particular becoming increasingly dominant with the progress of his operate as a poet and critic, is the search for detachment or non-involvement, therefore the preponderance of irony in his writing.

These observations may possibly be applied to Ezekiel’s Background Casually, which is rich in ambiguities and is divided into three sections. Its three sections describe his progress from childhood by means of youth to maturity, exploring the essence of one’s true vocation as a poet. Notably, the ‘I’ of the poem speaks in the direct lyrical mode with out the use of ironic mask. The poem could be study as a poem in the autobiographical confessional mode indeed, it may possibly be assigned to the genre to which such poems as Wordsworth’s Tintern Abbey belong. The poet reflects on both his failures and achievements and provides expressions to his love for his native soil in unequivocal terms. He affirms in the poem that he is very significantly an Indian and that his roots lie deep in India. As Ezekiel notes, “I am not a Hindu and my background… I am an Indian.” In the following lines, Ezekiel documents some of the key formative influences that shaped his subjectivity. There is a part for self-mockery and irony that predominates in the poem: ‘A poet rascal clown was born.’ However there are darker and probably more intense moments: the persona of a Jewish boy developing up in an overwhelmingly non-Jewish atmosphere attending a Roman Catholic College is plagued by fear and anxiousness, as reflected in the following lines: ‘A mugging Jew among the wolves,’ a phrase that is maybe a mechanism of self defense.

At the exact same time, Ezekiel showed early indicators of alienation from his personal minority religious ethos: “At home on Friday … The more I searched, the much less I found…” Coming upon to Ezakeil’s subsequent poem, which is as soon as once more a very significantly Indian in English, we find out that the poet has not only parodied ‘pidgin’ or ‘basic English’ is called, but has also made entertaining of the craze for , ‘foreign’ or fashionable young ladies and their mental vacuity. It is a social satire in which the poet has treated ironical affections and pretensions as properly as incorrect use of English of Indian Sahibs and Memsahibs. The poem is in a form of farewell speech. The party is thrown in the honor of Miss Pushpa who is “departing for foreign” in two or 3 days to increase her prospects. Speaker praises the quality of her heart by saying that she is sweet both internally and externally. She always smiles even when there is no reason for her to smile challenging the speaker does not remember the spot where exactly she lives, “I am not remembering which place…That was long time ago”. There is a touch of drama when someone tells speaker that she belongs to Surat she is equally well-known among both men and girls.

The “Jewish Wedding in Bombay” is direct expression of one of Ezekiel’s realizations about his background. The poem is autobiographical also since it is the recollection of Ezekiel’s marriage with Daisy Jacob. The poem starts with “Her mother shed a tear… and stated be silly”. He has expressed his feelings on how the religious areas and religious occasions are spoiled by the people, “Even the most orthodox it was mentioned ate beef… and swearing and drinking”. His nuptial evening was celebrated in the kitchen of his wife’s household apartment and alternatively of bed they had floor mattress. The poem ends with the description of the 1st critical marriage quarrel as Ezekiel says, “During our initial significant marriage quarrel… I had read instructed me now.” Therefore, following analyzing the above poem, one particular can conclude that the new poets or the post-independence poets have been attuned to such everyday events.

Ezekiel, ultimately, perceived that it was not required for a poet to copy or imitate the writing style and language of English poets. Originality of suggestions and concepts was most critical for a particular person, whatever his religion or background, in order to grow to be a really insightful poet.