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Analysis of Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Freedom’

Analysis of Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Freedom’. James Ee Secondary 3H1 2013. ‘Freedom’. Mission statement: ‘Freedom from fear is the freedom I claim for you my motherland !’ Poet coming to the forefront of fight for independence

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Analysis of Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Freedom’

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  1. Analysis of Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘Freedom’ James Ee Secondary 3H1 2013

  2. ‘Freedom’ • Mission statement: • ‘Freedom from fear is the freedom I claim for you my motherland!’ • Poet coming to the forefront of fight for independence • Tagore participated in the independence movement – not a mere onlooker • ‘fear’: reticence to seek independence • Imagery: nation as aged mother: • ‘blinding your eyes’ – active verb: does not resist invasion • ‘breaking your back’: ref. how British plundered and weighed down on India

  3. ‘Freedom’ • Antithesis – slumber and awakening: nation as insecure, hesitant: • ‘shackles of slumber’ –cf. Naidu’s ‘To India’ • ‘fasten yourself’ – active verb: nation portrayed as insecure • ‘mistrusting’: ‘slumber’ hinders judgement of right and wrong • Hesitant to seek independence from British • Destiny vs. free will: • ‘anarchy of destiny’: how indecisiveness will lead to ruin • ‘sails weakly yielded to the blind uncertain winds’: Indian people subjected to the whims and fancies of the Empire • ‘hand ever rigid and cold as death’: unfeeling and cruel plundering of India destroys her identity and culture • Poet seeks to reverse this ‘destiny’

  4. ‘Freedom’ • Destiny vs. free will – continued: • ‘insult’ – cf. Bharati’s ‘VandeMataram’ • ‘in a puppet’s world’: how India is not free to shape her destiny • ‘brainless wires’, ‘mindless habits’: monotonous and erroneous judgment • ‘wait with patience and obedience’: total and willing subjugation to whims of British • ‘master of show’: sarcastic – colonial masters • ‘to be stirred into a mimicry of life’: actions controlled by other’s decisions – artificial pretentiousness of life

  5. Discussion of ‘Freedom’ • Sense of nation: • Inaction arises from fear: people afraid of rebellion • People lie in passive subjugation – no resistance against British • Clouded judgment and insecurity – caused by fear • Destiny that will bring it to ruin • National identity: • Poet’s individual identity fused with that of the community’s greater identity • Desperation to bring forth change: cannot stand and watch injustices • Nation annexed to another nation: sovereignty clashes

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