Poetry
4. Awake (Sarojini Naidu)
2. Annotate ANY TWO of the following in about 100 words each. [2×4 =8marks]
a) Who kneel in thy presence to serve and adore thee!
b) Awaken and sever the woes that enthral us.
c) Ne’er shall we fail thee, forsake thee of flatter; Whose heart are thy home thy shield and thine altar.
d) … … Hearken, O Queen and O goddess, we hail thee!
4. Answer any two of the following questions in about 100 words each. [2×4 =8marks]
a) Substantiate the critical comment that the poem Awake is a patriotic lyric.
b) What do the children implore the mother in the poem Awake?
c) How do Indians plan to set their mother again at the forefront of glory?
d) What do the children of all creeds promise their mothers separately and collectively?
Introduction: These lines are taken from the poem “Awake” written by Sarojini Naidu.
About the poet: Sarojini Naidu, the Nightingale of India. As a writer, she is both prolific and profound. The Golden Threshold (1905), The Bird of Time (1912), and The Sceptred Flute (1928), etc are some of her great works. She is a poet, politician, orator, and administrator, and so on. She is the first woman to be the Governor of a state in independent India.
Context The Poem Awake, by Sarojini Naidu, is a patriotic song. It is a soul-stirring plea for action and unity. Sarojini Naidu recited this poem at meetings in Bombay and Lahore. And the effect was far beyond expectation.
Explanation: The poem awake appears as an address to Mother India. First, the nation is personified as our mother, All Indians become her children.
The poetess visualizes all children praying to the mother. They entreated her to give them a chance to serve her and Glory. She says under British rule our motherland lost her moral dignity. The darkness of the night of slavery will end and a bright and cheerful morning of freedom is imminent. The Waves of bondage are to be cut. Mother India should gain its glory again and grow and glow. Now she must rise up and break the change of slavery which trouble her children. The poetess says that her children are sincere and love her very much. They have a great devotion to the motherland. They have inherited her Pride, and moral and spiritual strength. They want to preserve these qualities. they will never fail to protect her. Their hearts are the home of the mother. They are her shield with which they would protect her. They will sing the tail of her glory, the echo of which will reach even to the stars in the high skies. The people of different religions and communities in India are prepared to serve their motherland with their intense love, devotion and sincerity. The Hindus convince her that they will offer flowers at her feet of God and Goddesses. They will offer flowers to Mother India. the Parsees, with the fire of hope burning in their hearts. The Muslims assure they will save her with the sword of God. The Christians assure their devotion and Faith. People of all faiths pledge to come together to defend and guard their mother, queen and goddess.
Conclusion : The poem stands out for its strong nationalistic feelings. This lyric of just eighteen lines is also remarkable for its many literary devices like personification, imagery, rhetoric and rhythm. Thus, the poem is very impressive with its theme and form.
OR
Introduction: These lines are taken from the poem Awake written by
Sarojini Naidu.
About the poet: Sarojini Naidu, the Nightingale of India. She is a poet, politician, orator, and administrator, and so on. She is the first woman to be the Governor of a state in independent India.
Context: The Poem Awake, by Sarojini Naidu, is a patriotic song. It is a request for action and unity. Sarojini Naidu recited this poem at meetings in Bombay and Lahore. And the effect was far beyond expectation.
Explanation: The poem Awake appears as a address to Mother India, all Indian become her children. The poet visualizes all children praying to her mother. But. It is a touching call to all Indians for unity and action. The woes of bondage are to be cut. Mother India should gain its glory again and grow and glow. One should remember the pride and power India all in once. People of all faiths Hindus, Parsees, Muslims, Christians pledge to come together to defend and guard their mother, queen and goddess.
Conclusion: Thus, the poem stands out for its strong nationalistic feelings.
