HORNBILL|| POEM|| FATHER TO SON || NCERT CLASS 11
FATHER TO SON
A POEM BY - ELIZABETH JENNINGS
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE POET:
Elizabeth Jennings was a noted English poet. She was born on July 18, 1926 in Boston. Later on she moved to Oxford and spent the rest of her life. She led an extraordinary life and considered the only woman who joined the anti-romantic aesthetic movement. She worked on poetry dedicatedly and published about 26 books of poetry in her lifetime. Her poems are famous for their lyrical quality. She was a devout Roman catholic. 'Catholicism' is an important theme of her poetry. This noted poet died in 2001.
THE POEM- TEXT:
FATHER TO SON
I do not understand the child
Though we have lived together now
In the same house for years, I know
Nothing of him, so try to build
Up a relationship from now
He was when small, Yet have I killed
(EXPLANATION: In the first stanza the father says that although they live in the same house, he does not understand his son at present. May be he understood him before. He expresses sorrowfully that he knows nothing about his son. Hence he wants to reshape his relation with his son.)
The seed I spent or sown it where
The land is his and none of mine?
We speak like strangers, there's no sign
Of understanding in the air.
This child is built to my design
Yet what he loves I cannot share.
(EXPLANATION: Father also says that his son originated from him, but now he has no connection with his son. There is total gap of communication between them two. There is no understanding between that and they talk like strangers to one another. Although the child or his son was built up as per the father's design but now they do not know one another.)
Silence surrounds us. I would have
Him prodigal, returning to
His father's house, the home he knew,
Rather that see him make and move
His world. I would forgive him too,
Shaping from sorrow a new love.
(EXPLANATION: The father regretted that even if they talk, there prevails silence in between. Father says that his son should come back to him now, even if he is prodigal (one who spends much).The father puts a margin between his son's return to his father's home or making his own home and move over there. Finally he says that whatever the situations, habit or activities of sons are, he would forgive him. Also he (father) would shape up their relation newly)
Father and son, we both must live
On the same globe and the same land,
He speaks: I cannot understand
Myself, why anger grows from grief.
We each put out an empty hand,
Longing for something to forgive.
(EXPLANATION: Father added that if they are bound to live in the same world, universe or globe why he should live apart. He says that sometimes his grieves makes him angry. But he, eventually puts forwards his empty hands towards his son so that he can embrace him, forgive him and can have a new beginning of their relation.)
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE POEM- FATHER TO SON.
This poem deals with the theme of relationship. This is about father and sons relationship. Some scholars state that this is about generation gap, which is a very trending issue. Through this poem we come to know about the feelings of an aged father who observes his grown up son's activities and manner. The father, here, is in fact a smooth observer of his son's ways of living. He feels isolated and emotionally separated from his son. He feels that he has no right to share his son's thoughts or feelings. He wants that instead of making his own world the son should come back to his father. The father wants to accept his son unconditionally. Thus, this poem has a universal appeal; for the father represents father in general. Moreover, we may say that the crisis of the father in the poem - is the crisis of all modern day fathers in general.
THINK IT OUT
Answer:
This poem talks of a universal theme. It describes the relationship between a father and his son. In this sense it an autobiographical poem. Although it expresses a father's personal experience, it has a universal appeal.
2) How is the father 's helplessness brought out in the poem?
Answer:
Though it can not be generalized, the more our parents grow older, the more they feel isolated and alienated. In this poem, a father feels himself lonely having communication gap with his busy son. As we read, they live under the same roof still the father feels himself isolated. He complains that he can't share thoughts with his son. Hence, he longs for reunion with his own son.
3) Identify the phrases and lines that indicate distance between father and son.
Answer:
The lines are:
a) " I don't understand this child. "
b) " I know nothing of him. "
c) "We speak like strangers. "
d) What he loves I can't share. "
4) Does the poem have a consistent rhyme scheme?
Answer:
No, the poem does not have a consistent rhyme scheme.
ADDITIONAL QUESTION AND ANSWERS::
1. Who is the poet of the poem ?
Answer:
Elizabeth Jennings
2. What does the father not understand?
Answer:
The father does not understand his son.
3.What is meant by "Silence surrounds us"?
Answer:
It means that there is communication gap between the father and the son. Precisely, they don't talk to one another.
4.What is the the father's wish ?
Answer:
The father wishes to forgive his son.
5.What is the central theme of the poem?
Answer:
The central theme is universal i,e. lack of attention or concern for aged parents.
6.What does the father try?
Answer:
The father tries to rebuild his relation with his own son.
7.What does "we speak like strangers" mean?
Answer:
The father complains that there is no understanding or mutual relation between him and his son. Hence they talk like strangers. This is really pathetic on the part of a father.
8.What is meant by "This child, not my child."?
Answer:
This means the finds difference between his earlier child and the present grown up child. He made his to his design but now he is no longer looks as expected by the father.
9. What does the father long for ?
Answer:
The father longs for embracing his son and forgiving him.
10. What morale lesson does the poem deliver to us?
Answer:
This poem delivers one morale lesson that whatever may be the circumstance, we should not forget to look after our older parents. Apart from fulfilling their requirements. we should exchange our thoughts with them since with the growing age they become more lonely, thoughtful and isolated.
0 $type={blogger} :
Post a Comment