Re- Reading Nissim Ezekiel Through the Mirror of Post-Colonialism

American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Vo1. 3, No. 3, 2015, 58-64 DOI: 10.11634/232907811503671

Re- Reading Nissim Ezekiel through the Mirror of Post-colonialism

Goutam Karmakar

Department of English, Bhagilata H.S, India

In the genre of Indian English Poetry, Nissim Ezekiel stands as a flagship, founder and father of post- independence period. And any discussion regarding the poetic journey and development of Indian English poetry will definitely start with Nissim Ezekiel. He did the same thing what Walt Whitman did for American poetry. He is classifies both as a modernist and post modernist poet. And this can be found in the first half of his poetry. But a close looks to some of his poetry shows that his poetry manifests or reflect the gesture of post colonialism. Now- a-days cultural studies and theory of post colonialism become a fashion and also Nissim Ezekiel can be re-read by applying these cultural studies and post colonial theory to some extent. He wants to confirm his identity and also wants to hark back the colonial past of India. Not only this, he also uses myth in his poetry. This paper attempts to highlight those issues and aspects in the poetry of Nissim Ezekiel where he tends towards post colonialism.

Key Words: Identity, India, Myth, Post colonialism, Colonialism

Introduction erally represent their society’s people. Ezekiel’s poetry provides clear representation of native culture and “A writer needs a national or cultural identity, with- indigenous tradition in a vivid way. His collection of out that you become a series of imitations, echoes, poems include: ‘The Unfinished Man’, ‘Time to responses, but you do not develop because there is Change’, ‘Sixty Poems’, ‘The Exact Name’, ‘Hymns nothing at the core to develop.” (Ezekiel, 89) In Darkness’ show some of the characteristics of The above said lines by Ezekiel in an interview postcolonial literature. shows that he as a post colonial poet attempts to es- Colonization means cultural marginalization and the tablish a native tradition by resisting the former colo- people of former colonies find it difficult to match up nizer and also at the same time tries to assert his na- with new world even though that have achieve free- tional identity. Actually in the genre of literature, the dom both politically and individually. So this people term post colonialism brings forward the colonial are helpless, alienated and think themselves as root- literature and at the same time with the fluid identity less. This identity problem and issues are shown in regiment them and almost every nation wants to dis- Ezekiel’s poetry. Many Indian English poets deal pense with it in their own way. So post colonialism with this loss of identity issue in their works and has a deep concern with the national culture and it is Ezekiel is considered as the forefather of them. Quest a state of consciousness with self awareness of cul- for identity in this modern cruel civilization of post- tural process. Post colonialism is nothing but cultural colonial period is best captured by him. Actually as a and political imperialism in a broader sense. So land- postcolonial poet, he shows native country and its scape, language, history, myth, national identity and atmosphere which catch an oversensitive soul in its quest for colonial identity are all comes under post clutches with its tentacles. He is in some sort of di- colonialism and these are very well ingredients of lemma and also he wants to solve it. post colonial literature. What David Murdoch says about post colonialism is really noteworthy in this context. He says, “We Corresponding author. Goutam Karmakar, Department of English, Bhagilata H.S, India, Raiganj, Uttar dinajpur, must also pay attention to the cultural hybridity that West Bengal, India. Email: [email protected] is the natural feature of post colonial writing and that has become one of the most characteristic features of This article is distributed under the terms of the Crea- the modern world itself.” (Pandey,32). A brief look to tive Commons Attribution License, which permits unre- the theory of post colonialism will clearly show that stricted use and redistribution provided that the original resistance to the former colonizer is the prime theme author and source are credited. of postcolonial countries’ literature. So it is very obvious that the poets who write back to the centre gen- This is seen in ‘Transparently’:

American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 60

“All I want now Modern man can not cope up with his city, its sur- is the recognition rounding and these create oppression and pain in his of dilemma mind and memory. Some typical queer feelings en- and the quickest means gulf his mind and he shows how the feelings of man of resolving it changes and these are shown in this lines: within my limits.” (Transparently) “I am corrupted by this world, continuously His second volume of poetry ‘Sixty Poems’ reduced to something less than human by the crowd shows his search for harmony and identity. Ezekiel is … corrupted by the world I must infect the world a crafty poet who explores the labyrinth of mind by with my corruption.” (Double Horror) twisting and delving the ego in order to define man- Like other postcolonial poets, Ezekiel shows kind including him. Sometimes it is issuing out from how urban life’s rootlessness, impact of metropolis, so many things as H. M. Williams says in this point: agonies, pain and suffering in modern civilization “Many of his poems derive their effectiveness from make a man rootless, helplessness, lonely and this is the poet’s puzzled emotional reaction to the modern shown by the poet in a vivid way in these lines: Indian dilemma, which he feels to be poignant con- “My daughter tells my wife, flicts of tradition and modernism, the city and the who tells my mother, village: a somewhat obvious theme but treated by who tells me.” (Collected poems,200) Ezekiel as an intensely personal exploration.” (Wil- Ezekiel feels pity and grief when he sees the liams,116). As a postcolonial poet, he shows the dif- condition of modern man finding his root, identity ficulties faced by man in this period after their dark even in this post colonial period. It seems that the colonized past as they are being isolated and alienat- colonial past is still haunting them. Actually Ezeki- ed by the city, society and surroundings. Ezekiel el’s description of post independence India and more shows how he becomes disassociated emotionally precisely post colonial India is somewhat different from his Bombay city, his birth place. He wants to from other poets. He sees it in a different way and he create relevance and order for his self in this feature- compares it with previous condition. In ‘Urban’ he less and irrational world. He shows the modern man’s shows how the people in Bombay dream of oppres- mechanical existence: sionless free existence and also he shows man’s fail- “The city pressed upon me; shops, cinemas and ure to fulfil this dream. Man is failed to attain hope business houses and this happens because of the mismatch between spoke in unambiguous accents. Only the people said perception and action and city’s cruelty. The poet nothing. shows: They bought the evening papers, hurried to a tube “The city like a passion burns. station He dreams of morning walks, alone, ceasing to exist.” (Encounter) and floating on a wave of sand. Modern man is now isolated and Dr. Shaila Mo- But still his mind its traffic turns han says in this connection, “The modern city has its Away from beach and tree and stone humanizing effect. The place is not necessarily Bom- To kindred clamour close at hand.” bay, but any place where man looses identity…The Nationalist writing is one of the prime character- city emerges as an image of inferno where the mod- istics of post colonial literature and Nissim Ezekiel ern city dweller is placed to suffer and carve his way like the poets of Caribbean, African and Australian out.” (Mohan, 55). With the advent of technology, countries tries to reconstruct and regain socio- science and secularism, man is now separated and political and cultural identity which were affected alienated to his surroundings and Ezekiel is no more during colonial period. And in doing so, he considers exception in this case as his Jewish ancestry makes in his mind racial, social, cultural and historical dif- him alone in Hindu-Muslim society. In his famous ferences also. Like other post colonial writers, he also essay, ‘Naipaul’s India and Mine’, he throws light in wants to show us the indigenous culture and his en- his quest for identity and identity crisis, “I am not a during love for the nation. Like Shiv.k.kumar, Hindu and my background makes me a natural out- A.K.Ramanujan, Jayanta Mahapatra, R.parthasarathy, sider. Circumstances and decisions relate me to India. he also realizes that it is the best time to know and In other countries I am a foreigner. In India I am an symbolize the identity. He also wants to forget the Indian.” (Ezekiel, 88). And this search for identity nostalgic past of colonial period. He makes a brave and self is found in these following lines: effort to interpret contemporary life and surrounding “Confiscate my passport, Lord, in his poetry as he feels the pulse of the world. He I do not want to go abroad shows the present India and the suffering of human where I belong.” (Hymns in Darkness) being. He feels disturbed by all these. In his ‘A Morning Walk’, he shows how the barbaric city’s 61 G. Karmakar

bustle oppresses the poet’s mind and memory. Bustle, erty of flood affected people in Bihar on a large dirt, noise and poverty all are seen here: scale: “Barbaric city sick with slums, “The villagers ran to them deprived of seasons, blessed with rains, they slapped their bellies its hawkers, beggar, iron-lunged, and whined: processions led by frantic drums, ‘I have not eaten for three days.’ A million purgatorial lanes, My husband has been washed away And child-like masses, many tongued My parents have abandoned me Whose wages are in words and crumbs.” (A Morn- My son is dying ing Walk) I cannot find my daughter.” (The Truth about the It is also true that sometimes he is deadly haunt- Floods) ed by the dark past of colonial period. And it is not Throught out his poetic career, he examines the the end but just the beginning as the present dis- society carefully and discusses on every object and turbed, unsettled and uncertain conditions add mis- element that come into his scrutiny. Even he de- ery, pain, suffering and anxiety of the poet. The scribes the condition of women also in a vivid way. haunting past can be seen in ‘In India’ where Ezekiel They are even in a colonized, merginalised and sub- presents the haunting urban picture of depravity of dued condition in this post independence and post individual and doom of society. He shows his revul- colonial period. They are originally treated as second sion and disgust here: sex. His shows how women are treated . Gender dis- “Here among the beggars, criminatation is found there. In his ‘In India’, he Hawkers, pavement sleepers, shows: Hutment dwellers, slums, “Burnt-out mothers, frightened Dead souls of men and gods, Virgins, wasted child, Burnt-out mothers, frightened And tortured animal, Virgins, wasted child, All in noisy silence And tortured animal, suffering the place and time.” (In India) All in noisy silence Often Ezekiel is seen in a furious mood and sati- Suffering the place and time, rizes the follies and foibles found in the bureaucracy. I ride my elephant of thought.” (In India) He makes comments on those who are indifferent on In the colonial period the world witness heroism and seeing everything and their fatalism and apathy come bravery as the people in that period fought against the under huge attack. Even he comments on those so colonial policy. But in the post colonial period these called religious person on who people depends for all are missing. Ezekiel takes very much pain by see- salvation. Those gurus are hypocrite, self-righteous, ing all these as man is now fighting not for his coun- greedy and they are reduced to nothing due to their try or oppression but for himself and for his family double standard of living and hollowness. In his just in order to live and survive. Man is now facing ‘Guru’, he says: financial crisis. Now the present generation fails to “But then we learn imitate their brave hearted ancestors. In his ‘The the saint is still a faithless friend, Railway Clerk’ he shows a lower middle class family obstinate in argument, and its fight for existence: ungrateful for favours done, “My wife is always asking for money, hard with servants and the poor, money, money, where to get money ? discourteous to disciples, especially men.” (Guru) My job is such, no one is giving bribe, In spite of all these, Ezekiel seeks his root in In- While other clerks are in fortunate position, dia as he negates the central idea of all the sufferings, And no promotion even because I am not graduate pain, misfortunes, helplessness and ready to accept I wish I was bird.” (The Railway clerk) the life, society and surrounding. He takes this city as Ezekiel sees the present life, society and situa- his living place and begins his struggle to win over it tion very carefully and describes social, economical despite the fear of loss. In his ‘Background, Casual- and political scenario in a vivid way. He is conscious ly’, he says that he has become the part of India and about the human being and concerned about their Indian landscape and it is not possible to leave it. fate. He makes sufficient effort to depict the contem- This tendency is really a part of post colonial tenden- porary society, its dark and harsh realities and its cy as he says: bitterness. He shows how dirty, unhealthy and over- “The Indian landscape sears my eyes. crowded city make the life of its dwellers miserable. I have become a part of it In his ‘The Truth about the Floods’, he shows pov- To be observed by foreigners. I have made my commitments now.

American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 62

This is one: to stay where I am, In spite of his Ben-Israeli origin, he has a deep sense As others choose to give themselves of rootedness to India. He wants to make his place an in some remote and backward place. environment to live in and to make out a authentic My backward place is where I am.” (Collected po- meaning for him. He does not want to be imprisoned ems,181) by idea, place and time and thus he loves India more Despite his Ben-Israeli origin, Ezekiel is deeply to survive there. And what Shrish Chindhale says rooted in India and especially to Bombay whole about him is really noteworthy, “He has made his heartedly. Even when he visits Edinburgh, his commitments, chosen his islands, found his people memory related to Bombay remains alive and his and identified the five elements of sky, earth, air, knot with this city remains eternal. This is possible water and fire. It is quite gratifying that God has because of his acceptance of the city both mentally granted him the human metaphor also to make his and emotionally and his ability to transform Bombay song good. This is not a mood of submission, or of into a metaphorical object proves this. He says: resignation, or of alienation. It is rather the epiphanic “I have not come moment of reconciliation, identification, discovery to Edinburgh and achievement.” (Chindhade, 50). In his ‘The Ego- to remember ist’s Prayers’, these are shown when he says: Bombay mangoes “Confiscate my passport, Lord But I remember them, I don’t want to go abroad. Even as I look Let me find my song At the monuments where I belong.” (The Egotist’s Prayers) To Sir Walter Scott, Ezekiel in his poetic career adjusts so many is- but Bombay as the fruit sues and problems. He shows how the cities of India on which I’ve lived, make the life of its people miserable and as a result winning and losing search for identity is there. But he does not want to my little life.” (Collected Poems, 293) leave this country. And the mothers in his poet also Ezekiel always tries to keep him in touch with do the same thing as they want to do well for their the common men and also in the common affairs of son in spite of the pain they receive. So the role of them. And he thinks that without this common touch mother is actually the altar ego of Nissim Ezekiel. In and without his intimacy with the life of them, it is his ‘Night of the Scorpion’, he shows how the mother not possible to decolonize his poetry and his thinking shows her believe in God after getting so much pain: about them. He says this in his ‘Prayer II’: “My mother only said: “Let me not be isolated Thank God the scorpion picked on me uninvolved in Man’s defeat, and spared my children.” (Night of the Scorpion) But know my love reciprocated A close look to his poems shows that a maturity dancing in the neutral street.” (Prayer II) is shown in his poetry, in his way of thinking and Ezekiel’s outlook regarding the images of India way of perception. With this maturity and post colo- is really postcolonial gesture and Gieve Patel says in nial motives, he successfully projects the difference this case in Collected poems of Ezekiel, “The poet’s between good and evil and he also learms to look at continued identification with this country is seen to the things in a more vivid and critical way. His ‘Lat- have been the correct choice for him, sustaining him ter-Day Psalms’ is the best example of it where he as a writer and human being; ending with an clearly feels as the significance of the ungodly pres- acknowledgement that his own personal backward- ence. There he writes: ness as a man, and the ostensible backwardness of the “I laid me down and slept country, are one and the same thing.” (Patel, xxiii). I awaked, for the Lord With the help of this inwardness he comes closer to sustained me. Let every man, his native people and also helps him to understand Woman and child sleep and them, their life, ego, pride and also his poetry. He Awaken, sustained by thee.” (Collected Poems, 254) wants to live among his people and this humanness is Ezekiel as a post colonial poet tries his best to shown in ‘A Poem of Dedication’: free himself from the limitations and he wants to “I do not want the yogi’s concentration, identify himself in a new way. While the people of I do not want the perfect charity his country fail to identify their life, aim and motives, of saints nor the tyrant’s endless power. he tries to cleanse his self and thus the process of I want a human balance humanly decolonization starts. In his ‘Enterprise’, he shows acquired, fruitful the common people.” this as the poet’s friends at the end of the journey (A Poem of Dedication) achieve nothing and also are not enlightened rather they become exhausted and tired. But with his out- 63 G. Karmakar

look and gestures of postcolonialism, the poet finds within the seed.” (Collected Poems, 205) himself in a fine position from where he can feel his Since childhood more precisely from his school friend’s spiritual bankruptcy and also able him to days he reads ‘Upanishad’ and ‘Gita’ and these books look without and within. The concluding lines of the change his view on Hindu culture, tradition and my- poem offer a great deal of variety in theme and think- thology. These books also help him to attain true ing as he wants to investigate the problem lies there knowledge and these mythological books that he in order to get solution in the name of redemption reads also find place in his poetry as he uses this in a and he does not want to see this as a problem solving vivid way. In a poem ‘Tribute to Upanishad’, he puzzle. This is definitely post colonial tendency and shows these impact and use of myth: this alleviates the context and the poet. Here are the “To feel that one is concluding lines which show all these: to drive oneself “When finally, we reached the place in a kind of hearse- we hardly knew why we were there. the destination is obvious.” (Tribute to Upanishads) The trip had darkened every face, After reading Gita, Upanishad and Vedic Our deeds were neither great nor rare. Hymns, he comes to the conclusion that only through Home is where we have to earn our grace.” (Enter- total surrender one can realize the presence of God. prise) Also the speech given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna cast Not only this Ezekiel also tries to use the word a great influence on him and also he comes to the prayer, relevance of prayer, impact of God, philoso- conclusion that rather than hundred thoughts a single phy of non-violence and truth in his poetry and thus decision is far better. And these are shown in his po- he uses myth in his poetry. And if the creation of ems: myth is the characteristic of post-colonial literature “He has lost faith in himself more precisely poetry then Nissim Ezekiel is really a And found faith at last . post colonial poet in true sense of term. Actually All forms of God Ezekiel is very much influenced by the Hindu and God in all forms.” (Collected Poems, 219-220) thought mythology. Jussawala says in this connec- He wants to know the actual truth and wants to tion, “It is surprising how often the word prayer oc- seek knowledge from God. He knows that God is the curs in the work of a poet whose approach to life far savior of all and he tells his people to be be very ar- from being religious is one of philosophical human- rogant and proud as only God is the master and con- ism. His natural resource is not prayer.” (Jussawalla, troller of us: 9). Poems from ‘Hymns in Darkness’ and ‘The Poster “You are master Poems’ show that he wants the love of God earnestly neither of death nor life even knowing that it is not possible for him to get Belief will not save you that. So his use of myth is actually his view of God in nor unbelief.” (Collected Poems, 222) his own way. In his ‘The Poster Poems’, he uses his Actually he wants to merge himself with God Hindu and Judaic-Christian tradition to know the and he realizes that only after total surrender with relationship between God and him” nature and its elements he will be able to achieve “No Lord, what he wants to achieve. To his goal in this post- not the fruit of action colonial era he chooses God and nature as his medi- is my motive um of expression and also the source of his poetic but do you really mind inspiration and these are shown in the following lines half a bite of it? from ‘Morning Prayer’: It tastes so sweet “God grant me certainty and I’m so hungry.” (The Poster Poems) in kinship with the sky, Indian mythology always is the source of appeal air, earth, fire, sea, and interest to him. The Bhagwat Gita and Mahabha- and the fresh inward eye. rata cast a great influence to him. In so many poems Grant me the metaphor he wants to show the truth that he finds in Lord to make it human good.” (Morning Prayer) Krishna’s speech to Arjuna. The mystery of self and life lie there as the future life or worldly life do not Conclusion appeal him too much. The following lines show how

Ezekiel attempts to reveal the mystery of life that is In the concluding lines it can be said that Nissim told by Lord Krishna: Ezekiel’s poetry shows his journey from modernism “The secret locked within the seed to postcolonialism. The present of India both mental- becomes my need and so ly, psychologically and physically are very much I shrink to nothingness

American Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences 64

present in him and this poetry gives a new beginning References in the era of postcolonialism which in later his younger contemporaries follow and they have also Ezekiel, Nissim. Collected Poems 1952-1988, Delhi: Oxford University Press, Ed. II, 2005 tried to move further in that direction shown by Eze- Raghu, A. The Poetry of Nissim Ezekiel. New Delhi: Atlantic kiel. The gestures, the themes and motives that are Publishers & Distributors, 2002 found in his poetry clearly project him as a true post Pandey, Surya Nath. Writing in a Post-colonial Space. New colonial poet. He has a great desire to write about Delhi: Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 1999 culture, indigenous tradition and also his attempt to Williams, H.M. Indo-Anglian Literature 1800-1970. Madras: create a new identity of the colonized people in this Orient Longman Ltd, 1977 Mohan, Shaila. The Poetry of Nissim Ezekiel. Jaipur: Classic independent period establish his place among the post Publications, 2001 colonial poets of Indian English poetry. His poetry Chindhade, Shrish. Five Indian English Poets. New Delhi: canbe classified as indicative poetry as his works Atlantic Publishers & Distributors, 2001 decolonize the custom, tradition and contemporary Ezekiel, Nissim. Naipaul’s India and Mine, Journal of South society and also his poetry as this poetry becomes the Asian Literature, Vol.11, No.3/4, Spring Summer, 1976 way of expression and a source of local habitation Beston, John B. Interview with Nissim Ezekiel, World Litera- ture Written in English, 1977 and international name in this post colonial era. Jusawalla, Adil. Twelve Modern Indian Poets, Ed. Arvind Krishna Meherotra, Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1992