Govinda’s Disciple

The Author:

Rabindranath Tagore was born on May 7, 1861. He was a poet,

philosopher, composer and artist. He wrote many stories,
novels, poems, and dramas. His writings greatly influenced
Bengali culture during the late 19th century and early 20th
century. In 1913, he became the first Asian to win the Nobel
Prize in Literature. His famous works include Gitanjali, a world
famous poetry book, Gora, Ghare-Baire and many other works
of literature and art. He was also a cultural reformer and
modernized Bengali art. He made it possible to make art using
different forms and styles. He died on August 7, 1941 .

Govinda’s Disciple setting comprises the lap of nature – an earthy haven

covered with hills and streams graced by the river Ganga. This natural
surrounding, untouched by civilization and modernization, forms the perfect
setting for this poem that deals with the renunciation of the material in favor of
the divine and the spiritual.
The poem begins with natural imagery, transporting the readers from their
worldly surroundings into the lap of nature. The river Ganga can be seen at a
distance, flowing swiftly and clearly through the wilderness. The riverbank is
lined with jutted rocks that make it seem like the riverbank is set into a
perpetual frown. The landscape is surrounded by hills on all sides. The dense
foliage of trees growing on the hills gave the hills a dark appearance. They were
scarred by the many fast-moving streams that journeyed through the hills.
It was in the midst of this wild habitat and natural beauty that the great guru
Govinda, sat on a rock and read his scriptures. His study was interrupted by a
visit from one of his disciples, Raghunath – a wealthy fellow who came bearing
a gift for his guru. Bowing in front of Govinda, Raghunath said to his guru that
he had brought a small present for him in hopes that it would be worthy of the
great sage’s acceptance.
Raghunath brings forth a pair of gold bangles studded with precious stones –
an expensive gift indeed. Govinda picked one of the bangles up and twirled it
around on his finger while the diamonds on the piece of jewelry scintillated by
refracting the sunlight.
Govinda only observed one of the bangles when it suddenly slipped from his
fingers and rolled down the stony bank and into the river. Taken aback by the
loss of his precious gift, Raghunath screamed in disappointment and jumped
into the water to retrieve the bangle he had brought for his guru. Govinda
continued to sit on the rock and read his scriptures, unbothered by the frantic
attempts of Raghunath to bring back his precious gift to him. The water, too,
seemed unbothered by Raghunath’s search and continued to hide away the
bangle as if it had decided to steal the same away from Raghunath.
Dripping with water, an exhausted Raghunath came back to Govinda, having
spent the whole day looking for the bangle in the water. Through breathless
pants, he told his guru that he could still fetch the bangle for him if only
Govinda would show him where it fell. Govinda answered this request of his
disciple in the most unexpected way. Picking up the second bangle, he threw it
into the water as well and said, “It is there,” implying that just like the first
bangle, even the second one was now lost.
Govinda’s Disciple Central Idea
Govinda’s Disciple central idea revolves around renouncing one’s attachment to
material possessions to create space for divinity to enter our minds and make
them fertile for spiritual endeavors. The human pursuit of wealth and the value
we attach to materialistic things act as the most significant impediment to our
spiritual attainment paths. Disciples like Raghunath, whose minds are still
occupied with wealth and luxuries, can never achieve clarity on their real divine
purpose in life, for they are too busy amassing and showing off wealth. In this
poem, the great Sikh guru Govinda throwing his gift of bangles into the river
offers a profound lesson to such inauthentic disciples who are still struggling
with materialism’s hold over their minds and lives.
 Because I could not stop for Death
‘Because I could not stop for Death’ illustatres the inevitability of
death. Discuss.

Emily Dickinson's poem "Because I could not stop for Death"

masterfully illustrates the inevitability of death through its portrayal
of a calm and inevitable journey towards the end. The poem
personifies Death as a courteous gentleman who arrives in a carriage
to take the speaker on her final journey. This depiction underscores
the natural and unavoidable nature of death, presenting it not as
something to be feared, but as an integral part of life.
The progression of the journey, passing through familiar scenes of life
—a school, fields of grain, and the setting sun—symbolizes the stages
of life, culminating in the grave, depicted as the final "house." The
imagery of the setting sun suggests the end of a day, mirroring the
end of life. The steady pace of the carriage ride reflects the calm
acceptance and inevitability of death, highlighting that it is a natural
conclusion to life's journey.
Furthermore, the timelessness expressed in the concluding stanza,
where centuries feel shorter than a day, emphasizes the endlessness
of the afterlife and the certainty of death. Dickinson's serene and
composed tone throughout the poem reinforces the idea that death
is an inevitable, natural progression rather than a sudden, fearful
event.

Analyse the main theme of the poem ‘Because I could not stop for
Death’.

Inevitability of Death
The most specific idea is that death is inevitable.
We can see that the speaker is facing the inevitability of death from
the very first stanza. The speaker saying that they “could not stop for
Death” shows they had not necessarily planned to die--but Death
came for them anyway.
The speaker “could not stop” because they were nervous about what
accepting Death would be like.
The speaker definitely can’t avoid their trip with Death.
When Death stops for them, they have to go with Death.
The path the speaker travels gives time to reflect on all the beautiful
things of life and consider what’s to come at the end of the journey.

The poem personifies Death as a polite and gentle figure, indicating

that death is a natural, unavoidable part of life. The speaker's
acceptance of Death's invitation without resistance or fear
underscores the theme of inevitability. The journey they take
together symbolizes the passage from life to death, suggesting that
no one can escape this final destination.

Passage of Time
Time is another crucial theme in the poem, reflected in the various
stages of the speaker's journey. The carriage passes scenes
representing different phases of life: childhood (the school), maturity
(the fields of grain), and the end of life (the setting sun). This
progression highlights how time moves inexorably forward, leading
all to the same end. The poem’s steady rhythm mimics the relentless
march of time, reinforcing the idea that life progresses towards death
with a certain inevitability.
Immortality
Despite its focus on death, the poem also addresses the theme of
immortality. In the final stanza, the speaker reflects on how centuries
have passed since her death, yet it feels shorter than a day. This
suggests a timeless existence beyond death, hinting at an eternal life
or afterlife. The concept of immortality is further emphasized by the
enduring nature of the "house" (the grave) that awaits the speaker,
symbolizing a transition to an eternal state.

The Uncertainty of Afterlife

The final theme that’s prominent in “Because I could not stop for
Death” is the uncertainty of afterlife. The speaker seems to imply
that, just as much as we can’t control when Death stops for us, we
can’t control what happens (or doesn’t happen) in the afterlife.
At the end of the poem’s first stanza, the speaker states that
Immortality (also personified) came along for the carriage ride.
Presumably, Death picked Immortality up along the way to the
speaker’s house.
 The Village Schoolmaster

"The Village Schoolmaster" by Oliver Goldsmith is an extract

from “The Deserted Village”. The poet returns to the village
and finds it deserted. This poem is a lighthearted reflection of
his village school master Mr. Thomas Paddy Byrne. As the poet
himself was a pupil of this school master, he is able to create
an authentic picture of him.

The village school master’s little school was situated next to

the damaged fence. Goldsmith recalls the characteristics of the
master with a mixed feeling of fear, respect and humour. He
was known as a strict person. He was familiar to all the truants
in the village because they had endured the master’s rage.
When he cracks jokes, the children used to burst out in
“counterfeited” laughter in order to avoid punishment.

The trembling pupils were curious to know the day’s

misfortunes on his face. If they observed a frown, they
circulated the gloomy news throughout the class. Though he
was stern, he was kind hearted too. He had an intense love for
learning also.

The villagers admired the school master’s knowledge. He was

able to read and write well. He was good at arithmetic also. He
could also survey land, forecast weather and tides. The village
parson approved of his skills in debate. He was able to continue
his argument even after losing a debate. He won the
arguments with his thundering voice.

The poem ends on a note of humour. The villagers gazed at him

whenever they passed through the school. They wondered how
he had so much knowledge. But all his fame is in the past. The
very spot where many a times he triumphed is forgotten.
 To India – My Native Land

The poet expresses a sense of personal loss in the downfall of his

country, India. Addressing India, the poet says that in the old days,
India was worshipped like a deity. Poet wonders where that glory and
splendour have disappeared and regrets the fact that his motherland
has now been reduced to the position of a slave of the British
Empire. The author also mentions that the country has been
humiliated and ashamed of herself grovelling in the dust. There was
time when the country soared like an eagle in the skies but now the
wings of that great bird have been clipped and it is chained. The poet
has no wreath of flowers to offer the country but instead, he will dig
into the past and will try to sing of some parts of that great history
which is no longer available to the younger generation. The only
reward author wants for his effort is that the country should have a
kind wish for the author and the countrymen should love him. The
author says that his last wish to all the Indians is to dive deep into the
past and bring back the lost glory of India.

In this poem, Derozio personifies India and talks to her in a

monologue. Derozio talks about the glorious past of India. He tells
her that in her days of glory, she used to be regarded highly,
worshipped and was considered sacrosanct.
However, the British rule and internal weaknesses brought the
country slavery and demolished its pride and identity. This thought is
clearly conveyed in the following line by Derozio: “And groveling in
the lowly dust art thou”
The most specific idea is that death is inevitable.
The speaker saying that they “could not stop for Death” shows they
had not necessarily planned to die--but Death came for them
anyway. It actually means that Death is making a stop to pick her up.
The use of “stop” in the first line could imply that the speaker was
too busy living their life to acknowledge Death’s approach. Instead of
the speaker traveling to meet Death, Death came for
them...regardless of the speaker’s original plans.
The speaker “could not stop” because they were nervous about what
accepting Death would be like. The speaker definitely can’t avoid
their trip with Death. When Death stops for them, they have to go
with Death.
The progression of the journey, passing through familiar scenes of life
—a school, fields of grain, and the setting sun—symbolizes the stages
of life, culminating in the grave, depicted as the final "house." The
imagery of the setting sun suggests the end of a day, mirroring the
end of life. The steady pace of the carriage ride reflects the calm
acceptance and inevitability of death, highlighting that it is a natural
conclusion to life's journey.
Dickinson’s speaker paints Death in a favourable light. Death isn’t
the terrifying grim reaper who shows up with a sickle and whisks you
away to the afterlife. Nor is the trip with Death like a Final
Destination movie where everything is scary. In fact, Death is
described as “civil,” or courteous, in line eight. The journey that the
speaker takes to “Eternity” (mentioned in the last line of the poem) is
calm, quiet, and pensive.