An Introduction by Kamala Das critical analysis

 

An Introduction is the most celebrated piece of confessional poetry composed by Kamala Das. It is highly subjective, intimate  and follows the modern style. It is blunt, frank, bitter and straightforward. By following the bare bound style she gives more emphasis to the lives of womanhood rather than focusing on the structural beauty of poetry.

By mentioning her own personal life, she presents the predicaments of females in the patriarchal society. She brilliantly uses certain imageries like funeral pyre, monsoon clouds and rain.

T.S. Eliot remarked that "Poetry is not a turning loose of emotion, but an escape from emotion; it is not the expression of personality, but an escape from personality" in his well known essay, Tradition and Individual Talent. He was of the opinion was poet should surrender all the subjective aspects and pints that poetry should be objective and impersonal. 

But the poems of Kamala Das exhibit a clear departure from the poetic sensibilities of T.S Eliot. She attempts to present the real snapshot of her life, her emotions of love and her rebellious attitude against the patriarchal confinement. 

She expresses all the complexities of human emotion just like the classical masters such as  Shakespeare, Keats, Balzac, Emily Bronte, Fielding and  Virginia Woolf.

 

The poem “An Introduction” begins with Kamala Das’s attitude to politics. As she is aware of the leaders like Nehru. She highlights and asserts her identity,

“I am Indian, very brown, born in

Malabar, I speak three languages write in

Two, dream in one.”

She had a special affinity towards English language. She wants to express all the emotions and complexities of mind in mixed language perhaps 'half English, half Indian'. She states that  this language is honest and genuine. But others suggest her not to express her views in English. She gets such types of restrictions from the oppressive patriarchal presence.

“….Do not write in English, they said,

English is not your mother tongue.

Why not leave me alone, critics, friends, visiting cousins,

Every one of you? Why not let me speak in

Any language I like?”

Despite having strong rejection from the family members and friends, she expressed her views in English. She says that English language can give voices her joys, her longings, her hopes and agonies. As far as she is concerned this language is as instinctive as cawing is to crows or roaring to the lions:

“It is human speech, the speech of the mind that is

Here and do there, a mind that sees and hears and

Is aware. Not the deaf, blind speech

Of trees in storm or monsoon clouds or of rain or the

Incoherent mutterings of the blazing

Funeral pyre.”

 

 

Kamala Das recollects her adolescent age when she was on the threshold of puberty. But the patriarchy of her family gets her married in the tender age of sixteen.

“….I was child, and later they

Told me I grew, for I became tall my limbs

Swelled and one or two places sprouted hair. When

I asked for love, not knowing what else to ask

For, he drew a youth of sixteen into the bedroom

And closed the door. He did not beat me

But my sad woman body felt so beaten.

The weight of my breasts and womb crushed me. I shrank

Pitifully.”

 

These lines poignantly deal with the poet’s predicaments, her piteous plight under the patriarchal domination, her longing for love and freedom. She was forcibly married to a man (Madhav Das) almost twice of her age and the door of the bedroom was closed. The closing of the bedroom door is again symbolic.  The closing of the bedroom door may also be interpreted metaphorically.

The word ‘door’ is a universal symbol of liberty and freedom. So here the ‘closing of the door symbolises the closing of liberty of a girl child.

 

She in fact does not mean only the husband of her, but it also suggests the universal masculine gender, their cruelty and heartlessness.

The line  “The weight of my breath and womb crushed me” remarkably conveys her existence.   It represents the responsibility of a girl child as a mother who gives birth to children and nourishes and nurses them. This shows that the immature age is not suitable for giving birth to a child, but the pity is that the girl child has to abide by the strictness of patriarchy.

Her poetry doesn't follow the traditional verse rhythm but it is prosaic in nature. She even uses broken sentences and fragmented thoughts. Kamala Das asserts daringly that after her marriage, she has to live in restrictions posed by the conservative men of the family. But she wanted to lead a life of freedom even after marriage. So, she often wore a shirt and her brother’s trousers. She cut her hair short and ignored the womanliness. But it was totally against of their customs . So, they prohibited all such things.

Their tone was like

“Dress in saries, be girl.

Be wife, they said. Be embroiderer, be cook,

Be a quarreller with servants. Fit in, oh

Belong, cried the categorizers. Don’t sit

On walls or peep in through our lace draped window”

These lines clearly point out that how the fate of a woman is restricted only to be a girl, a domestic wife, a cook, and quarreller. It also shows how the women have been prevented from sitting on walls and peeping through the windows.  The repetition of the verb ‘be’ again and again shows the chains and restrictions of masculine gender. The sentences are very short containing only two words, e.g., Be cook, Be girl, Be wife, Fit in etc. They suggest the confinement of women under the clutches of patriarchal force. the shortness of sentences show the shortness of women in the eyes of men. The repetition of the verb also shows the anger mood of the men of the house.

A woman in such a family is never allowed to play schizophrenia and cry loud when cheated in love. All such  unwanted and undeserving restrictions made Kamala Das a rebel in her life. She boldly asserts that she wants a man who has love for her. She even goes to the extent of making an unbecoming, untraditional, illicit relation with a man:

“I met a man, loved him.

Call Him not by any name, he is every man

Who want woman, just as I am every

Woman who seeks love. In him…. The hungry haste of rivers,

In me. The oceans’ tireless Waiting….”

Here in these lines the confession of Kamala Das is very bold, open and frank. She does not speak of herself but speaks for a large number of women who are devoid of love and liberty. This is why she uses the phrase ‘every woman’ and ‘every man’. The illicit relation has been euphemistically and metaphorically rendered through the images of ‘hungry rivers and tireless ocean’. The lover has been compared to the hungry rivers that are very eager to merge in the eternal ocean. On the other hand, the beloved has been compared to the tireless ocean.

In literature nothing is moral or immoral. The only thing that matters in art and literature is the presentation of the reality and the face of the genuine. So, in art and literature vulgarity may come, but it must come through poetic beauty.

 

Here, her description recalls us of D.H. Lawrence and Arundhati Roy. They too openly portrayed the feelings of love and physical union. Unfortunately, the speaker was the worst sufferer of male chauvinism earnestly searches for a man whocan quench her desire, the desire for love and freedom. She is in search of a man to whom she may share her grief and sorrow, pleasure and happiness.

So, she asks each and every one the question. “Who are you?” This question is very suggestive. She wants to be fully confirmed whether the man whom she is searching for is genuine or fake, conservative or liberal. And ultimately the man is found who calls himself “I”.

The poet states that he is tightly packed like the sword in its sheath. Here the phrase’ sword in its sheath’ is highly symbolic. It symbolizes the inner nature of behaviour of a man’s personality which is always covered or hidden. Modem psychology says that man’s mind is a complex organism which cannot be fathomed so easily. But Kamala Das is able to search for that man who was the same in both his inward and outward appearances. So she frankly observes that she enjoys the pleasures of life with him :

“…It is I who drink lonely

Drinks at twelve, midnight, in hotels of strange towns,

It is I who laugh, It is I who make love

And then, feel shame, it is I who lie dying

With a rattle in my throat.”

In these lines, we see the confession of Kamala Das on the metaphorical plane. Here the word, ‘I’ represents the inner soul of Kamala Das. It may suggest the inner longings of an average woman who wants to be loved by her husband free from the do’s and don’ts of the categorizers. And now, the poet has got what she wanted. But by doing so, she is both ashamed of and happy, sinner and saint:

“….I am sinner.

I am saint. I am the beloved and the

Betrayed. I have no joys which are not yours, no

Aches which are not yours. I too call myself I.”

These lines have got antithesis and balance.  Kamala Das uses the word ‘sinner’ because she thinks that she has committed blunder by breaking the age-old rule of the religious bondage of marriage. But after the marriage, her husband treated her like an inanimate object. He was only concerned with the body of the poet.

So, there was only a sexual or physical union. But in the second part of the poem, we get love, the identification of emotions of the lover and the beloved, the physical as well as the spiritual reunion of the two souls leading to a state of cosmic bliss which a Yogi attains through sacrifice. But the case of Kamala Das is opposite. She gets it through pleasure. Perhaps this is why she says that she is both sinner and saint, beloved and betrayed.

A hot noon in Malabar by Kamala Das

 This is a noon for beggars with whining
Voices, a noon for men who come from hills
With parrots in a cage and fortune-cards,
All stained with time, for kurava girls

With old eyes, who read palm in light singsong
Voices, for bangle-sellers who spread
On the cool black floor those red and green and blue
Bangles, all covered with dust of roads,
For all of them, whose feet devouring rough,
Miles, grow cracks on the heels, so that when they
Clambered up our porch, the noise was grating,
Strange. This is a noon for strangers who part
The window-drapes and peer in, their hot eyes
Brimming with the sun, not seeing a thing in
Shadowy rooms and turn away and look
So yearningly at the brick-ledged well. This
Is a noon for strangers with mistrust in
Their eyes, dark, silent ones who rarely speak
At all, so that when they speak, their voices
Run wild, like jungle voices. Yes, this is
A noon for wild men, wild thoughts, wild love. To
Be here, far away, is torture. Wild feet
Stirring up the dust; this hot noon, at my
Home in Malabar, and I so far away… 

A Cup of Tea by Katherine Mansfield summary and critical analysis

 

The story primarily focuses the life of Rosemary, a wealthy woman however, she’s not the kind to be considered as beautiful. Rosemary has been married for two years to a very rich man, Phillips Fell. Rosemary is an extravagant leads a luxurious life, shopping at high-end shops and buying anything she desires. Once she visits an antique shop, the shopkeeper praises her fancy. He shows her a small shiny velvet box that’s very beautiful. Rosemary is very pleased but knowing the price to be twenty-eight gunnies she decides not to buy it and asks the shopkeeper to save it for her.

It was raining outside of the shop. Indeed, she was a bit upset as she couldn’t buy that box. Later, a meek and mild looking lady approached her for getting some money to have a cup of tea.   Rosemary thinks such things happen in books and sound unreal thus she decides to take the girl with her to home. She wants to show the poor girl that rich people have the empathy and generosity towards the poor. The girl was surprised to receive such treatment, she’s afraid at first but agrees to go with her. Rosemary thinks about boasting about this in front of her friends.

At her house, Rosemary takes the girl up to her bedroom and makes her sit near the fire on a comfortable chair. She helps the girl take off her coat and hat but drops them on the floor. The poor girl weeps that life’s too hard and she’s too tired of living her life, she even wishes to end her life. Rosemary consoles her and orders tea. The girl is served tea along with some food. Rosemary lights up a cigarette while the girl eats.

Rosemary wants to know more about her life and family, but she was interrupted by her husband Phillip.  He was  surprised as well as disturbed to see the girl in his wife’s room and he asks the girl’s name, she says it is Smith.

Phillip inquires about the girl and Rosemary explains her hidden aim behind this philanthropic attitude. Philip reacts that its dangerous to keep a stranger in the house like this but Rosemary was very particular on her mission. Then Phillip mentions that the girl is very lovely and pretty. This makes Rosemary insecure. Rosemary leaves the library and picks up some money to give to the poor Miss Smith, she then asks her to leave.

Miss Smith, the beggar woman, unexpectedly refuses Rosemary Fell's generous offer of help. Up to this point in the story, Rosemary has been determined to rescue Miss Smith from her apparent poverty, offering her shelter and  money. However, the climax arrives when Miss Smith asserts her independence and declines Rosemary's assistance. This is a significant turning point because it defies Rosemary's expectations and challenges the assumptions about what would be beneficial for Miss Smith. The refusal marks a moment of realization for Rosemary.

After the departure of miss smith,  Rosemary dresses up nicely, makes her hair look nice and wears her pearls. She joins her husband back in the library and lies that Miss Smith insisted on leaving. She sits on his knees and asks him whether he likes her; he assures her that he likes her a lot. She then asks if she can buy the shiny velvet box from the antique store. Phillip agrees but that was not what she wanted to ask him. After a pause, she questions “Am I pretty?”

 

The story at once depicts the attitudes and life styles of the privileged people and explores the predicaments of the poverty stricken people.  Rosemary Fell, a wealthy young woman, encounters Miss Smith, a beggar, highlighting the vast difference in their social standing. Mansfield skillfully portrays the stark contrast between their lives, emphasizing the disparities in wealth, comfort, and opportunities.

Mansfield delves into the motives behind the philanthropic acts. Rosemary's decision to bring Miss Smith home seems, at first, motivated by a genuine desire to help someone in need. However, as the story progresses, it becomes clear that Rosemary's actions are also driven by a desire to feel virtuous and make a significant impact on another person's life. This raises questions about the sincerity and authenticity of charitable gestures.

Mansfield employs irony and unexpected twists to challenge the reader's expectations. The story takes a surprising turn when Miss Smith refuses Rosemary's assistance, revealing a depth to her character that defies stereotypes. This twist invites readers to question preconceived notions about individuals based on their social status.

Mansfield's narrative style is marked by subtlety and symbolism. The cup of tea itself becomes a symbolic element, representing the disparity between Rosemary's privileged world and Miss Smith's humble existence. The story's setting and descriptions contribute to the overall atmosphere, emphasizing the divide between the two women.

 

 

 

     University questions with answer key

Discuss the role of social class and privilege in "A Cup of Tea." How does Mansfield use the characters of Rosemary Fell and Miss Smith to explore the theme of class distinction in the story?

Answer key:

Katherine Mansfield explores the modern social set up and the attitudes of upper class in the short story a cup of tea. The characters of Rosemary Fell and Miss Smith represent the two sections of the society. Rosemary, a wealthy young woman, represents the upper class, while Miss Smith, a beggar, symbolizes the lower class. The story highlights the stark differences in their lives, emphasizing the economic and social disparities of the time. Rosemary's impulsive decision to help Miss Smith is driven by her privileged position, reflecting a sense of detachment and ignorance toward the struggles of the less fortunate.

The writer also focuses the hypocrisies of the upper class. They have hidden motives behinds their deeds. The materialistic mind set of Rosemary forces her to live by keeping all the vanities.

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2.       

Examine the symbolism of the cup of tea in Katherine Mansfield's "A Cup of Tea." How does Mansfield use this symbol to convey deeper meanings and comment on the themes of the story?

The cup of tea in in the short story serves as a powerful symbol that conveys deeper meanings and contributes several hidden things. Mansfield employs the act of offering tea as a representation of charity and attempts at bridging the gap between social classes. The tea, typically associated with comfort and domesticity, becomes a metaphor for the stark contrast between Rosemary's privileged world and Miss Smith's impoverished existence. The act of offering a cup of tea reflects Rosemary's initial superficial and somewhat patronizing approach to helping others. However, the twist in the story, when Miss Smith refuses the tea and assistance, becomes a pivotal moment challenging these assumptions. Mansfield, through the symbolism of the cup of tea, invites readers to reflect on the complexities of charity, sincerity, and the dynamics between the privileged and the less fortunate.

 

 

An Introduction by Kamala Das detailed explanation with critical analysis

 

At the outset of the poem speaker states that she may be ignorant of politics but is well aware  the names of political figures. She can recollect it as easily as the days of the week or months, right from Nehru, who was the first Prime Minister of India.

The speaker talks about her identity as Indian, emphasizing their brown skin color and birthplace in Malabar, a region in Kerala, India. The speaker is multilingual, capable of speaking three languages, writing in two, and dreaming in one.

The speaker mentions criticism received for writing in English, with a suggestion that English is not their native language. The speaker strongly reacts against such criticism and expresses her artistic freedom and autonomy. She boldly accepts all the deformities of her language as it is her genuine and truthful feelings.  Her language may be a blend of English and Indian elements, acknowledging its hybrid nature but emphasizes its honesty. It expresses her emotions, aspirations, and desires.

In order to highlight the genuine nature of her language she brings the analogy of the cawing of the crows and the roaring of the lions. In contrast, the speaker differentiates her language from the non-human or inanimate sounds, emphasizing its meaningful and intentional nature.

Speaker continues to emphasize the meaningful and intentional nature of human speech by contrasting it with the natural sounds of trees, clouds, rain, and the incoherent muttering of a funeral pyre.

She recaptures her adolescence and the physical changes happened to her body and the unforgettable moment of premature marriage and the resulting disappointments in terms of love. Despite not being physically beaten, the speaker describes the emotional and psychological impact of the encounter, feeling oppressed by rampant patriarchal intrusion.

The society imposed several stereotypes and roles of being a girl, wife, embroiderer, cook and to fit into the expected norms. She points out all the external pressure enforced by the male dominated society.

She reveals the treatments and attitude of the society and criticises their expectations especially against the labelling with mental health terms like schizophrenia or nymphomania.

The speaker recollects a romantic encounter, emphasizing that the man is representative of every man seeking a woman, and the speaker herself is representative of every woman seeking love. The striking images of river and ocean symbolically signify the intense instinct of love and union of souls.

The speaker poses a question about identity and self-awareness, suggesting that everyone is essentially the same. The metaphor of a tightly-packed sword in its sheath implies hidden potential or a constrained identity.

Towards the end of the poem the speaker acknowledges the duality within her, embodying both positive and negative aspects and asserts again her individual self.

 

 

Critical analysis

The title Introduction suggests that the poem as the title itself carries, is an introduction or an exploration of the speaker's identity, experiences, and challenges.

The poem is structured in free verse, lacking a strict rhyme scheme or meter. This form aligns with the theme of individuality and self-expression, allowing the poet to convey her thoughts and emotions in an unrestrained manner.

The poem addresses the identity crisis and challenges faced by the writer and she criticises societal norms and expectations imposed on women.

The poem celebrates individuality and authenticity. Throughout the poem she asserts her individuality by questioning the male dominated society.

The poem also remarkably touches upon the theme of love and desire. The speaker's experiences with love are depicted as complex, including both moments of joy and shame. The universal nature of love is highlighted by portraying the man she loves as representative of every man, and herself as representative of every woman seeking love.

The poem embraces the dualities and contradictions within the speaker's life. She identifies herself as both a sinner and a saint, acknowledging the multifaceted nature of her existence. This adds depth and complexity to her character.

Kamala Das employs a conversational and confessional tone throughout the poem. The language is straightforward and accessible, making it easy for readers to connect with the emotions and experiences conveyed. The choice of words and imagery adds richness to the narrative, enhancing the overall impact of the poem.

 

vivid imageries and symbolism in the poem

"The language I speak / Becomes mine, its distortions, its queerness / All mine, mine alone."

Language becomes a symbol of personal identity. The speaker asserts ownership over her language, emphasizing its distortions and queerness as integral aspects of her individuality. It symbolizes her right to self-expression.

"It is half English, half / Indian, funny perhaps, but it is honest..."

 The blending of English and Indian languages symbolizes the hybrid identity of the speaker. It is indeed the result of colonialism.  

"Not the deaf, blind speech / Of trees in storm or of monsoon clouds..."

The poet contrasts the natural sounds of trees and storms with "human speech," symbolizing the meaningful, intentional nature of human communication. This reinforces the importance of the speaker's voice and self-expression.

"If in this world, he is tightly-packed like the / Sword in its sheath."

The tightly-packed sword in its sheath is a metaphor for societal constraints or expectations that confine individuals. It symbolizes the suppression of true identity, hinting at the struggle against societal norms.

"In him…the hungry haste / Of river in me… the oceans’ tireless / Waiting."

The river's hungry haste and the ocean's tireless waiting symbolize the intensity and patience of the speaker's emotions and desires. It conveys a sense of longing and the vastness of her emotional landscape.

 

"Then…I wore a shirt and my / Brother’s trousers, cut my hair short and ignored / My womanliness."

The act of wearing a shirt, trousers, and cutting hair short symbolizes the speaker's rebellion against traditional gender roles. It represents a rejection of societal expectations related to femininity and an assertion of her right to define her own identity.

"Be Amy, or be Kamla, or better / Still, be Madhavikutty."

The names represent societal expectations and roles imposed on the speaker. Choosing between these names symbolizes the pressure to conform and fit into predefined categories, emphasizing the struggle for individuality.

These imageries and symbols mark the craftmanship of Kamala Das's as an impeccable poet of the modern times.