Critical Analysis Of Desiderata Poem ISC Class 11, 12 English Poem
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About The Poet
Max Ehrmann (September 26, 1872- September 9, 1945) was a recognized poet, attorney born in Terre Haute, Indiana to German parents. In 1894, he graduated from De Pauw University, Greencastle. Later, he went on to study philosophy at Harvard University.
After practising as a lawyer for several years, he attempted his family business. Within a span of 10 years, he devoted all his time in literary works.
He in his lifetime has contributed great thoughts to our literary lexicons, giving birth to a new gamut of words and wisdom of his own provided with worthy observations.
His works majorly concerned with social issues, philosophical search for social truth, peace, spiritualism and various other trails of life. Poems such as Complacent Women, 1918, and Washington, D.C, 1924 as such as that they are relevant even today. Two of his most prominent poems are– Desiderata (1927) and A Prayer (1906). Other works comprise – A Farrago (1898), Scarlet Women etc. Max Ehrmann’s legacy is lauded with several accolades ranging from Doctor of Letters from D P University in 1937 to his life-sized bronze statue by sculptor Bill Wolfe in 2010.
He died at the age of 73 and is buried in Highland Lawn Cemetery in Terre Haute.
About the poem
Desiderata ( Latin: Desired things) is a didactic prose poem written in 1927. It offers a simple positive credo of life encapsulating wisdom, positivity and some timeless truths. The poem by its name focuses on the things we should desire or aim at.
The poem’s grace lies in its power to help one realize and rise above uncomfortable facts about human presence. The nuanced approach of the poem towards life is commendable. It encourages one to celebrate goodness. Note of positivity in the poem gives rise to its rhythmic sequence. Brushing through the themes of love, compassion, dignity, honestly towards life, it retains the power of optimism with wise ratings and gentle guidance.
Through the poem, Ehrmann has advised us to find hope in this world full of treachery, chaos, fraud, hypocrisy and loneliness and inspire people to change their perception. It opens with the most relevant message in our time of troubles :
“ Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what
peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible,
without surrender,
be on good terms with
all persons.”
The poem’s wisdom can be correlated to Rudyard Kipling’s famous poem ‘ If–’. Ehrmann said about Desiderata “ because it counsels those virtues I felt myself most in need of”.
Structure Of The Poem
Go placidly amid
the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in
silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and
aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser
persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in
your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing
fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue
there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and
disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the
counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in
sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark
imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the
universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it
should.
Therefore be at peace
with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with
your soul.
With all its sham,
drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
The philosophical poem is split up into eight unequal stanzas of varying length. The undue embellishment in tone and rhythm is absent. It does not fulfil a definite metrical pattern and it moreover reads like a sentence with occasional breaks to structure it as a poem. It has verbs and adverbs with adds to the instructional element of the poem. The poem is full of suggestions to deal with and avoid distressing situations and values the views of others, be it ‘ dull’ or ‘ignorant’.
Is it a poem in true sense? :
Historically it is regarded as a didactic poem but a modern critic is sure to challenge the categorization of Desiderata. It seems to be a more compendium of maxims clubbed together in a poetic form. No significant figure if speech. Through its inspirational nature seek the qualities of a poem. Moreover, the adverbs used at the beginning placidly, quickly and clearly provides a kind of rhyme and repetition heightening its calmness.
Literary Devices In The Poem
There are several figures of speech that we come across in the poem. These includes:
1. Simile
The figure of speech in which a likeness between two different things is stated explicitly.
Examples in the poem include:
‘ it is perennial as the grass’.
“ Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.”
2. Alliteration
– The figure of speech includes the close repetition of consonant sounds, usually at the beginning of the words.
If you compare yourself with others.’
Especially do not feign affecting’.
Nurture strength of the spirit to
shield you in sudden misfortune.’
‘But do not distress yourself with
dark imaginings.’
·
‘Many fears are born of fatigue
and loneliness.’
3. Metonymy
Substitution of the name of one of the attributes of a thing for the name of the thing itself. Examples of metonymy in the poem: Take kindly the counsel of the years.
Theme Of The Poem
Positive outlook towards one’s life– Positivity/ Optimism is the pivotal theme of the poem Desiderata by Max Ehrmann. The poet inspires us to be calm and hopeful in any dire situation. In a simple yet powerful manner, it lays out the pillars for living a happy life and keeping peace in oneself. Abraham Lincoln has rightly said, “ most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be”. It advises us to remain focused on ourselves and not just sit in judgement over others and the world around us. Ehrmann has given practical suggestions for inner peace by way of maintaining the friendship, being truthful and honest and even respect and listen to the ‘dull’ and ‘ignorant’. He suggested:
“ If you compare
yourself with others,
you may become vain
or bitter,
for always there be greater
or lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your
achievements as well as your plans.”
However, the poet is not unaware of the malicious world. There are those who are cynical about love and others who are disenchanted with everything under the sun along with ‘ loud and aggressive persons. Whatever be the chaos yet his poem brings out the themes of love, compassion, hope, optimism that will help us to cross this drowning boat of mankind.
“ And whatever your
labours and aspirations, in the noisy
confusion of life, keep peace in your soul”.