2.2 Indian Weavers
Title:
The title ‘Indian Weavers’ focuses over Indian artisans particularly weavers. The adjective ‘Indian’ is used with a definite purpose appreciating the work of Indian Weavers. As the weavers intertwine the fabrics, the poetess aims to interlace a message through the poem.
New words:
1) Weaving – interlacing threads to produce fabrics or cloth
2) Break of day – morning, dawn, sunrise
3) Halcyon – Asian/African kingfisher bird
4) Wild – untamed, free
5) Robe – dress, clothe, frock, dressing gown, housecoat
6) Plumes – feathers of bird, quills
7) Marriage-veils – bridal veils, wedding veils ( Hindi – Chunari ), bridal gown, specially to cover face
8) Solemn – serious, sober
9) Still – rest, stable, silent
10) Chill – extreme cool
11) Funeral – burial, cremation, last rites
12) Shroud – white cloth for dead body
13) Fall of night- late evening
14) Bright garments- brightly (shining) colored garments
15) Solemn and still- sacred, serious, quiet
16) Moonlight chill- cold dead night
17) Gay - with happiness or with fun
Paraphrase:
The weavers start their weaving at the morning (rise of a day). The poetess compares the cloth with the blue coloured wing of a wild halcyon and asks the weavers why they look so happy while weaving the garment/cloth. In response, the weavers answer that they are weaving a dress for the new born baby so they are so happy. Here, break of day is metaphorical used for the birth and the first phase of human life which is a happy moment for everyone including the weavers.
The weavers continue their work during fall of night (evening). The poetess compares the garment/cloth with the purple green coloured feathers of a peacock and asks again the weavers why they are weaving so shiny garment/cloth. In response, the weavers answer that they are weaving a bridal veils of a queen so it’s fresh and bright. Here, fall of night is metaphorical used for the adulthood and the most important second phase of human life. It is a phase of merry days that brightens every aspects of human life.
The weavers carry out their work during the cold moonlight also. But their mood is serous and silent. The garment they are weaving is white. The poetess very ingeniously compares the white garment/cloth metaphorically with a quill and a also with a white cloud. The poetess asks again the weavers why they are weaving the white garment/cloth. In response, the weavers answer solemnly that they are weaving that white cloth for a dead body for its final rites (cremation). Here, the phrase ‘cold moonlight’ is metaphorical used to the final phase of human life i.e. death which is eternal truth.
The poetess has used two metaphors in the last stanza to compare the white cloth. Within that the metaphoric use of the phrase ‘white as a cloud’ needs deeper interpretation as if the white cloud (cloth) finally shrouds every dead and takes away it to its ‘Final Destination’ or ‘Final Rest’. The last two lines create the feelings of pathos in minds of the readers, the poetess and the weavers.
Figures of Speech and Explanation:
1. Weavers, weaving at break of day.
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
Climax – The words are arranged in the ascending order.
Metaphor - The birth (childhood stage of man) is implicitly compared with a break of day.
2. Why do you weave a garment so gay? . . .
Alliteration – The sound of letters ‘w’ and ‘g’ are repeated.
Interrogation – A question is used for emphasis.
3. Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild.
Inversion – The words are not in correct order. The correct word order is – The wing of a halcyon wild (is) blue.
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
Simile – The blue coloured cloth is directly compared with a wing of wild halcyon.
4. We weave the robes of a new-born child.
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
5. Weavers, weaving at fall of night.
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
Climax – The words are arranged in the ascending order.
Metaphor- Adulthood (young - the second stage of man) is implicitly compared with the fall of night.
6. Why do you weave a garment so bright?
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
Interrogation – The question mark is used.
7. Like the plumes of a peacock, purple and green.
Simile – The garment is directly compared with purple & green coloured plumes of peacock.
Anti-climax – The words purple and green are arranged in descending order.
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘p’ is repeated.
8. We weave the marriage-veils of a queen.
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
9. Weavers, weaving solemn and still.
Alliteration – The sounds of letters ‘w’ and ‘s’ are repeated.
Climax – The words ‘weavers’ and ‘weaving’ are arranged in the ascending order.
Paradox – The line is meaningless / absurd as one cannot carry the work of weaving being still.
Anti-climax – The words ‘solemn’ and ‘still’ are arranged in descending order.
Tautology - The words ‘solemn’ and ‘still’ are similar in meaning.
10. What do you weave in the moonlight chill?
Interrogation – A question is used for emphasis.
Inversion – The words are not in correct order. The correct word order is – What do you weave in the chill moonlight?
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
Metaphor - death (old age - the third and last stage of man's life) is implicitly compared with moonlight.
11. White as a feather and white as a cloud.
Repetition – The words ‘white’ and ‘as’ are repeated.
Simile – The garment is directly compared with a feather and a cloud.
12. We weave a dead man's funeral shroud.
Alliteration – The sound of letter ‘w’ is repeated.
13) White as a feather and as a cloud,
We weave a dead man's funeral shroud.
Simile- funeral shroud is directly compared with a feather and a cloud.
Theme
The poem ‘Indian Weavers’ highlights the craft and skill of Indian weavers. The poetess has very nicely presented three phases of life. The life cycle is befittingly depicted from the work of weavers.
It reminds a Classic Marathi song-
'एक धागा सुखाचा, शंभर धागे दुःखाचे.
जरतारी हे वस्त्र मानवा, तुझिया आयुष्याचे'
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