Class 5 :: English Literature :: The Merchant by Rabindranath Tagore (Roots)
The Merchant
by Rabindranath Tagore
(Roots)
The Poem :
"Imagine, mother, that you are to stay at home and I am to travel into strange lands.
Imagine that my boat is ready at the landing fully laden.
Now think well, mother, before you say what I shall bring for you when I come back.
Mother, do you want heaps and heaps of gold?
There, by the banks of golden streams, fields are full of golden harvest.
And in the shade of the forest path the golden champa flowers drop on the ground.
I will gather them all for you in many hundred baskets.
Mother, do you want pearls big as the raindrops of autumn?
I shall cross to the pearl island shore.
There in the early morning light pearls tremble on the meadow flowers, pearls drop on
the grass, and pearls are scattered on the sand in spray by the wild sea-waves.
My brother shall have a pair of horses with wings to fly among the clouds.
For father I shall bring a magic pen that, without his knowing, will write of itself.
For you, mother, I must have the casket and jewel that costs even kings their kingdom.
Summary of the Poem :
The poet tells his mother to imagine that she has to stay at home and he is going to travel to strange lands. His boat is ready at the landing laden with things. Then he asks her mother to think well and say which things she would like him to bring for her while he comes back. He further asks mother if she wants heaps of gold. The poet says about the golden crops thrive on the banks of the golden river. He more says that golden champa flowers drop on the ground in the shade of the forest path. He would gather them in many hundred baskets.
The poet asks her mother whether she wants big pearls as the raindrops of autumn as he would cross the pearl island shore. There pearls tremble on the meadow flowers in the early morning light. Pearls drop on the grass in the form of dew drops. On the sand, pearls are scattered by the wild sea-waves.
The poet wishes his brother to have a pair of horses with wings to fly among the clouds. The poet wishes to surprise his father bringing a magic pen for him. The pen would write of its own. Lastly the poet wishes to bring the casket and jewel which are costlier than kings and their kingdom.
Comprehension
1. Where does the speaker say he is going?
a. great lands. [ ]
b. strange lands. [✓]
2. Which of these does the speaker not wish to bring for his mother?
a. a magic pen. [✓]
b. pearls. [ ]
c. champa flowers. [ ]
d. gold. [ ]
3. Describe the 'pearl island shore' in your own words.
= The poet asks her mother whether she wants big pearls as the raindrops of autumn as he would cross the pearl island shore. There pearls tremble on the meadow flowers in the early morning light. Pearls drop on the grass in the form of dew drops. On the sand, pearls are scattered by the wild sea-waves.
4. What does the poem tell us about the poet's relationship with different members of his family? For example, his brother and father are only mentioned towards the end of the poem. Why do you think this is so?
= The poet is emotionally most attached with his mother. He is obsessed to bring many precious things for his mother in his mere imagination. He wants to bring her heaps of gold from the banks of golden streams. He wants to bring her hundred baskets full golden champa flower. He would bring her big pearls from the pearl island shore. Lastly the poet wishes to bring the casket and jewel which are costlier than kings and their kingdom.
On the other hand, the poet mentioned about his father and brother towards the end of the poem, as he is not that much close to them.
5. The poem has many elements that are part of the poet's imagination - they are not real. Pick out three such phrases which convey a sense of fantasy.
= Three phrases which convey a sense of fantasy are - 'golden champa flower', 'a pair of horses with wings to fly', and ' a magic pen that,.... will write of itself'.
About the Poet :
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941), born in Kolkata, was a Bengali poet, writer and painter. Even though he did not complete his formal education, he had many great talents, and a keen interest in writing and social reforms. He founded an experimental school at his own ashram which influenced his literary works. Tagore went on to write a vast number of famous poems, plays, novels, short stories and essays. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature for his work, Gitanjali, which made him an internationally popular figure. He has also composed over 2,000 songs, among which are India and Bangladesh's national anthems.