The Lunatic
- Laxmi Prasad Devkota
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Summarize of the The Lunatic
As a romantic poet, in his autobiographical poem, The Lunatic, he highly praises the simplicity, natural and rustic life as well as he presents himself as an imaginative and creative man. Similarly, he gives more emphasis on heart or feeling rather than mind. They the features of romanticism can be found in the poem, The Lunatic.
In the poem, he presents himself as a lunatic persona. He is different from sane (ordinary people) people because he can see or visualize sound, hear the scene (sight), taste the sweet smell. Not only this much, he can also see flower in the stone and also understands the bird's language. Likewise, for him dream and imagination are real because he can interpret them meaningfully. In winter night, he can see the heaven in the sky. He is quite sensible man, so he feels sad seeing weak and dying people. He also believes in existence of soul. Due to sixth sense, the speaker is different from sane (ordinary people) people. For him one minus one is always one as our individual soul after our death fuses with cosmic soul and again becomes one. Because of these perception of the poet, he is called lunatic and sent to the Ranchi (metal hospital)
He is so angry with upper-class people who mostly exploit lower class people to fulfill their desire. To maintain their superiority, they invite their relative and offer wine party. But for him, what the upper-class drink is the blood of poor people. He is also angry with prostitutes who sell body for money. For him, they are dead women though they are alive. He thinks that poor people are richer than the king and emperor (2) because they do not have unlimited wish and desire. He also hates leaders who are for him blind leaders because they are made by people but they hate the humanity. He rather praises the poor and ordinary people.
He criticizes those leaders who hate poor, helpless people. He has the humanitarian outlook for needy people. He criticizes the flatterer who control other people thought by their false ideas. He attacking both types of people L.e. man hatter and flatterer (g) wants to bring complete change in the society because he is so frustrated and unhappy with the existing world which is for him so corrupted and vile due to the evil people handle over the innocent people.
Please try to explain why the poet takes the persona of a lunatic. Does a mad person actually see sounds and hear sights? How do your account for such paradoxical statements? What are the differences between conventional lunatic and the lunatic of the poem? (कविले किन पागलको व्यक्तित्व लिन्छन् भनेर व्याख्या गर्ने प्रयास गर्नुहोस्। के पागल व्यक्तिले साँच्चै आवाजहरू देख्छ र दृश्यहरू सुन्छ ? त्यस्ता विरोधाभासपूर्ण भनाइलाई तपाई कसरी लिनुहुन्छ ? परम्परागत 4 पागल र कविताको पागलबीच के भिन्नताहरू छन्?)
Ans: The poet contrasts lunatic persona with the world of sane and even with conventional lunatic. For him, the world of lunatic persona is so creative and imaginative. He can perceive many things which sane people cannot because they are bound to sense organs and due to their inability to perceive such things, they say A others lunatic men. Lunatic persona, sitting on earth, can see the hidden mystery of heaven, can hear scene, see sound and even can understand bird's language. It is true that ordinary men use their mind to understand them but a lunatic persona (a) uses his heart and can easily understand them. In this regard, we can say that he uses the sixth sense where ordinary men are constrained 5 by 5 senses.
Lunatic persona is also different from conventional lunatic. Conventional mad man cannot give logic and reasoning to prove his thought but lunatic persona of the poem is aware of his thought and pays attention on his thought. He gives logic, reason using reliable examples.
In another poem "To a Beautiful Prostitute," Devkota uses the phrase "into a higher reason gone astray." Does this phrase describe the lunatic persona of the poem ? (अर्को कविता “एउटा सुन्दर वेश्यालाई " मा देवकोटाले “उच्च कारण खरानी भए” भन्ने वाक्यांश प्रयोग गरेका छन् । के यो वाक्यांशले कविताको पागल व्यक्तित्व वर्णन गर्दछ?)
Ans: Yes, this phrase describes the lunatic persona of the poem because for him prostitutes are dead in life. They sell their body for the sake of money. Reason, logic in corrupted Nepal has become hollow. So, they are like ashes of astray.
What does the poet mean by "I have denounced Alexander the Great" (L. 84)? Explain the similarity between the lunatic and the Greek philosopher Diogenes, who had also ignored Alexander? (“मैले अलेक्ज्याण्डर द ग्रेटलाई निन्दा गरेको छु" भन्नाले के बुझिन्छ ?पागल र ग्रीक दार्शनिक Diogenes बीचको समानता व्याख्या गर्नुहोस् । अलेक्ज्याण्डरलाई पनि कसले बेवास्ता गरेका थिए ?)
Ans: Yes, both of them have similarities because like the Greek philosopher, Diogenes, the lunatic persona also thinks that Alexander the Great was also poor because he could not move freely due to the terror and threat of his enemies though he was an ancient powerful Macedonian ruler and one of history's greatest military minds who as King of Macedonia and Persia, established the largest empire in the ancient world.
Is it natural for the tiger to pounce upon the innocent deer and for the bigger fish to swallow the smaller fish? Why is the lunatic disturbed by what is natural? (एग्य बाघले निर्दोष हरिणमाथि झम्टनु र एउटा ठूलो माछाले सानो माछालाई निल्नु के स्वाभाविक कुरा हो ? त्यो पागल यी प्राकृतिक कुराले किन विचलित भएको होला ?)
Ans: It is natural for the tiger to pounce upon the innocent deer and for the bigger fish to swallow the smaller fish. "deer" and "the small "fish" symbolize for poor, innocent and helpless people who are exploited. The lunatic persona cannot bear any injustice. So, the lunatic persona protests against it.
"Your highly learned men are my big fools" (2. 89). Explain this statement. Isthe lunatic person also arrogant? ("f उच्च विद्वानहरू मेरा ठूला मूर्खहरू हुन् । यो कथनको व्याख्या गर्नुहोस् । के पागल मान्छे पनि अहंकारी हुन्छ र ?)
Ans: It is said that practical knowledge is better than bookish knowledge. so, he may think that if highly educated people lack of practical knowledge, they are also fool.
Who is Dadhichi? Why is his strength "terrible" (2. 27)? To whom? In one short paragraph tell the story of Dadhichi and the war between the gods and demons. (दधिची को हुन् ? उनको शक्ति किन 'भयानक' छ ? छ भने कसलाई ? एउटा छोटो अनुच्छेदमा दधिचीको कथा र देवताहरू राक्षसबीचको युद्धको रुपमा वर्णन गर्नुहोस् ।)
Ans: Dadhichi, is a central character in Hinduism. Dadhichi is a Rishi who played a role in the conflict between the Devas and Asuras. Dadhichi is renowned for sacrificing his life so that god, Indra could wield the weapon "Bajra" made from Dadhichi's bones. The Devas were initially driven out from Swarga, or heaven, by the powerful Asura Vritra. Vritra was granted a boon to be unharmed by any forged weapons, including divine weaponry. The Devas required a powerful weapon to fight. By making use of the Bajra, made from the sage Dadhichi's bones Indra, the ruler of the Devas, defeated the Asura and gained heaven.
The poet's method is one of the contrasts between the world of lunatic and sane people. What are some of these contrasts and how do they bring out the irony of the poem? (यस कविताम कविले पागलहरू" र सद्देहरूको संसारबीच फरक देखाएका छन् । ती फरकहरू के के हुन् ?)
Ans: Truly, Devkota's method in the poem "The Lunatic" capitalizes on the contrasts between the world of lunatic and sane people. The world of lunatic is so creative and imaginative. He can sense many things of paradise sitting in the earth. Lunatic man has six sense organs while a sane man lacks so and confines within his five senses. Lunatic persona can hear scene, see sound, taste smell and can understand birds and animal languages. He is guided by heart but not by mind. Lunatic persona distorts moral law and does not follow the norms and values of the society. He has his own rules and also tries to prove unreal ideas as real one.
Explain the term "iconoclast of ugliness" L150 ( मान्यतालाई चुनौति दिने मान्छेको अर्थ खुलाउँदै व्याख्या गर्नुहोस् ।)
Ans: The term" iconoclast of ugliness" means here a rebel who wants to finish the dark side of the life, political unrest and corruption. The poet is so rebel in the poem. According to the poetic persona, this world is run by the blind people. Here, blind people stand for the rulers or political leaders. He criticizes those leaders who hate poor, helpless people. He also criticizes the flatterer who control other people thought by their false ideas. He attacking both types of people i.e., man hatter and flatterer wants to bring complete change in the society because he is so frustrated and unhapp with the existing society which is for him so corrupted due to the bad people handling over the innocent people.
"Mine is a badge of thorns" (1. 48), says the lunatic persona What does he mean by this phrase? Do you see any biblical connotation here? "मेरो काँडाको बिल्ला हो" पागल व्यक्तित्व भन्छन् । वाक्यांशको अर्थ के हो? के तपाईं यहाँ कुनै बाइबलीय अर्थ देख्नुहुन्छ?
Ans: The speaker thinks that gold and wealth are ordinary. So says gold is iron. For him, thorns and gold are similar because both them are valueless. If you have gold, you will have fear of robbing tha I think in Bible, thorns connoted to the crucification of Jesus Christ.
Can you prove that "one minus one is always one" (1.29) "एक माइनस एक सधैँ एक हो ?” भन्ने भनाइलाई प्रमाणित गर्नुसक्नुहुन्छ ?
Ans: The line from the Upanishad says if you take away everything from a perfect, it is not diminished; it remains full. If you take absolute from absolute, what remains is absolute. But in practical life, this does not apply. Here one minus one is always zero. So, most of the people ignore about the teachings of Upanishad, think it is the sign of abnormality to say 'one minus one is still one'
What is the tone of the poem ? कविताको स्वर के हो ?
Ans: The tone of poem is revolutionary and satiric.
Examine the binary division of prose and poetry. Is "liquid the opposite of "strong"? Does poetry include abnormal visions? गद्य र कविताको परस्पर बिपरित शब्दहरूको परिक्षण गर्नुहोस् । के "तरल" शब्द "बलियो" को विपरीत हो? के कवितामा असामान्य दर्शनहरू समावेश छन् ?
Ans: I think that to write poetry, feeling, emotion and imagination are essential while logic and reason make the writing prose. Feeling and emotion flow in poem as liquid moves on the surface. Devkota highly praises the simplicity, originality, rustic life as well as he also presents himself as a highly imaginative and creative man. Yes, poetry includes abnormal visions because it gives more emphasis in imagination and feeling rather than mind.
Who is "the bird that steals the celestial fire" (1. 151)? Could this bird refer to Prometheus? Can you think of any other interpretations? “स्वर्गबाट आगो चोर्ने चरा" को हो )? के यो चराले प्रोमेथियसलाई बुझाउन सक्छ? के तपाईं कुनै अन्य व्याख्याहरू सोच्न सक्नुहुन्छ ?
Ans: This bird refers to Prometheus. According to Bible, Prometheus is Titan who challenging the god, stole the fire from heaven for the sake of welfare of human beings. Other interpretation can be: like Prometheus or the bird, we should steal our freedom, right to live from the Rana.
Choose one key image from the poem and explain its significance. Discussion (कविताबाट एउटा मुख्य मानसिक चित्र छनोट गर्नुहोस् र यसको महत्त्वको व्याख्या गर्नुहोस् ।)
Ans: There is not only one key image however deep and interesting key image that I found about sixth sense. Due to sixth sense, the speaker is different from sane (ordinary people) people because he can see or visualize sound, hear the scene (sight), taste the sweet smell. Not only this much, he can also see flowers in the stone and also understands bird's language.
Lunacy exists at the personal, social, and cosmic levels. De you agree? Why? पागलपन व्यक्तिगत, सामाजिक र ब्रह्माण्डीय स्तरहरूम अवस्थित छ। के तपाईं सहमत हुनुहुन्छ ? किन?
Ans: Good, bad, lunatic, mad, normal, abnormal, etc. is decided by the majority of sane people. A person himself or herself cannot say a lunatic or a mad but the majority of sane people make them.
So, I agree with the statement that lunacy exists at the personal, social and cosmic levels. Normal people life is full of sadness, anger and fear. Lunatic people have excessive feelings and ideas within his mind. Lunacy can make it difficult for an individual to carry out everyday tasks.
When a society categorize as a lunatic, that is the social level. Sometimes, the whole society behaves the man abnormally. Cosmic lunacy is related to universal lunacy. It exists in the entire universe. Such lunacy can damage the earth and its environment by doing competition on nuclear weapon. In this regard, lunacy exists at the personal, social and cosmic levels.
Discuss the Lunatic "as a political protest" poem. ( anfald राजनैतिक प्रतिवाद गर्दछ, छलफल गर्नुहोस् ।)
Ans: "The Lunatic" is political protest poem which shows the Devkota's anger upon political unrest and corrupted nature of leaders or rulers. In the poem, he is so rebellious and attacks to upper class people and leaders. Not only this much, he also shows other dark side of his time. To show the dark sides of that time, he pretends himself as a mad man. He is so angry with his time upper class people, Ranas who would exploit lower class people to fulfill their desire. To maintain their superiority, they would invite their relative and friends and would give wine party. But for him, what the upper class would drink was the blood of poor people. He admires poor men but he hates the king, emperor, the flatterers and the leaders who are for him real cause of degrading the society and nation.
Particularly, this poem, 'Lunatic' was published in 1950s in which time the condition of politics was vulnerable and unrest and whole country was also in the process of transitional phase from Rana's dictatorship to the democratic world of freedom. It is said that in 1950s, Rana's atrocity tremendously reached in peak and many innocent people were brutally killed, hung or punished. There was everywhere unrest and chaotic situation.
In fact, Devkota writing this poem wants to criticize or attack that time bad rulers, leaders and bad system. In specific, through this poem, he expresses his anger upon Rana's rule which was full of oppressive to the ordinary people.
On the basis of the poem, do you see the human race as suicidal? कविताको आधारमा, के तपाई मानव जातिलाई आत्महत्याको रूपमा हेर्नुहुन्छ?
Ans: Yes, I see human race as suicidal. In the ancient time, people becoming superstitious, they would commit suicide to please the god and to grow crops more. Such suicidal even can be seen in Hindu hholy book in which Dadhichi, sacrificed his life so that Indra could make a weapon "Bajra" made from Dadhichi's bones. By the use of the Bajra, Indra, the ruler of the Devas defeated the Asura.