The book is indeed a search for truth about poetry. Poetry as an art form often puzzles, though it fascinates. The Indian and the European scholars have toiled hard to unearth the essence of poetry. In the first part, the author is in search of truth about poetry its real nature and character. In other two chapters, the author is concerned with two particular poems and has been keen about re-assessing them. Finally, the critic tries to find out how the Bengali poets are shaped and influenced by the foreign writers or European poets. His style has been lucid, simple and enthralling. It can captivate the unripe students, as well as mellowed scholars.
Dinabandhu Ghosh has been teaching English for many years in different colleges as an Assistant Professor. Basically, he is a poet who has written a number of poems in Bengali and English. 'Life Fascinating' and 'Graceful Dust' are his poetical creations. In this book, he appears as a critic who seeks to reveal the essence and truth of poetry. Again, he is concerned with some particular poems and seeks to reassess them.
At present, poetry is a neglected art. People hardly read poetry. They are easily attached to newspapers and glossy magazines. On the other hand, the scholars at colleges and universities are more concerned with theories than with poetry. Theories are really deceptive and they create enormous chaos in the field of criticism. Fresh perception is more important than stale theories. Literature is linked with life and language is the medium of expression. So a reader must be perceptive, sensitive and inquisive to realise literature or poetry. The fact is that we read A.C. Bradley but mercilessly neglect Shakespeare. The core literature is being neglected. The situation should change. The scholars ('Pseudo-scholars' as E.M. Forster calls them) need to build their careers. So, they resort to theories and frame rules to assess poetry. Poetry is beyond rules. It is the artistic and philosophical expression of human soul which feels, perceives and realizes the world in its own way. The indian philosophers have always insisted on the suggestive power of poetry which virtually suggests and transcends. Poetry being subjective is the expression of sensitive mind which responds and reacts, feels and thinks. The western thinkers and the Indian scholars have revealed their views about poetry. Their views are significant. They have expressed their views and thoughts but they did not formulate theories. In present days, it has become the humour of the scholars to apply theories to literary works. As a result, real literature remains ignored, but theories thrive and they drive away literary activities. It is found that most of the scholars are obsessed with theories. They use it with uncanny pride and unusual arrogance. Unless a particular theory is applied to a particular literary work, they cannot take rest. These scholars are prejudiced, lifeless and devitalised. Real literature is born in freedom and only a free and unprejudiced mind can assess literature truly. Human life is bigger than man-made philosophy and it appears that art or literature is larger than theories which are born in the dry bones of the scholars. These scholars are biased in spirit and blind to life which unfolds layers and meanings, beyond human comprehension, beyond scholarly theorisation. In the present book, I have tried to freely discuss the things related to poetry. I have no compulsion, no obligation. Freely I have roamed in the realm of poetry to unearth truth, beauty and significance of poetry in general and some poems or poets in particular.
"
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist