Introduction to the Poem
In the poem entitled The Abandoned British Cemetery at Balasore, the poet depicts an old cemetery of British period in India. He mentions the historical importance of the cemetery. He presents the picture of the desolated and pathetic state of the graves and peaceful surroundings of the cemetery. He shows his individual concern for the dead young persons lying buried in their graves. In the poem, he expresses his extreme grief at the untimely death of the young persons. He shows sympathetic attitude for the young persons who die due to being victims of diseases or for another cause.
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| Poem The Abandoned British Cemetery at Balasore: Summary and Critical Appreciation |
Summary of the Poem:
The poet makes a visit of an old cemetery of British time. This cemetery was founded when the British ruled over India about a hundred and fifty years ago. While leaving India forever, the British left their dead buried in the graves. But now this cemetery was deserted because of lapse of a long period of time of about a hundred and fifty years. The poet calls it a thing of history. In other words this cemetery which was founded during British rule in India has some historical importance. It is related to an incident which took place about one hundred and fifty years ago. When the poet visits this cemetery and witnesses the wretched state of the graves of the dead, he at once begins to think of that historical incident when many British persons died of cholera and were buried in this cemetery. They are lying separately in their graves which are now in a very pathetic condition. The poet does not have any intention to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of this cemetery by going in it. He wants to see it standing at a distance. If he goes inside this cemetery he would disturb the sound sleep of the dead lying in their cold and dark grave. The tombs in this cemetery are now in a state of ruin. The stone and marble which were used in building these tombs have now almost crumbled with the passage of time. The broken pieces of stone and marble are lying on the ground. The poet asks himself what sort of behaviour he should make at the present moment when he is standing in this cemetery of ancient historical importance.
The poet visits a cemetery which was founded during British rule in India. He thinks of the historical importance of the cemetery which is related to an incident occurred at Balasore. Due to spreading cholera at Balasore, many young lives were lost. The dead were buried at this place. The poet sees that the graves where the victims of cholera were buried have become the heaps of ruins. The graves were badly neglected after the Britishers had gone. Now the place where this cemetery was founded, is known due to the incident happened one hundred and fifty years ago. This cemetery is now completely desolated. The poet has also an indifferent attitude for this cemetery, but he feels sorry for those who died in a very young age and their dreams, aspirations and ambitions remained unfulfilled. The poet thinks that if he, instead of living in present times, had lived in those days when this incident took place, he might have felt sorrow and pity for the dead young persons. But at this time the British cemetery in such a desolated state having historical importance fails to move the poet's heart. Now the poet stands here and sees only grass, bushes, thorns and weeds around him. He finds a kind of silence and peace pervading in the atmosphere. It does not matter that he did not personally know those who were buried here. What difference does it make to him who died of cholera in those days and who survived.
The poet is standing near the graves of the victims of cholera in the cemetery of British period. He shows an indifferent kind of attitude for the dead. He does not have any sympathy for those who died of cholera and for those who survived even after being the victim of cholera. But when he thinks of the tragic, fearful and pitiable death of the persons who were buried here, he feels great fear. These persons have been forgotten with the passage of time. Now nobody likes to know about them. They have become only the part of that incident which took place nearly one hundred and fifty years ago. Their burial place is known after the incident. The incident of spreading cholera has given this place historical importance. The poet's entering this cemetery cannot bring the dead back to life. His presence here cannot stir the remains of the dead persons. No strong commotion can awake the dead from their sound and eternal sleep. Only the desolated and peaceful atmosphere may be disturbed.
The cemetery of British period where the poet is standing and is thinking about those dead British persons who died so young, is completely desolated. The surroundings of the cemetery are very awful. A fearful silence is pervaded in the atmosphere. It seems as if nobody liked to visit this cemetery of very olden time. The indifferent attitude of the people toward the dead lying in their graves is extently responsible to bring this kind of desolated state of this cemetery. In such a deserted place where no signs of man can be seen, there is the reign of different kinds of insects and animals. The poisonous insects and animals have made this place their shelter. The poet sees a lean and thin lizard which is looking the activities going on in the atmosphere of the cemetery with a fixed attention raising its neck. There is a scorpion which is resting upon one of the tombs on which the name of the dead British person is inscribed. The scorpion's poisonous sting is hanging down at the edge of the stone of the tomb. It has spread out its arms which look somewhat awful. The manner of resting of the scorpion also creates a kind of fear in the atmosphere.
While standing near the ruined graves of the British persons in the cemetery and observing the desolated and awful surroundings of the cemetery, the poet thinks of those young persons who became the prey of death without fulfilling their dreams, aspirations and ambitions. Death showed no mercy at their innocent and tender age. He sees the tombstones of marble planted at the head of graves in order to indicate who lies buried here. The information of the dead such as name , date of birth and death , nativity , parentage and other details have been mentions on the slab of marble . The names and other details on the epitaphs are not of interest to the poet; all that he notices is the fact that the graves belong to young Britishers who died of cholera in a distant land. He shows his interest to know the age of the dead. On one slab of marble, he reads the name of Florence. She has been described on the tombstone as a dear wife of an army captain. He comes to know through the information of the slab that she was of just nineteen at the time of her death. In fact she died of cholera. Next he reads the name of another female who was the beloved daughter of a British couple. She was of just seventeen when she died of the same disease. This fatal disease broke out when the British lords ruled over India.
When cholera broke out and many young persons became the prey of death, the British Emperors ruled over India. In other words, India was a part of British Empire. The cemetery where the poet is standing at the present moment was founded during British period and all the victims of cholera were buried in this cemetery. While observing the graves and the surroundings of the cemetery, the poet shows his interest in reading the age of the young persons inscribed on the slabs of marble planted at the head of tombs. He shows his sole concern in the death of young persons. He does not think of the British Empire, its period and its activities. He thinks that when the British Empire does not have any existence in India now, why he should show any concern for the vanished British Empire. He knows that his remote ancestors had lived as the subjects of the British Lords and Emperors, but it does not matter to him. What he is concerned with are the deaths of the young persons who lie buried here and the young persons who die even now - a - days. The poet thinks that the young persons, without fulfilling their aspirations, dreams and ambitions pass away from this world. In fact the young persons, death moves the human heart deeply . Their death brings to surface the feelings and emotions lying dormant in the depths of the human heart.
The poet is standing near the graves of the young persons who died of cholera one hundred fifty years ago. He thinks that this deadly disease that brought to a tragic and untimely end the lives of many young Britishers long ago is still uncontrolled and unconquered and it still causes death of countless young persons who could have led a fruitful lives and who could have showed their vigourness and enthusiasm to do something worthy for the welfare of their country. But unfortunately these young persons’ energy, talent, and enthusiasm are suppressed under cruel feet of the fatal disease cholera. The poet feels great sorry to think of young Britishers lying buried in their cold and dark graves. They are confined to this cemetery. They are ignored and neglected by the people. The poet's emotions arise through the way of his eyes. He feels sorry to think that this deadly disease still plays its game with the young men and gets victory over them. When it breaks out, it moves swiftly and powerfully. It afflicts the young persons and weakens their strength gradually. Its influence is wide spread. It passes through every way. It also touches the graves of the cemetery (but the dead remain unaffected now) and goes on beyond this cemetery. It brings about ruin and destruction. The same disasters are repeated again and again to undermine all the most precious beliefs of human beings.
The poet thinks that the British rule is now over. Now it does not exist any longer in India. The Britishers left India about one hundred and fifty years ago. But the deadly disease named cholera is still in active form. It still breaks out time to time and -makes the countless young persons its victims. It captures them abruptly, weakens them and puts them to eternal sleep. In this way it suppresses the dreams, aspirations and ambitions of the young men this disease breaks out it brings about ruin and destruction. It gives great loss to the country by taking the precious lives of the young persons. It is as sharp and cruel as iron. It may remain in abeyance like iron which is allowed to remain at one place and rust. But its menace or threat never ceases. Those who die, leave behind a memory of their deaths. Death seems to smile as the victims die. When the poet sees a heavy piece of timber lying close to the graves, he says that the force of the earth's gravity would continue always to operate upon this piece of timber. (The force of gravity means the power of the earth to pull things downwards.) The poet thinks that the heavy piece of timber lying near the graves might in course of time acquire a certain sanctity in the eyes of the people. By virtue of its very oldness, this piece of timber might one day be treated as a deity and as an object of worship. This piece of timber would keep history alive by reminding people of the deaths which had taken place long, long ago, and this piece of timber would not allow the survivors to speak and make their existence known to others. In other words it can be said that this piece of timber would act not only as a source of some historical information but also as a forbidding power.
Critical Appreciation of the Poem:
Introduction:
The poem entitled The Abandoned British Cemetery at Balasore depicts the poet's reflections upon entering a cemetery in which a number of Britishers lay buried, but which was now deserted because of lapse of a long period of time of about a hundred and fifty years. The poem refers to a historical incident. In it, the poet feels sorrow at the untimely death of the young men. He thinks that the young persons, without fulfilling their aspirations, dreams and ambitions pass away from this world. In a true sense, the poet thinks that the young persons ' death moves the human heart deeply. Their death brings to surface the feelings and emotions lying dormant in the depths of the human heart. The poet feels sorry to think that this deadly disease named cholera still plays its game with the young men and gets victory.
Thought - Content:
The poet enters a cemetery of the British period and sees the graves of many young Britishers who, on account of being the victims of cholera, lost their lives. The poet does not want to disturb the graves wherein the dead lay buried. The tombs in this cemetery are now in a state of ruin. The stone and marble have now almost crumbled with the passage of time. The poet feels awed by the thought of the dead persons who were buried in the cemetery. He walks around the various graves and finds that his presence cannot stir the remains of the dead persons. Lizard and scorpion make the scene of the cemetery very fearful. The poet reads the names of the young Britishers who died of cholera in their very tender age. The poet shows his deep concern with the deaths of the young persons who lie buried in the cemetery and the young persons who die even now - a - days of one cause or another.
Theme of the Poem:
This is perfectly crafted poem that displays Mahapatra's brooding vision of life and manner in which he transforms the stark images of realism to the level of lyrical poetry. The poet speaks of the effect that a visit to an old British cemetery has on him, triggering off as it does thoughts of unvanquished diseases snatching away the young to make them a part of the ever - advancing realisms of history. The poet's anguish is caused not by the sight of the ancient graves of unknown Britishers, but by the morbid thought of countless lives that continue to be needlessly lost in their prime.
A Fine Blend of Poet's Scientific Attitude and Orthodox Beliefs:
The poet sees a heavy piece of timber lying close to the graves, and says that the force of the earth's gravity would continue always to operate upon this piece of timber. The heavy piece of timber, or anchor as it may be called, might in course of time acquire certain sanctity in the eyes of the people. By virtue of its very ancientness, this anchor might one day be treated as a deity and as an object of worship. The anchor would keep history alive by reminding people of the deaths which had taken place long, long ago. The anchor would act not only as a source of some historical information but also as a forbidding power.
Philosophical and Psychological Elements:
In a philosophical way the poet says that cholera still breaks out and kills young people. When it breaks out, it travels rapidly and powerfully, bringing about ruin and destruction. It is as sharp and cruel as iron. It may remain in abeyance like iron which is allowed to remain at one place and rust. But its menace or threat never ceases. Those who, die, leave behind a memory of their deaths. Death seems to smile as the victims die. It is a psychological poem, full of reflections over the dead. The deaths of young persons are the most poignant and heart - rending. Such deaths give rise to profound thought. Besides a mere anchor lying half - sunk in mud in the cemetery may one day, in the distant future, acquire the status of a deity whom the people of the coming generations would worship.
Style and Language:
Mahapatra is original not only in his choice of themes and his treatment of them but also in his style of writing and his use of the English language. His command of the English language is exceptional. Besides, he can write in a scholarly style as well as in a simple, plain style. In this poem, we come across such expressions as ' the archaic dead’, ' in a twilight of baleful littoral’, ' a scrawny lizard ‘, ' that plagues the sleepy shacks beyond this hump of earth’. Many also are the expressions and phrases which have an aesthetic appeal. We have surrealistic imagery in the lines in which the poet says that, awed by the forgotten dead, he walks around their graves: “thirty - nine graves, their legends floating in a twilight”. His presence in the cemetery, he says, cannot animate those legends. There is more such imagery in the lines in which the poet says that “this is the iron / rusting in the vanquished country; the blood's unease / the tired triumphant smile left behind by the dead / on a discarded anchor.”
