Gitanjali : A Study in Lyrical Patterns (Syntax,Diction and Rhythm) BY Kusum, SCD Govt. College, Ludhiana email: kusum

1. Gitanjali : A Study in Lyrical Patterns (Syntax,Diction and Rhythm)BYKusum, SCD Govt. College, Ludhianaemail: kusumgopal@yahoo.co.inMobile +919464526091

2. Gitanjali literally means a heap of flowers offered in the cupped hands. The flowers are not of one kind; they are different gardens. Some are from the garden of love, some from the garden of light; others from the garden of time, yet still others from the garden of death.

3. Tagore’s Musical Patterns -Devotional Poetry/ Cosmic Rhythm Chaitanya -Bengali Devotional Movement

4. - Rasa, Dhvani, Vakrokti(appropriateness) (Lyricism and Prose Poetry)

5. -Dialogue Form – Music and Rhythm • (Conversational Poetic modes)

6. Tradition and Lyricism Meera/Kabir/Surdas/Jaidev-Bhakti Poetry

7. Gitanjali : - Essence of centuries of meditation and devotion

8. Quest Motif: -Longing for the divine -A devotional poet sings his way to God

9. One outstanding piece from Gitanjali -'On the Seashore' Yeats singled out this poem to conclude his laudatory introduction to Gitanjali. • in broad terms, the poem is perfectly symmetrical in its thematic structure. • The center line of the third paragraph anchors the poem.

10. This sentence reads: • "Pearl fishers dive for pearls, merchants sail in their ships, while children gather pebbles and scatter them again." -This sentence stands on its own in the poem. No other sentence mentions the pearl fishers or merchants. - However, every other sentence in the poem has a complementary sentence within its respective paragraph.

11. Continuing the example of the third paragraph starts with sentence: • "They know not how to swim, they know not how to cast nets." Compare this with the last sentence of the third paragraph: "They seek not for hidden treasures, they know not how to cast nets." The first half of each unit mimics the style of the other, while the second half of each phrase is identical: "they know not how to cast nets."

12. Moving from the center of the poem outward to paragraphs two and four are also symmetrical. Once again, the first and third sentences of each paragraph mirror each other in some way. In the second paragraph, the idea of playing on the sand is repeated in both the first and third sentence. In the fourth paragraph, the phrase "pale gleams the smile of the sea beach" is repeated in the first and third sentences. So is the motion of the sea. In the first sentence, the "sea surges." In the third sentence, the "sea plays." This symmetrical pattern continues in paragraphs one and five.

13. The language used by the poet is the language of emotion, rhythm, lyrical intensity charged with instinctive movement. “LIFE of my life, I shall ever try to keep my body pure, knowing that thy living touch is upon all my limbs

14. Poet is deeply aware of the importance of liquid consonants /L/M/N • MY Desires are many and my cry is Pitiful, but ever didst thou save me by hard refusals; and this strongmercy has been wrought into my life through and through. (Gitanjali,1957;page12)

15. organization of words in sentences: the ordering of and relationship between the words and other structural elements in phrases and sentences. The syntax may be of a whole language, a single phrase or sentence, or of an individual speaker. Choice of words to fit their Context Syntax Diction

16. Diction,Rhythm, Pitch and Tone LIGHT, my light, the world filling light, the eye kissing light, heart sweetening light! Ah, the light dances, my darling, at the centre of my life ; the light strikes, my darling, the chords of my love; the sky opens, the wind runs wild, laughter passes over the earth. ( song 57)

17. Diction,Rhythm, Syntax and Tone PLUCK this little flower and take it, delay not! I fear lest it droop an Drop into the dust. It may not find a place in thy gar-l and, but honour it with a touch of pain from thy hand and pluck it. I fear lest the day end before I am aware, and the time of offering go by. Though its colour be not deep and Its smell be faint, use this flower in Thy service and pluck it while there is time. ( song 6)

18. The poet describes in a rhythmic rush the quick passage of time seasons change, all things rush on, no power can hold. Life goes on: All things rush on, they stop not, they look not behind, no power can hold them back, they rush on.

19. conclusion • To move towards the conclusion, Tagore is simply magnificent .The link he tries to raise with the divine through his impenetrable but at the same time fathomable artistic creation, is fabulous. The internal involuntary willingness to glue the supremely enormous in the pages of his immortal creation, with fastidious stress on language, diction and rhythm, has captivated many a hearts and bowled over many minds.