Various Themes of Gitanjali of Rabindranath Tagore

Various Themes in Gitanjali of Tagore 

📄 Table of Contents :-

1) Introduction: Tagore. 2) Various themes of Gitanjali.       1) Theme of God.       2) Theme of Nature.       3) Theme of Humanity.       4) Theme of Death.       5) Theme of Love. 3) Read More in Indian English Literature.

📃 Introduction : Rabindra Nath Tagore :-

Rabindra Nath Tagore, a man of poetic genius, is the greatest poet of modern India. He brought the honour to India by becoming the first nobel laureate from Asia in year 1913 with his poetic achievements. Tagore was a poet, playwright, philosopher, writer and a social reformer. 

Tagore played a pivotal role in modernising Bengali literature, music and Indian art. He discouraged classical rigidity in literature and resisted language boundaries. He is also known as the 'Bard of Bengal' as well as some sobriquets such as 'gurudev, vishwakobi' etc.

Ravindra Nath Tagore
Profile
Born	7 may 1861, Kolkata
Died	7 August 1941, Kolkata
Profession	Poet, Novelist, dramatist, essayist, philosopher, social reformer
Notable works	Geetanjali, Ghare-Baire, Gora, Jana Gana Mana etc.
Notable awards	Noble prize in literature, 1913
Literary movement	Contextual modernism
Major language	Bengali
Period	Bengali renaissance

Tagore's compositions are political as well as personal. These are best known for their lyrics, natural affiliation and modernism. His works takes views of universalism and humanism, he is an ardent critic of nationalism.

Tagore's compositions were chosen by two nations as their national anthem : Jana Gana Mana by India and Amar Sonar Bangla by Bangladesh. His works also inspired the national anthem of Sri Lanka.

Tagore mainly wrote in Bengali and translated these works into English by himself. His Gitanjali is an excellent work of art. Gitanjali or 'Song Offerings' is an anthology of songs of devotion to God. These songs are mostly the conversation between poet and God. They reflect the philosophy and consciousness of Tagore.

Gitanjali consists of poems which offer infinite in  a finite creation. It is a collection of  devotional lyrics  in the great indian tradition. Tagore's vast poetic output is characterized by a variety of themes and originality both in thoughts and expression.

📃Themes of Gitanjali :-

Gitanjali is mainly a devotional poetry with many themes woven together like flowers in a bouquet. The abundance of themes make Gitanjali an eternal element of fascination. Themes of  God and the human soul, God and nature, Nature and soul and the soul and humanity are the additional themes with the central theme of  the soul's voyage to eternity i.e. the realisation of God through self-purification, love, constant prayer and devotion and dedication to God through service to God. 

We can identify the following themes in Tagore's Gitanjali :- 

1. Theme of God

2. Theme of Nature

3. Theme of Humanity

4. Theme of Death

5. Theme of Love

Let's have a brief look at these themes separately:-

1) Theme of God :-

Gitanjali is a prayer of God. It is an anthology of devotional songs in praise of God. Which are firmly rooted in the ancient tradition of indian Vaishnava poetry having mystical, eternal and sublime properties. They are characterized by a great variety of moods and approaches. The whole Gitanjali is created bearing the theme of God. It is a work in which poetry aspires to a condition of prayer. 

Devotion towards God is central theme of Gitanjali. As the name of book itself suggests that these songs are an offering to the Supreme Eternity. The first stanza of Gitanjali itself starts with mentioning God's grace to human being. Each lyric is a symbol of love and pure devotion towards the Eternal one. 

The constant and intense yearning of poet, for the individual soul to get reunited with the Infinite makes Gitanjali, a "mighty piece of prayer, pleading and exaltation." The human soul is actually a part of divine, though it forgets this fact repeatedly. The pulls and attractions of wordly temptations and mundane affairs poses the challange before it. Although the soul inwardly wants the reunion with the eternal one. So he finds the sincere devotion to God as a source of strength.

The lyric has a mantric quality, as if they were hymns chanted by a true devotee to his maker, the Supreme. God is almighty and powerful. He takes care of his subjects and solve their problems. Human body is a frail vessel and God repairs it in some intervals, filling it with new life.

2) Theme of Nature :-

Another theme that Gitanjali takes is that of nature. Songs of Gitanjali are deeply rooted in nature. Gitanjali explores the relationship of God and nature. The communion with nature is where one find himself closest to the God. Nature is the manifestation of God. One can feel strong affinity with God in vicinity of nature.

The communion with nature makes the way for man's communion with God. It is the nature which provides way for man's ultimate reunion with eternal. The passionate surrender of man to nature leads to the fulfillment of his goal and ultimate purpose of life.

The lyrics are distinguished by the beauty and richness of imagery which are drawn from nature and indian mythology. These are written in the context of nature and its seasons such as monsoon, spring and autumn.

Related Links
Important Questions & Links
Critical Theory	Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy
American Literature	Emerson: Self Reliance
British Literature	Shakespeare : King Lear
Linguistics	Phonetics & Phonology

3) Theme of Humanity:-

Apart from dealing with the relationship of the individual soul and god, Gitanjali also explores the relationship of the individual soul with other men. Tagore do not believe in the pure renunciation of world of senses. He believes that the union of man with man is a step towards his union with God. God is with the poorest of beings and lost persons. He upholds the cause of the humble and lowly who are denied the sacred rights of man.

4) Theme of Death :-

Tagore also turns toward death at the end of Gitanjali and the theme of death finds a varied and artistic treatment.

 Tagore finds death as a way to God. He feels that the death is inherent in nature and therefore lodged within him. It is the last fulfillment of life. The poet celebrates the joy of death as the joy of life. He is not afraid of death; he welcomes it joyfully because it is the only way to the union with God. Tagore asserts that both are two aspects of God. Life and death are like the twin brothers, dancing over the wide world.

According to Tagore, "Death looks to be terrible but it leads the human soul to its tryst with the eternal." He drew the picture of death as an ultimate peace after the mortal voyage of life. Death is an intimation with immortality. It makes one's way to the abode of Eternity. He feels the ecstasy of consummation by his union with Death. It gives man, a sense of divine wisdom

5) Theme of Love :-

In Gitanjali, there are a wide Varieties of love - love for women, love for one's fellow beings, love for humanity, love for God, for nature, for his country, for beauty and truth. Tagore is a poet of love of God and religion and his poetry is a manifestation of truth, welfare and beauty.

Thus Gitanjali is a blend of multiple themes and thoughts. Its central theme of devotion expresses the longing of the devotee to get united with the god. It explores the relationship between the god and man, individual and humanity.

In short, Gitanjali is the greatest contribution of Tagore to the literary world which deals with the themes of god, nature, death and humanity in a more distinctive way.

💡Read More in Indian Writings in English :-

1. Theme of Savitri.
2. Character Sketch of Maya in Cry the Peacock.
3. Concept of Rasa in Natyashastra.
4. Aurobindo Ghosh as a Poet.
5. Discuss various Themes of Gitanjali.
6. Theme of Savitri.
7. Character Sketch of Maya.
8. Discuss Anita Desai as a Novelist.