Page 165 - DENG105_ELECTIVE_ENGLISH_II

Elective English–II

Notes and attractive. In the moonlit night, the Weaver’s attitudes change, they become serious and
the garment is white, like a feather or a cloud. They are weaving a funeral shroud, indicating
old age. The white colour of the feather and the cloud carry the statement of the end of life;
the feather has come out from the wing and has no use and the moving cloud disappears.

Use of Symbols— The symbols used in this poem are not decorative but functional in the
artistic sense. The bird halcyon with its blue wing at dawn is suggestive of the phenomenon
of the de livery of a child. It is symbolic of the beginning of creation. The sea stands for chaos
which the halcyon churns into cosmos for the purposes of breeding. The gay robes embodying
the gaiety of nature’s heart at a newly-born life, the Peacock with its green and purple plumes
and the night –fall, all go well with the queen’s marriage veils, suggesting life’s colour and
splendor. The white feather and the chilly moon light and the weavers weaving in solemnity
the funeral shroud, suggest destruction and death. The Harmony of three different times-day
break, night-fall and moonlight with the work woven in each, makes the symbols strikingly
apt and suggestive.

12.5 Summary

• The poem describes the different stages of Human life, i.e. Birth, Marriage and Death.
In another way it tells about the life-cycle of a human being which includes Childhood,
Youth, and Old age. The poetess asks three questions to Weavers and their answers are
related to life.
• The poetess says that Weavers started their work in early morning and they make
bright garments in blue colour like the wings of the Kingfisher. When the poetess asks
the question, Weavers tell that they are weaving the garment of a new born Child. It
relates to the childhood of a person. The childhood is more attractive like blue colour.
• The night time the Weavers are weaving attractive garments in purple and green colour
like the plumes of a peacock. When the poetess asks the question, they tell that it’s a
marriage veil of a Queen. This suggests the youth of a human being. Youth is the
golden time of a life, energetic, enjoyable and attractive. So that’s why here the expression
‘The plumes of a peacock, purple and green’ is used.

• In the moonlit night the Weaver’s attitudes change, they become serious and calm. The
garment is white colour like feather and cloud. They are weaving the cloths of a Dead
man’s funeral shroud. It clearly indicates the old age of a person. The white colour
feather and cloud carry to the statement that at the end of life, feather has come out
from the wing now it has no use and the cloud is moving, after few minutes we can’t
see the cloud in the actual place.

12.6 Important Explanations

(i) WEAVERS, weaving at break of day,
Why do you weave a garment so gay?
Blue as the wing of a halcyon wild,
We weave the robes of a new-born child.
Explanations: The Poetess minutely observes some weavers weaving a bright beautiful cloth
on the handlooms at break of day, and asks them why they are weaving such a colourful cloth.
The weavers reply that they are weaving it for the dress of a newly born child. The blue
colour of the cloth looks like the blur wing of a kingfisher.

160 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY