Viilage Song By Sarojini Naidu

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Village Song
                                                           Sarojinii Naidu

Full are my pitchers and far to carry,
Lone is the way and long,
Why, O why was I tempted to tarry
Lured by the boatmen's song?
Swiftly the shadows of night are falling,
Hear, O hear, is the white crane calling,
Is it the wild owl's cry?
There are no tender moonbeams to light me,
If in the darkness a serpent should bite me,
Or if an evil spirit should smite me,
Ram re Ram! I shall die.

My brother will murmur, " Why doth she linger? "
My mother will wait and weep,
Saying, " O safe may the great gods bring her,
The Jamuna's waters are deep. " ...
The Jamuna's waters rush by so quickly,
The shadows of evening gather so thickly,
Like black birds in the sky ...
O! if the storm breaks, what will betide me?
Safe from the lightning where shall I hide me?
Unless Thou succour my footsteps and guide me,
Ram re Ram! I shall die.
Answer the following questions in 15-20 words each:
  1. How does the speaker describe her way to her house?
Answer: The speaker describes her way to her house as ‘a long and lonely way’. It shows her fear of walking towards her house in the late evening of a village.
  1. Which animal does she fear that may harm her in darkness?
Answer: She fears that a serpent may bite her in darkness.
  1. Give one example of simile in the poem.
       Answer: “The shadows of evening gather so thickly,
          Like blackbirds in the sky…”
  1. What is the greater fear of the speaker?
Answer: The speaker wants to reach home safely but she knows she is surrounded by so many adversities in her journey towards her house.
  1. Whom does the speaker address in line 6 in the poem?
Answer: The speaker is talking to herself and addressing her saviour Lord Ram to come to her rescue.
Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each:
  1. How do we know that the speaker in the poem is a country woman?
       Answer: The beginning of the poem “Full are my pitchers and far to carry, Lone is the way and long” gives       a vivid picture of rural life where women fetch water from village well or river. The speaker uses expressions like ‘Ram Re Ram’ and her anxiety and fear show that she is a country woman.
  1. Describe the mood of the speaker in lines 1-4 of the poem.
Answer: The speaker realises her mistake of venturing out to fetch water in the dark evening. She feels sorry and fears her journey safe to her house. She repents her delaying to listen to the song of the boatman. She remembers Lord Ram and indicates all the adversities lying in her way to her house.
  1. In the poem, whom does the speaker entreat to help her?
Answer: The speaker realises her mistake of delaying to listen to the song of the boatman and thus getting late to reach her house in the dark evening. She notices all the adversities lying in her long and lonely way to her house. She entreats Lord Ram to rescue her and to ensure her safe journey.
  1. What dangers does the speaker suspect to face on her way back to her house?
Answer: The speaker at once realises that it has become darker and her journey back to her house on a long and lonely path will be full of adversities. A serpent may bite her or an evil spirit may cast effect on her. Her mother will be worried and her brother will be furious. If a storm breaks where she will hide.
Answer the following questions in 150 words each:
  1. Describe the atmosphere of the poem.
Answer: The poem Village Song deals with the traditional Indian village living style and the attachment of a young girl to her family. Sarojini Naidu beautifully illustrate the story of a village girl who has gone to fetch water far away from her home, and the fear created in her mind when it’s dark mixed with the cries of owl and crane birds.
Even today one of the back-breaking chores of village women in India and some other country is the fetching water from long distances. Here poet talks about such a situation where a girl has gone to fetch water far away to a river.
The girl is at river side for drawing water. She tells she has to walk long distance carrying the water filled pitcher to reach her house. Then she complaints to herself why she is attracted by the song of boatmen. The time is almost evening, it’s dark everywhere.
It’s getting night very fast, she can hear the white crane bird is crying, then she hears the crying sounds of owl these entire situation make her feel more fear.
There were no moonlight to pay her a way to home, even a tender moonbeam could give her a relief from the fear. She fears if the serpent should bite her or evil spirit should haunt her. In deep fear she calls her God.. Ram re Ram!… I shall die. She calls her god again and again to protect her footsteps and guide her to reach her home.
  1. Analyse imagery in the poem.
Answer: Imagery is the name given to the elements in a poem that spark off the senses. Despite "image" being a synonym for "picture", images need not be only visual; any of the five senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell) can respond to what a poet writes.
The poem ‘Village song’ is set in the pastoral atmosphere of Indian countryside. It is a song sung by a village maiden that goes a long way to the outskirts of the village, or the river bank, to fetch her daily pitcher of water. The poem captures a very familiar rural sight: a lovely woman goes out with her pitcher to the river to fetch water.
The poet has beautifully captured apprehensions and fear of the village maiden. The readers sense all her worries and even can visualise that clearly. Whether it’s her fear of being bitten by a snake or being cast spell by an evil spirit; the readers share the feelings of the maiden. The reaction of her mother as well as her brother brings forth a common scene in every Indian household. Her prayer to the Lord also presents a very sombre image of an innocent seeking help from the god.
The poem presents a typical Indian village with all its structure and culture.

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