Intoduction
Shri Aurobindo is popularly known as a patriotic, revolutionary, a social thinker, a philosopher and a mystic. He is also an interpreter of truth, a leading intellectual of his time and a great man of letters. Literature, Yoga and Politics were the tree main occupations of his life. Infact literature was his first passion, almost his first love. He wrote voluminously and has left behind him a rich harvest of poems, literary and philosophical essay and poetic dramas. They are an impressive and lasting contribution to world literature. His poetical output includes, ‘Savitri’, ‘Urvasie’, ‘Love and Death’, ‘Baji Prabhu’, ‘Last Poems’, ‘More Poems’, ‘Ilion’ and so on.
His Place in Indian Writing in English
His poetry bears the imprint of master’s hand. His mighty imagination, his command over language, his handling of traditional English metrical form and his mastery to use the rhythm of English poetry make him an outstanding poet. There is in his poetry a strain of philosophical contemplation. It gives it a distinctive place in the whole range of Indo Anglian poetry.
Lyricism in poetry
Shri Aurobindo’s poetic genius finds in its must characteristics expression in his dramatic and narrative poetry, but lyrical gift also is of a higher order. His art mainly acts though melodic and tonic arrangement of the elements of sound and sense. According to Prof. Iyenger “As a lyric poet, Shri Aurobindo’s range is of the widest and covers a period of sixty years…….. There is no question regarding the variety, richness and cumulative impressiveness of the achievement.” Some of greatest lyrics are “since I have seen your face”, ‘immortal’, ‘Radha’s Appeal’, ‘The Rishi”, ‘Ahana’, ‘Rose of god’ etc.
His Narrative Poetry
Shri Aurobindo’s poetic genius is lyrical but it is primarily dramatic, narrative and epic. His narrative poetry is an important segment of his poetic outputs. He wrote log poems in blank verse, an ideal medium of narrative poetry. ‘Urvasie’, ‘Love and Death’ and ‘Baji Prabhu’, are his three poetical narratives. They show his mastery in handling the long poems. The first two are blank verse romances on the theme of love. The last deals with an inspiring theme. It is a metrical tale of Maratha chivalry and heroism.
Treatment of Love
Like most other Indian poets, love is major theme in Shri Aurobindo’s poetry. Love runs as an important motif in the entire body of his poetry with the remarkable regularity. Bothe his early poetry and his later narratives varies his approach to love from earthy, sensuous, romantic tone to divine vision. In his treatment of the love theme in his earlier poetry. He is romantic idealist live in Sarojini Naidu and Tagore. His later poetry is bold in his visionary and divine concept of love. ‘Savitri’ is narrative of the triumph of love and time, Destiny and Death. Savitri is a symbol of immortal love and its power. She is an embelishment of all love. Love is key motif in ‘Urvasie, ‘Love and Death’, and ‘Chitrangada’. Really his love engages his creative imagination creatively.
His Poetic Style
His variety of poetic style is an interesting aspect of his poetry. He developed different poetic styles. In Words of V K Gokak – “Shri Aurobindo developed many kinds of styles….” There are his narrative dramatic, romantic, symbolic and modernistic styles on the other hand; the poet was a brilliant and sensitive prosodist. Of all the Indo-Anglian poets, he alone could attain proficiency in the use of blank verse. His use of figurative language in ‘Savitri’ helps him to point out things which are uncommon.
Conclusion
Indeed, Sri Aurobindo’s poetical achievement is of higher order. He made a mighty reputation and still remains unrivalled in his immense poetic outputs and others. His poetry bears the imprint of a master’s hand. He was a great innovator also.
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| Shri Aurobindo As a Poet |
