Wind

1.0About the Poet

Subramania Bharati (1882-1921), also known as Mahakavi, lived in the pre-independence era. He was a famous poet, writer, journalist, independence activist, and a social reformer. He was recognised for his patriotic poems and mastery of the Tamil language. Bharati also translated Bhagavad Gita and works of Rabindranath Tagore into Tamil. Bharati had written many poems and prose pieces and lived with great patriotism during his lifetime.

Central Idea:

2.0A Destroyer and A Creator

The first part of the poem describes the action of the wind. The poet asks the wind to come softly. He requests the wind not to break the shutters of the windows, not to scatter the papers and not to throw down the books from the shelf. The poet says that the wind makes a mockery of weaklings. It brings down frail houses, crumbling doors, rafters, and even weak hearts. It crushes everything that is weak.

The poet advises us to be strong. Only then can we save ourselves from the wind. We should build strong homes with firm doors. Our bodies and hearts should also be strong. It is the way of the world to kick the weak and to be friends with the strong. The wind blows out the weak fires but makes the strong fires roar and flourish.

Thus, the poem conveys the idea that nobody cares for the weak. Even the wind is on the side of the strong people. We must make ourselves strong to become successful and overcome the challenges in life.

3.0Poetic devices used in this poem

(1) Anaphora - is the repetition of a word at the start of two or more consecutive lines. Example : Don't break the shutters of the windows Don't scatter the papers Don't throw down the books on the shelf.

(2) Alliteration - Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds in the same line. Examples : the wind god winnows He won't do what you tell him.

(3) Personification - A figure of speech in which human characteristics are attributed to an abstract quality, animal, or inanimate object. Example : In this poem wind has been personified. When the Poet says You're very clever at poking fun at weaklings that means poet is treating wind as a person

(4) Symbolism - refers to things that refers to some other thing. Example : The 'Wind' is a symbol. Here It refers to challenges and adversities in our life.

(5) Repetition - a literary device that involves using the same word or phrase over and over again in a piece of writing or speech. Example : Frail crumbling houses, crumbling doors, crumbling rafters

4.0Recall

• Subramania Bharati has advised us to be strong in mind and body.
• The wind will be our friend when we are strong.
• The wind represents the difficulties and challenges.
• The poem inspires us to face the challenges and hardships with courage, grit and firm determination.
• We should be strong in body and mind.
• If we become strong, the wind will be our friend.
• This poem symbolises the need to develop a strong character.