Introduction
The Harp of India is a beautiful sonnet written by India’s first patriotic poet in English i.e. Henry Louis Vivian Derozio. Derozio showed his concern over forgotten and isolated Indian culture, art and literature esp. Poetry. This poem was first published in 1837 in collection ‘Poems’.
Central Idea
The main idea of the poem is to revive the forgotten culture, art and literature of Ancient India. Poet is describing contemporary condition of Indian literature esp. poetry along with art and culture of India. He says it has become like a ruined monument in desert which is neglected and isolated and nobody cares about it similarly our culture is neglected. At the end poet shows his desire to revive it.
Themes
- Forgotten condition of India’s culture and literature – Poet is describing how Indian culture and literature has been replaced by foreign counterparts and it is forgotten by its own people. Poet has compared it with an old and isolated harp which is no more used.
- Revival of Indian culture and literature (poetry) – Poet sees Indian culture and poetry as an unstrung harp is hung useless at an isolated place. Even if someone wails over its condition would be useless as people in general are silent over its condition. They are reason of its current condition along with British rule. Hence at the end of the poem poet states that he wants Indian culture and literature to be revived to its previous sweetness.
Figure of Speech
- Alliteration – Examples like ‘thou there’ has repetition of /th/ and repetition of /m/ in line ‘O! many a hand more worthy far than mine’ makes them alliteration as consonant sounds are repeating at the starting of words.
- Assonance – ‘Strike the strain’ has repetition of vowel sound /e/ hence it’s an example of assonance.
- Metaphor – ‘Breeze’ is metaphor for changing times or current generation who is symbol of fast changing world. Similarly Harp in ‘Harp of my country’ is a metaphor too in this poem. It is a metaphor for Culture, art and literature of the country.
- Simile – Indian harp i.e. culture, art and literature is clearly compared using ‘like’ to a desolate monument.
’Neglected, mute, and desolate art thou,
Like ruined monument on desert plain’
Hence it’s a prime example of simile.
- Synecdoche – There two instances in this poem where ‘hand’ is used for people or past poets. Hence it’s an example of synecdoche where a body part is used to represent a person or persons.
Structure and Rhyme scheme
Poem is a sonnet but not strictly divided into any stanza formation or octave and sestet. It has rhyme which is different to usual sonnets. Its rhyme scheme is ABABBABBCBCBBB.
Henry Louis Vivian Derozio : Critical Appreciation of ‘To the pupils of Hindu College’ – http://ourguruji.in/2023/12/16/critical-appreciation-of-to-the-pupils-of-hindu-college-henry-l-derozio/
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