“Philosophy” is a poem by Nissim Ezekiel. It first appeared in his fifth volume of poems – “The Exact Name” (1965). It shows the poet’s keen interest in philosophy. It is about philosophy and poetry. The poet says that philosophy and science have certain limitations. They fail to go beyond certain limits. But that is not the case with poetry. Poetry takes over these two disciplines.
The poem is divided into four stanzas. Each stanza contains five lines. In the first stanza the poet says that he often visits one place and that place is philosophy. He does not go there by planning. He is forced by his thoughts and imagination to go there. According to him, the world of philosophy is away from the world and worldly things. He calls the world of philosophy the world without feelings and emotions. He cannot control his will to go there. Here, ‘Mills of God’ means the workshops and factories run by God. The poet calls human mind ‘the mills of God’. Human mind is constantly engaged in thinking and producing new ideas. Philosopher’s mind is ever-active and prompt in thinking and giving new ideas to the world. Thus, human mind creates new ideas. This process of creation of new ideas is never slow.
The landscape of that imaginary place contains each and everything existing on this earth. It dissolves everything perfect mud or mixture of everything. A million stars are blotted out i. e. they vanish away. The poet considers ‘each historic passion’ as a blink. The sad eye of time takes that historic passion. Here, time is personified.
In philosophy, there are many layers of meaning. Therefore, the poet says that some residues of meaning remain behind as there are different kinds of myths used in philosophy. He uses the word ‘light’ for ‘philosophy’. Here the poet wants to convey the idea that philosophy is quite obscure discipline. As there are many myths used in it, it is difficult to understand. The poet suggests that we should not try to explain which we don’t understand. We should simply leave it.
In the last stanza, the poet discusses superiority of poetry over philosophy. He calls poetry ‘mundane language of senses’. It has its own interpretations. The language of senses i.e. poetry tells us about everything by itself. It does not depend on clarity like philosophy. It depends on human feelings. According to the poet, the common things are common due to human feelings and love for them. They become arguments for themselves. They would die if they try to find truth and meanings in themselves.
The poem, “Philosophy” is a complicated like the subject of philosophy. The poet talks about superiority of poetry over philosophy.
Multiple Choice Questions:
1) The poem, “Philosophy” is composed by………
a) Nissim Ezekiel
b) Kamala Das
c) Keki N. Daruwala
d) Sarojini Naidu
2) The poem, “Philosophy” is about……………
a) philosophy
b) poetry
c) philosophy and poetry
d) geology
3) The poet uses the term ‘place’ to refer to………….in the poem, ‘Philosophy’.
a) poetry
b) imagination
c) love
d) philosophy
4)The poet is forced by his………………to visit the world of philosophy.
a) thoughts and imagination
b) thoughts
c) imagination
d) thinking
5) The poet calls the………………the world without feelings and emotions.
a) poetry
b) love
c) geology
d) the world of philosophy
6) The poet calls human mind…………
a) the world of God
b) the world of devil
c) the mills of God
d) the miracles of God
7) Time is……….in the poem ‘Philosophy’.
a) used as metaphor
b) used as a symbol
c) used as an image
d) personified
8) According to the poet, poetry tells about everything by…………
a) itself
b) other means
c) love
d) images
9) According to the poet, we should not try to explain which can not be………..
a) interpreted
b) seen
c) read
d) explained
10) The poem, “Philosophy” contains………..stanzas.
a) four
b) five
c) six
d) seven
