The Tiger and The Deer
Poem:-
Brilliant, crouching, slouching, what crept through the green heart of the forest,
Gleaming eyes and mighty chest and soft soundless paws of grandeur and murder?
The wind slipped through the leaves as if afraid lest its voice and the noise of its steps perturb the pitiless Splendour,
Hardly daring to breathe. But the great beast crouched and crept, and crept and crouched a last time, noiseless, fatal,
Till suddenly death leaped on the beautiful wild deer as it drank
Unsuspecting at the great pool in the forest’s coolness and shadow,
And it fell and, torn, died remembering its mate left sole in the deep woodland,—
Destroyed, the mild harmless beauty by the strong cruel beauty in Nature.
But a day may yet come when the tiger crouches and leaps no more in the dangerous heart of the forest,
As the mammoth shakes no more the plains of Asia;
Still then shall the beautiful wild deer drink from the coolness of great pools in the leaves’ shadow.
The mighty perish in their might;
The slain survive the slayer.
Description of the poem
A
Sri Aurobindo is one of the supreme masters in Indian English literature.
His poetry may be divided into the groups-
Poetry of action
Poetry of meditation
He is not only a poet but a philosopher and short story writer.
Savitri is the epic written by Aurobindo.
B
'The Tiger and The Deer' conveys a great moral lesson.
The poet describes the fearful and tricky ways of the tiger, especially when he attacks his prey.
The poem through this poem tells us about the reality of social life.
The poet shows how a big and more powerful tiger hunts a meek deer and kills him.
The poet seems to say that this is how we behave in society.
The powerful against the powerless.
The poet begins with a magnificent description of the tiger.
'Brilliant, crouching, slouching' the tiger creeps through the green grass the moves forward with 'gleaming eyes' and 'soundless paws'.
The poet seems to ask if the 'soundless paws' were of 'grandeur or murder.'
The tiger moved with full ease just to attack the meek deer.
The deer is unaware of its fateful future.
The deer who had come all the way to pound to quench his thirst.
'Death leapt on the beautiful deer'.
Dying he remembered his mate who was left alone in the woods.
The partner was unaware of the fate of her love.
The poet is in deep sorrow for this murderous cruel act.
But then he is hopeful at the same time.
It will not be very far when the tiger crouches and leaps no more.
Then there will only be the deer who would ' drink from the coolness of great pools in the leave shadows.'
The poet thus compares the deer to love affection, peace and calmness.
The tiger symbolizes cruelty and one without morals and values.
The poet longs for a peaceful life.
The poet says that despite all blows and sufferings, death and darkness life is meant to be enjoyed.
Those who harm will be destroyed.
With full optimism, the poet says:
"The mighty perish in the might
The plan survives the slayer".
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