Overview

"Where the Mind is Without Fear" is one of Rabindranath Tagore's most popular poems. Rabindranath Tagore, the legendary Bengali poet, novelist, and painter, was born on 7th May, 1861, in Calcutta, India. He was fondly referred to as 'Kabiguru' and 'Biswakabi'. His body of work has been highly praised by W B Yeats, and he was seen as the paramount creative master in modern India, greatly contributing to the introduction of Indian culture to the West. In addition to his impressive literary accomplishments, he was also a philosopher and pedagogue who founded the Vishwa-Bharati University in 1921, a unique space that defied the traditional approach to education.

The poem was written when the British ruled our country. We were slaves to a foreign power. At that point of time, the people of India were desperately yearning for liberation from the oppressive British Rule, and Tagore chose to express this through his poem in the form of a prayer to the Almighty for the true independence of his fellow Indians, thereby artfully elucidating his own idea of freedom in the words of the poem. As a firm Indian nationalist and visionary, the poet wanted India to awaken to a bright dawn of enlightenment – freedom from slavery and our own mental shackles.

Learning Outcomes: Analyse the genre of poetry as a literary text by close reading and interpreting possible meanings; recognise literary heritage in Indian languages; discuss the aspirations of a colonised country through works of literature from pre-independent India; illustrate the value of positive thinking; compare the commonalities among modern Indian languages.

Section 12.1: Section I (12.1)

Transliteration: Chitto jetha voi shunno, Uccho jetha shir / gyan jetha mukto, jetha griher prachir / apon prangon tole dibos shorbori / bosudhare rakhe nai khondo khudro kori / jetha bakko hridoyer utsomukh hote / ucchosia uthe, jetha nirbarito srote / deshe deshe dishe dishe kormodhara dhai / ojosro sohosro bidho choritarthotai

Translation: Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high / Where knowledge is free / Where the world has not been broken up into fragments / By narrow domestic walls / Where words come out from the depth of truth / Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high

In this poem and in the opening lines, Tagore presents his vision and wants to imagine a better future with more freedom in our personal, social and political lives. This was especially relevant since he wrote this in 1901 when India was under the stranglehold of British imperialism. For more than 100 years, the colonisers had been using cruel tactics to treat the original inhabitants badly, taking away their rights and making them feel like they were less than everyone else – which is typical when a country is colonised. When Indians started standing up for themselves and their cardinal rights, it was obvious that they would having their freedom and rights snatched away from the Britishers. The 'fear,' mentioned here by the poet, encompasses deep feelings of worry, powerlessness, frustration, disenchantment, and most of all, a feeling of despair.

Where knowledge is free

It is important to look into the meaning of the words: "Where knowledge is free." Tagore wanted knowledge to be shared by everyone, but the truth is that people have been treated unfairly since ancient times and there is a traumatic history of such injustices to restrict access to knowledge. Throughout history, knowledge has been seen as a right only afforded to a select few, and has been used to oppress and harm those without access. The majority of people were purposely denied knowledge, resulting in far-reaching negative consequences.

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls

The poet alerts us to dangers of selfishness and disagreements from restricted outlook. Tagore was against boundaries of region, religion, sect, and intellect — only knowledge based on truth and wisdom could release us from prejudice and narrow-mindedness.

Intext 12.1: 'Domestic walls' here do not evoke safety, comfort and love — they signify ideas which are petty and narrow-minded (ii). "Mind is without fear and head is held high" means to be fearless and self respecting (i).

Where words come out from the depth of truth / Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection

From here, there is a change in direction in the thought of the poet. Before that, the lines revolve around attributes that are external, like those in the public domain, but now there is an interrogation of our inner lives, moving towards what takes place inside us as people. Words are plain when they are just used for communication and conducting business, but they become special and divine when they surpass these boundaries to embody the truth of the mind and soul. The expression "the depth of truth" concerns our inner morals and ethics. The only time truth can come to life is when our use of words is prompted directly by our moral and spiritual righteousness. Tagore was of the opinion that truth can be found through our moral selves and in that pursuit lies the elusive 'perfection.'

Perfection is not an absolute end point. It is something towards which we work incessantly but never achieve completely. Hence, the 'striving' to try to reach it is a continuous process, in which one cannot afford to get tired — that is why 'tireless' is used. We are striving for the perfection of our inner beings to realise our true selves, which is an essential prerequisite in shaping our destinies and claiming independence and liberation.

Section 12.2: Section II (12.2)

Transliteration: jetha tuccho acharer morubalu rashi / bicharer sroto poth fele nai grasi / pourushere kore ni shotodha, nitto jetha / tumi sorbo kormo chinta anonder neta, / nijo hoste nirdoi aghat kori pito / Bharotere sei sorge koro jagorito

Translation: Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way / Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit / Where the mind is led forward by thee / Into ever-widening thought and action / Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit

Tagore uses metaphors: reason as a "clear stream" (pure, logical thought); "dreary desert sand of dead habit" = societal vices, superstition, outdated customs. Vocabulary: Dreary = dull; Thee = 'you' in old English. Logic must take precedence over baseless conventions — reason banishes darkness of superstition and mindless submission to bygone beliefs.

Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action

Evidently, these particular words are pivotal to the poem, encapsulating its core understanding and sagacity. Tagore perceives thought and action as being complementary – neither thoughtless action nor actionless thought have a role in the nation he envisaged. The poet implores his countrymen to be liberal, tolerant and open-minded. He seeks divine guidance for them to be able to think and act progressively. It is essential that they embrace change and accept fresh perspectives to stimulate intellectual and personal development. Every person in the country should be able to exercise their right to freedom of thought. The poet is referring to the Almighty as "thee." Only this can allow individuals and nations to move away from entrenched dogmas, mindless habits and customs – and the stagnation that results in intellectual and spiritual death.

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake

Through the final few words of the poem, the poet appeals to God as 'Father' (Parampita Parameshvara), imploring Him to rouse his country into a "heaven of freedom" where all of the above-described conditions are fulfilled. The poet is praying for the inner awakening of his countrymen so that they can cast aside the yoke of servitude to the British colonisers, unshackle their minds and resolutely claim the long-denied emancipation. "Heaven of freedom" is a reference to that future state of India gaining independence, having broken out from the shackles of her colonial oppressors, where there is absolute freedom, dignity, the right to decide on our own fate and individual liberty. It can be achieved by ensuring all of the conditions mentioned by the poet — getting rid of discriminatory practices, being guided by rational thinking and not being servile to outdated customs and ritualistic beliefs.

Appreciation and Form

• It is an eleven line poem without any stanza formation.
• The whole poem consists of only a single sentence.
• Tagore has written the poem in free verse having no rhyme scheme or metre.
• There is a deeply idealistic tone to the poem. It paints a picture of an ideal society, one that may not yet exist but is worth striving for. Tagore's vision is aspirational, calling on people to imagine a better world and work towards making it a reality.

Do You Know

• It was originally written in Bengali, most likely in 1900, and was titled "Prarthana" which translates to "Prayer" by Tagore himself.
• It came out in the book, Naibedya in 1901.
• In 1911, Tagore personally undertook the task of translating the Bengali poem into English and this translation featured in the form of poem number 35 in his Nobel Prize-winning anthology, Gitanjali (Song Offerings), published by the Indian Society, London, in 1912.
• In 1913, Rabindranath Tagore was the first non-European to be honoured with the Nobel Prize in Literature for his work on Gitanjali.
• Gandhiji addressed Tagore 'Gurudev' and it is Tagore who addressed Gandhiji as 'Mahatma'.
• In 1915 Tagore was granted Knighthood by King George V. However, in 1919, following the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre, he renounced his Knighthood.
• Not only did he compose the national anthems for India and Bangladesh, but he also motivated his Ceylonese scholar, Ananda Samarakoon, to write the national anthem of Sri Lanka.

Literary Devices

Metaphor

Tagore has identified 'reason' with "clear stream" and 'dead habit' or outdated customs with "dreary desert sand". Furthermore, "narrow domestic walls" signifies various barriers and divisions that hinder the sense of unity. Unlike simile, metaphor does not use 'like' or 'as' — e.g. "Life is not a bed of roses" (metaphor) vs "Life is not as comfortable as a bed of roses" (simile).

Alliteration

Recurrence of the same letter or sound at the start of adjoining words — e.g. "head is held high," "dreary desert sand of dead habit."

Symbolism

"Depths of truth," "heaven of freedom," etc. extend perceptible meaning to a more profound level.

Visual Imagery

"Narrow domestic walls," "clear stream of reason," etc. use shape, form, and configuration to portray mental images.

What Have You Learnt

• Tagore emphasises the importance of reason and knowledge. He envisions a society where people's minds are guided by reason, where the pursuit of knowledge is valued and encouraged.
• The poem expresses a desire for a nation to awaken to a higher consciousness — breaking away from ignorance and embracing enlightenment through education and awareness.
• The poet emphasises the dignity of the individual — every person treated with respect, no discrimination based on birth or social status.
• He envisions a society that is not bound by the shackles of the past but is forward-looking, embracing progress and positive change.
• The poem suggests a desire for a society where individuals can express their thoughts without the constraint of fear.
• Tagore envisions a world where there are no divisions based on narrow-mindedness, caste, or creed — breaking down barriers that divide people and hinder societal progress.