Our
Casuarina Tree – Toru Dutt
Tree; Symbol:-
The tree symbolizes the pot’s feeling.
Her childhood is associated with a Casuarina tree, which was standing in her
garden. She grows up and goes away but tree remains in her memory.
The poem is
a ‘meeting point for the past and the present for time and eternity. This is
the theme symbolically presented in another words. It is an admirable blend of
local touches and literary reminiscences or objective description of the actual
tree and the charm of association with Toru’s Childhood.
The Tree:-
The poem is addressed to the tree. It
is praised and remembered almost like a hymn. The poem opens with an account of
the giant tree. Casuarina is a commonly found tree in Bengal.
It grows crimson flowers. The Casuarina tree of Toru is very big and great
creeper’s embrace but this tree is bold enough to stand. Crimson flowers are
hung. The tree remains very busy during the day. Day and night it is a centre
of busy life. Birds and bees are gathered. At night sweet songs of darkening
could be heard. His puny also leaps about. Kokilas hail the day. Cows would
pass from the shadow of the tree. In the early sunlight the shadow enmasses (covers)
beautiful water lilies. They turn as if snow has covered them.
The tree and dear memories:-
Because it is splendid, the poet
doesn’t love the tree but because her childhood memories are associated. Years
may pass but when they were young and played under this tree has remained
still. It is sweeter because her companions also played under it. Remembering
those days, she becomes sad, even cheeks turn wet because of tears. The tree
seems to be weeping as well. As if it is shading trees and wailing. It becomes spirited
(unnatural). It turns horrible. The un-nerving and unusual feeling of the poet
suggests some things supernatural. It is an effort of the poet perhaps that
through the tree she wants to find sympathy. She imagines pain and pity may
reach to unknown land. Toru had lost her brother and sister very early so their
memories are referred here. Look how beautiful she puts these feelings : -
“O sweet companions, loved with love
intense,
For your sakes shall the tree be ever
dear!”
“The unknown land’ refers her going
abroad even when she was traveling in France or Italy, it had always sent
thought winging its way homeward, and bringing recollections of the tree which
was so dearly loved in childhood.
Humanization of the Tree:-
As we saw above, the tree assumes a
human form. It feels and speaks. It has pain and pleasure. In absence of Toru’s
companion the also becomes awful and ghostly. Often she remembers this tree
even when the tree is absent. The tree evokes feelings in her in moonlight. It
would be like a dream. Her inner eyes find its picture. It is the visualization
of the tee. The tree becomes sublime form. It would be same as she had seen in
her childhood days and
-Mine inner vision rose a form
sublime,
Thy form, O Tree as in my happy prime
I saw thee, in my own loved native clime.”
Thus tree does not remain an object
but a living friend.
Wish of immortalizing the tree:-
The place where the tree stands, she
wishes she would declare it holy place. It was loved by many who have now
sleepy in the graves. They had also played here. Because of them, too the tree
is dearer than life. That’s why the tree should live or remain forever. She
wishes ‘deathless’ to it. “Fear, trembling hope, and death and the skeleton and
time of shadow” may linger under its shadow but it shouldn’t see death. Her
verse may not be able to sing well its praises yet the happiness should come.
There is curse of death (Oblivion) but love (poet’s) would defend it.
“The last stanza of the poem, with its
right romantic fervor, unfolds a desire of the poetess for the immortality or
verse, and ends with the delightful line :May love defend thee from oblivion’s
curse.”
Rich Imagery:-
The poem is very rich for its imagery.
The image of the tree creates tenderness and pathos. It evokes these feelings.
The tree almost becomes a loveable, kind human form. The first stanza describes
it gigantic for and brings before use its value. The birds, cows, baboons and
bees continuously haunt this tree. Children played beneath it. This all give a
visual image of the tree. Even in the distant land this form rises in the
vision. Images of her:. “Playing with brother and sister also come. They create
sad feelings. Tragic beauty takes place. Loneliness and dirge mixed together make
an unnerving nerving effect.
Description, metaphor and similes
shape rich texture of the poem.
Metaphor:-
The tree and related images have
becomes sweet because of metaphors. e.g. “the giant wears the scarf” the giant relates
to the tree. Song is sweet. Eyes are a casement, and are delighted as well. The
garden overflows with one sweet song. For her parted brother and sister she
used ‘sweet companions’. Other metaphors: ‘a sheltered boy’, ‘classic shore’,
blessed sleep’, ‘deathless tree’, ‘trembling Hope’, ‘weak verse’ assimilate in
the structure. They show the poet’s genius and creativity.
Similes:-
Very opening line suggests a simile. A
creeper is “like a huge python”. She is hearing a sad song which is ‘dirge-like
murmur’. She visualizes the form of tree ‘as in my happy prime I saw thee’. Her
wish to immortalize the tree is also “like those in Borrow dale”. The similes
are few but capable enough to show her poetic art.
Phrases and clause:-
The poem has a fine description. There
is deep feeling which flows swiftly. Naturally there are many phrases and
clauses which strengthen the argument. e.g.
“Like a huge python, winding round and
round,
The rugged trunk, indented deep with
scars
Up to its very summit hear the stars.
In just three limes how many phrases!
The stanza is carried on and there a clause joined with it.
“… in whose embrace bound
No other tree could live.”
Other some clauses are: “While on
lower bough/his puny…”, “though years may roll…” , “till the hot tears blind”,
“when earth lay tranced…” etc/
These phrases and clauses are joined
by many ways. Conjunction, commas, dash, semicolons has been used and because
of this long description take place. Notice the following lines with underlined
words.
“And far and near Kokilas hail the day;
And to their pastures wend our sleepy cows,
And in the shadow, on the broad tank cast;
By that hoar tree, so beautiful and vast.”
To change the ideas or mood
punctuations have been used. They have served well.
Archaic words:-
The tree is romanticized. Old language
would better suit. Toru knew this and that’s why she used archaic words. Mostly
they are related to pronouns. The last stanza is particularly seen such works
are: ‘thy’, ‘mayst’, ‘linger’, ‘fear’, ‘death’, ‘trembling hope’, ‘skeleton’,
‘time’, oblivion’, ‘sleep’, blessed’, ‘repose’, ‘deathless’, ,awful’ etc.
Rhyme
and Rhythm:-
The poem is divided into five stanzas
each made of 11 lines. The rhyme scheme is : abba cdcd eee. This is a new
scheme. It seems she has experimented, even thought it is so, it is worthy. The
sound system creates a very line rhythm through consonance and assonance. Look
this following phrase how sweet they are: “winding round and round” , “bird and
bee”, “with one sweet song”, “wide open thrown open”, “my eyes delighted”,
“tree be ever dear”, “unknown yet well known”.
Inner rhyming word, ending rhyme,
eye-rhyme, pair word etc. really make the poem musical.
Most of the critics agree that “in the
organization of poem as a whole and in the finish of individual stanza, in its
mastery of phrase and rhythm, in its music of sound and ideas: “our Casuarina
Tree” is a superb piece of writing and gives us a taste of what Toru might have
done had not the race of her life been so quickly run.”
