Question

Bring out all the imagery and their symbolism with reference to the poem ‘ The Bangle Sellers’.

Answer 1

Sarojini Naidu's poems are famous for their rich imagery and Indian folk spirit and 'The Bangle Sellers' is no exception. In the poem, the bangle sellers are the narrators who go around selling their bangles for the women of all ages, young and old. The colors of bangles symbolize the stage and state of a woman. Bangles are symbolic of happy daughters and wives. 'lustrous token of radiant lives'.  

Where blue and silver bangles symbolize maidenhood, yellow and red bangles 'rich with the hue of her heart's desire'  symbolize the sanctity of marriage and love for the brides and married women. The imagery of 'bridal laughter and bridal tears' symbolize the joy of a bride for starting anew her wedded life and her sorrow for leaving her parent's house. 

Lastly, purple and gold-flecked gray bangles symbolize maturity that indicates a stage at which a woman has lived a fruitful life performing well her household duties towards her husband and children. The poem gives a typical Indian traditional taste of life with the concluding line 'worships the gods at her husband's side.'