I need a 350 word critical analysis/appreciation on the poem "Television" by Roald Dahl
Answers
Roald Dahl is one of the most prolific modern writers in English and is well known as a children’s author. The poem ‘Television’ is a famous poem of Dahl that advises and inspires to read books instead of watching the television. This is one of the most relevant poems of our time. The poem takes a comic look at a serious problem among young children today. It warns us about the dangers of watching television excessively. TV robs our minds of the power of imagination and creativity.
He advises us to read books as it will enable us to discover deeper levels of joy, find fulfillment in life and open a whole new and exciting world for us.
The poem is a long one but very simple in language and form. It follows rhymed Iambic tetrameter lines throughout the poem with no stanza division. The poet has capitalized the important portions – especially where he talks about the undesired consequences of watching television.
Dahl advises from his experience that people should never ever allow their children to go near the television set. It is even better not to install ‘the idiotic thing’ called television. But why is a television an idiotic thing according to the poet? Throughout the entire poem, Dahl attempts to answer it.
The poet shares his experience here. In almost every house he has visited, he has watched children gaping at the screen. They were staring with their eyes wide open and with absolute concentration of mind. For sitting a long time before the television set, they become tired. Sometimes they sit or lie in a lazy and casual manner (loll and slop and lounge about) and get sloppy. But still, they stare at the television until their eyes are too tired to watch any more (their eyes pop out).
All these are not Dahl’s imagination. He indeed saw a dozen eyeballs, i.e., half a dozen children sitting on the floor at someone’s house very recently, say last week.
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- Answer:
CRITICAL APPRECIATION
Title
TitleThe title of the poem Television' is simple and apt. Television remains the focus of attention throughout. Dahl enumerates several ill-effects of watching television. Then he proceeds to count the several benefits of reading books. He argues in favour of reading books. He looks upon television as the idiot box', as 'a monster', and as 'a ridiculous machine' and dubs it as 'nauseating", "foul", unclean' and 'repulsive'.
Modern Response
- Modern ResponseDahl might seem to be exaggerating to the young viewers of television. However, his viewpoint has been endorsed by several eminent persons and study surveys. There are many homes without television sets. However, in our new technology age, even television set has been replaced by smart phones and other gadgets. Consequently, the habit of reading has been pushed further back. The new generation gets every type of knowledge from the Net or the television. Dahl's warning, however true, has a few takers these days. But those who want to add wisdom to knowledge must go back to good old books. Books, traditional or non-traditional, are irreplaceable.