summary of grandfather's holiday
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This poem by Rabindranath Tagore and translated by William Radice beautifully depicts the indolent state of a grandfather and the jubilation of his grandchild in playful activities in which the former takes so much pleasure and pride.
In the first stanza the poet portrays a beautiful picture of the peaceful and natural surroundings. The grandfather’s world is full of natural beauty enhanced manifold by his grandchild’s innocent playfulness.
In the second stanza the grandfather says he is an old bespectacled man trapped in his work and responsibilities like a fly in a spider’s web. He says his grandchild plays the games that he would live to play; the grandchild’s laughter is the best music his ears have ever heard; the joy of the playing grandchild is his joy; and the mischief in the grandchild’s eyes is actually the grandfather’s mischief. And the happiness of the grandchild is like free country where the grandfather would love to live.
In the third stanza the poet says autumn season is beginning guided by his grandchild’s play; the season has brought along the blossoming of white siuli-flowers to decorate the grandchild’s holiday. The chilly air of the autumn season at night tingles the poet; and this air appears to be blown from Himalya by the delight of his grandchild. And the bright pinkish orange sun at the dawn in the month of Asvin appears to be tinged with joy and fun of his grandchild.
In the last stanza the poet says his grandchild has created a bedlam of activity in his study by leaping, jumping, capering, and tumbling books and papers. At times the grandchild hugs the poet, bounces in his lap which makes the poet feel a hurricane of freedom in his heart. The poet wonders at his grandchild’s sense of carelessness, tranquility, peace, composure, and ability to let go. The poet also wants to know from where he learnt all this.
The poem “Grandfather’s Holiday” is written by Rabindranath Tagore and translated by William Radice.
In this poem, Tagore significantly blended the nature with the old grandfather’s holidays, and here we can find the descriptions of the nature which are told by the Grandfather to his child.
Grandfather can touch the sky through the eyes of his child, feel the waves through the touches of his child, play with the music derived from the smile of his child and feel the freedom of his life in the world of his child.