What soes the poem the old woman by sarojini naidu symbolise?
Answers
The poem “Old Woman” by Sarojini Naidu centers around the life of a woman who has now become old and helpless. She is counting her days left for her. The poem highlights her life when she was a wife and a mother and now her life has turned her towards begging in the streets. The woman is a portrayal of an Indian woman whose life is full of struggles and miseries. She has a bitter experience of her life which she has stored in her memories. The woman is unconvincing with her faith even when she has lost her youth. She sits in the sun, wind, and rain and expects someone to listen to her cries and offer her things for her survival. But her expectations turn to be in vain each time. The poem presents a woman who is deprived of any happiness in her life. She has to turn to beg which also adds grieves in her life. Even at this time, she has faith in the God. The woman here is a caricature of strength and power with which she manages to cope up with the harsh reality of her life.
The poem ‘The Old Woman’ symbolises age, perseverance and inner strength.
The old woman sits beneath the banyan tree and sings out to passers-by. She is poor and holds out a bowl, for alms. Very few people notice her, as they rush about their daily lives. But the poor, old lady has a strong and patient heart, that does not lose hope.
‘The Old Woman’ was written by Sarojini Naidu (1879 – 1949), Indian independence activist and noted poet.