I don’t know politics but I know the names
Of those in power, and can repeat them like
Days of week, or names of months, beginning with Nehru.
I amIndian, very brown, born inMalabar,
I speak three languages, write in
Two, dream in one.
Don’t write in English, they said, English is
Not your mother-tongue. Why not leave
Me alone, critics, friends, visiting cousins,
Every one of you? Why not let me speak in
Any language I like? The language I speak,
Becomes mine, its distortions, its queernesses
All mine, mine alone.
It is half English, halfIndian, funny perhaps, but it is honest,
It is as human as I am human, don’t
You see? It voices my joys, my longings, my
Hopes, and it is useful to me as cawing
Is to crows or roaring to the lions, it
Is human speech, the speech of the mind that is
Here and not there, a mind that sees and hears and
Is aware. Not the deaf, blind speech
Of trees in storm or of monsoon clouds or of rain or the
Incoherent mutterings of the blazing
Funeral pyre. I was child, and later they
Told me I grew, for I became tall, my limbs
Swelled and one or two places sprouted hair.
WhenI asked for love, not knowing what else to ask
For, he drew a youth of sixteen into the
Bedroom and closed the door, He did not beat me
But my sad woman-body felt so beaten.
The weight of my breasts and womb crushed me.
I shrank Pitifully.
Then … I wore a shirt and my
Brother’s trousers, cut my hair short and ignored
My womanliness. Dress in sarees, be girl
Be wife, they said. Be embroiderer, be cook,
Be a quarreller with servants. Fit in. Oh,
Belong, cried the categorizers. Don’t sit
On walls or peep in through our lace-draped windows.
Be Amy, or be Kamala. Or, better
Still, be Madhavikutty. It is time to
Choose a name, a role. Don’t play pretending games.
Don’t play at schizophrenia or be a
Nympho. Don’t cry embarrassingly loud when
Jilted in love … I met a man, loved him. Call
Him not by any name, he is every man
Who wants. a woman, just as I am every
Woman who seeks love. In him… the hungry haste
Of rivers, in me… the oceans’ tireless
Waiting. Who are you, I ask each and everyone,
The answer is, it is I. Anywhere and,
Everywhere, I see the one who calls himself I
In this world, he is tightly packed like the
Sword in its sheath. It is I who drink lonely
Drinks at twelve, midnight, in hotels of strange towns,
It is I who laugh, it is I who make love
And then, feel shame, it is I who lie dying
With a rattle in my throat. I am sinner,
I am saint. I am the beloved and the
Betrayed. I have no joys that are not yours, no
Aches which are not yours. I too call myself I.
Summary
Kamala Das’s poem “An Introduction” is a deeply personal and confessional poem where she asserts her identity as an Indian woman, a poet, and a human being. The poem explores language, gender roles, societal expectations, and personal freedom.
- Language and Identity:
- The poet expresses her defiance against critics who question her use of English.
- She insists that English, despite not being her mother tongue, is hers because she uses it in her own way.
- She compares her language to natural sounds like cawing crows and roaring lions, emphasizing its organic and personal nature.
- Gender and Societal Expectations:
- The poet describes the transition from childhood to womanhood, marked by physical changes and societal pressures.
- As a woman, she is expected to fit into predefined roles—a girl, a wife, a homemaker—but she resists.
- She recalls an early encounter with love that left her feeling violated and crushed.
- Search for Love and Identity:
- She describes her desire for love and belonging, but society limits her choices.
- In response, she rejects traditional femininity, cutting her hair and wearing her brother’s clothes.
- Society pressures her to conform, urging her to adopt names and roles, but she asserts her fluid, unconfined self.
- The Universal “I”:
- In the final lines, she dissolves individual identity, claiming to be both sinner and saint, beloved and betrayed.
- She identifies herself with all human experiences—love, pain, shame, joy—declaring that she, like everyone else, is simply “I”.
Critical Analysis
“An Introduction” is a powerful feminist and autobiographical poem that explores themes of identity, gender, language, and self-expression.
- A Confessional Poem:
- Kamala Das is known for her bold and deeply personal poetry.
- She shares intimate details of her struggles with identity and societal oppression.
- The poem is written in free verse, reinforcing its raw, unfiltered honesty.
- Colonial and Postcolonial Identity:
- She critiques the idea that English is a foreign language, asserting that it belongs to her as much as any other language.
- This challenges the colonial mindset that only certain people have the right to use English.
- By mixing English and Indian elements, she creates a hybrid identity.
- Gender and Patriarchy:
- The poet rejects patriarchal norms that dictate how a woman should behave, dress, or live.
- Her transformation—cutting her hair, wearing male clothing—is an act of defiance.
- She critiques how women are expected to be submissive, domestic, and dependent on men.
- The Universal “I”:
- The poem moves from personal to universal.
- She states that her experiences are not just hers—they belong to all women, all people.
- This aligns with existentialist and humanist themes, questioning the nature of identity.
Themes
- Search for Identity
- The poet struggles to define herself against society’s labels.
- She refuses to be limited by names, roles, or expectations.
- Language as Power
- Kamala Das claims English as her own, despite criticism.
- She asserts that language is a tool of self-expression, not a colonial imposition.
- Feminism and Rebellion
- She challenges gender roles and patriarchy.
- Her rejection of traditional femininity is an act of personal liberation.
- Love, Desire, and Shame
- She explores love and sexuality, but also the shame and pain associated with it.
- Love is not always fulfilling—it can also be oppressive.
- Universality of Human Experience
- By the end, she merges with all people, declaring that she is both a sinner and a saint, the loved and the betrayed.
Literary Devices
- Free Verse:
- The poem lacks a fixed rhyme or meter, reflecting spontaneity and emotional intensity.
- Repetition:
- The phrase “It is I” is repeated, emphasizing her assertion of selfhood.
- Metaphor:
- “The language I speak becomes mine” → Language is not just words but a part of her identity.
- “The hungry haste of rivers, the ocean’s tireless waiting” → Represents male urgency vs. female patience in love.
- Symbolism:
- “Brother’s trousers, short hair” → Symbol of breaking away from femininity.
- “Sword in its sheath” → Represents repressed masculinity and societal control.
- Contrast:
- “The beloved and the betrayed” → Highlights how she experiences both sides of love.
- “Sinner and saint” → Represents moral contradictions in human nature.
Conclusion
Kamala Das’s “An Introduction” is a fearless, revolutionary poem about female identity, language, and personal freedom. Through deeply personal yet universal experiences, she breaks the boundaries of gender, tradition, and language, asserting her right to define herself. The poem remains a powerful statement of resistance and self-acceptance, making it a landmark in Indian feminist literature.
Line by Line Explanation, Word Meanings
First Stanza:
“I don’t know politics but I know the names
Of those in power, and can repeat them like
Days of week, or names of months, beginning with Nehru.
I am Indian, very brown, born in Malabar,
I speak three languages, write in
Two, dream in one.
Don’t write in English, they said, English is
Not your mother-tongue. Why not leave
Me alone, critics, friends, visiting cousins,
Every one of you? Why not let me speak in
Any language I like? The language I speak,
Becomes mine, its distortions, its queernesses
All mine, mine alone.
It is half English, half Indian, funny perhaps, but it is honest,
It is as human as I am human, don’t
You see? It voices my joys, my longings, my
Hopes, and it is useful to me as cawing
Is to crows or roaring to the lions, it
Is human speech, the speech of the mind that is
Here and not there, a mind that sees and hears and
Is aware. Not the deaf, blind speech
Of trees in storm or of monsoon clouds or of rain or the
Incoherent mutterings of the blazing
Funeral pyre.”
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Politics: The activities associated with the governance of a country or area.
- Malabar: A region in the southern part of India, now part of Kerala.
- Distortions: Alterations from the original form or meaning.
- Queernesses: Oddities or peculiarities.
- Incoherent: Unclear or difficult to understand.
- Mutterings: Low or indistinct sounds, often expressing discontent.
- Funeral pyre: A structure used for burning a dead body, often in Hindu traditions.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
This stanza introduces the poet’s struggle with identity, language, and societal expectations. Kamala Das begins by distancing herself from politics, yet she acknowledges the names of those in power, suggesting a passive awareness of the world around her. She asserts her Indian identity, emphasizing her brown skin and her roots in Malabar, a region known for its cultural richness.
The poet speaks of her multilingualism, a common trait in India, where people often navigate multiple languages. However, she faces criticism for writing in English, a language that is not her “mother-tongue.” This criticism reflects the post-colonial tension in India, where English is both a tool of empowerment and a symbol of cultural alienation. Kamala Das defiantly rejects this criticism, claiming ownership of the language she speaks. She argues that language, with all its imperfections and peculiarities, becomes a part of her identity. It is a medium through which she expresses her emotions, desires, and humanity.
The stanza also contrasts human speech with the “deaf, blind speech” of nature (trees, clouds, rain) and the incoherent sounds of a funeral pyre. This contrast highlights the uniqueness of human expression, which is conscious and deliberate, unlike the mindless sounds of the natural world or the chaotic mutterings of death.
Second Stanza:
“I was child, and later they
Told me I grew, for I became tall, my limbs
Swelled and one or two places sprouted hair.
When I asked for love, not knowing what else to ask
For, he drew a youth of sixteen into the
Bedroom and closed the door, He did not beat me
But my sad woman-body felt so beaten.
The weight of my breasts and womb crushed me.
I shrank Pitifully.
Then … I wore a shirt and my
Brother’s trousers, cut my hair short and ignored
My womanliness. Dress in sarees, be girl
Be wife, they said. Be embroiderer, be cook,
Be a quarreller with servants. Fit in. Oh,
Belong, cried the categorizers. Don’t sit
On walls or peep in through our lace-draped windows.
Be Amy, or be Kamala. Or, better
Still, be Madhavikutty. It is time to
Choose a name, a role. Don’t play pretending games.
Don’t play at schizophrenia or be a
Nympho. Don’t cry embarrassingly loud when
Jilted in love …”
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Womb: The organ in a woman’s body where a baby develops.
- Pitifully: In a way that evokes pity or sadness.
- Womanliness: The qualities traditionally associated with being a woman.
- Sarees: Traditional Indian garments worn by women.
- Embroiderer: Someone who decorates fabric with needlework.
- Categorizers: Those who classify or label people.
- Schizophrenia: A mental disorder characterized by a split from reality.
- Nympho: Short for nymphomaniac, a term often used derogatorily to describe a woman with excessive sexual desire.
- Jilted: Rejected or abandoned by a lover.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
This stanza delves into the poet’s experience of growing up as a woman in a patriarchal society. Kamala Das describes the physical changes of puberty, which mark her transition from childhood to womanhood. However, this transition is not empowering but oppressive. When she seeks love, she is met with exploitation, as a man takes advantage of her innocence. Her body, which should be a source of pride, becomes a burden, symbolized by the “weight of my breasts and womb.”
To escape this oppression, the poet rejects traditional femininity. She cuts her hair short, wears men’s clothing, and ignores societal expectations of how a woman should behave. However, society continues to pressure her to conform, urging her to be a “girl,” a “wife,” or a homemaker. The categorizers demand that she fit into predefined roles and labels, denying her the freedom to define herself.
The stanza also critiques the double standards imposed on women. The poet is told not to express her emotions too loudly or to deviate from societal norms. She is given multiple names—Amy, Kamala, Madhavikutty—symbolizing the fragmentation of her identity. The mention of “schizophrenia” and “nympho” reflects the stigmatization of women who defy societal expectations.
Third Stanza:
“I met a man, loved him. Call
Him not by any name, he is every man
Who wants a woman, just as I am every
Woman who seeks love. In him… the hungry haste
Of rivers, in me… the oceans’ tireless
Waiting. Who are you, I ask each and everyone,
The answer is, it is I. Anywhere and,
Everywhere, I see the one who calls himself I
In this world, he is tightly packed like the
Sword in its sheath. It is I who drink lonely
Drinks at twelve, midnight, in hotels of strange towns,
It is I who laugh, it is I who make love
And then, feel shame, it is I who lie dying
With a rattle in my throat. I am sinner,
I am saint. I am the beloved and the
Betrayed. I have no joys that are not yours, no
Aches which are not yours. I too call myself I.”
Difficult Words and Meanings:
- Haste: Excessive speed or urgency.
- Tireless: Untiring or persistent.
- Sheath: A cover for a blade, such as a sword.
- Rattle: A sound made in the throat, often associated with death.
- Sinner: Someone who commits a sin or moral wrongdoing.
- Saint: A person recognized for their holiness or virtue.
- Betrayed: Deceived or let down by someone trusted.
In-Depth Explanation of Text and Context:
In this stanza, Kamala Das reflects on love, identity, and the universal human experience. She describes a relationship with a man, whom she does not name, emphasizing that he represents “every man” just as she represents “every woman.” This universality underscores the shared experiences of desire, love, and longing.
The imagery of “the hungry haste of rivers” in him and “the oceans’ tireless waiting” in her highlights the contrasting dynamics of male and female desire. While men are often portrayed as active and urgent, women are depicted as patient and enduring. However, the poet transcends these gendered stereotypes by asserting her individuality and humanity.
The stanza culminates in a powerful declaration of selfhood: “I too call myself I.” Kamala Das identifies with all human experiences—joy, pain, love, betrayal, sin, and sanctity. She acknowledges her flaws and virtues, embracing the complexity of her identity. The final lines emphasize the interconnectedness of all human beings, as she claims that her joys and aches are shared by others.
This poem is a profound exploration of identity, language, gender, and societal expectations. Kamala Das challenges traditional norms and asserts her right to self-expression, making her voice a powerful symbol of resistance and empowerment.
