Unit I: Poetry
Sita
by Toru Dutt
Prescribed reading for English III (Unit I: Poetry). Read the guide before class; finish with the quiz to check your understanding.
Overview
The poem describes a storytelling scene where a mother is telling her three children the story of Sita's exile in the forest. The children are captivated by the image of the weeping, queenly Sita. The poem blends the children's imaginative world with the mother's own sorrow, suggesting that the myth of Sita is a living, emotional reality for them.
About the Author
Toru Dutt (1856-1877) was a pioneering Indian poet who wrote in English and French. She died of tuberculosis at the age of 21, but left behind a significant body of work.
Writing style: Her poetry often retells Hindu myths and legends with a unique, personal, and sometimes melancholic perspective, using classic forms like the sonnet.
Major works: A Sheaf Gleaned in French Fields · Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan
Influence: She is considered a foundational figure in Indian English literature, demonstrating that Indian stories could be powerfully expressed in English.
Historical Context
Dutt wrote during the British Raj. As one of the first Indian poets to gain recognition in the West, her work often bridged Indian myth and European literary forms.
Read
Tap the bolded words for definitions and connotations.
Three happy children in a darkened room! What do they gaze on with wide-open eyes? A dense, dense forest, where no sunbeam pries, And in its centre a cleared spot.—There bloom Gigantic flowers on creepers that embrace Tall trees; there, in a quiet lucid lake The white swans glide; there, 'whirring from the brake' The peacocks dance; there, dwells in deep disgrace, A queen-like form, a lady, weeping low, With head on hand, and hair all silver-grey, For she is aged with sorrow.—But the show Is ended, the fond mother's voice says, 'Hush!' And when the children murmur, 'Only play A little more, dear mother!' with a flush Of transient anger she repeats her prayer— 'Hush, children, hush! or she will vanish quite.' Then with a sigh, the little ones prepare To seek their beds, and dream all through the night Of that sweet captive lady, and the fight For her defence. The mother, with a tear On her own cheek, recalls the bygone year.
Themes
- Mythology and Memory
- The Power of Storytelling
- Sorrow and Empathy
- Childhood Imagination
Literary Devices
- Imagery
- “The poem uses rich imagery to create the forest scene: 'dense, dense forest', 'white swans glide', 'peacocks dance'.”
- Frame Narrative
- “The story of Sita is framed within the scene of the mother telling the story to her children.”
Critical Analysis
Dutt masterfully captures how myths are passed down through generations. Sita is not just a character in a story; she is a real, felt presence in the room, whose sorrow affects both the children and the mother. The poem highlights the emotional weight of these ancient tales.
Why It Matters
The poem speaks to the universal power of stories to shape our emotional lives and connect us to our cultural heritage, a process that is still fundamental to families and communities today.
Vocabulary
- Pries
- Inquires too closely into a person's private affairs.
- Connotation: Here, it means to penetrate or enter with difficulty, as in a sunbeam trying to get through a dense forest.
- Lucid
- Expressed clearly; easy to understand. Or, in a literary sense, bright or luminous.
- Connotation: Suggests clarity and purity.
- Transient
- Lasting only for a short time; impermanent.
- Connotation: Indicates something fleeting or temporary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Check Your Understanding
Why does the mother have a tear on her cheek at the end?