Term Paper on "Neruda Nathalie Handal Bei Dao"

Term Paper 10 pages (3319 words) Sources: 6

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Neruda, Nathalie Handal, Bei Dao

War and Politics in the Poetry of Pablo Neruda, Nathalie Handal and Bei Dao

War and politics have always been two pervading themes in literature. If in the ancient times however war was introduced and depicted in long, heroic poems, in modern poetry the writers deplore the violence and savagery caused by the war. Many modern poets and artists have also played an important role as political militants and have been involved in the political life of their countries either directly or indirectly through their writings. Contemporary poetry especially is extremely preoccupied with politics and the way it influences modern life at all levels. The three poets Pablo Neruda, Nathalie Handal and Bei Dao have all been involved in the political life of their countries. Their poetry thus expresses the social and political disturbances and the conflicts which affect the lives of the individuals. All three of them have written extensively on the subject of war. The power relationships established between people and the injustice implied by any conflict are the main themes of their poetry. What is at stake in the midst of the political conflicts which fill the modern world is humanity itself. War creates a space in which life is interrupted and men become alienated from their own world. In their writings, the three poets deplore the way in which war and strife for power in general underrates human value and blinds the individual to the true beauty of life.

Pablo Neruda is one of the greatest writers of Latin America of all times. His singular voice has won the appreciation of critics, writers and common people all over the world. Thus, Neruda not only left a great literary legacy, but during his life was also actively involved in the Spanish Civil War which took place in the thirties and which devastated Spain right before the beginning of the Second World War. Neruda openly took part in the conflicts as a Consul. This experience prompted an entire collection of poetry, Espana del Corazon, which spoke of the atrocious years that he spent on the war front. As the people's poet, Neruda felt compelled to express their woes and the extreme sufferance caused by the war. In one of his poems about war, entitled Keeping Quiet, Neruda employs silence as a metaphor for peace and life and as something that would replace the permanent turbulence of the modern world.

Keeping Quiet is an extremely evocative poem, which urges the audience to hold a moment of absolute silence. The urge is very significant as it emphasizes the fact that the modern world forgets itself in the permanent conflicts that exist between countries and between individuals. Thus, the text is an invitation to the whole world for a moment of self-awareness which would enlighten the useless pains and struggles people usually engage in. Wars and the violent conflicts of any type are what the poet fervently engages against. A moment of perfect stillness and silence is the only way in which the whole world would look upon itself and realize that humanity should actually be bound by a general sense of brotherhood. Neruda requests his audience to take a brief pause from the constant restlessness and rage that drives the world alone: "And now we will count to twelve / and we will all keep still. / for once on the face of the earth / let's not speak in any language, / let's stop for one second, / and not move our arms so much."(Neruda) Significantly, the urge for silent has the role to unite people by annihilating the language barrier that keeps them apart and that makes them focus on difference. Politics and the relationships which involve power exchange between peoples or individuals compel men to forget about the value of humanity. Instead of seeing the beauty of the world and perceiving the fact that people should be united through their humanity, men engage in destructive conflicts and wars. The thirst for power is certainly the driving force behind the political games which engages the modern world and keeps it from the actual values that should be cherished. This moment of perfect silence and peace would put a stop for a minute to all difference and to the noise of the contemporary busy universe: "It would be an exotic moment / without rush, without engines,/we would all be together / in a sudden strangeness."(Neruda) Neruda thus advocates togetherness as opposed to conflict, silence and peace as opposed to the mad pursuits of our modern society. The metaphor of silence which dominates the structure of the text is an obvious allusion to the impaired communication among the individuals of the world community. The text proceeds in detailing the consequences that the general stillness would bring. The images which ensue are very evocative, as they target particular elements of violence which commonly take place in the world: "Fisherman in the cold sea / would not harm whales / and the man gathering salt / would not look at his hurt hands. / Those who prepare green wars, / wars with gas, wars with fire, / victory with no survivors, / would put on clean clothes / and walk about with their brothers / in the shade, doing nothing. "(Neruda) the instance given by the fishermen who would no longer hurt their whales is symbolic of a power exchange between different people. Thus, the whales who are the victims of the hunt cannot defend themselves in front of the men's savage attack. Neruda draws attention to the injustice of that is always implied by a violent conflict. War itself in all its forms is targeted next by the poem, as Neruda imagines how the violence would be stopped instantly and the people who are usually involved in war would do nothing. The perfect stillness is not however to be confused with inactivity, as Neruda urges: "What I want should not be confused / with total inactivity. / Life is what it is about, / I want no truck with death."(Neruda) This absolute silence seems however the only way that the world would stop the mad race it permanently runs and become aware of life. For the poet, the life that pursues death through war and conflict is unimaginable. In any conflict some of belligerents are evidently the victims of the others. Thus, war is a horrendous reality which keeps men away from life and makes them focus solely on death. The obstinacy of gaining power over other fellow beings is thus destructive. In the poem, the modern constant rush is seen as detrimental to the people. Neruda refers to the state of the world as a general 'sadness' which is void of any true understanding for the value of life: "If we were not so single-minded / about keeping our lives moving, / and for once could do nothing, / perhaps a huge silence / might interrupt this sadness / of never understanding ourselves / and of threatening ourselves with death. / Perhaps the earth can teach us / as when everything seems dead / and later proves to be alive."(Neruda) as the text draws to its end thus, Neruda brings to light a new meaning for the metaphor of absolute silence: a moment of general, absolute silence would make the earth seem lifeless and unpopulated. This would be a signal or a warning remonstrating against our forgetfulness of the importance and the meaning of life. Absolute silence is similar to death and it could remind people of the actual value of life. Politics thus require us to pay a much too dear price: human life itself. The ending of the poem is also symbolic: Neruda reminds his audience of the 'game' he had proposed at the beginning of the text and urges them to keep quiet on the count of twelve: "Now I'll count up to twelve, / and you keep quiet and I will go."(Neruda) the poet's playfulness is significant, as it emphasizes the return to innocence and purity. Instead of the natural and wonderful movement of life, the rush of the modern world resembles rather a permanent conflict and a moment of silence would actually and paradoxically be a reminder of life and its meaning. Keeping Quiet is thus an extremely convincing poem which emphasizing the violence and conflict which pervade the modern world.

War is also a powerful and dominating theme in Nathalie Handal's poetry. Although Handal is a very young poet, she has already come to the attention of critics and the wide public as well, as a great writer. Her first collection of poetry, the Lives of Rain, is a hear-rending and profound volume which is preoccupied with the negative aspects of modern life, with its violence and permanent conflict. A few of the autobiographical elements of the author's life are clearly reflected in the poems. Thus, Handal, who is originally from Palestine, has traveled extensively spending her life in… READ MORE

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