The Duino Elegies

In Amitav Ghosh’s ‘The Hungry Tide’, Nirmal’s diary a narrative

instrument contains a number of references to the poet Rilke’s ‘Duino
Elegies’.

Nirmal is an idealistic man who even after suffering from his association
with the leftist party does not give up his Marxist beliefs. In Lusi Bari he
leaves the life of a teacher who is separated from both – family and
society and who lives only in an ideal world. He has an immense love
for literature and especially Rilke’s ‘Duino Elegies’. When he gets
involved with the people of Marichjhapi, he decides to write a journal
dedicated to his nephew Kanai. In this journal he depicts the harrowing
tales of the Marichjhapi massacre and also events leading to his
involvement and his intention or motif behind it. This journal consists of
a number of references to Rilke’s ‘Duino Elegies’ appearing at
important sections. Nirmal takes the help of the poet Rilke when he
needs to describe a certain situation for which he does not have the
perfect words. Moreover, Nirmal’s revolutionary and romantic spirit are
also revealed through the quotes from ‘Duino Elegies’ : “To sing about
someone you love is one thing; but , oh, the blood’s hidden guilty river-
god is something else.”