Symbols and Images in the Poetry of Tagore

Dr. Nidhi Sharma

&
Dr. Pawan Pandit
Professor of English
Government Hamidiya Arts & Commerce Degree College
Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.

Symbols and images form a vital part of modern literature. Twentieth century
literature is known for its symbols and images. Life in 20th century is complex and
complicated and so is the literature also. Use of symbols and images in poetry imparts
richness and vividness and at the same time makes poetry a bit difficult also. M.G. Abrams
explains a symbol –
A symbol, in the broadest sense of the term, is anything which signifies something
else, in this sense all words are symbols. As commonly used in discussing literature,
however symbol is applied only to a word or set of words that signifies an object or
event which itself signifies something else, that is, the words refer to something which
suggests a range of reference beyond itself. (108)
Gitanjali displays a beautiful usage of symbolism which in turn is a unique blend of
mysticism and music, religion and poetry. Full of mystical imagination and fluid movement
the poem creates a universe of haunting beauty that expresses God's finite love and
humanity's deep compassion for all beautiful things. Obviously Tagore is profoundly
influenced by the rich symbolism and thoughts of the Vedas and the Upanishads and this is
reflected in Gitanjali. K.R.S. Iyengar observes in this context, "The current coin of India's
devotional poetry is malted and minted anew by Rabindra Nath, but the pure gold shines, as
brightly as ever, even though the inscription on the coin is in English." (110)
The Gitanjali also carries a number of images of age-old Indian tradition of rich
imagery, particularly the nature imagery. Abrams again describes imagery –
This term is one of the most common in modern criticism, and one of the most
ambiguous. Its applications range all the way from the "mental pictures", which it is

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 claimed, are experienced by the reader of a poem ........... Imagery is used to signify all
the objects and qualities of sense perception referred to in a poem or other work of
literature, whether by literal description, by allusions or in the analogues (the
vehicles) used in its similes and metaphors. (76)
The images used by Tagore are simple and easy to comprehend just like that of the
Romantic poets. This is what H. Coombes opines –
In a good writer's hands, the image, fresh and vivid is at its fullest used to intensity, to
clarify, to enrich, a successful image helps to make us feel the writer's group of the
object or situation he is dealing with, gives his grasp of it with precision, vividness,
force, economy, and to make such an impact on us, its content, the stuff or which it is
made, cannot be unduly fantastic and remote from our experience, but must be such
that it can be immediately felt by us as belonging in one way or another to the fabric
of our own lives. (54)
The major symbols and images used by Tagore can be seen in his poems. First of all
in 'Gitanjali' he has subtly used symbols and images in a deft manner.
The poem opens with the image of a 'frail vessel' which implies the empty and
destitute life of a man. The poet means to say that human life devoid of God's grace or rain is
as useless as a pitcher without water. Commenting on this Iyengar says,
The human body is the temple of the soul, the human soul is the temple of God. The
human soul is naught unless it is inhabited or filled by the spirit. Birth and death are
but the feeling and the emptying of the soul by the spirit, and the individual -
insignificant as he may seem to be - verily partakes of God's endless life. His
immortality. (111)
The other powerful image is the image of flute, it stands for man's life. The music that
flows on the lips and breathes through the flute is nothing but God's grace and love. The flute
without music is just like life without harmony and music of God. This image also reminds us
of Lord Krishna who used to play flute on the banks of the river Yamuna.
Music is the major keynote of the poem. By the term 'music' the poet means not
simply the earthly or the heard melodies but also the music of the soul which tingles the heart
to its highest level. The poet strongly believes that God can be felt only through the music of
the soul. The 'flower' is used to connote different meanings. In song VI the flower symbolises
the temporal nature of man's life. Our life is beautiful but ephemeral like a flower. In song

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LXXXV the flower figuratively suggests the creative and positive deeds of human beings
ever curious to abide by the dictation of the soul.
The symbol of dress or ornament is richly influenced by most of the images of the
saint poet Kabir who compared the body to a dress or 'Uadaria' given by God. Tagore
strongly believed that wealth and ornaments are hindrances in the path of Man's union with
God. That is why he writes that a child wearing princely robes with ornaments generally
looses all the pleasures of playing. The torn clothes also reminds us of Yeats' 'tattered coat
upon the stick' the famous scare-crow image in the Byzantium poems.
Door is another powerful image, it recurs in the poem again and again, so the poet
asks the devotee to open the gate of his own soul which is the abode of God. The door is
highly symbolical and implies not only the general door of a house but the invisible door of
spirit. The symbol of fire is again very prominent. Tagore holds the view that we are all
burning in the fire of lust and desire, this is what T.S. Eliot had also commented in 'The
Waste Land'. W.B. Yeats also celebrates the symbol of fire in his poem Sailing to
Byzantium.
Dust, darkness and shroud symbolise the mundane and materialistic attainments that
create hurdles in the path of virtuous soul. It stands for the fret, the fever and the miseries of
human life. Dust and darkness stands for the barriers that stands between the devotee and
God. The image of silent steps is profusely present in the poem. It symbolises the silent,
unheard and the gentle voice of conscience-a voice that arises from the very core of the heart,
a voice that always guides and prevents the mind from doing unbecoming acts. But
unfortunately in the modern times we do not pay any attention to the silent voice of God or
conscience.
It implies the silent, unheard and the gentle voice of conscience, it is actually the
voice that always guides and prevents the mind from doing wrong things. This is what
Hemingway had also said - "conscience" is what you feel good after or bad after. For a man
with impure and corrupt designs it is very difficult to hear the silent steps of soul. But a man
with pure heart would certainly be able to hear the silent and secret steps of God, so the
message is loud and clear that a pure man with a heart of gold can feel the silent steps of the
soul.
A beautiful bride in song XCI is symbolic of the eternal and immortal soul. Tagore
wants the readers to regard woman as a symbol of loneliness and separation. Even a bride
after marriage is separated from her family and enters into a new life. The image of journey is

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also very evocative. All human beings in their earthly life are actually preparing for their final
voyage to the eternal home of God, which is the permanent abode for all of us. The earthly
life is merely a temporal face. The aim of every human is to reach the permanent home where
he can take eternal shelter and enjoy peace and happiness.
It can be easily seen that most of the other poems of Tagore are also rich in images
and symbols. In the poem Fruit Gathering the image of fruit and flower and the other
associated terms like ripening, blooming, pruning etc. form the core of the book and also
validates the title. The 'door' also has more than one meaning. The poet wants to reach the
goal of spirituality and divinity not through the trodden path of rich rituals and profound
philosophy but through simplicity and ignorance. In the poem Lamp symbolises life and
knowledge. Even the immortal soul has been compared to the burning lamp.
It is evident that most of the symbols and images employed by Tagore are influenced
by our great epics and scriptures, Vedas and Upanishads. Tagore was a real global citizen and
respected all the religions. He was inspired by the teachings of Chritianity, Brahmo samaj,
Bengal Vaishnav Singers, Kabir Das and Meera. He has borrowed from multiple sources but
with his fancy and imagination he gave a new hue and colour to all that he borrowed. In this
respect he is just like Shakespeare. His images and symbols are so simple because he has
taken it from familiar fields of life. They are so simple that even semi-literate man can
comprehend and understand them. In this way it can be safely surmised that in his poetry
Tagore has used apt images and symbols to convey his thoughts and feelings.

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Works Cited
Abrams, M.H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. Delhi : Macmillan India Limited, 1970. Print.
Coombes, H. Literature and Criticism. Allahabad : Kitab Mahal Pvt. Ltd., 1963. Print.
Iyengar, K.R.S. Indian Writing in English. New Delhi : Sterling Publishers Pvt. LTd., 1994.
Print.

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