CLASS: XII

SECTION: ALL SECTIONS

SUBJECT: ENGLISH CORE
SESSION: 2021-22

KEEPING QUIET
-Pablo Neruda
(FLAMINGO)
NOTES

ABOUT THE POET

Born Ricardo Eliecer Neftalí Reyes Basoalto in the town of Parral in southern Chile on July 12, 1904,
Pablo Neruda led a life charged with poetic and political activity. In 1923, he sold all of his
possessions to finance the publication of his first book, Crepusculario ("Twilight"). He published the
volume under the pseudonym "Pablo Neruda" to avoid conflict with his family, who disapproved of
his occupation. The following year, he found a publisher for Veinte poemas de amor y una cancion
desesperada ("Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair"). The book made a celebrity of Neruda,
who gave up his studies at the age of twenty to devote himself to his craft.

ABOUT THE POEM

‘Keeping Quiet’ is taken from ‘Extravagario’ a collection of poetry published in 1958. In this poem,
Neruda talks about the necessity of quiet introspection and creating a feeling of mutual
understanding among human beings who have divided themselves on the basis of race, language and
nationalism.

The poem is presented in the form of an exercise for meditation in silence. In these moments of
silence, one can break the shackles of discrimination, hatred, violence and create an exotic moment
of togetherness. In such a state of inactivity and silence, the strength of universal brotherhood can
be felt.

TEXTUAL QUESTIONS

1. What will counting up to twelve and keeping quiet help us achieve?

Counting up to twelve and keeping still will allow for a break from the rush and humdrum of life. It
would commence a session of meditation, reflection and introspection. This ‘exotic’ moment of
tranquillity would bond all of human rings in universal brotherhood.

2. Do you think the poet advocates inactivity and death?

The poet does not advocate total inactivity and death; rather, he advocates salvation. He urges the
reader to give up the rat-race of incessant activity. He criticises man’s obsession with the material
world and a single-minded devotion to pursue material wealth and success. The poet wants man to
put an end to his hostile and destructive activities and channelise energies in a positive direction.

3. What is the ‘sadness’ that the poet refers to in the poem?

The ‘sadness’ referred to by the poet is the inability to understand ourselves and of threatening
ourselves with death. It emerges out of the lack of communication, understanding and respect of
differences among people. This, precisely, is the cause of thoughtlessness on the part of the human
race which does not hesitate in inflicting violence upon itself.

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 4. What symbol from Nature does the poet invoke to say that there can be life under apparent
stillness?
The poem ends on a note of hope as the poet invokes the Earth as a powerful symbol from Nature.
There are lessons to be learnt from the Earth which appears dead but is actually dormant and
carefully preserving the seeds of life. This is done to reinforce his that there is wisdom and
tranquillity and peace. While incessant activity can do more harm than good, keeping quiet will dispel
suffering.

REFERENCE TO CONTEXT QUESTIONS

A. Fisherman in the cold sea

Would not harm whales
And the man gathering salt
Would look at his hurt hands
1. What are fishermen symbolic of?
Other than symbolising human beings engaged in incessant activity, ‘fishermen’ also stand for man’s
indiscriminate exploitation of nature for his vested interests.

2. What image does the poet create in the last line?

The poet creates an image of man’s unceasing suffering. In his efforts to add comforts to his life, he
has paid no heed to the pain he has been causing to himself.

B. 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.

1. Who should put on clean clothes? What does this image signify?
The politicians, the statesmen and the scientists who are involved in initiating and aggravating wars
should put on ‘clean clothes’.

This signifies a cleansing of souls, hearts and minds of the desire for violence and hatred. By bringing
the destructive activities to a halt, man with develop empathy towards others.

2. Explain: ‘victory with no survivors’

Man's activities are inevitably heading him towards his doom. The war which man is waging against
nature and mankind, will one day convert his ‘living planet’ into a dead one. The war may be a victory
of man's scientific knowledge but there would be no survivors to celebrate this victory.

3. Identify and quote the literary device used in the first two lines of the given extract.
The literary device used in the first two lines of the given extract is repetition. ‘Wars’ has been
repeated to highlight the preoccupation of man to cause destruction to the fellow beings, other
species and the planet.

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