“Laughter is the language of the soul.

”
― Pablo Neruda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUV3KaLjl10&feature=y
outu.be
 Presentation
on

P o e m – Keeping Quiet
-Pablo Neruda
 A Brief
Biography
Of The Poet
 Pablo Neruda
Born in Parral, Chile, on July 12, 1904, poet Pablo
Neruda stirred controversy with his affiliation with the
Communist Party and his outspoken support of
Joseph Stalin, Fulgencio Batista and Fidel Castro. His
poetic mastery was never in doubt, and for it he was
awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. At age
13, he began his literary career as a contributor to the
daily La Mañana, where he published his first articles
and poems.
 Pablo Neruda
In 1920, he contributed to the literary journal Selva
Austral under the pen name Pablo Neruda, which he
assumed in honor of Czech poet Jan Neruda. Some of
Neruda's early poems are found in his first
book, Crepusculario (Book of Twilight), published in
1923, and one of his most renowned works, Veinte
poemas de amor y una canción desesperada (Twenty
Love Poems and a Song of Despair), was published the
following year. Twenty Love Poems made Neruda a
celebrity, and he thereafter devoted himself to verse .
Theme Of The
Poem
 In this poem, the poet visualizes a state of
comfortable inertia where he wishes for
pleasant idleness and relaxation away from
the frantic wars. He wishes for a profound
silence and stillness that would alleviate the
sadness caused by lack of self understanding
and the threat of self destruction, which
would build up a sense of togetherness.
The poet Pablo Neruda urges mankind to cease all activity for a little while.
During these few moments of silence and inactivity, all human beings would
be one, united, and in harmony with each other and nature. This togetherness
and oneness is most desirable for the survival of the earth and of human
beings. Neruda believes that the soul housed within the human body is
capable of performing this feat if given a chance to shine out through
introspection, for which absolute silence and stillness is essential.
Disproportionate fishing, indiscriminate mining and desperate deforestation
have proved suicidal for the earth and the people. All warnings of the
scientists have remained unheeded. We are heading fast towards a pyrrhic
Victory. We must give ourselves a pause. Stop the flurry of activity.
Stanza Wise
Explanation
 First Stanza
“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 a second,
and not move our arms so
much.
Paraphrase
. The poet appeals to the readers to pause for a while and count upto
twelve. He wishes us to remain quiet motionless for a breathing
moment. For this we need to count to twelve, a longer count for a
peaceful meditation.
• During those still moments no one will either utter a word or make
any physical movement. By the way, we are not talking to anyone during
this silent process. Neither any verbal language nor any sign language.

Meaning
 Twelve – Longer the counting, the more relaxed you are.
 On the ace of the earth – During one’s life span
It would be an exotic
moment
without rush
without engines;
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
 Second Stanza

It would be an exotic moment

without rush, without

engines;
we would all be together
in a sudden strangeness.
Paraphrase
Once we have completed this meditation, you will see a great change in
the outlook. We will not be selfish any more. we will not compete with
any one. We will turn off the engines that pollute or destroy the nature.
Once we got the selfishness out of us, we will feel a sudden unity, a
strange kind of oneness – belongingness.
Such stillness would an extraordinary moment. There would be no roar
Of engines or hum Of machinery. All mankind would get linked with the
total and absolute silence.
Meaning
 Exotic – A new kind of happiness that one has not experienced before
 Rush – competition
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would not look at his hurt hands.
 Third Stanza

Fishermen in the cold sea

would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would not look at his hurt
hands.
Paraphrase

Man’s greed not only leads to the exploitation of other creatures but
of fellow human beings who are oppressed by the unjust economic
system. Neruda strongly sympathized with the working and very
well understood the strong class divisions that had fractured the
Chilean society. Whaler would not kill any Whale for sometime. (All
fishing Will came to a halt). • The Worker in the salt mine would be
able to give some rest to his sore hands. (All mining will Stop a
while) The sufferings of both the workers in the salt mines and the
sea creature in the ocean would end for a moment if only everybody
kept quiet. class The theme of environmental conservation and
Social Justice makes its presence strongly felt in the stanza.
Those who prepare green wars,
wars with gas, wars with fire,
wars with fire,
victories with no
survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their
brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
 Fourth Stanza

Those who prepare green wars,

wars with gas, wars with fire,
victories with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers
in the shade, doing nothing.
Paraphrase

The damage done by the conventional, chemical and biological

weapons can be stopped only if and when governments and nations
teach themselves to keep quiet. Neruda had been a witness to the
atrocities committed during the Spanish Civil War under the
regime of dictator General Franco. He had see war in close
quarters and very well knew what “victory with no survivors”
looked like. Significant is the assassination of the writer and his
dear friend Federico Gracia Lorca by the fascist forces.
Those Who go about felling trees and destroying the beautiful
flora and fauna of the earth Will also pause. (Deforestation Will
Stop for some moments). All these are self destructive or
suicidal activities. • All the people will corner out, away from
the humdrum of life wearing clean clothes. Enjoying the
quietude of life and they would sit down, meditate and
introspect. •
 Fifth Stanza
What I want should not be
confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is about;
I want no truck with death.
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
Paraphrase

These are perhaps among the most insightful of lines in the poem
where a stark of the modern life is highlighted: of being intensely
caught up in the web if rush and activity to the extent of not
understanding ourselves. It is the tragedy of the modern world
where people are too busy to live. If everybody kept for a single
moment, a huge silence may interrupt the sadness of being too busy
to understand ourselves. Our inability to keep quiet results in our
failure to understand ourselves and others. The monotonous rush
of life makes individuals threaten oneself with death and their
failure to keep quiet.
By doing absolutely nothing, the poet doesn’t mean total
inactivity or death. Inactivity would mean laziness, lethargy or
stagnation. Let us talk only about life. • We are working
mindlessly towards the job Of keeping our heart and soul
together. We keep on doing what the business Of life demands
without considering the result Of our acts. We have been
indulging in self-destroying activities. This we Will understand
only if we pause for a while. We need to realize that moving
ahead is not always progressive.
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Perhaps
the earth
can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
 Sixth Stanza

Perhaps the earth can teach us

as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.

Now I’ll count up to twelve

and you keep quiet and I will go.”
Paraphrase

As the Earth undergoes changes, in winter, everything freezes, becomes

lifeless but after some time, the season changes again, and everything
comes back to life.
Similarly, taking a pause and introspecting into our lives will give it a new
meaning. The poet has conveyed to all the people the purpose of his
message and so, he asks them once again to take a pause, count till twelve
and walks out of the scene, keeping the scene open for all the people on the
Earth to experience this for times to come. Nature has an Object lesson for
us to learn. Every thing in Nature seems dead when winter comes. The land
is bare and leafless but as soon as Spring season arrives, there are silken
leaves and myriad flowers all around. • Our keeping quiet similarly
refreshes our mind & spirit and Our soul Will be reborn.
 TITLE JUSTIFICATION
The poem talks against the ceaseless activity engaged by man.
We keep on doing what the business of life demands without
considering the results of our actions. Taking a pause and
introspecting will enable us to understand the very purpose of
our life. It will be the rebirth of our soul. In this poem, poet
Neruda talks about the necessity of quiet introspection and
creating a feeling of mutual understanding among human beings.
Stillness and silence will help man in creating these feelings. So
the title of the poem is in accordance with the message the poet
wants to convey to his readers.
 Poetic Devices
Alliteration
“We will”, “We Repetition –
would”, “Once
on”, “We would”, “Without rush,
“His hurt hands” Antithesis – without engines”
‘Clean clothes’ “war with…” Symbolism
“war with…” “Count to / Imagery-
twelve and we
will all keep “Cold Sea”
still”