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Blind Men and The Elephant

The poem describes 6 blind men from Indostan who encounter an elephant and each feels a different part of the elephant's body. Each man believes he understands what the elephant is based on the single part he touches, but their perspectives are partial. The moral of the poem is that having only a partial perspective can lead to incorrect understandings, just as religious disputants argue without comprehending each other's complete views.

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1K views

Blind Men and The Elephant

The poem describes 6 blind men from Indostan who encounter an elephant and each feels a different part of the elephant's body. Each man believes he understands what the elephant is based on the single part he touches, but their perspectives are partial. The moral of the poem is that having only a partial perspective can lead to incorrect understandings, just as religious disputants argue without comprehending each other's complete views.

Uploaded by

ninzemz03
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Blind Men and the Elephant – A Poem by John Godfrey Saxe

Here is John Godfrey Saxe’s (1816-1887) version of Blind Men and the Elephant:

It was six men of Indostan,


To learning much inclined,
Who went to see the Elephant
(Though all of them were blind),
That each by observation
Might satisfy his mind.

The First approached the Elephant,


Form a group and discuss your answers to the
And happening to fall
Against his broad and sturdy side, following questions:
At once began to bawl:
"God bless me! but the Elephant 1. Did anyone among the blind men give the
Is very like a wall!" correct answer? Why or why not?
The Second, feeling of the tusk, 2. In the context of the elephant story, what do
Cried, -"Ho! what have we here you think is a holistic perspective? What is the
So very round and smooth and sharp?
To me 'tis mighty clear,
partial point of view?
This wonder of an Elephant 3. What is the importance of a holistic perspective
Is very like a spear!" as pointed out by the poet John Godfrey Saxe?
The Third approach'd the animal, 4. In the last stanza, John Godfrey Saxe related
And happening to take the legend to the religious wars during his time.
The squirming trunk within his hands,
Thus boldly up and spake: What do you think is John trying to say in this
"I see," -quoth he- "the Elephant poem?
Is very like a snake!"

The Fourth reached out an eager hand,


And felt about the knee:
"What most this wondrous beast is like
Is mighty plain," -quoth he,-
"'Tis clear enough the Elephant
Is very like a tree!"

The Fifth, who chanced to touch the ear,


Said- "E'en the blindest man
Can tell what this resembles most;
Deny the fact who can,
This marvel of an Elephant
Is very like a fan!"

The Sixth no sooner had begun


About the beast to grope,
Then, seizing on the swinging tail
That fell within his scope,
"I see," -quoth he,- "the Elephant
Is very like a rope!"
And so these men of Indostan
Disputed loud and long,
Each in his own opinion
Exceeding stiff and strong,
Though each was partly in the right,
And all were in the wrong!

MORAL,

So, oft in theologic wars


The disputants, I ween,
Rail on in utter ignorance
Of what each other mean;
And prate about an Elephant
Not one of them has seen!

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