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Keeping Quiet

The poem emphasizes the need for humanity to overcome differences and live in peace. It advocates halting environmentally destructive practices like overfishing to allow nature to replenish. The poet also asserts ending oppressive labor practices and achieving tranquility by overcoming the fear of death.

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13 views

Keeping Quiet

The poem emphasizes the need for humanity to overcome differences and live in peace. It advocates halting environmentally destructive practices like overfishing to allow nature to replenish. The poet also asserts ending oppressive labor practices and achieving tranquility by overcoming the fear of death.

Uploaded by

carryislive3311
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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About The Poet:

Ricardo Eliécer NeftalíReyes Basoalto (12 July 1904 23 September 1973),better known by
his pen name and, later, legal name Pablo Neruda was a Chilean poet-diplomat and politician who
wonthe Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in
western South America. Neruda became known as a poet when he was 13 years old, and wrote in a
variety of styles, including passionate love poems such as the ones in his collection Twenty Love
Poems and a Song of Despair (1924). Neruda is often considered the national poet of Chile, and his
works have been popular and influential worldwide.
Thematic Concerns of the Poem:
1.Attainment of Togetherness:- Throughout the
poem, the poet has emphasized that human beings
need to be quiet for some time in order to examine
the reasons that make them rivals of each other.
Human beings need to overcome their differences
and need to live peacefully with each other
irrespective of their languages, castes, creeds, race,
regions or religions.

2.Environmental Restoration;- Through this poem,


the poet has laid emphasis on "green wars". Green

wars refer to the exploitation of natural resources by


human beings during wars. According to the poet,
the humankind must refrain from misusing natural
resources and must not indulge in wars as wars have
an adverse impact on environmental wel|-being.
Also, the poet advocates the need to put halt to
harmful practices like fishing, at least for some time,
So that nature could replenish (restore) itself.

3. The Need to Put an End to Oppressive Labour


Practices:- The poet has also advocated the fact
that there are many labour practices in the world
that either need to be reformed or ended. For
instance, the men who are engaged in gathering salt
are compelled (forced) to bear pain as their hands
get hurt in the process. Through this poem, the poet
has asserted the need to put a halt to such practices.

4. The Need to make Attempts to achieve


tranquility (peace):- Finally, the poet has
emphasized on the need to overcome the universal
fear of death as well as the hustle and bustle of life.
Human beings need to live a life of calm and
composure instead of ruining their happiness by
overthinking about the mundane (lacking
excitement) routine and realities of life.

5. Nature as a Source Of Inspiration:


The poet has beautifully portrayed nature as a
source of inspiration for human beings. Just like
Earth goes through a period of stillness in autumnal
phase and regain its vividness in the summer phase,
similarly, human beings can also practice quietness
for engaging themselves in self-reflection so that
they can ultimately attain a state of liveliness, free
from the worries of life.
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Stanza1
Now we will count to twelve
and we will all keep still.
For once on the face of the Earth

lets not speak in any language,


lets stop for one second,
and not move or arms SO much.

Poetic Devices
i. Assonance: Prominent sound of'o' in
"Now we will cont totwelve, not move our
arms sO much."

ii. Anaphora: It is the repetition of a word at


the start of two or more consecutive lines -

(lets not speak in any language,


lets stop for one second).
ii. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter
at the start of closely placed words. The
repetition of the letter W in we will.
iv. Symbolism: Here,the poet has used the
phrase count to twelve as a measure of

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iv. Symbolism:Here, the poet has used the


phrase count to twelve as a measure of
time.
V.Metonymy: The word language has been
used by the poet to show diferent races.

Stanza 2

It would be an exoticmoment
without rush, without engines,
ewould all be together
in asudden strangeness.
Fishermen in the cold sea
would not harm whales
and the man gathering salt
would look at his hurt hands.

Poetic Devices

i.Aliteration: It is the repetition of a letter


at the start of closely placed words. The
repetition of the letter:

1. Win we would

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Poetic Devices

i. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter


at the start of closely placed words. The
repetition of the letter:

1.W in we would
2.S in sudden strangenesS
3. H in his hurt hands.

iü. Symbolism: 1. The poet has used


fisherman as a symbol of the oppressor and
whale as a symbol of the oppressed.
2. The port hasused the man gathering salt
as a symbol of humanity in this stanza.

Stanza3
Those whoprepare green wars,
warswith gas, wars with fire,
victory with no survivors,
would put on clean clothes
and walk about with their brothers

in the shade,doing nothing.

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Stanza 3

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, doingnothing.


What Iwant should not be confused
with total inactivity.
Life is what it is albout;
Iwant no truck with death.

Poetic Devices

i. Aliteration:It is the repetition of a letter at


the start of closely placed words. The
repetition of the letter:

1. W in "wars with"
2. Cin "clean clothes."

ii. Assonance: Prominent sound of the vowel

'o' in victorv withno survivors. would put

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i. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at


the start of closely placed words. The
repetition of the letter:

1.W in "wars with"


2.Cin "clean clothes."
ii. Assonance: Prominent sound of the vowel

'o' in victory with no survivors, would put


on clean clothes and walk about with their

brothers.
iii. Repetition: The word "war" has been
repeated.
iv. Irony: When there is a complete contrast
between the literal meaning and what it
appears to mean
1. Green wars,

wars with gas, wars with fire.


2. Victory with no survivors.
v.Symbolism: The poet has used clean
clothes as a symbol of peace.

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Stanza 4

If we were not so single-minded


about keeping our lives moving,
and for once could perhaps a huge
silence

might interrupt this sadness


of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.

Poetic Devices
i. Alliteration: It is the repetition of a letter at
the start of closely placed words. The
repetition of the letter:
w in "we were,"
Sin "so single - minded"
ii. Enjambment: The sentence is being
continued to the next line without a break
(and for once could perhaps a huge
silence
might interrupt this sadness
of never understanding ourselves

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silence

might interrupt this sadness


of never understanding ourselves
and of threatening ourselves with death.)

Stanza5
Perhaps the Earth can teach us
as when everything seems dead
and later proves to be alive.
Now Ill count up to twelve
and you keep quiet and I will go.

Poetic Devices

i. Personification: The poet has personified


the Earth by saying -the Earth can teach us.
ii. Extended Metaphor: The poet has used
extended metaphor by saying
(when everything seems dead
and later proves tobe alive). Here, he is
comparing the period of stillness with the
winters.

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