Rabindranath Tagore and W B Yeats

- A Comparative Study

Paban Kumar Agrawalla, Asst. Professor of English in Govt. P G College, Itarsi, M P India, has published his Ph D research work in the form of the present book. Author’s purpose of writing the book on the subject is as he himself has declared, “During my student life W.B. Yeats was my favourite poet and I was thrilled by his love poems. I had always thought of doing a research on Yeats and after a lot of deliberations, I found, a comparison of Yeats with Rabindranath Tagore, would be a befitting one.” This leads the author to compare Tagore with Yeats.

The book is divided in seven chapters. The first chapter, an introductory one, justifies author’s motive to compare the two legendry icons. He discusses almost all the areas of life of both Tagore and Yeats and has succeeded to prove that both the souls have many similarities in their life from their upbringings to their literary career. The author has also dealt with their achievements and their mutual relationship.

In the second chapter of the book the author has discussed the philosophy of love of the two great poets: he has focused on earthly, spiritual, personal and impersonal aspects of love including their historical and mystical vision of love.

The author has written in the preface that both the poets in most of their poetry harp on the eternal problems of life and death and that’s why he has devoted the third chapter to this aspect. In this chapter the author has beautifully discussed the views of the two poets on the cyclic process of birth and death, history and creation as related to the Creator.

Since both Tagore and Yeats are great mystics, their mysticism and mythmaking in their poetry have been discussed soulfully in the fourth chapter.

In the fifth chapter titled as ‘Physical and Spiritual Integration’ the author has made great efforts to discuss the topics like body and soul, soul and God, art and life, and ideal beauty and terrible beauty in the writings of the two poets.

The sixth chapter which personally touched me a lot is entitled as ‘Reconciliation of Opposites.’ Although this chapter is the smallest one of the book, the author has succeeded to discuss a great aspect seen in the poetry of both the great souls. In the last chapter the author has concluded with the analysis of similarities and dissimilarities underlying the philosophy of the two great poets.

Since Paban Agrawalla has done a tremendous research, the present book can be regarded not only as a master piece for future researchers but also a beneficial compendium in the hands of the common readers who want to satisfy their curiosity with regard to the philosophy of two great poets. The book has an ability to kindle the interest of common readers in the poetry of both the legendary figures. Although the book is a result of research in literature, it is interesting to the readers of non literary background like me who has an interest in philosophy and spirituality.

The comparison between two great authorities is an arduous job and the author also seems to have difficulty to keep balance between the two because Tagore’s poems reflect a spiritual sense with divine love while Yeats’ poems reflect philosophical sense with earthly love and that is why Tagore seems to be one step ahead of Yeats.
One thing that I personally feel that readers, especially common readers, have a natural urge to know the full name of W B Yeats (William Butler Yeats) but the author has regretfully used his full name only once and that too in the preface.

Finally, editor of the book Dr. A K Chaturvedi, who has already authored two critical books and has several research papers published in national and international journals, has done his job in a good manner and helped the author to present the book in such a good shape. As the author writes about Dr. Chaturvedi, “He has been the beacon, the guide, the poet and the philosopher for me”.

Rabindranath Tagore and W B Yeats: A Comparative Study,
Adhyayan Publishers, New Delhi, ISBN-978-81-8435-365-5, Pp 130, Price Rs. 425

10-Jan-2013

More by : Dr. Dinesh Mishra

Top | Book Reviews

Views: 3804 Comments: 6

Dear, Mr. Pokharel contact me through my email address deepujhs@rediffmail.com

Dinesh Mishra
21-May-2014 23:55 PM

I want some tips about W. B. Yeats and his inclination about eastern idea like atman rebirth and so on which we can get in your study as well. So plz help me . I am from NEPAL

Bishnu pokharel
19-May-2014 08:17 AM

Dear Dr. Chaturvedi thanks for appreciation, please remember the following verse of Ram Charit Manas.
??? ??? ????? ???? ???? ?????? ???? ???? ????? ?? ???? ????? ??? ??? ?? ???

Dinesh Mishra
16-Jan-2013 12:18 PM

I never imagined that a man of Mathematical background could write an evocative and insightful book review like this. The review constitutes a contribution to the literary world.

A K Chaturvedi
16-Jan-2013 08:03 AM

Dear Mr. MD Mollah please write your email address and I shall definitely help you.

Dinesh Mishra
15-Jan-2013 08:08 AM

i want some tips about a comparative study between rabindranath tagore and arabic writer dr. taha hussain in the field of aoutobiography. my english is very poor, so please helf me about this matter, if u give me only about r.n.tagore's thats ok.

MD. JAKIR HOSSAIN MOLLAH.
13-Jan-2013 08:36 AM

Name *

Email ID

(will not be published)

Comment *

Characters

Verification Code*

Can't read? Reload

Please fill the above code for verification.