A Different History. Poem Essay
A different History
Sujata Bhatt
The poem 'A different History', written by Sujata Bhatt is written post the British colonisation of India. The poem is based on Indian religion and a bit of Greek mythology. The poem talks about different cultures, mainly Indian and the colonisation of India. As Bhatt has experienced three different cultures; the Indian culture, the American culture and the German culture, the poem reflects on the differences in cultures and delves into mainly the Indian culture. The poem explores how the poet has evolved while moving from country to country and even delving into other religions. The poem also deals with conveying Bhatt's confusion surrounding her own identity, using many stylistic devices such as an allusion the a great god from Ancient Greek mythology. She uses the poem to push her readers to ask themselves one question: "Who am I, really?" The aim of analysing the poem is to understand where Sujata Bhatt is coming from; an outsider looking back into the world she once grew up in... Looking back into 'A Different History'.
The title relates to the poem in the way that it can be said to be about different histories, different cultural backgrounds but also about Sujata Bhatts own past. In another context, it could also said to be about history itself, relating to Greek mythology and Indian religion that is centuries old. As a child, Bhatt had to move from country to country and may be reminiscing about how life would have been if she had never left India. A history different to the one she had experienced.
The poem contains 29 lines and is therefore not a sonnet. There is no regular rhyme scheme and the rhythm varies. The first stanza has 18 lines in no particularly ordered structure. There is also no rhyme because the author does not want to achieve a rhythmic effect but rather concentrates on the message she wants to send. The poem also starts with a statement and ends with one.
“Great Pan is not dead”
The
Sujata Bhatt
The poem 'A different History', written by Sujata Bhatt is written post the British colonisation of India. The poem is based on Indian religion and a bit of Greek mythology. The poem talks about different cultures, mainly Indian and the colonisation of India. As Bhatt has experienced three different cultures; the Indian culture, the American culture and the German culture, the poem reflects on the differences in cultures and delves into mainly the Indian culture. The poem explores how the poet has evolved while moving from country to country and even delving into other religions. The poem also deals with conveying Bhatt's confusion surrounding her own identity, using many stylistic devices such as an allusion the a great god from Ancient Greek mythology. She uses the poem to push her readers to ask themselves one question: "Who am I, really?" The aim of analysing the poem is to understand where Sujata Bhatt is coming from; an outsider looking back into the world she once grew up in... Looking back into 'A Different History'.
The title relates to the poem in the way that it can be said to be about different histories, different cultural backgrounds but also about Sujata Bhatts own past. In another context, it could also said to be about history itself, relating to Greek mythology and Indian religion that is centuries old. As a child, Bhatt had to move from country to country and may be reminiscing about how life would have been if she had never left India. A history different to the one she had experienced.
The poem contains 29 lines and is therefore not a sonnet. There is no regular rhyme scheme and the rhythm varies. The first stanza has 18 lines in no particularly ordered structure. There is also no rhyme because the author does not want to achieve a rhythmic effect but rather concentrates on the message she wants to send. The poem also starts with a statement and ends with one.
“Great Pan is not dead”
The