The bangle sellers
Sarojini Naidu
About the poet :
Sarojini Naidu, (13th February 1879 - March 2nd 1949), also known as
Nightingale of India, an Indian freedom fighter and poet, was born in Hyderabad.
Her father was a doctor of science from Edinburgh University, settled in Hyderabad
State, where he founded and administered the Hyderabad College, which later
became the Nizam's College. Her mother was a poetess and used to write poetry in
Bengali.
Sarojini Naidu began writing at the age of 12. Her play, Maher Muneer,
impressed the Nawab of Hyderabad. Her famous works are The Golden Threshold
(1905), The Bird of Time: Songs of Life, Death and the Spring (1912), The Broken
Wing: Songs of Love, Death and the Spring (1917), The Sceptred Flute:Songs of
India (1943), The Feather of the Dawn and, The Indian Weavers.
Poem at a glance :
~A bangle seller is going to the temple fair with a load of bangles.
~Bangles are of different colours meant for women of different age groups young
maidens, brides and middle-aged women.
Summary :
Sarojini Naidu's poem "The Bangle Sellers" starts with a description of the bangles
as the bangle seller carries them to a temple fair. Then the poet goes on - their
fragility, transparency, radiance, bright colours, etc. and how they are meant for
women of every age some colours are meant for young maidens, whereas some are
meant for brides and some are meant for middle aged women who have
successfully rendered their lives to bring up their children to describe the bangles
and maintaining their households.
Justification of the title :
Sarojini Naidu's poem "The Bangle Sellers" deals with the kinds of bangles that the
bangle seller carries to a temple fair how the colourful bangles are meant for
women of different age groups. As the poet is describing the load of bangles that
the seller carries to a temple fair, the title of the poem is justified.
Paraphrasing and explanations :
STANZA 1
The first stanza of the poem "The Bangle Sellers" gives us a description of the load
of bangles that the bangle seller carries to a temple fair. The third and fourth lines
of the stanza are significant as it asks a question "Who are the people who are going
, to buy these delicate but brightly coloured bangles?" This question can be what the
poet is asking and the poem is going to provide answers to these questions or it
can be that the bangle seller is shouting this rhetorical, question at a temple fair so
as to attract people to buy his bangles. The bangles are then described as symbols
of happy and joyful daughters and wives.
STANZA 2
Some' refers to the shinning loads of bangles that the bangle seller is carrying. The
poet in this stanza is describing the bangles. Some of these bangles are fit for a
young girl's ('maiden') wrist and their colours are primarily silver and blue. The
poet moreover describes the colour by making a comparison as the colour is similar
to the mists of a mountain. Some bangles are glowing like buds of flowers that
grow on the top of the plants near the forest rivers. Some are glowing in the same
colour as that of the colour of the new leaves when the light passes through them.
STANZA 3
Some bangles are golden, similar to the colour of fields of ripe corn when sunlight
falls on them. These bangles are meant for brides to wear on the morning of the
marriage. Next the poet uses similes to describe the bangles. She says that that is
the colour of fire around the bangles are like "the flame of marriage fire" which the
couple goes around and takes the marital vows according to the Hindu ritual of
marriage. The second comparison of the bangles is to "the hue of heart's desire";
that is, red. Then the poet uses four adjectives to describe the bangles tinkling
(sound of the glass bangles), luminous (glowing), tender (fragile as they are made
of glass) and clear (transparent). These adjectives are then compared to bridal
laughter and tear. A bride is both happy and a sad woman as she is looking forward
to her life with the life partner (husband) and therefore the 'laughter' and also sad
and tearful as according to Hindu tradition, she has to leave her parents' household
and go to her husband's home.
STANZA 4
Some bangles are of purple colour and some are grey with spots of gold on them.
These bangles are meant for women who have passed the youth of their lives or
are middle-aged. These bangles are meant for hands which have taken great care
to bring up their children and have taken care to look after every need of the
household. The poet mentions how the mother's love for their children is always
“faithful and how the wives take pride in running their household properly and
worship the gods along with their husbands. For these happy and proud women
too there are bangles.
Sarojini Naidu
About the poet :
Sarojini Naidu, (13th February 1879 - March 2nd 1949), also known as
Nightingale of India, an Indian freedom fighter and poet, was born in Hyderabad.
Her father was a doctor of science from Edinburgh University, settled in Hyderabad
State, where he founded and administered the Hyderabad College, which later
became the Nizam's College. Her mother was a poetess and used to write poetry in
Bengali.
Sarojini Naidu began writing at the age of 12. Her play, Maher Muneer,
impressed the Nawab of Hyderabad. Her famous works are The Golden Threshold
(1905), The Bird of Time: Songs of Life, Death and the Spring (1912), The Broken
Wing: Songs of Love, Death and the Spring (1917), The Sceptred Flute:Songs of
India (1943), The Feather of the Dawn and, The Indian Weavers.
Poem at a glance :
~A bangle seller is going to the temple fair with a load of bangles.
~Bangles are of different colours meant for women of different age groups young
maidens, brides and middle-aged women.
Summary :
Sarojini Naidu's poem "The Bangle Sellers" starts with a description of the bangles
as the bangle seller carries them to a temple fair. Then the poet goes on - their
fragility, transparency, radiance, bright colours, etc. and how they are meant for
women of every age some colours are meant for young maidens, whereas some are
meant for brides and some are meant for middle aged women who have
successfully rendered their lives to bring up their children to describe the bangles
and maintaining their households.
Justification of the title :
Sarojini Naidu's poem "The Bangle Sellers" deals with the kinds of bangles that the
bangle seller carries to a temple fair how the colourful bangles are meant for
women of different age groups. As the poet is describing the load of bangles that
the seller carries to a temple fair, the title of the poem is justified.
Paraphrasing and explanations :
STANZA 1
The first stanza of the poem "The Bangle Sellers" gives us a description of the load
of bangles that the bangle seller carries to a temple fair. The third and fourth lines
of the stanza are significant as it asks a question "Who are the people who are going
, to buy these delicate but brightly coloured bangles?" This question can be what the
poet is asking and the poem is going to provide answers to these questions or it
can be that the bangle seller is shouting this rhetorical, question at a temple fair so
as to attract people to buy his bangles. The bangles are then described as symbols
of happy and joyful daughters and wives.
STANZA 2
Some' refers to the shinning loads of bangles that the bangle seller is carrying. The
poet in this stanza is describing the bangles. Some of these bangles are fit for a
young girl's ('maiden') wrist and their colours are primarily silver and blue. The
poet moreover describes the colour by making a comparison as the colour is similar
to the mists of a mountain. Some bangles are glowing like buds of flowers that
grow on the top of the plants near the forest rivers. Some are glowing in the same
colour as that of the colour of the new leaves when the light passes through them.
STANZA 3
Some bangles are golden, similar to the colour of fields of ripe corn when sunlight
falls on them. These bangles are meant for brides to wear on the morning of the
marriage. Next the poet uses similes to describe the bangles. She says that that is
the colour of fire around the bangles are like "the flame of marriage fire" which the
couple goes around and takes the marital vows according to the Hindu ritual of
marriage. The second comparison of the bangles is to "the hue of heart's desire";
that is, red. Then the poet uses four adjectives to describe the bangles tinkling
(sound of the glass bangles), luminous (glowing), tender (fragile as they are made
of glass) and clear (transparent). These adjectives are then compared to bridal
laughter and tear. A bride is both happy and a sad woman as she is looking forward
to her life with the life partner (husband) and therefore the 'laughter' and also sad
and tearful as according to Hindu tradition, she has to leave her parents' household
and go to her husband's home.
STANZA 4
Some bangles are of purple colour and some are grey with spots of gold on them.
These bangles are meant for women who have passed the youth of their lives or
are middle-aged. These bangles are meant for hands which have taken great care
to bring up their children and have taken care to look after every need of the
household. The poet mentions how the mother's love for their children is always
“faithful and how the wives take pride in running their household properly and
worship the gods along with their husbands. For these happy and proud women
too there are bangles.
