I. A. Richards : Figurative Language

          I.A Richards, Who’s full name was Ivor Armstrong Richards, who was one of the most influential figure among the critics of the 20th Century. He was born on February 26, 1893, Sandbank, Cheshire, England and also died on September 7, 1979, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, lived very long time and did also very notable things in the history of English Criticism. He was an English critic and poet.

       I.A Richards is remembered today for his notable works as enlisted below:

1. The Meaning of Meaning- 1923
2. The Practical of Criticism – 1929
3. The Principles of Literary criticism-1924

केदार नाथ सिंह की एक बेहतरीन कविता- विद्रोह

आज घर में घुसा

तो वहां अजब दृश्य था
सुनिये- मेरे बिस्तर ने कहा-

यह रहा मेरा इस्तीफ़ा
मैं अपने कपास के भीतर
वापस जाना चाहता हूं
उधर कुर्सी और मेज़ का
एक संयुक्त मोर्चा था
दोनों तड़पकर बोले-
जी- अब बहुत हो चुका
आपको सहते-सहते
हमें बेतरह याद आ रहे हैं
हमारे पेड़
और उनके भीतर का वह
ज़िंदा द्रव
जिसकी हत्या कर दी है
आपने
उधर आलमारी में बंद
किताबें चिल्ला रही थीं
खोल दो-हमें खोल दो
हम जाना चाहती हैं अपने
बांस के जंगल
और मिलना चाहती हैं
अपने बिच्छुओं के डंक
और सांपों के चुंबन से
पर सबसे अधिक नाराज़ थी
वह शॉल
जिसे अभी कुछ दिन पहले कुल्लू से ख़रीद लाया था
बोली- साहब!
आप तो बड़े साहब निकले
मेरा दुम्बा भेड़ा मुझे कब से
पुकार रहा है
और आप हैं कि अपनी देह
की क़ैद में
लपेटे हुए हैं मुझे
उधर टी.वी. और फोन का
बुरा हाल था
ज़ोर-ज़ोर से कुछ कह रहे थे
वे
पर उनकी भाषा
मेरी समझ से परे थी
-कि तभी
नल से टपकता पानी तड़पा-
अब तो हद हो गई साहब!
अगर सुन सकें तो सुन
लीजिए
इन बूंदों की आवाज़-
कि अब हम
यानी आपके सारे के सारे
क़ैदी
आदमी की जेल से
मुक्त होना चाहते हैं
अब जा कहां रहे हैं-
मेरा दरवाज़ा कड़का
जब मैं बाहर निकल रहा था.

In the first stanza of the poem the ‘Bistar’ (Bed) is giving his resignation to the poet and wants return to cotton again, now  Bed is not an Employee that he is giving his resignation. And it is not possible for Bed to turn into cotton again.

In the second stanza Table and Chair are revolting against the poet and remembering the trees from which they’ve made. How  a table and chair can revolt against man???. How can it speak??????. We have never seen table and chair speaking !!!!  table and chair have no sense, then how can they remember trees??? This is the big  mistake of the poet!!!

In the third stanza books are screaming for return to jungle. But we have never seen books screaming!!!. Books have no desire at all then how is it possible that they want to return to jungle? It is problematic that why books want kiss of snakes and painful stung of scorpion?

In the fourth stanza -     shawl  is lifeless(dead) thing, then how can it be unhappy? Shawl is listening to the voice of the lamb  but it is impossible. And how can it complain??

In the next stanza T.V. Telephone and Water speaks that they want to be free from the jail of the humans. But again how can dead things speak?? And at the same time how human being can understand their speech? Human have prepare no jail for them then which jail they are talking about? They ( t.v. phone etc) are not our prisoners at all. And why they want to free from human being?

This poem is problematic. Poet has made many serious mistakes in it. In this poem poet has shown that lifeless, dead things are speaking, complaining and desiring something but it is quite impossible. All this things cannot speak so at the same time poet also can not listen / understand their language!!!!! And all this have no meaning, no message at all. There is nothing fruitful in this poem. Poem is not giving aesthetic delight.

Gazal: chandi jaisa rang hai tera
Lyrics: Pankaj udhas

Chandi Jaisa Rang Hai Tera, Sone Jaise Baal
Ek Tu Hi Dhanwan Hai Gori, Baaki Sab Kangaal
Jis Raste Se Tu Gujre, Voh Phoolon Se Bhar Jaye
Jis Raste Se Tu Gujre, Voh Phoolon Se Bhar Jaye
Tere Pair Ki Komal Aahat Sote Bhaag Jagaye
Jo Patthar Chu Le Gori Tu Voh Heera Ban Jaye

Analysis:

In this song poet is praising the beauty of the girl he likes. He tells that her skin is like silver and her hair are like gold. The way she passes from became full of flowers and her soft footsteps can change fortune. If she touches stone it becomes the diamond.

Problem in understanding the poem:

1) No one have skin of silver and hair of gold. It sounds exaggerating.
2)  The way she passes which become full of flower it is not possible.
3) If she touches stone is converts into diamond. It is also not possible.

Poet’s intension:

Here poet praising beauty of girl he likes.he comparing her beauty with silver and gold.There is no such things in real.