"A Criticism of Free Verse in Tamil of Singapore" by M.Thiyagarajan

Free Verse is a form of Poetry composed of either rhymed or unrhymed lines that have no set fixed metrical pattern. There are thousands of definitions for the genre free verse, but we can have a glance of the definition given by Britannica Encyclopedia (concise):

"Poetry organized according to the cadences of speech and image patterns rather than according to a regular metrical scheme. Its rhythms are based on patterned elements such as sounds, words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs, rather than on the traditional units of metrical feet (see metrical foot). Free verse thus eliminates much of the artificiality and some of the aesthetic distance of poetic expression. It became current in English poetics in the early 20th century. "

Free verse claims to be free from the constraints of regular meter and fixed forms. This makes the poem free to find its own shape according to what the poet - or the poem - wants to say, but still allows him or her to use rhyme, alliteration, rhythms or cadences (etc) to achieve the effects that s/he feels are appropriate. Here a poet evolves a kind of self-prosody which is the outcome of the artistic pursuit for a sophisticated form of expression.

Free verse in Tamil is called as "Puthu Kavithai" (New Poetry).The poets who contribute 'New poetry' in Tamil have done a considerable variety or kinds in this form and as a result of their achievement it has become a Genre

Poets in Tamilnadu who have a good command of conventional prosody and at the same time wish to perform some new experiments so as to evolve a modern literary form are the forerunners of Free verse in Tamil.

Thamizhanban, Abdul Rahman and many other poets who belong to the Bharatidasan School alone have succeeded in their modernist experiments.

But there is another kind of Free verse in Tamil.

People who do not know prosody -who do not even know the syntactic structure of Tamil language- and who wish to gain popularity, scribble something to suit their fancies and pose themselves as modernist poets. Such kind of poets are patronized by literary magazines and their gimmicks with ungrammatical utterances are misunderstood y the serious readers as the products of avant-gardism

The modernist literary trends evolved in the western countries are the outcome of the post-war scenario and industrial revolution. Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud and Charles Darwin were the path-breakers, not only in the history of mankind, but also in the thinking process of man. Approaches to life and arguments in Philosophy gained new vision and provoked a kaleidoscopic variety of arguments and counter-arguments.

Inventions in Atomic physics and explorations in the space, made the mankind, reach new zeniths of intellect. Literature had its impact from printing technology and the development of photography. The modernist trends in painting like Cubism, Fauvism, Impressionism and Expressionism provoked the modern poets.Symbolism, Imagism and Obscurantism attracted them and the verse libre had its origin in these kinds of post-war

modernist trends.

The theme of "International citizen" and the sublime value of Humanism found their places, crossing borders. Japanese haiku was adopted by Europeans and Americans.

Haiku contests were conducted in English by many Airline companies in U.S.

The poems of T.S.Eliot were translated in Japanese language and many Eliot clubs were founded in Japan. The intermingling of East and West was considered as the only way to achieve unity and solidarity of mankind.

To put it brief, the countries which were hostile and inimical before the Second World War craved for peace and prosperity. The calamity and chaos they witnessed during the war taught them new lessons. They now understood that by ignoring the ethnic and geographical divisions mankind should get united and speak in one voice against oppression in any kind by any force. This vision made poets crossing the borders to advocate for Humanism.

But in India, which was the least affected by the wars, the scene is a different one.

As a country of Thiruvalluvar, Buddha and Mahavira, India preached and practiced

non-violence. The freedom struggle under the leadership of Mahathma Gandhi followed ahimsa, the non-violent approach. One world theory is not new to India." Every country is my country and every man is my relative" is the lofty maxim gave by the Tamil poet

Kaniyan poongkundranaar , three thousand years ago.

India never witnessed an industrial revolution. The socio-economic background of Europe which was the nursery of modernism can not be equated with that of India. Here in India, there was the need for a war against the atrocities committed in the name of religion. The practice of Untouchability was so prevalent in almost all of the Indian villages.

Mahathma Phule, Mahathma Gandhi, Periyar E.V.R. and B.R.Ambedkar dedicated their lives for the uplift of the oppressed 'lower caste' Hindus. The caste system and discrimination were eliminated by their sincere efforts at least among the educated urban people. Stringent laws are enforced to ban the discrimination in the name of caste. The modern India owes for its emergence as a welfare state not only to leaders like them but also to poets who propagated the lofty ideals of Phule,Gandhi, Periyar and Ambedkar.

If modernism was the maxim that motivated the western poets, Gandhian thoughts and progressive views were the force behind the Indian poets during the post-war period.

It is the post-colonial period that witnessed the switch over to western thoughts and literary trends in India. The craze for imitating the western experiments infected the Indian literary scene like an epidemic fever from the Mount Himalayas to Cape Comorin.

Poets justified their Eurocentric misadventures and succeeded in their attempt to popularize the Free verse, a blend of meaningless matter and misleading manner.

Now Free verse has emerged as a genre in Indian languages with various kinds to suit different sets of audience.Hiaku, senryu and limeraiku have flourished and found their way to attain important places in Indian languages.

We, as critics, can not prescribe rules and dictate them to poets. The new genres have to be analyzed, appreciated and acknowledged without any hesitation.

Dr.Thyagarajan, an Assistant Professor in NIE, Singapore, has done a laudable work in analyzing the modern Tamil Poetry of Singapore.

An objective study with a superb critical acumen is accomplished in this wonderful study of modern Tamil poetry of Singapore.Through this book one can understand the changing trends in modern Tamil poetry of Singapore. The poems of Ka.Thu.Mu.Iqbal, Ka.Ilangoven, Kumari Gnanapragasam Monica, C.Meenaakshi, Mohammed Ali, Azhagiapandian and Tajuddin form the source material for this analysis.Dr.Thyagarajan has well established in this book the leading trends of free verse written in Singapore.

Individulism, Avant gardism, Progressivism and Populism are the main trends of Modern Tamil Poetry in Singapore, according to Dr.M.Thyagarajan.

Dr.Thyagarajan does not assail any poet in this tiny volume. He neither reprimands them nor impeaches them by putting any blame on them.

Content-analysis, Exponential approach, Descriptive analysis and literary appreciation are the methods he has practiced in this book.

The first chapter, titled "Origin and Growth of New Poetry-A bird's view" attempts to give the evolution of the Free verse in Europe, U.S.A and its impact in Asian countries.

The author, Dr.M.Thiyagarajan, describes the modernist experiments of Picasso in Painting and the reflection of such innovative ideas attempted by Apollianaire in poetry.

He has given a clear narration of the emergence of Free verse in western countries and the role played by T.S.Elliot, Ezra Pound and others in popularizing the modernist techniques. The literary revolution of Walt Whitman who ventured to stage a rebellion against the British colonialism by his disobedience to the English prosody and the welcome to his efforts in India are vividly portrayed by the author.

Bharatiyar, the morning star of modern poetry in Tamil and his impact and influence in Indian poetry have found an important place in this chapter. The author should have explained the role of Bharatidasan, hailed as the revolutionary poet, who played a prominent role inthe development of modern poetry in Tamil.Iconoclasaticity, Thematic surprise and Technical innovation ,the three important theories, followed by Bharatidasan.These three theories turned as practices in his poetry, attracted a number of young poets and thousands of brilliant poets contributed enervating poems in exuberant style, vibrant enough to usher in a new era of rationalism and literary renaissance.

As this volume is a compilation of essays presented at several academic bodies, this omission may not be a deliberate one. But without mentioning the revolutionary path of Bharatidasan in modern Tamil poetry any survey of modern Tamil poetry is incomplete and imperfect. These essays catered to the need of various literary seminars and the author can not be blamed.

Even then this first chapter is a highly commendable survey of modern and modernist trends in twentieth century poetry. The role of Individualism, Avant-gardism, Socialism and Populism in modern poetry is well explained by Dr.M.Thiyagarajan, who deserves many laurels and accolades for such an enlightening essay- educative, informative and thought-provoking. Singaporeans may feel proud to have such an art-critic and literary theoretician in their country. Though this chapter is a tiny one consisting of fifteen pages the message carried and the literary acumen behind this have no comparison.

A short history of the modern art, the origin of the verse libre in European countries, the modernist trends in art and literature with their reflection in the making of free verse as a new genre, the influence and impact of Walt Whitman on Bharatiyar, the development of Tamil New poetry in the second half of the twentieth century and the current literary scene, are all portrayed, in a detailed manner, with the help of a short and efficient narration of relevant information.

The second chapter deals with the origin and development of Tamil New Poetry in Singapore. The author finds five important factors for the growth and spread of free verse in Singapore. They are:

1) The thirst for innovative approaches and origin of a lateral thinking among writers

2) The ignorance of Tamil prosody and lack of knowledge (particularly Tamil culture and language)

3) Declining number of Traditional poets

4) Lack of audience for traditional poetry

5) The warm reception and wider publicity given to new poetry in media (both electronic and print media)

The volumes of New poetry in (Singapore) Tamil, published in the years between 1965 and 1990, are the source material for this analysis. According to Dr.M.Thiyagarajan, the first volume of new poetry in Tamil (vizhic cannalkalin pinnaalirunthu)was published in the year 1979 at Singapore. The pioneer Poet Ka.Ilangoven hardly found any follower for his experimental effort in verse libre.It prompted him to publish another volume (mauna vatham) in 1984.Even then no body dared to follow him. Perhaps his aversion to the traditional values and his onslaught on Tamil culture in his poems made the Singaporean Tamil poets hesitate to write verse libre following Ilangovan.Thereafter he published a bilingual collection of his poems(in English &Tamil) titled "Transcreations."in 1988.

It was Poet Ka.Thu.Mu.Iqbal who succeeded in popularizing verse libre in Tamil at Singapore.His volume titled "Mugavarikal." Contained both conventional poems and new poetry. The long poetic career of Iqbal, his concern to cherish sublime values and Tamil culture, had already earned him high esteem among Singaporeans. His attempts to popularize new poetry gained success among budding poets, leading to a compilation of such free verses titled"Chinna Chinna Sidhdhaanthangal." Such facts and valuable information on the growth and development of the new poetry as a genre are provided by Dr.M.Thiyagarajan in this chapter.

Third chapter of this book analyses the volume titled

" Chinna Chinna Sidhdhaanthangal."

Thiyagarajan enlists all the thirty-four free verses giving their title and explaining their content in a few words. He classifies the themes in which the poems may be fit in. According to him, Love, Society, Nature, Education, Religion, Culture, Humanism, The status of women in our society are the themes in which these verses may be classified.

The classification of various themes and the narration of their content are accomplished in a commendable manner by the author. His keen observation of the message revealed in each poem, his interpretation of the content and its relevance to the contemporary period and his explanation of the aesthetics and satire of the verse are unique and excellent.

Fourth chapter of this book is analyzing the free verses of the famous poet Ka.Thu.Mu.Iqbal.The author enlists and elucidates the images found in the verse of Iqbal

The intellectual and emotional appeals found in the free verse of Iqbal are elaborately explained with a view to make the readers enjoy them.

The fifth chapter explains the poetic excellence of the verses of Kumari Gnanapragasam Monica. Here Thiyagarajan gives an explanation of Impressionism and its impact in art and literature. He considers many of Monica's poems as impressionist verses and aptly explains them. He appreciates the social awareness expressed in some of her poems and at the same time regrets to point out many of her poems as illustrations of escapism and victims of Obscurantism.

The fifth chapter of this volume renders a superb description of Image found in Singapore Tamil (free) verses. He explains the three types if images viz. Unitary Image, Multiple image and chain-like image.Thiyagarajan has done an excellent job, by his codification and classification of poetic images. There is no harm in pointing out that he has liberally borrowed from my book titles "Three great techniques in New poetry."Thiaygarajan has not committed any type of plagiarism, but has taken the theories from my book and successfully applied to the New Poetry written by Singapore Tamils.

Thiyagarajan has delved deep in each poem, understood well the inner beauty of each image and has explained the architectonics of the imagist creation. In him I see a budding Elliot. It can not be denied that in Singapore, Thiyagarajan is a pioneer in the criticism of modernist verses. Being a fore-runner in the critical career, he may find it hard for a smooth journey in his journey, as he has no predecessors. This tiny volume of in-depth matter is an encouraging evidence for his sharp vision, elaborate knowledge, excellent narration and extra-ordinary skill in finding the poetic talent. He never uses his critical

Job to find fault with any poet. Bold and unbiased, Professor Thiyagarajan sincerely wishes to propagandise and popularize the poetic talents of Tamil poets in Singapore to the world. The grand success he has got in this mission can be easily found out if you venture a cursory reading of this book.

I hope lovers of Poetry will find this book quite interesting and invigorating. I am sure, Dr.Thyagarajan will bring many more volumes like this, which will help the readers understand the matter and appreciate the manner in Modern Tamil Poetry.