The Power of Music Poem Summary, Theme, Critical Analysis by Sukumar Ray
The Power of Music Summary
This is a poem by Sukumar Ray and the poem speaks about Bhisma Lochan Sharma who sings during the summer season. He sings with such loudness of his voice that the songs can be heard all over from the hills to the plains. The songs can also be heard from Delhi to Burma. Bhisma Lochan Sharma sings as if he has put his life at stake or risked his life.
He sings in such a way that he doesn’t care, of what might happen. Since he loves to sing, he goes on singing and does not care for anything on his way. All the people on the road are awe-struck when Bhisma Lochan starts singing. They start running about in a disorganized way and get trampled frantically when they try to escape from the strain of Bhisma Lochan’s song. They plead and request him to stop his song as soon as possible or else they will die due to the cacophony.
Bhisma Lochan’s song not only has effects on the humans but his song also has effects on the animals. The bullock-carts turn over, the horses start neighing in panic. But nothing happens to Bhisma Lochan Sharma as he is unconcerned and unaware of all these effects. The moment Bhisma Lochan starts singing the poor animals start screaming in irritation.
The fishes dive into the lake to avoid the sound of his song. They dive in as if in search of peace. The moment Bhisma starts to sing, the trees collapse and shake and their crash can be heard far away. The birds also flip over in the sky by hearing Bhisma’s ear-piercing and deafening melody.
All of them plead Bhisma Lochan to stop his singing or else they will die. But no matter how much the people, animals and birds plead to Bhisma, he does not stop singing. Then comes a male goat who is described as a sagacious fellow because he is clever and has a vivid understanding and knowledge of how to stop Bhisma Lochan. So he decides to teach him a lesson and ends his raucous song. He charges Bhisma with his horns and tosses Bhisma high up into the air. This incident brings back Bhisma to sense and he stops his song and everyone is relieved as they are also able to get back to their senses.
The Power of Music About the Author Sukumar Ray
Sukumar Ray was a Bengali writer and poet from the Indian sub continent. He was born on 30th October, 1887 in Kolkata and died on 10th September 1923. He was the son of Upendrakishor Ray Chowdhury who was famous for writing stories for the children. He was the father of the famous Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray.
Sukumar Ray after passing the Entrance Examination from the City School, took BSc in Chemistry from Presidency College. He then went to England on the Guruprasanna Ghosh Scholarship to study photography and printing technology. He studied at the Manchester School of Technology, where he proved the effectiveness of photo printing in half tone invented by his father. He was a versatile genius. He used to compose rhymes at an early age. Along with photography he leamt painting. He used to write comedies and act in them while he was at college. He composed some songs
during the Swadeshi Movement. His prominent writings include Abol-Tabol (1923), Ha-Ja -Ba-Ra -La (1928), Pagla Dashu (1940). Bahurupi (1944), Khaikhai (1950), Abak Jalpan, Jhalapala etc. He also wrote some serious essays in Bengali and English. He also wrote Hesoramer Dairy written in the form of a diary (Dulal Bhowmik).
The Power of Music Theme
The poem revolves round the power of music. Music actually supports our physical, mental and emotional health. Good music helps us to combat depression, anxiety, stress thereby lifting our moods. We need to listen to music because it gives us energy, soothes us, motivates us and encourages us.
But in this poem the poet highlights the power of the bad music that also ultimately changes the actions, moods and ideas of the people who listen to it in the sense that they become irritated and disturbed and all the elements of nature including animals, birds, human beings, trees, sky and even the mansions show their distaste towards the bad music which seems like a cacophony to them.
The Power of Music Critical Analysis
In the poem “The Power of Music,” Sukumar Ray speaks of the effects of bad music on us. It is actually a funny poem having a nonsense verse. It is written for the amusements of the readers. He opens the poem with the main protagonist Bhisma Lochan Sharma who is a very bad singer. His song can be heard with the onset of summer season on hills and plains and from Delhi to Burma.
We find him how he continues with his singing thinking that he has a lovely voice. But he is not aware of the fact how the others are feeling when they hear his songs which are harsh, irritating and ear piercing for the others. So as soon as people hear his song, they start leaving the place in shock. Though they know that Bhisma Lochan Sharma is singing his song with good intentions, yet his song is so violent that the people have no other options but to run away.
While mining here and there, many people are crushed or trampled and we find them panic-stricken, pale, weak and sick. So they request and plead Bhisma Lochan Sharma to stop singing as they will die. He sings in such a way as if he has risked his own life.
He doesn’t listen to the people and stop his singing because we find him ‘hell-bent’-determined to continue with his song, no matter what happens around him. Through the line “The people, dazed, retire well-meant”- the poet highlights a funny moment in the poem.
There are also other impacts of his harsh music. The bullock-carts on the roadside are overturned and the horses, along the roadside shout and rise their feet up in the air looking confused. They are unable to bear the terrible singing of Bhisma Lochan Sharma.
The horses which have fallen on the roadside are the ‘wretched brutes’ here. We find how the fishes also react to his songs. They swim deep down inside the lake to save themselves from the terrible pain of Bhisma Lochan’s singing. All the animals, big or small react to his songs.
The tall trees also suddenly start trembling and shaking and are uprooted and they collapse. The sound of the collapse can be heard till the distance, of a mile. Not only on the earth, we also find the elements flying in the sky, reacting to Bhisma Lochan Sharma’s songs.
The birds that fly in the sky are disturbed in their flight so they lose control on their wings and turn like turtles or turn upside down. All the people once again plead him to stop singing. But instead of stopping, the voice of him grows loud which becomes unendurable for them. We find Bhisma Lochan relentless as he wants to share his talent with everyone.
People’s request are unheard and go all in vain. Now we find the sky itself to wail by hearing the song. The line “The welkin weeps to hear his screech” shows how Bhisma Lochan’s song seems to be so screeching that the sky also weeps and the mighty mansions tumble. Though these are exaggerating comments yet they arouse in the readers fun, laughter, specially to the children.
The funniest moment of the poem is reached with the entiy of a wise male goat. He understands the situation around, the condition of the people, animals, birds, fishes and decides to stop Bhisma Lochan Sharma from singing his ‘grating’ songs. In this sense he is wise as we find him to save everyone from the pain of Bhisma Lochan’s music.
So he boldly comes and bending his neck with his horns rising up in the air, starts running towards Bhisma Lochan making a loud noise (bellow) and hits him who has been still singing his song with the top of his voice. Singing Bhisma is tossed up high into the air by the sudden hit of the mighty and wise billy goat. This incident stops his song and thus everyone is relieved as they are able to get back their senses. Thus it is like a gift of silence for the whole world.
So we can find here how through ‘ bellow answ’ ring bellow’ everything returns to normal. This expression ‘bellow answering bellow’ implies ‘an eye for an eye’. In other words to reply someone in the same way that he or she does. In the poem the goat replies Bhisma Lochan in the same violent way as Bhisma Lochan’s violent song has brought about to everyone.
So we find the main attraction of this poem lies in its exaggerated comments and the funny moments that have been portrayed by the poet. These make the poem funny and interesting to the readers. The poem therefore is not so serious but is a funny one which gives the reader amusement.
The Power of Music Title of the Story
The poem “The Power Of Music” as the title implies, is a poem which tells us about the power of music or how powerful music is. Through this poem we come to know of what a music can do. Music has got many benefits. It affects our lives as it has the ability to affect our mental states and thus raise our moods. It rejuvenates our mind, gives us energy, motivates us, improves our health physically, mentally and spiritually. It soothes our mind and soul as it acts as a balm when we are weary. It makes us free from stress and gives us relief.
It can encourage us and when we feel deflated, it can re-inspire us. These are all the good effects of music. But in this poem we find how the poet has shown the adverse effects of music. He tries to say that if a music is harsh and violent, it seems to disturb everyone. A cacophony doesn’t act as a balm of mind, soul or body. No one likes to hear unmelodious tune or strain. So in the poem we find how the poet displays the unmelodious and raucous strain of the man named Bhisma Lochan Sharma. Bhisma Lochan Sharma sings with the onset of summer.
His strain is so violent and piercing that it pierces the hills and the plains. The strain with which he sings travels from Delhi to Burma. He sings so profusely that it seems that he has risked or staked his life. He is determined to sing whatever happens or occurs. The people become so irritated and infuriated that they are left bewildered and they leave the place and mn away from there frantically.
Though the people are aware of the fact that Bhisma Lochan Sharma sings with good intentions, yet the very harshness of his music and voice seem to drive them mad. While running they are trampled in panic and are left in pale and sickly condition. The people who have nothing to do to save their lives, at last plead and request Bhisma Lochan Sharma to stop singing as quickly as possible.
Not only the people, the bullock-carts are also overturned. The horses neigh as if to show their resentment. But he is determined to sing and so he is unconcerned of the request that is being done to him. He goes on singing or “booming out his broadside.” Bhisma Lochan Sharma’s song is said to be blare which the horses hear and they start to whine and stare in a confused manner and raise up their feet in the air. So we can well understand from here that Bhisma Lochan Sharma is not at all a good singer.
Not only the creatures present on land have effects of Bhisma Lochan’s song but his song also has effects on the fishes which dive deep into the water in order to pursue peace which they think, they will find there. The natural objects 1 like the trees collapse and shake and the sound with which they fall can be heard a mile away.
The birds in the sky while flying lose balance on their wings and turn upside down when they hear Bhisma Lochan’s song. The people again plead and request Bhisma Lochan to pause his singing but however they plead and complain, his song grows more louder.
The sky also shows its detestation towards Bhisma Lochan’s song by crying. The tall mighty mansions seem to shake. So we can see how the song of Bhisma Lochan has very bad effects on everyone. All of them react in their own manners. These are all the bad effects of music that are shown here. These bad effects of the music are shown in the poem to amuse the readers.
Through funny and exaggerating words and moments in the poem, the poet makes it interesting. Also the contents of the poem are not incongruous with the title of the poem. The power of music is proved in the poem. The music of Bhisma Lochan Sharma has the power to turn the world into a boisterous, noisy place with people running, trees collapsing, mansions shaking and the animals, birds, fishes all reacting in a strange way. All of them are trying to save themselves from the grip of Bhisma Lochgan’s powerful music.
So in other words we can say how Bhisma Lochan’s song or music turns the world into a topsy-turvy state. After this we find the music of Bhisma Lochan to be stopped by a wise male goat. He comes and with his horns, he charges straight to Bhisma Lochan who we is still singing his song. Thus Bhisma Lochan is tossed along with his “strains of song” and all comes to an end.
Bhidsma Lochan, we find, to grant the world with gift of silence ultimately. The whole world turns to silence and serenity. The whole poem, we see deals with that power of music, which is able to change the situation of the whole world. Hence we can say that the title “The Power of Music” for this poem is applicable and befitting with the contents of it.
The Power of Music About The Poem
The poem “The Power Of Music” written by Sukumar Ray is a nonsense children’s verse. It has been translated from Bengali to English by Prof. Sukanta Chaudhari. The poem is about the eccentric character of Bhisma Lochan Sharma. We find him singing his legendary tunes in the summer which are heard from Delhi to Burma. His singing is not definitely of the highest quality so it disturbs whoever hears it.
People plead with him to stop singing but Bhisma Lochan Sharma is relentless and must share his talent democratically with all. It doesn’t make any difference to Bhisma Lochan Sharma as he is doing what he loves. While he sings songs we find different beings in nature reacting. We find the bullocks, horses, fish, birds reacting according to their own ways. The trees crash and fall. Only the billy goat takes action, chasing and crashing into him causing Bhisma Lochan Sharma to stop singing and giving the world the gift of much needed silence and serenity.
The Power of Music Main Point Of The Poem
The poem “The Power of Music” by Sukumar Ray tells about the power that a music has got. Music has the ability to bring joy and comfort, to motivate us and to help us relax. These are all the positive effects of the music but this poem is a funny one dealing with the negative effects of the music. In the poem we find how Bhisma Lochan Sharma through his songs, disturb the people who listen to his songs.
It tells us about how the people, animals, birds and even the trees or in other words all the elements of nature react in different ways since they cannot endure the ‘strain’ with which Bhisma Lochan Sharma sings his songs. Instead of sweet to their ears, his songs seem to be harsh and grating. The songs pierce so much in the ears that everyone requests him to stop his song. But he doesn’t pay any heed to their requests. At last a billy goat comes and replies him in the same violent way as his song has brought about to everyone.
The Power of Music Linewise Summary
1. When summer comes, we hear the hums
Bhisma Lochan Sharma.
You catchhis strain on hill and plain from
Delhi down to Burma
He sings as though he’s staked his life, he sings
as though he’s hell-bent;
The people, dazed, retire amazed althouth they know it’s well-meant
They’re trampled in the panic rout or languish
Pale and sickly,
In these lines the poet Sukumar Ray introduces the main character of the poem, Bhisma Lochan Sharma to us as a singer who is said to sing song with the onset of the summer season. He sings with such a strain that the hills and the plains seem to overflow with it. The song of Bhisma Lochan Sharma is carried from Delhi to Burma. He sings in such a violent way as if he has staked or risked his own life.
Listening to his song, the people are left confused and they leave the place with shock. Although they know that Bhisma Lochan Sharma sings with good intentions but still they can’t help from running away from his song because the harsh, violent song of Bhisma Lochan Sharma becomes unbearable for them. While running, some of them are trampled in panic and are left in pale, weak and sickly condition.
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2. And plead, ‘My friend, we’re near our end, oh
stop your singing quickly!’
The bullock-carts are overturned, and horses
line the roadside;
But Bhisma Lochan, unconcerned, goes
booming out his broadside.
The wretched brutes resent the blare the hour
they hear it sounded,
They whine and stare with feet in air or wonder
quite confounded.
Being restive, impatient and irritated by Bhisma Lochan’s song they plead and request Bhisma Lochan Sharma to stop his singing as quick as possible as they are near their ends. The impact of his song overturns the bullock-carts. The horses also start to react to the songs with disdain. They rise up with feet high up in the air,they are confused and unable to bear the terrible singing of Bhisma. The horses which fall down on the roadside are said to be wretched brutes.
3. The fishes dived below the lake in frantic search for silence
The very trees collapse and shake – you hear the crash a mile hence-
And in the sky the feathered fly turn turtle while they’re winging,
Again we cry, ‘we’re going to die, oh won’t you stop your singing?’
But Bhisma’s soared beyond our reach, howe’er we plead and grumble;
The welkin weeps to hear his screech, and mighty mansions tumble.
The fishes in the lakes also find the song to be cacophonous and unmelodious and so in order to find silence, they dive below the lake. The trees also shake and collapse or fall down by the dissonance. The crashing of the trees can be felt even a mile away. The birds which fly in the sky seem to lose their balance of their wings and so they turn upside down like turtles when they hear the song of Bhisma Lochan Sharma. The people again for the second time request Bhisma Lochan to stop his singing as they are going to die if it is not stopped soon.
But however they plead and request, Bhisma Lochan turns a deaf ear to them and doesn’t seem to be concerned of their peace. He continues with his song because first of all he loves to sing and secondly he wants to share his talent with everyone. Even the sky seems to weep when he hears Bhisma Lochan’s screech. The strong tall buildings shake as if they will fall. These are all the effects that an unmelodious and vociferous song can do.
4. But now there comes a billy goat, a most sagacious fellow,
He downs his horns and charges straight, with bellow answering bellow.
The strains of song are tossed and whirled by blast of brutal violence,
And Bhisma Lochan grants the world the golden gift of silence.
But at last Bhisma Lochan Sharma’s song come to an end. A wise billy goat comes and charges Bhisma Lochan straight with his horns, with bellow answ’ring bellow or an eye for an eye. The meaning of this expression is that a person who causes another person to suffer should suffer in an equal amount.
In other words, the people, animals, birds everyone have been suffering due to Bhisma Lochan’s discordant song. At last Bhisma Lochan suffers when the goat comes, hits and tosses him up high into the air. This action of the goat is said to be “blast of brutal violence”. Thus Bhisma Lochan Sharma stops his song and everyone in the world receives a gift of silence.
The Power of Music Linewise Explanation
1. When summer comes, we hear the hums
Bhisma Lochan Sharma.
You catchhis strain on hill and plain from
Delhi down to Burma
He sings as though he’s staked his life, he sings
as though he’s hell-bent;
The people, dazed, retire amazed althouth they
know it’s well-meant
With the onset of the summer season, one can hear the songs of Bhisma Lochan Sharma, singing with harshness. We can catch the strain flowing on hills and plains and from Delhi to Burma. His song has such a harsh strain and he sings it with such harshness that it seems he has staked or risked his life. It seems that he is determined to sing whatever comes on his way. The people seem to be bewildered and so they run here and there although they know -that Bhisma Lochan Sharma sings with good intentions.
2. They’re trampled in the panic rout or languish
Pale and sickly,
And plead, ‘My friend, we’re near our end, oh
stop your singing quickly!’
The bullock-carts are overturned, and horses
line the roadside;
But Bhisma Lochan, unconcerned, goes
booming out his broadside
The people run here and there and get trampled in panic and become pale, sick and weak. They have nothing to do other than pleading Bhisma Lochan to stop his song quickly otherwise they will die. The defeaning sound becomes unbearable for everyone and so the bullock-carts are overturned. The horses on the roadside start neighing. But Bhisma Lochan is unconcerned to their request and goes ‘booming out his broadside’ or his song doesn’t stop.
3. The wretched brutes resent the blare the hour
they hear it sounded,
They whine and stare with feet in air or wonder
quite confounded.
The fishes dived below the lake in frantic search
for silence
The very trees collapse and shake – you hear the
crash a mile hence-
The horses hearing the blare or the defeaning boisterous song of Bhisma Lochan, show resentment and raising their forelegs high up in the air they whine and stare in wonder and confusion. The fishes seem to dive below the lake in search of silence frantically. The big trees shake and collapse and the sound of the crashing can be heard a mile away.
4. And in the sky the feathered fly turn turtle while
they’re winging,
Again we cry, ‘we’re going to die, oh won’t you
stop your singing?’
But Bhisma’s soared beyond our reach, howe’er
we plead and grumble;
The welkin weeps to hear his screech, and mighty
mansions tumble.
The birds while flying in the sky,turn upside down losing control on their wings when they hear the vociferous song of Bhisma Lochan Sharma. The people again start pleading him to stop singing as they are about to die. But Bhisma Lochan Sharma’s song grow louder inspite of the request. The sky also seems to weep to hear his cacophony. The mighty tall houses shake as if they will collapse.
5. But now there comes a billy goat, a most sagacious fellow,
He downs his horns and charges straight, with bellow answering bellow.
The strains of song are tossed and whirled by blast of brutal violence,
And Bhisma Lochan grants the world the golden gift of silence.
But then comes a wise male goat ,who charges straight with his horns down and tosses Bhisma Lochan Sharma. Bhisma Lochan’s bellow has been answered by the bellow of the billy goat. The expression of “bellow answering bellow” means that the person who causes another person to suffer should suffer in an equal amount. So due to the violent action of the male goat Bhisma Lochan’s violent song comes to an end and thus the world is gifted with silence and serenity.
The Power of Music Annotations and Vocabulary
Strain — tensity; music being played or sung
Staked — bet
Trampled — crushed under or stepped on
Rout — a chaotic situation of defeat
Languish — weaken; deteriorate
Wretched — feeling ill or unhappy
Booming — here, speaking very loudly
Confounded — confused and annoyed
Broadside — an aggressive attack in words
Turn turtle — turn upside down
Plead — beg
Grumble — to complain bitterly
Resent — feel bitterness or indignation at
Welkin — sky
Sagacious — wise
Winging — flying
Bellow — an angry loud shout
Blare — a loud harsh sound
