The Professor Poem by Nissim Ezekiel Summary & Analysis - ES (2024)

by athar

Table of Contents

Introduction

The poem “The Professor” by Nissim Ezekiel is a satire on typical Professors of India. In this poem which is a Dramatic Monologue, a Professor namely Professor Seth meets a person who was once his student.

The professor begins boasting about himself and about his sons and sons-in-law. He mispronounces various words and also uses the wrong phrases. The poem seems to be like Goodbye Party for Miss Pushpa TS in which also the poet mocks at the Indian tradition.

The poem consists of a single stanza having 35 lines. There is no particular rhyme scheme and the language is simple, direct yet satirical.

Poem

Meeting

The professor asks his student, “Remember me?” and then he replies that he isProfessor Shethwhoonce taughthimgeography. It was long ago. Now he isretired,yet his health is quite fine. The very first lines give detail about the nature of the professor. He rather seems to be a friend rather than a leader.

Hiswife died some years back. Narrating that, the professor begins boasting about his children. According to him, all his children are well-settled in life now. He describes each of them separatelyin terms of their position,One is Sales Manager, One is Bank Manager.

Having said that he tells his student thatBoth have cars. The car is a token of richness in India. Thus he wants to say that they are quite rich and well-settled now. Next, he describes his 3rd son, who according to him isnot so well.

Every family must have black sheepmeaning that there is always a spoilt person in every family and in his family it is his third son. Abusing one’s children is also a tradition in Indian society.

His Daughters

Next, he describes the success of his daughters both in a quite orthodox Indian way. He says thatSarala and Tarala are married.Rhyming names are very common in India. We have Ram and Sham, Geeta and Seeta, Athar and Azhar, Diksha & Divya, etc.

Rather than talking about which they have done by themselves, he says that both his daughters are married andtheir husbands are very nice boys. The sentence is fundamentally wrong. However, this is the Indian version of English.

His Grandchildren

The professor then talks about his grandchildren who according to him are 11 in number. These lines depict the mindset of a typical Indian father who feels proud by the achievements of his sons but daughters are just a commodity for him ad their identity is defined by the status and achievements of their husbands.

His Suggestions

After that, for the first time, he asks his studenthow many issues you have?Issues here refers to children. In India, children are often called are issues. This sentence is also quite wrong.

His student replies 3 but it has not been described in the poem. The professor then says that it’s good because these are days of family planning-a wrong sentence.He says that he is not against family planning as he believes in changing with the time.

The lines depict the hypocrisy of the professor. On one hand, he proudly tells that he has 11 grandchildren which is a big number and on the other hand he supports family planning as well.

He addsour progress is progressing meaning that we are progressing.Old values are going, new values are coming. Again, quite humourous lines used by most of the Indians. According to the professor they are doing well and progressing withleaps and bounds.

The professor then says that heisgoing out rarely, now and then because he is old. Yet hishealth is O.K.There is noUsual aches and pains, No diabetes, no blood pressure, no heart attackbecause he has healthy habits which he follows regularly.

Again, after boasting himself again, he asks his student how healthy he is. The student replies that he is quite healthy. The professor says that it is nicelyi.e. quite good.

Again he reverts back to himself. According to him, he will turn 69 that year and hopes to cross 100 years. He then says that the student was very thin those days but now he is healthy.

Now he (student) is aman of weight and consequence.In the last lines, the professor offers his student to visit his humble residence which isjust on opposite house’s backsideand the poem ends.

Begin your discussion of the poem here.

Related Posts:

  1. Michael Poem by William Wordsworth Summary, Notes and Line by Line Explanation in English
  2. Goblin Market Poem by Christina Rossetti Summary, Notes and Line by Line Explanation in English
  3. In a Library Poem by Emily Dickinson Summary, Notes and Line by Line Explanation in English for Students
  4. The First Snowfall Poem by James Russell Lowell Summary, Notes and Line by Line Explanation in English for Students
  5. Casablanca Poem by Felicia Hemans Summary, Notes and Line by Line Explanation in English for Students
The Professor Poem by Nissim Ezekiel Summary & Analysis - ES (2024)

FAQs

What is the message of the poem The professor by Nissim Ezekiel? ›

Answer. It is a satorical poem. It teases the typical manner of speaking of Indians,in which the translate the vernacular languages into english. It also depicts the indian mentality that financial progress is more important than academic progress.

What is the professor poem written by Nissim Ezekiel? ›

'The Professor' is a satirical poem by Nissim Ezekiel written in Dramatic Monologue. The retired professor Seth was once the professor of Geography who meets his student and the conversation between these two is the whole poem. Nissim Ezekiel is one of the popular writers of India.

What is the central theme of Nissim Ezekiel? ›

The recurring note in Ezekiel's poetry is the hurt that urban civilization inflicts on modern man. The major themes of his poetry are “ Love, personal integration, the Indian contemporary scene, modern urban life and spiritual values. Nissim Ezekiel ,the most famous Indian Writer in English was born in Bombay in 1924.

What is the critical analysis of the poem Philosophy by Nissim Ezekiel? ›

Nissim Ezekiel's poem "Philosophy" explores philosophical reflections on life, the world, and the nature of truth and reality. The poem discusses how the landscape and stars dissolve over time, viewed through the "sad eye of Time." While residues of meaning remain, mysteries should remain unexplained.

What is the main message of the poem? ›

The theme of a poem is the message an author wants to communicate through the piece. The theme differs from the main idea because the main idea describes what the text is mostly about. Supporting details in a text can help lead a reader to the main idea.

What was the purpose of the poem? ›

Poems are always aimed at reaching feelings of people and, thus, pulling strings. Literature of every state shows all the complexity of every epoch.

What is the tone of the poem "The Professor"? ›

The Professor by Nissim Ezekiel is particularly remarkable for its depiction of Indianness in a satirical tone. The poem is written in very simple language and in prose-poem style. No particular metre or rhyme scheme has been followed in writing the poem The Professor.

What are the main features of Nissim Ezekiel as poet? ›

Ezekiel's poetry reveals technical skill of a high order. Except in latter work where his choice . of a• open form sometimes makes for looseness, he has always written verse which is extremely tightly constructed. His mastery of the colloquial idiom is matched by a sure command of rhythm and rhyme.

What is the central idea of the poem of dedication by Nissim Ezekiel? ›

Ezekiel's "A Poem of Dedication" reveals his desire for a balanced and human existence, devoid of extreme pursuits. He states, "I do not want the yogi's concentration, I do not want the perfect charity Of saints nor the tyrant's endless power, I want a human balance humanly Acquired, fruitful in the common hour."

What is the central idea of the poem? ›

The central idea is what the poet is writing aboutor conveying to the reader. The message of the poem is the poet's feelings of position regarding the central idea. For example, the central idea of a poem might be war. The message might be opposition to war, the devastation, loss, suffering.

What is the short summary of background casually by Nissim Ezekiel? ›

Summary of "Background Casually" by Nissim Ezekiel

Nissim Ezekiel's poem "Background Casually" explores the theme of identity in postcolonial India. The speaker reflects on their mixed heritage and how it has affected their sense of belonging and understanding of the world.

What is the summary of the poem Urban by Nissim Ezekiel? ›

In the poem, Ezekiel describes reality of the urban city of Bombay, now Mumbai. The poem reveals a conflict in the mind of the poet. The poet expresses his strong feeling of belongingness to the city of Bombay, where he was born. At the same time he is sad and frustrated to see the uneven development of the city.

What is the critical analysis of the poem? ›

The combination of elements the poet uses makes up the "code" of the poem. Analysis means literally picking a poem apart--looking at elements such as imagery, metaphor, poetic language, rhyme scheme, and so on--in order to see how they all work together to produce the poem's meaning.

Which poem of Nissim Ezekiel has the theme of the journey of life? ›

'Enterprise' by Nissim Ezekiel is an allegorical poem describing the journey of life and the poet's realization at different stages of his journey. In 'Enterprise' the poet, Nissim Ezekiel talks about going on a pilgrimage. He is not alone in the journey. There are other pilgrims too in that group.

What is the main theme of the poem lessons in life? ›

This poem is about the lessons we should learn in life. Cultivating friendship is like growing flowers from plants. Friendship will bloom if we show love and kindness to all. We should be aware that this Earth belongs to even the tiniest creatures that live with us.

What is the message meaning of the poem? ›

The message of a poem is often conveyed through the emotions and ideas expressed by the poet. By examining the language and structure of the poem, readers can gain insight into the poet's intended message.

What is the message or lesson of the poem? ›

The message on the poem usually conveys or portrays the insights, feelings or emotions the writer has and gives a moral lessons for anyone who reads the piece.

What is the main message of the poem introduction to poetry? ›

The central idea of the poem is fairly explicit. The author describes ways he feels students should interact with poetry, while ending with how students actually engage with poetry. His emphasis is on poetry as a form of art, as opposed to something that needs to be defined and 'figured out'.

What message does poem convey? ›

The poem gives us the message of mutual and peaceful co-existence and warns us not to fight or hate others. The poet wants to say that there should be no discrimination between people on the basis of their appearance, religion or region. It is inhuman to tease one because of one's different background.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Prof. An Powlowski

Last Updated:

Views: 6582

Rating: 4.3 / 5 (44 voted)

Reviews: 91% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Prof. An Powlowski

Birthday: 1992-09-29

Address: Apt. 994 8891 Orval Hill, Brittnyburgh, AZ 41023-0398

Phone: +26417467956738

Job: District Marketing Strategist

Hobby: Embroidery, Bodybuilding, Motor sports, Amateur radio, Wood carving, Whittling, Air sports

Introduction: My name is Prof. An Powlowski, I am a charming, helpful, attractive, good, graceful, thoughtful, vast person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.