My Last Duchess by Robert Browning

This poem is about the Duke of Ferrara who lived in 16^th century. The duke is the speaker of the poem. He is showing a visitor his palace and stops before a portrait of the Late Duchess, who was a young and lovely girl. The duke keeps this portrait behind a curtain that only he is allowed to draw. The Duke describes the circumstances in which the painting was made and the fate of his unfortunate former wife. The duchess was pleased easily and she smiled at everything and everybody and seemed just as happy when someone brought her a branch of cherries as she did when the Duke decided to marry her. The Duke tells the visitor that painting of the duchess is impressively accurate and the painter Fra Pandolf worked hard to achieve a realistic effect. The Duke mentioned Pandolf’s name by purpose because strangers never examine the Duchess portrait without looking like they want to ask the Duke how the painter put so much “depth and passion” into the expression on the Duchess face. Duke says that only he will answer because no one is allowed to drawback the curtain that hangs over the portrait. Only the Duke is allowed to look at it or show it to anyone else. Further he starts describing the painting as having a “spot of joy” in it, perhaps a slight blush of pleasure. The Duke thought that only her husband’s presence would make her blush but he was wrong. Everything made her blush and the Duke didn’t like this. The reason for her blushing in the portrait may be when Pandolf was painting, he would have set that her ‘mantle’ covered her wrist too much and so she should take it up a little or maybe he have complimented her on the becoming way that she flushes, telling her that “paint must never hope to reproduce”. The Duke describes (22,23) the Duchess as “too soon made glad” as it was her main problem that everything made her happy this means that she is not serious and she likes everything she sees. If someone gives a favor that she can wear jewelry, she thanks them for it in the same way that she approves of a pretty sunset, a branch of cherries. Sometimes she doesn’t say anything and just blushes in that special way. The problem is not her blushing but she blushes at that officious fool who brings them to her. Duke says that it’s good that she thanks people for their favors but she did just as she thanked the Duke himself. Duke had given her 900 years old name and power and prestige. Duke thinks himself superior and thinks that Duchess ought to value the social alleviation of her marriage over the simple pleasures of life. The Duke says that he didn’t have the skill in speech to explain what he wanted form her. He suggests that she might have resisted being ‘lessoned’ i.e. taught a lesson by him, if she had ‘made excuse’ for her behavior instead. The Duke admits that when he passed off by her, she smiled but that was not special as every passerby got the some smile. Then the Duke was frustrated by Duchess’s indiscriminate kindness and appreciation of everything and gave commands. “All smiles stopped together”- from this live we can guess maybe how she is not a Duchess anymore rather she is “last duchess”. The Duke ends his story and points towards the full body portrait again in which she stands “as if alive”. Then asks his listener to get up and go back demon stairs. In line 48-53, we come to know why the Duke is talking to this guy. The listeners are a servant of a count and the Duke is wooing the count’s daughter. He tells the servant that he knows about the count’s wealth and expects to get any reasonable dowry but “main object” is the daughter herself. The listeners tries to get away from him but Duke stops him and insists on meeting everyone together demon stairs. Before learning, he points out a Bronze statue of Neptune, the god of the sun, taming the sea-horse. He mentions the name of the artist who cast this statue, Claus of Innsbruck, who made or specifically for him. From this poem we come to know that the Duke is a very jealous man. Duke was so much jealous that he observed this chaste painter with his wife in order to be sure. The Duke’s pride and selfishness are also revealed as he says that he had given the last Duchess a 900 years old name. We can see that Duke is dominant also. “I said/ Fra Pandolf by design”. These lines reveal how the Duke tells this thing. Moreover, now the Duke controls this portrait too as only he can remove the curtain the line “Notice Neptune, though/ Taming a sea horse, though a rarity/ which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!” reveals that Neptune, god of the sea, Taming a small, beautiful sea creature in what would obviously be no contest. In other words the Duke sees himself as a god who has tamed/ will tamed his Duchess. Like Neptune, Duke rules his kingdom and when he grows tired of his last Duchess he gave commands and all the smiles stopped again.

Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

 Here are my views on the novel Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

1-    What is the meaning of phrase ‘Blood Money’ in Veronica’s reply email?

Sarah Ford sends Tony a letter and 500 pounds. When Tony tells this to Veronica, she says it was blood money. But Tony is not able to understand what she said. This novel talks about lack of love and faith, God, Karmic philosophy etc. We can say that blood money here means the money earned by killing the innocent people. Here killing doesn’t mean physical killing of murder but the killing of feelings and emotions. When Tony and Veronica were in a relationship, her father had offered him huge amount of money but after that, they broke up. Then Adrian sent a letter to Tony asking for his permission to date Veronica. Tony, in response to that letter told him to meet her mother. Due to this, she lost her everything. From Veronica’s point of view there can be two reasons. One is that she may think that her mother was responsible for Adrian’s suicide as he might have felt guilty after making relation with Sarah. Another reason can be that she thinks that Tony is responsible for Adrian’s suicide. If Tony won’t have written in reply to that letter, Adrian wouldn’t have met Sarah and all this wouldn’t have happened. So we can say that Veronica thinks that Sarah and Tony both are responsible for Adrian’s suicide, and so she calls that money as blood money.

2-    Adrian’s Diary is willed to Tony by Sarah Ford. How come Sarah Ford owned it? Why was it in the possession of Veronica?

In the story we read that Sarah had written in the letter that Adrian was happy in his last days. This means that Adrian was with Sarah in last few days before his suicide. So it is obvious his diary would have been with her. Till she was alive, she possessed the diary and after her death, She wrote in her will to pass that diary to Tony but Veronica however was able to possess it.

3-    How was Veronica related to Adrian, the one suffering in care-in-the-community?

Veronica and Junior Adrian can be called siblings as Sarah and Adrian were the parents. We can also say that Adrian, who was Tony’s friend, was suffering from mental trauma and had gone mad as he can be called the step father of Veronica.

4-    Do you see any missing block-some dot which is not getting connected with the whole or dot missing to get full sense of the novel- in the plot of this psychological thriller?

There are so many things that are not clear as the whole novel is depended on possibilities. We are not told how Veronica and Adrian met, what were the reasons for ending relationship between Adrian and Veronica, why Sarah kept herself busy in search of other man etc. We are not told much about any character and their history so we can assume whatever we want to.

5-    In the light of new revelations, how do you read character of Veronica? Instinctive, manipulative, calculating, stubborn, haughty, sacrificial, trustworthy, Good Samaritan?

When the whole story unfolds, we can read her character as sacrificial and trustworthy. Earlier we found her calculative when she broke up with Tony. In the next part Veronica shows Tony a group of mentally retarded people but he doesn’t understand what she tried to convey. She can be called calculative because Tony was never able to understand her and she thought that if she continues her relation with Tony, they will never be happy. In the end we can see that Veronica is taking care of junior Adrian so we can call her as sacrificial and emotional too.

6-    What do you mean by unreliable character? Is Tony Webster classifiable as unreliable narrator?

Unreliable narrator is the one whose narration cannot be taken as reliable or whose narration is not faithful to reality. Tony can also be called an unreliable narrator because he starts his narration by saying that “I remember, in no particular order”. We can say that whatever the narrator is going to tell is the outcome of his broken memory as he joins the missing dots with his own perspective and imagination. The first part of the novel is all about imperfections of memory and the second part is all about inadequacies of documentation.

Thank You

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie and The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

The novel Midnight's Children is written by Salman Rushdie and directed by Deepa Mehta. The drama or Movie version of the MidNight’s Children tells the story of two individuals who born at the stroke of the midnight, when India achieved its Independence from British. One is born in rich family, second in poor family. What the line just above some line states, accordingly the rich one will live in utter poverty and the poor will grow up in rich family.  There is a story of three generations and the narrative technique is very long. The plot of the drama is centres around these two characters are Saleem and Shiva. The story is their childhood to man, but in the course of that time it covers nearly more than 30 years. which includes some historical time in Indian as well as Bangladesh’s history, Indian history like the independence movement, two civil war with Pakistan, arising of the Bangladesh as new nation, Emergency during Indira Gandhi was Prime minister of India. In a sense we can see as record of history and Indian culture too. Character of Parvati presents magic realism. Through her magic skills, she changes the situation and saves Saleem’s life.

 “The Fundamental Reluctant” is movie released in 2014, directed by Mira Nair, it is not less than any Hollywood movie, its script is written by Salman Rushdie and Mohsin Hamid, Mohsin is well known English writer in Pakistan who’s achieved readers of the world. This movie is all about political controversy and 9/11 attack, idea of East and West, American dream of Changez. Professor of Pakistan University Changez and Bobby Lincoln played a vital role in the movie. Changez Khan, the hero of the novel, in frame narration story move forward, as Changez who at present live in Pakistan, tells his life story to an American journalist who is also secret agent of CIA. The story starts with the abduction of American professor working in the University of the Lahore, and the journalist suspect Changez behind all this. When Changez lives in America, he has to suffer a lot. he is very happy to get a job in an American company but then he realizes that whatever order is given by his boss is to be completed by him. He feels that Arica is also not faithful with him. She publishes some of his photos stating that “I had one Pakistani”. American police caught Changez doubting upon him as there were controversies regarding Muslims and Al Qaeda. They all felt that bearded person is a terrorist and so Changez is ordered by his boss to remove his beard. He then leaves America and comes back to Pakistan. There he narrates his story to a journalist. As the journalist belongs to the West, he is also conditioned by his mind and starts spying on Changez. Three people, Changez, his boss and a African man are going somewhere and police asks to show them their passports and prove their identity. When they come to know that Changez is Pakistani, they take him and check his body. This shows that how a Pakistani man has to suffer in other country.Changez feels that hypocrisy, ignorance is there in America and so his dream breaks. He has to prove his identity everywhere in America. 

Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett

In the play, first scene is a 'country road, a tree and evening'. It is very symbolical. Barren tree symbolizes negative things and it shows near to death. These paintings symbolize longing. Longing means desire for hope. Life is a endless process and our desires are also endless. First painting is dark and second is yellowish. but these painting shows harsh reality of our life.

 We cannot say that only tree is important in the setting instead it symbolizes many things. tree is connected with the religion of Christianity, Muslims and Hindus. In Hindu religion, trees like Ashoka and Pipal are used at auspicious occasions. These are some hidden symbols. In both the acts tree is more important because Vladimir thinks that Godot will come near by the tree. But Estragon doesn't think like this as his attention is only towards food or absurd things. A few leaves grow in Act II on the barren tree which symbolizes that time is static but we have to move on.  Leaves present hope in our life. If we connect this idea with Vladimir and Estragon's life, perhaps they have hope that someday Godot will come. In both acts, evening falls into night and moon rises. It shows that we  complete our routine work but ultimate reality is that at last we have to face death. ' coming of night and moon', it shows that whatever situation comes we have t face it and at last our hope and desire ends with death. whole day Vladimir and Estragon wait for Godot, even if they don't know about who is Godot? What is Godot? Where he will come but they wait for him.



 In the movie 'Waiting for Godot' director puts setting with some debris. After earthquake some bad things happens in place like many houses fall in the street or road. Here also director puts this thing. We can compare this thing with our life the whole life we are busy with one or another work but at last death comes. We compare debris with death. because both are natural process, we can't stop it. And when death comes, we have no language to express ourselves. Setting shows that directly Vladimir and Estragon waiting  for Godot but ultimate reality is death, so maybe they waiting for death.

The theme 'nothingness' shows that nothing is to be done in our life. because if we compare characters of Vladimir and Estragon, both are very paradoxical character. Vladimir is connected with mind and philosophy and Estragon is connected with food or physical aspect. So, if we minutely read these characters we don't see any difference because at last they have to go on. The play begins with 'nothing to be done' itself presents meaningless or hopelessness in our life.


Yes, I agree that 'Waiting for Godot' is positive play not pessimistic. Because we are waiting for something and think that some will come and solve our problems but finally no one comes and death comes. But this waiting for someone(Godot) is positive because it provides us positive support and because of this idea we have to move on. But this idea goes with believer of person otherwise it does not work and people think in practical way. As i saw it with my blood and skin and eyes, the philosophy is "No matter what atom bombs, hydrogen bombs, anything life goes on, you can kill yourself, but you can't kill me". It shows that we can't live with our philosophy. we have to follow these things in our life. One side atom bombs, hydrogen bombs produced and it kills many people but we have to go on. You can kill yourself, but you can't kill me, it shows individualistic idea.

 Boots and hat used is very symbolical. Vladimir playing with hat and it goes with thinking process. symbol of boot is of very lower level and absurd thing. relationship of Pozzo and Lucky presents master slave relationship. Behavior of lucky is very irritating and nauseatic. When he speaks we feel irritating because he speaks continuously and loudly. Sometimes some slavishness behaviour is seen in Lucky. It is habit for Lucky that he easily follows the commands of Pozzo, the master. That's why he obediently hands over the whip in his hand. Here we can give the example of Robinson Crusoe that how he treated Friday and aught everything. Master slave mentality presents the idea of superior and inferior.


 According to my point of view, I cannot target one point but interpretation of it is very vast. In our whole life, we always try to fulfill our dreams and hopes. it depends upon our situation and time that at the age of 22 or 25 we wait for a job so it goes through success. And at the age of 17 or 18 we wait for death. Godot  is compared with hope, desire, success and waiting for death.


Yes, I agree that the subject of the play is not Godot but it is waiting. We are waiting for something sometimes job, marriage etc. But at last we have to accept death. Waiting is an endless process for human beings. Here in this play also Vladimir and Estragon are waiting for Godot. But they don't know about Godot. Waiting is endless process and also the theme of the play.


According to my point of view, reading is better than watching the movie. But both things are necessary. When we read the play, we minutely read the dialogues between the characters and when we watch movie, through actions we get more ideas about the play. Though torrent of dialogues do not give ample time and space to think but through audio-visual effect we can get more concentration on characters.


 I liked the conversation of Vladimir with the boy. Title itself is "Waiting for Godot" and Vladimir also talks with little boy regarding God. When little boy comes the conversation as like follows :
V - Who are you?
Little Boy - I am messenger of Godot.
V - When will he come ?
LB - Tomorrow.
V - If Godot is bearded man ?
LB - No.
V - Is he fair, Black or Red ?
LB - White.


 Yes, At the end of the movie , I feel the effect of existential crises or meaninglessness of human existence in the irrational and in different Universe. During whole movie they are waiting for Godot but he never comes. So, Here we feel existential crises because they believe in God. According to Nietzsche "God is dead" means we have to believe in ourselves. Meaninglessness of human existence happens when we are waiting for someone. At last, nobody comes in the play, Vladimir and Estragon are tired of this situation.


 Vladimir and Estragon talk about ' Hanging' because they are tired with their life. They are waiting for Godot as he will come but this does not happen in their life. Idea of suicide is connected with our problems of life. If we can't face problems and struggle in our life, this idea comes but when we go through this reality we can't do it. Birth is not in our control as well as death. When person is tired with existence, he or she thinks about suicide.

'The Birthday Party

 In this movie, Lulu is represented as an inspiration of an artist, McCann and Goldberg as the traditions in the society and Stanley as free thinker. To create the effect of losing of vision more intensely, these two scenes may have been omitted from the movie.


 Menace has uncertainty which means combination of tragedy and comedy. When the long conversation goes between McCann, Stanley and Goldberg, we feel that Stanley has a hidden past which we are not aware. so here we can find the effect of menace.

 When lights went off during the birthday party, we feel lurking danger and we feel that party will never end.


 Newspaper can be seen from both sides means positively and negatively. Watching from positive side, it gives us information and tells us the reality but when we see the negative side, we can hide yourself behind it. Petey is reading the newspaper which means he is facing the reality but in front of Meg, he is hiding himself. The turning of newspaper by McCann symbolizes that he too is broken from inside.


 Camera is the chief thing to make a movie. The person who is on power position is always at the Centre and is shown by the camera mainly and so camera is focusing over the head of McCann. The view of the room is like a cage which symbolizes that Stanley is trapped by strangers who were torturing him.


Yes, it happens in the movie. Art is represented by Stanley, truth is presented by Petey, and politics is presented by McCann and Goldberg. 


 While watching the movie, we get the concept more clear rather than reading. While viewing the movie, we can feel the "Pause" but this may not happen while reading. 


 I think that the statement is correct that " it's impossible to imagine a better film of Pinter's play than this sensitive, disturbing version directed by William Friedkin".

 This movie is the best made movie by Pinter so I would not like to make any changes.

To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf uses stream of consciousness in this novel. She presents psychological level of a person, shows the aspects of living the life and presentation of complex relations. Mrs Ramsay is the central character and a bridge between children and their father. Children are not directly connected with their father. She is a woman who sacrifices herself for others. She is truly a typical woman.

 In the last lines, Lily is about to finish a portrait of Mrs Ramsay. Whatever happens in the due time is clearly shown in her painting. She is a person who shows vision of real life. Her painting shows the status of women in society and harsh reality of the society. She is single as she is against the patriarchal idea. At last when she finishes her painting, she goes into her house and this shows her state of mind. There is a little darkness and little light in the room which shows that something is hidden in her mind. Closed doors signify her vision that though she completed her painting but she was not satisfied. Open windows means lack of some fulfilment, desire and inner side. "Dearest Briscoe, you are a fool"- this sentence proves that she is not satisfied with her life and accepts the life of Mrs Ramsay. The second argument proves that she won over her thinking the full life but atlast she gets defeated by her own thoughts. 

 Yes, it is true that this novel is both a tribute and a critique of Mrs Ramsay. She is a typical woman who is always involved in family and as well as a good host. Understanding nature, kindness, generosity etc are some of her characteristic traits of her. She is dedicated for others and doesn't think of herself. Man think that woman should not express their views because if they are given the freedom to think, maybe she can go against the power. She is an ideal Indian woman as she flows the rules of her husband and always goes for the wishes of others. 

 Catalogues of Army and Navy symbolises change of technology and improving human culture. Cutting of refrigerator shows preservation. It is an instrument of science. The catalogue does not have a date but has a name War. Time and technology is powerful but drawing or the newspaper is shown powerless as anyone can cut it.

 We can see a parallel between Mrs Ramsay and Fisherman's wife. They both make unreasonable demands. Mrs Ramsay repeatedly insists the possibility of fair weather fairytale seems to be ironic and the fisherman's wife keeps asking her husband to return to the sea and request more and more from the flounder. They both go parallel.

The Wasteland by T. S. Eliot

 ‘The wasteland’ written by TS Eliot is most appreciated as well as criticized work at early decades of modern time Poet is also criticized. Concept of superhuman given by Shri Aurobindo is used by Nietzsche who confessed in his work “God is dead” gives importance to a human being. A man with will power is a spirit which can do anything. What really is needed to cultivate is the spirit of superhuman. T.S.Eliot is criticized as regressive and backward looking. Eliot has used many myths from Greek, French, Indian, Christian etc. He has made a collage of images. Eliot has used all the myth is in positive way but they are negative. Eliot has used the myth of Philomela, Tiresias, Sybil, Fisher King, Apollo etc because he wants to convey that spiritual, moral and en the spirituality is restored as the problem gets solved.


Gustav Hellstrom has its own importance in reading Wasteland from psychological approach. Elliot has opposite opinion to that of the psychology. Eliot believes in repression of desires which will help to preserve our culture and this will lead towards human salvation. Freud believes in natural instincts, all the suppressed desire in our unconscious mind should be either given free vent to let out or should be displacement otherwise those repressed desires will lead to neurotic.

Eliot has made use of many myths poem different cultures and tries to connect different religious thoughts to get the answer. In the third part of the poem, he refers to “Jain- Buddhist” philosophy especially the sermon given by Buddha. Second allusion is presented in the last part which he refers to Ganga, Brihadaranyaka-upanishad.
Datta- be a giver
Dayadhvam- compassion, sympathise, empathise
Damyata- control and repress
The poem is of a quest of a man to restore spirituality as well as solution of contemporary malice.