A research paper published at ICMA - International Conference on
Multidisciplinary Approaches – University of Sri Jayewardenepura - 2021
Abstract
Poetry is enriched with different manifestations of water. The symbolic
representation of water in the poetry of British Romantic era and the poetical
works of the second wave of Colombo Age is investigated in this research. The
study is conducted with reference to John Keats and H.M.Kudaligama. The
objectives of this research are to identify the metaphoric manifestations of water
while exploring the compatibility of both poets in this regard. The references to
water in their poems were extracted from a qualitative investigation of secondary
materials. Purity, ferocity, power and resilience of water in their poetic
manifestations can be identified as a symbolic representation which respectively
draws upon impermanence, transience, fluidity, changeability, non-stagnation,
renewability and complexity of life. Thus, it can be argued that there is an
allegorical perception of water in both poets despite the temporal and special
distinction both poets.
Keywords: Water, Romanticism, Symbolic Representation, Keats, Kudaligama
1.INTRODUCTION
Water has been
vastly referred to in various contexts in almost all the genres of literature
among which Romanticism holds a pivotal position. This study intended to
conduct a comparative study on the concept of water in relation to British Romantic
Era (End of 18th and the beginning of 19th century) and
the second wave of Sri Lankan Romantic period (End of 19th century).
It should be noted that the latter era was influenced by the former era to a
certain extent.
John Keats and
H.M.Kudaligama can be respectively identified as representatives from each
period. Despite the
geographical distinction, both Keats and Kudaligama belong to the romantic
period of literature in their countries. The objectives of this research are to identify the concepts related to
water and to explore the points of compatibility in the representation of both
poets.
2. METHODOLOGY
A comparative
reading was conducted on poetry of John Keats and H.M.Kudaligama with reference
to their dwelling on water. Secondary materials were utilized to collect
information. Keatsian poems were explored online whilst ‘Manbandi Panhinda: The
Anthology of Collected Poems of Kudligama’ was referred to find the relevant
instances in the poetry of H.M.Kudaligama.
3. RESULTS AND
DISCUSSION
Among the vast scope of imagery and concepts
which are abundant in Romantic poetry, water plays a pivotal role. Both Keats
and Kudaligama have made several references to water in the form of direct
expression and symbolism.
The concept of purity
of water runs through the works of both of them. As manifested in the following
line by Keats; ‘The moving waters at their priestlike task - of pure ablution round
earth’s human shores’ (Perry,2021) whilst Keats explores the purification effect of water in that manner,
Kudaligama’s portrayal of purity is related to Buddhism. The line which brings
forth a poignant metaphor which equates water to the sense of salvation, ‘Nudutumi
ama mahaa nadiyak oba vithara’ (Kudaligama, 2007) exemplifies it.
Bringing forth the soothing effect of water as
‘Kaviyak wela ohu nalawanu manavi kalu’ (Kudaligama, 2007) Kudaligama simultaneously shows how close
water is to life. It refers to the life-giving effect of water as well. Such
comparisons between life and water are abundant in Keatsean poetry. The following lines
by Keats recall the oriental concept which equates life to a dewdrop. ‘Life is
but a day; A fragile dewdrop on its perilous way from a tree's summit.’ (Bridges,n.d.)
The sentence
engraved on Keats’ tomb; ‘Here lies one whose name was writ in water’ (Perry,2021) is one of his most exemplary references to water. Instead of
carving a name on stone which signals permanence, the act of writing on water
suggests impermanence, transience of life and fluidity at large. The concept of fluidity of water has also
been utilized by Kudaligama to symbolize the never-ending flow of life. His following
poem;
‘Sama thanithalawala hamu wei alasakama
Nirasai atharamaga avahira nodutu bima’(Kudaligama, 2007) further reveals the non-stagnant quality,
changeability and resilience of life.
Further, the complexity of life and water is
equated in the following line;
‘Kisiyam gatalu sithuvili samuduraka gili.’ (Kudaligama, 2007) Keats introduces a metaphor of diving in water in
relation to poetic inspiration as follows. ‘A poem needs understanding through
the senses. The point of diving in a lake is not immediately to swim to the
shore; it’s to be in the lake, to luxuriate in the sensation of water.’ (Preller,
2010) which manifests the above discussed complexity at large.
The mighty power
of water is explicated by Keats via the following lines; ‘The open sky sits
upon our senses like a sapphire crown - the Air is our robe of state - the
Earth is our throne, and the Sea a mighty minstrel playing before it.
(Perry,2013) while in
the form of following lines;
‘Gas gal pawa peralagena maha badde
Ada maha gangak vee muwa dorakada edde’ (Kudaligama,
2007) ferocity and power of water are collectively symbolized by Kudaligama.
Thus, both Keats and Kudaligama have dwelt
upon several concepts of water in relation to its’ purification effect,
ferocity, power and resilience etc while treating water as a metaphor for life
in terms of impermanence, transience, fluidity and complexity at large. Even
though a linguistic distinction in the discourse of Keats and Kudaligama is
visible, the discussed poems are inter-connected with a compatibility of concept
of water in its multiple forms.
4. CONCLUSION
Through the above
comparative analysis of the poetry of Keats and Kudaligama, it was unravelled
that both of them have explored different concepts related to water. Thus; it
can be concluded that water plays a pivotal role in the genre of Romantic
poetry; as manifested by the works of Keats and Kudaligama; two major poets
from British and Sri Lankan Romantic period.
REFERENCES
Kudaligama, G.
(2007) , Manbandi Panhinda, 189, 190,192, 267, 305, 355.
John Keats quote.
(n.d.). A-Z Quotes. https://www.azquotes.com/quote/684988.
(2020, November
25). The Berkshire Edge. https://theberkshireedge.com.
On poetry: The point of diving into a lake is to be
in the lake. James Preller's Blog. (2020, April 14).
http://www.jamespreller.com/2010/08/04/the-point-of-diving-into-a-lake-to-be-in-the-lake/.
Featured poem: 'on the Sea' by John Keats. The
Reader. (2019, August 15). https://www.thereader.org.uk/featured-poem-on-the-sea-by-john-keats-2/.