Nissim Ezekiel

Nissim Ezekiel (16 December 1924 – 9 January 2004) [1] was an

Nissim Ezekiel
Indian Jewish poet, actor, playwright, editor and art critic.[2] He was a
foundational figure[3] in postcolonial India's literary history,
specifically for Indian Poetry in English.[4]

He was awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983 for his

collection, "Latter-Day Psalms", by the Sahitya Akademi, India's
National Academy of Letters.[5] Ezekiel has been applauded for his
subtle, restrained and well crafted diction, dealing with common and
mundane (simple) themes in a manner that manifests both cognitive
profundity, as well as an unsentimental, realistic sensibility, that has Born 16 December 1924
been influential on the course of succeeding Indian English poetry. Bombay, Bombay
Ezekiel enriched and established Indian English language poetry Presidency, British
through his modernist innovations and techniques, which enlarged India
Indian English literature, moving it beyond purely spiritual and Died 9 January 2004
orientalist themes, to include a wider range of concerns and interests, (aged 79)
including familial events, individual angst and skeptical societal Mumbai,
introspection.[6] Maharashtra, India
Occupation Poet, playwright, art
critic, editor
Contents Nationality Indian
Period 1952–2004
Early life
Genre Modern Indian
Career
English Poetry
Editor Notable Night of the
Death work Scorpion; Latter Day
Books by Ezekiel Psalms
Notable Padmashri 1988 ,
Plays awards Sahitya Akademi
Prose 1983
Editor
Poems
Appearances in the following poetry Anthologies
Further reading
See also
References
External links

Early life
Ezekiel was born on 16 December 1924 in Bombay (Mumbai) in Maharashtra. His father was a professor of
botany at Wilson College, and his mother was principal of her own school. The Ezekiels belonged to
Mumbai's Marathi-speaking Jewish community known as the Bene Israel.[7]

In 1947, Ezekiel earned a BA in Literature from Wilson College, Mumbai, Bombay University. In 1947-48,
he taught English literature and published literary articles.[8] After dabbling in politics for a while, he sailed to
England in November 1948. He studied philosophy at Birkbeck College, London. After three and a half years,
Ezekiel worked his way home as a deck-scrubber aboard a ship carrying arms to Indochina.[9]

Career
Ezekiel's first book,[10] A Time to change, appeared in 1952. He published another volume of poems, The
deadly man in 1960.[11] After working as an advertising copywriter and general manager of a picture frame
company (1954–59), he co-founded the literary monthly Jumpo, in 1961. He became art critic of The Times of
India (1964–66) and edited Poetry India (1966–67). From 1961 to 1972, he headed the English department of
Mithibai College, Bombay. The Exact Name, his fifth book of poetry, was published in 1965. During this
period he held short-term tenure as visiting professor at University of Leeds (1964) and University of
Pondicherry (1967). In 1969, at the Writers Workshop, Ezekiel[12] published his Three Plays which includes
Nalini, Marriage Poem, The Sleep-walkers.[13] A year later, he presented an art series of ten programmes for
Indian television. In 1976, he translated Jawaharlal Nehru's poetry from English to Marathi, in collaboration
with Vrinda Nabar, and co-edited a fiction and poetry anthology.[14] His poem The Night of the Scorpion is
used[15] as study material[16] in Indian and Colombian schools. Ezekiel also penned poems in ‘Indian English’
[17] like the one based on instruction boards in his favourite Irani café. His poems are used[18] in NCERT and
ICSE English textbooks. His poem 'Background, Casually' is considered to be the most defining poem of his
poetic and personal career.

Nissim Ezekiel is often considered the father of Modern Indian English poetry by many critics.[19][20][21][22]

He was honoured with the Padmashri award by the President of India in 1988 and the Sahitya Akademi
cultural award in 1983.[23]

Editor
He edited The Indian P.E.N., official organ of P.E.N. All-India Centre, Bombay from The Theosophy Hall,
New Marine Lines, and encouraged poets and writers.[24]

Death
After a prolonged battle with Alzheimer’s disease, Nissim Ezekiel died in Mumbai, on 9 January 2004 (aged
79).[25][26][27]

Books by Ezekiel
1952: Time To Change[28]
1953: Sixty poems[28]
1956: The Discovery of India[28]
1959: The Third[28]
1960: The Unfinished Man[28]
 1965: The Exact Name[28]
1974: Snakeskin and Other Poems, translations of the Marathi poet Indira Sant
1976: Hymns in Darkness
1982: Latter-Day Psalms
1989: Collected Poems 1952-88 OUP

Plays
1969: The Three Plays Kolkata: Writers Workshop, India[29]
Do Not Call it Suicide Madras: Macmillan India, 1993.[30]

Prose
1992: Selected Prose [31]
Naipaul's India and mine- an essay[32]

Editor
1965: An Emerson Readers[28]
1969: A Joseph King Reader[28]
1990: Another India, anthology of fiction and poetry[28]

Poems
The Couple
Enterprise[33]
A Time to Change
Philosophy
Island
For Elkana
The Professor
Soap
Marriage
In the country cott
How the english lessons ended
The Paradise Flycatcher
Night of The Scorpion
Goodbye party for Miss Pushpa T.S.
Entertainment (was the best of one)
“Background, Casually”
Poet, Lover and Birdwatcher[34]

Appearances in the following poetry Anthologies

 The Golden Treasure of Writers Workshop Poetry (2008) ed. by Rubana Huq and published by
Writers Workshop, Calcutta[35]
Ten Twentieth-Century Indian Poets (1976) ed. by R. Parthasarathy and published by Oxford
University Press, New Delhi[36]
The Oxford India Anthology of Twelve Modern Indian Poets (1992) ed. by Arvind Krishna
Mehrotra and published by Oxford University Press, New Delhi[37][38]

Further reading
R. Raj Rao, Nissim Ezekiel: The Authorized Biography (Viking, 2000)
Sanjit Mishra, The Poetic Art of Nissim Ezekiel ( Atlantic, 2001)

See also
Indian English Poetry
Indian poetry in English
Indian English Literature
Indian literature

References
1. " 'Nissim Ezekiel' by R. Raj Rao" (https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/society-the-arts/books/st
ory/20000515-book-review-nissim-ezekiel-by-r.-raj-rao-777553-2000-05-15). indiatoday.in.
indiatoday.in. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
2. Joffe, Lawrence (9 March 2004). "Nissim Ezekiel Gifted poet nurturing English-language verse
in India" (https://www.theguardian.com/news/2004/mar/09/guardianobituaries.india). The
Guardian. theguardian.com. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
3. "Nissim Ezekiel Biography and latest books by Nissim Ezekiel" (https://www.pcds.co.in/celeb-a
uthor-nissim-ezekiel.php). pcds.co.in. pcds.co.in. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
4. "A Life in Verse: Honouring Nissim Ezekiel on His Birth Anniversary" (https://www.thequint.co
m/lifestyle/art-and-culture/bombay-poet-nissim-ezekiel-family-shares-anecdotes-on-93-birth-an
niversary). thequint.com. thequint.com. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
5. "Sahitya Akademi Award - English (Official listings)" (https://web.archive.org/web/2010061108
0633/http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa10304.htm). Sahitya Akademi.
Archived from the original (http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa10304.htm#engli
sh) on 11 June 2010.
6. "Indian Writing in English- Nissim Ezekiel" (https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Indian-Writing-in-E
nglish-Nissim-Ezekiel-P3WNXYE36YZS). bartleby.com. bartleby.com. Retrieved 18 August
2018.
7. Joffe, Lawrence (9 March 2004). "Obituary: Nissim Ezekiel" (https://www.theguardian.com/new
s/2004/mar/09/guardianobituaries.india). The Guardian. London. Retrieved 26 September
2013.
8. "Indian Sense and Sensibility in Nissim Ezekiel's Poems" (http://www.allresearchjournal.com/a
rchives/2015/vol1issue11/PartE/1-11-12.pdf) (PDF). llresearchjournal.com.
llresearchjournal.com. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
9. "Nissim Ezekiel's biography: Second edition to be launched on 92nd birth anniversary" (https://i
ndianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/nissim-ezekiels-biography-second-edition-to-be-launc
hed-on-92nd-birth-anniversary-4427632/). indianexpress.com. indianexpress.com. Retrieved
18 August 2018.
10. "Nissim Ezekiel Biography" (https://www.mapsofindia.com/who-is-who/literature/nissim-ezekei
l.html). mapsofindia.com. mapsofindia.com. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
11. "Themes Of Postmodernism In Nissim Ezekiels Poems English Literature Essay" (https://www.
ukessays.com/essays/english-literature/themes-of-postmodernism-in-nissim-ezekiels-poems-e
nglish-literature-essay.php). ukessays.com. ukessays.com. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
12. "Remembering Nissim Ezekiel" (https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-literaryr
eview/Remembering-Nissim-Ezekiel/article15402545.ece#). The Hindu. thehindu.com. 6
September 2008. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
13. Blackwell, Fritz (1976). "Four Plays of Nissim Ezekiel" (https://www.jstor.org/stable/40873478).
Journal of South Asian Literature. 11 (3/4): 265–272. ISSN 0091-5637 (https://www.worldcat.or
g/issn/0091-5637). JSTOR 40873478 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/40873478).
14. "Summary of "Poet, Lover, Birdwatcher" by Nissim Ezekiel" (http://www.shareyouressays.com/k
nowledge/summary-of-poet-lover-birdwatcher-by-nissim-ezekiel/118170).
shareyouressays.com. shareyouressays.com. 17 May 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
15. "Analysis of Poem "Night of the Scorpion" by Nissim Ezekiel" (https://owlcation.com/humanitie
s/Analysis-of-Poem-The-Night-of-the-Scorpion-by-Nissim-Ezekiel). owlcation.com.
owlcation.com. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
16. "Nissim Ezekiel's Night of the Scorpion: Summary & Analysis" (http://www.iluenglish.com/nissi
m-ezekiels-night-of-the-scorpion-summary-analysis/). iluenglish.com. iluenglish.com. Retrieved
18 August 2018.
17. "Indianness in the poetry of Nissim Ezekiel" (http://www.yabaluri.org/Web%20(1978%20-%202
008)/indiannessinnissimezekielspoetryjan2004.htm). yabaluri.org. yabaluri.org. Retrieved
18 August 2018.
18. "Night of Scorpion – Nissim Ezekiel" (http://www.scholarspark.com/night-of-scorpion-ndash-nis
sim-ezekiel.html). scholarspark.com. scholarspark.com. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
19. Dulai, Surjit S. (2000). "NISSIM EZEKIEL and the Evolution of Modern Indian English Poetry :
A Chronology". Journal of South Asian Literature. jstor.org. 35 (1/2): 178–191.
JSTOR 40873767 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/40873767).
20. Verghese, C. Paul (1972). "The Poetry of Nissim Ezekiel". Indian Literature. jstor.org. 15 (1):
63–75. JSTOR 23329802 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/23329802).
21. Dwivedi, A. N. (1992). "Modernity in Nissim Ezekiel's Poetry". World Literature Today. jstor.org.
66 (3): 432–434. doi:10.2307/40148360 (https://doi.org/10.2307%2F40148360).
JSTOR 40148360 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/40148360).
22. Dulai, Surjit S. (2000). "NISSIM EZEKIEL : The Father of Contemporary Indian English Poetry".
Journal of South Asian Literature. jstor.org. 35 (1/2): 123–177. JSTOR 40873766 (https://www.j
stor.org/stable/40873766).
23. "Poets who took Indian poetry to the next level" (https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/bo
oks/poets-who-took-indian-poetry-to-the-next-level/sri-aurobindo-ghosh/photostory/57747696.c
ms). timesofindia.indiatimes.com. timesofindia.indiatimes.com. 21 March 2017. Retrieved
24 August 2018.
24. "The Indian P.E.N" (https://books.google.com/books?id=7e4tAQAAIAAJ). Google Books. 1978.
Retrieved 15 January 2016.
25. http://www.profkvdominic.com/?page_id=384
26. "Nissim Ezekiel passes away" (https://web.archive.org/web/20050324204834/http://www.thehi
ndu.com/2004/01/11/stories/2004011100111100.htm). The Hindu. 11 January 2004. Archived
from the original (https://www.thehindu.com/2004/01/11/stories/2004011100111100.htm) on 24
March 2005. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
27. "A Life in Verse: Honouring Nissim Ezekiel on His Birth Anniversary" (https://www.thequint.co
m/lifestyle/art-and-culture/bombay-poet-nissim-ezekiel-family-shares-anecdotes-on-93-birth-an
niversary). thequint.com. thequint.com. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
28. [1] (http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4158/is_20040326/ai_n12775727) Kumar, Jai,
"Obituary: Nissim Ezekiel", The Independent, 26 March 2004, accessed via Find
Articles/LookSmart Ltd. Web site, accessed 16 October 2007
29. Verghese, C. Paul (1971). "Three Plays by Nissim Ezekiel". Indian Literature. jstor.org. 14 (2):
92–94. JSTOR 23329837 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/23329837).
30. "Don't Call it Suicide" (http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/55611/10/10_chapte
r%205.pdf) (PDF). inflibnet.ac.in. inflibnet.ac.in. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
31. Selected prose : Nissim Ezekiel. worldcat.org. OCLC 28328073 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/
28328073).
32. "Nissim Ezekiel's classic review of V. S. Naipaul's An Area of Darkness" (http://raiot.in/archival-
pleasures-nissim-ezekiels-take-down-of-v-s-naipaul/). raiot.in. raiot.in. Retrieved 27 August
2018.
33. "Enterprise by Nissim Ezekiel" (http://writetoscore.com/2017/07/27/icse-poem-enterprise-nissi
m-ezekiel/). writetoscore.com. writetoscore.com. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
34. "Nissim Ezekiel's Poet, Lover, Birdwatcher" (https://sotosay.wordpress.com/2009/10/03/nissim-
ezekiels-poet-lover-birdwatcher/). sotosay.wordpress.com. sotosay.wordpress.com. 3 October
2009. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
35. "Rubana Huq, ed. The Golden Treasury of Writers Workshop Poetry. Review : ASIATIC,
VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1, JUNE 2009" (http://journals.iium.edu.my/asiatic/index.php/AJELL/arti
cle/view/82/67). journals.iium.edu.my. journals.iium.edu.my. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
36. "Ten 20th Century Indian Poets" (https://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/users/amit/books/parthasarathy-197
6-ten-20th-century.html). cse.iitk.ac.in. cse.iitk.ac.in. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
37. "The Oxford India Anthology of Twelve Modern Indian Poets" (https://www.cse.iitk.ac.in/users/a
mit/books/mehrotra-1993-oxford-india-anthology.html). cse.iitk.ac.in. cse.iitk.ac.in. Retrieved
23 August 2018.
38. "Book review: 'Twelve Modern Indian Poets' by Arvind Krishna Mehrotra" (https://www.indiatod
ay.in/magazine/indiascope/story/19920815-book-review-twelve-modern-indian-poets-by-arvind
-krishna-mehrotra-766731-2013-01-03). indiatoday.in. indiatoday.in. Retrieved 23 August 2018.

External links
Nissim Ezekiel Poetry (https://allpoetry.com/Nissim-Ezekiel/)
Archival Material at Leeds Library (https://explore.library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-explor
e?query=Nissim+Ezekiel/)

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