Where the mind is Without F e a r

-By Rabindranath Tagore

ABOUT THE POET
R a b i n d ra n a t h Ta g o re [1861-1941] w a s co n s i d e re d t h e greatest writer in
m o d e r n I n d i a n literature. A B e n g a l i poet, novelist, educator, N o b el
L a u re ate for Literature [1913]. Ta g o re w a s a w a r d e d a k n i g h t h o o d in
1915, b u t h e s u r re n d e re d it in 1919 in protest a ga i n s t t h e Massacre at
Amritsar, w h e r e Briti sh troops killed a ro u n d 4 0 0 I n d i a n
demonstrators.
Ta g o re g a i n e d a reputati on in t h e We s t as a my s ti c originally a n d t hat
h a s p e r h a p s m i s l e a d m a n y We s t e r n readers to i g n o re his role as a
reformer a n d criti c of colonialism.
THEME OF THE
POEM
T h e p o e m is a b o u t true freedom. A c c o r d i n g to t h e poet, true f re e d o m is
a n inner possessi on of m a n a n d it c a n b e realized only w it h God’s help. It
m e a n s m o ra l a n d spiritual uplift of t h e p e o p l e u n d e r divine g u i d a n c e .
F r e e d o m s h o u l d g i ve India c o u r a g e a n d s h o u l d i n d u c e her p e o p l e to
p u rs u e t h e p a t h of k n o w l e d g e a n d truth. It s h o u l d liberate he r fro m
narrow prejudices a n d supersti ti ons a n d m a k e her p e o p l e sincere in
w o rd a n d acti on.
 SUMMARY OF THE POEM
T h e p o e t is dissati sfi ed w i t h t h e p re s e nt state of his country. H e i nvo ke s G o d to a w a k e n his m o t h e r l a n d
w i t h a r u d e s h o c k a n d m a k e this c o u nt r y a n ideal place. W i t h God’s help, t h e m e n a n d w o m e n of I nd ia
will g e t true freedom. Fo r this, I n d i a n s m u s t b e fearless in m i n d a n d d i g n i fi e d in c o n d u c t . T h e re m u s t not
b e a n y barrier to t h e s e a rc h for k n o w l e d g e a n d tr uth I n d i a n s m u s t b e free f ro m all D a r ro w h a b i t s a n d
d e a d c u st o m s . T h e re m u s t n o t b e n a r ro w divisions in t h e w a y of t h e realizati on of h u m a n unity. I n d i a n s
m u s t b e frank a n d truthful a n d m u s t strive ti relessly to a c h i e ve perfecti on in a n ever-e x p a n d i n g F i e l d of
t h o u g h t a n d acti on. T h e y m u s t b e s incere in w o r d a n d d e e d b a s e d o n clear reason. T h e p o e t p rays that
w i t h God’s ou r m o t h e r l a n d will a c h i e ve this true f r e e d o m of m i n d a n d spirit, a n d n o t m e r e l y t h e f r e e d o m
f ro m forei gn rule.
ANALYSIS OF THE POEM
T h e p o e m is rather u n u s u a l a s a p o e m o n freedom . I n this p o e m , t h e p o et p re a c h e s t h e g o s p e l of a
n e w patri oti s m w h i c h is w i th o u t fear, w i t h o u t n a rro w prejudices, a n d w h i c h is b a s e d o n truth a n d
rea so n a n d is realized u n d e r God’s spiritual g u i d a n c e .
T h e s o n g is a fi ne e x a m p l e of Tagore’s spiritual h u m a n i s m . It s p e a k s of his love for freedom, a n d is
intensely patrioti c in nature. T h e w h o l e p o e m is in t h e fo r m of a s i n g l e sentence. T h e ke y to this
s e n t e n c e is p ro v i d e d in t h e last line w h e re t h e p o e t p rays to G o d to g ra n t true f re e d o m to his country.
T h e rest of t h e p o e m is c o n c e r n e d w i t h ex p l a i n i n g w h a t this f re e d o m really m e a n s. T h e po et calls it the
‘heaven of freedom.’
 CONCLUSION OF THE
POEM
.To c o n c l u d e “ Whe re T h e M i n d Is W i t h o u t Fear ” is a p o e m in w h i c h Ta g o r e reveals his pe rs o na l q u e st
for t h e D i v i n e a n d c h a ra c te r i ze d b y a variety of original t h e m e s b o t h in t h o u g h t a n d expression.
Therefore, this p o e m is r e m a r ka b l e to a g re at ex te nt w h i c h ex p re s s e s t h e intensity of t h e feeling of
freedom.
Thank you!
PRESENTED BY
- NIRJHRA
THAKUR