Our Casuarina Tree
The rugged trunk, indented deep with scars,
Up to its very summit near the stars,
A creeper climbs, in whose embraces bound
No other tree could live. But gallantly
The giant wears the scarf, and flowers are hung
In crimson clusters all the boughs among,
Whereon all day are gathered bird and bee;
And oft at nights the garden overflows
With one sweet song that seems to have no close,
Sung darkling from our tree, while men repose.
When first my casement is wide open thrown
At dawn, my eyes delighted on it rest;
Sometimes, and most in winter,—on its crest
A gray baboon sits statue-like alone
Watching the sunrise; while on lower boughs
His puny offspring leap about and play;
And far and near kokilas hail the day;
And to their pastures wend our sleepy cows;
And in the shadow, on the broad tank cast
By that hoar tree, so beautiful and vast,
The water-lilies spring, like snow enmassed.
But not because of its magnificence
Dear is the Casuarina to my soul:
Beneath it we have played; though years may roll,
O sweet companions, loved with love intense,
For your sakes, shall the tree be ever dear.
Blent with your images, it shall arise
In memory, till the hot tears blind mine eyes!
What is that dirge-like murmur that I hear
Like the sea breaking on a shingle-beach?
It is the tree’s lament, an eerie speech,
That haply to the unknown land may reach.
Unknown, yet well-known to the eye of faith!
Ah, I have heard that wail far, far away
In distant lands, by many a sheltered bay,
When slumbered in his cave the water-wraith
And the waves gently kissed the classic shore
Of France or Italy, beneath the moon,
When earth lay trancèd in a dreamless swoon:
And every time the music rose,—before
Mine inner vision rose a form sublime,
Thy form, O Tree, as in my happy prime
I saw thee, in my own loved native clime.
Therefore I fain would consecrate a lay
Unto thy honor, Tree, beloved of those
Who now in blessed sleep for aye repose,—
Dearer than life to me, alas, were they!
Mayst thou be numbered when my days are done
With deathless trees—like those in Borrowdale,
Under whose awful branches lingered pale
“Fear, trembling Hope, and Death, the skeleton,
And Time the shadow;” and though weak the verse
That would thy beauty fain, oh, fain rehearse,
May Love defend thee from Oblivion’s curse.
About the Poet
Toru Dutt (1856–1877):
• One of India’s earliest Indian‐English poetesses, Toru Dutt was also a translator and essayist.
• She wrote in English and French, contributing to the early formation of Indian literature in English.
• Despite her short life (she died at 21), her works—especially in Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan—have secured her a lasting place in literary history.
• Her poetry often blends Western literary forms with deeply Indian themes, reflecting nostalgia for her native land and a sensitive portrayal of nature and personal loss.
2. Background/Context of the Poem
• Historical Context:
– Published in 1882 as part of Ancient Ballads and Legends of Hindustan.
– Written during the early period of Indian English literature, when Indian writers were beginning to assert their voices using English.
• Personal/Autobiographical Elements:
– The poem is imbued with nostalgia for Toru Dutt’s childhood memories in India.
– The Casuarina tree symbolizes the link to her past, particularly the joyful days spent with her siblings (who are now lost).
• Cultural Context:
– The poem reflects a blend of Indian sensibilities and Western literary influences (e.g., allusions to Wordsworth’s yew trees in Borrowdale).
– Nature is portrayed not just as a backdrop but as an active participant that communicates and evokes memory.
3. Summary of the Poem
• Stanza One:
– The poem opens with a vivid description of the Casuarina tree.
– The tree’s rugged trunk is depicted as being wound by a creeper—likened to a “huge python”—which leaves deep scars.
– Despite this encroachment, the tree stands proud and is adorned with crimson clusters of flowers; birds and bees gather around it, and at night the garden overflows with a sweet, unending song.
• Stanza Two:
– The poet describes the daily scene from her window (casement) at dawn.
– In winter, a gray baboon is seen sitting “statue-like” atop the tree, while its playful offspring frolic on the lower boughs.
– Kokilas (cuckoo-like birds) and grazing cows complete the idyllic, natural setting.
• Stanza Three:
– The focus shifts from the tree’s physical beauty to its personal significance.
– The poet reveals that her affection for the tree is rooted in the childhood memories of playing under its shade with her beloved siblings.
– The tree seems to “lament” with a dirge-like murmur—a sound reminiscent of waves breaking on a shingle beach—that echoes her sense of loss.
• Stanza Four:
– The speaker recounts that even in foreign lands (France, Italy), she hears sounds reminiscent of the tree’s “wail.”
– These distant echoes bring her back to her native clime, where the tree once symbolized her happy youth.
• Stanza Five:
– In the concluding stanza, the poet expresses her desire to immortalize the tree.
– She wishes to “consecrate” a lay (a poem) in its honor, much like Wordsworth sanctified the yew trees of Borrowdale.
– Her plea is for love to defend the tree from “Oblivion’s curse” (the curse of forgetfulness), ensuring that both the tree and her cherished memories endure.
4. Main Themes
• Nostalgia and Memory:
– The tree is a powerful symbol of the poet’s childhood and the lost moments shared with her siblings.
• Nature as a Living Presence:
– Nature is not static; it communicates and shares in human emotions. The tree “laments” and the natural sounds evoke a dialogue with the poet.
• Loss and Immortality:
– The poem contemplates loss (of loved ones) and the desire to immortalize cherished memories through art.
• Cultural Identity and Belonging:
– The poem contrasts the familiar Indian landscape (embodied by the Casuarina) with the foreignness of places abroad, reinforcing a longing for one’s native soil.
5. Poetic Devices Used
• Simile:
– “Like a huge python” compares the creeper to a python, emphasizing its sinuous, powerful grip.
• Personification:
– The tree is given human attributes—it “laments” and “speaks” its sorrow, suggesting that nature shares in human emotions.
• Imagery:
– Vivid descriptions (e.g., “crimson clusters,” “water-lilies spring, like snow enmassed”) create strong visual impressions and evoke sensory experiences.
• Symbolism:
– The Casuarina tree symbolizes memory, resilience, and the intimate connection to the poet’s past and loved ones.
• Allusion:
– The reference to “Borrowdale” and the yew trees alludes to Wordsworth, linking Indian memory with Western literary tradition.
• Enjambment:
– Continuation of a sentence beyond the line break creates a smooth, flowing narrative that mirrors the continuous flow of memory.
• Alliteration and Repetition:
– Repeated consonant sounds and phrases (e.g., “round and round”) add musicality and emphasis to key images.
6. Essay Questions & Synoptic Answers
Essay Question 1:
Discuss how “Our Casuarina Tree” reflects the interplay of personal memory and nature.
Synoptic Answer:
Toru Dutt’s “Our Casuarina Tree” uses the image of a majestic tree to symbolize the intimate bond between nature and personal memory. The tree is more than a natural object—it is a repository of the poet’s childhood, evoking memories of her lost siblings and carefree days. Through vivid imagery and personification, the tree is portrayed as an almost sentient being that communicates its own sorrow and joy. The poet contrasts the beauty of the tree with the melancholy of loss, and she invokes allusions to Wordsworth to emphasize the idea of immortalizing memory. The poem ultimately illustrates that nature serves as a living archive of personal history and cultural identity, linking the ephemeral present with an eternal past.
Essay Question 2:
Examine the role of nature in “Our Casuarina Tree” as a medium for remembrance and consolation.
Synoptic Answer:
In “Our Casuarina Tree,” nature functions as a bridge between the poet’s inner world and the external environment. Toru Dutt uses the tree as a potent symbol of remembrance; its enduring presence evokes nostalgic recollections of her childhood and her departed siblings. The poem’s lush imagery, from the vibrant flowers to the playful baboon and the gentle sounds of birds, creates a sensory landscape that offers both solace and a reminder of lost innocence. Nature, depicted as interactive and almost communicative through personification, becomes a source of consolation amid exile and separation from home. The poet’s desire to immortalize the tree through verse underscores her belief that art can preserve the fleeting moments of joy and the eternal bonds of memory.
7. Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) with Answers
-
Who is the author of “Our Casuarina Tree”?
A) Rabindranath Tagore
B) Toru Dutt
C) Sarojini Naidu
D) Kamala Das
Answer: B) Toru Dutt -
What does the creeper in the poem get compared to?
A) A serpent
B) A huge python
C) A vine
D) A dragon
Answer: B) A huge python -
Which of the following best symbolizes the poet’s nostalgic memories?
A) The garden’s overflowing song
B) The casuarina tree
C) The baboon’s silent watch
D) The crimson flowers
Answer: B) The casuarina tree -
What is the primary reason the tree is dear to the poet?
A) Its impressive physical beauty
B) The memories of her childhood and lost siblings
C) Its exotic appearance
D) The vibrant wildlife it attracts
Answer: B) The memories of her childhood and lost siblings -
The use of the simile “like a huge python” is an example of what?
A) Metaphor
B) Personification
C) Simile
D) Alliteration
Answer: C) Simile -
Which literary allusion is made in the final stanza of the poem?
A) Allusion to Greek mythology
B) Reference to Borrowdale’s yew trees as in Wordsworth’s poetry
C) Reference to Shakespearean tragedy
D) Allusion to Biblical stories
Answer: B) Reference to Borrowdale’s yew trees as in Wordsworth’s poetry -
What tone is predominantly used in “Our Casuarina Tree”?
A) Joyful and exuberant
B) Nostalgic and melancholic
C) Angry and rebellious
D) Detached and scientific
Answer: B) Nostalgic and melancholic -
How does the poet wish the tree to be remembered?
A) As a mere natural phenomenon
B) Through the protection of Love against oblivion
C) As an example of strength
D) Through detailed botanical study
Answer: B) Through the protection of Love against oblivion -
Which of the following best describes the structure of the poem?
A) A sonnet with 14 lines
B) Free verse with no fixed rhyme scheme
C) Fifty-five lines divided into five stanzas of eleven lines each
D) An epic poem in multiple cantos
Answer: C) Fifty-five lines divided into five stanzas of eleven lines each -
What does the “dirge-like murmur” in the poem signify?
A) The natural sound of wind in the leaves
B) The lament of the tree echoing the poet’s sorrow for lost loved ones
C) The noise of the bustling garden
D) The cry of a wild animal
Answer: B) The lament of the tree echoing the poet’s sorrow for lost loved ones