Rabindranath Tagore's seminal work "Nationalism" ends with the powerful poem "Sunset of the Century". Written a century ago, this poem's message of nationalism resonates strongly even in today's complex world. In this blog post, we will examine the importance of poetry and how it sheds light on contemporary issues surrounding nationalism.
About Tagore
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Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was a literary giant of India and the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize for Literature. A poet, lyricist and teacher, he revolutionized Bengali literature and composed thousands of songs that became cultural foundations. Tagore's work transcended boundaries, advocating social reform, global understanding and a holistic approach to education through the innovative school Santiniketan. His legacy inspires as a symbol of creative genius and a voice for human connection.
About Nationalism
Nationalism is a controversial book written by Rabindranath Tagore in which he expresses his controversial ideas on nationalism and how nationalism becomes a weed from the west which will not take too much time to outgrow the values and ideals of the east. The work is divided into four chapters. The first, second and third being his views on the nationalism in West, Japan and India respectively and the final chapter being the poem “The Sunset of the Century.” This poem which was written in Bengali on the last day of the last decade is a poem which's relevance cease to diminish over time. Infact it is of the most relevance in the present scenario.
In Nationalism Tagore makes it very clear that a naturally-built human society is much more humane in essence than the so-called artificially created nationhood. Which is all about exclusiveness and thus filles the human mind with the emotions of hatred and competition with one another. The poem has a huge relevance in the present-day society, amidst the Covid pandemic we can see our nation is on the verge of conflict with China, it seems like the situation in our border is a pre-war situation. More over today India is surrounded by nations whose interest and Indias interest contradicts each other. Be it be China, Pakistan or Sri Lanka all these nations are creating treat to the peaceful existence of Indians. Tagore foreseen the aftereffects of such nationalism which created fear and hatred between nations.
Sunset of the century
In this poem Tagore says that naked passion of self-love of Nations are very dangerous, nations will burst into violence of fury from this. By pointing to the ill effects of considering nation with more importance than God he also says that there's no need to be ashamed of holding on to our values. We need not copy from the west because they are countries with different histories from us. He says “Let your crown be of humility, your freedom the freedom of the soul.”(88) This poem serves as a summary of what he said in the chapters before and have a positive tone of hope. He hopes that with the setting of that sun, we may get rid of all the wrong ideas in our minds.
Even after all these years our mind is not completely free of the ideas of the past. More over with the globalization and digital race the nations are competing one another. Even during the crisis of corona virus some of the countries are establishing their power on the weaker, this may not be as visible in the colonial days but it is a sad truth that the same cruelty is being continued in other ways, in more passive ways. Today most of the Nations possess the technology of nuclear weapon, many are creating biological warfare, many are mining data of other nations. These all arises at first place because of the concept of nationalism, which make man go blind in the love on nation. If we had given importance to humanity and universal brotherhood than nationalism as suggested by Tagore through his work, today we would be living in a much happier earth. We haven't achieved what Tagore hoped for, but we can still work towards that goal. Hence the poem remains relevant even today.
“Keep watch, India. Bring your offering of worship for the sacred sunrise.”(88) The sunrise of 2021 after going through a whole year of suffering we hope to heal the world, for you, for me and for the entire human race. The poem ends by reminding that “what is huge is not great and pride is not everlasting”. As we seen all it takes to shatter the pride and glory of a nation is a tiny virus. Instead of killing each other of the name of nations, we should be learning to cooperate with each other and live in complete harmony and peace as we in the our past.
Exploring the Themes
The poem "The Sunset of the Century" explores several themes like nationalism, search for peace, humility, and simplicity. The poem deals with the theme of nationalism through describing how the self-love of nations could potentially lead to violence and destruction. Tagore calls upon India to offer worship and welcome the dawn of peace and universal brotherhood. The poem promotes humility and simplicity in the face of power and pride. Poet suggests that true power comes from freedom of soul and not from from wealth and power.
A critique of narrow nationalism
"The Sunset of the Century" criticizes a narrow and self-serving form of nationalism. Tagore warns against the dangers of prioritizing national pride over universal human values. Lines such as "where hunger for wealth and power drives nations mad" highlight the dangers of unbridled nationalism, which can lead to greed, conflict and oppression.
A call for humanity and unity
The poem does not advocate the total annihilation of nations. Instead, Tagore emphasizes the need for a broader perspective. He urges readers to "bring your worship to that sacred sunrise"—a sunrise that symbolizes a new age of human unity and cooperation. It resonates with contemporary calls for global cooperation on issues such as climate change and infectious diseases.
21st century relevance
Tagore's poetry continues to resonate in the 21st century. We are witnessing rising nationalism around the world, with tensions erupting across national borders. A reminder of the poem's importance:
Empathy and understanding: Nationalism should not come at the expense of understanding other cultures and perspectives.
Global cooperation: The world's challenges require nations to work together, not against each other.
Humanity Above All: National identity should not trump our shared humanity.
"Sunset of the Century" is more than just a poem; It is a call to action. As we navigate the complexities of the contemporary world, Tagore's words urge us to strive for a future where nations cooperate for the betterment of mankind.
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