Summary of the Poem 'Where the Mind is Without Fear' – Rabindranath Tagore

 

Where the Mind is Without Fear – Rabindranath Tagore

About the Poet:

          Rabindranath Tagore born on 7^th May 1886, died on 7^th August 1941.  He was a Bengali poet, writer, music composer and painter.  He restructured Bengali literature, music and Indian art.  His mother tongue was Bengali.  His notable works: Gitanjali, Gharae-Baire, Gora, Jana Gana Mana, Rabindra Sangeet and Amar Shonar Bangla.  He was awarded Noble Prize for literature in 1913. 

Summary and Analysis:                                       

          The poem Where the Mind is Without Fear is in sonnet form but has thirteen lines. This poem is taken from the poet’s famous work Gitanjali (1912) collection of Psalms. For this, he has received the Noble Prize in 1913.  He pleads to God to have his people fearless and independent.  It is about the imaginary country the poet wishes to live in.  He has written this poem during British reign. So it describes the dreamy society after the independence of India which the poet wants.  He has written this poem in the view of Indian society but it has a universal appeal.

          In the first line, the poet imagines his society differently.  He wants all of his countryman should live without fear.  They have their heads straight up and face the situation fearlessly.  Poet wants to make sure all the citizen ought to get knowledge. A society should have the Educational institutions where everyone can obtain knowledge.  Knowledge makes people rational and unites them where no other foreign forces can divide.

          “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;”

          India has different classes of people, languages, religions, castes and races but people should unite under one name 'Indian' and they should rise against the common enemy, Britishers.  In India people must be honest with all.  To get personal advantage, no person can lie. The poet asks the almighty to industrialize his country and make his people economically stable.  Free from discrimination, honesty and hard work make the country perfect more than independence.  So the poet wishes the God to bless his people with these qualities. 

          People should be logic in what they do.  They should avoid following the superstitious act which has no reason to follow.  Therefore, Tagore asks God to make people act with reason and cope with new ideologies.

“Where the mind is led forward by Thee into ever-widening

          thought and action –

Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.”

God, wake my people from the longest sleep to lead them with your guidance of broad thinking.  Here the longest sleep is colonization and waking up is freedom.  The poet wants his country to be free of colonizers and people to act with their head straight and fearlessly as heaven of freedom.