19 Questions
What was one of the socio-political conditions during the time of Sarojini Naidu?
Women's exclusion from political culture
Which poet was considered a 'representative of the Orient' and for women?
Sarojini Naidu
Where did Sarojini Naidu study on a scholarship during her youth?
King's College London and Griton College, Cambridge
In which year did Sarojini Naidu become the first female Indian President of the Indian National Congress?
1925
'Bharat Kokila' is a title given to Sarojini Naidu by whom?
Mahatma Gandhi
What kind of nationalism did Sarojini Naidu believe in?
Cosmopolitan Nationalism
'The Gift of India' poem was recited at which event by Sarojini Naidu?
Hyderabad's Ladies War Relief in 1915
What did Sarojini Naidu refer to as 'the sacrifice of Indian mothers on behalf of an ungrateful empire' in one of her poems?
'The Gift of India'
'Home and the World' is associated with which influential figure's belief?
Sarojini Naidu
What is a prominent characteristic of Sarojini Naidu's poetry as described in the text?
Vivid descriptions of Indian life
Which literary devices are abundantly used by Sarojini Naidu in her poetry based on the text?
Ancient Indian myths and symbols
What is the tone of Sarojini Naidu's poetry as suggested in the text?
Humorous and light-hearted
What sets Sarojini Naidu apart in the realm of Indian English poetry according to the text?
Authentic Indian English lyric utterance
Which aspect of Sarojini Naidu's work makes her popular among readers as per the text?
Repetitive and metrical quality
In Sarojini Naidu's poetry, what is a common theme portrayed based on the text?
'Songs of laughter and love'
What effect does Sarojini Naidu aim to create through her evocative use of imagery in poetry according to the text?
To transport readers to vivid scenes and emotions
'She brought prestige to Indian English writing long before Tagore received the Nobel Prize' - What does this statement imply about Sarojini Naidu's impact?
'She elevated Indian English writing early on'
'To me, forsaken of love?' - What sentiment is expressed in this line from Sarojini Naidu's work?
'Painful abandonment'
What makes Sarojini Naidu's poetry stand out, particularly when compared to decadent romanticism?
Authentic Indian English lyric utterance
Study Notes
Sarojini Naidu: The Poet and Her Works
- Sarojini Naidu was an Indian English poet, born in 1879 in a Bengali Brahmin family in Hyderabad
- Visited England at the age of 16 and received a scholarship at King's College London and Girton College, Cambridge
- Returned to India in 1893, married Dr. Govindraju Naidu, and became the first female Indian President of the Indian National Congress in 1925
Characteristics of Naidu's Poems
- Influenced by British romanticism, Persian, and Urdu poetic modes
- Nationalistic and secular lyric with folk-songs, love-lyric, and revolutionary themes
- Themes: Love, Nature, Life, and Death
- Indian imagery and symbolism, evoking traditional Indian life and culture
Poems and Collections
- The Golden Threshold (1905)
- The Bird of Time (1912)
- The Broken Wing (1917)
- The Feather of the Dawn (1961)
- Poems: "The Bangle Sellers," "Street Cries," "Indian weavers," "Champak Blooms," "Song of Radha," "Vasant Panchmi," "Kali," "The Mother," "Lakshmi," "The Lotus Born," and "To A Buddha Seated on A lotus"
Socio-Political Conditions
- Women were excluded from metropolitan, political culture
- Nationalism was on the rise
- World Wars were being waged
- Terrible condition of Indian widows and wives
- Debates on voting rights for women
Condition of Women Poets
- Women wrote about domestic and personal affairs
- Growing poetic tradition among women, including Tour Dutt, Cornelia Sorabji, and Sarojini Naidu
- Naidu was a representative of the Orient and for women
- Hyderabad's Ladies War Relief in 1915 addressed "the sacrifice of Indian mothers on behalf of an ungrateful empire" with her poem "The Gift of India"
Test your knowledge on the influences and achievements of Sarojini Naidu, a prominent poetess with an ambiguous position in Indian poetry and nationalism. Explore her connections with Keats, Shelley, Tennyson, Browning, as well as Gandhi, Tilak, and Gokhale.
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