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Questions and Answers
What is the central theme of the poem, according to the speaker's reflection on Shah Jahan's life?
The transience of life and the impermanence of human achievements.
What does the speaker suggest is the only thing that can transcend the passage of time?
A single, eternally-heaved sigh
What is the significance of the Taj Mahal in the poem?
It represents a solitary tear that will hang on the cheek of time, preserving Shah Jahan's heart's pain.
What does the speaker compare the emeralds, rubies, and pearls to?
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What is the contrast between Shah Jahan's imperial power and his emotional state?
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Study Notes
Shah Jahan and the Taj Mahal
- Shah Jahan, the Emperor of India, was aware that life, youth, wealth, and renown are all transitory and fleeting.
- His primary concern was to preserve his heart's pain forever.
- He knew that the power and prestige of his imperial rule would eventually fade away, much like the beauty of a sunset.
- Shah Jahan hoped that at least one eternal sigh of grief would remain to lament the sky.
- He recognized that material possessions, such as emeralds, rubies, and pearls, are mere illusions and would eventually disappear.
- Despite this, he wanted to leave a lasting legacy, which took the form of the Taj Mahal.
- The Taj Mahal is a symbol of a single, solitary tear that would remain on the cheek of time, enduring beyond the transience of human life and power.
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Description
Learn about the motivations and emotions of Shah Jahan, the Mughal Emperor who built the Taj Mahal, a monument of eternal love and grief.
