Gitanjali · Chapter
XXI explained
The poet feels an urgent call to launch his boat and leave the shore, lamenting the passing of spring and the burden of faded flowers.
What happens
The poet feels an urgent call to launch his boat and leave the shore, lamenting the passing of spring and the burden of faded flowers. He observes the restless waves and falling leaves, and questions whether the divine feels the thrill of a distant song from the other shore.
Themes in this chapter
Freedom and Renunciation
The poet's imperative to launch his boat symbolizes a renunciation of the shore and a move toward freedom.
The Pain of Separation and Longing
The poet's waiting and lingering with faded flowers, and the question about the distant song, express deep longing and separation.
Characters to notice
- The Poet
The speaker who must launch his boat and laments the passing of time.
- The Divine
Addressed as 'you' in the poet's questioning about the thrill of the faraway song.
Key passages
“I must launch out my boat.”
I am compelled to set sail and begin my journey.
The poet declares an urgent need to depart from the shore.
“The spring has done its flowering and taken leave.”
The season of growth and beauty has ended and passed away.
A metaphor for the passage of time and the end of a fruitful period.
“Do you not feel a thrill passing through the air with the notes of the faraway song floating from the other shore?”
Can you not sense the excitement in the breeze as the distant music drifts from the opposite bank?
The poet questions the divine about perceiving the call from beyond.