The Poetic Impressions of Woman: "She walks in Beauty" & "If You Can See"

Poetry acts as a mirror of the social and cultural themes of its time. Civilization refers to the recognition and definition of a human society; which includes social practices, cultural colors, and the level of development of industry and crafts. Any human society can experience periods of rise and fall of social and cultural systems. This write up takes up the subject wrt two poems; "She Walks in Beauty" by Lord Byron and an Urdu Poem "اگر تم دیکھ پاو تو / If You Can See" by Ahmad Farhad

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The Poetic Impressions of Woman: "She walks in Beauty" & "If You Can See"

 

The Rise and Fall of Civilization and Culture refers to the recognition and definition of a human society; which includes social practices, cultural color and flavor, and the development of industry and crafts; and whose characteristics include urban and rural life, the form and level of organized government, and the division of labor in every day life. It includes infrastructure, communication systems (including writing and speech) and also includes aspects such as shared cultural identity.

 Any civilization is represented by the social and cultural traditions prevalent in its urban and rural societies. It is an identity; which is an expression of the individual and collective relationship and mutual understanding of an individual or group in their society and gives them a sense of who they are? Human traditions in urban and rural life are shaped by both social factors and cultural influences; they encompass a variety of aspects, including personal traits, social roles, cultural background, and life experiences, manifesting in the form of influencing behaviors, norms, and interactions. Traditions create a shared cultural identity.

 Shared cultural identity refers to the sense of interconnectedness that members of a society feel towards one another; and share similar cultural backgrounds, values, and practices. It is an important aspect of social and individual identity; Including economic changes, environmental changes, technological advances, and interactions with other cultures. Sociocultural factors influence people's feelings, values, beliefs, behaviors, attitudes, and interactions. Examples include social classes, religious beliefs, wealth distribution, language, business practices, social values, customer preferences, social organization, and attitudes toward work.

 Poetry often acts as a mirror of the social and cultural values of its time, reflecting the values, beliefs, attitudes, and experiences of a particular society. Poets, as members of their communities, are influenced by the world around them and, as a result, their work can shape and reflect social norms, values, and emotions. Poetry reflects the social and cultural rise and fall of a society. Cultural expression in the words of poets captures the shape of change in societies and the experiences of a particular time and place.

 Let us now take a look at poetry written in two different times (separated by almost two hundred years), two different societies, and two different languages, and see how the changing times have had an impact on civilizations separated by many factors. So, first let us read a poem by the English poet, Lord George Gordon Byron.

“She walks in Beauty” by Lord George Gordon Byron

 

“She walks in Beauty”

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that’s best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which Heaven to gaudy day denies.

 

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impaired the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o’er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

 

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

George Gordon Byron was an English poet. "She Walks in Beauty" is one of his most famous poems. It was written by Lord Byron in 1814. It is said that on 11 June 1814, Byron attended a funeral in London. Among the guests was Mrs. Anne Beatrix Wilmot, the wife of Byron's first cousin; Sir Robert Wilmot. Byron was struck by the extraordinary beauty of the woman on this occasion, and the next morning the poem was written.

 

Lord Byron passionately described the essence of the woman's beauty. In this poem, he did not describe the specific details of the physical features of his beloved. Instead, he only mentioned her black hair throughout the poem. (This is a reflection of the fact that in those days, women came to condolence gatherings in appropriate clothing and only her face was exposed). Byron did not focus primarily on physical beauty in his poem (where only the face was exposed); therefore, the poem emphasized the relationship between external beauty and internal beauty. It was said that in fact, both the external appearance and the inner qualities of a woman are integrated. The poet in this poem focused on the captivating charm and purity of his beloved and said that a beautiful veil surrounds her; gave her a magnificent beauty; as if she was the embodiment of beauty. As if, she was flawless; a complete beauty.

 

This poem tells us that two hundred years ago, mixed gatherings of men and women were rare in the social life of England. And women did not roam around without a veil outside their homes. Otherwise, why would Lord Byron would have been so astounded? By that time, the feminist movement for the unconditional liberation of women had not even begun. And until then, women had not been given the right to vote even in democratic countries. So they were not part of the workforce. Therefore, the aspect of lust and self grandeur was not part of the public life.

 

Long after Lord George Byron's poem, women got the right to vote in parliamentary elections; firstly in New Zealand in 1893. And after the First and Second World Wars, the culture and society of Western nations changed rapidly. For example, the game of lawn tennis is very popular and is being played since long. It is interesting to note in picture below, the dress of women participating in the famous annual Wimbledon in England over a period of time. Hollywood is a very strong metaphor for Western culture. Just consider the depiction of women in its films of the early last century and the image of women today; the difference will be clear. Women have shed veil in public and even reduced to vulgarity in the name of freedom of choice.

In today's world, non observance of veil has become very popular and women have imposed upon themselves to get the feel of freedom. Film, television and now social media are playing a great role in the freedom of men and women in their choice of expression and woefully it’s falling towards vulgarity. And the Hollywood craze is becoming popular all over the world. Haven't films like "Pretty Woman" and "Indecent Proposal" reflected Western culture? But Western culture has also forcibly imposed its cultural code over third world countries through coercive ways from those governments. And its effect has also been reflected in poetry.

" اگر تم دیکھ پاو تو" "If You Can See"; by Ahmed Farhad

Below is translation of an Urdu poem اگر تم دیکھ پاو تو / "If You Can See"; by a Pakistan's young poet Ahmed Farhad.

 

"If You Can See"

If you find some time to stop from hanging of the lustful pendulum portending between the two branches of your legs, then think;

Just above the caveat of those two legs is an ovary (of the woman) that cultured yours lifeless body, feeding for nine months, to turn into a living soul;

If you can be little free from the burden of desires to scratch and rub two breasts, then look a little to the left;

You will see a heart in which from eternity;

The monster of a man's love, false only, dances.

 

If the wish and desire to bite, chew and mutilate lips leaves your head, then read the message written on those fine lips;

You will forget the speech of the gods.

 

If you get tired of treating her equal to your shoes, then just hold her close to your eyelids;

You will have dreams of good days of life.

 

If yo can get rid of the madness of manhood chivalry, and fill them with some sweetness for humanity;

Then some sprout of modesty will spring out on the rocky lands of your heart.

 

If the cloud of sorrowful lust is lifted from the veil of your eyes;

Then stroll for a while on the roof for seeking the truth in the blue sunshine;

Cross the lustful fog of tempting thighs, breasts, hips, lips and swinging waists;

A fragrant season will appear as sacred thoughts whose name is woman.

 

If you can remove the lust originating under the navel from your being, and see,

You will feel; that a woman is much more than a body and body alone;

Only; "If you can see".

Closing Remarks

 Ahmed Farhad's poem reveals a painful cultural code prevalent in so called eastern civilization; these days. It shows that for today's man, a woman has become just a body; a reference to satisfy his own lustful desires. He no longer cares about a woman's soul and her honor and chastity. Today, men do not look at women for any other purpose than to erase their horrific desires. This shift and change in cultural code has shaken the foundation of society and if it is not stopped, the so called eastern civilization will become a spectacle and will be nothing more than a joke.

The two poems discussed above are a manifestation of the rise and fall of human civilization and culture and Ahmed Farhad's poem is a loud cry that perhaps somehow may tear hearts apart and society may stop and ponder upon before committing suicide for an ignominious death.