THE VILLAGE SCHOOLMASTER – OLIVER GOLDSMITH

 THE VILLAGE SCHOOLMASTER – OLIVER GOLDSMITH

Oliver Goldsmith, poet, dramatist and essayist, was born on 10 November 1728 at Pallasmore in Ireland. At eight, he had a severe attack of smallpox which disfigured him for life. In Spite of repeated interruptions in his studies, he managed to take his B. A. degree in 1746. After several avocations he took to writing as his means of livelihood, but with little success. He died on 4 April 1774.

Among his works The Traveller (Poem), The Deserted Village (poem), She Stoops to Conquer (play), and The Vicar of Wakefield (novel) are accepted classics.

‘The Village Schoolmaster’ is taken from his most famous poem The Deserted Village. It is one of the most endearing pen-portraits in the whole of English Literature.  The original of the Schoolmaster is supposed to be Thomas Byrne a retired soldier who opened a school at Lissoy. Goldsmith was at Byrne’s schools for two years.

Oliver Goldsmith, poet, dramatist and essayist, was born on 10 November 1728 at Pallasmore in Ireland. At eight, he had a severe attack of smallpox which disfigured him for life. In spite of repeated interruption in his studies, he managed to take his B.A. degree in 1746. After several avocations he took to writing as his means of livelihood, but with little success. He died on 4 April 1774.

Poem:

Besides yon straggling fence that skirts the way,

With blossom’d furze unprofitably gay,

There, in his noisy mansion, skill’d to rule,

The village master taught his little school;

A man severe he was, and stern to view;

I knew him well, and very truant knew;

Well had the boding tremblers learn’d to trace

The day’s disasters in his morning face;

Full well they laugh’d with counterfeited glee,

At all his jokes, for many a joke had he;

Full well the busy whisper, circling round,

Convey’d the dismal tidings when he frown’d;

Yet he was kind; or if severe in aught,

The love he bore to learning was in fault;

The village all declar’d how much he knew;

‘Twas certain he could write, and cipher too;

Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage,

And e’en the story ran that he could gauge.

In arguing too, the parson own’d his skill,

For e’en though vanquish’d, he could argue still:

While words of learned length and thund’ring sound

Amazed the gazing rustics rang’d around,

And still they gaz’d, and still the wonder grew,

That one small head could carry all he knew.

‘The Village Schoolmaster’ is taken from his most famous poem The Deserted Village. It is one of the most endearing pen-portraits in the whole of English literature. The original of the Schoolmaster is supposed to be Thomas Byrne a retired soldier who opened a school at Lissoy. Goldsmith was at Byrne’s school for two years.

The original of the Schoolmaster is supposed to be Thomas Byrne who taught Goldsmith for two years. The schoolmaster was a serious looking man; but he was really very kind at heart. His severity arose from his love of learning. When he came to school in the morning, by looking at his face, the children were able to guess at their experiences of the day.

The schoolmaster had a few stale jokes. Whenever he cracked a joke the children pretended to enjoy it and laughed liberally. This they did only to please him. When he frowned they knew that trouble was coming and the sad news was communicated among themselves through whisper.

The extent of his learning was known to one and all in the village. He could work out simple arithmetical problems and calculate the area of a piece of land. He could also make the necessary calculations and say when the seasons would start or when movable feasts like Easter would occur.

His skill in arguing was admitted by no less a person than the parson of the village. When he was defeated in an argument he would start using high sounding words, to the merriment of all the rustics who were seated around. As a matter of the fact the rustics wondered how a small head could contain all he knew.

Thus the pen-portrait of the village schoolmaster is humorous and at the same time endearing.

****

MENELAUS AND HELEN – RUPERT BROOKE

MENELAUS AND HELEN – RUPERT BROOKE

Rupert Brooke, famous for his selfless patriotism, was born on 3 August 1887. He was educated at the Rugby School, where his father was teacher, and at King’s College Cambridge. At the outbreak of First World War in 1914 he joined the Royal Navy, but was not able to serve long, for he died a premature death in the following year. On 23 April 1915, the day of St. George and Shakespeare’s birthday he died at Scyros and was buried in an olive garden where he had sat with his friend a few days before. Rupert Brooke is best remembered for his war sonnets and the poem ‘Old Vicarage Grantchester’.

Poem:

Hot through Troy’s ruin Menelaus broke

To Priam’s palace, sword in hand, to sate

On that adulterous whore a ten years’ hate

And a King’s honour. Through red death, and smoke,

And cries, and then by quieter ways he strode,

Till the still innermost chamber fronted him.

He swung his sword, and crashed into the dim

Luxurious bower, flaming like a god.

High sat white Helen, lonely and serene.

He had not remembered that she was so fair,

And that her heck curved down in such a way;

And he felt tired. He flung the sword away,

And kissed her feet, and knelt before her there,

The perfect Knight before the perfect Queen.

So far the poet. How should he behold

That journey home, the long connubial years?

He does not tell you how white Helen bears

Child on legitimate child, becomes a scold,

Haggard with virtue. Menelaus bold

Waxed garrulous, and sacked a hundred Troys

’Twixt noon and supper. And her golden voice

Got shrill as he grew deafer. And both were old.

Often he wonders why on earth he went

Troyward, or why poor Paris ever came.

Oft she weeps, gummy-eyed and impotent;

Her dry shanks twitch at Paris’ mumbled name.

So Menelaus nagged; and Helen cried;

And Paris slept on by Scamander side.

The Trojan War was fought between the Greeks and the Trojans to avenge the abduction of Helen, wife of Menelaus, by Paris son of Priam. Menelaus was the king is Sparta and Priam was the king of Troy. The first 14 lines are faithful to Greek mythology. The second part of the poem is wholly Brook’s own version of what might have happened in their old age.

In the poem ‘Menelaus and Helen’ Rupert Brooke has recapitulated the most romantic love episode in classical literature, namely the abduction of Helen by Paris, son of Priam who was the king of Troy. It resulted in what is now known as the Trojan War fought between the Greeks and the Torjans. In the end the Trojans were defeated and Menelaus was able to take his wife back to Sparta.

In the first sonnet the poet describes the meeting between the insulted husband and his unfaithful wife. Burning with anger Menelaus crashes into Helen’s chamber where he finds her sitting majestically. Forgetting all about his intention of taking revenge on his adulterous wife, the king flings the sword away and falls at her feet. He kisses her feet and then kneels before her like a perfect knight before a perfect queen.

In the second sonnet is described the dull and weary life of the couple in their old age. The once voluptuous Helen has now become virtuous; but she has lost all her former charm. Menelaus now is not valorous but garrulous. Unable to fight any more battle he can only was eloquent about has past adventures. Irritated by Helen’s haggard look he often wonders how Paris was so much attracted by her appearance. Menelaus now cannot understand why he decided to fight a war on her account. Very often he nags her and she in turn can only cry helplessly.  Ironically enough when this is happening, Paris the author of all mischief is enjoying has eternal sleep on the bank of Scamander.

The description of Menelaus entering Helen’s chamber is very realistic. The comparison of Menelaus to a perfect knight and Helen to a perfect queen is a good example for the figure of speech called simile. It also helps us to remember that Helen is still young and beautiful. The symptoms of old age mentioned towards the end of the poem are to facts. It is a very evidence of the young poet’s observation of real life.

In conclusion it must be said that the poet’s knowledge of classical literature coupled with his imaginative faculty has enabled him to give a new rendering of an old theme.   

 *****

Fra Lippo Lippi – Robert Browning

Fra Lippo Lippi – Robert Browning

The poem begins as the painter and monk Lippo Lippi, also the poem's narrator, is caught by some authority figures while roving his town's red light district. As he begins, he is being physically accosted by one of the police. He accuses them of being overzealous and that he need not be punished. It is not until he name-drops "Cosimo of the Medici" (from the ruling family of Florence) as a nearby friend that he is released.

He then addresses himself specifically to the band's leader, identifying himself as the famous painter and then suggesting that they are all, himself included, too quick to bow down to what authority figures suggest. Now free, he suggests that the listener allow his subordinates to wander off to their own devices. Then he tells how he had been busy the past three weeks shut up in his room, until he heard a band of merry revelers passing by and used a ladder to climb down to the streets to pursue his own fun. It was while engaged in that fun that he was caught, and he defends himself to the judgmental listener, asking "what am I a beast for?" if not to pursue his beastly appetites.

It is then that Lippo begins to tell his life story. He was orphaned while still a baby and starved until his aunt gave him over to a convent. When the monks there asked if he was willing to renounce the world in service of monk-hood, Lippo was quick to agree since renouncing the world meant a steady supply of food in the convent. He quickly took to the "idleness" of a monk's life, even at eight years old, but was undistinguished in any of the studies they had him attempt.

His one talent was the ability to recreate the faces of individuals through drawings, partially because as a starving child he was given great insight into the details that distinguished one face from another and the way those faces illustrated different characteristics. Instead of studying in the convent, he devoted himself to doodles and drawings, until the Prior noticed his talent and assigned him to be the convent's artist.

As the convent's artist, Lippo proceeded to paint a myriad of situations, all drawn from the real world. The common monks loved his work since in his artistry they could recognize images from their everyday lives. However, "the Prior and the learned" do not admire Lippo's focus on realistic subjects, instead insisting that the artist's job is not to pay "homage to the perishable clay" of flesh and body, but to transcend the body and attempt to reveal the soul. They insist that he paint more saintly images, focusing on representations of praise and saintliness instead of everyday reality.

Lippo protests to his listener that a painter can reveal the soul through representations of the body, since "simple beauty" is "about the best thing God invents." Lippo identifies this as the main conflict of his otherwise-privileged life: where he wants to paint things as they are, his masters insist he paint life from a moral perspective. As much as he hates it, he must acquiesce to their wishes in order to stay successful, and hence he must go after prostitutes and other unsavory activity, like the one he was caught involved in at poem's beginning. As a boy brought up poor and in love with life, he cannot so easily forget his artistic impulse to represent life as he sees it to be.

He then speaks to the listener about what generations of artists owe one another and how an artist who breaks new ground must always flaunt the conventions. He mentions a painter named Hulking Tom who studies under him, who Lippo believes will further reinvent artistic practice in the way he himself has done through pursuing realism.

He poses to his listener the basic question whether it is better to "paint [things] just as they are," or to try to improve upon God's creations. He suggests that even in reproducing nature, the artist has the power to help people to see objects that they have taken for granted in a new light. He grows angry thinking of how his masters ruin the purpose of art, but quickly apologies before he might anger the policeman.

He then tells his listener about his plan to please both his masters and himself. He is planning to paint a great piece of religious art that will show God, the Madonna, and "of course a saint or two." However, in the corner of the painting, he will include a picture of himself watching the scene. He then fantasizes aloud how a "sweet angelic slip of a thing" will address him in the painting, praising his talent and authorship, until the "hothead husband" comes and forces Lippi to hide away in the painting. Lippo bids goodbye to his listener and heads back home.

                                                                                  ******

THE PILLARS OF THE SOCIETY - HENRICK IBSEN

THE PILLARS OF THE SOCIETY - HENRICK IBSEN

The Title of the Play

It is the first serious social drama produced by Henrick Ibsen. The Play describes the shady machinations of the rising businessman. He employs all means of fair or foul to acquire wealth and build up an image in the  society completely concealing his real self even from his wife. The play comes to an end with the confession of the leading characters. He declares his intention to start a new era without affection, hypocrisy and its pretence of virtue and its miserable fear of public opinion.

Mr. Karstan Bernick is the main leading character of the play. He is the most important man. He is regarded as a man with high morality and a pillar of the Society. He is a weed. But he is considered as the corn. Mr. Bernick and other pseudo pillars of the society are the cankers of the society.

Mr. Karstan Bernick is a ship builder. At first his mother looked after the firm. Bernick took over the firm from his mother. At that time the financial condition of the firm was in the worst position. At first he loved Lona Hossel but her half sister Betty came into his life. Bernick found that she was prettier and richer than Lona Hossel. So he changed his love from Lone to Betty. At the same time he was found in the house of Mrs Dorf. But Johan for the sake of his sister took the blame and went to America. Later a rumour was spread that Johan and taken cash also from the firm. Thus Bernick could get time to repay his creditors.

The men like men surrounded Mr. Bernick. Mr. Rorland, Mr. Rummer and Mr. Hilmar were of the same category, the pseudo pillars of Society. All of them agreed to support the Railway Project on the condition that they would get one fifth of the booty.

Every action of Bernick was selfish. He objected the coastal line because it affected the steamer service. The branch line was proposed to exploit the forest wealth. Buts they passed on as the pillars of society. A huge gathering assembled to greet him.

He was callous towards the problems of the employees. He did not realise the problems of the retrenched workmen. He wanted only profit.

He was not happy in domestic life. There was no communication between Benrick and his wife and his son Olaf. He could did everything from his wife when he realised his son was stow away in the Indian Girl felt repentant.

When Lona hear the Bernick thrived on a lie, she decided to make Bernick himself. So she made Bernick to shed away the false morality and confess the guilt. He felt the women were the pillars of Society. Lona corrected him. She told him that the spirit of truth and the spirit freedom are the pillars of the Society. The society ladies Mrs. Rumme, Mrs. Olt and Mrs. Leynge pretended to be virtuous. But they were the real gossipmongers. Though they haunted Bernick’s house, they stopped visiting him when Lona and Johan returned. The theme of the play has a universal appeal. So the title of the play The Pillars of the Society is very appropriate.

Character Sketches

Mr. Bernick:

Mr. Karstan Bernick is the hero of the drama The Pillars of the Society. In the beginning of the drama, we have seen him as a very busy businessman, with high morality and principles. Though a weed of the society he was considered the corn. He cleverly hid everything from his life.

Bernick was filled with hypocrisy, false affection, and false virtue was afraid of public opinion. His entire progress depended on a lie. His brother-in-law Johan took away the cash and he was in the house of Mrs. Dorf.

The moving spirit of his actions was selfish craving for power, influence and position. At first when he heard of the coastal line, he fought against it as if affected his steamer service. When an inland line has to be considered, Bernick proposed a branch line to exploit the minerals of the area. He made arrangements to buy lands to become a millionaire. The other pillars of society agreed to it for one fifth of the profit.

He was callous in his attitude towards his employees. He introduced modern machines for more profit without showing any concern for the retrenched workers. He wanted that Indian Girl should sail at the fixed time. When he heard that the repairs were done was defective he did not stop the sailing of it. When he heard that his son Olaf was in the ship he felt very much.

There was no communication in his house between himself and his wife and his son. He hid his real self from his wife. He did not allow his son to grow up freely. He boasted of high moral principles. At first he loved Lona. When he found her sister Betty was more rich and pretty, he courted her. At the same time he had relationship with the pretty actress Mrs.Dorf.

When Lona and Johan returned from America he was not surprised. To the surprise of his wife he asked her to treat them well. Lona let in the fresh air into the stuffy life of Bernick. She made him to confess and be himself. When he was exposed and brought face to face with the realist of the situation his conscience made him a coward. He confessed and was exonerated.

Ibsen gave much importance to the plot. So the portrayal of Bernick’s character is not convincing. But still in our life we see many Bernick realised that spirit of the truth and spirits of freedom are the pillars of Society.

Lona Hessel

Lona Hessel is one of the famous women characters of Ibsen. She anticipates the famous characters like – Nora in Doll’s House. She has her individuality. She is capable of intense love and necessary willingness to sacrifice self-interest for the welfare of the man whom she loved.

She is a representative of the New World free from inhibitions, prejudices and narrow-minded morality. When she was in America she cut her hair, wore men’s boots to spite the people.

She had too much affection to her brother Johan. So she went to America with him. There she sang in taverns, preached and published books. Though Mr. Bernick loved and rejected her she did not think of revenge.

One day she came to know that the life and progress of Mr. Bernick was based on a lie. She pretended to be home sick. She returned to Norway. In the beginning she told them that she was no supply of fresh air into the stuffy life of the people there.

She told Bernick to confess the guilt and be himself, so he confessed. Betty was able to win him. Lona is the symbol of reformation of Mr. Bernick and the society.

Martha Bernick

Martha Bernick is the sister of Mr. Bernick. Johan was her playmate. She loved him. But he went to America. She could not inherit money from her mother. So she taught in a school. She lived with the Bernicks. She helped the poor children.

When Dina Dorf became an orphan Martha took her to the house of Bernick. She took good care of Dina. Johan returned. He looked much younger by breathing fresh and free air. Martha looked older by the stuffy atmosphere. Johan had no eye for Martha.

Johan was attracted by Dina. Dina was ready to marry him. At that time the person Rorland revealed the shady past of Johan. Dina was confused. Then Martha and Lona persuaded Dina to trust Johan.

Martha and Lona herald the strong women characters of Ibsen like Nora. She made the supreme sacrifice for her lover.

Miss Dina Dorf

Miss Dina Dorf was the young girl, who lived with the Bernicks. She hated the people with prudish morality. She wanted to be free from the convention-ridden society. She had a rebellious and independent spirit. But sometime she was confused. She was not certain to whom she should trust.

Her father and mother were actors. One day Bernick was found with her mother. So her father desertyed her. After the death of Dina’s mother, Martha took her to Bernick’s house. She hated the prudish morality of the people especially the gossipmongers like Mrs. Rummer and her friends.

She decided to go to America to be herself first. After setting her foot properly she desired to marry Johan. She called Rorland a parson because of his hypocrisy and prudish morality. She hated the behaviour of the people towards her, as she was the daughter of Mrs. Dorf, an actress. She hated Rorland because he acted as if he was lifting a poor despised girl to his level.

Johan

Johan was the younger brother of Mrs. Betty Bernick. In the beginning he was thought less youth. Mr. Bernick was engaged with Betty. But one day he was found in the room of Mrs. Drof. It would have spoiled Bernick. But Johan took the blame and went to America. Later rumours were also there about the missing cash.

Lona Hessel accompanied him. She called him my boy she work hard to help Johan during his difficult days.

Martha expected Johan to return like the prodigal son. Johan prospered and returned. He looked young no ineliation to Martha. He fell in love with Dina. But at that time Rorland disclosed that Johan was responsible for the tragedy of Dina’s mother. 

Johan requested Bernick to exonerate him. He threatened to black mail Bernick with the two letters. When he could win the heart of Dina, he gave the letters Lona to return to Bernick.

At first he wanted to travel in the Indian Girl. Later made a plan to travel by the Palm Tree.

Personally he was not interested to black mail Bernick. So he gave the two letters to Lona before he went for America. Johan is the representative of the New World, free from inhibitions, prejudices and narrow-minded morality. He offers refreshing and informative, contrast to the stuffy world of hypocrisy and pettiness in which men like Bernick live.

Mr. Krap

Mr. Krap is the confidential clerk of Bernick. At first we see him talking to Mrs. Aune. He was asked to pass a message to Aune to stop his Saturday lectures to the men. He was true and faithful to the master.

Later he reports to Bernick the way in which Aune got the American ship called Indian Girl was repaired. Aune patched up the ship, and it was sure to sink.

He advised ernick to check the ship. But Bernick was happy when the inspection was over. Bernick was at a loss when he realised that his son was a stowaway in the ship.

The character of Mr. Krap is not given much importance.

Mr. Aune

Mr. Aune was the foreman of Mr. Bernick’s ship building yard. At first Mr. Bernick told him through Mr. Krap to stop his Saturday lectures to the workers. Mr. Aune believed that it was his duty to enlighten the workers about the harm done to the workers by the modern machines. He presented his case to Mr. Bernick. According to Bernick many copywriters lost their job when printing was introduced. Mr. Aune retorted and said that Mr.Bernick would not have felt that way had been a copywriter.

Bernick gave Aune the ultimatum. If the American ship called Indian Girl, was not ready for sail along with the Palm Tree. Mr. Aune would be dismissed. Mr. Aune took it seriously. He patched up the ship so that it would perish in the sea. Before the ship taken to the yard. Aune enquired Bernick whether he would be dismissed in case if the ship were not ready. Bernick repeated his threat. So Anue allowed the ship to go to the sea. When he came to know that Olaf, the son of Bernick was stowaway in the American ship he took his boat and went to the ship with Betty Bernick. He used Bernick’s good name to stop the sail of the ship and saved Olaf and the crew. He was very happy when he learn that he was not dismissed.

Mr. Aune is the representative of sulking employee under as over bearing chief. He resents the way of Bernick to sabotage his plans. He got a ready patched up ship to spite Bernick. Three gnerations of Aune had worked for Bernick.

Mr. Rorlund

Mr. Rorlund was a schoolmaster. Dine called him parson In the first act we see him reading gilt-edged book to the ladies. Rorlund is quite necessary for the plot. Rorlund’s hypocrisy was worse than Bernick’, because it was without any motivation.

His prudish morality and condensation in lifting a fallen woman’s child drove Dina crazy. So she ran away to America to escape from him. He felt that he was a strong pillar of the Society. He was like a puritan. He always preached to Dina. His morality did not prevent him from loving Dina. He unnecessarily told Dina that Johan was responsible for the tragedy of her mother. Lona and Martha prevailed up on Dina, and she went to America to have her footing. Rorlund spoke to the crowd in praise of Mr. Bernick and other pillars of Society. So in the end we find the pseudo pillar of Morality is exposed.

Explain Importance of IV Act.  (Or) Elucidate Circumstances that led to the confession of Bernick.

In the drama The Pillars of Society the most important act is IV Act. A huge gathering of citizens assembled in front of the house of Bernick to felicitate him for the railway project. Rumme and Vigeland made arrangement for it. Dine decided to go to America with Johan. At first she wanted to make her footing and then to become the wife of Johan. She was fed up with prudish morality of the people.

Olaf escaped from the house to say good bye to his uncle. Martha disclosed that she had been waiting for Johan returned but he showed no inclination to her. His eyes were on Dina. So she sacrificing nature of Martha is shown.

Bernick and Lona met; Lona enquired Bernick whether he was happy at that solemn movement. He said that he was a tool of the society. He told her that his wife was nothing to him. Lona told him that he was so because he failed to share his interests with her. She lived under the self-reproach for the shame. Bernick cast upon Johan.  So Lona advised him to confess the guilt and make himself. Lona informed him that went to America with Dina. Dina was going to be the wife of Johan. In that way Dina was going to spoil the prudish morality.

Lona also informed Bernick that she was there not to take revenge. She came to know that the  Bernick’s life was based on a lie. She wanted to blow some fresh air in the stuffy atmosphere of Bernick's life. She tore the letters given to her by Johan. It moved Bernick very much.

The procession of the citizen reached the house. Betty was not there. He learnt the Olaf was stowaway in the Indian Girl. Bernick felt that the illuminations were like candles in a dead room. At that time Betty Bernick reached there. She told him now Olaf was taken from the Indian Girl with the help of Aune.

Rorlund spoke very vociferously about Bernick. Bernick told the crowd he was selfish in his actions. He was the man who bought the lands. He also told them how he lived on a lie by abusing Johan. He admitted his guilt.

Betty was very happy, she felt that she won him. He allowed Olaf to grow up freely. Thus Bernick confessed and was exonerated. But the confession is not convincing. Bernick believed that “women were the pillars of the Society”. Lona corrected him by saying that the “spirit of freedom and spirit of truth were the pillars of Society”.

***** 

Song of Youth - Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

Song of Youth - Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (Former President of India)

 As a young citizen of India

        armed with technology, knowledge and love for my nation

I realize, small aim is a crime

I will work and sweat for a great vision

       the vision of transforming India into a developed nation

        powered by economic strength with value system

I am one of the citizens of the billion

        only the vision will ignite the billion souls

It has entered into me

The ignited soul compared to any resource

        is the most powerful resource

       on the earth, above the earth and under the earth

I will keep the lamp of knowledge burning

        to achieve the vision – developed India.

                                    ****

THE CONJURER’S REVENGE – STEPHEN LEACOCK

THE CONJURER’S REVENGE – STEPHEN LEACOCK

“Now, Ladies and gentlemen,” said the conjurer, “having shown that the cloth is absolutely empty, I will proceed to take from it a bowl of goldfish, Presto!”

All around the hall people were saying, “Oh, how wonderful! How does he do it?”

But the Quick Man on the front seat said in a big whisper to the people near him, “He – had – it – up – his – sleeve.”

Then the people nodded brightly at the Quick Man and said, “Oh, of course,” and everybody whispered round the hall, “He – had – it – up – his – sleeve.”

“My next trick,” said the conjurer, “is the famous Hindostanee rings, you will notice that the rings are apparently separate, at a blow they all join (clang, clang, clang) – Presto!”

There was a general buzz of stupefaction till the Quick Man was heard to whisper, “He – must – have – had – another – lot – up – his – sleeve.”

Again everybody nodded and whispered, “The – rings – were – up – his – sleeve.”

The brow of the conjurer was clouded with a gathering frown.

“I will now,” he continued, “show you a most amusing trick by which I am enabled to take any number of eggs from a hat. Will some gentleman kindly lend me his hat? Ah, thank – you – Presto!”

“He extracted seventeen eggs, and for thirty-five seconds the audience began to think that he was wonderful.  Then the Quick Man whispered along the front bench, “he – has – a – hen – up – his – sleeve,” and all the people whispered it on. “He – has – a – lot – of – hens – up – his – sleeve.”

The egg trick was ruined.

It went on like that all through. It transpired from the whispers of the Quick Man that the conjurer must have concealed up his sleeve, in addition to the rings, hens, and fish, several packs of cards, a loaf of bread, a doll’s cradle, a live guinea-pig, a fifty-cent piece, and a rocking-chair.

The reputation of the conjurer was rapidly sinking below zero. At the close of the evening he rallied for a final effort.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “I will present to you, in conclusion, the famous Japanese trick recently invented by the natives of Tipperary. Will you, sir,” he continued, turning toward the Quick Man, “will you kindly hand me your gold watch?”

It was passed to him.

“Have I your permission to put it into this mortar and pound it to pieces?  He asked savagely.

The Quick Man nodded and smiled.

The conjurer threw the watch into the mortar and grasped a sledge hammer from the table. There was a sound of violent smashing. “He’s – slipped – it – up – his – sleeve,” whispered the Quick Man.

“Now, sir,” continued the conjurer, “will you allow me to take your handkerchief and punch holes in it? Thank you. You see, ladies and gentlemen, there is no deception, the holes are visible to the eye.”

The face of the Quick Man beamed. This time the real mystery of the thing fascinated him.

“And now, sir, will you kindly pass me your silk hat and allow me to dance on it? Thank you.”

The conjurer made a few rapid passes with his feet and exhibited the hat crushed beyond recognition.

“And will you now, sir, take off your celluloid collar and permit me to burn it in the candle? Thank you, sir. And allow me to smash your spectacles for you with my hammer? Thank you.

By this time the features of the Quick Man were assuming a puzzled expression. “This thing beats me,” he whispered, “I don’t see through it a bit.”

There was a great hush upon the audience. Then the conjurer drew himself up to his full height and, with a withering look at the Quick Man, he concluded:

“Ladies and gentlemen, you will observe that I have, with this gentleman’s permission, broken his watch, burnt his collar, smashed his spectacles, and danced on his hat. If he will give the further permission to paint green stripes on his overcoat, or to tie his suspenders in a knot, I shall be delighted to entertain you. If not, the performance is at an end.”

And amid a glorious burst of music from the orchestra the curtain fell, and the audience dispersed, convinced that there are some tricks, at any rate, that ate not done up the conjurer’s sleeve.

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The Fun They Had – Isaac Asimov

The Fun They Had – Isaac Asimov

[Science fiction is a kind of fantasy that usually concern changes that science may bring about in the future. Many science fiction stories take you to an imaginary world, such as another planet, the future on Earth, or a spaceship in another galaxy.

This story was written in 1951 was written in 1951, many years before computers became common teaching instruments in schools and at home. As you read, think about how the writer feels about these “mechanical teachers.”  Have any of his predictions come true? How do you predict computers will be used in classrooms by the year 2155?]

Margie even wrote about it that night in her diary. On the page headed may 17, 2155, she wrote, “Today Tommy found a real book!”

It was a very old book. Margie’s grandfather once said that when he was a little boy his grandfather told him that there was a time when all stories were printed on paper.

They turned the pages, which were yellow and crinkly, and it was awfully funny to read words that stood still instead of moving the way they were supposed to – on a screen, you know. And then, when they turned back to the page before, it had the same words on it that it had had when they read it the first time.

“Gee,” said Tommy, “What a waste. When you’re through with the book, you just throw it away, I guess, Our Television screen must have had a million books on it and it’s good for plenty more. I wouldn’t throw it away.”

“Same with mine,” said Margie. She was eleven and hadn’t seen as many telebooks as Tommy had. He was thirteen.

She said, “Where did you find it?”

“In my house.” He pointed without looking, because he was busy reading. “In the attic.”

“What’s it about?”

“School.”

Margie was careful. “School? What’s there to write about school? I hate school.” Margie always hated school, but now she hated it more than ever. The mechanical teacher had been giving her test after test in geography and she had been doing worse and worse until her mother had shaken her head sorrowfully and sent for the County Inspector.

He was a round little man with a red face and a whole box of tolls with dials and wires. He smiled at her and gave her an apple, then took the teacher apart. Margie had hoped he wouldn’t know how to put it together again, but he knew how all right and, after hour or so, there it was again, large and ugly with big screen on which all the lessons were shown and the questions were asked. That wasn’t so bad. The part she hated most was the slot where she had to put homework and test papers. She always had to write them out in a punch code they made her learn when she was six years old, and the mechanical teacher calculated the mark in no time.

The inspector had smiled after he was finished and patted her head. He said to her mother, “It’s not the little girl’s fault. Mrs. Jones, I think the geography sector was geared a little too quick. Those things happen sometimes. I’ve slowed it up to an average ten-year level. Actually, the overall pattern of her progress is quite satisfactory.”  And he patted Margie’s head again.

Margie was disappointed. She had been hoping they would take the teacher away altogether. They had once taken Tommy’s teacher away for nearly a month because the history sector had blanked out completely.

So she said to Tommy. “Why would anyone write about school?”

Tommy looked at her with very superior eyes. “Because it’s not our kind of school, stupid. This is the old kind of school that they had hundreds and hundreds of years ago.” He added loftily, pronouncing the word carefully, Centuries ago.” 

Margie was hurt. “Well, I don’t know what kind of school they had all that rime ago.” She read the book over his shoulder for a while, then said, “Anyway, they had a teacher.”

“Sure they had a teacher, but it wasn’t a regular teacher. It was a man.”

“A man? How could a man be a teacher?”

“Well, he just told the boys and girls things and gave them homework and asked them questions.”

“A man isn’t smart enough.”

“Sure he is. My father knows as much as my teacher.”

“He can’t. A man can’t know as much as a teacher.”

“He knows almost as much I betcha.”

Margie wasn’t prepared to dispute that. She said. “I wouldn’t want a strange man in my house to teach me.”

Tommy screamed with laughter, “You don’t know much, Margie. The teachers didn’t live in the house. They had a special building and all the kids went there.”

“And all the kids learned the same thing?”

“Sure, if they were the same age.”

“But my mother says teacher has to be adjusted to fit the mind of each boy and girl it teaches and that each kid has to be taught differently.”

“Just the same, they didn’t do it that way then If you don’t like it, you don’t have to read the book.”

“I didn’t say I didn’t like it.” Margie said quickly. She wanted to read about those funny schools.

They weren’t even half finished when Margie’s mother called. “Margie! School!”

Margie looked up. “Not yet Mamma.”

“Now,” said Mrs. Jones “And It’s probably time for Tommy, too…”

Margie said to Tommy, “Can I read the book some more with you after school?”

“Maybe.” He said, nonchalantly. He walked away whistling, the dusty old bool tucked beneath his arm.

Margie went into the schoolroom. It was right next to her bedroom, and the mechanical teacher was on and waiting for her. It was always on at the same time every day except Saturday and Sunday, because her mother said little girls learned better if they learned at regular hours.

Then screen was lit up, and it said: “Today’s arithmetic lesson is on the addition of proper fractions. Please insert yesterday’s homework in the proper slot.”

Matgie did so with a sigh. She was thinking about the schools they had when her grandfather’s grandfather was a little boy. All the kids from the whole neighborhood came, laughing and shouting in the schoolyard, sitting together in the schoolroom, going home together at the end of the day. They learned the same things so they could help one another on the homework and talk about it.

And the teachers were people….

The mechanical teacher was flashing on the screen: “When we add the fractions ½ and ¼ ……”

Margie was thinking about how the kids must have loved it in the old days. She was thinking about the fun they had.

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May I Compare Thee to Summer’s Day. - William Shakespeare

May I Compare Thee to Summer’s Day. - William Shakespeare

Sonnet XVIII (18) – William Shakespeare

Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate:

Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,

And summer’s lease hath all too short a date:

Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimmed;

And every fair from fair sometimes declines,

By chance or nature’s changing course untrimmed.

But thy eternal summer shall not fade,

Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st:

Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,

When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:

So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,

So long lives this, and this gives life to thee

William Shakespeare was a celebrated poet, dramatist and an artist of Elizabethan Age. A literary acumen and consummate artist. Every ward was so carefully chosen for both reference to sense and sound, so as so his diction became not only melodious and musical but also touching the deepest depths of philosophical insights of human nature.

Sonnet – 18, is a sublime example for his perfect craftsmanship of writing in his own style, comparing the ‘Patronage’ of an unidentified patron at his crucial times of poverty to the ‘Summer’s Day’. According to him the unidentified person’s presence may be equivalent to the joy of summer, which is the happiest season of Europe. Whatever is ‘more lovely’ or beautiful is liable to be ‘more temperate’ Rough winds of the Nature do disfigure the most beautiful the ‘darling bud of May’ (rose). Even ‘summer’s lease’ may be ‘too short a date’ wherein the ‘eye of heaven’ (sun) be faded away. Whatever is ‘fair’ (beautiful) that comes from the ‘fair’ (nature) may have very short span of life. ‘Chance’ (fate) and the ‘nature’s changing course’ (time) are always working against to their (fairies of Nature) and disfigure the Nature’s beautiful things.

Let all elements of Nature are subjected to fall as victims to the snares of ‘fate’ and ‘time’ but the ‘patronage’ of the dark person is eternal and immortal. The poet is here immortalizing the patronage of the dark patron without fading away in the due course of time. So the poet is proudly saying that the ‘patronage’ of the dark person may be remembered forever so long as his poems survive. He brags ‘so long as men can breathe or eyes can see so long lives this (poem) so long as give life to thee’.

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Tryst with Destiny – Jawaharlal Nehru

Tryst with Destiny – Jawaharlal Nehru

Jawaharlal Nehru was the first prime minister of India. He was a great statesman who is responsible for all the progress of India. As the prime minister of India, Nehru shaped the foreign policy of the country and gave gibe support for the development of science and technology Nehru was originally a lawyer but he was also an expert in most other subjects. The people of India respected his vast knowledge and called him 'Pundit Nehru'.

India won Independence from British rule on the 15th August, 1947. At the very stroke of midnight in the clock, Nehru announced the happy news of the freedom of India to the entire world. During the colorful ceremony held at New Delhi, the flag of British was pulled down and the new tricolor national flag was hoisted. After that, Nehru delivered a historic speech which is known as "Tryst with Destiny".

Nehru began his speech by referring to the pledge made by Indians long years ago to win the freedom for the homeland. Freedom has finally come and the long suppressed soul of the nation is liberated. Nehru asks the people of India to dedicate themselves to the service of India and to the service of the whole mankind.

India emerged as a new nation in the early hours of 15th August, 1947. Behind this success lies the long and great sacrifice done by the freedom fighters of many generations. According to Nehru, the people in India will collect their courage from the principles of the past. The success celebrated on the 15th August is only an opportunity for great successes in future. He asks the people on India to accept this challenge and to serve the future generation of India.

Nehru reminds the people of India that freedom and power bring responsibility before 1947, India used to depend upon England for leadership and guidance. After 1947, India is her own master. The country has to take its own decisions, learn from mistakes and move forward. India has to grow into a mature and wise nation and be a model to other nations.

Nehru feels that all Indians should work hard for the development of their dear nation. Doing service to India means doing service to millions of poor people who suffer all over the county. Nehru feels that the past is over and it is the future that has to be taken care of. It is for the future generations that we have to dedicate ourselves. Nehru urges the people to labor and to work hard to give reality to the dreams of the nation. Those dreams are not only for India but for the entire world. According to Nehru, all the countries in the world are closely connected. No one can live in isolation. Peace, freedom and prosperity are the common property of all humanity. Nehru warns the people that disaster in one part of the world can affect everyone else, because the world cannot be divided into small isolated pieces.

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INTRODUCTION TO "TRIBUTE TO SWAMI VIVEKANANDA"

INTRODUCTION

        

It gives me immense pleasure indeed to talk on  scholarly papers to pay a splendid tribute to the great sage on the occasion of this conference “A Commemoration of 150^th Birth Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’ On this special occasion I would like to extend my special thanks for those who have come from far off places to participate in the glorious event and present papers flooding substantial light on the life and achievements of Swami Vivekananda and  enlighten us on the subject of this conference. The papers are really well written and made me fall into the sense of fascination to bring out all papers in this form of book.

Before I proceed further I would like to express my constraints and limitations in preparing arrangements of two day National Conference. By the time, when I was assigned to host  the conference there was little time left in my hand to hold the conference especially on this particular day i.e. on 11^th September 2014. We decided to hold this conference only today against all odds because of its special significance. Nearly 120 years ago exactly on this day of 11^th September 1893, Swami Vivekananda delivered his unforgettable speech in the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago, USA. In this shortest time possible I had to make all necessary arrangements with the best possible efforts with assistance of my friends and colleagues.

Therefore, on behalf of the Organizing Committee I must confess that when I was first informed to host this conference I was rather skeptical about my ability to manage the conference at my present stage of inexperience of organizing a National conference. However, the members of the organizing committee have come to my aid, and helped me by patting on my shoulders with their fullest support and filled my heart with courage in every step to go ahead with full confidence to organize the facilities to cater for a two-day National Conference. I never forget the unexplainable help rendered by our Principal when I was groping for the right way to go ahead in the darkest hour. 

It is thus both an honour and pleasure for me on behalf of my great Veerashaiva College to host this function despite many short comings in organizing this event. I am indeed delighted to be associated with all my dear colleagues who helped me a lot and their invaluable help will never be forgotten.

We are all well-aware that Swami Vivekananda’s contributions in various fields and unparallel services for the welfare of the society. It is universally acknowledged that Swamiji revitalized his philosophy within and outside India, in spite of her (India) innumerable linguistic, ethnic, historical, and regional diversities, India has had from the time immemorial a strong sense of cultural unity.  It was, however, Swami Vivekananda who revealed the true foundations of this culture and thus clearly defined and strengthened the sense of unity as a nation. Swamiji gave Indians proper understanding of their country’s spiritual heritage and thus he gave us pride in our past. Another greatest contribution of Swami Vivekananda was to build a bridge between Indian culture and western culture. He did it by interpreting Hindu Scriptures and Philosophy and the Hindu Way Life and its Social Institutions to the western people in an idiom in which they could understand. He made western people realize that they had to learn much from Indian spirituality for their well-being. It was the principal reason for the enthusiastic reception of Yoga, Transcendental Meditation and other forms of Indian spiritual self-improvement in the West.

Further, Swami Vivekananda espoused the idea that all sects within Hinduism and all religions are different paths to the same goal. However, this view has been criticized as an oversimplification of Hinduism. He is indisputably considered that Swamiji was one of the greatest spiritual leaders of the modern world who awakened India through his invaluable messages and stirring lectures. The most inspiring and unique lectures he delivered at the World Parliament of Religions held at Chicago, USA on September 11^th 1893 and subsequent teachings for four and half years in USA and Europe, he succeeded to a great extent in changing the opinion of Western people about India.

In the background of emerging nationalism in British-ruled India, Swami Vivekananda crystallized the nationalistic ideals. In the words of social reformer C. F. Andrews, “Swamiji’s intrepid patriotism gave a new colour to the national movement throughout India. More than any other single individual of that period Swami Vivekananda had made his contributions to the new awakening of India”.  His nationalistic ideas influenced many Indian thinkers and leaders. Sri Aurobindo regarded Swami Vivekananda was the one who awakened India Spiritually; Mahatma Gandhi counted him among the few Hindu reformers “who have maintained this Hindu religion in a state of splendor by cutting down the dead wood of tradition.”

Swami Vivekananda is a universal ideal for modern youths. He achieved so much in his life and contributed so much to the welfare, progress and spiritual elevation of humanity during the short period of his youth. His unparallel teachings infuse self-confidence and inner strength to face the problems of life such as failure, criticism, and depression and so many psychological inhibitions. His teachings are perennial source of inspiration and eternal hope for the young generations to attain true fulfillment and peace in their lives. 

The inspiring god man, Swami Vivekananda with his infinite knowledge in Eastern and Western culture as well as his deep spiritual insight, with his art of eloquence, with his brilliant conversation, with his broad human sympathy, with his multifaceted personality, with his glowing and attractive countenance made an irresistible appeal strove across the world to promote peace and brotherhood on the spiritual foundation of the Vedanthic Oneness of existence.

Swami Vivekananda taught us very deep aspects encompassing Spiritualism, Universal values, Religion, Character building, Education, Spirit of Service and other social issues. His thoughts caught the imagination of people in diverse societies and cultures because of the universality of his preaching and the exalted goals that he set for human beings. The eternal idea in the life and teachings of Swami Vivekananda was religious universalism. All religions are universal, equal and true! Truly he is a citizen of the world.

Many historians pointed out that swami Vivekananda will be eternal in the whole history of Indian religion, for moulding the modern world, especially as far as Asia is concerned.

During this celebration of the 150^th Birth Anniversary, it is the time for us to pay tribute to the great soul. Swamiji’s works and message could be the best inspiration for us today. We hope that, the participants must be inspired by the eminent lectures on Swamiji’s thoughts and works which will definitely help them to mould their way of thinking and the perceptions about Religion, Humanity, Selfless Service, Spiritualism, Universal values, Character building and Education. With these a few observations I conclude my introduction of this conference. I thank you and I will be thankful to one and all whose gracious presence to make this event successful and I wish every participant of this conference may reap golden harvest of invaluable Knowledge,

Thank you.

Mastanappa Puletipalli

11^th September 2014