Critical Appreciation of Enterprise by Nissim Ezekiel.

CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF “ENTERPRISE” BY NISSIM EZEKIEL

 

INTRODUCTION TO ENTERPRISE:

The poem, Enterprise is written by an Indian poet Nissim Ezekiel. Enterprise is one of the best poems of Ezekiel. The poem revolves around a metaphorical journey to pilgrimage started by enthusiastic people. But gradually they faced lot of obstacles in their journey. They reached their destination but they had a doubt that whether it was really worth it to take such vigorous journey. The poem consists of six stanzas and each has five lines.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR OF ENTERPRISE:

Nissim Ezekiel is considered the most modern Indian poet. Nissim Ezekiel was born on 16 December 1924 in Mumbai, Maharashtra. He was a professor of English in Bombay University and intellectual & a philosopher as a poet. Nissim Ezekiel father was a professor of botany at Wilson College and his mother was principal of her own school. Nissim Ezekiel family belonged to Marathi-speaking Jewish community, known as “Bene Isreal”. Nissim Ezekiel was awarded with the Sahitya Akademic Award in 1983 for his poetry collection, “latter-Day P Salms”. Nissim Ezekiel passed away on 12 January, 2004.

 

CRITICAL APPRECIATION OF ENTERPRISE:   

The style of writing of the poem “Enterprise” is conventional. There is total six stanzas, each having five lines and the pattern of the poem is iambic tetrameter. The poet describes a journey in the poem “Enterprise”. A group of people started a journey to achieve a specific goal. In the starting of journey all of them were very excited and had great enthusiasm, thus they proceeded on their expedition. The sun was throwing its blazing rays on them but despite unfavourable condition they showed great endurance.

They took notice of everything that crossed their path they were so attentive to their surroundings. They observed the peasants selling and buying variety of commodities, behaviour of serpents and goats. They behold the sight of three cities. There a sage was delivered his spiritual and intellectual speech. The group fell into argument over how to cross a desert. One of the travellers gave up on the group and took his own way. At this juncture others felt a sense of deprivation.

The group experienced another trouble, they were attached twice and lost their way. At this point of time many travellers left the group and took their separate way. At this the poet approached the leader and requested him to handle the situation but at this the leader showed no concern and said that they were near to their destination. Such attitude of the leader annoyed the poet. After resuming the journey all of them were deprived from basic amenities. Most of the travellers tired and frustrated from the stain of the journey.

After facing all the difficulties eventually, the travellers reached their destination. The pilgrimage felt that their achievement was not very noteworthy. After achieving their unsatisfied goal, they understood that home is far superior place where one can achieve peace. With the poem the poet gives a message of self-satisfaction with what we have and not run after materialism and not to forget our fundamental duties.