CC - III: Kamala Das An Introduction explanation

1.  "I don't know politics but I know the names

       Of those in power......"

This lines mark the beginning of kamala Das's poem An introduction. Here, the poet disclaims any special knowledge of politics so as to provide an artistic and autobiographical rational for the language of her creative expression, i.e. English.

                    The poet says that she is not interested in politics but claims that she can name all the people who have been in power right form the time of Nehru . By saying that she can repeat them as fluently as days of week or names of months, see obliquely states that hacked that politics in the country is a game of few chosen elites who ironically rule democracy. In fact, she creates a ground for writing in English which is more than just cultural or artistic choice. It has its politics as well or, at any rate, the issue of writing in English has been politicized for more than a hundred years. To speak out against this, the first thing that Das does is to claim an apolitical position for herself. The implication is that she could not care less about politics and politician. Her. Indifference gates translated into a demand for artistic and personal freedom of expression.

                These lines obviously define her stand point as a creative writer and bring out the stream reality-i.e. how the mails have been ruling the country without giving right to the women. Moreover, the rulers are fewer in numbers because democracy exist only in words.

2. "I am sinner,

     I am saint. I am the beloved and the

    Betrayed. I have no joys that are not yours, no
    Aches which are not yours. I too call myself I".

    This lines are extracted from Kamala Das' poem "An Introduction". Here, the poet describe her plight in her futile search for true love which ultimately leads her to assert herself as an independent individual.

                The poet's life of suppression and subjugation in marital relationship leads to a breakdown in her personality. In other words, unhappy in her marriage due to the insensitivity of her husband, she gets involved in an extra-marital affair. She showers all her love on him because "he is every man who wants a woman", i.e. an embodiment of the hungry haste of river, whereas she is "every women who seeks love", thus identifying herself with all the woman in the world who yearn for the same, i.e. an embodiment of patience like the ocean's tireless waiting. However, it too does not quite succeed in quenching her thirst for meaningful love. As a result, she grows frustrated and starts drowning her loneliness in drinks at random hours and places. Such a bohemian lifestyle gets herself mired in a vicious cycle of affairs followed by an acute sense of shame. The poet uses contrary terms ("the sinner and the saint", "the beloved and the betrayed") to describe her plight. Eventually, she defines her identify as a free- spirited women.

                These lines poignantly bring out her personal experiences of a loveless relationship. She turns her back upon the world of love and wants to live on her own terms because her quest of true love ultimately ends in futility.

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