Author
Where was Rabindranath Tagore born?
Calcutta
What does the poet compare his life to in Poem 1?
A frail vessel (heart).
The “emptiness” of the flute is a metaphor for what?
Human soul as God’s instrument
“Strike at the root of penury in my heart” is an example of which device?
Metaphor.
Why does God empty and fill the vessel repeatedly?
To give divine grace again and again.
Which prestigious award did he win in 1913?
What does the poet pour into God’s hands?
His life and songs.
How does the poet view pride?
As a barrier between man and God.
What device is used when the poet directly speaks to God?
Apostrophe
“Make me thy flute of reed” – What does the poet request?
To be a medium of God’s music.
In which language did Tagore originally write Gitanjali?
Bengali
What action does the poet tell the worshippers to stop?
Chanting, singing, telling beads
What does the lamp symbolize?
Human life guided by divine light.
The act of God filling the lamp shows which literary device?
Personification
Why does the poet want God to “remove the pride”?
Pride blocks divine grace.
Which Irish poet wrote the introduction to Gitanjali?
William Butler Yeats
What happens to the vessel when it overflows?
It loses its limits in joy.
The poem emphasizes freedom from what kind of bondage?
Inner fear and spiritual slavery.
“Make me thy flute of reed” – What does the poet request?
To be a medium of God’s music.
Why does the poet call God’s gifts “infinite”?
Because they never end and are beyond human measure.
Which two countries have national anthems written by Tagore?
India (Jana Gana Mana) and Bangladesh (Amar Shonar Bangla).
What fills the vessel again and again?
Divine nectar (life / grace).
What does the poet ultimately seek?
Spiritual courage and freedom.
The flute’s hollowness is a symbol of what human quality?
Emptiness and humility before God.
“Give me the strength never to disown the poor” – What does this show?
Compassion and social responsibility are part of devotion.