A comparative insight into Romantic and South Asian Poetic Heritage

Name: Sidra Safdar Class: BS English Induction Semester 5 BSEN-2Y012515005 University of Chenab Gujrat Submitted to: Muhammad Adnan Gujjar Lecturer in the Department of English, university of Chenab A Project of Romantic Poetry Title: Romantics, Sufis and Seekers A comparative insight into Romantic and South Asian Poetic Heritage Introduction The Romantic Period of English literature marks one of the most significant turning points in the history of English literature. This movement of Romanticism was a literary, artistic and intellectual movement that began in the late 18 century in Europe as a reaction against the age of reason and the strict rules of Neoclassical Period. A literary shift that gave greater prominence to imagination, emotion, nature, freedom and individual experience. The timeless masterpieces of this age changed the course of English Poetry forever. Romanticism emerged during a period of enormous political, social and economic transformation. Among which The French revolution of 1789, and the industrial revolution are notable. Thus romantic poets responded to this changing world through their unique and distinctive insights . Some of the most significant and famous poets of the romantic age are William Wordsworth, John Keats ,Percy Bysshe Shelley, William Blake ,Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Lord Byron. William words worth In the history of English poetry, early years of the 19th century, mark a truly Great period of creative achievement. Here in the Lake District, William Words Worth (father of romantic poetry) created poems that remain amongst the most famous in the English language. Birth: William Words Worth was born in 1770. Education: At 17 he went to the University of Cambridge. While his parents wanted him to become a priest, he felt his destiny was to be a poet. The influence of nature: The wild, mountainous landscape of his home was the biggest inspiration for his poetry throughout his life. Political passion and change French Revolution: In 1789, he visited France and became a huge fan of the French Revolution. The turning point: By 1793, he became deeply disillusioned when the revolution turned into a period of violence and "terror". Radical Friendship: In 1797, he met Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Together with Words Worth's sister Dorothy, they spent their days walking through the countryside and discussing radical new ideas about "poetry" and "politics". Key publications: In 1798 Words Worth and Coleridge published Lyrical Ballads. This book is considered the "birth of English Romantic poetry". The remaining volumes were written by only Words Worth alone. The remaining years of publication were 1800,1802,1804,1805. William Words Worth is famously known as the father of Romantic poetry. As a true Pantheist, his work sparks fresh, open-air reflections and sacred landscapes across the readers' imagination. "God is nature, and nature is God" evokes the holy sanctuary of the natural panorama spread around us that mirrors the beautiful and living artistry of Allah. Words worth is most famously celebrated as the Prophet of poetry, the poet of Nature and true lover of lush green fields and flora and fauna. 1. William Words Worth and Amrita Pritam: At first sight it seems like there can be no exact connection between William Words Worth, an 18-century British male poet from England, and Amrita Pritam, a 20th-century Punjabi Sikh female poet. But if we deeply study their poetic insights and literary perspectives, surprisingly deep and intellectual connections can be seen. Poetry for People The brilliance of both William Words Worth and Amrita Pritam was that, they liberated poetry from the clutches of Elite and made it accessible to the common man. William Words Worth argued that poetry should be written in the "real language of man". In the 1801 edition, he famously defined poetry as; "spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings". He wrote poetry in such a simple style, that even the peasant class of that time could easily understand it. He made the poor shepherds and rural girls the central theme of his poetry. "The Solitary Reaper" and "Michael" are the absolute best examples. Amrita Pritam did precisely the same. Amrita used the authentic, simple and idiomatic Punjabi spoken by the masses. Instead of writing about queens or princesses, she gave a voice to the sorrows and sufferings of the oppressed, the refugees, and the women working in the fields. The power of Memory and Internalization In the vision of both poets, memories of the past (Recollection) are not merely a thought, rather, they are such a force that keeps a person alive. Wordsworth's vision is entirely based on the theme "Emotion recollected in tranquility".For example, in his poem "Daffodils" when, after that scene has passed, and he sits alone in solitude and the same sight fills his heart with delight. Words Worth refers to this as the "inward eye" which provides the "bliss of solitude". In Amrita Pritam's poetry too, the Past, memories and pain--with the passage of time transform into a deep spell and a creative force. Her poem" میں تینوں فیر ملاں گی" and other poems are in fact, "the process of sitting in tranquil moments and re-collecting the powerful emotions of love and separation." This essence is exactly relevant to WordsWorthian narrative, "Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity." Cosmic Collection and Pantheism Pantheism is the belief that the divine intersects with and animates every fiber of the physical world. An idea that God is in everything, not separate from the universe or nature. William Words Worth as the true Pantheist and Prophet of nature, does not merely observe the landscape; he communes with a living , breathing soul within it. In his core theme, "God is Nature, and Nature is God", he vividly exposes the sacredness of nature and divine facets. In his most celebrated poem "Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey", he writes mentions; "....And l have felt A presence that disturbs me with the joy Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime Of something far more deeply interfused, Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns? And the round ocean and the living air, And the blue sky, and in the mind of man. And when Amrita says; تیرے تخیل دی چناں بن کے،تیرے کینوس تے اتراں گی"then by breaking the boundaries of physical body, she becomes the part of cosmic elements (cotton, air, water, colors). Both poets, by transcending the material existence, believe in the cosmic journey of the soul. Reaction to human suffering and history Both poets, observed very closely, the historical transformations and the human suffering born as a result of them and writhed in agony over it. William Words Worth and the French Revolution: Early in his life he became an enthusiast for the "French Revolution" and held radical political views. But when the revolution turned into a period of tyranny and oppression, he became a conservative, and wrote against this tyranny and oppression. His poem "The World Is Too Much With Us (1807)," "The Excursion (1814)," "Lines Written in Early ( 1798)," "The Reverie of Poor Susan, "and the sonnet "Steamboats, Viaducts, and Railways" spot light the dark aspect of this industrial revolution. Amrita and the Partition of India: The Partition of India in 1947 was not just a political line drawn on the map; it was a massive, violent seismic shift that tore the fabric of human lives, cultures, and shared history into pieces. Amrita witnessed that barbaric era. By writing her famous poemآج آکھاں وارث شاہ نوں" she mourned the wholesale massacre of humanity. Here, the perspective of both these poets is not political, but purely humanistic. In short, to weigh them on a natural scale, then; The exact connection of both these poets is that both are the Poets of the Soul. 2. Dr. Satinder Sartaj and William Words Worth Dr. Satinder Sartaj is such a credible and venerable name of Modern Punjabi poetry and Music ,who, in this chaotic din and the era of commercialism, preserved this classical, mystical and literary heritage. He is not merely a famous singer; rather he is a PHD holder, a formal poet and scholar in punjabi literature. That is why there is found a deep Intellectual flight in his songs. If we compare the classical poetry of Dr. Satinder Sartaj with William Words Worth's philosophical thoughts, then a wonderful harmony of ideas can be seen. Nature as a Spiritual Teacher and Healer: Words Worth believed that nature serves as the ultimate teacher and mentor for mankind, and it possesses the power to heal the weary soul of human beings. For words worth, nature was not just a scenic backdrop, but a profound spiritual and developmental force. Nature acted as a "surrogate parent" for him and was described as being "almost a religion", In his famous poem, Tintern Abebey, he writes; "Nature never did betray the heart that loved her." Sartaj's poetry also mirrors the same philosophy. In his poetry too, the same pure, healing face of nature is visible. In one of the famous songs, "Chal Othay Chaliya Yaar" he suggests men come close to nature and the universe. چک اوتھے چلیے یار ،جتھے نو رنگے گلزار تے موسم نظماں گاندے نیں، ندیاں ناک کنارے عشق وچ شرطاں لاندے نیں، And in his other song, sartaj talks to a serene lake and asks it, گہریئے تے شانت بیٹھی جھیلے،نی دس کیہڑا روگ لگیآ کیویں ہو گئے پانی تیرے نیلے،نی دس کی وی جوگ لگیا In his beautiful song پھل تے خوشبو ،through the metaphors of the flower and its fragrance, the poet beautifully weaves the delicacy and subtlety of nature into the fabric of this song. He sings, پھل تے خوشبو! اج مل کے،محفل کرون لگے نے دھرتی توں لئی اجازت،سپنے رنگون لگے نے بدلاں نے بندوبست وی کیتے نے عمدہ سارے تپ ہوری وی لون کناتاں،موسم وی گون لگے نے! Moreover in his other beautiful songs like "Bageechi", "Titli", "koh-Qaf", celebrates the breathtaking vistas and awe-inspiring landscapes. Nature as a Metaphor for Human Feelings Both poets used natural scenery and landscape as a metaphor to articulate human emotions like love, separation, union, optimism, melancholy and anticipation. William Words Worth in his Lucy Poems, draws upon nature to depict the solitude and innocence of an innocent and pure-hearted girl. A violet by a mossy stone Half hidden from the eye! Fair as a star, when only one Is shining in the sky. These poetic lines from Wordsworth poem correspond precisely to the lyrics of Satinder sartaj's most renowned track, "تیرےواسطے". Sartaj sings beautifully, تیرے نور نے عشق دے راہواں نوں روشنایا تیرے نیناں نے تاں سانوں کاغذ قلم پھڑایا سرتاج دا خزانہ لکھیاں نے جو رباعیاں تیرے واسطے وےسجناں،پیڑاں اسیں ہنڈائیاں سرمائے زندگی دے،ایہی دولتاں کمایاں Satinder Sartaj too used natural elements like mountains, lakes, stones, flowers, fruits as a metaphor to express the intensity of human feelings. Such as in his most celebrated song "lkko mikka", he compares a sweet emotion like love to the sweetness of jaggery, honey and rose- petal preserve. He sings, سچی محرماں دے نال لیاں ساہواں وی گڑ،شہد،گلقند نالوں مٹھیاں اس پیار دے اگے تاں سب پھکے دسو جی ہن کی لکھیے،ہوئے میں تے سجن اکو مکے،دسو جی ہن کی لکھیے The Bond between Childhood and Nature: William Words Worth believed that a child is more close to God and experiences nature with his actual and original innocence. One of his most famous and defining statements is; "The child is the father of man." One of his masterpieces, "Intimations of Immortality" is entirely based on this theme, where he mourns the lost magic of childhood, which fades away upon growing up. His poem "The Prelude" is considered by many to be the greatest Romantic poem, because it traces his development back to childhood and reveals his fascination with the untainted perspective of youth. This poem is analyzed as the critical examination of his own creative and spiritual development. And if we shed light on Sartaj's notable work, his most beautiful song ""معصومیت mirrors the same idea. He vocalizes, سب توں مہنگی ہوندی اے معصومیت سوہنے تاں انج لوک بتھیرے ہوندے نے جناں نوں تکیے تے تکدے رہ جائیے دنیا تے کج خاص ہی چہرے ہوندے نے شہرت، عزت، علم، امیری، طاقتاں اے کم رب دے ہور وزیر وی کر دیندے جنہاں دے چہرے وچ کھچ جئی ہوندی اے او تاں رب نے آپ اوکیرے ہوندے نے In short, if we draw a final conclusion, then both William Words Worth and Dr. Satinder Sartaj believed that there is a deep spiritual bond between the man and nature. And if an individual stays rooted to nature,he finds peace in the company of nature. "It is only by returning to the lap of nature that humans can find their soul and attain salvation from the miseries of the materialistic world." John Keats One of all romantic poets is John Keats. He pertains to the "Younger cohort" of Romantic poets who flourished during the nineteenth century. He is renowned as a "Pure Poet", who writes poetry for the sake of poetry. He is also known as "Genuine Aesthete". Among all the Romantics, John Keats is known as the "Poet of Beauty". He claims; "Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder." His vision of beauty is flawless. He sees beauty in every segment of "Art". For him art is the season, birds, sculpture and the creativity of the human mind in the lap of nature. His most famous ode, "Ode on a Nightingale" ends up with final lines; Truth is beauty; beauty is truth, that's all. His other famous idea is; A thing of beauty is a joy forever. It is true that when we study Keats's poetry, we forget the fever and fret of society. His solo flight of imagination has earned him the title of "The Greatest Escapist" in the world of literature. Main perspectives of John Keats's poetry: Sensuousness: Keats is popular for this idea. He wrote about how things feel, smell or taste Instead of writing about any other big idea or politics. "Ode to autumn" excellently fulfills the idea of sensuousness. Escapism: John Keats lived a very sad life full of sorrows and sufferings. He lost his parents, siblings and even his love. So he used poetry as a way to escape his problems and sufferings."Ode to the Nightingale" perfectly fits the idea of escapism. Melancholy: This is a special kind of sadness. Keats noticed that the happiest moments in life are also a little bit sad because they didn't last forever. "Ode to the Melancholy" exactly covers this perspective. Negative Capability: This is a fancy term for a simple idea. John Keats believed that a poet should be able to look at a mystery or sad situation without finding a logical answer. He liked the "blurriness" of life and didn't feel the need to be right all the time. Hellenism: This is the striking trait. Keats was obsessed with Ancient Greek Art and Sculpture. He loved Greek Myths, Gods and culture. "Ode on Grecian Urn" absolutely meets this theme. To sum up the above discussion by this thought that John Keats is the Poet, who taught our generations the real meanings of beauty. His style of weaving images into poetry places him among the tallest of the Romantics. As a True Poet, he has been celebrated for ages. 1.John Keats and Mir Taqi Mir A profound intellectual and emotional affinity exists between John Keats and Mir Taqi Mir, the Khuda e Sukhan (سخن خدائے), (God of Poetry) of Urdu literature. Although one belonged to early 19th century London and the other to 18th century Delhi and Lucknow. The fountainhead of their poetic insight was the same: Personal sorrows and sufferings, the agony of separation, the worship of beauty, and the extreme consciousness of death. Let's analyze the clear and exact intellectual and emotional bond between these two poets. Melancholy and Sorrows Both John Keats and Mir Taqi Mir are known as the "Poets of Melancholy". The sorrow found in their poetry is neither superficial nor fleeting; instead, it manifests as the ultimate reality of life. In keats' poem Ode on Melancholy, he mentions; "Ay, in the very temple of Delight Veil'd Melancholy has her sovran shrine," This is because every beautiful thing is destined to end one day. "She dwells with Beauty, Beauty that must die; And Joy, whose hand is ever at his lips bidding adieu," Furthermore, he describes the world as a place where merely thinking about it fills the heart with sorrow. "Where but to think is to be full of sorrow" Mir Taqi Mir's entire life was defined by deep personal tragedies. The destruction of Dehli and the separation from his loved ones turned his poetry into a masterpiece of sorrow. According to him, life itself is nothing but a name for weeping and agonizing restlessness. شام ہی سے بجھا سا رہتا ہے، دل ہے گویا چراغ مفلس کا He describes the bitterness of life as; مقدور ہمیں کب تھا اس راہ میں چلنے کا سر پٹکا بہت ہم نے تب خاک سے ابھرے The very verse that shows how Meer viewed the world as a place of absolute sorrow(just like Keats),this is the definitive one: سرہانے میر کے آہستہ بولو ابھی ٹک روتے روتے سو گیا ہے Transience of Beauty and Mortality Both poets are worshippers of beauty; however, their shared tragedy is the knowledge that this beauty is ephemeral and destined to turn to dust one day. "Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies" Thus, he seeks sanctuary in art, which is immortal. In the same way, whenever Mir looks at the beauty of the world, he glimpses the transience and death hidden behind it. Meer writes; نازکی اس کے لب کی کیا کہیے پنکھڑی ایک گلاب کی سی ہے But immediately, he reflects upon the fleeting nature of the universe, proclaiming; لے سانس بھی آہستہ کہ نازک ہے بہت کام آفاق کی اس کارگہ شیشہ گری کا Negative Capability As discussed earlier; Keats's concept of Negative Capability suggests that rather than trying to resolve philosophical puzzles, a person ought to gracefully accept the ambiguities, mysteries, sorrows and sufferings of life. Mir Taqi Mir Possesses the exact same philosophical insight. Meer writes ✍️ الٹی ہو گئیں سب تدبیریں کچھ نہ دوا نے کام کیا دیکھا اس بیماریِ دل نےآخر کام تمام کیا Here Meer accepts the utter helplessness of human life without any philosophical debate. Sensuous Imagery Much Like Keats, Mir Possesses an extraordinary sensory capacity to experience his surroundings. When Meer describes a scene, the reader can feel it vividly through his own senses. پتہ پتہ بوٹا بوٹا حال ہمارا جانے ہے جانے نہ جانے گل ہی نہ جانے باغ تو سارا جانے ہے Here, nature is intertwined with the poet's grief in such a way that they appear as living, breathing characters. This is exactly like Keats imagery, where Autumn in "Ode to Autumn" emerges as a living person. "Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store? Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find Thee sitting careless on a granary floor, Thy hair soft- lifted by the winnowing wind; Or on a half- reap'd furrow sound asleep, Drows'd with the fume of poppies" If we were to draw a conclusion; "Meer Taqi Meer is the John Keats of Urdu literature and John Keats is the Meer Taqi Meer of English literature". 2. John Keats and Amrita Preetam Establishing an Intellectual connection between Amrita Pritam and John Keats is a highly interesting and profound literary analysis. At first glance, both they seem to occupy entirely different realms. Amrita appears as a reflecting voice of the political and social pain of the "Partition of India" and "feminist consciousness"; whereas Keats seems to be a poet of pure aestheticism and romantic escapism. But when we delve into the depths of their poetic insight, we realize that the true core of their connection is based on the "Aesthetics of Pain" and the "Immortality of Love". Let's examine the Intellectual connections found between them: Immortality of Art/Love vs. Mortality Both John Keats and Amrita Pritam firmly believed that the human body, circumstances, and the material world are transitory, but true passion and high- quality art endure forever. When Keats looks at the earthen urn, he says that the lovers and the artistic engravings carved upon it will never perish, because they have become a part of art. Bold Lover, never, never canst thou kiss Though winning near the goal yet, doesn't grieve; She cannot fade, though thou hast not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love and she be fair! Similarly, the song of the nightingale has been immortal for centuries. "Thou were not born for death, immortal Bird! No hungry generations tread thee down; The voice l hear this passing night was heard In ancient days by emperor and clown" The material world changes, but beauty remains forever Amrita Pritam's most famous poem, "Mein tenu Phir Milangi", is a masterpiece born of this exact insight. She accepts the mortality of the physical body but declares the soul and love to be immortal. She expresses that even if she cannot meet her beloved in physical form, she will meet him again as the elements of nature, as thoughts, and in the form of lines and colors on a canvas. میں تینوں فیر ملاں گی کتھےکس طرح پتہ نہیں شاید تیرے تخیل دی چنک بن کے تیرے کینوس تے اتراں گی یاں خورے تیرے کینوس دے اتے اک رہسمئی لکیر بن خاموش تینوں تکدی رہواں گی اے جسم مکدا اے تے سب کچھ مک جاندا اے پر چیتیاں دے دھاگے کائناتی کناں دے ہوندے میں اوہناں کناں نوں چناں گی دھاگیاں نوں ولاں گی تے تینوں میں فیر ملاں گی Keats's concept of beauty and Amrita's concept of love transcend material boundaries to attain eternity. Where Keats says, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever," Amrita proclaims that true love can never die. To conclude the above debate, if John Keats is a "Worshipper of Beauty", the Amrita Pritam is a "Worshipper of Truth and Love". Keats seeks immortality in the beauty of the external world (birds, art, and seasons). Amrita Pritam finds that same immortality in the beauty of the internal world (emotions, the soul's connection, pain). The real connection between the two is that, for both, poetry is not the production of intellectual manipulation; rather it is the name given to the essence of the soul and the tenderness of the heart. 3. John Keats and Shiv Kumar Batalvi The emotional and intellectual bond found between John Keats in English literature and Shiv Kumar Batalvi in Punjabi literature is so deep and obvious that Shiv Kumar is called the "John Keats of Punjabi literature" without exaggeration. There was not only an intellectual resemblance between these two poets, but their destinies were also similar. Both passed away at a very young age ( Keats at the age of 25 and Shiv Kumar at the age of 36), both suffered severe personal grief in their youth, both could not attain their true love, and the focal point of both of their poetry is the union of "pain, beauty and death". Let's analyze the strong connections between their poetic insights in the light of their timeless poetry: The Obsession with Death and Melancholy Both Shiv Kumar and John Keats don't view death as a terrifying thing; instead, they see it as a peaceful and beautiful sanctuary and a beloved that grants liberation from the sorrows of life. Both poets were fascinated by the philosophy of fading away. During his period of severe illness and loneliness, Keats feels death like a soft whisper. He writes in his poem," Ode on the Nightingale "that he has been in love with death for a long time, and dying in this sad and Melancholic season would be the most peaceful and comforting act. Keats writes; "I have been half in love with easeful Death, Call'd him soft names in many a mused rhyme... Now more than ever seems it rich to die." On Shiv's case as well, the agony of separation intensifies to such an extent that he begins to sing songs of embracing death in his very youth. To him life is a sorrowful journey, and he wishes to depart from this world quickly. His entire collection of poetry is filled with this very torment. اساں تاں جوبن رتے مرنا مڑ جانا اساں بھرے برائے ہجر تیرے دی کر پر کرنا اساں تے جوبن رتے مرنا جوبن رتے جو وی مردا پھل بنے جاں تارا جوبن رتے عاشق مردے جاں کوئی کرماں والا جاں او مرن جیہناں لکھوائے ہجر دھروں وچ کرماں ہجر تہاڈا اساں مبارک نال بہشتیں کھڑنا اساں تاں جوبن رتے مرنا Conclusion: If Keats is the "Prince of Melancholy and Beauty" in English literature, then Shiv Kumar Batalvi is the "Sultan of Birha" (separation/ pangs of love) of Punjabi soil. The real connection between the two is that both loved very short lives, but however much they lived, they lived with such an intensity and beauty that their pain became the most beautiful melody of the universe. Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley was one of the leading romantic poets of England. He is considered as a poet of rebellion, freedom and social change .As a visionary, idealist and champion of freedom; he used his poetry to imagine a better, more just and beautiful world. His insightful and revolutionary spirit fosters a sense of vitality, vigor, enthusiasm, newness, passion and rebellion among revolutionary figures. His poetry infuses new zeal in readers as he evokes responses to Waterloo and Peterloo Massacres. He strongly resists tyranny, refuses to tolerate atrocities, oppression and cruelty. His message is; Rise like lions after slumber In unvanquishable number Shake your chains to earth like dew "Ye are many, they are few". His revolutionary lyrics leave no doubt about his agenda. His poem "Ode to the west wind" is a license for revolutionary figures of all time. As a passionate and uncompromising social reformer Shelley believed in the spirit of the French revolution. "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity. His impact is quite evident on W.B Yeats, Faiz Ahmad Faiz, and Mahtama Ghandi. Being a believer of hope, optimism and a new dawn, he has no parallel in English poetry. His masterpiece poem "Ode to the West Wind" ends with this optimistic message; "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?" He is regarded as the sage of ages. 1.P.B Shelley and Faiz Ahmad Faiz Connecting P.B Shelley to Faiz Ahmad Faiz is like watching two different rivers that flow into the exact same ocean of freedom. Though separated by a century of time, thousands of miles of ocean, and different languages, their poetic heart beat with the exact same revolutionary rhythm. The main Stimulus: A winter of Oppression in Both Homelands Both poets wrote their masterpieces during times when their native lands were trapped in a suffocating cage of tyranny, oppression and cruelty. Shelley's England in 1819: As we discussed, Shelley's heart broke and his blood boiled with anger, when the British government used swords to cut down starving, peaceful working-class families at the Peter loo Massacre. England was ruled by "ghosts" and "corpses"_ the corrupt atrocities, who used a police state to freeze human rights. Faiz's Pakistan 1979: Faiz Ahmad Faiz wrote ہم دیکھیں گے/ لازم ہےکہ ہم بھی دیکھیں گے وہ دن کہ جس کا وعدہ ہے, during one of the darkest, coldest winters in Pakistan's history_ the military dictatorship of General Zia-ul- Haq. It was a time of intense fear, when the voice of democracy was chained, and the regular citizens were forced into silence under the iron fist of absolute power. The shared imagery: The destruction of Rotten Systems Both masterpieces use magnificent, dramatic imagery to show that the dark night of tyranny and oppression is not permanent; the day of dawn is not so far. Shelley's Storm: Shelley in his poem Ode to the west wind, describes a "wild storm of black rain, and fire, and hail" that is coming to violently destroy the old, decayed world. He shows that the old palaces and crowns are shattered by the raw force of nature. Faiz Ahmad's Earthquake: In Hum dekhein gay; Faiz uses sacred, earth shaking imagery to describe the downfall of dictators. He promises that the day will come when the massive mountains of tyranny will blow away like fluffy cotton ball leaves, the heavy crowns of dictators will be tossed into the earth, and their royal thrones will be smashed. جب ظلم و ستم کے کوہِ گراں روئی کی طرح اڑ جائیں گے ہم محکوموں کے پاؤں تلے یہ دھرتی دھڑ دھڑ دھڑکے گی اور اہل حکم کے سر اوپر جب بجلی کڑ کڑ کڑ کے گی جب ارض خدا کے کعبے سے سب بت اٹھوائے جائیں گے سب تاج اچھالے جائیں گے ہم اہل صفا مردودِ حرم مسند پہ بٹھائے جائیں گے سب تخت گرائے جائیں گے بس نام رہے گا اللہ کا Both poets are describing exactly the same thing: the inevitable, explosive collapse of the corrupt system. The Ultimate Truth: The ultimate truth is that, both shared the same deep insight: Tyranny is an artificial, temporary winter. The "winged seeds" of freedom sown by these poets ensure that no matter how long, dark or cold the night of oppression is, the glorious spring of human liberty will always win the war. William Blake William Blake is considered and acknowledged as the most unique, mysterious and extraordinary poet and artist in the history of English literature. He was a precursor to the Romantic era, but his insight was entirely distinct from the poets of his own time. In fact he was not just a poet, but a visionary who claims to see the divine facets in each and every cosmic element. "To see a World in a Grain of Sand, And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the Palm of your Hand, And Eternity in an Hour". He is renowned as the Mystic poet, painter, printmaker, visionary, engraver who brought a new spirit to English literature. He sifted through the materialism in the human soul when he engraved songs of innocence. In "Songs of Innocence", his earliest masterpiece, Blake celebrates childhood, innocence, purity, nature and divine love." The Lamb", "The chimney Sweeper", and "Holy Thursday" are the famous poems from this collection. Through these poems, Blake portrays the beauty of innocence while hinting at the social realities that threaten it. In "Songs of Experience "Blake reveals suffering, injustice, oppression and disillusionment. One of the most famous poems in songs of experience is" The Tiger". Opening with the unforgettable lines; "Tiger Tiger , burning bright In the forests of the night," The poem explores the mystery of creation by asking how the same creator can produce both the gentle lamb and the powerful tiger. Through both these poetic collections, Blake explores two contrasting perspectives of human nature. Innocence represents purity, hope and faith, whereas experience reveals sufferings injustice oppression and disillusionment. Blake emphasized that universal truth is that the world is a blend of good and evil. Blake is regarded as Saint in English Poetry. As a gate way to Romanticism, his didacticism is matchless, with no parallel in his school of thought. He is like a blooming flower that still blooms in the hearts of poetry lovers. William Blake and Baba Bulleh Shah Bulleh shah is a bold and revolutionary poet of Punjabi land, whose poetry has been refreshing hearts for ages. When we analyze the insight of Blake and Bulleh Shah, it is astonishing to realize that how deep an intellectual and philosophical similarity exists between these two great minds of the East and the West. Although both belonged to different civilizations .and cultures, both were the spiritual rebels of their respective eras. Let's take a detailed look at the common themes in the ideologies and poetry of both. Critique on Religious Institutions The biggest target of both William Blake and Bulleh Shah was the formal and superficial religion of their respective eras, which divided humanity instead of uniting them. Blake severely criticized the church priests and their burdensome laws that crushed human natural emotions. His poem, "London", presents a powerful critique on urban poverty, political oppression, and social injustice. In every cry of every man, In every infants cry of fear, In every voice: in every ban, The mind-forged manacles l hear How the chimney- Sweepers cry Every blackening church appalls, And the hapless Soldiers sigh Runs in blood down Palace walls While in "The Garden of Love", he states that where one flowers blossomed, priests have now imposed restrictions. I went to the Garden of Love, And saw what l never had seen A chapel was built in the midst Where l used to play on the green And l saw it was filled with graves, And tomb-stones where flowers should be And priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds, And binding with briars, my joys and desires Similarly, Bulleh shah openly attacked the superficial knowledge and hypocrisy of the Orthodox Mullahs and Qazis of his time. He believed that without purifying the heart, prostrations and rosaries are completely useless. پڑھ پڑھ علم ہزار کتاباں،کدی اپنے آپ نوں پڑھیا ای نئیں! جاجا وڑدے مندر مسجد،کدی اپنے دل وچ وڑیا ای نئیں! کیوں لڑدا ایں شیطان دے نال ایویں،کدی نفس اپنے نال لڑیا ای نئیں! He says too, ملاں تے مشعلچی دوہاں اکو چت لوکاں نوں کردے چاننا،آپ ہنیرے وچ The Residence of God within Human Heart Both poets rejected the idea that God is found in physical religious buildings like temples, mosques, churches, or cathedrals. Baba Bulleh Shah's famous saying is that God resides in the human heart. Bulleh Shah emphasizes heart as a true sanctuary where the divine presence is experienced. مسجد ڈھادے، مندر ڈھادے ڈھادے جو کج ڈھیندا پر کسے دا دل نہ ڈھاویں رب دلاں وچ ریندا Blake also expressed this very concept in his poem "The Divine Image", that mercy, love and peace are in fact the attributes of God that exist within Human beings. For Mercy, Pity, peace, and Love Is God, our father dear? And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love Is Man, his child and care? For Mercy has a human heart, Pity a human face, And Love, the human form divine, And peace, the human dress. Then every man, of every clime, That prays in his distress, Prays to the human form divine, Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace. And all must love the human form, In heathen, Turk, or Jew; Where Mercy, Love and Pity dwell There God is dwelling too. Humanity beyond Obsolete Biases Rejecting the sectarian biases of his era, Bullah shah negated his own self and identity. "To see a World in a Grain of Sand, And a Heaven in a Wild Flower, Hold Infinity in the Palm of your Hand, And Eternity in an Hour". He rejected all these fake and surface level identities and considers love and humanity to be the real truth. In his most celebrated poem," بلھا کی جاناں میں کون؟", he broke all the idols of division. بلھا کی جاناں میں کون ناں میں مومن وچ مسیت آں ناں میں وچ کفر دی ریت آں ناں میں پاکاں وچ پلیت آں ناں میں موسیٰ،ناں فرعون بلھا کی جاناں میں کون William Blake also taught universal brotherhood and humanity, going beyond race, religion and class difference. His song "The Divine Image" vividly illustrates this idea. And all must love the human form, In heathen, Turk, or Jew; Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell There God is dwelling too. Direct Mystic Vision vs. Bookish Knowledge According to Bulla shah , merely reading books doesn't lead to the realization of God unless one gains inner spiritual insight. As long as the human heart is not enlightened and the soul is not purified, a person can neither recognize Allah nor attain self- awareness. علموں بس کریں او یار! پڑھ پڑھ لکھ لکھ لاویں ڈھیر ڈھیر کتاباں چار چوپھیر گردے چانن وچ انھیر پچھو:"راہ؟"تے خبر نہ سار علموں بس کریں او یار! William Blake also declared pure reason, logic and dry intellect to be the killer of the soul, and described imagination the true source of divine acknowledgment. Conclusion To conclude, it is crystal clear that "Romantics are true champions" of English poetry. They reshaped the poetry where the classics left. The Romantics gave literature a new voice and brought a revolution in thought. Romanticism valued human emotions and inner experience. It is the poetry of the heart, the soul and the imagination while emphasizing subjectivity, emotions and feelings, love for nature, imagination and fancy, revolution and rebellion, mysticism and spirituality, celebration of beauty and art, interest in the past and supernatural, glorification of common man individualism. In short, "Romanticism is not a matter of choosing extraordinary subjects, but of seeing ordinary things with extraordinary eyes". Sidra Safdar