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O that this too too sullied flesh ...

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by ojaantrik, May 4, 2009.

  1. ojaantrik

    ojaantrik IL Hall of Fame

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    "O that this too too sullied flesh would melt,
    Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew,
    Or that the Everlasting had not fixed
    His canon 'gainst self-slaughter. O God, God,
    How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
    Seem to me all the uses of this world!"

    I was reminded this morning of the lines I have quoted above from Hamlet. The soliloquy came back to me because I woke up whispering to myself the last three lines from the quoted part:

    " ... O God, God,
    How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
    Seem to me all the uses of this world!"

    As soon as I uttered the words, however, a controversy surrounding the word "sullied" propped up in my mind. The folio version of Shakespeare's plays, which some consider more authentic than the quarto, reads "solid flesh" rather than "sullied flesh". However, it is almost certain that "sullied" is correct.


    The eminent Shakespearean scholar J. Dover Wilson clarifies the issue as follows:


    '..."sullied flesh" which, subject to a slight emendation, the Second Quarto reads for the "solid flesh" of the Folio, and is the first phrase that falls from Hamlet's lips when he is alone, strikes the keynote of what follows, not only in the soliloquy, but in everything he says for the rest of the play. "Sullied-melt-thaw-dew"; the Image behind these words is not difficult to guess. Hamlet is thinking of snow begrimed with soot and dirt in time of thaw, and is wishing that his "sullied flesh" might melt as snow does. For his blood is tainted, his very flesh corrupted, by what his mother has done, since he is bone of her bone and flesh of her flesh. '


    I do think that Mr. Wilson was right in his interpretation. And then, as I kept thinking, I was drowned further in my "stream of consciousness". In the process, yet another word came floating by. It was a word that the greatest amongst modern Bengali poets had used in one of his poems. The poet was Jibanananda Das. He is no longer alive of course, but his poetry falls in a category that can only be described as "modern". I have often wanted to translate the poem into English, but didn't proceed, swayed as I was by hesitation. Hesitation about the true meaning of a word he had used.


    The word in question was "korun". Non-Bengalis would probably pronounce it as "karuna", but the Bengali language does have a word pronounced "korunaa" (two a's, not one) and it means "pity". On the other hand, "korun" is an adjective derived from the same root as "karuna" and it could mean "compassionate" or "pitiable". Jibanananda's use of the word "korun" is open to interpretation, just as some scholars still believe "solid" was what Shakespeare had said. In a way the problem is worse than "sullied" vs. "solid". For the same word in Jibanananda's case could mean two different things.

    I finally decided to translate the poem today, since creative work brings me peace of mind and helps me escape from the " ... weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable ... uses of this world". It lights up a lamp and lifts me out of darkness.

    Here is my translation:

    The Tangerine by Jibanananda Das

    Once I leave my body
    Won't I ever come back to this world again?
    I do wish that I return
    On a winter night
    In the form of a chilled tangerine's pitiable meat
    Next to the bed of a dying acquaintance.

    I am almost certain now that he meant "pitiable" and not "compassionate". The tangerine believes it can bring succour to the person who is about to perish and that is a pity. What is more pitiable still is that the person too probably hopes that the tangerine would succeed in renewing his expiring loan of time. Yes, it is a great pity indeed that some believe they are a help and others that they are being helped, while the universe smiles its ever indifferent smile.

    And that thought brings me back to where I started:

    " ... O God, God,
    How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable
    Seem to me all the uses of this world!"

    But I didn't want to be repeating these lines. I am banishing them from my mind therefore and before leaving (in indignity I understand, since I was told that I ought to have made a "dignified" exit much earlier instead of "lamenting" over my lack of "importance" at IndusLadies), I quote once more, this time from Othello:

    "... I pray you, in your letters,
    When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,
    Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,
    Nor set down aught in malice: then must you speak
    Of one that loved not wisely but too well ..."

    And finally, if there is anyone amongst you who doesn't consider me a monster, do please pray on my behalf that God gives me the strength of purpose never to visit this site again.
     
    Last edited: May 4, 2009
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  2. muzna

    muzna Silver IL'ite

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    I do not know why you wrote this post..but I got goose pimples on reading this write up,
    the world is but 'maaya' and thus it is all unprofitable to live on this earth..
    but as ..'this is a stage and we are all the actors'
    we have to filfill our parts and only then can we leave the stage.
    I'll come to this post again , I know.
     
  3. Sujimallige

    Sujimallige Bronze IL'ite

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    Dear Ojaantrik,

    Every time i read any of your writings only one word comes to my mind "classic".I must say this is my personal favorites in IL so far.It is class apart.It beats your own Sisyphus.
    There is an old world charm and elegance in your writings.:bowdown

    suji
     
  4. Kamla

    Kamla IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Oj-da,

    What can I say?!

    There was never an iota of doubt about the fact that you are a very gifted writer.

    L, Kamla
     

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