Short Questions
Part – 1
(a) The poem ‘Desiderata’ offers some suggestions to lead a happy and contented life. Discuss.
Answer : In today’s world it is almost impossible to think of leading a happy and contented life. There is so much violence and aggression around. Our minds are over-taxed beyond limits. There is so much noise that you simply cannot live in peace. Despite these ugly irritants, we can still hope to lead a happy and contented life.
This is what the poet tells us in his poem ‘Desiderata’. He offers us come practical tips to cope with the harsh realities of our world and lead a happy, glorious life like a lotus untouched by the slime around. In the midst of noise we should develop a mindset of peace, which is possible by being silent. We should learn to go inward where peace reigns all over. When one experiences inner silence, one learns to accept the noise outside.
In our day to day life we have to deal with many persons, many of them are simply intolerable. In order to lead a peaceful life, we should learn to get along with others. One way is to express your opinion frankly and boldly but at the same time to listen to others without prejudice. Of course, you should avoid those who are loud and aggressive enough to disturb your peace of mind.
Many of us remain troubled and vexed because we compare ourselves with others, often with those who are superior to us in some way. When we compare ourselves with others, we either become too proud of our achievements or too hopeless of our failures. So the poet’s advice is to stop comparing ourselves with others.
Then the poet advises us to believe in hard work and conviction without which we cannot reach the top in our career. We should beware of trickster who can cheat us and let us down. In order to do well in our career, we must focus on our qualities. We must learn to love ourselves. We need to strengthen our spirit so that we may face any sudden misfortune boldly.
The most important suggestion given by the poet is to remain positive and cheerful. We should look a the brighter side of life and try to be at peace with God and ourselves. Only then can be hope to lead a happy and contended life.
(b) Do you think the poem ‘Desiderata’ offers impractical suggestions? Give your reasons to support your answer.
Answer : On the surface level the poem ‘Desiderata’ seems to offer only impractical suggestions. Many of us fail to understand how to go inward and achieve inner peace, how to cope with cheaters, tricksters and cynics and how to cheerful in an otherwise dismal world.
If we read the poem carefully, we will find certain suggestions of he poet quite practical. If we are sincere we can try to act upon them in our day to day life.
The poet gives us right counsel, and that is to accept the world as it is, with boys woes:
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
We should focus on ourselves in order to improve ourselves. We should not sit in judgement over others and the world around us. We should not even judge ourselves. We should find an inner peace. This is possible if we are true to ourselves and try to make ourselves happy in the midst of all confusions and troubles. We should have love-based focus both in our interactions with others and in our inner peace.
The poet gives practical practical suggestions to achieve inner peace and pose by saying that we should try to be friendly with others, be truthful and honest and be receptive even to the dull and the ignorant. He gives another suggestions, and that is, to be self-satisfied.
The poet is not blind to the wicked side of the world in which we live. He knows that there are many wicked persons in the world. There are those who are cynical about love. There are those who are disenchanted with everything in the world. There are ‘loud and aggressive’ persons. We need to accept them as part of reality. We should not give in to them. We should focus on ourselves and try to improve ourselves.
(c) What do you mean by ‘Desiderata’? What is its significance?
Answer : The word ‘desiderata’ is Latin in origin, and it means ‘things desired’. In the poem ‘Desiderata’ the poet’s focus is on those things which we desire in life. The poet enumerates several desired things to make our life meaningful in this world. What we all desire is peace and happiness in life. Then we desire to do well in our profession. We desire love and respect from others. All these desirable things can be achieved if we keep in mind what makes our life and contented. The poet offers some suggestions in this regard. The poet asks us to have a positive attitude and learn to live in a world in which bad people of all sorts live. It is possible to be kind, generous and liberal in life. The only thing is that we should have inner peace and faith in goodness and humanity. The poem opens with the most relevant message in our times.
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible , without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
It exhorts us to remain calm in the world that is full of noise and troubles. It underlines the need to develop the mindset of peace. Among many gems it spreads are :
(i) Be on good terms with all persons as far as possible,
(ii) Don’t compare yourself with others,
(iii) Take pride in your career,
(iv) Keep your identity intact,
(v) Be positive,
(vi) Be at once with God, and last but not the least,
(vii) Be cheerful and let bad things in the world not affect us.
Part – 2
(a) ‘Desiderata’ can change our perception of life. Do you agree? Discuss with close reference to the text.
Answer : Our perception of life is mostly negative these days. In the mad world of high competition, finer feelings of love, compassion and trust are simply missing. We have begun to doubt ourselves and all those around us. In fact, we are surrounded by tricksters and cynics.
‘Desiderata’ is a poem of faith. It tells us how we should conduct ourselves in order to cope with all the negativity in the world. A close reading of the poem can help us change our perception of life.
If we follow the suggestions give in the poem we are sure to be positive and cheerful. First of all, we need to achieve inner silence. This is possible only if we learn to be on good terms with all sorts of people. It is important to keep away from those who are rude and aggressive because such persons are neither at peace with themselves nor do they let others remain in peace. We need to be ourselves. This is possible if we stop comparing ourselves with others. When we compare ourselves, we become vain or proud or low spirited. Whatever we achieve or whatever we plan, we should enjoy and relish it . We should remember our uniqueness in the world. Only then can we lead a peaceful and happy life.
We should take interest in our profession, however low-grade it is. We should be cautious in conducting our business affairs for there are many persons who can play tricks on us. But we should not be overcautious and be suspicious of everyone. There are virtuous persons also. There are many who try to achieve high ideals in life. Life is full of heroic persons.
It is very important to be what we are. We should try to present ourselves as we are. We should not pretend to be loving towards someone, if we are not. But at the same time we should not be cynical towards love. In this world of dried-up feelings and disillusionment , love is as fresh as the grass.
(b) In what way does the poem become a spiritual disclosure?
Answer : ‘Desiderata’ is , in fact, a spiritual poem, despite its sound, practical suggestions which appeal to most of us. In the very beginning the poet advocates the way of a seer – to go inward to achieve lasting inner peace. Then he gives another important message which is spiritual in nature, and that is, of peaceful co-existence. He wants us all to get along with all sorts of persons.
Then there is an insistence on the calm acceptance of old age. The poet wants us not to try to force ourselves to be young, as many of us desperately do. It is better to give up the ‘things’ of your youth in old age without any fuss. We should strengthen our inner resources of spiritual strength as a bullwark against any unexpected misfortune. We should not let fears assail us, for most of the fears are the product of fatigue and loneliness. We should be disciplined but we should not torture ourselves with self-control. It is better to be gentle with ourselves. Anything which is forced or excessive is bad.
Everything in the universe has its won place. We are still as much a part of the universe as trees and stars. Whether you understand it or not, everything in this universe is happening as it should. So we should be at peace with God and with ourselves.
(c) Comment on the form and structure of the poem.
Answer : ‘Desiderata’ is a prose poem. A modern critic, wary of all didactic poems, is sure to challenge to categorization of ‘Desiderata’ as a poem. It seems to be a mere compendium of maxims out together in poetic form. There is nothing poetic about it. No idea is allowed to grow. No significant figure of speech is used. Despite its didactic value, it is short of all the major qualities we seek in a poem.
Divided into eight stanzas of uneven length, it uses no rhyme. The rhyme is irregular, too. It deliberately avoids figures of speech. Only one simile is used in these lines, which is also traditional.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
The use of alliteration, of course, gives a musical effect, as in the following lines:
Nature, strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune (‘s’ sound)
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings (‘d’ sound)
Thus, ‘Desiderata’ is not very effective as a poem but is quite powerful because of its motivational ideas.
Long Questions
Question 1 : Analyse the poem ‘Desiderata’ , as a guide to live a meaningful life.
Answer : ‘Desiderata’ by Ehrmann is one of the counsel popular poems that gives us good counsel to live life meaningfully. Each line of it is a message for us. Though it lacks formal qualities we seek in a poem, it appeals to our hearts by virtue of its sound thoughts.
The poem opens on the admission that our world is full of noise and interruptions. Even then we should remain calm. We need to have mindset of peace, which is possible by being silent. This is not the outer silence, but the inner silence which is not easy to achieve.
The poet, then, enjoins upon us to be receptive to all kinds of persons. We should listen even to the dull and ignorant as ‘they too have their story.’ We should keep away from foul-mouthed, aggressive persons. If we do so we will keep our inner peace intact. The poet’s sound advice to us is not the compare ourselves with others. If we compare ourselves with persons who are inferior to us in any way, we will become vain. If we compare ourselves with persons who are superior to us, we are likely to feel discouraged and disillusioned with our achievements. We should, in fact, be satisfied with our achievements and plans. We should enjoy them.
Question 2 : Comment upon the significance of the title of the poem ‘Desiderata’.
Answer : The world ‘desiderata’ is Latin in origin and it implies ‘things desired’. Max Ehrmann chose this word purposely as the title of his poem. In the poem ‘Desiderata’ , he focuses on those things which are commonly desired in life. It is in the context that we find the title of the poem apt and suggestive.
The title’s aptness is mainly due to its direct link to the subject-matter of the poem. The poet enumerates several desired things to make like happy and satisfying. Like a true religious persons, he enjoys upon us to achieve inner silence. It we are able to achieve it, we will never be distracted by the outer noise and interruptions. This inner silence is the first thing that is desirable.
The the poet refers to peace and harmony which are desired by most of us, though these things evade us. It is so because we remain self-centered and self-contained. What we need is to be receptive to all kinds of persons and their viewpoints. It is possible only when we are generous, selfless and broad-minded.
Then most of us want to remain happy and contented. We desire to keep all kinds of disappointments away from us. How can we do so. The poet gives a simple solution for this grave problem : We should stop comparing ourselves with others:
If you compare yourself with others.
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser
persons than yourself.
Then most of us desire that we should flourish in whatever we do. We desire not to be cheated in any way. We cannot afford to be deprived of our well-earned money. The poet advises us to be cautious in handling our business affairs. This word ‘cautious’ is, however, a double-edged weapon. It is necessary, but the excess of caution often makes us cynical and sceptic, which are not desirable qualities. So the poet says:
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Then the poet advises us to remain at peace with ourselves. We should keep faith in God and His creation. The positive attitude is essential to the fact that the world in which we live is beautiful.
In short, the whole poem is focussed on the things desired by us in life. So the title ‘Desiderata’ is apt and suggestive.
Question 3 : In what way do you find ‘Desiderata’ by Max Ehrmann a didactic poem? Does it inspire you? Discuss with close reference to the text.
Answer : The word ‘didactic’ refers to something that is ‘intended to give instruction’. When it is applied to a work of literature, it comes to mean that that particular work is designed to expound a philosophy so that readers are benefitted. Most of our religious literature is didactic. There are many well-known works such as Spenser’s The Faerie Queene and John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress which are mainly didactic. Modern critics do not hold good opinion of didactic works. They feel that no writer should give direct counsel to his readers.
‘Desiderata’ by Ehrmann is one of the most popular poems that gives us good counsel to live life meaningfully. Each line of it is a message for us. Though it lacks formal qualities we seek in a poem, it appeals to our hears by virtue of its sound thoughts.
The poem opens on the admission that our world is full of noise and interruptions. Even then we should remain calm. We need to have mindset of peace, which is possible by being silent. This is not the outer silence, but the inner silence which is not easy to achieve.
The poet, then, enjoins upon us to be receptive to all kinds of persons. We should listen even to the dull and the ignorant as ‘they too have their story’. We should keep away from foul-mouthed , aggressive people. If we do so we will keep our inner peace intact. The poet’s sound advice to us is not to compare ourselves with others. If we compare ourselves with others. If we compare ourselves persons who are inferior to us in any way, we will become vain. If we compare ourselves with persons who are superior to us, we are likely to feel discouraged and disillusioned with our achievements. We should, in fact, be satisfied with our achievements and plans. We should enjoy them.
One of the most practical suggestions given by the poet is to be cautious in handling our business affairs as there are many tricksters in the world.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But the poet warns us against becoming overcautious and suspicious, for there are many people who are virtuous. Most of us fall a prey to cynicism. We should believe in virtue, high ideals and heroism. We should not harbour baseless fears for many fears are ‘born of fatigue and loneliness’. So the poet says:
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
The last lines of the poem exhort everyone to have faith in God and be at peace with Him. The mindset of peace is necessary in the midst of much disturbance and confusion in life. We need to remain at peace with God as well as with our own selves. Despite a lot of negativity in it, the world is still a beautiful place to live in. So we need to be cheerful and strive to remain happy.
In short, the poem inspires us to lead a calm and cheerful life. It wants us to develop a mindset of peace amid all trials and troubles. It is didactic, no doubt, but it is meaningful.
Question 4 : Give a critical appreciation of the poem ‘Desiderata’ by Max Ehrmann.
Answer : ‘Desiderata’ , written in 1927, was not popular in the lifetime of its creator, Max Ehrmann. It became a rage in the 1960s and 1970s when someone made a mention of it. In 2010, Ehrmann’s life-size bronze statue – he died in 1945 was installed in Indiana. He is depitcted sitting on a downtown bench, pen in hand, with a notebook in his lap. The poem ‘Desiderata’ is engraved on a plaque next to his statue, and the lines from the poem are embedded in the walkway.
‘Desiderata’, the title of the poem, is a Latin word which means “things desired”. The poem, as such, focuses on the things we desire or should desire in life. Didactic in nature, it gives a sound advice to us. For example, it asks us to aim at achieving inner peace and avoid all unnecessary distractions in life, which is ourselves with others. Its message is to be truthful, humble and receptive.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others.
It is notable that the counsel it provides is not impractical. The words ‘without surrender’ and ‘as far as possible’ are important.
One of the most important things we should aim at, according to the poet is , to be cautious in our business dealings, but at the same time we should not become overtly suspicious and cynics. We should keep our faith in human goodness, high ideals, heroism, and above all in God:
With all its sham, drudgery and broken
dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
Despite its inspirational message, ‘Desiderata’ , strictly from the viewpoint of a modern critic, is not a poem. It is only a compendium of maxims put together. It may not even deserve to be called a prose poem. The reasons are obvious. A poem must take up a point, develop and explore it. ‘Desiderata’ does not care to do so. It does not put anything to experience. Moreover, it does not use figurative language at all. It uses no rhyme. The rhyme is irregular. Only the stanza pattern provides it an impression of a poem.