Rabindranath Tagore Cover Image

Rabindranath Tagore

Start Free Trial

Student Question

How is the storm described in Rabindranath Tagore's poem "The Flower School"?

Quick answer:

In Tagore's "The Flower School," the storm is depicted as the mother of flowers. The storm's winds and rain prompt flowers to "dance" in the grass, with tree branches clashing and leaves rustling. Thunder clouds are described as clapping their giant hands, encouraging flowers to reach skyward. This portrayal of the storm as nurturing and maternal, unlike typical scary or cleansing descriptions, emphasizes a loving relationship between the storm and the flowers.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

The speaker describes the storm as being the mother of the flowers. When the stormy winds begin to blow and the showers begin to rain down, then crowds of flowers come out to "dance" in the grass. The storm makes the tree branches clash against one another, and the leaves rustle wildly in the wind, and the thunder clouds boom and "clap their giant hands," and all the flowers rush out to raise their arms up to the sky. The speaker says that they "have their mother," just as as he has his own, and this is how we know that he believes that the storm is the mother of the flowers. Typically, people describe storms as scary or cleansing, but describing the storm as maternal and loving, as though she claps her hands to bring her children near, is unusual.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial