What is the theme of Tagore's poem "Where the Mind is Without Fear"?

In his poem "Where the Mind is Without Fear," Rabindranath Tagore uses clear visual and sensory descriptions to ensure that the reader understands the struggle for identity and freedom as it exists physically and spiritually. His poem is a plea or prayer and he wishes for "ever widening thought."

Tagore uses alliteration throughout, and in the first line the emphasis is on a proud people as "the head is held high." Other examples are when he mentions how "tireless striving stretches..." The pace created by the repeated "s" sound gives the sense of many years of struggle. This is not going to be attained easily. When Tagore talks of the "dreary desert sand of dead habit," the repeated "d" sound helps the reader to imagine the stunted and fruitless attempts of others to prevent the attainment of this place of freedom where there is no fear. Finally, when Tagore says, "...freedom, my Father," through the repeated f-sound he is associating real freedom with spiritual freedom as the one would be worthless without the other. 

Personification, which attributes human characteristics to non-human objects (or animals), is used in this poem. The quest for freedom requires the very essence of a person and Tagore personifies the act of "striving," which "stretches its arms," giving even more emphasis to the amount of effort required. Personification is also used when Tagore infers that rational thought ("the clear stream of reason") has the potential to lose "its way," and in fact as he speaks that is the reality he faces. He is trying to make the reader understand that without the freedom he refers to and a state of being where there is no fear, there can be no "reason."  He speaks of letting "my country awake," and personifies India ("my country"), praying that it can be inspired to recognize the problems with which it is faced and deal with them.  

The "depth of truth" where "words come out" symbolizes the endlessness of truth, and the depth could also signify deep meaning rather than the mere appearance of truth. When Tagore speaks of "narrow domestic walls," he really hopes that India's internal (domestic) struggles do not restrict it, and that people do not lack real vision and can see beyond "where the world has not been broken up into fragments." India was part of the stifling environment of the British Empire. Tagore uses metaphor to describe freedom as if it is a place like heaven; he desires this for all his people. 

What is the theme of Tagore's poem "Where the Mind is Without Fear"?

This poem clearly expresses Tagore's personal philosophies about freedom, religion, nationalism, and self-determinism.

Tagore lived through the partition of Bengal, a partition ordered by Lord Curzon on religious grounds. In East Bengal, the Muslims had dominated, while in West Bengal, the Hindus were preeminent. The British rationale for partition was administrative, but many suspected the British were wary of Bengali nationalist pride provoking an uprising against the Empire. For his part, Tagore had always been a great supporter of religious unity and, later, of Bengali independence from the British.

He alluded to his preferences for Muslim and Hindu unity in the lines

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls

He saw his countrymen thriving in a world without the specter of British hegemony hanging over their heads.

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free

It was a world

Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection

Tagore believed both Hindus and Muslims could be unified in their culture and communal desire to be self-reliant. He believed in the right of the people of Bengal to seek their own truth, apart from that defined for them by British paternalism. Tagore had stated that his own family was an amalgamation of British, Muslim, and Hindu cultural influences. The last lines of his poem directly expressed Tagore's respect for empiricism ("clear stream of reason") and mental receptivity ("into ever-widening thought and action"). He valued less traditionalist views and was willing to veer away from the "dead habit" of relying on established norms.

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

Tagore's openness was unique, even for his time. When the orders for partition came into effect on October 16, 1905, it was Tagore who began the rakhi tradition among the Hindus and Muslims of Bengal. The rakhi was a bracelet of unity and love originally used in a festival celebrated by brothers and sisters. In appropriating the rakhi tradition, Tagore was celebrating what he hoped would be a Bengal swathed in Muslim-Hindu unity and unbroken by "narrow domestic walls."

What is the theme of Tagore's poem "Where the Mind is Without Fear"?

Rabindranath Tagore is a well-known poet and writer who combines the best of his Eastern culture with his expansive education and western influences. He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 and even received a knighthood in 1915 although he resigned his knighthood four years later after the British massacre at Amritsar. His genuine desire was for world peace and for a universal humanity encompassing all cultures, races and religions. His philosophy transcends all the differences and strives to unite mankind.

In his prayer / poem  Where The Mind is Without Fear, Tagore expresses his vision of a future of informed individuals who are united by "ever widening thought and action." Tagore acknowledges the restrictions and debilitating effects of "narrow domestic walls" which represent the self-imposed boundaries that people place upon themselves and particularly upon the mind which do not allow for the free flow of thoughts. In the place where "knowledge is free," every man can be proud and as "the head is held high" there is no judgment and there is a sincerity because "words come out from the depth of truth."

For Tagore, an ideal model exists for India when "tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection" indicating the value of deep thought and consideration without clouding the mind with "dreary desert sand" which suggests that the danger lies in a failure to recognize what makes sense and what doesn't (what is logical and what is not). It is essential to follow "the clear stream of reason" and to be guided by "my father." The ending reveals Tagore's aspirations for his people as he implores "let my country awake."  

What is the theme of Tagore's poem "Where the Mind is Without Fear"?

Based on your own reading of the poem and your own understanding of its themes, I think that you might have to determine for yourself where the important lines in the poem lie.  I think it is difficult to determine this from an outside source as the identification and justification have to be developed from one's own criteria of importance.  I think that if the overall meaning of the poem can be seen as a search for elevated notions of truth and justice, then the second line of "where knowledge is free" helps to set the tone of seeking to strive beyond what is into what can be.  The opening line that indicates the present setting causes individuals to not embrace this realm of transcendence and capitulate into what is might be another moment where the feeling of the poem is fundamentally established.  The second to last line which brings together thought and action is very powerful as it indicates a sense of praxis, that theory and realization must be linked together in order for change to happen to a social order.

What is a critical appreciation of Rabindranath Tagore's poem "Where the Mind Is Without Fear"?

Before beginning a critical appreciation of Rabindranath Tagore’s poem, it should probably be clear what a critical appreciation entails. Typically, it involves a thorough evaluation of a work. The writing should not be off the cuff, but deep and considered. Remember, “critical,” in this context, refers to a scholarly, discerning analysis. With a critical appreciation, a person recognizes the qualities of a work—in this case, a poem—in an erudite fashion.

Consider a critical appreciation that focuses on the repetition of “Gitanjali 35.” The poem has a noticeable tone, and that tone is probably tied to the repetition. By repeating “where” at the start of each line except the last one, it’s like Tagore is creating a chant. It’s as if he’s leading a protest, and this poem is a rallying cry.

While on the topic of protest, a critical appreciation could dive into the content of the poem and dissect what Tagore is trying to say. It might look into the connection between Tagore’s Indian identity and his call for reason, knowledge, and truth. One might investigate the subject and tone of the poem in relationship to India and its history with colonialism and oppression.

Finally, it’s possible for a critical appreciation to discuss the imagery used in the poem. Throughout the poem, there appear to be two main types of imagery; they play off one another and help Tagore get his message across. It’s clear that reason and knowledge are good because they are pictured in a healthy, inspirational light. Reason is a “clear stream”—it’s something worthy of admiration. The status quo is a “dreary desert”—it’s abject.

What is a critical appreciation of Rabindranath Tagore's poem "Where the Mind Is Without Fear"?

Rabindranath Tagore, who died in 1941, lived and wrote this poem while India, his country, was still a colony under the rule of the British. This short, simple poem is directed to his fellow Indians but spoken to God, who Tagore addresses as "thee," meaning "you," and "Father." He asks God to lead his people, who have long been oppressed, to a higher plane of being, where they can live with dignity, striving for perfection and no longer trapped by bad habits from the past. In the end, he asks that the people become awakened so they can become free.

The poem is effective because of the clarity with which Tagore expresses his desire that his people be freed. Freedom is a universal desire, and by asking a wise and powerful being like God for this, Tagore points to how deep the longing runs.

The poem speaks as a voice for all the Indian people who are oppressed by British rule, which means it transcends the merely personal and becomes an articulation of the desires of a group. The image of yearned-for unity

Where the world has not been broken up into fragments 
By narrow domestic walls 

offers an effective visual image of people pulled together for a common purpose.

Likewise, the images of "the clear stream of reason" and "the dreary desert sand of dead habit" offer visual images of the direction in which Tagore hopes his people will head. Overall, starting with the image of a head "held high," the poem offers quiet inspiration to a nation.