Poem Analysis - To Be Human Is No Easy Feat

Introduction: The Human Condition in Verse

Mirza Ghalib's poem "to be human, is no easy feat" offers a poignant reflection on the complexities and contradictions inherent in the human experience. The poem explores themes of love, suffering, resilience, and acceptance with a tone that blends lamentation with a touch of defiant affirmation. The overall mood is contemplative, marked by shifts between despair and a kind of bittersweet joy born from enduring hardship. Ghalib navigates the emotional landscape with a sharp awareness of life's ironies.

Context: Love and Loss in Ghalib's Time

While specific biographical details relevant to this precise poem are unavailable, Mirza Ghalib (1797-1869) lived during a tumultuous period in Indian history, witnessing the decline of the Mughal Empire and the rise of British colonial power. His poetry often reflects a sense of loss and disillusionment with the changing world, as well as a profound exploration of love, both earthly and divine. The societal expectations and the artistic traditions of the time, particularly within the Urdu ghazal form, likely influenced the poem’s themes of unrequited love, longing, and spiritual searching.

Love, Suffering, and the Path to Acceptance

One of the central themes of the poem is the intertwined nature of love and suffering. The third stanza, "Such is desirer's lunacy, I constantly repair,/to her street, even tho it leads me to despair," illustrates the speaker's willingness to pursue love even when it results in pain. The pursuit of beauty, as suggested in the fourth stanza, "Beauty does yet seek behold the favour of a glance,/the lustre of the mirror seeks to be a lash perchance," is another instance of the constant quest for something that may cause harm. This theme extends beyond romantic love to encompass the broader human condition, where desire and vulnerability lead to inevitable heartache. The poem suggests that acceptance of this suffering is essential to experiencing the fullness of life.

Resilience in the Face of Adversity

The poem emphasizes resilience and the ability to find joy even in the midst of suffering. The lines, "When the heart is wounded does its ecstasy exalt,/fortitude is filled with joy when wounds are dipped in salt," vividly convey this paradox. The image of wounds dipped in salt suggests that pain, when faced with fortitude, can paradoxically lead to a heightened sense of being. The willingness to embrace scars is highlighted with the line "With me into dust I took the scars of hopes forlorn," symbolizing a deep acceptance of past disappointments and the ability to find peace even in death. This theme shows that true strength lies in not avoiding suffering, but rather in confronting and transforming it.

Symbolism of the Garden and the Collar

The garden and the lover's collar function as potent symbols within the poem. The line, "now in your splendour joyously the garden you adorn," suggests that the speaker's suffering has somehow contributed to the beauty and flourishing of the garden, implying that even death and sacrifice can bring about new life and beauty. The final stanza, "Ghalib alas! That piece of cloth for whom destiny/has ordained a fate that it, a lover's collar be," presents the collar as a symbol of servitude and devotion. To be destined as a lover's collar is to be forever bound to love, embracing a fate of longing and perhaps unfulfillment. Is this fate a punishment or a privilege? The poem leaves this question open for interpretation.

Conclusion: A Poetic Legacy of Enduring Humanity

In conclusion, "to be human, is no easy feat" is a powerful meditation on the complexities of human existence. Ghalib skillfully weaves together themes of love, suffering, and resilience, using vivid imagery and poignant reflections to capture the human struggle. The poem doesn't offer easy answers, but rather invites readers to contemplate the paradoxical nature of life and find beauty in the face of adversity. Ultimately, the poem's significance lies in its enduring ability to resonate with anyone who has grappled with the challenges of being human.