Background Casually (Nissim Ezekiel)

A poet-rascal-clown was born,

The frightened child who would not eat
Or sleep, a boy of meager (weak or skinny) bone.
He never learned to fly a kite,
His borrowed top refused to spin.
A poet rascal clown…..refused to spin.
Reference to the Context— These lines presenting the poet a compound of the three qualities, his
personality, his nature and his poverty, have been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled
Background, Casually, written by Nissim Ezekiel.
Here Nissim Ezekiel describes his personality as a mixture of the poet, a rogue and a jester. He was a timid
boy by nature. He was even surrounded with the feelings of fear. His personality was very poor. He was
very lean and thin. Due to his poverty, he was deprived from the boyish entertainments.

Explanation- Nissim was, at his birth, a child endowed with a poetic talent but he was a lost a child having
in him a potential for rogue and for clowning. He was scared child. He was a child easily frightened. Due to
being the victim of the feelings of utter fear, he was very nervous. He would neither sleep nor eat. He was a
lean and thin boy. He could not indulge himself a games like other normal healthy children. He never learnt
the art or the technique of flying a kite. What he really means to say is that he did not get the opportunities
which most boys got of enjoying the usual boyish sports or past times such as flying a kin. He did not have
enough money to buy a top of his own, so he borrowed, a top from some other boy, but when he tried to
make it spin, he failed because he did not know the technique of using it, just as he did not know the
technique of flying a kite. All this means that Ezekiel as a boy did not have the opportunity to mix and
mingle freely with the other boys.The reason for this isolation from the other boys was that he was a few
while the other boys were either Hindus or Muslims or Christians.

I went to Roman Catholic school,

A mugging (foolish)Jew among the wolves.
They told me I had killed the Christ,
That year I won the scripture prize.
A Muslim sportsman boxed my ears.
I went to Roman…………boxed my ears.
Reference to the Context- These lines presenting callous treatment, troubles and torments given to the poet
by his school fellows, have been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled Background. Casually,
written by Nissim Ezekiel. Here the poet recalls his school days. Due to being a Jew, he was ill-treated and
tormented by his school fellows. All the school fellows had harsh and tyrannical attitude for him. The
Christians accused him of belonging to the race which was responsible for the Crucifixion of Christ.
Explanation- When Nissim grew up, he went to school. He was not a Christian but a Jew. So, the Christian
boys were unkind to film. Because of being a Jew, he was very callously treated by his school fellows. In
that school Nissim had to study in a hostile atmosphere. He was a studious boy. He concentrated mainly
upon his lessons. He repeated the lessons until he learnt them by heart and memorised them. They abused
him for being a Jew whom they considered to be a betrayer of Christ. Even though these boys were
Christians, they did not practice the Christian charity. But the irony behind the other boys tormenting a
Jewish boy lay in the fact that this Jewish boy won a prize for being the best student to have learnt the
scripture which included not only the Old Testament but also the New Testament. He thus proved to his
tormentors that he was better versed in Christian scriptures than the Christians themselves. But the joy of
award was short lived and then something else happened to remind Ezekiel that he belonged to a much
hated religion. A Muslim boy, who was good at sports and who had therefore a well-built body, slapped and
beat Ezekiel.

I grew in terror of the strong

But undernourished Hindu lads, (boys)
Their prepositions always wrong,
Repelled me by passivity.
One noisy day I used a knife.
I grew in terror………used a knife.
Reference to the Context- These lines depicting the harsh, cruel and tyrannical attitude of the Hindus, who
were known for their generosity and humanity, have been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled
Background Casually, written by Nissim Ezekiel.
Here the poet does not spare the Hindus either. He describes them as great bullies. They also terrorized the
poor Jew boy. They had lost their qualities of generosity, humanity, love and affection and brotherhood.
They had also become cruel.
Explanation- According to the poet, he was getting education in hostile atmosphere. He was living among
the cruel school fellows. His school fellows had filled his heat with the feelings of terror. His school
fellows did not spare any occasion of teasing and tormenting him. Hindus too were equally unkind. Though
they were undernourished, still, they were very strong and terrified the poet. He too had a condescending
attitude towards them for their preposition were always wrong and in his opinion they were inactive and
lazy dullards. One day, when a lot of noise was going on around him and he was being teased and
tormented by some of his school-fellows, he used a knife to attack one of them. He did so in utter
desperation and not because he was a brave lad.

At home on Friday nights the prayers

Were said. My morals had declined.
I heard of Yoga and of Zen.
Could I, perhaps, be rabbi saint? (A rabbi is a spiritual leader or religious teacher in Judaism.) The more I searched, the less I
found.
At home on Friday………….the less I found.
Reference to the Context- These lines presenting a great downfall of the poet’s moral standards have
extracted from a autobiographical poem entitled Background, Casually, written by Nissim Ezekiel.
Here the poet says that for want of religious zeal and moral standards, he had become wicked. Even the
preaching’s of priests could bring no improvements in his character and conduct and they could not instill
religious zeal into him.
Explanation- His parents were true embodiment of moral, religious and ethical values. They offered the
usual prayers on Friday nights. His parents observed that he was losing his moral standards and that he was
not paying sufficient attention to his religious analysis about him, he realises that his moral standards were
not of the highest order, and he was not worthy enough to; be a Jewish priest. He heard the noble preaching
of great priest and yogic, but he could not be inspired. He could not preserve the religious fervor which his
father expected.

Twenty two: time to go abroad.

First, the decision, then a friend
To pay the fare. Philosophy,
Poverty and Poetry, three
Companions shared my basement room.
Twenty-two……….my basement room.
Reference to the Context- These lines depicting the poet’s pathetic financial state and his companions, have
been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled Background, Casually, written by Nissim Ezekiel.
Here the poet depicts about the broken financial condition of is family. It was his parents’ extremely desire
that after schooling, their son should go abroad the higher educational but it was the inability to afford the
expenses.
Explanation- When the bitter days of his school education were over, his parents thought that their son
should get higher education is abroad, but they were badly broken in financial state. They had of course, so
money to pay the fare far abroad. They thought that their dream could not be fulfilled for want of money
and their son would be deprived from getting higher education in abroad. At that same moment they found
a helping hand of one of the family friend. He showed humanity and generosity and without self-interest,
he agreed to pay for Ezekiel’s passage to England. For want of money, he could not get any better lodging
than a basement room. He describes that in London, philosophy, poetry and poverty were his three
companions who shared his basement room.

The London seasons passed me by.

I lay in bed two years alone,
And then a Woman came to tell
My willing ears I was the Son
Of Man. I knew that I had failed
The London seasons……..I had failed.
Ref. to the Context- These lines presenting poet’s incapability to do anything conspicuous, have been
extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled Background, Casually, written by Nissim Ezekiel. Here
the poet says that in London, he could do nothing important. He was under the impression that he was
failure. He lived there without having fellows He completely ignored the outside surroundings of London.
He could get no glimpse of external atmosphere. There he came in the contact of a woman.
Explanation- The poet lived a hard and cheerless life in London. He lived all alone there for two years. He
was sad and miserable. His life in London could give him no fruit of success. He was a failure man. His
poverty and failures created in him a feeling of inferior, He became indifference. He nourished a feeling in
his heart and mind that he was a worthless man and he could do nothing in his life. Then he became
acquainted with a woman who began to keep company with him. Perhaps she fell in love with him. She
cheered him and made him conscious of his manhood. At the same time he realised that he had not made
any progress in any direction and that, in fact, he had failed in every way. It was a bitter realisation and so
he decided to get back to India.

In everything, a bitter thought.

So, in an English cargo ship
Taking French guns and mortar shells
To Indo China, scrubbed the decks,
And learned to laugh again at home.
In everything,……..laugh again at home.
Ref. to the Context- These lines depicting poet’s utter poverty and despair, has been extracted from an
autobiographical poem entitled Background, Casually written by Nissim Ezekiel.
Here the poet tells us that when he decided to leave London for India, he was utterly helpless in financial
state. It was a great problem before him how he could reach India. In order to reach India, he had to
undertake menial jobs on Cargo-ship.
Explanation- He became entirely during his London stay. He could not make any achievements there. He
lived there a lonely life. When it was unendurable for him to stay in London for longer, he resolved to leave
for India, but had a great problem of money. He had not enough money to pay the fare for his destination.
So, he took a menial job on an English Cargo-ship carrying French guns and other weapons of war to Indo-
China. As this ship was to stop at Mumbai on its way to Indo-China, Ezekiel scrubbed the decks in order to
be brought to is country. On reaching Mumbai, he was overwhelmed with happiness. When he saw his
parents there, he was able to laugh once more.

How to feel it home, was the point.

Some reading had been done, but what
Had I observed, except my own
Exasperation?(anger) All Hindus are
Like that, my father used to say,
How to feel………..used to say.
Ref. to the Context- These lines presenting the offensive attitude of the Hindus towards the poet, have been
extracted him an autobiographical poem entitled Background, Casually, written by Nissim Ezekiel. Here
the poet describes the circumstances which he had to face in India. He had to adjust with them and in the
atmosphere of hostility, he Hindus in India had also cruel and tyrannical attitude towards him. In India he
had always been treated with great contempt.
Explanation- According to the poet, he spent two years in London full of despair. He could make no
achievement there. He remained confined in his basement room and led a lonely life. Later on he decided to
return India. He had to accept mental jobs on Cargo-ship to pay the fare. After reaching India, he was able
to laugh and feel happiness. After reaching his house, he felt and observed how he could feel comfortable at
his house. He found in difficult to regard India as his real house. The Hindus of India had not the spirits of
humanity and brotherhood. Their attitude was inhuman. His father had also told him that all the Hindus
were alike in their behaviour which according to him was offensive and obnoxious. On his return to India
he was a to total failure. He had studied a bit of philosophy, which was of no use in real life. His study of
philosophy added to his own exasperation. He was in utter confusion. He did not know what to do.
When someone talked too loudly, or
Knocked at the door like the Devil.
They hawked and spat.(forcefully spitting out a mass of saliva and phlegm from the throat). They sprawled around.
I prepared for the worst. Married,
Changed jobs, and saw myself a fool.
When someone talked……..myself a fool.
Reference to the Context- These lines presenting most contemptuous picture of the behaviour and the
conduct of the Hindus in India, have bene extracted from an autobiography poem entitled Background,
Casually, written by Nissim Ezekiel. Here the poet says that the Hindus were of great unhealthy conduct
and behaviour. They had dirty habits. They could be identified easily because of their nature and habits.
They spoiled the atmosphere by their activities.

Explanation- According to the poet, all the Hindus had the same nature and habits. They had bad manners.
They talked loudly and when they went to meet someone, they knocked as the door badly like the approach
of a Devil. In fact, it was not wrong to call them Devil. They wandered in the streets and roads calling and
crying loudly in order to sell the things to earn their living. They were every lazy. They were in the habit of
passing their time in wandering and gossiping. They were not active in their work. They did their work as a
burden. They were dull and monotonous. They did not like the life of action. The poet was ready to face the
circumstances. He could not settle at one place. He was changing his jobs. He also realized that he had
committed a folly by getting married.

The song of my experience sung,

I knew that all was yet to sing.
My ancestors, among the castes,
Were aliens crushing seed for bread
(The hooded bullock made his rounds).
The song of my ………made his rounds.
Reference to the Context- These lines depicting the reason of poet’s being the subject of contempt have
been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled Background, Casually, written by Nissim Ezekiel.
Here the poet tells us the reason of becoming the victim of contempt. He also tells about the mean
profession of his ancestors.

Explanation- According to the poet, there is a lot more that has to be told about his background. He again
delves into his past. He informs us that his ancestors were oil pressers, and belonged to the Shanwar Tele
caste. They pressed oil out of seeds to earn their living. Thus Ezekiel did not come from any high caste
among the Jews, and he was not descended from very respectable ancestors. Oil-crushing was the trade to
which his ancestors belonged. He remembers the bullock, he would observe as a child moving round and
round, driving the machine that crushed oil from the seeds.

One among them fought and taught,

A Major bearing British arms.
He told my father sad stories
Of the Boer War. I dreamed that
Fierce (ferocious) men had bound my feet and hands.
One among them ……….feets and hands.
Reference to the Context- These lines depicting one of Ezekiel’s ancestors who had served the British Army
in the Boer war and the poet’s experience, have been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled
Background Casually, written by Nissim Ezekiel. The poet appeared in Ezekiel’s six volume poems which
was. Here the poet recalls his childhood experience when he listened the fierceful stories from a Major in
British army. These stories frightened him. The sights of the stories of the war as described by Major
lingered in his dreams.

Explanation- According to the poet, one of his ancestors was a Major in British army. He had fought a war
which had taken place between the British forces and Africans. He used to tell his was experiences to his
father. He told the horrible sights of the war to his father. He often listened the stories of the war. On
hearing the horrible experience of war, he was frightened. He could not get sound sleep during night
because in his dreams, the sights of the war as depicted by Major danced horrifying him. He dreams of the
enemy forces. Such kinds of dreams also troubled and disturbed him during the day because he was
thinking about the cruel sights of the war.
The later dreams were all of words.
I did not know that words betray
But let the poems come, and lost
That grip on things the worldly prize.
I would not suffer that again.
The later dreams………..that again.
Reference to the Context- These lines presenting poet’s carefree and spontaneous manner of writing poetry
and losing his grip on real things, have been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled Background,
Casually written by Nissim Ezekiel. After his childhood dreams, as a grown up man, the poet began to
dream only of words. He was under the impression that the words could not deceive him and could not
create misunderstandings in the minds of his readers. So, he started composing poems in carefree manner.

Explanation- Initially Ezekiel used to dream that he had become prisoner in the hands of the enemy forces
but subsequently he began to dream only of how words should be chosen for the writing of poetry. In the
beginning of his poetic career, the poet did not know that the choice of wrong words could lead to a lot of
misunderstanding in the minds of his readers, and that he could thus discredit himself it he were not careful.
In the beginning, he used the words which came in his imagination. He did not use the words after
analysing the real things based on this physical world. He did not ponder over the real things. This carefree
and spontaneous manner of writing poetry led to his losing his grip on things. As he dwelt in the imaginary
world of the poet, he was failure in the real world, and thus was not prepared for the harsh realities of life.
He reiterated that if he was given a second chance, he would not make the same mistake twice.

I look about me now, and try

To formulate a plainer view:
The wise survive and serve–to play
The fool, to cash in on
The inner and the outer storms.
I look about…………outer storms.
Reference to the Context- These lines presenting poet’s mature attitude towards the writing of poems, have
been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled Background, Casually written by Nissim Ezekiel.

Here the poet decided not to continue with the facile manner of writing but to adopt a more wordily style
which considered is commercializing his poetry and to exploit such themes as the inner tumults of his
fellow-human beings and the external, social upheavals.

Explanation- According to the poet, he has come to the conclusion that the wise poet is one who manages
to make the best use of the opportunities which come his way. The wise poet has often to follow a foolish
course of action. For instance a wise poet can try to exploit a situation in order to write a popular poem. He
would have a create a poem out of the inner turmult in human beings and also to deal with the upheavals in
the external life of human beings. Still, despite all the disappointments and bitterness, the poet strives for a
clearer Vision, and deeper understanding of life and its varied problems. Some may consider him fool; but
believes that wisdom lies of making the best on be of one’s opportunities. He therefore, makes best use of
his internal as well as external experiences and writes about his emotion and passions, frustrations and
failures, as well as the problems that real life had in store for him.

The Indian landscape sears(burns) my eyes.

I have become a part of it
To be observed by foreigners.
They say that I am singular,
Their letters overstate the case.
The Indian landscape………..the case.
Reference to the Context- These lines based on the poet’s devotion of the country and the city of his choice,
have been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled “Background, Casually” written by Nissim
Ezekiel. Here the poet says that he has chosen India to live. He has made a great attachment with India.
Inspite of being the extremity of summer weather, he has fondness of India. His determination to settle in
India impresses to every one.

Explanation- Poet’s devotion and love to India and its city of his choice is just as great as his commitment
to his profession. The poet seeks his identity in Indian soil. The climate is too hot for him. The intensity of
heat of this country is scorching, but the poet has become so much a part of the environment of this
country. He manages to survive the heat and the squat on Even the foreigners get the impression that he
really belongs to it. It is much to the surprise of his foreigner friends, who visit him, or who write to him.
They say that he is very different from the native Indians. They exaggerate his alien character. The poet
means that he is after all, not to different from the natives of India.
I have made my commitments now.
This is one: to stay where I am,
As others choose to give themselves
In some remote and backward place.
My backward place is where I am.
I have made ……. where I am.
Reference to the Context- These lines showing poet’s love, devotion and deep attachment for India, have
been extracted from an autobiographical poem entitled “Background, Casually”, written by Nissim Ezekiel.
Here the poet, on his part, feels sure that he has made his commitments one of which is that he would stay
on in his country where he finds himself, and that he would stick to it even if he is regarded as a man who
has settled down in a backward country.

Explanation- The poet is proud of his country and its environment. He has made a decision to make India
his home, and will continue to live in his chosen home. He has kept his commitment by depicting Indian
environment and reality of life in his chosen city Mumbai, which has shaped his sensibilities. He affirms
his attachment to India even though he had not properly been treated during his years of boyhood and even
later, and even though he is actually and painfully conscious of the deficiencies and defects of the Indian
people. If one has to choose a backward place for settling, then the backward place for him in his this
country. However, he has made this remark not because he thinks India to be a backward country but
because he has said in the preceding two lines that many people choose some remote and backward place
for settling down in life.