Write a note on the use of imagery
and allusions in Toru Dutt’s “Our Casuarina Tree”.
Answer: Toru
Dutt’s ‘Our Casuarina Tree’ is included in The Ancient Ballads and Legends of
Hindusthan. It is the last poem in the collection. In its form and the content
the poem ‘Our Casuarina Tree’ reminds us of Keats’ odes. The lyric deals with
themes of nostalgia, longing, imagination and transcendence. The word ‘our’
adds a personal touch to the poem. The word implies that the tree was not just
an ordinary tree for the poet. It was a part of her life and memory, an
integral aspect of her childhood that she shared with her brother and sister.
The poem brings out her nostalgic recollection of the past. The graden which
repeatedly recurs in her letters constituted an important aspect of her poetic
psyche. The tree thus emerges not only as a symbol of her bygone days of
childhood but it also subtly hints at the poet’s intense craving for permanence
and eternity.
The opening image, which compares a large creeper crawling around the tree to a “huge Python” (1), might at first seem dark and foreboding, but the image ultimately emphasizes the great strength of the tree itself. For some readers, the tree symbolizes the ancient and venerable culture of India, while the huge encircling creeper symbolizes the potentially deadly influence of colonialism. Most immediately, though, the creeper itself seems to add a kind of beauty to the tree; it, after all, is called a “scarf” (6), a word with fairly positive connotations.
Although the creeper has left deep marks on the trunk of the tree, the tree is so strong that it bears the tight hold of the creeper. The tree is described as being gallant, and possibly brave, as very few trees could survive in the strangle-hold of this creeper.
