Skip to main content

Ophelia's Mistakes

 


I see people, 

People intoxicated by the pictures and paintings of Ophelia's 

Flowery death. 

Her death image gives them aesthetic pleasure, 

As controlled women always gave them. 

Her hairs afloat, start to sleep on to the water, 

Flowers shrouding her body, 

Eyes open to a world of her own, 

Singing songs of despair.

But little did she realize the danger, 

The danger of clinging on to a hopeless end, 

Like the bough that broke beneath her. 

She was beneath the procrastinated love, 

That demanded her to leave for a nunnery, 

Where she could have grown out of love, 

Leaving a dull yet moving life in her, 

Under the orders of others. 

Little did she understand the fleeting 

Feelings inside men, 

The constant tribulations of mind, 

That demand their essence and 

Drink off the sanity. 

She mistook the words and its soul, 

She made her life revolve around one improper love, 

She didn't realize the wonders in life beyond romantic love, 

Or no one helped her. 

Deaths made her mourn, 

It took over her fragile mind, 

Making garlands of wildflowers, 

Climbing into a willow tree, 

She left her soul in the tree

And made her body floating in the water, 

To be the talk of the country, 

To teach young girls of love and chained lives. 

Yet her silk garments trapped air to stay afloat, 

But her body decided to sink, 

Deep down,

Turning herself an image for

Fighter of dignity, 

And a symbol of women lost in social chains. 

Oh, Ophelia, these are your mistakes. 

A. C

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

THE DREAMCATCHER ( A Poem)

She tried. And made the hoops from willows to wove those magical webs. Wrapped the hoop with suede lacing. The string was woven onto the hoop. Hours passed. She wove some of her favourite decorations to it. Feathers and gemstones, hidden with meanings. Hours passed. But she wanted it  to be perfect. And finally, here it is. THE DREAMCATCHER. She hung it on  her bedroom wall and watched it carefully. Rubbed it with an artist's pride. The hoop smiled, ensuring the travel of sun through the mighty sky. She thought that when night comes  the hole in the center would only let Bawedjige( good dreams)pass. She would be able to sleep safe and sound today. The nightmares will never ever haunt her. For she has her Dreamcatcher. And Bawedjigewin( bad dreams) will be trapped in the web, to be dispelled at the first light of morning. She slept. The sun rays pierced into her eyes. She opened her eyes with the innocence of a newborn babe. The thought stroke...

Revising Utharam: The Weight of Forgotten Truths

I think more than ghost stories, most people are afraid of the unknown. The  unknown when transforms into a more fearful truth can devastate a person’s entire existence. V.K Pavithran’s  1989 movie Utharam is based on Daphne Du Maurier’s short story “No Motive”. It follows Balu’s quest to uncover the truth behind the mysterious and unexpected suicide of Leena, his best friend Mathew’s wife and someone he considers family.  Balu’s investigative skills as a journalist lead him to some strange and unexpected revelations about Leena’s past. He discovers that Leena had a completely different personality and a  shocking, forgotten history. Despite being a generous person and loving wife of Mathew, Leena lived a seemingly perfect life, content and unaware of her repressed memories. Her life as a poet and a loving partner to Mathew appeared nothing short of perfection. Yet one fine day she decided to take her life in the spur of the moment.  Unlike most mystery movies ...

Laapataa Ladies aka Ladies Lost in Patriarchy

Kiran Rao’s “Laapataa Ladies” is a social satire that offers entertainment as well as empowerment. The movie humorously portrays the grave realities of a patriarchal society with the help of a simple story and background. As the name and the trailer suggested, it revolves around two newly married brides who get lost on the way to their in-laws’ home. While Jaya, whom Deepak accidentally brings home instead of his wife Phool, seizes this opportunity to follow her dream, Phool undergoes profound personal growth during the time. This period shows multiple women discovering themselves. Some learn to do things that they love for themselves while others learn to explore and embrace their talents.  Even though Jaya and Phool are two contradictory characters, they are both equally victims of patriarchal conditioning. While Jaya is ready to break and act against all the norms of society from the very beginning by uttering the name of her husband to everyone’s disbelief, Phool learns to do t...