I A Richards - Verbal Analysis of Poem

Hello Readers!

In the criticism of the 20th century, critics have introduced a very new way to analyse any work of art, be it prose or poetry. Ivor Armstrong Richards (1893 - 1979), who was an educator and literary critic, put forward the experimental approach in criticism. He has given four kinds of misunderstandings of poetry. As part of the syllabus, the essay of I. A. Richards leads students to do this experimental yet innovative task to analyse any poem, song, or hymn, whether it be in English, Hindi, or Gujarati.

In this blog, I've tried to apply the principles of I. A. Richards's critical essay 'figurative language'.

Song: Woh Chali Woh Chali [click here to listen]
Album : Bombay Vikings (1994)
Artist: Neeraj Shridhar

Lyrics taken from the source: https://gaana.com/lyrics/woh-chali-woh-chali-4. Some lines are typed in Hindi for better understanding.

वो चली वो चली, देखो प्यार की गली,
उसे रोके ना कोई, वो चली, वो चली
ना ना ना मेरी जाँ, देखो जाना ना वहां,
कोई प्यार का लुटेरा, लुटे ना मेरी जाँ...

Woh chali woh chali,
She's found the love that's real
now her wounded heart is healed
finally, finally...

woh chali woh chali,
leavin all her tears behind,
only love's on her mind,
Finally, finally...

Thou she tried but she can't hide
all her joy wrapped up inside
she can't wait to reveal,
and tell you how she feels

Well this time it feels so right,
there'll be no more lonesome nights,
good times are here to stay,
love will shine on every day. [Woh Chali Woh Chali x1]

In my heart there is some pain,
don't ask me why I can't explain,
may be I did love her too,
now there's nothin' I can do

On the other side of town,
her love is waitin' on
as she's waivin' me goodbye,
I think my heart is gonna cry.

Woh Chali woh chali...
_____________________

According to I. A. Richards, there are four kinds of misunderstandings.

1. Sense of poetry: Careless or intuitive reading (rhyme or irregular syntax)
2. Over-literal reading - prosaic reading
3. Defective scholarship: inappropriate metaphor
4. Difference in meaning of words in poetry and prose (personification, metaphor, etc.)

Here are my personal comments on the lyrics:

Firstly, the lyrics seem to be addressed to a beloved. The first reading of the lyrics sets us to think that it is written in a mood of separation. If we translate the first words of the song, Woh chali woh chali in English, it means there she goes, there she goes. The words suggest moving on from the odds of life, or getting up from an emotional crisis. Words seem well organised with proper poetic devices like, personification (my heart is gonna cry), alliteration in the line (her wounded heart is healed) rhyme scheme in some lines with specific sounds like T sound (though she tried but she can't hide) O sound (on the other side of town, there'll be no more lonesome nights) etc.

The other good reading is that the song connects the reader easily to the situation. The lyrical setting is good. The current generation is facing breakup and patch-up issues, and the song somehow relates to a particular age group, like youngsters.

Now, let's find out the problems in the song, keeping in mind the four kinds of misunderstandings propounded by I.A. Richards.

1. The heart can only circulate the blood; it cannot cry. Metaphor seems inappropriate.
2. प्यार का लुटेरा seems to be in a connotative meaning. In the sense of a betrayer. But this line becomes problematic if we compare it with other stanzas, like (leaving all her tears behind, only love's on her mind)
3. Love is not a human being; it can't wait.
4. Joy is not a physical object, and it cannot be wrapped like a gift hamper.

Keeping the misunderstandings in mind, it can be said that the poem seems to have some problems and yet some good rhyme and syntax. It contains some improper metaphors also.

References:

Four kinds of meaning

1. Click Here (PDF)

2. Click Here

Four kinds of misunderstanding

1. Click Here

Thank You!