O Thou the last fulfilment of life, Death, my death, come and whisper to me! (song 91) by Rabindranath Tagore (poem, summary & analysis)

 

O Thou the last fulfilment of life, Death, my death, come and whisper to me! (song 91) by Rabindranath Tagore (poem, summary & analysis) 

O Thou the last fulfilment of life, Death, my death, come and whisper to me!

Day after day have I kept watch for thee; for thee have I borne the joys and pangs of life.

All that I am, that I have, that I hope and all my love have ever flowed towards thee in depth of secrecy. One final glance from thine eyes and my life will be ever thine own.

The flowers have been woven and the garland is ready for the bridegroom. After the wedding the bride shall leave her home and meet her lord alone in the solitude of night.

O Thou the last fulfilment of life, Death, my death, come and whisper to me!

 

Summary

The poem is about accepting and joining with Death. The poet's mood has changed. Now, he thinks a lot about Death, which he calls "the king of the dark room." The image of Krishna slowly turns into the image of Death. The earlier ideas of love and desire now change. The poet moves from surrendering himself to wanting to lose himself completely.

The poet invites Death, seeing it as the end of life and the start of something new. He has enjoyed life’s happiness and pain, but sees life as preparing him for Death. He reveals his long-hidden wish for Death. All his hopes and love are now for Death. He compares life to a bride and Death to a bridegroom. The bride and bridegroom's union is a moment of joy and completion, just like the poet feels his life will reach its peak by joining with Death. He waits for Death, like a bride waiting for her groom, holding a garland made of flowers from his love, hopes, and joys. He wishes for one final look from Death, just as a bride desires a look from her groom.

Through Tagore's poetic words, the natural event of Death becomes a special moment. In the end, the poet wants to leave his home and meet Death, like a bride meeting her groom in the quiet darkness of the night. The poet compares this to a bride going to her husband's house where the marriage is completed in the night.

 

Critical Analysis

The poet thinks that Death is a part of Nature, so it is also inside him. "Dying into Death" means moving into a place that is free from death. It’s like an exciting journey or a wedding. Keats loved the idea of Death, but he didn’t compare it to marriage the way Tagore did. In Tagore’s view, God is like the groom, and the bride will meet him alone in the dark part of her soul. Death is seen as a kind of wedding. Modern psychology says that dreaming about a wedding can mean Death, and thinking about Death can also mean a wedding. Since Death is such a strong feeling, the poet uses it as a symbol in this way. As Keats said:

Verse, fame, beauty are intense indeed.

But death is intense, Death is life's high meed.

The soul longs for God. It seeks Him and desires to feel the deep love that can be found in the quietness of the night. This is the time when God’s servant, Death, comes to visit.

"All that I am, that I have, that I hope and all my love have ever flowed towards thee in depth of secrecy. One final glance from thine eyes and my life will be ever thine own."

The idea of death is coming up again. In his earlier poems, the poet feared death, but now that fear has turned into a joyful acceptance of life. He welcomes death with open arms. For him, dying is like moving into a state of being that never ends. He describes death as a beautiful bridegroom, and he is like a bride eagerly waiting for him. When death arrives and looks at him with love, the poet will give him all his hopes, joys, and love. With just a glance, death will capture him forever, and he will completely surrender to his bridegroom, death.

Life is just a preparation for death. "Being ready is everything." Death is like a wedding, a special event where one surrenders completely to their beloved, the Divine.

"The flowers have been woven and the garland is ready for the bridegroom. After the wedding the bride shall leave her home and meet her lord alone in the solitude of night."

The poet believes that death is a natural part of life, and it exists within him. It is the final step in living. The soul welcomes death like a "bud in the forest at midnight." When the soul stops fighting against life, it journeys along a beautiful path toward the home of its beloved. Death is seen as a joyful event that brings the soul closer to the Supreme. In this poem, death is like a bridegroom, and the poet is like a bride who finds true happiness in joining with him. The bride eagerly awaits her bridegroom’s arrival, and when he comes, he is decorated with the beautiful moments of the poet's life, which have been collected over the years in preparation for death. After the wedding, the bride goes with her bridegroom to his home, where their union is completed in the darkness of night. Similarly, the poet will go with Death, and in that moment, his life will find its true meaning.