The Hero Summary Class 7 Buzzword

About the Poet

Rabindranath Tagore, a prominent figure in Indian literature, was a poet, philosopher, and artist. Born in 1861 in Calcutta, he became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913 for his collection of poems, Gitanjali. Tagore's works often reflect deep spiritual and philosophical insights, blending themes of nature, love, spirituality, and human emotions.

Key Points of the Poem

• The poem "The Hero" by Rabindranath Tagore consists of a narrative where a son reassures his fearful mother during a dangerous journey through a desolate land.
• The poem is structured in a series of stanzas that depict the son's brave actions to protect his mother from approaching danger.
• It describes a moment of conflict and resolution, highlighting the son's courage and the mother's reliance on him for protection.
• The poem captures themes of heroism, maternal love, courage, and the bond between a mother and her child.

Detailed Summary

Stanza 1
Mother, let us imagine we are travelling,
and passing through a strange and dangerous country.
You are riding in a palanquin
and I am trotting by you on a red horse.
It is evening and the sun goes down.
The waste of Joradighi lies wan and grey before us.
The land is desolate and barren.
You are frightened and thinking,
"I know not where we have come to.
I say to you, "Mother, do not be afraid."

In this stanza, the child asks his mother to imagine that they are traveling through a scary and unknown place. The mother is sitting in a palanquin (a covered seat carried on poles by people), and the child is riding a red horse next to her. It's getting dark, and they see a wide, empty, and lonely land called Joradighi. The mother feels scared because she doesn't know where they are. The child tries to comfort her by saying, "Mother, don't be afraid."

Stanza 2
The meadow is prickly with spiky grass,
and through it runs a narrow broken path.
There are no cattle to be seen in the wide field;
they have gone to their village stalls.
It grows dark and dim on the land and sky,
and we cannot tell where we are going.
Suddenly you call me and ask me in a whisper,
"What light is that near the bank?"
Just then there bursts out a fearful yell,
and figures come running towards us.

In this stanza, they see a field covered with sharp grass and a small broken path running through it. There are no cows in the field because they have gone back to their villages. It gets darker, making it hard to see where they are going. Suddenly, the mother notices a light near the riverbank and asks the child about it. At the same moment, they hear a scary yell and see people running towards them.

Stanza 3
You sit crouched in your palanquin
and repeat the names of the gods in prayer.
The bearers, shaking in terror,
hide themselves in the thorny bush.
I shout to you, "Don't be afraid, Mother, I am here."
With long sticks in their hands
and hair all wild about their heads,
they come nearer and nearer.
I shout, "Have a care, you villains!
One step more and you are dead men.

In this stanza, the mother crouches in her palanquin and prays to the gods, hoping for safety. The people carrying the palanquin are very scared and hide in the bushes. The child reassures his mother by shouting, "Don't be afraid, Mother, I am here." The attackers, holding long sticks and with wild hair, come closer. The child warns them, shouting that if they take another step, they will be in great danger.

Stanza 4
They give another terrible yell and rush forward.
You clutch my hand and say,
"Dear boy, for heaven's sake, keep away from them."
I say, "Mother, just you watch me."
Then I spur my horse for a wild gallop,
and my sword and buckler clash against each other.
The fight becomes so fearful, Mother,
that it would give you a cold shudder
could you see it from your palanquin.
Many of them fly, and a great number are cut to pieces.

In this stanza, the attackers yell again and charge at them. The mother grabs her child's hand and begs him to stay away from the attackers. The child confidently tells her to watch him and then makes his horse run fast. He fights bravely with his sword and shield, making a lot of noise. The fight is so intense that it would scare the mother if she could see it. Many attackers run away, and many others are defeated.

Stanza 5
I know you are thinking, sitting all by yourself,
that your boy must be dead by this time.
But I come to you all stained with blood, and say,
"Mother, the fight is over now."
You come out and kiss me, pressing me to your heart,
and you say to yourself,
"I don't know what I should do
if I hadn't my boy to escort me."

In this stanza, the mother sits alone, thinking that her child must be dead by now. But the child returns, covered in blood, and tells her that the fight is over. The mother comes out, kisses him, and hugs him tightly. She feels very grateful and thinks to herself that she doesn't know what she would do without her brave child to protect her.

Stanza 6
A thousand useless things happen day after day,
and why couldn't such a thing come true by chance?
It would be like a story in a book.
My brother would say,
"Is it possible? I always thought he was so delicate!"
Our village people would all say in amazement,
"Was it not lucky that the boy was with his mother?"

In this final stanza, the child reflects that many unimportant things happen every day, so why couldn't this brave adventure come true? It would be like a story from a book. The child's brother would be surprised and say he always thought the child was weak. The people in their village would be amazed and say how lucky it was that the brave boy was with his mother.

Theme/ Message

Themes:

• Heroism: The poem explores the concept of heroism through the son's brave actions to protect his mother in a moment of danger.
• Maternal Love: It portrays the deep bond between a mother and her son, emphasizing the mother's trust in her child's strength and courage.
• Courage: The poem highlights the theme of courage as the son fearlessly confronts the approaching danger to ensure his mother's safety.
• Protection: It delves into the theme of protection, showcasing the son's unwavering commitment to safeguarding his mother from harm.

Message:

• Strength in Adversity: The poem conveys the message that true strength and heroism emerge in moments of adversity and danger.
• Unconditional Love: It emphasizes the unconditional love and trust between a mother and her child, portraying it as a source of courage and comfort.
• Bond of Protection: The poem underscores the profound bond of protection and reassurance shared between a mother and her son in the face of challenges.

Difficult Words

1. Palanquin: a covered litter for carrying passengers, especially in South and Southeast Asia.
2. Joradighi: a specific place mentioned in the poem, possibly symbolic or with regional significance.
3. Thorny: full of or covered with thorns.
4. Buckler: a small, round shield held by a handle or worn on the forearm.
5. Stained: marked or colored; not clean or pure.
6. Adversity: difficulties; misfortune.
7. Unwavering: steady; resolute; not wavering.
8. Confronts: face up to and deal with a problem or difficult situation.
9. Reassurance: the action of removing someone's doubts or fears.
10. Profound: very great or intense; having or showing great knowledge or insight.