Name Saadhvi Agarwala
Semester 2
English Honours
CU Roll No: 222017-11-0205
CU Registration No: 017-1211-0300-22
UID No: 0304220366
Roll No: 223692
Course: CC4
ABOL TABOL
Sukumar Ray, an esteemed Indian poet and writer from 1887 to 1923, crafted the whimsical
world of "Abol Tabol" between 1915 and 1923. Known for his knack for children's literature,
Sukumar inherited a literary treasure from his father, Upendrakishore Ray Chowdhury. He is a
trailblazer in children's literature, he also penned his whimsical tales for the pages of "Sandesh"
magazine- a literature which had its foundation in its imagination. In the realm of "Abol Tabol,"
Sukumar Ray's seemingly whimsical verses harbor a deeper resonance when viewed through a
Marxist lens. Ray, a keen observer of societal dynamics during his time, cleverly utilizes the
nonsensical facade of his poetry to veil a potent Marxist critique. Within the playful verses lie
subtle jabs at the prevailing social structures, governmental systems, and ruling elites. A world
where nonsense isn't just entertaining for kids but holds a mirror to the grown-ups' reality.
Sukumar Ray's poem "Abol Tabol," penned during the early 20th-century colonial era in India,
serves as a poignant commentary on British domination. While many in Bengal view it as
whimsical children's literature, it cleverly conceals subtle critiques of the administrative system.
In a time when British rule and 'Babu culture' prevailed, Ray employed satirical tones to
humorously dissect the prevalent culture. Despite its apparent childish facade, the poem delves
into the socio-political landscape, offering layered meanings and perspectives. The poem not
only serves as literary enjoyment but, when analyzed critically, unveils a scathing critique of
British colonial exploitation, shedding light on the impact of patriarchy, autocracy, and hypocrisy
in society. Through humorous characters, Ray symbolically reflects the oppressive presence of
British colonizers.
Every single poem in the text is filled with social satire that delves into the marxist critique. For
example, the very first poem 'Stew Much' talks about people who tried to climb the social ladder
by imitating someone upper in the hierarchy and refashion their own identities to create
something new. People refashion their mode of existence like diet, movement, identities to create
something that is vulnerable which leads to existential dilemma. When we spell 'Stew Much' out
loud it is heard as "It's too much" which hints at the muchness of the situation. Similarly "The
King of Bombardia" questions the idea of power. It also talks about the importance of knowledge
and how it is the absolute power that a man can hold. The next poem "The Missing Whiskers" is
a satire on power again, the power a man like Bose Babu posses. The point talks about the power
hierarchy within the office as well as within the society. It also talks about how 'moustache' is the
ultimate symbol of manliness and taking it away is equal to ripping a man off his power position.
It is also a satire on the patriarchal society which is still prevalent today.
The next poem "The Sons of Rangaroo is a satire on the contemporary intellectuals of The
raising time who would not entertain any kind of leivity on lighthearted humor. They think
laughter is a taboo and they live in constant fare of not being accepted by people around. They
justify the grief with the philosophical notion that "happiness is a fleet". All the paragraphs of the
poem highlight the insecurity, the fear that their order hierarchy status shall be disturbed by any
kind of spontaneous reaction in the form of laughter. It is also a very strong satire against the
nature of the autocrats who would provide the minimum space for release. While Sons of
Rangaroo prohibits laughter, "The Old Tickler" forces you to laugh. The Old Tickler represents a
tyrant who has used his tyranny for years. The poem can be visually represented as a gaze of the
powerful towards the powerless. It is ironic how the poem about tickling ends with the threat i.e.
either you laugh at the anecdotes of the tickler or you are physically assaulted.
The next poem "Odour in the Court" highlights how power is essentially tyrannical in nature.
Poet also hints at the absence of any rationality in a place as serious as court. The poem also
highlights of whimsical nature of the power and how common men of society suffer due to this
power hierarchy. "Baburam The Snake Charmer” is again a strong sitar against the nature of
power. It talks about the plight of common Indian people under the British rule who could not
portray any kind of resistance. The title is misleading because the poem is no where about
Baburam. The poem reveals and interesting study on the tricks and deftness of the British East
India company. The speaker may be compared with the British imperialists and the snake
charmer Baburam with Mughal Empire "FarrukhShiyar".
The poem "Groomy Tidings" is a very strong satire on patriarchy. We see how women are
objectified throughout their lives before and after marriage. The poem hints at how financial
dependence is the first foot of patriarchy. There is a hint of racism too which is still very
prevalent in Indian Market because 'fair is still lovely'. Lastly, "Uncles's Invention" is a satire on
class. The uncle in the poem has been represented as a colonizer and his mechanical invention is
it trap for the common people of India. The poem helps us understand the gap between people at
diff hierarchies in a power position. We can take example of the feeding machine during
Chaplin's time that was brought into reduce the lunch break and increase the working hour of the
lower class. Food is a basic human right and it is the capitalist ploy to deny people of the basic
rights which highlights the tyranny of power structure.
The poems of Abol Tabol are prime examples of the way in which Ray’s subversive, hybridized
nonsense functions as a counter-narrative, where both form and content are imbued with a
critique of the (western) canon and its exclusion of other narratives. Sukumar Ray used nonsense
as a facade to introduce his counter discourses. The poem also brings out post-colonialism as a
school of literary theory where you analyze literature through the ideas of colonialism. Abol
Tabol stands as a symbol of his exceptional body of work, offering a sharp commentary on the
diverse forms of existence and cultural cross-pollinations during the colonial socio-political
landscape of early twentieth-century India.
Work Cited List
Marvell, Andrew. “To His Coy Mistress.” The Norton Anthology of English Literature, edited by
Stephen Greenblatt et al., 9th ed., W. W. Norton, 2012, pp. 1673-1674.
Dalli, Elise. “An Analysis of ‘To His Coy Mistress’.” Poetry Analysis Website, Poetry, 15 May
2021, www.poetryanalysiswebsite.com/an-analysis-of-to-his-coy-mistress.
