Summary of Eunice de Souza Poem The Return

Stanza 1 – The speaker has returned back and sees the transitional state of the place. The “old wrought- iron gate” has diminished as well as the mosquitoes that use to inhabit the place. The speaker observes the priest chanting and blessing the stone of the new building. Here , one can observe the Hindu cultural values and appropriation that speaker critically acclaims. The speaker also sees the squirrels chasing each other up and down the two mango trees. The speaker then shifts to the neighbours and individual who wants to know about the speaker’s visit. The speaker tries to remember that old wrought- iron gate and the cotton tree that managed to bear only one flower every summer  from the past in the present agreeing that the speaker has enjoyed the visit and the speaker believes that enjoyment should have no object. It means that happiness and other memories are objectified in an object from a psychological scale. 

Stanza 2– The speaker reminiscences the reason for returning back to the “old hills”. It seems that the speaker visited and stayed in London flat but hurriedly return back when the speaker heard the musical note of “shehnai”. Here , the psychological musings of mind and it’s relationship with music is projected to show the very essence of home. It seems that the speaker is ambivalent about the stay in London but is unable to feel the essence of home. Hence , the musical note made the speaker to return back home among the bougainvillae and the peasant women who has a handful of berries to sell. These images depict the state of rural Indian woman. 

Stanza 3- This stanza shows the personal space and longing that a woman desires. It is the idea of universal womanhood where woman in general can associate with themselves on the need and longing for a private space for herself. The speaker yearns the presence of the home of the beloved that is “cool, dark, subterranean” meaning the presence that is less noticeable and seen by others. The speaker desires such a home and highlights that the speaker will not even desire the beloved or loathe against his “many loves” or write many love poems for the beloved. 

Stanza 4- It opens dramatically with unknown but general names of Indian woman who are supposed to be prostitutes. These names are of “ill fame” because of their work. They are always included in the newspaper stories. The speaker goes on to say that these women refuse to wear “ankle-bells” meaning the cage of traditions that many women has worn for generations. These women “study law” of the society and are harassed sexually In the street even while sitting alone in the Bombay restaurant listening to the “innuendoes of college clerks” meaning the flirtatious and demeaning statements made by people. The speaker feels that she has known their feelings and is not strange for her. 

Stanza 5- The speaker talks about Tuka or Tukaram who has been a familiar name in the Indian society. He has been less attentive towards his wife and family. It seems that he came to study Hindu literature and everybody thought he was mad when he recited them. The Jesuit priest told the speaker and others about his journey with his people. The priests and others have broken the whole streets of houses in Pandarpur to widen the road to the shrine and the priests seems different unlike Tukaram. The speaker offers a “coconut” anyway to someone she loves. The speaker complains that he made life very hard for his wife and it is something she disapproves of him for he also ignored or heed her last request : Come back soon. The last lines suggest the silent alienation and oppression of a woman who is waiting for her husband to return. 

Summary of Eunice de Souza Women in Dutch Paintings