The Redress of Poetry – Is this the duty of a poet to redress through poetry?
Poetry gives an ideal world which removes the defects of the world of fact since ideal presents a perfect picture of imperfect world. By redress we mean satisfaction, compensation for a wrong sustained or our loss against result to rise again in an upright position. This is the dictionary definition of redress.
The word ‘redress’ stands for reparation, restoration, to rectify something that is incorrect. The subject that Seamus Heany treated in ‘The Redress of Poetry’ is not new. The nature and purpose of poetry has been a subject of practical importance for all those who are interested in poetry.
By redress Heany means to correct something that is unfair or wrong. It also means consolation, compensation, improve or reassure. So redress of poetry means to remove or correct wrong notions that exist in the prevailing world. The question of redress of poetry contains whether the poetry is of any use, whether it gives confidence to man, whether it gives some assurance or not, whether it’s an aesthetic work or a pragmatic work.
Having defined the meaning of redress I will now discuss whether a poet can redress through poetry? Is this his/her duty to redress through poetry?
In my opinion a poet is an important part of a nation who not only can redress through poetry but also can restore a nation’s pride, can rectify the wrong doings and also can amend the status of a nation. In support of my notions I would like to place the example of Dr. Allama Muhammad Iqbal, titled as ‘the poet of east’. He not only redressed through his poetry but also lay a path towards reassurance and improvement, restoration and rejuvenation of a swooned nation.
Poetry is not just the words of defining the physical appearance of one’s beloved, or explaining the facial expressions of a beauty you come across in your daily life and fall in love at first sight or so. Poetry is the voice of one’s deepest innermost. It is not limited or should not be limited to merely defining the beloved’s traits or one’s feelings about the beloved or just making a confession of falling in love.
Poetry has a vast canvas to cover, to paint a picture of the broad and limitless world. It deserves the explanations of destiny of humankind, destination of humans and also can lead a way how a human being can turn to being human.
The poetry of Allama Iqbal inculcates the spirit and feelings of restoration from deterioration. The poetry of Allama Iqbal redressed in a shape that levitated a nation from inhibition to freedom.
Having said that, I am very much assure that a poet can redress through poetry, need is to realize his/her duties and put the divine thoughts of poetry in a right path to redress through poetry.