About the Author
John Edward Masefield (1878-1967)
- He was an English poet and writer
- He was the Poet Laureate (official poet) of Britain from 1930 to 1967
- Famous works include:
- Poems: "Sea-Fever" and "The Everlasting Mercy"
- Children's novels: "The Midnight Folk" and "The Box of Delights"
- Adventure novels: "Sard Harker" (1924), "Odtaa" (1926), "Basilissa" (1940)
- He received the Order of Merit award in 1935
Summary of the Poem 'Sea-Fever'
English Summary:
The poem is about a sailor who has a strong desire to return to the sea. He expresses his deep love for sailing and the ocean life. He asks for simple things - a tall ship, a star to guide him, windy weather, and the company of fellow sailors. The speaker is attracted to the free, wandering life of a sailor. He loves the sounds of the wind, the sight of flying spray, and the cry of seagulls. He wants to live the adventurous "gypsy life" on the sea and end his journey with peaceful sleep and sweet dreams.
Malayalam Summary (സംഗ്രഹം):
കടലിലേക്ക് മടങ്ങിപ്പോകാനുള്ള തീവ്രമായ ആഗ്രഹം പ്രകടിപ്പിക്കുന്ന ഒരു നാവികന്റെ കവിതയാണിത്.
കപ്പലോടിക്കലിനോടും സമുദ്രജീവിതത്തോടുമുള്ള അഗാധമായ സ്നേഹം അദ്ദേഹം പ്രകടിപ്പിക്കുന്നു. ഒരു ഉയരമുള്ള കപ്പൽ, വഴികാട്ടാൻ ഒരു നക്ഷത്രം, കാറ്റുള്ള കാലാവസ്ഥ, സഹ നാവികരുടെ കൂട്ടുകെട്ട് എന്നിങ്ങനെ ലളിതമായ കാര്യങ്ങൾ മാത്രമാണ് അദ്ദേഹം ആവശ്യപ്പെടുന്നത്.
നാവികന്റെ സ്വതന്ത്രവും അലഞ്ഞുതിരിയുന്നതുമായ ജീവിതത്തിലേക്ക് അദ്ദേഹം ആകർഷിക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. കാറ്റിന്റെ ശബ്ദം, പറക്കുന്ന വെള്ളത്തുള്ളികൾ, കടൽക്കാക്കകളുടെ നിലവിളി എന്നിവ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന് ഇഷ്ടമാണ്.
സമുദ്രത്തിലെ സാഹസിക "ജിപ്സി ജീവിതം" ജീവിക്കാനും യാത്ര സമാധാനപരമായ ഉറക്കത്തിലും മധുര സ്വപ്നങ്ങളിലും അവസാനിപ്പിക്കാനും അദ്ദേഹം ആഗ്രഹിക്കുന്നു.
Questions and Answers
1. Who is the speaker in the poem?
Answer: The speaker is a sailor or someone who loves the sea and sailing life.
2. What desire does the speaker express?
Answer: The speaker expresses a strong desire to go back to the sea and live the life of a sailor again.
3. Mention the things the speaker needs to fulfil his desire.
Answer: The speaker needs:
- A tall ship
- A star to steer the ship
- A windy day with white clouds
- A merry story from a fellow sailor
- Quiet sleep and sweet dreams at the end
4. Pick out the words/expressions that convey sensory experiences in the first stanza.
Answer:
- Sight: "lonely sea and the sky", "white sail's shaking", "grey mist", "grey dawn"
- Sound: "wheel's kick", "wind's song"
- Touch: "wheel's kick", "wind's song"
5. Why does the speaker want to go back to the seas?
Answer: The speaker wants to go back because:
- The call of the sea is wild and clear
- It cannot be denied or ignored
- He loves the free and adventurous life at sea
6. What climate does the sailor prefer for the voyage?
Answer: The sailor prefers a windy day with white clouds flying in the sky.
7. Why does the poet compare the wind to a whetted knife?
Answer: The poet compares the wind to a whetted (sharpened) knife because the wind at sea is very sharp, strong, and cuts through everything like a sharp blade.
8. How does the speaker wish his journey to end?
Answer: The speaker wishes his journey to end with:
- Quiet sleep
- Sweet dreams
- After the long work ("trick") is over
9. How does the poem explore the idea of the 'clear call' mentioned in the second stanza?
Answer: The 'clear call' is the strong pull of the sea that the speaker feels. It is described as:
- Wild and clear
- Something that cannot be denied or resisted
- Like a natural force calling him back to the ocean
- The poem shows this call through the speaker's repeated desire to return to the sea
10. What does the speaker like about the 'vagrant gypsy life'?
Answer: The speaker likes the following about the gypsy life:
- The freedom to wander and move freely
- Following the path of gulls and whales
- Living an adventurous and unconventional life
- The companionship of fellow sailors
- Sharing stories and experiences with others
Important Words
- Vagrant: wandering, with no fixed home
- Whetted: sharpened
- Flung spray: water drops thrown up by waves
- Spume: foam on sea water
- Yarn: story
- Fellow-rover: companion sailor
- Trick: a sailor's work shift
Theme of the Poem
The poem is about:
- Love for nature and the sea
- The desire for freedom and adventure
- The call of the wild that cannot be ignored
- Finding peace and happiness in a simple, wandering life