GOD’S CAN DIE - EDWIN THUMBOO

 

GOD’S CAN DIE

                                                         - EDWIN THUMBOO

            The poems title gods can die Thumboo explains that the term ‘gods’ refers to humanistic impulses, the goodness in man. He writes, ‘I believe that ultimately man makes and unmakes his destiny, depending on which side of him prevails’ (Nazareth in Ariels: Departure and Returns.

            The poet observes the character of politicians and reflect their behavioural change. He point out two realities power and friendship. The poet refers the word GOD as goodness in man or moral activities. The poet makes it clear through his poem that friendship and politician are two different things. An individual become a changed man after acquiring power.

            He devotes more time to serve for his country than for the betterment of the country and his people. His friendly may misunderstand him for his change in attitude but he never cares for the friends circle. He works for a particular cause till the end of his life. He makes use of the goodness in his heart to guide others from coming out of ignorance.

            The main theme of the poem is the change in the behavior of man after acquiring political power. Being a leader. He has to serve more for the country than his friends circle. They are in a position to forget their friends circle but it become a confused question in the mind of the friends why he has neglected them. The poet highlights the facts that everything moves towards the public cause.

The poetry of Edwin Thumboo has contributed much to the shaping and definition of Singapore’s English Language poetic canon. In this paper, I explore Thumboo’s esthetic use of consistent foregrounding in the poem gods can die from three perspectives: propositional, textual and interpersonal. Foregrounding refers to the usage of certain linguistic devices for the purpose of attracting attention. In poetry, meaning and esthetic effect are unified through the poet’s deliberate and systematic foregrounding of linguistic devices. Juxtaposed against the backgrounds of the standard language and an often rich and diverse poetic canon, the poet asserts his individuality through the systematic foregrounding of relations between the functional semantic components that together comprise the poem as semiotic object.

            The approach adopted here is functional-semantic in orientation and based on earlier work carried out by the Prague School and more recently by Michael’A. Halliday and Ruqaiya Hasan. While it may be argued that the totality of the poet’s message is unlikely to be ever fully captured by even the most careful and detailed linguistic analysis, nevertheless this should not prevent one from attempting to explore the linguistic intricacy of the poet’s handiwork. For from such analysis, we gain an even better appreciation of the texture and meaning of the poem.

This poem is historic in a rather unique way. It describes Edwin Thumboo’s ambivalent feelings towards changes in friendship once someone enters politics. The subject matter really concerns the private sacrifices of Singapore’s early politicians. The poem stresses the importance of staying focused on the things that keep one human even as one strives with the best of intentions to help other humans. It is both an argument and a plea and can enrich us with an understanding of the price of a political career.

Elaborating on the poem's title, gods can die; Thumboo explains that the term 'gods' refers to humanistic impulses, the goodness in man. He writes, 'I believe that ultimately man makes and unmakes his destiny, depending on which side of him prevails' (Nazareth in Ariels: Departure and Returns.