Brief analysis of "Conventions of Despair" by A. K. Ramanujan

 

Brief analysis of "Conventions of Despair" by A. K. Ramanujan

A. K. Ramanujan’s poem Conventions of Despair reflects the deeply personal and cultural conflicts faced by an individual caught between tradition and modernity. Written in his signature style combining reflective introspection and cultural critique, Ramanujan explores themes of identity, existential angst, cultural alienation, and the burden of inherited conventions. His commentary is laden with rich imagery, ironies, and contradictions that underscore the complexity of the human condition.

The Intersection of Tradition and Modernity

The opening lines, "Yes, I know all that. I should be modern," establish the speaker’s awareness of societal expectations to conform to contemporary norms. He is urged to seek solace in modern distractions—remarry, travel, watch strippers, or see movies. These suggestions are emblematic of a superficial, hedonistic lifestyle that stands in stark contrast to deeper existential and cultural dilemmas. The speaker, however, resists these prescriptions, signaling his inability to unlearn what he describes as the "conventions of despair." This resistance embodies a tension between his Hindu upbringing—steeped in traditional beliefs of karma, reincarnation, and penance—and the modern world’s detachment from such spiritual accountability.

Ramanujan connects this resistance to the concept of identity as something deeply rooted in one’s cultural and psychological framework. The "conventions of despair" become a defining characteristic of his identity, something he cannot simply erase or escape through modern distractions.

Cultural and Religious Imagery

The poem is replete with vivid and evocative cultural imagery that roots the speaker’s despair in Hindu mythology and philosophy. References like "Boiling Crates of Oil" and "iron tears" allude to notions of karmic retribution and suffering in Hindu cosmology. The speaker's acknowledgment that he "must blister and roast for certain lives to come" reflects his internalization of the cyclical nature of existence as described in traditional Hinduism. His torment is not confined to the present but extends into imagined futures where his accumulated karma subjects him to endless cycles of pain.

The poem also evokes the vivid image of “Them with lidless eyes,” a metaphor that suggests the bitter clarity of hindsight or judgment, both divine and self-imposed. The "once-beloved head at the naked parting of her hair" ties notions of love, longing, and loss to cultural rituals, symbolizing personal and societal expectations that weigh heavily on the speaker.

Alienation and Despair

Alienation is a recurring motif in the text. The speaker identifies himself as an outsider, unable to fully reconcile modern ideals with his rooted cultural fears and values. This alienation is compounded by a sense of despair that is not only personal but also emblematic of a broader existential crisis experienced by postcolonial individuals caught between traditional values and modern ideologies. The speaker’s plea, “give me back my archaic despair,” rejects the forward-looking optimism of modernity in favor of the familiar, albeit anguished, realm of inherited cultural suffering.

The "frog-eyed dragons" and "grandchild bare her teen-age flesh to the pimps of ideal Tomorrow's crowfoot eyes" highlight the speaker's disillusionment not only with modernity but with its promises of a better future. These lines critique the commodification of youth, innocence, and ideals, emphasizing the speaker's emotional retreat into the despair of his "Hindu mind."

Irony and Defiance

The closing lines of the poem carry a tone of defiance. By proclaiming that "It’s not obsolete yet to live in this many-lived lair of fears, this flesh," the speaker asserts the validity of his struggle and suffering. For him, the "archaic despair" holds a depth and authenticity that modern distractions lack. This poetic conclusion—an unapologetic acceptance of his own despair—resonates as an ironic triumph over the forces urging him to conform or escape. The speaker validates not just his suffering but also the cultural and existential framework that gives it meaning, marking a stark contrast to the relentless pursuit of superficial happiness in the contemporary world.