Page 9 - Spectrum Volume 14 Issue 3

Both the imagery and meter of “Sad Eyed Lady”
has been compared to a poem by Swinburne, “Dolores”

2020 | Spectrum | Volume 14 Number 3 9

Feminism in Mankind

SUMISHA MOHAN put men down. Many people
fear that Feminism will mean
Only 6 countries give women that men will eventually lose out
equal legal work rights as on power, influence, authority
men; at this rate, it will take and economic opportunities.
108 years to close the gender Some women are hesitant to
gap. Every day, 33,000 girls
become child brides. Statistics be labelled as “feminist” because
like these illustrate the very real it is sometimes associated with
obstacles faced by women in lesbianism or lack of femininity.
achieving basic rights. It is to There exists a misguided notion
battle this bias that we have that women being on an equal
Feminism. Feminism is defined footing with men will bring about
as the advocacy of women’s negative shifts in relationships,
rights on the basis of equality marriage, power and authority
of the sexes, but is gradually dynamics, and in business, job
evolving to include political, and economic opportunities.
economic and social equality Feminism is viewed as a threat
of every person regardless of because it challenges orthodox The official invitation of the event.
gender. traditions and religious beliefs
by rejecting established gender
In recent times, however, we roles.
have seen a huge outcry against International Thirukkural Conference 2020
Feminism where feminists The beauty of Feminism is that
have been labelled man-haters it includes all sexes, races and Thirukkural is not only applicable contribution of Thirukkural to
or more popularly, feminazis. sexualities. If the term ‘mankind’ M.KAVIN RAMNATH for the Tamil society, but also to global peace and harmony is
If the goal of Feminism is encompasses every person, the AARYAN PREM the entire world as a whole and reflected in its relevance for
simply to challenge the systemic term ‘feminism’ can very well how the concept of universality today and generations to come,
inequalities women face on a stand for empowering humanity. T h e I n t e rn a t i on a l has allowed Thirukkural to
daily basis, why exactly do so Growing and evolving as a Thirukkural conference on transcend national boundaries, he added.
many hate the term Feminism society, we realise that there the topic “Thirukkural and races, religions and languages, On the final day of the event
and the feminist movement? are many prevalent beliefs multiculturalism” was jointly and remain applicable even Dr. T. R. Paarivendhar, MP,
Strangely enough, there is a and traditions that don’t serve organised by the Department of in today’s modern and very Founder and Chancellor of SRM
popular belief that feminists us any longer, and it is our Tamil Perayam, SRM Institute multicultural world. The event group welcomed the chief guest
want to control the world and responsibility to reject them. of Science and Technology and described how well Thirukkural Dr. Hugh McDermott, MP New
The International Thirukkural was received by scholars and South Wales, a visionary who
Foundation. It was a 5-day influential personalities over shared a very interactive session
online event. its history and the percipience and his thoughts regarding the
The colloquium was hosted by of its Author. event. The conference revealed
Dr. Chandrika Subramaniyan, Dr.R.Balasubramanian, Pro many aspects of Thirukkural,
conference director and founder VC (S&H) spoke of the rich focusing on the aspiring moral
of Tamil Valarchi Mandram. heritage of Thirukkural and and ethical virtues. The event
The 5-day event explored its meaning and relevance to was appreciated a lot by the
the various nuances of one of mankind in the entire world. In audience and everyone dispersed
the world’s oldest books of a classical language like Tamil, with a sincere hope that such
knowledge, Thirukkural. The Thirukkural’s contribution intriguing cultural events be
Every voice matters speakers instilled the fact that cannot be ignored, he said. The organized more frequently.

Lyrics and Literature

ANAHITA GUPTA
Whereas a songwriter must share their story,
What is it about a song that
captivates people? It may be the their thoughts and feelings in limited space and
lyrics, or the music, or maybe
the essence of both. A song time, though it is not necessarily a compulsion.
without lyrics is music. But
what is a song without music? Poetry is mainly written to Nobel Prize in Literature 2016
A bunch of words? A form of be read and understood. It is “for having created new poetic
literature? It is necessary to state easier for a poet to use complex expressions within the great
that even though poetry can be language in poems which American song tradition.” His Both the imagery and meter of “Sad Eyed Lady”
found in the lyrics, there is a readers can read at their own song “Sad Eyed Lady of the has been compared to a poem by Swinburne, “Dolores”
need to delineate boundaries pace. Whereas a songwriter Lowlands”, being more than not be able to differentiate it design in which various contents
between lyrics with poetry and must share their story, their eleven minutes long, paints of consciousness are juxtaposed.
the ones with facile words as an thoughts and feelings in limited a poetic picture of a woman, from actual poetry. Nevertheless, there exists a
accompaniment to the music. space and time, though it is not later revealed to be penned for Virginia Woolf’s novel, “To the blurred line between lyrics and
Like poetry, lyrics also follow necessarily a compulsion. Bob his wife. The verses embrace Lighthouse” conveys lyricism literature. The power of words,
a rhythm and most likely have Dylan, an American singer- metaphors and mystical words. A in an enchanting manner. Her be it in any form, never fails
a rhyme scheme. songwriter, was awarded the person reading the lyrics would lyrical narrative is based on a to entrance the world.