Reading Clothes: कपड़े through I. A. Richards: Figurative Language and Social Meaning
This blog is part of thinking activity assigned by Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Dr. Barad Sir provided a reference blog titled “Just Poems”, from which each student had to select a poem according to their roll number.The purpose of this blog is to analyze the selected Hindi poem Clothes by vikas rai (not sure) using Richards’ method and to develop skills of close reading, interpretation, and classroom discussion.
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Clothes:कपड़े (👚)
तुम लाए कपड़े
और सब नंगे हो गए
तुमने कहा
पहन कर इसे हम सभी
सभ्य सुसंस्कृत हो जाएंगे
सब बर्बर हो गए
फिर तुमने कहा
अच्छा ऐसे नहीं ऐसे पहनो
इतना नहीं इतना पहनो
ऐसा पहनो वैसा पहनो
पर हमारे हिसाब से पहनो
जिसे आसानी से उतारा जा सके
चाहे घर हो संसद हो या हो सड़क
कपड़े से तुम कितना खेलते हो
बंद कमरे में नंगा होओगे खुद
और स्त्री को कर दोगे नंगा
कहोगे यह नंगापन नहीं प्रेम है
फिर तुम्हीं मर्यादा संस्कृति की रक्षा में
किसी स्त्री को कर दोगे खाप में नंगा
कहोगे उसका परिवार था ही इस लायक
तुमने यह भी कहा
कपड़े से कुछ नहीं छुपता
इंसान विचारों से होता है नंगा
इस तरह तुम
सामंती लैंगिक क्रूरता से
छुपाते रहे नंगापन
औद्योगिक घरानों की सांठगांठ से
जो मेहनत की रक्त में
कपड़े बुन रहे थे
तुम करते हो भेद कपड़े से
कौन कितना कमाता है
किसकी हैसियत कितनी है
वह विकसित है कि अविकसित है
कपड़े में लिपटा व्यक्ति इंसान नहीं
अमीर है या गरीब है
वह नर है कि मादा है
उसकी जाति क्या है
उसका धर्म क्या है
कौन करेगा यह कनफेशन
कि जब तक तुम्हारे कपड़े नहीं आए थे
कोई नंगा नहीं था
~ vikas rai (not sure) from FB page Artist Against All Odd (AAAO)
Difficult Words / Phrases That Were Hard for Me to Understand:
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कपड़े – simple word, but used with hidden meaning, not just clothes
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नंगापन – not clear whether it means body or thinking
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सभ्य / सुसंस्कृत – used in an ironic way, confusing
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बर्बर – opposite meaning used suddenly
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मर्यादा – unclear whose morality is meant
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संस्कृति की रक्षा – sounds positive, but used negatively
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खाप – social term, not easy to relate immediately
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प्रेम – word used with a twisted meaning
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सामंती – historical/social term, difficult
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लैंगिक – academic word, not common
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क्रूरता – heavy emotional word
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सांठगांठ – unclear political/economic meaning
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औद्योगिक घराने – economic term, difficult in poetry
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मेहनत की रक्त – metaphorical phrase, confusing
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भेद – not clear whether social or economic
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हैसियत – abstract social idea
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विकसित / अविकसित – political classification
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कनफेशन – English word used in Hindi context
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नर / मादा – biological terms used socially
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नंगापन छुपाना – abstract expression, hard to decode
Difficulties in Understanding the Poem:
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In the first line:“तुम लाए कपड़े”I find it difficult to understand who is referred to by the word “तुम”. It is not clear whether it addresses society, authority, or a particular group.
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In the sixth line:I am unable to understand the meaning of the word “बर्बर”, as it is used in an unusual and ironic sense.
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Use of the word “खाप”:I find it difficult to understand the term “खाप”, as it is a social and cultural word that is not commonly used or clearly explained in the poem.
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Symbolic use of “कपड़े”:The line “कपड़े हैं… लेकिन कपड़े नहीं हैं” is confusing because clothes appear to be ordinary items like shirts and pants, but they actually represent power, rules, and social control.
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Clothes as a social marker:The poem presents clothes as a kind of scanner through which society judges people:
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clothes decide whether a person is rich or poor
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clothes indicate caste
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clothes reveal religion
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clothes define gender
This symbolic use of clothes makes the poem difficult to understand at first reading.
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1. Sense (Difficulty in Understanding Meaning)
The sense of the poem was difficult for me because ordinary words are used with hidden and symbolic meanings.
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Example:“तुम लाए कपड़े और सब नंगे हो गए”→ The word कपड़े does not mean only clothes; it stands for social rules and labels, which confused me.
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Example:“कपड़े से कुछ नहीं छुपता / इंसान विचारों से होता है नंगा”→ The word नंगापन is not physical but mental, which was difficult to understand at first.
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Example:“तुम करते हो भेद कपड़े से”→ The word भेद made it unclear whether the poet is talking about social or economic difference.
Because of such lines, the literal sense of the poem was not easy to grasp.
2. Feeling (Difficulty in Grasping Emotion)
The feeling of the poem felt strong but difficult because of heavy and serious words.
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Example:“सामंती लैंगिक क्रूरता से / छुपाते रहे नंगापन”→ Words like सामंती, लैंगिक, and क्रूरता are academic and intense, making the emotion hard to process.
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Example:“मर्यादा संस्कृति की रक्षा में”→ मर्यादा and संस्कृति sound positive, but here they express cruelty, which confused my emotional response.
The poet’s anger is clear, but the emotional depth takes time to understand.
3. Tone (Why It Felt Harsh)
The tone of the poem felt difficult because it is direct, accusatory, and ironic.
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Example:“तुम लाए कपड़े”→ The repeated use of “तुम” makes the reader feel personally blamed.
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Example:“सब बर्बर हो गए”→ The word बर्बर is used ironically for “civilized” people, which feels sharp and mocking.
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Example:“कौन करेगा यह कनफेशन”→ The word कनफेशन adds a courtroom-like pressure on the reader.
This tone made the poem uncomfortable but powerful.
4. Intention (Difficulty in Understanding Purpose)
The intention of the poem was difficult because it is expressed through abstract and metaphorical language.
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Example:“जो मेहनत की रक्त में / कपड़े बुन रहे थे”→ The phrase मेहनत का रक्त is symbolic and not literal, making the idea complex.
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Example:“कपड़े में लिपटा व्यक्ति इंसान नहीं”→ This line suggests that clothes hide humanity, but the idea is philosophical and indirect.
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Example:“जब तक तुम्हारे कपड़े नहीं आए थे / कोई नंगा नहीं था”→ This final line challenges social thinking and requires deep reflection.
The poet’s intention becomes clear only after understanding these difficult expressions.
Identification of Misunderstandings (My Perspective)
Following Richards’ method in Practical Criticism, here are the specific hurdles and "misinterpretations" identified in the reading of this text:
1. Misunderstanding of the Sense (Over-Literal Reading)
The Difficulty: Mistaking "Nangapan" (nakedness) as a physical state rather than a mental/moral one.
The Reality: The sense shifts from the body to Vicharan (thoughts). If you read it only as physical clothes, you miss the critique of social hypocrisy.
2. Difference in Meaning of Words (Irony/Tone Confusion)
The Difficulty: Using words like Sabhya/Susanskrit (Civilized/Cultured) and Sanskriti ki Raksha (Protection of culture).
The Reality: These are used with a twisted/negative meaning. If the reader takes them as positive goals, they completely miss the poet's sarcasm.
3. Inappropriate Background Context (Social Terms)
The Difficulty: Words like Khap and Samanti.
The Reality: Without knowing the social history of feudalism and community "justice" councils, the specific cruelty the poet describes feels abstract rather than a real-world threat.
4. Technical/Economic Language (Doctrinal Adhesion)
The Difficulty: Audyogik Gharane (Industrial houses) and Santhganth (Nexus).
The Reality: These terms introduce a political/Marxist "Sense" into the poem. If interpreted only as a poem about "shame," the reader misses the entire section about how the rich exploit the poor to "weave" these social identities.
Analysis of "Clothes" (कपड़े):
Using I.A. Richards' Framework
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1. Sense (The Logical Meaning)
Concept: Clothes are used to categorize and divide humans.
Example from Poem: > "कपड़े में लिपटा व्यक्ति इंसान नहीं / अमीर है या गरीब है / वह नर है कि मादा है / उसकी जाति क्या है / उसका धर्म क्या है"
Why: These lines show the "Sense" that clothes are not for the body, but are labels for caste (जाति), religion (धर्म), and gender (नर/मादा).
2. Feeling (The Emotion/Bias)
Concept: Disgust toward exploitation and fake culture.
Example from Poem: > "औद्योगिक घरानों की सांठगांठ से / जो मेहनत की रक्त में / कपड़े बुन रहे थे"
Why: The phrase "मेहनत की रक्त" (blood of labor) shows the poet’s intense anger and bias against the economic system. It isn't just a fact; it’s a painful feeling.
3. Tone (Attitude toward the Reader/Establishment)
Concept: Accusatory and confrontational ("You" are a hypocrite).
Example from Poem: > "तुम लाए कपड़े / और सब नंगे हो गए ... तुम करते हो भेद कपड़े से"
Why: The repetition of "तुम" (You) creates a sharp, judging tone. The poet is talking directly to the powerful people who use clothes to create "भेद" (discrimination).
4. Intention (The Goal/Purpose)
Concept: To expose the hidden "nakedness" of the mind and society.
Example from Poem: > "इंसान विचारों से होता है नंगा ... कौन करेगा यह कनफेशन"
Why: The poet's goal is to force a "कनफेशन" (confession). He wants to prove that "nakedness" isn't about the body, but about "विचारों" (thoughts) and cruelty.
Difference Between My Interpretation and I. A. Richards’ Practical Criticism :
| Category | My Interpretation (Based on My Difficulties) | I. A. Richards’ Practical Criticism |
|---|---|---|
| Approach to the Poem | I struggled with meanings because many words felt confusing, symbolic, or unfamiliar. | Richards focuses on how meaning is produced within the text itself, not on the reader’s confusion or lack of background knowledge. |
| Understanding of Words | Words like कपड़े, नंगापन, बर्बर, खाप caused difficulty because their meanings were unclear to me. | Richards analyzes how words gain meaning through context, ambiguity, and interaction with other words. |
| Sense(Meaning) | I initially understood the words literally and became confused when they carried symbolic meanings. | Richards expects readers to move beyond literal meaning and examine how language constructs sense. |
| Feeling(Emotion) | Strong words like क्रूरता, सामंती, लैंगिक made the poem emotionally heavy and difficult to grasp. | Richards studies emotional response as an effect created by the poem, not as a personal difficulty of the reader. |
| Tone | The use of “तुम” felt accusing and made me uncomfortable as a reader. | Richards sees tone as a structural element that shapes meaning rather than as personal discomfort. |
| Symbolism | I found it difficult to understand that कपड़े represent power and control, not just physical clothing. | Richards treats symbolism as essential and examines how symbols function within the poem. |
| Reader’s Role | My interpretation was influenced by unclear meanings and unfamiliar social terms. | Richards believes misunderstanding arises from poor reading habits rather than from the poem itself. |
| Goal of Reading | My goal was to clearly understand what the poet wanted to say. | Richards’ goal is to analyze how meaning, emotion, and structure work together within the text. |
- Who is the “तुम” that defines morality, culture, and decency through clothes?
- If clothes create nakedness instead of concealing it, what constitutes true human dignity?
- Who will take responsibility for violence committed in the name of culture, honor, and tradition?
- Can social and economic inequality be dismantled while symbols like clothes continue to define human worth?
- Is exposing hypocrisy enough, or does justice require action beyond recognition?
- Who will confess that before clothes arrived, no one was truly naked?
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