Introduction of the Poem:
“Background, Casually,” an autobiographical poem, was included in Hymns in Darkness (1976). Following the tradition of confessional poetry, such as Robert Lowell's Life Studies, Ezekiel here refers to himself as “a mugging Jew among the wolves” when he was a student at a Roman Catholic school. He was shabbily and callously treated by all the boys - Christians, Muslims and Hindus. As the only Jew among them, he was looked down upon by all of them. As a result, he is bitter and sarcastic about his intolerant school fellows, particularly about the Hindus.
Critical Summary:
Section 1:
Endowed with talent for poetry as a child, Ezekiel had a potential for roguery and clowning. He was easily frightened as a result of which he did not eat and sleep well. He was very thin. He did not have the talent for flying a kite or spinning a top. He was so poor that he could not afford to buy any toys.
He was sent to a Roman Catholic school. He learnt his lessons by heart but he was ill - treated by his school - fellows as he was the only Jew among the Christian, Muslim and Hindu boys there. The Christians accused him of belonging to the race responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He, however, won a prize for having studied the Christian scriptures well. The Muslim boys were so intolerant of him that they beat him up one day . This instilled in him a fear of the well-built and muscular boys. The Hindu boys were not so strong but he was repelled by their excessively passive nature. In sheer desperation, one day he used a knife against the boys who were teasing and tormenting him. parents offered the usual prayers on Friday
At home, the poet's parents offered the usual prayers on Friday nights. They thought that their son's behaviour was deteriorating as he was not sufficiently performing his religious duties. He heard some Hindu boys talking of yogic exercises as well as some people talking about the Jewish religion and its gospel. But he was at a loss to assess what he was fit for. For some time he wanted to become a rabbi but he could not make up his mind about leading the saintly life of a Jewish priest.
At twenty - two Ezekiel was sent abroad for higher studies even though his parents had no money to pay for his expenses. A friend agreed to pay for his passage to London, where he lodged in a basement room. He had three companions that time — philosophy, poverty and poetry.
Section 2:
Ezekiel didn't do anything conspicuous during his stay in England. Nor did he have much company for the first two years. He then came into contact with a woman who made him conscious of his manhood. However, he had not made any progress in any direction. Having failed in every way, he became bitter and decided to return to India.
Again, he had no money to pay for his passage. He took up a menial job on a British cargo ship carrying French guns and other weapons of war to Indo - china. He scrubbed the ship's decks. It was only after he had safely arrived in Bombay back with his parents that he was able to laugh once more. But he found it difficult to consider India as his real home as he had always been treated with contempt by the Hindus. Moreover, his father told him that all Hindus were alike in their behaviour, which was offensive and obnoxious. They regarded him as coming from a family of oil - pressers, which they did not consider a respectable vocation. In any case, Ezekiel now committed the folly of getting married.
Section 3:
One of Ezekiel's ancestors had been a Major in the British army during the Boer War. This gave him nightmares as he started imagining himself a prisoner of the enemy forces. Subsequently, he decided to dream of becoming a wordsmith, i.e., choosing the words he should use for writing poetry. He wrote as the words came to him. This carefree and spontaneous manner of versification made him lose his grip on things. After this, he adopted a style that would universalize the inner tumults of fellow - beings and express his views on social upheavals, This helped him in “commercializing” his poetry.
Ezekiel came to view India as a place where the heat is scorching. But he became a part of his environment and the foreigners considered him an Indian even though their impression was exaggerated. He decided to stay back in India in spite of the fact that it is considered a backward country.
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