Chapter 3 Palm Tree by Tagore

All you need to know and learn about this chapter is given below.

Meet the Author

  • Rabindranath Tagore is a writer, philosopher, poet, and musician.
  • Born: 1861
  • Place of Birth: Kolkata, India
  • Died: 1941
  • Best Known for: Tagore is known for his philosophy, music compositions and poems. He is the first Nobel prize winner in Asia. He was called Gurudev and his compositions were known as Rabindrasangeet.
Palm tree
Palm tree

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Summary of the Chapter

Through the poem “Palm Tree” the poet is trying to explain some of the fundamental truths about life and growth. The palm tree is used as a metaphor to explain these facts.

In the poem the poet is treating the palm tree as a human being. This technique of giving human attributes to inanimate objects is called personification.

The palm tree is said to be standing on one leg and is taller than the rest of the trees. According to the poet the aim of the palm tree is to pierce the rainy clouds and go high in the sky. The palm tree wants to become tall to attain the heights and glories that come his way. The rainy, dark clouds can be a reference to the hurdles one needs to face in their journey to success.

Even though the poet explains all the desires of the palm tree he is skeptical about these towards the end of the stanza. The poet ends the stanza with a question,

But can he fly?

To attain his wishes he attempts to spread his head that are the branches of the palm tree. The tree considers his branches to be his wings that will help him get him out of the bonds that restrict his dreams. He believes that it will help him discover and see the unseen.

As time flew by, the branches started to shake heavily in the strong winds. As the leaves moved in the wind he considered himself to be flying up in the sky. In his own mind he was touching the stars and racing across the sky. He was living his dream.

In his own mind
Skirting the stars,
Racing afar
Across the skies

As the wind stopped the leaves were hushed. He understood that he was returning to where he began. He turns his thoughts. He then looks back at his roots. He soon returns to mother earth and loves his own roots.

He turns his thoughts,
And mother Earth
That gave him birth
He loves again.

Through this poem the poet is trying to explain the journey of a human. When a human starts to grow he or she will develop desires and longing to achieve great heights like the palm tree in the poem. They will develop their own set of wings and as time goes by and as situations vary they will be soaring high in the sky. They will fulfill all their desires and ambitions. But finally they will return to their own house.

The stillness mentioned in the last stanza can also be a reference to death, the ultimate stillness. Every human will have to return to earth, the soil! Thus the poet is reminding us that we begin from earth and end in the same. However popular we are, we all have to return to our origins at the end.

Rabindranath Tagore's Statue
Rabindranath Tagore's Statue

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Palm Tree by Tagore Questions and Answers

Below are a few questions that you can look out for your examinations and class tests. Stand out with perfectly written answers with help of Aneetta Class.

The poem describes the journey of a human being using the analogy of a palm tree.It discusses the desires of a human and how he or she tries to achieve those with their potential. At the end they all return to where they belong.

The palm tree chases the stars and moves far above and beyond. The tree is racing to achieve all its goals in his dreams.

The palm tree is standing on one leg. It is taller than the rest of the trees. It wishes to fly high and move far. The tree wants to pierce the dark clouds and move ahead.