Ode On The Lungi
Poetry
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Kaiser Haq
Ode On The Lungi Summary
Background: Kaiser Haq’s poem “Ode On The Lungi” is rooted in deep cultural experience, personal observation, and the long-standing social realities of Bangladesh. This poem is not a lighthearted piece written simply about a garment. It grows out of colonial mentality, class division, clothing-based discrimination, and the struggle for cultural identity. In Bangladesh, the lungi is an extremely co...
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Ode On The Lungi Themes
Cultural Identity and Pride: In “Ode On the Lungi,” Kaiser Haq does not treat the lungi as just a piece of clothing; he presents it as a symbol of cultural identity and self-respect. The lungi is the everyday garment of people across Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and many African countries. Yet in global society, the lungi is often looked down upon. The poet shows that while Western cloth...
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Ode On The Lungi Characters
The Poet / Speaker: The central character of the poem is the poet Kaiser Haq himself. He appears as an aware, sharp, and satirical speaker who does not see the lungi merely as a garment, but as a strong symbol of cultural freedom, equality, democracy, and identity. His voice is sometimes humorous, sometimes deeply political, and sometimes sharply ironic. He questions society’s clothing-based divis...
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Ode On The Lungi Literary Device
Figures of Speech
Personification
Definition: Personification is a device in which non-living objects, ideas, or abstract things are given human qualities or feelings.
Example: “It’s the subaltern speaking”
Explanation: Here, the lungi is given a human ability, the power to “speak.” A piece of clothing cannot literally talk, but the poet shows that the lungi carries the voice, pain, and pro...
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Ode On The Lungi Key Facts
Full Title: Ode On The Lungi
Original Title: Ode On The Lungi
Author: Kaiser Haq (1950–Present)
Written Date: Around the early 2000s (exact date not officially stated)
Published: 2007. Published in the Streets of Dhaka: Collected Poems 1966–2006 ✪✪✪
Publisher: University Press Limited (UPL)
Genre: Satirical, Political, Cultural Lyric Poem ✪✪✪
Form: Free verse; long conversational monologue address...
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Ode On The Lungi Quotations
“Grandpa Walt, I celebrate my lungi / and sing my lungi.”
Explanation: The poet proudly tells Walt Whitman that the lungi is something he loves and honours. It shows cultural pride and joy.
“Hundreds of millions... wear the lungi.”
Explanation: The poet shows that the lungi is worn by huge populations across many countries. It is a global dress, not a small or local one.
“Now try wearing one/ to...
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Notes
Explore 5 detailed notes related to Ode On The Lungi. Each note provides in-depth analysis, explanations, and critical insights.