Soap by Nissim Ezekiel

Soap

               Nissim Ezekiel

Adaptability and survival of the fittest are the best principles of life.

‘Soap’ is the important poem of Nissim Ezekiel. Nissim Ezeliel is important figure of Indian literature in English. He has formulated basic principles of life through this poem. Marriage, love, breakup, sex, etc are the themes of his poems.

  ‘Soap’, is a simple poem to understand. It’s external meaning of poem, but when we go through details of it, then we identify it is not a poem which has written on trivial or ordinary topic. It formulates principles of life. Adaptability with the time and adjustment with the situation is the central theme of the poem. Survival of the fittest is the basic feature for animated things. ‘Soap’, is closely explains all these principles clearly. The poem opens with ordinary conversation between shopkeeper and poet. Poet wants to purchase of Branded soap, Shopkeeper gives ordinary soap saying it is branded one. When poet asks about, differences between ordinary soap and branded soap. Shopkeeper started to argue with poet by saying that you must purchase whatever I have given. Poet is intellectual figure tries to plead argument intelligently but in vain, shopkeeper is not ready to accept poet’s argument. Meantime shopkeeper uses slang, language, which is many aesthetic part of poem. Poe was intended to reply shopkeeper in tit for tat form but shopkeeper is very rude in his behavior. During the argument public gathered over and started to take enjoy over the controversy. The personality of shopkeeper was very strong contrary poet’s personality was thin. It was contrast couple in reference to power.       By taking this principle, shopkeeper starts to impose the decision on poet and forcefully compelled to persuade to take ordinary type of soap.  In the eventually poet accepts the decision unwillingly. Might is right applies here poet withdraws has plead very consciously and agrees to accept that soap.

Man differs from other animals because; he could easily adapt the situation. In real life person should adapt the situation. In real life person should adopt things as per demand of time then human being could survive. Shopkeeper was powerful personality and poet was trivial personality. Poet unable to stand before the shopkeeper, this thing he understood cleverly and withdrawal    his plead against shopkeeper.