Sighing at the Approach of Evening
The work explores the profound emotional turmoil experienced during the evening hours, particularly in the context of love and separation. The speaker personifies evening as a melancholic figure that brings sorrow rather than solace. The initial verses express a deep sense of loss and longing, as the speaker reflects on how the evening, once a time of joy, has transformed into a harbinger of despair. The speaker laments the absence of their beloved, equating the arrival of evening with impending doom, akin to an executioner. This metaphor highlights the emotional pain associated with separation, suggesting that the evening amplifies feelings of loneliness and grief. The speaker questions the nature of their relationship with both morning and evening, pondering what wrongs may have led to this suffering. As the day progresses, the speaker describes a gradual buildup of anguish, culminating in the evening, which serves as a reminder of their beloved's absence. The imagery of blooming sickness throughout the day emphasizes the inescapable nature of their sorrow, suggesting that the pain intensifies as the day draws to a close. The evening is depicted as a time that exacerbates the speaker's emotional state, transforming what was once a gentle, dewy hour into a source of torment. The reference to the shepherd's pipe, traditionally a symbol of pastoral peace, is reinterpreted as a weapon that heralds the arrival of evening and the accompanying grief. Ultimately, the speaker conveys a sense of impending despair, suggesting that if the evening continues to evoke such pain, it could lead to their demise. The work encapsulates the themes of love, loss, and the emotional weight of time, particularly as it relates to the cyclical nature of day and night. The evening, rather than being a time of rest and reflection, becomes a poignant reminder of what has been lost, illustrating the deep connection between time and emotional experience.
By Thiruvalluvar · First published 2004 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Philosophical Literature · 250 words
First lines
She
Evening! Bless thee, but who calleth thee Evening? Thou art really the hour that devoureth the lives of the wedded ones!
Thou lookest melancholy and pale, O Eventide! Pray, tell me, dear, is thy lover also cruel even as mine?
The dewy evening hour that once used to come trembling and sighing before me, now advanceth boldly, bringing nought but grief and despair unto my heart.
What this Textopian page supports
Sighing at the Approach of Evening is listed on Textopian as a poem by Thiruvalluvar, dated 2004 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Thiruvalluvar
- Date: 2004 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Philosophical Literature, Tragedy, Nature Writing
- Length: 250 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Similar titles
- When It Is Over by Edna St Vincent Millay
- Imperfection by Madison Cawein
- We Outgrow Love Like Other Things by Emily Dickinson
- Fill The Goblet Again by Lord Byron
- The Pangs Of Separation by Thiruvalluvar
- Lyric From Day To Day From Night To Night by Taras Shevchenko
Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work expresses deep emotional sentiments and personal reflections, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Romanticism — Themes of love, longing, and melancholy are prevalent, aligning with the ideals of Romantic literature.
- Philosophical Literature — The text explores existential themes and the nature of love and loss, indicative of philosophical inquiry.
- Tragedy — The tone and themes suggest a tragic perspective on love and separation, resonating with tragic literature.
Tags
Tamil Literature · Poetry · Philosophy · Ethics · Morality · Spirituality · Self-Discovery · Existentialism · Human Condition · Nature · Beauty · Sorrow