• Dr Archana Rathore
• Dr Rajeev Bhardwaj

TREATMENT OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS IN NISSIM EZEKIEL’S POETRY: A THEME OF LOVE, SEX AND MARRIAGE Author 1: Dr. Archana Rathore, JIMS, Gr.Noida Author 2: Dr. Rajeev Bhardwaj, Amity University, Noida “He is a poet of the body…who has explored sexual love in all its myriad forms and varieties, but always there is an attempt to transcend the physical act of sex and to transform it into something spiritual, something nobler and higher….” Linda Hess Most probably, Ezekiel derived inspiration for writing verses from his parents who basically belonged to Israel. The theme of alienation remained central to his work for some time. He found himself in the past to be “a refugee…./ of the spirit” in a “loved and troubled country/ which is my home and enemy”….. “in my bitter native city. He reconciled to his fate taking India for his home, as a last resort. Ezekiel is a very Indian poet, completely Indian in his sensibility. As an upholder of ancient Indian social and moral values, he is quite optimistic that everything in India is coming slowly- ‘Regeneration, Remuneration, Contraception’. No doubt, the acceptance of Indian reality is an important characteristic of Ezekiel’s poetry. Against the background of Indian sensibility, he treats the themes of love and sex which occupy a conspicuous place in his poetry and which he has dealt with carefully in all its varieties- expression, meeting, indulgence, fulfilment, consummation, fear, possessiveness, passion, surrender, thrill, excitement, joy and impatience. Ezekiel is conscious of the urge of flesh. He is the poet of body and an endless explorer into labyrinth of the flesh and desire. Delving deep into human psychology, Ezekiel says whereas man’s motive is sexual, love is an appetite to a woman. In sexual union, the colour of the skin- white, black or grey; the size of eyes or breasts does not matter for a man, only sex matters. He seeks pleasure in flesh and not in spiritual beauty. Similarly, Ezekiel reveals the psyche of a woman in his poem “Appetite”. He writes that she too is for lust. However, Ezekiel believes that love and sex have refreshing power. They are stimulant and motivating factors Thus we can observe Ezekiel’s Indian sensibility in his treatment of human relationships. In other sphere of life, he also has a feel of Indian culture, a convention that guides people’s attitude, behavior and movement. He always takes himself to be an Indian national, a piece of Indian soil.

Indian sensibility, love, physical need, values, relationship.

"TREATMENT OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS IN NISSIM EZEKIEL’S POETRY: A THEME OF LOVE, SEX AND MARRIAGE", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 12, page no.473-481, December-2018, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1812369.pdf

"TREATMENT OF HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS IN NISSIM EZEKIEL’S POETRY: A THEME OF LOVE, SEX AND MARRIAGE", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.5, Issue 12, page no. pp473-481, December-2018, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR1812369.pdf