Whistling of Birds

(3)

D. H. Lawrence

Whistling of Birds

                             

                      QUESTION # 1

            What does the whistling of birds indicate?

        Whistling of birds is a philosophical essay that expresses some stark realities of life in a very simple and straightforward way.  D.H. Lawrence exhibits a strong attachment and affection to nature and has deep understanding of different natural phenomena.  He recorded the attitude and reactions of birds with the skill and accuracy of an ornithologist.  The writer knows that whistling of birds is not a meaningless thing rather it indicates something of great importance.

            The writer describes the destruction caused by writer and its effects, especially on birds.  A number of birds have died due to the extremity of cold snowy weather.  Their dead bodies lie scattered at every place.  Their flesh has been eaten away by some predators. Almost all types of birds have been perished. The vitality and vigor of the living birds is gone. They have to live a very limited life due to frost.

            Suddenly the winter-struck birds realize the wind of change.  They start cooing, the sounds of birds become louder and louder with the melting snow.  Still the effects of winter can be seen on the earth but the birds perceive the change and collect themselves to announce the retreat of the army of winter.  They always believe that if spring has gone, the winter would also go and gain the joyous and lively era of spring will come in effect.

            So the whistling of birds is indicative of a new life.  The birds announce the power of life over death.  They seem to say that the living being can be killed but the urge to live can never be stopped.  It will remain there until the last moments of the last man or animal or vegetation on the earth.  The life and hope never die and they always give power to fight with the death and destruction.  So, the birds can be called the heralds of “Hope” and “Life”.

Q No.  Where does the happiness come from?

         D.H.Lawrence is a miraculously gifted artist who minutely dissects the nature and the natural motives. He believes in the supremacy of instinct over intellect and this is what he portrays in 'whistling of birds'.                                                                                       

            He comprehensively enlists the destruction caused by winter. This destruction ranges widely from the choked earth to the destroyed bodies of innocent birds. In winter, the earth is strangled and the birds are brutally killed. Their whole race is under attack and the 'Goddess of life' is badly bruised. One thinks that this situation should have killed the birds and their “urge to live” but quite contrary to this we see that as soon the signs of change appear, birds start cooing and they announce the arrival of spring.  This indicates that happiness and joy do not come from outside rather they spring out of the soul.  The happiness comes from within. The outer conditions may be very hard and disappointing but the under- springs of life and joy go on bubbling forth.  The death, cruelty or destruction can never mar the rush of life or joy.  The life goes on, with hope.  Hope gives direction to the dying and the victim becomes the symbol of resistance.  The life and the latent power of happiness urge the living beings to struggle even in the hardest conditions.  The destruction may be physical, material or atmospheric but the soul goes on with the urge of life and never lets the well of happiness to dry.  Therefore the joy and vigour do not come from outside but they are deep rooted in the soul.

           

Q No. 3:          What is the relation of life and earth or spring and winter?

        The world is full of conflicting powers. They always struggle to defeat each other but they can never exist together.  One retreats to hand the charge over to the other.  Life and death are also an observation of every day and we see them striving to beat each other.  Death tries to take a man away and life wants to keep him in its own realm.  One, who is alive doesn’t know what the death is.  Similarly the dead will never know the taste of life again.  Death and life are two banks of a stream that always remain together but can never merge into one.  Similarly the seasons strive to get precedence over one another.  The spring and winter are different and they let loose different forces to carry out their orders.  The winter is destruction and spring is construction.  Winter is death; spring is life.  Winter is darkness while spring is light.  Both can never exist at the same time.  Where one is, the other is not to be found.  The way to death is quite opposite to the road to life.  Both differ in nature and functions.

            Similarly the happiness and grief can never exist in the same soul.  The grief expels the joy and joy kills the grief.  The death and life, winter and spring, grief or joy all are incompatible.  They can never come at the same time.  But this combat cannot be regarded as useless or cruel because it gives us the energy to live.  The threat of death makes us courageous and we resolve to fight.  Life gives fruit to our struggle and our faith in life and goodness lingers on.  The choice of evil or good gives direction to our lives and we try to reach one destination or the other.

            So the relation of life and death is very strong but is like two different sides of a picture, it is same with spring and winter, with grief and happiness or with evil and virtue.

Q No. 4:          Discuss the images used by D.H. Lawrence?

        D.H. Lawrence always attempted to invent some new versions and meanings of life.  "Whistling of Birds" is an allegorical essay in every way because too many images and metaphors are employed in it to increase the depth and width of its main theme.

            The title of the essay is symbolic.  The phrase, "whistling of birds" brims with meanings.  It has some deep and hidden interpretations.  It is not the simple cooing of birds but it is the bugle of a new life.  The whistling of birds is presented as the rhythm of life, as spring and happiness.

            Winter is the symbol of death and destruction.  Its mortifying powers are equated to the overwhelming power of death.  The winter represents grief or evil.  Similarly spring is not only the weather but it shows the brighter side of our existence.  It is life, it is happiness and it is light.  The destroyed bodies of birds are intended to manifest the enormous power of death and winter.  The singing birds show the softness and humility.  Death is presented with the metaphors of choked earth, surge of ruin, black tide, ragged horror, thunder of frost and beasts of prey.

            While life is metaphorically shown in terms of gleamy sunset, threads of silver, bugles, fountains, wellheads, sap of a new summer, lambs, flowers and blossoms.

            The musical references as drums, bugles and silvery sounds are given to exhibit the writer’s love of music, art and nature.  The whole atmosphere of this essay is an exquisite example of a strong imagination and an ability to merge reality, philosophy and fancy.  The focus of the writer is entirely on the opposites found in nature.

            This essay is replete with images, symbols, similes and metaphors.  They give depth an intricacy to the narrative and enchant the reader with its writer’s magnificent skill of description and reasoning.