8. Blood - Poetry - Class 12 - Kaleidoscope

Jul 11
5 min read

Updated: Jul 12

Author: Kamala Das

Textbook: Kaleidoscope

Genre: Autobiographical / Narrative Poem / Free Verse

Summary

Kamala Das’s Blood is a deeply personal and nostalgic reflection on her ancestral home and lineage, blending childhood memory, heritage, emotional conflict, and self-awareness. The poem opens with scenes from her youth—days spent drawing on the sand with her brother, listening to their great-grandmother's stories about the decaying ancestral home. The house, symbolic of legacy and decline, becomes the central metaphor for the fading past. The poet's promise to rebuild the house is heartfelt but ultimately unfulfilled.

As the great-grandmother reminisces about her luxurious past—royal marriage, rituals, jewels, perfumes—she instills in the children a strong sense of family pride, calling their blood “the oldest in the world.” But as time passes, the poet sees the harshness of reality: poverty, decay, and personal defeat. When the grandmother dies, the poet imagines the house grieving with her. Yet she leaves the home behind, unable to keep her childhood vow.

Years later, from distant towns, she feels guilt and hears the metaphorical “death rattle” of the house. The poem ends in conflict—between love for the past and practical detachment—while asserting pride in her lineage and heritage.

Character Sketch:

Great-Grandmother

The poet’s great-grandmother is portrayed as a simple yet dignified woman deeply rooted in tradition and devotion. She had lived a life of spiritual discipline, her meals consisting only of God’s name. Her early life had elements of grandeur—elephant rides, brocade clothes, and perfumes. Widowed young, she held onto her pride and memories, raising the next generations with values of heritage and reverence for the house. Despite physical decay and emotional weariness in her final years, her spirit remained attached to the ancestral home. She symbolizes India’s past—rich, spiritual, but gradually eroded.

Themes

Theme	Description
Decay of Heritage	The ancestral home symbolizes cultural and familial decline in modern times.
Nostalgia and Memory	The poet recalls childhood, familial bonds, and lost grandeur with tenderness.
Tradition vs. Modernity	Contrasts between grandmother’s rootedness and poet’s detachment are evident.
Guilt and Emotional Conflict	The speaker feels remorse for not fulfilling her childhood promise.
Class and Lineage	The poem comments on class distinctions, pride in lineage, and social divides.

✨ Literary Devices / Poetic Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Metaphor	“The house was crouching on its elbows”	Compares the house to a dying being, evoking decay and sorrow.
Imagery	“Rats... windows whine... white ants… rafters creaking”	Vivid visuals and sounds build a sensory experience of decline.
Personification	“I thought I saw the windows close like the closing of eyes”	Makes the house seem alive, grieving with the poet.
Alliteration	“feasts were monotonous / for the only dish was always God”	Adds rhythm and reinforces thematic repetition.
Symbolism	“Blood” symbolizes heritage, identity, and spiritual connection to the past.	Deepens the emotional tone of legacy and personal conscience.
Free Verse	No set rhyme or rhythm	Reflects spontaneity, fluid memory, and inner conflict.

Title Justification

The title Blood symbolically captures the essence of heritage, lineage, emotional inheritance, and ancestral identity. It refers not only to biological bloodlines but also to the pride, memories, guilt, and emotional burden passed from one generation to the next. Kamala Das uses “blood” as a metaphor for belonging, tradition, and legacy that cannot be easily discarded—even when physically separated from the ancestral home. The repeated assertion of “the oldest blood in the world” underscores a pride that coexists with conflict, making the title profound and emotionally resonant.

One-Mark Questions

What promise did the poet make as a child?
The poet promised her great-grandmother that she would rebuild the crumbling ancestral house when she grew rich. However, she later realizes it was an impossible dream.
What does the house symbolize in the poem?
The house represents familial heritage, cultural decay, and emotional memory. Its deterioration reflects the fading of tradition.
Why does the poet feel guilty?
She feels guilty for leaving the house and not fulfilling her promise. She compares her action to plucking her ancestor’s soul and throwing it into the pyre.
What imagery does the poet use to show decay?
She describes rats running in halls, white ants building totems, and creaking rafters. These images evoke neglect and death.
What does the poet say about class distinctions?
The grandmother claims their blood is “thin and clear and fine,” unlike the “muddy” blood of the poor and the new-rich. This reflects inherited pride and class consciousness.

Three-Mark Questions

How does Kamala Das contrast the past and present in the poem?
The past is filled with royal memories, faith, and family pride—symbolized by the great-grandmother's stories and rituals. The present, however, shows neglect, disillusionment, and decay. The ancestral home is in ruins, and the poet cannot fulfill her childhood promise. This contrast reveals how traditions fade under the weight of modern life. It also reflects the poet's internal struggle between nostalgia and practicality.
Discuss the emotional bond between the poet and her great-grandmother.
The poet shared a close and tender relationship with her great-grandmother. She admired her simplicity, spiritual strength, and deep love for the house. As a child, the poet promised to restore what the elder cherished most. However, life took her away, and this broken promise later fills her with guilt. Her memories show affection, regret, and spiritual continuity.
In what way is the poem autobiographical?
The poem draws heavily from Kamala Das’s personal experiences—her childhood in Kerala, the ancestral house, and her matriarchal family. The great-grandmother’s stories reflect real traditions of royal families in South India. Her emotional conflict mirrors Das’s broader themes of rebellion, guilt, and cultural identity. Thus, the poem becomes a poetic confession that blends memory, heritage, and personal failure.

Value-Based Question

Q: What does the poem teach us about the relationship between heritage and personal responsibility?

The poem reminds us that cultural heritage is not just about pride and stories—it also brings emotional responsibilities. While traditions must be respected, modern realities often make it hard to preserve the past. The poet’s guilt over abandoning the house shows the pain of breaking emotional promises. Yet, she also acknowledges that practical life can force difficult choices. The poem teaches that while it’s important to honour our roots, we must also accept our limitations with honesty and humility.

End

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