Introduction of the Poem “Enterprise”:
“Enterprise” is one of Nissim Ezekiel’s most well-known poems, reflecting his characteristic blend of simplicity, irony and philosophical insight. The poem narrates a group’s pilgrimage that begins with high ideals and enthusiasm but gradually descends into confusion, conflict and exhaustion. Through this symbolic journey, Ezekiel explores human ambition, the fragility of unity, and the disillusionment that often accompanies great ventures.
Ultimately, “Enterprise” questions whether outward journeys or grand missions can ever match the value of inner understanding and humility. The poem becomes a subtle commentary on human nature, reminding readers that true purpose and fulfilment lie not in distant destinations, but in self-realization and a return to fundamental values.
The poem “Enterprise”, included in Nissim Ezekiel’s third volume published in 1959, highlights his skill as a poet deeply concerned with human relationships. Ezekiel consistently advocates for an integrated personality—one in which body, mind, and heart function in harmony. Enterprise explores the complexities of human behaviour and psychology.
At the outset of a journey or collective mission, a group of friends is often united by excitement and a strong sense of togetherness. Their shared purpose occupies their thoughts, and the bond among them appears unbreakable. However, such unity usually proves short-lived. Gradually, differences surface. Minor disagreements grow into conflict, and the group’s initial camaraderie dissolves as members quarrel over trivial matters, losing sight of their original goal.
As tensions escalate, the companions drift away one after another, causing the mission to collapse. Those who began their journey filled with energy and high hopes ultimately find themselves disillusioned and defeated. Ezekiel captures this rise and fall of collective enthusiasm with artistic precision in “Enterprise.”
Summary of the Poem “Enterprise”:
Stanza 1:
It started as a pilgrimage,
Exalting minds and making all
The burdens light. The second stage
Explored but did not test the call,
The sun beat down to match our rage.
Explanatory Word-Meanings:
Pilgrimage= to undertake journey to some holy place. Exalting = elevating. Explored= searched (travel) forth purpose of discovery, examined thoroughly. Rage= fury.
Paraphrase:
A band of companions, the poet among them, sets out on a pilgrimage. Their spirits are high, filled with lofty ideals and the hope of accomplishing something they can one day be proud of. The weight of their worries and hardships feels insignificant, leaving them buoyant and carefree. This early phase of the journey represents a state of innocence, a time before they become aware of the disappointments and setbacks that may await them.
However, as they enter the second stage of their travels, they begin to encounter real dangers and obstacles. They look closely at this harsher stretch of the path. Their desire to achieve something bold now burns fiercely—intense as the sun blazing down upon them.
Stanza 2:
We stood it very well, I thought, Observed and put down copious notes On things the peasants sold and bought, The way of serpents and of goats Three cities where a sage had taught.
Explanatory Word – Meanings:
Stood = faced, tolerated. Observed = saw and noticed. Copious = abundant, ample, abounding in words.
Paraphrase:
They met every hardship and threat with courage—at least, that is how the poet perceived them. Throughout their travels, they observed their surroundings closely and recorded whatever they encountered. They documented what the peasants traded, studied the movements of serpents and goats, and even journeyed to the three cities where a wise sage had once taught.
Stanza 3:
But when the differences arose
On how to cross a desert patch,
We lost a friend whose stylish prose
Was quite the best of all our batch?
A shadow falls on us – and grows.
Explanatory Word – Meanings:
Differences = difference of opinions. Arose = took place.
Paraphrase:
However, before long, disagreements began to surface among the friends. They found themselves at odds over something as trivial as how to navigate a small stretch of desert. Though the matter was minor, it stirred such deep resentment that one of them—whose elegant prose surpassed that of the rest—chose to leave the group. Discord settled over the companions, casting a shadow on their undertaking. In the end, this growing bitterness strained their unity and hindered their venture.
Stanza 4:
Another phase was reached when we
Were twice attacked, and lost our way.
A section claimed its liberty
To leave the group. I tried to pray.
Our leader said he smelt the sea.
Explanatory Word – Meanings:
Phase = a turning point, stage. Smelt the sea = dead end, the point beyond which they could not go.
Paraphrase:
As disagreements hardened, the travellers split into factions, each one finding fault with and striking out against the others. Their lofty principles faded from memory. One faction announced that it would no longer travel alongside the rest and broke away. The poet attempted to offer a prayer for their unity, but their chief declared that they had come to an impasse, that their mission could go no further, and that they had no choice but to turn back.
Stanza 5:
We noticed nothing as we went,
A straggling crowd of little hope
Ignoring what the thunder meant,
Deprived of common needs like soap.
Some were broken, some merely bent.
Explanatory Word – Meanings:
Straggling = wanderers. Deprived = berefted. Bent = stooped.
Paraphrase:
Although the friends differed in many ways, they kept moving forward. Yet, with their enthusiasm drained and their lofty ideals forgotten, nothing around them seemed of value anymore. What had once been a disciplined band had dissolved into a group of directionless drifters. Lacking even basic necessities like soap, they had become unkempt and poorly clothed. Some were weary and worn out, while others had already lost heart.
Stanza 6:
When, finally, we reached the place.
We hardly knew why we were there.
The trip had darkened every face,
Our deeds were neither great nor rare.
Home is where we have to gather grace.
Explanatory Word – Meanings:
Darkened= disappointed, blackened with frustration. Grace = respect, dignity.
Paraphrase:
In the end, they arrived where they had set out to go, yet the moment felt hollow—filled with frustration, confusion, and a lack of purpose. They could not understand why they had even come. The journey had failed them, leaving them disheartened and utterly shaken. Nothing extraordinary or meaningful had been gained. Only then did they recognise a simple truth: home is the finest place of all, the one place where a person truly retains their dignity.
Critical Analysis of the Poem “Enterprise”:
Introduction:
Enterprise is one of the well – known lyrics of Nissim Ezekiel. It is an allegory of the human condition. The poem refers to a journey made by a number of people and the poet himself.
Thought-Content:
A group of people—among them the poet, as suggested by the use of the pronoun we—choose to set out on a pilgrimage. They come from the city, and the path before them leads into a remote, romantic, and almost untouched landscape. They begin their journey filled with hope, courage, and high ideals, ready to attempt something noble and heroic. The travellers believe they are on the verge of achieving something significant. Their spirits are uplifted, and no danger or hardship seems intimidating; even their heaviest burdens feel light.
This first phase of the journey represents a state of innocence, reminiscent of the purity of Eden. It mirrors the early period of human life, when one is unaware of the deeper complexities and contradictions of existence—unfamiliar with the disappointments and setbacks that inevitably arise. Yet this state cannot endure.
As they move into the next stage of their pilgrimage, they begin to confront real dangers and obstacles. They enter this second phase, though they do not clearly reveal whether their idealistic calling has been truly tested.
Their fervour—their hunger for heroic accomplishment—burns as fiercely as the sun above them. The harsh sunlight beating down symbolizes the way nature can sometimes oppose human aspirations and noble ambitions. When our desires blaze intensely, nature, too, may respond with equal intensity.
The poet goes on to explain that the travelling band manages to endure the initial dangers and hardships with considerable resilience. For a while, they press on with undiminished hope, refusing to abandon their quest. As they move forward, they keep jotting down observations—recording the trading activities of the peasants and studying the movements of serpents and goats.
Their journey takes them through three towns once graced by the teachings of a sage, yet they show no interest in discovering what his wisdom was. His message means little to them. Gradually, the lofty ideals that inspired their pilgrimage fade, giving way to routine concerns and ordinary distractions.
The poet adds that the dangers created by other men are far less harmful than those that arise from one’s own shortcomings. Before long, the travellers themselves begin to differ in their views. Minor issues lead to arguments among them. When they reach a stretch of barren land—a small desert—they cannot agree on how to cross it. One companion, overly proud of his elegant prose style, becomes offended and storms off. This disagreement unsettles the group, casting a shadow over their venture—a shadow that continues to deepen.
The poet goes on to explain that the pilgrims eventually split into separate groups, each turning against the other. In the chaos of their disputes, they lose their sense of direction and drift away from their true mission. The noble aspirations that once inspired their journey fade from memory.
Their purpose blurs, their idealism dissolves, and some choose to abandon the company altogether. Faced with frustration and hardship, many find their spirits crushed, lacking the courage to confront life’s harsh truths. They seek escape, hoping to find comfort in withdrawal.
A few turn to prayer, asking for divine help and blessings. Their leader remarks that he “smelt the sea,” suggesting that they have reached a point of no progress—a dead end—where the journey can go no farther. Their blessings, too, seem to have run their course.
As the poet reflects on the pilgrims’ progress, he observes that—even though the group has splintered and grown disheartened—they continue to push forward. In truth, the journey has lost its meaning for them. Their idealism has faded, and the noble ambitions that once inspired them have vanished.
Moving ahead almost mechanically, they notice nothing around them. No longer a disciplined band of dedicated visionaries, they have become a weary, struggling mass. What remains are only a few exhausted, defeated survivors, worn down by hardship. Deprived even of basic necessities like soap, they appear shabby and unkempt, their spirits thoroughly crushed.
Disillusionment in the Way of Their Journey:
The poet also reflects on the inevitable conclusion of all human effort—the fundamental truth of our existence. He describes how the travellers, absorbed in their trivial disputes, fail to notice the rumble of thunder around them. Weary and worn out, burdened by frustration, they pay no attention to it.
Their pilgrimage has left them completely disillusioned. They begin to question the very value and purpose of their journey, sensing that it may have been futile. Their once-lofty ideals fade into obscurity, and they come to understand that their actions were neither exceptional nor heroic. In the end, they realise a deeper truth: where grace resides, there lies one’s true home. Home, for them, becomes inseparable from grace.
Style of the Poem:
C. D. Narasimhaiah, in his appreciation of the poem, observes that its lyrical progression is strikingly original. The piece reflects the poet’s strong command over poetic form, with each word carefully and purposefully placed. Philosophical in tone, the poem also delves into the complexities of the human condition. Through it, the poet seeks to uncover the fundamental truths that shape human life.
Needless Quarrels over Petty Matters, Common in Human Life:
The poet points out that squabbles over trivial issues and unnecessary disputes are a routine part of human life. Such behaviour is woven into human nature itself, and in this way, people bear within them the causes of their own downfall. The pilgrims are no different. Once again, Ezekiel highlights the universal nature of human experience.
Moral of the Poem:
The concluding line conveys the lyric’s message: we must acknowledge the boundaries of our circumstances and strive to give our best within them. The poet stresses that true heroism lies in embracing our allotted place in life and dedicating our efforts to the service of God and humankind.
