Unemployed Hope
by Dr. Umeshwar Prasad
Rapid Learn 2-Minute Revision
Perfect for last-minute revision
2-Minute Revision Video
Video coming soon
Dr. Umeshwar Prasad's poem is a painful, realistic depiction of the psychological and social crisis of educated unemployment in modern India, and the heartbreaking collapse of parental expectations. The speaker is a post-graduate young man who has spent four years applying for jobs in an 'unproviding democracy' to no avail. During his struggle he makes a loving promise to his old father: with his first month's salary he will buy him a luxurious 'Maharaja dhoti' and a 'silken Kurta'. This simple dream fills the father's aged eyes with tears of 'gay gratitude' and silent prayers. But the job never comes, and the father dies before his son finds work. Later the dying mother, in a 'dotted voice, knotted and timberless', recalls how the father had proudly worn a similar dhoti and kurta on their wedding day. The poem ends tragically: the son, 'utterly jobless' with 'smouldering lead' in his eyes, sees his beautiful 'doting dream' collapse into a silent, 'starved protest against death' under the crushing weight of poverty.
Detailed Summary
Detailed Summary Video
Video coming soon
Dr. Umeshwar Prasad (1933–1998) wrote 'Unemployed Hope' as a painful, realistic depiction of the immense psychological and social crisis of educated unemployment in modern India. The speaker is a post-graduate young man who, despite his high qualifications, remains jobless, having spent four long 'secular years' in an 'unproviding democracy' clinging to a delicate thread of hope.
The promise and the father's joy
During his period of struggle, the young man shares a 'doting dream' and a loving promise with his old father: the moment he gets a job, he will spend his entire first month's salary to buy him a 'Maharaja dhoti' and a 'silken Kurta', traditional, luxurious wedding garments.
This simple, sweet fantasy brings the old father immense joy. His aged eyes spring a 'gay gratitude' and fill with tears, and his lips move in silent, tender prayers for his only son's success and happiness.
The death of the father and mother
The harsh reality of society crushes this dream. The job never arrives, 'They haven't come his way, father!' Tragically, the old father passes away before his son can find any employment, and his blessing hand goes 'off his head for good'.
After the father's death, the mother also falls ill and reaches her final hours. In her weak, trembling and dying voice, 'dotted, knotted and timberless', she reminds her son how much his father had cherished a similar Maharaja dhoti and silken Kurta on their wedding day, which had proudly sat on his young, labouring body.
The tragic collapse of the dream
The poem ends on a highly tragic, realistic note. The son is left 'utterly jobless' with 'smouldering lead', burning grief and anger, in his eyes.
The beautiful, innocent dream of buying the dhoti and silken shirt has completely collapsed, lapsed in the painful transaction of a life spent in unsuccessful struggle, and transformed into a silent, 'starved protest against death' under the crushing weight of poverty.