Yussouf —James Russell Lowell

Yussouf

The poem Yussouf is written by American poet James Russell Lowell. He was born on 22 February, 1819 and died on 12 August, 1891. His literary movement was Romanticism. Yussouf is short story written in the form of poem. 

It is an interesting poem spreading life values like kindness and forgiveness. The main theme of the poem is –

“As one lamp lights another, no grows less,

So nobleness enkindleth nobleness:"

The poem is about an Arab man Yussouf and is hospitality to an outcast Ibrahim in-spite he slew his son. Poem exhibits Yussouf’s good nature, service, kindness and forgiveness. The ending of the poem shows the struggle between revenge and forgiveness.

A stranger came one night to Yussouf's tent

Saying, "Behold one outcast and in dread,

Against whose life the bow of power is bent,

Who flies, and hath not where to lay his head;

I come to thee for shelter and for food,

To Yussouf, called through all our tribes "The Good.' "

Once a stranger who was abolished from his society came to the Yussouf’s tent. Yussouf was sheikh. Stranger came to Yussouf and seeked for shelter and food. Stranger was followed by his enemies and if they caught him he will be killed. Stranger was in fear and had no place to lay his head; he had no power to run more. He prayed Yussouf for help appreciating him to be famous with title 'The Good' all over his tribe.

'This tent is mine,' said Yussouf, ' but no more

Than it is God's; come in, and be at peace;

Freely shalt thou partake of all my store

As I of his who buildeth over these

Our tents his glorious roof of night and day,

And at whose door none ever yet heard Nay."

Yussouf warmly welcomes to the stranger and claims the tent to be God's. He expresses that God is everyone's father we all are his children, whatever owned by Yussouf is all owned by the Stranger. He permits stranger to eat and drink from his entire storage. This stanza shows the kind nature of Yussouf. He never refused anyone for the help and stranger was too welcomed in it. No one heard "nay" in the Yussouf's tent.

So Yussouf entertained his guest that night,

And, waking him ere day, said; 'Here is gold'

My swiftest horse is saddled for thy flight,

Depart before the prying day grow bold.'

As one lamp lights another, no grows less,

So nobleness ekindleth nobleness

Yussouf helped stranger from starvation. Third stanza showed the nature of humanity. Humanity is virtue every human being should develop. Yussouf woke stranger in 'ere day' - before sunrise. He gave stranger some gold coins to survive in the deserts and his basic needs. Yussouf granted him his 'swiftest' horse to run away from prying eyes of the people, and save his life.

Two lines of the stanza-

"As one lamp lights another, no grows less,

So nobleness enkindleth nobleness:"

Is the main theme of poem. As one lamp helps to enlighten the other lamp similarly kind and noble man inspires other to cultivate these qualities in them.

That inward light the stranger's face made grand,

Which shines from all self-conquest; kneeling low,

He bowed his forehead upon Yussouf's hand,

Sobbing: "O Sheik, I cannot leave thee so;

I will repay thee; all this thou hast done

Unto that Ibrahim who slew thy son!"

The service given by Yussouf to the stranger enlightened his inner light. He bowed to Yussouf sobbing, Stranger self conquest himself to Yussouf and accepted his crime for killing Yussouf's son. Stranger bows to Yussouf and requests to take his revenge and give him a chance to repay for his deeds.

'Take thrice the gold,' said Yussouf, 'but no more

into the desert, never to return,

My one black thought shall ride away from me:

First-born, for whom by day night I yearn,

Balanced and just are all God's decrees;

Thou art avenged, my first- born, sleep in peace!'

Sheikh Yussouf was shocked and sat motionless. His mind started struggling between revenge and forgiveness. He gave thrice the gold coins and asked Ibrahim to leave. Ibrahim's guts to confess his deed decreased the feeling of revenge in Yussouf. He orders Ibrahim to go away and take the thought of revenge from him. He didn't want to be less noble by refusing to redeem him. He feels giving up the thought of revenge would only make his son sleep in peace.

The poem shows the struggle in Yussouf's mind between revenge and forgiveness. The confusion to return evil for evil or good for evil. Ibrahim was culprit for him but he was also his guest and he cannot punish guest. Here the Indian custom - 'atithi Devo bhava' is reflected. At the end Yussouf pleases God for forgiving both of them. Yussouf for keeping revenge in mind and Ibrahim for murdering his son.

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