Beehive: 06. No Men are Foreign: Chapter Explanation

 

Key Points of the Poem

• The poem emphasizes the universal brotherhood among all people, irrespective of nationality or background.
• It highlights the shared humanity that binds us all together.
• The poem consists of multiple stanzas, each focusing on different aspects of human connection and the futility of hatred and division.
• It urges the readers to remember that all individuals, regardless of their origins, share common experiences and emotions.

Detailed Summary

Remember, no men are strange, no countries foreign

Beneath all uniforms, a single body breathes

Like ours: the land our brothers walk upon

Is earth like this, in which we all shall lie.

In this stanza, the poet is reminding us that no person is truly strange or foreign to us. Despite different appearances and nationalities, we all share a common humanity. The poet emphasizes that beneath the clothing that may distinguish us, we all share the same essence of being human. The land that our brothers and sisters inhabit is just like the land we walk on, and ultimately, we all return to the earth when we pass away.

They, too, aware of sun and air and water,

Are fed by peaceful harvests, by war's long winter starv'd.

Their hands are ours, and in their lines we read

A labour not different from our own.

This stanza highlights the common experiences shared by people in different parts of the world. Just like us, they are aware of the sun, air, and water that sustain life. They rely on peaceful harvests for sustenance, and in times of war and deprivation, they also suffer. The poet emphasizes the unity of humanity by stating that their hands are like ours, and in the lines on their palms, we can see the evidence of hard work that is no different from our own.

Remember they have eyes like ours that wake

Or sleep, and strength that can be won

By love. In every land is common life

That all can recognize and understand.

In this stanza, the poet continues to emphasize the similarities between people across the globe. People everywhere have eyes that open and close, indicating their shared humanity. The poet suggests that strength can be gained through love, a universal emotion that transcends boundaries. Regardless of where we are from, there is a common thread of life that runs through all cultures and societies, something that everyone can relate to and appreciate.

Let us remember, whenever we are told

To hate our brothers, it is ourselves

That we shall dispossess, betray, condemn.

Remember, we who take arms against each other

This stanza serves as a powerful reminder against hatred and division. The poet urges us to remember that when we are encouraged to hate others, it is ultimately ourselves that we harm. By giving in to hate, we dispossess not only others but also ourselves of compassion and understanding. Taking up arms against each other only results in mutual destruction and loss. It's a plea for unity and peace rather than animosity and conflict.

It is the human earth that we defile.

Our hells of fire and dust outrage the innocence

Of air that is everywhere our own,

Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange.

The final stanza underscores the impact of our actions on the world we share. By engaging in conflicts and polluting the environment, we desecrate the earth that sustains all of humanity. The poet highlights the irony of how we tarnish the purity of the air, which belongs to everyone. The message is a call to remember that we are all interconnected, and no one is truly foreign or strange. It's a plea for understanding, cooperation, and respect for our common home.

Theme/Message

Themes:

• The universality of human experience
• Brotherhood and unity
• Tolerance and empathy
• The destructive nature of hatred and division

Message:

• Emphasizes the importance of recognizing the humanity in all individuals
• Encourages empathy and understanding across cultural and national boundaries
• Warns against the dangers of prejudice and discrimination
• Calls for unity and compassion in a world often plagued by conflict and division

Difficult Words

1. Foreign: Belonging to, situated in, or derived from another country.
2. Breathe: To take air, oxygen, etc., into the lungs and expel it.
3. Harvests: The yield of produce from plants in a single growing season.
4. Winter starved: To suffer or die from cold or hunger during the winter season.
5. Dispossess: Deprive (someone) of something that they own, typically their land or property.
6. Defile: To sully, mar, or spoil.
7. Outrage: An extremely strong reaction of anger, shock, or indignation.
8. Innocence: Lack of guile or corruption; purity.
9. Recognition: The action or process of recognizing or being recognized.
10. Condemn: To express complete disapproval of; censure.

Useful Expressions

• Beneath all uniforms, … — the people of different countries wear various dresses but the human body is the same beneath them.
• … in their lines we read — we all have the same hands by which we all produce the same type of goods, products and literature.
• In every land is common life — in every country, the people are leading the same life. They feel pain and sorrow similarly.
• whenever we are told To hate our brothers, … — the selfish people instigate the innocent to harm each other.
• Remember, no men are foreign, and no countries strange — We should not forget that we all are the citizens of the world. Here, no one is a foreigner and no countries are strange. We have similar body and mind everywhere.