What is the meaning of this absurd poem? This is a question that
comes to the mind of the most of teachers and learners at the school
while reading the poem 'Skimbleshanks The Railway cat by
T.S Eliot. It is a natural response of any one when he tries to catch
the message of a literary piece easily by the shortest way.
Nice. The first thing we can do for
understanding the basic idea of the poem is to see it as a simple
entertaining rhyme. Forget that T.S Eliot was the greatest
philosopher-poet who wrote the heavy 'Waste Land'. Here he is a
simple minded traveller who observed the movement of a cat in a
railway carriage. Let's take it easy that he wrote the poem based on
this silly experience. In this poem, TS Elliot describes the cat
(Skimbleshanks) as a normal human person.
Now we start the journey with the
poet at the railway station. The Night Mail is ready to start. But it
seems that everybody is restless and their murmuring and confused
movements give us a feeling that they are waiting for some one to
give a “green signal” for the journey. At last when it was 11.42
we see Skimble coming out of the luggage van and the signal goes “All
Clear”. The train is set for the North.
Throughout the journey whenever you
open your eyes or wherever the train stops you can see the cat
somewhere on the train or out on the platform. The cat's presence
makes an impression that he is in charge of the train. The poet
presents the cat as the most important one on the train. He is
attributed with the roles of a supervisor, stationmaster's friend or
a patrolling police officer. He is present at the bagmen playing
cards, he roams in the first class as well as the third class. He
examines every passenger and we may feel that he never aproves of any
riot. Naturally the passengers are quiet at night and it leaves an
impression that he is responsible for such a calm atmosphere.
While you are going to your bed in
your cabin you see the cat behind the guard. It may indicate that it
is he who made the guard to ask your preference of weak or strong tea
in the morning. Even when you sleep peacefully the cat continues its
'rounds' on the train. The poet makes witty comments on the cat's
habit of drinking scotch whisky to make his night watch more
vigilant. At every station the cat gets out of the train and refresh
himself. In the morning whe you reach your station you can see
Skimble in front of you bidding good bye to you. He gives you a wave
of his long brown tail and tells you “ I'll see you again!”.
This is the substance of the poem.
In other words, the poet describes the importance and significance of
Skimbleshanks and presents him as the most important passenger aboard
the train. Eliot portrays how the cat caters to the needs of the
passengers and the general security of the train.
Now if you want to interpret the
poem at a higher intellectual level you are free to do so. In the
light of the political situations in Europe at the time of writing
this poem, one critic may see the cat as the supervisor
who sees everything that everyone does. The cat can be then depicted
as a dictator who controls everything in his country. "He
will watch
everywhere in the train and he sees
what you are thinking."
The cat can be a mysterious
character who is funny or silly in appearance but serious in
behaviour.
