How did Nissim Ezekiel satirize his contemporary society? Discuss with reference to Soap and Enterprise.

How did Nissim Ezekiel satirize his contemporary society? Discuss with reference to Soap and Enterprise.

Answer:

Nissim Ezekiel is one of the most important modern Indian English poets, known for his sharp observation of human behavior, social life, and urban manners. In many of his poems, he uses humor, irony, and gentle satire to expose the weaknesses, pretensions, and absurdities of Indian society. In both Soap and Enterprise, Ezekiel uses everyday situations—a quarrel over a bar of soap and a pilgrimage to a holy place—to criticize the flaws in the mindset of his contemporary society. His satire is not cruel but corrective; it aims to make people aware of their mistakes and hypocrisies.

In Soap, Ezekiel turns a very simple incident—buying a bar of soap—into a humorous yet meaningful comment on urban manners and communication problems in modern India. The poem shows how a small misunderstanding between a customer and a shopkeeper grows into an absurd quarrel. The speaker only wants to buy a “well-known brand soap,” but the shopkeeper tries to sell him a defective or fake product. The situation becomes ridiculous when both men lose their tempers and begin shouting in the street, attracting a crowd.

Ezekiel’s satire here is directed at the lack of civility, manners, and honesty in daily life. He mocks how people in society often behave rudely and aggressively over small matters. The poet also exposes the language barrier that adds to the confusion—the speaker, more comfortable in English, struggles to argue in Hindi, which reflects the gap between India’s educated middle class and the common people. The poet humorously captures this with the line, “Some people are not having manners.”

Through this funny yet realistic encounter, Ezekiel highlights the pretentious behavior, poor communication, and emotional immaturity of modern Indians who try to appear civilized but fail in basic politeness. His satire reflects the frustration of a sensitive, educated man who must live among people who do not share his sense of order or decency.

In Enterprise, Ezekiel uses the image of a religious pilgrimage to symbolize the journey of human life, social movements, or spiritual quests. The poem begins with high enthusiasm and noble ideals as the group sets out for a “holy place.” They start by observing and recording their experiences, filled with pride in their mission. However, as the journey continues, conflicts, arguments, and selfishness slowly destroy their unity. By the end, they reach their destination tired, disillusioned, and spiritually empty.

Through this journey, Ezekiel satirizes the failure of collective idealism and religious hypocrisy in his society. He shows how Indians often begin noble undertakings—social reforms, spiritual quests, or national movements—with enthusiasm but lose their purpose in ego, argument, and division. The poem also mocks the false spirituality of those who believe that holiness can be found in distant pilgrimages rather than in humble, honest work at home. The final realization that they must “collect their grace at home” expresses Ezekiel’s belief in inner discipline and practical faith rather than external religious show.

Thus, Enterprise becomes a satire on human weakness, disunity, and the empty rituals of modern society, where people forget the real meaning of spiritual progress.

While Soap uses humor and irony to show the absurdity of daily interactions, Enterprise uses symbolism and allegory to comment on larger moral and spiritual failures. Both poems reflect Ezekiel’s realistic view of Indian society, his concern for moral integrity, and his desire to reform human behavior through gentle mockery.

Nissim Ezekiel’s satire is not harsh or cynical; it is humane, thoughtful, and corrective. Through the small quarrel in Soap and the failed pilgrimage in Enterprise, he exposes the hypocrisy, disorganization, and loss of true values in modern Indian life. His poems remind readers that real progress—whether moral, social, or spiritual—comes not from empty words, rituals, or pretensions, but from self-awareness, honesty, and discipline in everyday living.

Thus, in both poems, Ezekiel successfully uses humor and irony to hold a mirror up to society and encourage people to live with sincerity, humility, and reason.