The Railway Clerk by Nissim Ezekiel
The Railway Clerk Short Essay
Introduction:
The Railway Clerk by Nissim Ezekiel is a dramatic monologue in which a middle-class railway clerk shares the struggles of his everyday life. Though he has a secure government job, his life is full of pain, pressure, and problems.
Struggles at Work:
The clerk is honest and hardworking but is never appreciated. He completes all his duties sincerely, yet his superiors find mistakes and scold him. His leave requests are rejected twice, and he is forced to work overtime without extra pay. He sits at a small desk, under a broken fan, struggling in uncomfortable conditions.
Family Pressure and Daily Stress:
His salary is too low to meet his family’s basic needs. He has no savings and lives from one payday to the next. His wife keeps asking for money, and his sick mother-in-law depends on him completely. Most of his income goes toward her treatment, yet it’s not enough. He travels daily from Borivili, returns tired, and has no time for his children, who are now careless about studies.
No Promotion or Extra Income:
The clerk cannot earn bribes like some of his lucky colleagues. He feels stuck, with no chance of promotion since he lacks a college degree. He wishes to be a bird, free from the stress, struggle, and pain of human life.
Small Joys, Heavy Worries:
His life feels dull and lifeless. Only Sundays bring him a little happiness when he watches a movie. Sometimes, he meets his friends, and they mainly talk about the problems of the country. His friends think about going abroad, but he can't even imagine that — his mind is filled with personal worries.
Conclusion:
The poem shows the painful reality of many honest workers whose efforts go unrecognized. The railway clerk stands for thousands who struggle quietly every day.
The Railway Clerk by Nissim Ezekiel in Tamil @Banumathi K's Literature Insights 👇
The Railway Clerk Detailed Summary
The Railway Clerk is a dramatic monologue written by Nissim Ezekiel, a well-known Indian poet. In this poem, the speaker is a middle-class railway clerk who shares his painful and emotional life. Though he has a secure government job, he suffers deeply due to low income, overwork, and lack of appreciation.
The poet uses simple and realistic language to express the inner feelings, struggles, and helplessness of this ordinary man. The poem presents the harsh realities of a clerk’s life, making the reader feel sympathy and concern.
The speaker works as a railway clerk and shares his sad and emotional condition. He says that even though he has been working in the railway for many years and has a permanent government job, his life is still full of pain and problems. He is always worried — both about his personal life and work.
He is honest and sincere in doing his duty. He gives his full effort and never leaves any task incomplete. But still, instead of being praised for his honesty and hard work, he is always blamed. Mistakes are found in his work, and he gets scolded. He is told to be more careful, even though he tries his best.
He never receives any reward for being honest and loyal. He is not even allowed to take leave. When he applies for leave, his requests are rejected without thinking about his problems. This year, he applied for leave twice, but both times it was rejected by the higher officials.
Every day, he has to handle a lot of work. He works overtime but doesn’t get paid extra for it. It is very hard for him to manage his household responsibilities. His salary is not enough to cover his family’s basic needs. His wife keeps asking for more money for household needs, but he doesn’t know how to get it.
He says his job does not give him any chance to earn bribes, unlike some of his colleagues who are lucky in this matter. He sees them earning extra money and feels they are fortunate.
He also cannot get promoted because he does not have a college degree. He wishes he were a bird so he could be free. He wants to live a peaceful and easy life. He is very tired of his life as a clerk. He hates human life because it is full of pain, struggle, and stress.
His office also does not provide him with good facilities. He finds it very difficult to do his work. His desk is too small, and he cannot write properly on it. In summer, the fan above his head doesn’t work, and he has to suffer in the heat.
His house is far away from his office — in Borivili. He has to travel a long distance every day. This daily travel takes a lot of his time. By the time he comes home, he is extremely tired and cannot give enough attention to his wife and children.
Because of this busy and tiring routine, he has even forgotten to ask his children about their studies. His children are now taking advantage of this and are not studying properly. Their future looks dark to him. He doesn’t know how to solve his current problems or how to secure a better future for his kids.
His life as a railway clerk has become boring and lifeless. He finds no joy in it anymore. He works hard all week, and only Sunday gives him some relief. On Sundays, he watches a movie to relax. This is the only day he feels a bit happy and forgets his worries.
He also has good friends who give him comfort. Sometimes, when he does meet them, they talk about different topics — especially the problems of the country. His friends think about going abroad, but he can't even imagine that — his mind is filled with personal worries.
On top of everything, his mother-in-law is seriously ill and cannot move from bed. She has no one else to help her, so she depends completely on him. He has to pay for her treatment. A big part of his salary is spent on her medicines and needs, but even then, he cannot give her full treatment.
This poem reflects the real-life struggles of many middle-class employees in India, especially in government sectors. In a country where corruption and favoritism are common, honest workers are often ignored or overburdened. Promotions depend on degrees and connections, not on loyalty or performance.
People with low salaries face daily challenges — rising expenses, family responsibilities, medical costs — and still keep working without complaints. The railway clerk in the poem represents countless such individuals across India, whose hard work keeps the country running, yet whose lives remain unnoticed and unrewarded.
The Railway Clerk by Nissim Ezekiel in Tamil @Banumathi K's Literature Insights 👇
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2 comments:
Nice
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