3
Hamza: “Dardiga darmon istamas”
Textbook: p. 19
GoalGrasp the idea of Hamza’s poem “Dardiga darmon istamas”, written in 1916.
New words
refrain line · radif-misraignorance · jaholatawakening · uyg‘onishprogress · taraqqiyot
Explanation
“Dardiga darmon istamas” is a poem written in 1916. The same line returns at the end of every stanza, saying that the Uzbek nation must not sleep long in an age of progress. The poet is sorrowful: while other peoples make new discoveries, his own people, unaware of their condition, remain in the grip of ignorance and heedlessness. The poem’s aim is not to scold but to awaken the people. The repeated line makes the thought ring out and fixes it in the reader’s memory.
Worked examples
Example: the repeated line is like a call; each stanza brings a new argument, but the call stays the same.
Example: “awakening” is rising from sleep, and here it means reaching knowledge.
Class activity
How would the poem’s effect change without the repeated line? Give your view in two sentences.
Practice
1
In which year was the poem written?
In 1916.
2
What does the line repeated at the end of each stanza call for?
For the Uzbek nation to stop sleeping and wake up to the age of progress.
3
What does the poet compare between other peoples and his own?
That others are making discoveries while his own people remain in ignorance.
4
Why is a repeated line used in the poem?
To strengthen the main call and make it memorable.