Song Of The Defeated By Rabindranath Tagore

Tagore visited japan three times representing the increasing pitch of nationalist fever. In his first visit in 1916 Tagore witnessed the enthusiasm of Japan which was because of its Victory in Russo – Japanese (1904-1905) about a decade earlier. It was the Russo- Japanese war which facilitated the Japanese to established and show the world its Supreme position in the North East Asia. China was in weakened position after Opium War and broke the Chinese myth of World Order and Tributary System. Tagore’s support of Japan 's militant nationalist expansionism resulted initially with affection and ovation. In 1916 C. F. Andrews was also travelling to Japan with Rabindranath has noted that when he criticised Japan 's 'militant imperialism ' and "set forward in contrast his ideal picture of the true meeting of East and West ', the people of Japan countered his thesis by arguing that the pacifist philosophy of the Indian poet owed to his experience of belonging to a defeated nation. Andrews further notes that 'almost as rapidly as the enthusiasm had arisen, it subsided '. It was same as a Lion’s Roar entering in its young age, preparing and trying to build

By giving the poem to a Korean student Tagore wanted to convey the world that both country India and Korea shared the same condition. Both the countries were under huge pressure by their colonial master. Their liberty and freedom was chained under the pretext of white men’s burden of Christian West and protectorate policy of Japan. Citizen of the both country were sufferer of the imperialist policy. As well as boosting the sinking morale of the Korean people who were under the repressive Japanese colonial rule. The poem is a testament of the poet 's belief that it is not defeat and humility but conquest by swords that calls for