3. STEPHEN SPENDER:
THE POET
Sir Stephen Harold Spender was an English poet,
novelist and essayist whose work concentrated on
themes of social injustice and the class struggle.
He was appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in
Poetry to the United States Library of Congress.
He is revered and respected in the literary circuit
due to his passionate, charming, and insightful
work concerned with politics, education and the
rights of all human beings.
26. THEME
The poet paints a gory picture of slum children and their school both victims of government apathy.
The poem is a scathing criticism of the utter neglect of the children's need for education and all
round growth. Spender decries the social injustice and class inequalities prevailing in the society
and calls for a holistic education for the poorest of the poor. The poet suggests that this would be
possible only when the ‘haves’ will realize their duty towards the ‘have-nots’ ; will relieve the latter of
their misery and provide them opportunities to lead dignified lives as human beings.
27. MESSAGE
Stephen Spender makes a frantic appeal to the educated and affluent sections of society to improve
the conditions of slum children whose only hope is education. Condemned as they are to a life of
poverty, ignominy, want and dirt, these children must be provided opportunities to experience the
beauty and joy of life and learning. The poet expresses sorrow over the grim fact that humanity at
large and governments in particular adopt and an unsympathetic attitude to these ‘children of a
lesser God’. The poem is a bitter criticism of the condition of education in state-run schools of slums.
