” A Worker Reads History ” is a voice given to voiceless.” Do you agree? Support your view with close reference to the poem.
The poem ” A Worker Reads History “ is a poem about society. The poet Bertolt Brecht gives a different picture about our society. He does not praise Kings, Emperors, leaders etc. but soldiers , slaves, workers etc. He has presented this poem using a worker’s mind. Usually workers do not read books. Books are read by upper class , educated people. But the poet wants to change that usual system as he follows a different theory. So I can agree with the statement that this poem is a voice given to voiceless as the poet is praising lower class people.
Here, voiceless means servants , workers, soldiers , slaves, sailors etc. Usually people think that they are not important in our society as they have no money or power. But by this poem the poet presents how strong a worker is. At the beginning using a worker to read the history book not a high class man shows this poem is a voice given to voiceless. And while the work is reading the history book he is puzzled with so many questions. Actually the poet wants to make the questions. But if an educated person reads that book he will never get those questions as he also neglects labourers. Because of that reason also this poem is a voice given to voiceless.
Anyway the poet asks so many rhetorical questions.
” Who built the seven gates of Thebes? ”
” Was it kings who hauled the craggy blocks of stone? ”
” The city glittering with gold , lived those who built it? ”
The worker is building the world even now. He knows everything which have already been built are also creations of workers. So he is puzzled because the book does not include the names of workers but every page is filled with the names of Kings , Emperors and leaders.
” The books are filled with names of Kings. ”
The poet sarcastically asks were the kings who built those. The poet expresses his surprise. He asks whether all those marvelous creations were made by kings in the world such as Babylon , Lima’s houses and Chinese wall. Though he knows very well that all those were made by workers he asks these questions in a very foolish way to open the minds of the readers who read this poem. So making a worker who can ask his own questions from the world also makes this poem a voice given to voiceless.
And in our history if there was a war and won it all the glory and credit have been given to the leaders and rulers. But actually they didn’t even go to the battle field. The soldiers went to the battle field and fought with enemies. They were the people who went through a very hard time. But all the glory is presented to the leaders. They didn’t even mention about soldiers.
” Young Alexander conquered India.
He alone?
Ceasar beat the Gauls
Was there not even a cook in his Army? ”
This is very unjust. That is why poet ask about a cook in a very sarcastic way. Because he wanted to show the pride of upper class people which was built through the tears of lower class people such as workers. He wanted to end this division of the classes. He treats everyone equally as in Marxism. So this also proves that this poem is a voice given to voiceless.
And the worker asks,
” At whose expense the victory ball ”
After winning a war every ruler gives a large party. But that money which is spent is poor people’s. They live a comfortable life while the other people have nothing to eat. The poor people pay debts for everything. And their lives are far from easy. The poet wants to show that. And finally he says,
” So many particulars
So many questions ”
Though there are a lot of records about past as well as he has so many questions after reading. The poet has highly appreciated the dignity of labour. So this also proves this is a voice given to voiceless.
The poet Bertolt Brecht highly praises laborers. That is the voice given to voiceless. Using so many rhetorical questions and sarcastic incidents he has said that the kings were not who have done everything in the past. The poet has used the Marxist theory to write this poem. Anyway this poem remains a question in reader’s mind. Actually they have only praised the people who don’t even do anything. Using a worker to read the history book shows how the poet appreciates dignity of labor. So finally I can agree with this statement that the poem ” A Worker Reads History “ is a voice given to voiceless.