” Apart from humour Matilda is rich in morals. ” Do you agree? Prove your view.
The poem ‘ Matilda ‘ is a humorous poem written by Hillarir Belloc. This poem is about a little girl who used to tell lies. This poem gives a lot of humour because of following clues. Alhough Matilda’s aunt is a very strict person , Matilda tells lies. And also Matilda told a big lie but a fire to London’s Noble Gire Brigade and Matilda’s aunt had to pay to them to send them away. Those things create humour to the reader. But through that humour the poet convey some morals to us. Specially the main theme that children must not tell lies and some other morals to adults.
Matilda was a little orphan girl who lived with aunt. Her aunt was a very strict and truthful person. So she always advised Matilda to not to tell lies but Matilda was very good at telling lies. It creates humour to the reader because of the fact that a little girl who is always advised by adults not to tell lies is a good liar.
” Matilda told such dreadful lies ”
And one day Matilda told a big lie to London’s Noble Fire Brigade informing them that there is a fire. So they came passing many towns. Here that Fire Brigade’s actions create humour. Because,
” within an hour the gallant band ”
If there had been really a fire , the whole building would have been burnt when they reach there. And also that Fire Brigade came announcing there was a fire in Matilda’s house. So it also creates humour. And how Matilda informed the Fire Brigade that there was a fire. The poet says,
” Went tiptoe to the telephone ”
The word ‘ tiptoe ‘ creates a picture of her action in reader’s mind. And after the Fire Brigade came, they poured water to the valuable pictures without any search. And Matilda’s aunt even had to pay to send them back.
” And even then she had to pay
To get the men to go away “
So we can say that the Fire Brigade’s actions make the reader laugh. After some days Matilda’s aunt went to see a play without taking Matilda as a punishment. But we can see how foolish that decision was. Because as a punishment for telling lies not to take her to see the play was not good. She should advise her but here the poet creates an ironical sense so it creates humour. And at last a fire did breakout really at that night. Though Matilda asked for help, anyone did not believe it because they knew she was a liar.
” For everytime she shouted ” Fire ! ”
They only answered ” Little Liar ! ” ”
These clues show that this poem creates humor to the reader.
But apart from humour this poem teaches us some morals. We should not tell lies because as in the poem anyone do not believe us. And that little girl Matilda had to pay from her life as a punishment for telling lies. Adults always advise little children not to tell lies but they do it because they don’t know how bad that is. Most children get pleasure by telling lies. In this poem the poet is sarcastic about the people who tell lies. I think by this parable he wants to convey the idea that we always should tell truthful words. If it is so everyone will believe us and help us when we need them.
And also the poet conveys some morals to adults. The main thing is the adults should advise children kindly and correct them without punishing them. Here Matilda’s aunt acted in such a miserable way. Because Matilda only told a lie but her aunt punished her by not taking her to see the play. I don’t think the punishment is suitable for the mistake shes had done. Because by that punishment she will not stop telling lies. Her aunt should advise her and correct her kindly. But her aunt didn’t do that. So the poet create sarcasm towards the adults like her.
And Matilda was an orphan girl.
She had not her mother and father maybe because of that she felt lonely. And also she had not got any love from anyone so that she used to tell lies. If her aunt loved and looked after her well she would not betrayed her any day. So the poet gives another moral to adults that to love and look after their children well.
Because of these clues I can say this poem gives lot of advices to the reader. So I agree with the statement that ‘ Apart from humor Matilda is rich in morals ‘.