THE CHILD IS THE FATHER OF THE MAN

        THE CHILD IS THE FATHER OF THE MAN

BY PROF WAQAR HUSSAIN

           

    Wordsworth is quite adamant to his belief in pre-natal existence and gets endorsement from the 'Platonic theory of Ideas', the Muslim mystics' creed of 'manifestation of reality' and the Hindu's faith of 'Reflection of Divine world'. The celestial robes of the pre-natal state are those of reality which are unwound in following allurement and deceits of this sordid world. The more indulges in rate race of material gains, the more he detaches himself from its true roots. The proficiency gained in the worldly affair is mere maturity supposed to be autumn. According to Butler Yeats, disillusionment begins when we gyrate downward to the world of perfect objectivity Wordsworth's of note adage; 'Heaven lies about us in our infancy' is yet another elucidation of dilemma of Appearance and Reality. Other aphorisms; appearance are always deceptive, all that glitter is not gold further stamps the veracity of Wordsworth's dictum. Life in this world is full of illusions which take shelter under the canopy of astonishing scientific discoveries and glorious work of fine arts. The mask of gold hides deformities of world where vice triumphs and virtue distresses. The meddling intellect muffles the voice of truth and scabbards the glitter of Reality. In fact, all is fallacious and mere hallucination. In intellect versus spirit scuffle; the latter is the winner. The apogee of intellect falls down from where spirit takes off. Man is the symbol of fervour and campaigner of this pseudo-world pursuing Appearances, while the child is the envoy of Reality.  Man ought to get salvation by following the child, the father of the man.