# The Poet — Gitanjali character guide > The Poet in Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Unknown, me, I, thou, mine, myself, Thy, Mine **First appearance:** 0003-gitanjali ## Who they are A restless seeker who turns railway carriages and crowded streets into altars, addressing the divine as lover, master, and guest. ## In the story ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/ii) The poet is the speaker of the quoted verses, expressing leave-taking and readiness for the journey. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/iii) The poet is depicted as a beggar maid, filled with shame, who sits silently when asked what she wants. ### [Gitanjali](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/gitanjali) The speaker who offers songs and expresses longing for the divine. ### [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/i) The speaker who receives divine gifts and expresses joy and surrender. ### [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/ii) The speaker who is commanded to sing and experiences pride, tears, and joy in adoration. ### [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/iii) The speaker who listens in silent amazement and longs to join the divine song. ### [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/iv) The speaker who pledges to live a life of purity, truth, love, and action in devotion to the divine. ### [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/v) Seeks a moment of stillness and devotion beside the Divine. ### [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/vi) The speaker who offers a humble flower to the divine, fearing the passage of time. ### [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/vii) The speaker who removes all ornamentation and pride to sit at the divine's feet. ### [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/viii) The speaker who observes and critiques the child's loss of freedom due to princely robes and jewels. ### [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/ix) Addresses the inner fool and beggar, speaking as a voice of spiritual insight. ### [The Footstool of the Divine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/x) The speaker who struggles to bow to the divine among the humble. ### [Leave This Chanting and Singing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xi) The speaker who urges a shift from ritual to active, worldly devotion. ### [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xii) The speaker of the chapter, describing the soul's long journey through worlds and stars. ### [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xiii) The speaker who has spent days preparing for a song and a meeting that remain unfulfilled. ### [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xiv) Expresses personal desires and the experience of being saved by divine refusals. ### [XV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xv) The speaker who offers his songs to the divine, acknowledging his own uselessness and corner seat. ### [XVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xvi) The speaker who has played his part at life's feast and now seeks divine audience. ### [XVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xvii) The speaker who is waiting for love to surrender himself. ### [XVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xviii) The speaker who waits alone at the door, hoping for the divine. ### [XIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xix) The speaker who waits in silence for the Divine's voice. ### [The Unheeded Bloom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xx) The speaker who laments his distracted state and later realizes the divine was within him all along. ### [XXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxi) The speaker who must launch his boat and laments the passing of time. ### [XXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxii) The speaker who observes the divine presence and opens his house in invitation. ### [XXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxiii) The speaker who waits and watches through the stormy night. ### [XXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxiv) The speaker who prays for divine shelter and renewal at day's end. ### [XXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxv) The speaker who gives himself up to sleep in trust. ### [The Missed Divine Encounter](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxvi) The poet is the speaker who laments missing the Divine's visit due to his deep sleep. ### [XXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxvii) The speaker who desperately seeks light and responds to the divine call in the darkness. ### [Chapter XXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxviii) Expresses inner conflict and longing for freedom while clinging to worldly attachments. ### [XXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxix) The speaker who is busy building a wall of name and identity, losing sight of his true being. ### [The Tryst and the Shadow Self](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxx) The speaker who seeks a solitary meeting with the divine but is burdened by his own ego. ### [XXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxxii) Reflects on the difference between worldly love and divine love. ### [Chapter XXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxxiii) The narrator who observes the hypocrisy of the visitors. ### [XXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxxiv) The speaker who prays for a minimal self so that the Divine may be his all. ### [XXXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxxv) The speaker who prays for his country's awakening into freedom. ### [XXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxxvi) The speaker who offers the prayer. ### [Chapter XXXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxxvii) The speaker who thought his voyage had ended, but finds new beginnings. ### [XXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxxviii) Expresses a deep, singular longing for the divine, rejecting worldly distractions. ### [Chapter XXXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xxxix) The speaker who pleads for divine intervention in various states of distress. ### [XL](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xl) Expresses deep spiritual longing and despair in the face of divine silence. ### [XLI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xli) The speaker waits in longing, offering flowers and enduring shame, dreaming of the divine lover's arrival. ### [XLII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xlii) The poet yearns for a solitary journey with the Divine, questioning the timing of their departure. ### [XLIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xliii) Reflects on past neglect and current recognition of divine signature in his life. ### [XLIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xliv) The speaker who waits and watches at the wayside, finding delight in anticipation. ### [XLV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xlv) The speaker who perceives and proclaims the divine's eternal coming. ### [XLVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xlvi) The speaker who senses the divine approach and feels a stirring of joy and completion. ### [XLVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xlvii) The speaker who waits in the night and longs for the divine arrival. ### [XLVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xlviii) The narrator who stops to rest and surrenders to the moment, finding the divine. ### [XLIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xlix) The poet is singing alone in a corner, a novice whose simple carol attracts the Divine. ### [The Beggar's Gift](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/l) The beggar who hesitates to give all to the divine king. ### [LI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/li) The narrator recounts the collective experience of doubt and the sudden realization of the king's arrival. ### [LII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lii) Receives the divine's sword as a gift, accepts pain and fearlessness, and renounces worldly decorations. ### [LIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/liii) The speaker who admires and contrasts the divine ornaments and sword. ### [LIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/liv) The narrator who silently serves the Divine by offering water. ### [LV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lv) The speaker who calls for awakening and warns against deception. ### [LVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lvi) The speaker who experiences divine joy and union. ### [Light, My Light](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lvii) The speaker who exults in the divine light and addresses the beloved. ### [LVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lviii) The speaker who composes the last song, invoking various manifestations of joy. ### [LIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lix) The speaker who perceives divine love in nature and feels a personal connection to the divine. ### [LX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lx) Observes and describes the scene of children playing on the seashore. ### [LXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxi) The poet reflects on the origins of a baby's sleep, smile, and freshness. ### [LXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxii) The speaker who brings toys, sings, offers sweets, and kisses the child, finding in these actions the meaning of natural beauty. ### [LXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxiii) Expresses gratitude for being made known to new friends and given homes not his own, and prays to never lose the bliss of touching the one in the many. ### [LXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxiv) The speaker who stands in darkness and asks the maiden for light. ### [LXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxv) The speaker who offers his life as a cup for divine drink and serves as a vessel for divine creation. ### [LXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxvi) The speaker who has carried a hidden feminine presence within him throughout his life and now offers her to God. ### [LXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxvii) The speaker who reflects on the dual nature of the divine as sky and nest. ### [LXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxviii) The speaker whose tears, sighs, and songs are gathered by the divine sunbeam. ### [LXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxix) The speaker who feels the stream of life within and around him. ### [LXX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxx) The voice that questions and invites participation in the rhythm of joy. ### [LXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxi) The speaker who contemplates the divine's maya and his own role as the severed self. ### [LXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxii) Describes being awakened and enchanted by the innermost divine presence. ### [LXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxiii) The speaker who embraces worldly bonds as a path to divine freedom. ### [LXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxiv) The poet is the speaker, preparing to go to the stream at dusk, uncertain of his return. ### [LXXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxv) The narrator speaks of divine gifts and the ultimate purpose of creation. ### [Face to Face with the Divine](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxvi) The speaker who longs to stand before the divine. ### [LXXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxvii) The speaker who acknowledges the divine as God and father but keeps a distance, not grasping the divine as a friend or comrade. ### [LXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxviii) The poet narrates the myth of the lost star and the gods' lament. ### [LXXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxix) The speaker who yearns for the divine and feels the sorrow of separation. ### [LXXX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxx) Describes himself as a remnant of a cloud, separated from the divine and longing for union. ### [LXXXI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxxi) Grieves over lost time but realizes divine purpose in every moment. ### [LXXXII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxxii) The speaker who laments his own lack of time and the emptiness of the divine altar. ### [LXXXIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxxiii) The speaker who weaves a chain of pearls from tears and offers his own sorrow to the Divine. ### [LXXXIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxxiv) The poet's heart is the vessel through which the pain of separation flows into songs. ### [LXXXV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxxv) Observes the journey of the warriors from and back to the master's hall. ### [LXXXVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxxvi) The poet receives Death at his door, prepares to welcome him with worship and offerings, and reflects on his own desolate state after Death's departure. ### [LXXXVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxxvii) The speaker who searches desperately for the lost beloved and turns to the divine. ### [LXXXVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxxviii) The speaker who addresses the deity and describes the scene of neglect. ### [LXXXIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/lxxxix) The speaker who decides to speak only in whispers and murmurs, leaving the world's busy market for a divine call. ### [XC](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xc) The speaker who prepares to offer his life's fullness to death. ### [XCI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xci) The speaker who has kept watch for death and prepared for the final union. ### [XCII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xcii) Reflects on mortality and the transient nature of earthly life. ### [XCIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xciii) The speaker who takes leave, returns keys, and prepares for the journey. ### [XCIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xciv) The speaker who takes leave of friends and begins a journey at dawn. ### [XCV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xcv) Reflects on the moment of entering life and the familiarity of the world. ### [XCVI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xcvi) The speaker who reflects on his life and prepares his parting words. ### [XCVII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xcvii) Recalls past playful intimacy with the divine and now experiences a sudden, awe-filled revelation. ### [XCVIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xcviii) The speaker who vows to offer trophies of defeat and accepts total dissolution. ### [XCIX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/xcix) The speaker who gives up control and waits in darkness for the divine. ### [C](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/c) The speaker who dives into the ocean of forms and prepares to offer his life's harp. ### [CI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/ci) The speaker who has sought the divine through his songs throughout his life. ### [CII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/cii) Boasts of knowing the Divine, but cannot answer when asked to reveal the Divine's identity or the meaning of his songs. ### [CIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/chapters/ciii) The speaker who offers a unified salutation to God. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/characters/narrator - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/gitanjali_se/characters