The Old Gumbie Cat - T. S. Eliot

Introduction

Thomas Stearns Eliot was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, and literary and social critic. Considered one of the twentieth century's major poets, Eliot attracted widespread attention for his poem "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" (1915), which was seen as a masterpiece of the Modernist movement. It was followed by some of the best-known poems in the English language, including The Waste Land (1922), "The Hollow Men" (1925), "Ash Wednesday" (1930), and Four Quartets (1943).^[4] He was also known for his seven plays, particularly Murder in the Cathedral (1935) and The Cocktail Party (1949). He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1948, "for his outstanding, pioneer contribution to present-day poetry".

Synopsis

This poem is about a cat called Jennyanydots. The poet is very proud of the cat. Her looks are admirable. She sits leisurely throughout the day on the stair or on the mat. The Gumbie cat’s work begins only when the sun is down and the family is asleep. When she finds the ways of mice are not good, she teaches them skills of music, crocheting and tatting. She shows concern for the mice when she notices that they don’t eat proper diet. She makes them a cake and fry. The cat shows her concern for the cockroaches also as they are disorderly and idle. She also turns some of the cockroaches into a troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts, with a purpose in life and a good deed to do.

Stanza wise explanation

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

The poet creates a Gumbie cat, Jennyanydots in his mind. The word gumbie by dictionary refers to an inexperienced or a shy person. Here, the poet shows it in a different light. He admires her brownish or greyish fur (tabby kind) with stripes and spots. He loves the sight of her presence on the steps or on the mat. He even more likes the way she sits composed throughout the day!

But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family's in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice--
Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting,
She teachs them music, crocheting and tatting.

The cat enjoys her sweet laid back hours during the day while she becomes very active when the day is done and all are asleep at home. She then goes to the basement where she is pitied by the ways of the mice. She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

The poet loves the Gumbie Cat so much that he wonders if there is any one equivalent to the cat. She always loves the warm and sunny spots. She is found by the hearth or on the bed or on the hat of the poet. The poet loves the way she sits throughout the day.

But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
As she finds that the mice will not ever keep quiet,
She is sure it is due to irregular diet;
And believing that nothing is done without trying,
She sets right to work with her baking and frying.
She makes them a mouse--cake of bread and dried peas,

And a beautiful fry of lean bacon and cheese.
The cat has found out the reason why the mice do not keep quiet. It is because they do not have regular diet. So, she makes them a mouse-cake and a beautiful fry of lean bacon and cheese.

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
The curtain-cord she likes to wind, and tie it into sailor-knots.
She sits upon the window-sill, or anything that's smooth and flat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

She likes to wind curtain-cord and tie it into knots. She could be seen seated on the window sill or anything that is smooth and flat. She just loves to sit throughout.

But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
She thinks that the cockroaches just need employment
To prevent them from idle and wanton destroyment.
So she's formed, from that lot of disorderly louts,
A troop of well-disciplined helpful boy-scouts,
With a purpose in life and a good deed to do--
And she's even created a Beetles' Tattoo.

The poet finds the cat to be concerned towards the idle cockroaches also. She reforms them to be a troop of well-disciplined boy-scouts with a purpose in life.

So for Old Gumbie Cats let us now give three cheers--
On whom well-ordered households depend, it appears.

Thus the poet is all admiration for the beloved Gumbie Cat. He thinks that is the reason why the households are orderly. So, he raises a toast for Jennyanydots.

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